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Vince Russo, the former WWE writer who pitched the controversial Brawl For All tournament, does not think the concept would work in 2021.
In 1998, 16 WWE Superstars fought in legitimate fights over the course of two months on Monday Night RAW. The winner, Bart Gunn, went on to get knocked out in a boxing match against professional boxer Butterbean at WrestleMania XV. Several other Superstars suffered injuries during their Brawl For All fights, including Dr. Death (hamstring) and Savio Vega (arm).
Speaking to Dr. Chris Featherstone on SK Wrestling’s Off the SKript, Russo said Dr. Death’s injury could also have happened in a regular match. He added that Brawl For All would not work now due to the risk of injuries to the head.
“What I do say, bro, is if we knew about CTE and head trauma, I would have never suggested it. When I watch that, I’m not concerned about the pulled muscles. Bro, the shots to the head and guys’ eyes rolling to the back of their head. If I would’ve known then what I know [now], there’s no way I would’ve even suggested that match.”
Watch the video above to find out more of Vince Russo’s thoughts on the Brawl For All tournament. He also discusses Mick Foley and Vader.
Backstage reaction to the WWE Brawl For All tournament
Bradshaw (aka JBL) was among the WWE Superstars who took part in WWE Brawl For All. He defeated Henry O. Godwinn, Marc Mero, and Droz before losing in the final to Bart Gunn.
The soon-to-be WWE Hall of Famer appeared on SK Wrestling’s UnSKripted with Dr. Chris Featherstone in November 2020. He said the idea was “terrible” but his tournament winnings helped him pay for a house that he went on to live in for 20 years.
Please credit SK Wrestling’s Off the SKript and embed the video interview if you use quotes from this article.
