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45-711: Polchlopek and Sopp began teaming as the "Long Riders" in the International Wrestling Federation out of Orlando, Florida (not to be confused with the similarly-named promotion run by Killer Kowalski ). Polchlopek wrestled as Brett Colt, while Sopp was known as Kip Winchester. They won the IWF World Tag Team Championship together twice before signing with the World Wrestling Federation . The Smoking Gunns made their WWF debut on April 5, 1993 on

90-464: A loss to Ted DiBiase's Million Dollar Team ( King Kong Bundy , Tatanka, Bam Bam Bigelow, and The Heavenly Bodies). The Gunns were scheduled to compete in a tournament for the vacant Tag Team Championship after Shawn Michaels and Diesel , the champions, began feuding. Injuries prevented the Gunns from entering, however. One day after their replacements, Bob "Spark Plug" Holly and the 1-2-3 Kid , won

135-500: A match. During the match, Bart hit Billy with a botched hangman on the top rope that gave Billy a neck injury. It was then rumored that at WrestleMania 13 , the Gunns were supposed to face against each other but the match did not happen. The two former partners had a decisive match on the June 9, 1997 episode of Raw is War , where Billy, who had changed his character to "Rockabilly", defeated Bart. Soon after, Bart went to wrestle for

180-449: A nod to their previous WWF gimmick. They were managed by Traci Brooks and had three final victories, one over Buck Quartermain and Lex Lovett, one over Trinity 's team Phi Delta Slam and one over the team of Cassidy Riley and Shark Boy. Don Harris effectively retired from the ring in 2005, and began working backstage with TNA as production manager. In the same year, Ron Harris retired from professional wrestling and began working for

225-620: A rematch at King of the Ring . Gunns would then lose to Sunny's former clients Bodydonnas in a non-title match at In Your House 9: International Incident . At SummerSlam , Gunns successfully defended the titles against The Bodydonnas, The Godwinns and The New Rockers in a four-way elimination match . Gunns eventually lost the titles to Owen Hart and the British Bulldog in September 1996 at In Your House 10: Mind Games . Sunny left

270-524: The Boston Sunday Herald . The IWF relocated to Burlington, Vermont in the early-1990s but returned to the Boston area by November 2001. The IWF featured many former World Wide Wrestling Federation stars during its early years including, most notably, Dominic DeNucci , Larry Zbyszko , The Haiti Kid and The Valiant Brothers ( Jerry Valiant and Johnny Valiant ). Bull Curry was

315-681: The 1995 Royal Rumble and were defeated by Lex Luger and The British Bulldog in the opening match of WrestleMania XI . Jacob Blu competed in the King of the Ring 1995 tournament losing to Razor Ramon in the qualifying round. Following a series of losses to the Smoking Gunns , the Harris Brothers left the WWF in October 1995. They eventually left the WWF and returned to ECW in 1996 as

360-495: The 1996 Royal Rumble . On February 15, 1996, the Smoking Gunns forfeited the titles when Billy was forced to undergo neck surgery. Billy recovered quickly. Around this time, the Gunns began to show signs of a heel turn and they won their final championship three months later by defeating The Godwinns at In Your House 8: Beware of Dog . During the match, Billy distracted Phineas I. Godwinn by kissing Sunny who came to

405-615: The All Japan Pro Wrestling World's Strongest Tag Determination League 2001, an eight-team tag tournament. They defeated The Varsity Club ( Mike Rotunda and Steve Williams ) before losing to Mitsuya Nagai and Toshiaki Kawada in the tournament semi-finals. In June 2002, the Harris Brothers were hired by the upstart Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) promotion, joined Vince Russo 's Sports Entertainment Xtreme faction in December 2002, and remained with

450-724: The Boston Garden . The first championship titles were introduced in the early 1980s with Kowalski and The Executioners being billed as the first IWF Heavyweight and Tag Team Champions respectively. That same year, the IWF began airing a Sunday morning show, Bedlam from Boston , on the WXNE-TV . During this period, Kowalski partnered with Dominic DeNucci and Bruno Sammartino 's "International Wrestling" group based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania . Kowalski initially promoted shows in

495-640: The Christian music record label Beach Street Records. In 2007 Ron, Don and Frank Miller formed the Nashville-based management company O-Seven Artist Management. They work for Aroluxe, a marketing and production company. In January 2016, TNA hired Aroluxe to pay for its TV tapings. In 2002, the brothers appeared on a TNA PPV wearing shirts with the Nazi SS symbol. They also displayed their SS tattoos (which were later covered up). TNA apologized for

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540-816: The ECW Tag Team Championships were held-up after a controversial ending to a match between the Bruise Brothers and the incumbents, The Public Enemy . The Bruise Brothers went on to participate in some of the first ECW hardcore matches, and feuded with Shane Douglas . The Harris Brothers were signed by the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) in January 1995, where they were renamed "The Blu Brothers", Eli (Ron) and Jacob (Don). They retained their trademark bushy beards and long hair and donned garb to resemble mountain men, and were managed by Uncle Zebekiah . They made their WWF debuts shortly before

585-583: The Greater Boston Area but eventually toured throughout the Northeastern United States. IWF event tours also included high school gyms and fairs in cities throughout New England . Some of the promotion's regular towns included Andover , Bellingham , Billerica , Grafton , Middleboro , Norwood , Waltham , and Westford, Massachusetts . Kowalsi was able to promote IWF shows via his weekly column, "Killer's Corner", for

630-675: The National Wrestling Alliance (NWA), and when he returned to WWF in 1998, he was mainly involved in storylines with other NWA talent, and his opponents in the Brawl for All tournament, which he won. At Wrestlemania XV he lost to Butterbean in a boxing match. At the 1998 King of the Ring , Billy and Bart faced each other in a tag team match between the Midnight Express and the New Age Outlaws with

675-539: The New Age Outlaws with Road Dogg . Gunn became a ten-time World Tag Team Champion with Road Dogg and Chuck Palumbo . He was released by the company in November 2004 after serving 11 years. International Wrestling Federation The International Wrestling Federation ( IWF , also known as Killer Kowalski's All-Stars ) was a professional wrestling promotion that held events in the New England area of

720-585: The Nippon Budokan promoted by the Pro Wrestling Noah promotion. In late 2003, Ron Harris began working for wrestler and burgeoning rap artist Randy Savage as a tour manager . The Harris Brothers were reunited in November 2004 when Savage debuted in TNA and, following a backstage altercation with his rival Hulk Hogan , requested that he be accompanied by two bodyguards at all times. The job

765-906: The United States from 1979 to 1996, when it was run by Killer Kowalski . The promotion was based in Reading, Massachusetts , with offices in Burlington, Vermont . It operated in conjunction with Kowalski's wrestling school in Malden, Massachusetts . The International Wrestling Federation was formed in 1979 by Killer Kowalski two years after starting his wrestling school, the Killer Kowalski Institute for Professional Wrestling, in Malden, Massachusetts . According to former student John Callahan , Kowalski decided to form his own group after an argument with Angelo Savoldi at

810-943: The World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE). They are now co-presidents of the Nashville -based Aro Lucha professional wrestling promotion. For the majority of their careers, the brothers performed as a tag team . They wrestled under their birth names and a variety of ring names , including Don Bruise and Ron Bruise (the Bruise Brothers); Eli Blu and Jacob Blu (the Blu Twins); Jared Grimm and Jason Grimm (the Grimm Twins); Skull and 8 Ball (the Disciples of Apocalypse); and Patrick and Gerald (Creative Control). Don and Ron Harris were born in Florida . In

855-681: The nWo 2000 in 2000 using their real names, acting as enforcers for Jeff Jarrett . They remained in WCW throughout 2000, feuding with Sid Vicious , Terry Funk and many of the younger tag teams, such as The Mamalukes . After winning the WCW World Tag Team Championship three times, the Harris Brothers began wrestling in singles matches in 2001, but WCW was purchased by the WWF in March 2001, and they were not hired. In November and December 2001, Don and Ron Harris took part in

900-628: The "gang wars" of 1997, feuding with the Nation of Domination and the Puerto Rican stable Los Boricuas . They went on to compete in the tag division throughout 1998. They feuded with the Legion Of Doom . 8-Ball also competed in the WWE's Brawl For All tournament on July 20, 1998, but lost to 2 Cold Scorpio in the third round. Their last match in WWF as a tag team was at a house show, which

945-598: The 1980s, Ron and Don relocated to Nashville, Tennessee , in order to become professional wrestlers. Ron worked as a police officer in West Palm Beach, Florida , prior to moving to Tennessee with his brother. Don and Ron Harris, with support from the country music group Sawyer Brown , debuted in the Continental Wrestling Association in December 1987 as "The Bruise Brothers", where they became two-time World Tag Team Champions. When

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990-584: The Bruise Brothers, competing once more in the tag division, and briefly joining Raven's Nest . Don and Ron Harris returned to the WWF in September 1996, as the short-lived "Grimm Twins," Jason (Ron) and Jared (Don) where they had matches with the Smoking Gunns and the Godwinns . In June 1997, were repackaged as "8-Ball" (Ron) and "Skull" (Don), members of the Disciples of Apocalypse stable with Crush and their cousin, Chainz . The DOA participated in

1035-558: The CWA became the United States Wrestling Association in 1989, the Bruise Brothers remained in the promotion . Don and Ron won five more Tag Team Championships, with Don winning two additional USWA World Tag Team Championships with Brian Lee and Ron winning an additional USWA World Tag Team Championship with Jimmy Harris (no relation) as "Beauty and The Beast". The Harris Brothers made a final appearance with

1080-592: The Clown , King Kong Bundy and Hakushi , occasionally appeared at IWF events in the mid-1990s. The IWF stopped holding regular shows after 1996 though Kowalski continued promoting under the "Killer Kowalski's All-Stars" banner for a few more years. In November 2001, the IWF took part in "Headlocks for Humanity", an American Red Cross benefit show for victims of the September 11th attacks , with Slyk Wagner Brown (managed by April Hunter ) and CueBall representing

1125-537: The Jungle", found success in World Championship Wrestling . Kowalski had a strong relationship with both Vince McMahon Sr. and his son Vince McMahon Jr. His students (many of whom IWF stars) regularly appeared on World Wrestling Federation television as preliminary wrestlers during the 1980s and 90s. His best known students - Triple H , Chyna and Perry Saturn - had prominent roles in

1170-481: The October 27 episode of Superstars , Billy eventually turned against Bart by walking out of a match against New Rockers. Bart, still managed to win the match. This led Gunns to implode and feud with each other. Billy and Bart competed in opposing teams in a Survivor Series elimination match at the Survivor Series ' Free for All . Following that, on the December 16 episode of Raw , the two competed in

1215-742: The Outlaws winning. Bart was released in April 1999, before he could have another angle with Billy. After the breakup, Billy was given the new gimmick of Rockabilly being managed by The Honky Tonk Man . It failed to catch on, however, and he became "Badd Ass" Billy Gunn and later won the WWF Intercontinental Championship , the WWF Hardcore Championship twice, and the 1999 King of the Ring tournament, in addition to eight more tag team titles. He formed

1260-466: The Smoking Gunns and destroyed their cowboy hats . In return, the Gunns grabbed the Bodies' robes and tore off the wings. The teams had a series of matches at house shows , but the feud did not end with a blow off match . Instead, the teams faced off as part of a 5-on-5 elimination match at the 1994 Survivor Series . Billy and Bart became a part of Guts and Glory ( Lex Luger , Mabel , and Adam Bomb ) in

1305-708: The USWA in 1996 as "The Grimm Brothers". In 1991, the Bruise Brothers debuted in the Oregon -based National Wrestling Alliance Pacific Northwest promotion, where they became six-time Tag Team Champions. Don Harris was also part of the last match in that promotion's television show, defeating Jon Rambo. On January 27, 1992, the Harris Twins received a tryout match with the WWF at a Wrestling Challenge taping in Lubbock, Texas, defeating Khris Germany and Todd Overbow. They beat

1350-476: The arena with real guns, but then they received complaints from families that they were scaring children, which caused them to stop firing guns in the arenas. Although they continued to wrestle as a team, they did not appear together again on a WWF pay-per-view for over a year. In the fall of 1994, the Gunns began a feud with the Heavenly Bodies ( Tom Prichard and Jimmy Del Ray ). The Bodies attacked

1395-423: The belts, the Gunns returned to win the title on January 23, 1995 episode of Monday Night Raw . By 1995, Billy and Bart both shaved their mustaches and cut their long hair off. Gunns successfully defended the titles against Holly and Kid, The New Headshrinkers , Heavenly Bodies, and Men on a Mission. At WrestleMania XI , the Gunns faced Owen Hart and a mystery partner, who was revealed to be Yokozuna and lost

Smoking Gunns - Misplaced Pages Continue

1440-594: The belts. Smokin' Gunns received a rematch for the titles against Owen Hart and Yokozuna at the inaugural In Your House event, but failed to win. Gunns would then briefly feud with The Blu Brothers , defeating them at SummerSlam . On the September 25 episode of Raw , Gunns regained the Tag Team Championship from Hart and Yokozuna, beginning their second tag title reign. Gunns enjoyed a lengthy title reign, defeating challengers like Razor Ramon and 1-2-3 Kid at In Your House 4 , and The Bodydonnas at

1485-629: The company during the Attitude Era . The IWF later featured former WWF stars Demolition Ax , King Kong Bundy , Hercules , The Honky Tonk Man , The Mountie , Jake "The Snake" Roberts , Jimmy Snuka , and Nikolai Volkoff . In December 1992, following his controversial departure from the WWF, The Ultimate Warrior (appearing under his old "Dingo Warrior" ring name) wrestled Hercules at an IWF show in Billerica, Massachusetts. Then current WWF stars, such as Adam Bomb , Bob Backlund , Doink

1530-480: The day after WrestleMania IX , defeating jobbers Barry Horowitz and Reno Riggins . Vignettes began airing on the WWF television promoting the debut of Smoking Gunns, beginning with the April 25 episode of Wrestling Challenge . Gunns made their televised debut in WWF on the May 15 episode of Mania as fan favorites by defeating Damian Demento and The Brookyln Brawler . During their televised debut, Brett Colt

1575-1053: The duo again the next night in Amarillo . In March 1993, the Twins worked a few matches for World Championship Wrestling . In 1993, the Harris Brothers joined Smoky Mountain Wrestling as the Bruise Brothers, managed by Jim Cornette . On June 28, Cornette led them to a victory over the Rock 'n' Roll Express, Ricky Morton and Robert Gibson , for the SMW Tag Team Championships. The Bruise Brothers remained in SMW until early 1994, participating in hardcore matches such as Street Fights and steel cage matches . The Bruise Brothers appeared in Extreme Championship Wrestling in 1994. On February 5,

1620-645: The early 1990s. He also won the IWF Tag Team Championship with Levesque. Saturn met his future tag team partner John Kronus while working for the IWF and helped enroll him in Kowalski's wrestling school. Brittany Brown was the longest reigning Women's Champion (12 years), then Chyna (Joanie Lee) won the IWF Ladies Championship from Violet Flame in the very late 1990s. "Giant" Ron Reis and The Renegade , as "Rio, Lord of

1665-515: The main " heel " wrestling manager before his death. Zbyszko's infamous WWWF feud with Bruno Sammartino spilled over into the IWF as he battled his former mentor's real-life son Bruno Sammartino Jr. in late 1982. Kowalski continued bringing in talent from the World Wrestling Federation when Vince McMahon Jr. took over his father's promotion in the 1980s. The promotion showcased a number of wrestlers who were regulars in

1710-527: The northeast wrestling scene and was the birthplace of Paul Levesque (then known as Terra Ryzing), Perry Saturn and Chyna . Levesque, who had graduated from Kowalski's school at the top of his class, made his IWF debut in March 1992 defeating Tony Roy. Two months later, he won the organization's heavyweight title from Mad Dog Richard. Saturn, billed as "The Iron Horseman", won the IWF North American and Light Heavyweight Championship during

1755-680: The promotion. One of the IWF's last shows was held in Sutton, New Hampshire on November 2, 2002. Finally in 2003, health issues forced Kowalski to withdraw from both promoting and the wrestling school. Following his death in 2008, the Kowalski estate auctioned off IWF correspondence and other wrestling memorabilia from his career. 1992 Harris Brothers Donald Harris and Ronald Harris (born October 23, 1960) are American twin brothers best known for their professional wrestling careers with promotions including Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW), World Championship Wrestling (WCW), and

1800-457: The ring with the Godwinns. After the match, Sunny became The Gunn's manager and the team became tweeners with Billy acting more like a heel and Bart acting more like a face. Sunny manipulated the Gunns, causing the brothers to argue. Sunny and Billy had an on-screen relationship, which bothered Bart. Meanwhile, Gunns continued their successful Tag Team Championship reign, defeating Godwinns in

1845-565: The stable until it disbanded in mid-2003. On July 19, 2003, Ron Harris appeared in Harley Race 's World League Wrestling promotion, and, in a match refereed by Ricky Steamboat , won the WLW Heavyweight Championship by defeating Ron Powers (he was substituting for Trevor Rhodes , who had been injured earlier that evening). He lost the title on September 12, 2003, to Takeshi Morishima in a Tokyo title defence in

Smoking Gunns - Misplaced Pages Continue

1890-429: The team because she only wanted to be a manager for title holders (although she did not become Hart and Bulldog's manager, Clarence Mason did become their manager replacing Jim Cornette ). Billy, frustrated with losing both the title and Sunny, began having miscommunications with Bart. Gunns failed to regain the Tag Team Championship from Owen Hart and British Bulldog in a rematch at In Your House 11: Buried Alive . On

1935-653: Was a loss to Ken Shamrock and Mankind on May 14, 1999. Skull's last match was in a singles match at a house show against Ken Shamrock on May 15, 1999, in which he was defeated. 8-Ball's last match was in a singles match at a house show against Ken Shamrock on May 16, 1999, in which he was also defeated. The brothers were released soon after. In November 1999, the Harris Brothers joined World Championship Wrestling (WCW) as "Gerald" (Ron) and "Patrick" (Don). The names were shots at Pat Patterson and Gerald Brisco who worked for WWF as Vince McMahon 's stooges. They were known collectively as "Creative Control". They went on to join

1980-502: Was given to Ron Harris and Savage's tour bodyguard, Brian Adams . Savage had his final match in the promotion in a 6-man tag team match with Jeff Hardy and AJ Styles in a victory over Jeff Jarrett, Kevin Nash and Scott Hall on December 5, 2004, then immediately left the company, but the Harris Brothers were retained to act as road agents . In March 2005, the Harris Brothers reappeared onscreen as "The Disciples of Destruction", two bikers as

2025-497: Was renamed Bart Gunn and Kip Winchester was renamed Billy Gunn. Their first pay-per-view appearance was at the King of the Ring event in an eight-man tag team match, in which they teamed with Steiner Brothers to defeat The Headshrinkers and Money Incorporated when Billy pinned Ted DiBiase . Their next big match came at SummerSlam , when they teamed up with Tatanka to defeat Bam Bam Bigelow and The Headshrinkers. From their debut until January 1994, they would fire blanks in

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