On second thought: Brian Adams aka Crush

While the board is quiet, thought I'd give a new thread idea a go in which we discuss stars from the past who were perhaps under-rated / under-appreciated at the time.

For me, Crush was one of the most under-rated powerhouses there was in WWF / WCW. He had insane strength, and could seriously move for a big guy. He was great to watch in-ring due to his training in Japan, and during his face-run in '93 he was majorly over with the fans. I think the only thing which held him back was the fact that, despite being a suplex-machine, the WWF decided to saddle him with a vice-grip finisher when something like a pile-driver would have suited his character so much better.

To turn him heel was a big mistake as well, Crush just never had the charisma to garner heat and his best role would always be as a no-nonsense face. He showed this during his last big run in the tag-team Kronik in the early 00s, they were over as WCWs version of the APA but sadly, as with the rest of WCWs talent, didn't survive the transition to the WWF.

I think it's criminal Brian Adams only achievements were several runs with the tag-team belts when he was such an effective singles competitor, and could have done a job much higher up the card given the chance.

Your thoughts on Crush / Brian Adams, and why he was seemingly so under-valued?

I think a lot of the older fans didn't buy into him because many saw him as the reason Demolition split up, they hated the fact he replaced Ax, I think that run with Demolition though should have told McMahan he isn't a good heel, Crush had an array of good moves but I think he got saddled with his finisher due to his ring name

Bland wrestler with no charisma who couldn't talk. I think he was lucky to achieve what he did (which, credit to him, was more than 95% of wrestlers)

His feud with Micheals over the IC Title was quite good, he reminds me a bit like Jack Swagger in that he has the physical attributes but no charisma

He wasn't anything special, but got reasonably interesting when his opponent got him "furious". You know things weren't working out when they gave him Mr Fuji as his manager/mouthpiece.

His mullet was a sight to behold though!

Was Jim Cornette not his mouth piece with Fugi the manager?

Could have been gaffer, I'm using my dodgy memory. I remember Crush having a feud with Savage round WM 10 and he was aligned with Yokozuna/Fuji.

Yeah i remember that but I think Cornette was aligned with Yoko as well

Cornette was Yokozuna's "American representative", or something like that. I don't think he was Crush's manager although they would have been aligned around that time.

I think the comparison with Swagger is harsh. Swagger has far more ability in the ring and on the mic and I don't think he's devoid of charisma although to be fair I've heard people say that before.

I rate Swagger but I think he is awful on the mic and feel natural charisma is where he lacks most, with a mouthpiece he could go far

Without one IMO he'll never be a top guy

Poor technical wrestler, no charisma and part of an awful tag team.

If he wasn't good friends with taker or the size that he was then Vince wouldn't have given him so many chances.

I saw him perform in London in Demolitions and the Hart Foundations last ever match before all 4 wrestlers got split up and put into singles. Crush was one of my favorite wrestlers. He was basically joined to Demolition to get some experience because he was very new to it at that time. I think he suffered because the WWF went out of their way to highlight his inexperience as to why Demolition was losing. you only have to see the Summerslam 1990 match vs Hart Foundation to see this. After Demolition split up he took a little time off and was repackaged as Cona Crush, but sadly this was just as the Steroids scandal broke and the WWF basically got rid of all the guys who were basically "bodies", and they started to push tecnical wrestlers like Shaun Michaels and Bret Hart instead.
Crush turned heel and did really well, but I think he allowed his best friends Randy Savage to destroy his in ring credibility in a "pins count anywhere" match in Wrestlemania. He looked so strong for so long then was basically taken apart by Savage who was selfish and trying to show he was still up to main event criteria.

I've never got why he was part of the The Foreign Fanatics with Yokozuna, Ludvig Borga and one of the Quebecer against The All-Americans, when he was from Hawaii?

Good singer