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Brutus "The Barber" Beefcake may not be someone that modern wrestling fans know much about, but someone like him deserves all the recognition considering he's a WWE Hall of Fame. Someone who wrestled during the Rock n' Wrestling Era and The Monday Night Wars, two of the most popular periods in wrestling history, Brutus Beefcake especially made a name for himself when wrestling for WWE in the 1980s and early 1990s. A decorated performer throughout his career, Brutus Beefcake shouldn't be known for just his accomplishments in the ring, as he also triumphed through real-life tragedies. In July 1990, Brutus Beefcake got involved in a parasailing accident that almost cost his life, let alone put his wrestling career on hold.
Brutus "The Barber" Beefcake's Legendary WWE Run
When one thinks of the Rock n' Wrestling Era, superstars like Hulk Hogan, Iron Sheik, and Randy Savage always come to mind. Brutus Beefcake was another that made a name for himself during the so-called Golden Era of wrestling, being a part of some of the many memorable moments throughout his tenure in WWE. Going back to days of teaming with Greg Valentine as The Dream Team, considering both were former WWE Tag Team Champions. Further down the line being the first superstar to pin Mr. Perfect on PPV when he defeated him at Wrestlemania 6.
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Brutus Beefcake became mainly known for his barber persona. After he broke away from Greg Valentine, his barber persona stemmed from turning face and having the honor of shaving the head of Adrian Adonis after he lost to Roddy Piper at WrestleMania 3. Coming out with barber shop props, Brutus Beefcake further established himself with that gimmick throughout the rest of his tenure.
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With that said, Brutus Beefcake spent years being an active performer for WWE before his eventual life-threatening accident. His career is worth celebrating as a Hall of Famer, even if some feel he could've achieved more if he hadn't suffered a life-threatening injury. Brutus Beefcake may not have had the same success as someone like Hulk Hogan or Randy Savage, but he sure is a colorful character that fans still remember to this very day.
Brutus Beefcake's Tragic Parasailing Accident That Almost Ended His Life
1990 became the year that Brutus Beefcake's wrestling career changed forever, as a real-life tragedy occurred over something that was supposed to be a leisure activity for him. In July 1990, Brutus Beefcake was aiding a friend getting ready for parasailing as he was trying to get him lifted off the ground. However, as Brutus Beefcake was helping, the driver of the boat misinterpreted a cue of getting Brutus Beefcake's friend off the ground and instead pulled his friend's knees into hitting Brutus Beefcake's face with full force.
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Brutus Beefcake's facial structure got severely crushed as he couldn't breathe. The accident was so severe that it required at least 100 feet of wire and 32 screws to construct a new facial structure for Brutus Beefcake, as he's gone through many surgeries to get his face repaired. It's worth noting that while at the hospital, Brutus Beefcake's real-life friend, Hulk Hogan, came to visit and tried to cheer him up.
One can only imagine being in a situation like Brutus Beefcake, as having your entire face crushed and not being able to breathe is one of the scariest things any person can go through. Amazingly, Brutus Beefcake's life was not only saved but somehow managed to come back to wrestling for almost another decade. Brutus Beefcake's inspiring comeback is something that every person should aspire to, no matter how bad things can get.
Brutus Beefcake's Comeback To Wrestling
Although Brutus Beefcake stayed out of in-ring action for almost three years, it didn't take long for him to return to WWE in early 1991. However, as he never wrestled a match until 1993, Brutus Beefcake's physicality was limited. Upon his return, he'd wear a mask and attack heel superstars without having a name. Dave Meltzer of The Wrestling Observer alleged that most of the wrestlers on the roster felt uncomfortable over the fact that Brutus Beefcake came back so soon. He also stated that the wrestlers didn't want to inflict any more injuries while also being concerned over the lack of quality matches getting paired with Brutus Beefcake.
Brutus Beefcake at least went on to have a role on WWE TV when he resumed his barber persona in mid-1991, as he started hosting an interview segment called "The Barber Shop." And considering his interview segment gave a platform for Shawn Michaels to turn heel on Marty Jannetty and breakout as a singles star, Brutus Beefcake still had an important role in WWE.
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After wrestling a few matches for WWE in early WWE, Brutus Beefcake left the company and continued his active in-ring elsewhere. Brutus Beefcake mainly wrestled for WCW after joining the company in 1994. However, he did wrestle some matches in New Japan Pro Wrestling, showing that he's not going to let a parasailing accident keep his wrestling career down.
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