Brian Adams

Brian Keith Adams (April 14, 1964 – August 13, 2007) was an American professional wrestler.

Adams is known for his time with the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), under the name Crush, and for World Championship Wrestling (WCW) under his real name Brian Adams.

Trained in Japan by Antonio Inoki, he was a two-time WCW World Tag Team Champion, a one-time WWF Tag Team Champion and a one-time AJPW World Tag Team Champion, among other accomplishments.

He was a challenger for various singles titles in the WWF and WCW, including the WWF Championship.

Brian Adams made his debut for New Japan Pro-Wrestling in 1986.

However, his work visa expired after a tour in September 1987, forcing him to return to the United States.

In November 1987, Adams joined the NWA Pacific Northwest Wrestling (PNW) promotion, where he was given the nickname "the American Ninja".

Upon arrival, he feuded with Super Ninja, which culminated in a loser-leaves-town match, which Adams won.

Adams left PNW in February 1988 to return to NJPW for a tour, this time under the masked persona, The Midnight Soldier.

The NJPW tour lasted from February 29 to March 19.

Upon returning to Portland, he did not return to PNW, but instead joined Billy Jack Haynes' short-lived Oregon Wrestling Federation.

After OWF quickly folded, Adams wrestled throughout the independent circuit in Portland, until November 1988, when he joined Mike Miller in Memphis, to wrestle for Continental Wrestling Association.

Later that same month, he wrestled a match for World Championship Wrestling teaming with Jerry Price losing to Lex Luger and Sting.

In May 1988, he took part in Billy Jack Haynes' short-lived Oregon Wrestling Federation.

In January 1989, Adams and Miller went to wrestle a tour for All Japan Pro Wrestling.

The AJPW tour lasted from January 2 to 28.

In March 1989, Adams finally returned to PNW, where he aligned with Lord Jonathan Boyd and Carl Styles, feuding with The Grappler, The Barbarian, and Buddy Rose.

In April 1989, Adams revived the masked Midnight Soldier persona, which led to The Grappler to offer a $5000 bounty for the mask.

In September 1989, Adams unmasked and turned heel, and joined forces with The Grappler in a tag team called "The Wrecking Crew".

Adams and Grappler were the Pacific Northwest Tag Team Champions for a time and worked a feud with the Southern Rockers, Steve Doll and Rex King.

Adams appeared in a dark match on August 9, 1989, defeating Barry Horowitz on WWF Wrestling Challenge.

In 1990, he won the Pacific Northwest Heavyweight Championship after winning a tournament final match against Larry Oliver in Portland on April 21, 1990, for the vacant title.

He lost the title to Scott Norton on May 12, 1990, in Portland.

In June 1990, while still working for the PNW, Adams debuted in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) as "Crush", the third member of the Tag Team Champions Demolition.

With Adams joining Demolition, the trio exercised the Freebird Rule allowing any combination of the three to defend the tag team title, which allowed Crush to become a Tag Team Champion.

He was brought in as a substitute for Ax to defend the titles with Smash.

Crush debuted at a live event on June 5, where he and Smash successfully defended the titles against The Rockers.

Crush made his televised debut with Demolition on the June 23 episode of Superstars, teaming with Smash in a quick victory over Paul Diamond and Joe Champ.

On the July 28 episode of Saturday Night's Main Event XXVII, Crush and Smash retained the titles against The Rockers, after Ax (who was the illegal man) clotheslined and pinned Shawn Michaels.

At the SummerSlam pay-per-view, Demolition, with new member Crush, lost the title to The Hart Foundation in a two out of three falls match with Crush getting pinned for the final fall to lose the title.

After SummerSlam, Demolition shifted focus from the belts to their already incipient feud with The Legion of Doom which had intensified after the latter team interfered in the title change match.

Adams continued to perform as part of Demolition until after WrestleMania VII where he and Smash lost to Genichiro Tenryu and Koji Kitao.

After WrestleMania, the WWF decided to disband Demolition as a team, although Demolition continue to team until September 1991.

Upon his departure from the WWF, Adams, who continued to use the Crush gimmick, returned to PNW.

He quickly turned fan favorite upon his return and was portrayed as a dominant wrestler, winning both the Pacific Northwest Tag Team Championship and the Pacific Northwest Heavyweight Championship.

In 2002, he briefly tried a career in boxing until retiring due to back and shoulder injuries.

Brian Adams was born in Kona, Hawaii and was raised in Kealakekua, Hawaii and attended Konawaena High School.

After graduating from high school, Adams joined the US Air Force, where he began boxing.

It was during his time in the USAF, while stationed in Japan, that he was also exposed to wrestling.

Adams was trained in wrestling by famed Japanese wrestler and mixed martial artist Antonio Inoki.