Recently, The Russian Brute sent his private Lear Jet to get his manager, "The Fabulous Ox Baker," at his estate in New England. They were to party and talk about business upcoming.

Ox Baker has never been a goody two shoes kind of guy. He would tell you how it was and when it would happen and then go and do it. He gained a reputation of being the toughest man to ever face in the ring. A lot of people never knew that he carried out his anger and frustrations of dealing with fans and promoters and opponents outside the ring as well.

Ox is a very intelligent man in some respects. He can quote Macbeth. He can direct you on how to use calculus to solve complex mathematical problems. He can speak to you in a first person basis about most subjects known to man.

Ox has a persona that is equal to no one. He stands above all others. He never takes advice from anyone. He is a cut above other men.

As Ox entered the 15-seat Lear on the lonely airstrip next to his New England estate, he looked past the pilot and co-pilot and saw three huge men seated in the rear of the cabin area. They were speaking in Russian, and, since Ox was fluent in that language as well, he began to talk with them as the Lear climbed to 28,000 feet to level off.

The men were friends of George "The Russian Brute" and were in the commodities business in Europe. Among the many things they traded were gold and silver. In a businesslike move, Ox asked one of the men if he could buy into their affair. These men were very loyal to the Russian Brute and declined the offer.

Arriving at McCarran Airport in Las Vegas, they taxied away from the huge edifices know to most of the other aircraft that land and fly out of them. They came to stop at a private hangar where a long limo that was owned by the Bellagio was waiting. Two huge men nearly seven feet tall were standing by the carrier.

One was the limo driver, and the other was George "The Russian Brute." After a short meeting, which included huge hugs between The Brute and his wrestling manager Ox Baker, they were whisked out of McCarran through a security gate near Las Vegas Blvd. They were taken to the most beautiful casino on the strip.

Almost as soon as they arrived in the front of the casino, a huge crowd began to assemble. Security and four huge men over seven feet tall cut off the crowd. These men were official bodyguards who were sent to the front to help out. Ox Baker started to scream at the security and tell them to let a few of those wanna-be's through, and he would take care of them in his own gentle way.

Needless to say, the security and the bodyguards never let anybody through, and Ox and the Brute were taken to their suite of rooms high atop the Bellagio in the penthouse.

Following a wonderful meal of pheasant under glass, caviar, sweet potatoes and a whole table of hot steaming vegetables accompanied by the finest wine from the vaults of the wine cellar, the meeting began.

The Brute had sent for Ox to put his signature on a huge-dollar contract to wrestle in major cities overseas. Ox reviewed the contracts and then turned to the Brute seated near his four bodyguards. I don't think it would be advisable for you to undertake this trip at the present time.

The Brute looked at him with much surprise and asked why he wouldn't want him to go and make all this money for wrestling some of Europe's best. It was then that Ox began his barrage of verbiage at the Brute.

"You didn't think that I would find out, did you? You didn't think that I have friends in Mexico City, did you? You never thought that I would find out that a guy that I personally trained and spent a lot of my time giving you the knowledge that took me years to attain would go behind my back."

"You got your 350-pound butt beat by a 190-pound Chicano under a mask in Mexico City last week … DIDN'T YOU? You lost your championship belt to a man twice as small as you are ... and he won't even give you a rematch to try and get it back."

Suddenly, The Brute rose, his 6'9" height evident to all in the room, and he started toward Ox, who had also risen to his feet and was at a full 6'6" himself. The bodyguards did not come to their feet at first until the battle of foul play began. Brute grabbed Ox by the shirt and screamed out at him in more then one language.

Ox responded by pushing the Brute backwards. Ox then turned and took out two of the guards with massive punches to their sides, cracking rib bones as he proceeded. The Brute was back on his feet and charging towards his mentor with fire in his eyes. Ox only knew one way out of this dilemma ... HEART PUNCH.

As swiftly as it began, it ended on the floor of the penthouse with one huge punch to the Brute's chest. Grabbing his chest, he collapsed to the floor and was knocked out. The other two guards wanted nothing to do with Ox as they watched in horror the movements of their buddies grabbing at their sides and screaming.

Ox knew that it would be good advice for him to vacate the area and get out of town. Things would be better, he figured.

Grabbing the personal chauffeur of the Brute, Ox exited the room and the hotel and headed straight to McCarran, where he met the pilots who had brought him West, and headed back for the East Coast, where things could cool down.

In the meantime, The Brute came to and began to experience huge chest pains like he never had before in his young life. He was taken to a local hospital where they did a Heart Cath and found out that the punch delivered a short time before had damaged his right and left ventricles, and he now needed an immediate heart surgery to correct the problem.

Five days later, the Brute emerged from the private room in the hospital in Las Vegas much healthier and happier. He learned a valuable lesson in dealing with Ox Baker. "It would be easier to go down Halstead Avenue in South Chicago at 1 or 2 in the morning with 100 dollar bills hanging out of your pockets than to cross Ox Baker."

Asked if he was still mad at what Ox did to him, he said, "No, I am not mad at him ... I did most of my problem to myself in not getting his advice and letting him oversee my affairs, I will contact him soon."

As far as Ox Baker ... He arrived back in New England, jumped off the plane as it was coming to a stop at the end of his runway, and ran out into the night. He was last seen at a Wal Mart in Connecticut taking out his anger pushing carts at customers.

Percival A. Friend, Retired
The Epitome of Wrestling Managers