JB
Jim Brunzell
ActorBorn August 14, 1949 (76 years)
James Brunzell is a retired professional wrestler better known by his ring name "Jumping" Jim Brunzell. Known for his successful tag teams, Brunzell performed for various wrestling promotions over the course of approximately two decades.
National Wrestling Alliance:
During the later half of the 1970s, he signed to wrestle for the Mid-Atlantic region and won the NWA Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Championship twice, a significant singles title at the time.
Return to AWA:
Upon returning to AWA, Brunzell reformed his tag team with Greg Gagne, known as the "High Flyers", and was elevated to main event status. The tandem of Brunzell and Gagne held the AWA World Tag Team Championship on two separate occasions, feuding with teams like Jesse Ventura and Adrian Adonis and Jerry Blackwell and Ken Patera. Brunzell remained with the AWA in both tag team and singles competition until 1985.
WWE:
Brunzell then signed to wrestle with WWE as they continued their national expansion. Here, he formed the popular tag team, The Killer Bees, with another WWE newcomer, B. Brian Blair. Apparently, Verne and Greg Gagne felt somewhat betrayed by the move. Gagne even expressed his displeasure during an AWA broadcast, making subtle references to Brunzell's departure and his new gimmick. Brunzell and Blair experienced moderate success while with WWE. The two feuded with the likes of The Hart Foundation as well as the Funks, Jimmy Jack Funk and Hoss Funk, who they faced in front of over 74,000 fans at The Big Event. Their stay was also highlighted by a match against Nikolai Volkoff and the Iron Sheik as part of WrestleMania III and a win at the inaugural Survivor Series on Thanksgiving Day 1987. The Killer Bees teamed together until Blair left the promotion in 1988. Brunzell continued in singles competition for a time, being used to put over newer talent like Curt Hennig and Damien Demento as late as a Raw episode in April 1993.
Independent circuit:
He left WWE in 1991 and competed on the independent circuit, primarily in the Chicago area. Brunzell also wrestled for Herb Abrams' Universal Wrestling Federation (UWF) in 1991. While there, he reunited with B. Brian Blair under the name Masked Confusion, winning the tag team title twice. After the UWF closed, Brunzell returned to the independent circuit and continued to wrestle until late 1999, when Brunzell faced fellow wrestler, The Hater.
Currently, Brunzell works as a financial planner for Focus Financial in the Minneapolis area, he is also active in his church and does charity work for children with diabetes.
National Wrestling Alliance:
During the later half of the 1970s, he signed to wrestle for the Mid-Atlantic region and won the NWA Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Championship twice, a significant singles title at the time.
Return to AWA:
Upon returning to AWA, Brunzell reformed his tag team with Greg Gagne, known as the "High Flyers", and was elevated to main event status. The tandem of Brunzell and Gagne held the AWA World Tag Team Championship on two separate occasions, feuding with teams like Jesse Ventura and Adrian Adonis and Jerry Blackwell and Ken Patera. Brunzell remained with the AWA in both tag team and singles competition until 1985.
WWE:
Brunzell then signed to wrestle with WWE as they continued their national expansion. Here, he formed the popular tag team, The Killer Bees, with another WWE newcomer, B. Brian Blair. Apparently, Verne and Greg Gagne felt somewhat betrayed by the move. Gagne even expressed his displeasure during an AWA broadcast, making subtle references to Brunzell's departure and his new gimmick. Brunzell and Blair experienced moderate success while with WWE. The two feuded with the likes of The Hart Foundation as well as the Funks, Jimmy Jack Funk and Hoss Funk, who they faced in front of over 74,000 fans at The Big Event. Their stay was also highlighted by a match against Nikolai Volkoff and the Iron Sheik as part of WrestleMania III and a win at the inaugural Survivor Series on Thanksgiving Day 1987. The Killer Bees teamed together until Blair left the promotion in 1988. Brunzell continued in singles competition for a time, being used to put over newer talent like Curt Hennig and Damien Demento as late as a Raw episode in April 1993.
Independent circuit:
He left WWE in 1991 and competed on the independent circuit, primarily in the Chicago area. Brunzell also wrestled for Herb Abrams' Universal Wrestling Federation (UWF) in 1991. While there, he reunited with B. Brian Blair under the name Masked Confusion, winning the tag team title twice. After the UWF closed, Brunzell returned to the independent circuit and continued to wrestle until late 1999, when Brunzell faced fellow wrestler, The Hater.
Currently, Brunzell works as a financial planner for Focus Financial in the Minneapolis area, he is also active in his church and does charity work for children with diabetes.
Jim Brunzell Filmography
| 2022 | Tales From The Territories (TV Series) · as Self - Professional Wrestler |
| 2019 | Dark Side of the Ring (TV Series) · as Self - Professional Wrestler |
| 2009 | WWE: Allied Powers - The World's Greatest Tag Teams · as Himself |
| 2006 | The Spectacular Legacy of the AWA · as Self |
| 1986 | WWF Wrestling Challenge (TV Series) · as Jim Brunzell |
| 1986 | Highlander · as Himself (uncredited) |
| 1975 | WCW WorldWide (TV Series) · as Self (1979-1980) |
| 2021 | The Best of WWE: Best of Andre the Giant · as Jim Brunzell |
| 2013 | The History of WWE: 50 Years of Sports Entertainment · as Jim Brunzell |
| 2011 | Shawn Michaels vs. Bret Hart · as Jim Brunzell |
| 2010 | WWE: Top 50 Superstars of All Time · as Jim Brunzell |
| 2008 | Nature Boy Ric Flair: The Definitive Collection · as Jim Brunzell |
| 2007 | The Most Powerful Families in Wrestling · as Jim Brunzell |
| 2005 | |
| 1993 | Bashed in the USA · as "jumpin" Jim Brunzell |
| 1993 | WCW Slamboree 1993 · as "jumpin" Jim Brunzell |
| 1993 | WWE Raw (TV Series) · as Jim Brunzell |
| 1992 | Rampage '92 · as Jim Brunzell |
| 1991 | UWF Beach Brawl · as "jumpin" Jim Brunzell |
| 1988 | Survivor Series · as "jumpin" Jim Brunzell |
| 1988 | WWF: Wrestlefest 88 · as "jumpin" Jim Brunzell |
| 1988 | WrestleMania IV · as "jumpin" Jim Brunzell |
| 1988 | Royal Rumble · as "jumpin" Jim Brunzell |
| 1987 | Survivor Series · as Brunzell |
| 1987 | The Hart Foundation · as "jumpin" Jim Brunzell |
| 1987 | WrestleMania III · as "jumpin" Jim Brunzell |
| 1986 | WWF Superstars (TV Series) · as Jim Brunzell |
| 1986 | WWF: The Big Event · as "jumpin" Jim Brunzell |
| 1986 | WrestleMania 2 · as "jumpin" Jim Brunzell |
| 1986 | WrestleMania 2 · as Jumping Jim Brunzell |
| 1985 | WWF Saturday Night's Main Event (TV Series) · as Jim Brunzell |
| 1985 | WWF Prime Time Wrestling (TV Series) · as Jim Brunzell |
| 1984 | Tuesday Night Titans (TV Series) · as Jim Brunzell |
| 1983 | AWA Super Sunday · as Jim Brunzell |
| 1981 | AWA Arena Shows (TV Series) · as "jumpin" Jim Brunzell |
| 1974 | The Wrestler · as James Brunzell |
| 1973 | WWF on MSG Network (TV Series) · as Jim Brunzell |
| 1973 | WWE Old School (TV Series) · as Jim Brunzell |
| 1972 | AWA All-Star Wrestling (TV Series) · as Jim Brunzell |
| 1972 | WWF All-Star Wrestling (TV Series) · as Jim Brunzell |
| 1972 | WWF Championship Wrestling (TV Series) · as Jim Brunzell |