Tyrus

George Murdoch is an American former professional wrestler. He is best known for his work with WWE as Brodus Clay and Tyrus with NWA and Impact Wrestling.

Tyrus began his wrestling career in WWE's developmental territories, Deep South Wrestling and Florida Championship Wrestling. He debuted on the main roster in 2010 as Alberto Del Rio's bodyguard. In 2012, he was given a new gimmick as The Funkasaurus, a funk dancer accompanied by his backup dancers the Funkadactyls. He wrestled in WWE until his departure in 2014. From 2014 to 2017, Tyrus wrestled in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA, now Impact Wrestling) under the ring name of Tyrus. In 2021, he joined the NWA, where he won the NWA World Television Championship, and later the promotion's primary title — the Worlds Heavyweight Championship.

Tyrus is also a successful author. His 2022 autobiography Just Tyrus: A Memoir was a New York Times bestseller. His second book Nuff Said was released in 2023.

Early Life

George Murdoch is the real name of the man known as Tyrus and Brodus Clay. He was born on February 21, 1973, in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. Murdoch once stated that when he was born, his father was 19 years old and his mother was 15. Further, his father was black and his mother was white. Tyrus faced a turbulent childhood marked by an abusive father who injured his eye in a violent incident. This led his mother to leave the relationship. Unable to stay with their own family due to racial prejudice, Tyrus and his brother spent years in foster care.

During this time, young Tyrus longed to be reunited with his family and even "obsessed" over the possibility of changing his skin color, believing it would make that happen. Eventually, the brothers returned to their mother, but at 15, Tyrus felt compelled to leave home and navigate life on his own. In 1990, he attended Quartz Hill High School in Los Angeles County, California. In 1992, he studied at Antelope Valley College in Lancaster. In 1995, he was a student at the University of Nebraska at Kearney. There, he played College Football and aimed to become a teacher. His football career had to come to a halt when surgery to remove the ruptured appendix severed nerve endings in leg. In later years, he once worked as a bodyguard for the famous celebrity Snoop Dogg.

Professional Wrestling Career

WWE (2006-2014)

Early Years (2006-2008)

George Murdoch, under the ring name G-Rilla, started his wrestling career in WWE's developmental territory Deep South Wrestling. He debuted in 2006 as a street thug and initially allied with Urban Assault. However, internal conflicts and feuds led to him being kicked out of the group. He then briefly teamed up with Freakin' Deacon before Deacon's breakdown dissolved the partnership.

G-Rilla then moved to Florida Championship Wrestling (FCW) in 2007. He achieved some success there, winning a battle royal and challenging for the FCW Southern Heavyweight Championship. However, he continued to have conflicts with other wrestlers, and in 2008, his WWE contract was released. He took a two-year hiatus from wrestling after that.

NXT (2010-2011)

After a two-year break, Murdoch returned to WWE in 2010 and wrestled as G-Rilla in FCW, initially aligning with The Uso Brothers. He then switched to the name Brodus Clay, inspired by Snoop Dogg, and formed the Colossal Connection with Donny Marlow. They challenged for the FCW Florida Tag Team Championship several times but were unsuccessful. In late 2010, Clay was chosen for the fourth season of NXT and paired with Ted DiBiase and Maryse as his Pros. He made a strong debut, but soon switched allegiances to Alberto Del Rio and launched a feud with DiBiase. Though not officially mentored by Del Rio, Clay continued to progress and made it to the season finale, ultimately finishing second to Johnny Curtis.

This period marked a turning point for Murdoch. He transitioned from G-Rilla to the more memorable Brodus Clay, displayed promising talent in NXT, and established himself as a force to be reckoned with in the FCW developmental territory. His second chance with WWE was off to a successful start, paving the way for further growth and future accomplishments.

The Funkasaurus and Departure (2012-2014)

After a long delay, Brodus Clay returned to WWE television in January 2012 with a new fun-loving, funk dancing gimmick called "The Funkasaurus." He was accompanied by dancers called The Funkadactyls and quickly gained popularity with his squash wins on both Raw and SmackDown. He continued to have victories at major events like the Royal Rumble and WrestleMania XXVIII. Clay also feuded with other wrestlers like Dolph Ziggler and Jack Swagger, and briefly teamed up with Santino Marella and Hornswoggle. By May 2012, he was on a 21-match winning streak as The Funkasaurus.

After a brutal beatdown by Big Show that ended his winning streak, Brodus Clay became more aggressive and vowed revenge. He interfered in Big Show's match at No Way Out, costing him the win and getting Laurinaitis fired. This allowed Clay to return to Raw, but he lost to Big Show again. Soon, he entered a feud with Damien Sandow, trading attacks and victories. Ultimately, Clay's momentum stalled out as he was eliminated early in a Survivor Series match.

In January 2013, Clay and Tensai (after an embarrassing dance incident) formed a tag team. They became known as Tons of Funk and initially enjoyed success, defeating established teams like Primo & Epico and Team Rhodes Scholars. However, they also faced setbacks, including a loss to The Bella Twins with interference from Cody Rhodes and Damien Sandow. Their scheduled WrestleMania 29 match was cut due to time constraints, but they eventually defeated The Bella Twins and The Funkadactyls on Raw.

Brodus Clay's heel turn in November 2013 was a dramatic shift from his previous fun-loving persona. He became angry and jealous of Xavier Woods, who had borrowed his music and dancers for his entrance. Clay began attacking Woods both during and after matches, and his aggression even alienated his own allies, Tensai and The Funkadactyls. At TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs, Clay's heel turn reached its peak. He faced Woods' partner, R-Truth, but instead of focusing on winning, he repeatedly attacked Truth. This drove Tensai and The Funkadactyls to leave in protest, and Clay ultimately lost the match. He left WWE soon thereafter

Impact Wrestling (2014-2018)

Tyrus debuted for TNA in 2014, teaming with Ethan Carter III. They had some tag team success but couldn't win the big titles. Tyrus also found solo success, winning a Gauntlet for the Gold match and becoming #1 contender for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship. In 2016, Tyrus reinvented himself as a "fixer" for hire, aligning with various wrestlers. He had sporadic singles victories but his tag team run with Eli Drake in 2017 wasn't successful. Tyrus left TNA in August 2017 citing discomfort with Jeff Jarrett's return.

In a dramatic twist, Tyrus returned to Impact in January 2018, turning on his former ally Ethan Carter III and scoring a decisive victory. However, his triumphant comeback was cut short. Just three months later, in April 2018, Tyrus made another abrupt exit from the company, citing frustration with booking decisions that he felt would damage his reputation. This marked the end of Tyrus' time with Impact Wrestling.

NWA (2021-2023)

Tyrus made his NWA debut in March 2021 and quickly rose through the ranks, winning the NWA World Television Championship in August of that year. He successfully defended his title against several challengers before setting his sights on the NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship. In November 2022, Tyrus defeated Trevor Murdoch to win the NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship, the first world title of his career. He successfully defended his title against Matt Cardona and Chris Adonis before ultimately losing it to EC3 in a Bullrope match at the NWA 75th Anniversary Show in August 2023.

Tyrus's time in the NWA was marked by both success and controversy. He was a dominant champion, but his association with Fox News and his eventual retirement due to a storyline loss to EC3 left some fans divided.

Filmography

Tyrus Wife

Tyrus, formerly known as Brodus Clay, is married to Ingrid Rinck. Born on April 24, 1981, Rinck is an American fitness enthusiast and entrepreneur married to George Murdoch aka Tyrus. Her father is Gary Rinck, a former restaurant owner in the United States.

Tyrus Championships