Bruiser Brody
Bruiser Brody

Height: 6'8"
Weight: 325 lbs.
Real name: Frank Goodish
Hometown: Albuquerque, New Mexico  
Pro debut: 1960
Finishing move: Diving knee drop, Running knee drop
Other aliases: Frank Brody, Red River Jack, King Kong Brody
Career highlights: WCCW American Heavyweight Champion (4), WCCW Texas Heavyweight Champion, WCCW Texas Tag Team Champion (3), WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Champion (6), WCCW American Tag Team Champion (3) (w/Kerry Von Erich), WCCW TV Champion, NWA Florida Heavyweight Champion (2), NWA International Heavyweight Champion (3), PWF Tag Team Champion (w/Stan Hansen), WWA World Heavyweight Champion, Tri-State Tag Team Champion (w/Stan Hansen), Western States Champion, Central States Tag Team Champion (w/Ernie Ladd), Central States Heavyweight Champion, Southwest Championship Wrestling Tag Team Champion (w/Dick Slater), SCW Brass Knuckles Champion

One of the wildest men in wrestling history, Frank Goodish had a reputation that booked no argument. With his size and attitude, Goodish captivated audiences the world over, becoming one of the most respected wrestlers during his time. Unfortunately, Goodish will always be remembered just as much for the way he left the wrestling world as for the way he changed it.

Goodish began wrestling professionallly in 1973 in his late twenties. At 6'8", he quickly gained a following, changing his name to "Bruiser" Frank Brody, a name that would obviously strike a little more fear than a name like Goodish. Brody didn't waste much time catching on in pro wrestling, as he won his first titles the next year, gaining the NWA US Tag-Team Titles in October 1974 with Stan Hansen, another man known for his old-school brutality. This title reign was just the beginning, as Bruiser Brody would win titles across the United States over the next 14 years, including the NWA Florida Heavyweight Title, the NWA American Heavyweight Title (4 times), the NWA International Heavyweight Champion (twice), and numerous other belts. All-in-all, Bruiser Brody held 1 Television Title, 9 Tag-Team Titles, 7 Brass Knuckle Titles (one of his specialties), and 14 Heavyweight Straps, an incredible string of belts from 1974 to 1988.

Brody was known for his unpredictability, both in the ring and in the back. He was known for swinging chairs and other weapons at wrestlers, referees, and even fans, which caused him to be banned by more than one wrestling organization. Brody never cared, though, as he knew he was there to entertain the fans. He was a challenge for many promoters, as, if he didn't like how something was going to go down, he would either change it himself or simply leave, causing the promoter to have to explain why one of the top draws was not in attendance. Yet Brody continued to be booked, as the fans could never get enough of him. In fact, as "King Kong" Brody in Japan (after losing a "Loser Changes Name" Match with Dick the Bruiser), Brody was one of the most popular foreigners ever to set foot in the Land of the Rising Sun.

Another territory that Brody was popular in was in Puerto Rico, as he wrestled on and off for the World Wrestling Council. Tragically, this decision was the cause of Brody's death. In 1988, Brody had been in WWC to feud with the Masked Destroyer, also known as Jose Gonzalez. Gonzales was the co-owner of the organization, which led to several confrontations with Brody about both wrestling and non-wrestling related problems. On July 17th, 1988, Gonzales allegedly approached Brody while he was in the shower, having just wrestled. According to a police statement from Tony Atlas, Gonzales alledgedly stabbed Brody several times in the stomach with a hunting knife, a brutal murder that shocked the wrestling world. Another shock would soon follow, as, after Atlas refused to testify at the trial, Gonzales was acquitted of the murder. In many people's eyes, Frank Goodish's murderer walked free and clear. Several American wrestlers, including Ric Flair, took a stand, refusing to wrestle in Puerto Rico, causing the WWC to lose its edge in the sport, no longer being the powerhouse it once was.

Frank Goodish's meteoric rise to fame and shocking death are part of the legacy of professional wrestling. There is no doubt, though, that, as Bruiser Brody, Goodish also influenced the path of professional wrestling, as he was hardcore long before it had become commonplace. In 2003, Brody was named #14 on PWI's list of the "Top 500 Wrestlers of the PWI Era", ahead of wrestlers like Steve Austin, Jerry "The King" Lawler, Sting, & the Undertaker. In that, at least, it's clear that Bruiser Brody's legacy is complete.