View source for Brian Pillman

{{Short description|American professional wrestler (1962–1997)}}
{{For|his son Brian Jr., also a professional wrestler|Lexis King}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2019}}
{{Infobox person
| name               = Brian Pillman
| image              = Brian_Pillman,_circa_1996.png
| caption            = Pillman, circa 1996
| birthname          = Brian William Pillman
| birth_date         = {{birth date|1962|05|22}}
| birth_place        = [[Cincinnati]], [[Ohio]], U.S.
| death_date         = {{death date and age|1997|10|05|1962|5|21}}
| death_place        = {{nobr|[[Bloomington, Minnesota]], U.S.}}
| spouse             = {{marriage|Melanie Morgan|1993|<!-- Omit marriage end-date if it was due to death of article's subject -->}}
| children           = 6, including [[Lexis King|Brian Pillman Jr.]]
| module             = {{Infobox professional wrestler|child=yes
| height             = 6 ft 0 in<ref name=WWEbio/><ref name=Encyclopedia/>
| weight             = 227 lb<ref name=WWEbio/><ref name=Encyclopedia/>
| names              = {{plainlist|
* Brian Pillman<ref name=WWEbio/>
* Flyin' Brian<ref name=WWEbio/>
* Yellow Dog
* Loose Cannon}}                          
| billed             = Cincinnati, Ohio<ref name=WWEbio/><ref name=Encyclopedia/><br />"[[Kennel club|The kennel club]]"<br />(as The Yellow Dog)<br />[[Hollywood, Los Angeles|Hollywood]]<br />(as California Brian)
| trainer            = [[Stu Hart]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://wrestlingdata.com/index.php?befehl=bios&wrestler=222 |title= Brian Pillman: Facts|publisher=WrestlingData.com}}</ref><ref name=WWEbio/><ref name=Encyclopedia/>
| debut              = 1986
}}
| module2            = {{Infobox NFL biography
| embed         = yes
| college       = [[Miami RedHawks football|Miami (OH)]]<ref name=WWEbio/>
| high_school   = [[Norwood High School (Ohio)|Norwood]]<br/>([[Norwood, Ohio]])
| height_ft     = 5
| height_in     = 10
| weight_lbs    = 228
| number        = 41, 58
| position      = [[Linebacker]]
| undraftedyear = 1984
| pastteams     = * [[Cincinnati Bengals]] ({{NFL Year|1984}})
* [[Buffalo Bills]] ({{NFL Year|1985}})*
* [[Calgary Stampeders]] ({{CFL Year|1986}})<ref name=WWEbio/>
{{reflist|group=lower-alpha}}
| highlights    = * Second-team [[College Football All-America Team|All-American]] ([[1983 College Football All-America Team|1983]])
* [[Mid-American Conference football individual awards#Defensive Player of the Year|MAC Defensive Player of the Year]] (1983)
| pfr           = PillBr20
}}
}}

'''Brian William Pillman''' (May 22, 1962 – October 5, 1997) was an American [[Professional wrestling|professional wrestler]] and professional [[American football|football]] player best known for his appearances in [[Stampede Wrestling]] in the 1980s and [[World Championship Wrestling]] (WCW), [[Extreme Championship Wrestling]] (ECW), and [[WWE|World Wrestling Federation]] (WWF) in the 1990s.

Pillman created a legacy as "The Loose Cannon", a wrestling [[Gimmick (professional wrestling)|gimmick]] that would see him do a series of [[Shoot (professional wrestling)#Worked shoots|worked shoots]] that would gain him a degree of infamy for his unpredictable character. He was also known for being extremely agile in the ring, although a car accident on April 15, 1996, from which he received extensive ankle injuries, limited his in-ring ability. By the end of his career, he worked with his long-time friend and former tag-team partner [[Stone Cold Steve Austin]] in a storyline involving a firearm and with [[Hart Foundation#The Hart Foundation (1997 incarnation)|The Hart Foundation]] during the first instances of the developing [[Attitude Era]]. In October 1997, he died unexpectedly due to an undetected heart disease.

== Early life ==
Brian William Pillman was born on May 22, 1962, at the [[The Jewish Hospital – Mercy Health|Jewish Hospital]] in [[Cincinnati]], Ohio, to a Welsh mother named Mary; he had three sisters named Angie, Linda, and Susan, as well as a brother Phil.<ref name="LooseCannon">{{Cite AV media |title=Brian Pillman: Loose Cannon |type=DVD |publisher=[[WWE]] |year=2006}}</ref> His father died of a [[myocardial infarction|heart attack]] when Pillman was three months old.<ref name="mooneyham"/> Pillman developed multiple throat [[Polyp (medicine)|polyps]] as a child beginning at age two, undergoing between 31 and 40 operations to tend to them and receiving an [[electrolarynx]].<ref name="LooseCannon"/><ref name="cold112"/><ref name="torch"/> As a result, Pillman spent a large part of his early childhood in a hospital, only going home for Christmas.<ref name="cincinnati">{{cite magazine |last=Dennis |first=Wilken |date=June 1984 |title=The Odyssey of Brian Pillman: A sickly little kid who became an all-American football player is aiming for the pros |url= |access-date= |magazine=[[Cincinnati Magazine]] |pages=108–112}}</ref> His mother chose to send him to a public school so that he could spend more time with his friends, leaving him as the only Presbyterian in his Catholic family.<ref name="cincinnati"/> As a child Pillman played many sports, including basketball and hockey, but was rather fragile and often made fun of by other children due to his raspy voice, which had been damaged by the operations, prompting him to learn how to box.<ref name="LooseCannon"/><ref name="cincinnati"/>

==Football career==
[[File:Brian Pillman playing football.png|thumb|right|Pillman playing for the [[Miami RedHawks football|Miami Redskins]]]]
Pillman graduated from [[Norwood High School (Ohio)|Norwood High School]] in [[Norwood, Ohio]], a suburb of Cincinnati.<ref name="LooseCannon"/> While attending [[Miami University]] in [[Oxford, Ohio]], Pillman played [[American football|football]] for the [[Miami RedHawks football|Redskins]] (now Miami RedHawks) as a linebacker.<ref name="mooneyham"/> A Division I Second-team [[All-American]] in his junior year and a Division I All-American in his senior year, he went undrafted in the [[1984 NFL draft]]. He joined his hometown [[Cincinnati Bengals]] as a free agent and later the [[Canadian Football League]] for the [[Calgary Stampeders]] in 1986.<ref name=WWEbio/><ref name="LooseCannon"/> Pillman also played for the [[Buffalo Bills]] in preseason action in 1985, but he was the last player cut before the start of that season due to an assistant coach finding steroids in his room.<ref name="observer">{{Cite journal |last=Meltzer |first=Dave |author-link=Dave Meltzer |title=October 9, 2006 Observer Newsletter: Brian Pillman, Kurt Angle |journal=[[Wrestling Observer Newsletter]] |location=[[Campbell, California]] |issn=1083-9593}}</ref> His attempts to make the roster of the Bengals were covered in a series of articles in ''[[The Cincinnati Enquirer]]'' written by [[Peter King (sportswriter)|Peter King]].<ref name="LooseCannon"/> Pillman and [[Baltimore Ravens]] head coach [[John Harbaugh]] were roommates and defensive teammates while at Miami.<ref name=harbaugh>{{cite web |last=Sheridan |first=Phil |date=July 26, 1998 |title=Eagles' Harbaugh Was Born To Coach The Special-teams Coach Grew Up In A Football Family |url=http://articles.philly.com/1998-07-26/sports/25735473_1_jack-harbaugh-john-harbaugh-harbaugh-family |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150919151250/http://articles.philly.com/1998-07-26/sports/25735473_1_jack-harbaugh-john-harbaugh-harbaugh-family |archive-date=September 19, 2015 |access-date=June 15, 2025 |website=[[Philly.com]] |publisher=The Philadelphia Inquirer}}</ref>

==Professional wrestling career==

===Stampede Wrestling (1986–1988)===
Following the end of his football career, Pillman remained in Canada and began training as a wrestler under [[Stu Hart]] and his sons.<ref name="WWEbio">{{Cite web |title=Brian Pillman |url=http://www.wwe.com/superstars/brian-pillman |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131105173733/http://www.wwe.com/superstars/brian-pillman |archive-date=November 5, 2013 |access-date=June 15, 2025 |publisher=[[WWE]]}}</ref> He made his in-ring debut in November 1986 for Hart's [[Calgary, Alberta|Calgary]]-based [[Stampede Wrestling]] [[Professional wrestling promotion|promotion]].<ref name="lentz"/><ref name="torch"/> Pillman quickly formed a [[tag team]] with Hart's son [[Bruce Hart (wrestler)|Bruce]] known as Bad Company, winning the [[Stampede Wrestling International Tag Team Championship]] by defeating [[Ron Starr]] and the [[Ángel Acevedo|Cuban Assassin]] in the finals of a tournament on April 5, 1987.<ref name="StampedeInternationalTag"/> Their reign lasted until October, when the titles were held up following a controversial ending to a match between Bad Company and their opponents, Jerry Morrow and [[Mike Shaw|Makhan Singh]].<ref name="StampedeInternationalTag"/> Bad Company defeated Morrow and Singh in a rematch in November to regain the titles, eventually losing them to Morrow and the Cuban Assassin in July 1988.<ref name="StampedeInternationalTag"/> While in Stampede Wrestling, Pillman had his girlfriend at the time, [[Beulah McGillicutty|Trisa Hayes]], portray his sister in order to get him [[Glossary of professional wrestling terms#Over|over]] as a [[Face (professional wrestling)|face]] by seating her at ringside and having [[Heel (professional wrestling)|heel]] wrestlers taunt her so that he could rescue her.<ref name="observer"/>

After finishing with Stampede in late 1988, Pillman worked briefly in 1989 for [[New Japan Pro-Wrestling]] (NJPW) as part of its "Battle Line Tokyo Dome" tour, where he wrestled in singles matches against [[Masa Saito]], [[Tatsumi Fujinami]], [[Black Cat (wrestler)|Black Cat]] and [[Naoki Sano]] and in tag team matches with [[Big Van Vader]] against [[Riki Choshu]] and Fujinami.<ref name="KreikenbohmNJPW"/>

=== World Championship Wrestling (1989–1996)===

====Flyin' Brian (1989–1993)====
Pillman returned to the United States in May 1989 and began appearing in [[Vignette (professional wrestling)|vignettes]] hyping his in-ring debut for [[World Championship Wrestling]] (WCW) the following month,<ref name="WCW1989">{{Cite web |title=WCW Results 1989 |url=https://thehistoryofwwe.com/wcw-results-1989/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230323044547/https://thehistoryofwwe.com/wcw-results-1989/ |archive-date=March 23, 2023 |access-date=June 15, 2025 |website=The History of WWE}}</ref> where he became known as Flyin' Brian due to his athletic ability and variety of aerial maneuvers.<ref name=WWEbio/><ref name="slam"/> He unsuccessfully challenged [[Lex Luger]] for the [[WWE United States Championship|NWA United States Heavyweight Championship]] at the [[Halloween Havoc (1989)|Halloween Havoc]] [[pay-per-view]] on October 28 and at [[Clash of the Champions#Clash of the Champions IX: New York Knockout|''Clash of the Champions IX'']] on November 15.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Leighty Jr. |first=Robert |date=July 25, 2024 |title=Leighty's Retro Review: NWA Halloween Havoc '89 |url=https://411mania.com/wrestling/leightys-retro-review-nwa-halloween-havoc-89/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240725191521/https://411mania.com/wrestling/leightys-retro-review-nwa-halloween-havoc-89/ |archive-date=July 25, 2024 |access-date=June 15, 2025 |website=411Mania.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Leighty Jr. |first=Robert |date=July 28, 2024 |title=Leighty's Retro Review: NWA Clash of Champions IX: New York Knockout |url=https://411mania.com/wrestling/leightys-retro-review-nwa-clash-of-champions-ix-new-york-knockout/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240728224519/https://411mania.com/wrestling/leightys-retro-review-nwa-clash-of-champions-ix-new-york-knockout/ |archive-date=July 28, 2024 |access-date=June 15, 2025 |website=411Mania.com}}</ref>

During this time, Pillman began teaming with [[Tom Zenk|"Z-Man" Tom Zenk]] and [[Feud (professional wrestling)|feuded]] with the [[Fabulous Freebirds]] ([[Jimmy Garvin]] and [[Michael Hayes (wrestler)|Michael Hayes]]), who they defeated on February 12, 1990, to capture the [[WCW United States Tag Team Championship|NWA United States Tag Team Championship]].<ref name="WCW1989" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=WCW Results 1990 |url=https://thehistoryofwwe.com/wcw-results-1990/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230327135324/https://thehistoryofwwe.com/wcw-results-1990/ |archive-date=March 27, 2023 |access-date=June 15, 2025 |website=The History of WWE}}</ref> They successfully defended the titles against the Freebirds on February 25 at [[WrestleWar '90: Wild Thing|WrestleWar]], but lost them at [[Capital Combat]] on May 19 to [[The Midnight Express (professional wrestling)|The Midnight Express]] ([[Bobby Eaton]] and [[Stan Lane]]).<ref>{{Cite web |last=Leighty Jr. |first=Robert |date=September 27, 2024 |title=Leighty's Retro Review: NWA WrestleWar '90: Wild Thing |url=https://411mania.com/wrestling/leightys-retro-review-nwa-wrestlewar-90-wild-thing/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240927062918/https://411mania.com/wrestling/leightys-retro-review-nwa-wrestlewar-90-wild-thing/ |archive-date=September 27, 2024 |access-date=June 15, 2025 |website=411Mania.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Leighty Jr. |first=Robert |date=October 16, 2024 |title=Leighty's Retro Review: NWA Capital Combat '90: Return of RoboCop |url=https://411mania.com/wrestling/leightys-retro-review-nwa-capital-combat-90-return-of-robocop/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241108160803/https://411mania.com/wrestling/leightys-retro-review-nwa-capital-combat-90-return-of-robocop/ |archive-date=November 8, 2024 |access-date=June 15, 2025 |website=411Mania.com}}</ref> He defeated [[Buddy Landel]] on July 7 at [[The Great American Bash (1990)|The Great American Bash]] and at ''[[Clash of the Champions XIII]]'' on November 20.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Pantoja |first=Kevin |date=November 15, 2015 |title=Random Network Reviews: The Great American Bash 1990 |url=https://411mania.com/wrestling/random-network-reviews-the-great-american-bash-1990/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151116171048/https://411mania.com/wrestling/random-network-reviews-the-great-american-bash-1990/ |archive-date=November 16, 2015 |access-date=June 15, 2025 |website=411Mania.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Leighty Jr. |first=Robert |date=December 13, 2024 |title=Leighty's Retro Review: NWA Clash of The Champions XIII: Thanksgiving Thunder |url=https://411mania.com/wrestling/leightys-retro-review-nwa-clash-of-the-champions-xiii-thanksgiving-thunder/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241213072817/https://411mania.com/wrestling/leightys-retro-review-nwa-clash-of-the-champions-xiii-thanksgiving-thunder/ |archive-date=December 13, 2024 |access-date=June 15, 2025 |website=411Mania.com}}</ref> At [[WrestleWar '91|WrestleWar]] on February 24, 1991, Pillman participated in a [[WarGames match]], teaming with [[Sting (wrestler)|Sting]] and [[The Steiner Brothers]] ([[Rick Steiner|Rick]] and [[Scott Steiner|Scott]]) in a loss to [[The Four Horsemen (professional wrestling)|The Four Horsemen]] ([[Ric Flair]], [[Barry Windham]] and [[Sid Eudy|Sid Vicious]]) and [[Larry Zbyszko]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Leighty Jr. |first=Robert |date=March 1, 2025 |title=Leighty's Retro Review: WCW WrestleWar '91 |url=https://411mania.com/wrestling/leightys-retro-review-wcw-wrestlewar-91/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250428150418/https://411mania.com/wrestling/leightys-retro-review-wcw-wrestlewar-91/ |archive-date=April 28, 2025 |access-date=June 15, 2025 |website=411Mania.com}}</ref> On March 21, Pillman wrestled at the [[WCW/New Japan Supershow I]] in the [[Tokyo Dome]], where he, Zenk and [[Tim Horner]] lost to [[Kuniaki Kobayashi]], [[Shiro Koshinaka]] and [[Takayuki Iizuka]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Dunn |first=J.D. |date=December 19, 2008 |title=Dark Pegasus Video Review: WCW/New Japan Supershow I |url=https://411mania.com/wrestling/dark-pegasus-video-review-wcwnew-japan-supershow-i/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250122165922/https://411mania.com/wrestling/dark-pegasus-video-review-wcwnew-japan-supershow-i/ |archive-date=January 22, 2025 |access-date=June 14, 2025 |website=411Mania.com}}</ref>

On June 12, at [[Clash of the Champions#Clash of the Champions XV: Knocksville USA|''Clash of the Champions XV'']], Pillman teamed with [[Jorge González (wrestler)|El Gigante]] against Windham and [[Arn Anderson]] in a [[Loser Leaves Town match|Loser Leaves WCW match]], which they lost. Per the stipulation, he was forced to leave WCW.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Thomas |first=Joel |date=December 12, 2011 |title=The Chrononaut Chronicles: Clash of the Champions XV |url=https://411mania.com/wrestling/the-chrononaut-chronicles-clash-of-the-champions-xv/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160820083157/https://411mania.com/wrestling/the-chrononaut-chronicles-clash-of-the-champions-xv/ |archive-date=August 20, 2016 |access-date=June 15, 2025 |website=411Mania.com}}</ref> However, Pillman instead re-emerged as the masked Yellow Dog (one of Windham's past [[Gimmick (professional wrestling)|gimmicks]]), competing in a series of bounty matches with his mask on the line.<ref name="WCW1991">{{Cite web |title=WCW Results 1991 |url=https://thehistoryofwwe.com/wcw-results-1991/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230321005928/https://thehistoryofwwe.com/wcw-results-1991/ |archive-date=March 21, 2023 |access-date=June 15, 2025 |website=The History of WWE}}</ref> At [[The Great American Bash (1991)|The Great American Bash]] on July 14, he defeated [[Johnny B. Badd]] by disqualification after Badd's manager [[Theodore Long|Teddy Long]] tried to remove his mask.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Weyer |first=Michael |date=July 7, 2011 |title=Shining a Spotlight 7.07.11: 1991 Great American Bash |url=https://411mania.com/wrestling/shining-a-spotlight-7-07-11-1991-great-american-bash/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220707080250/https://411mania.com/wrestling/shining-a-spotlight-7-07-11-1991-great-american-bash/ |archive-date=July 7, 2022 |access-date=June 15, 2025 |website=411Mania.com}}</ref> The Yellow Dog gimmick was short lived as Pillman was reinstated in August.<ref name="WCW1991"/> Also that month, Pillman wrestled for New Japan Pro-Wrestling as part of its "Summer Night Fever in [[Nagoya]]" and "Violent Storm in [[Ryōgoku Kokugikan|Kokugikan]]" tours, facing opponents including [[Jushin Liger|Jushin Thunder Liger]] and [[Kensuke Sasaki]].<ref name="KreikenbohmNJPW">{{Cite web |last=Kreikenbohm |first=Philip |title=Brian Pillman's matches in New Japan Pro-Wrestling |url=https://www.cagematch.net/?id=2&nr=385&view=&page=4&gimmick=&year=&promotion=7&region=&location=&arena=&showtype=&constellationType=&worker= |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250615135309/https://www.cagematch.net/?id=2&nr=385&view=&page=4&gimmick=&year=&promotion=7&region=&location=&arena=&showtype=&constellationType=&worker= |archive-date=June 15, 2025 |access-date=June 15, 2025 |website=Cagematch.net}}</ref>

At [[Halloween Havoc (1991)|Halloween Havoc]] on October 27, Pillman defeated [[Ricky Morton|Richard Morton]] in a tournament final to win the inaugural [[WCW Light Heavyweight Championship]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Leighty Jr. |first=Robert |date=May 10, 2025 |title=Leighty's Retro Review: WCW Halloween Havoc '91 |url=https://411mania.com/wrestling/leightys-retro-review-wcw-halloween-havoc-91/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250510041945/https://411mania.com/wrestling/leightys-retro-review-wcw-halloween-havoc-91/ |archive-date=May 10, 2025 |access-date=June 15, 2025 |website=411Mania.com}}</ref> He successfully defended the title against Badd on November 19 at [[Clash of the Champions#Clash of the Champions XVII|''Clash of the Champions XVII'']] before losing it to Liger at a [[house show]] on December 25.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Leighty Jr. |first=Robert |date=May 18, 2025 |title=Leighty's Retro Review: WCW Clash of The Champions XVII |url=https://411mania.com/wrestling/leightys-retro-review-wcw-clash-of-the-champions-xvii/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250518063124/https://411mania.com/wrestling/leightys-retro-review-wcw-clash-of-the-champions-xvii/ |archive-date=May 18, 2025 |access-date=June 15, 2025 |website=411Mania.com}}</ref><ref name="WCWLightHeavyweightTitle"/> Pillman regained the championship from Liger on February 29, 1992, at [[SuperBrawl II]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Keith |first=Scott |date=August 4, 2002 |title=The SmarK Retro Repost – Superbrawl II |url=https://411mania.com/wrestling/the-smark-retro-repost-superbrawl-ii/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304000404/https://411mania.com/wrestling/the-smark-retro-repost-superbrawl-ii/ |archive-date=March 4, 2016 |access-date=June 15, 2025 |website=411Mania.com}}</ref> At [[WrestleWar '92|WrestleWar]] on May 17, he defeated his partner Tom Zenk to retain the title.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Pantoja |first=Kevin |date=September 2, 2017 |title=Random Network Reviews: WCW WrestleWar 1992 |url=https://411mania.com/wrestling/random-network-reviews-wcw-wrestlewar-1992/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170902072018/https://411mania.com/wrestling/random-network-reviews-wcw-wrestlewar-1992/ |archive-date=September 2, 2017 |access-date=June 15, 2025 |website=411Mania.com}}</ref> He and Liger participated in a tournament for the [[NWA World Tag Team Championship]], defeating [[Biff Wellington]] and [[Chris Benoit]] in the first round on June 16 at [[Clash of the Champions#Clash of the Champions XIX|''Clash of the Champions XIX'']].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Thomas |first=Joel |date=February 7, 2012 |title=The Chrononaut Chronicles: Clash of the Champions XIX |url=https://411mania.com/wrestling/the-chrononaut-chronicles-clash-of-the-champions-xix/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306163501/https://411mania.com/wrestling/the-chrononaut-chronicles-clash-of-the-champions-xix/ |archive-date=March 6, 2016 |access-date=June 15, 2025 |website=411Mania.com}}</ref> At [[Beach Blast (1992)|Beach Blast]] on June 20, Pillman lost the Light Heavyweight Championship to [[Raven (wrestler)|Scotty Flamingo]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Pantoja |first=Kevin |date=April 29, 2017 |title=Random Network Reviews: WCW Beach Blast 1992 |url=https://411mania.com/wrestling/random-network-reviews-wcw-beach-blast-1992/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170429151512/https://411mania.com/wrestling/random-network-reviews-wcw-beach-blast-1992/ |archive-date=April 29, 2017 |access-date=June 15, 2025 |website=411Mania.com}}</ref> Pillman and Liger then lost in the quarter-final of the tournament to [[Nikita Koloff]] and [[Ricky Steamboat]] at [[The Great American Bash (1992)|The Great American Bash]] on July 12.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Dunn |first=J.D. |date=March 1, 2009 |title=Dark Pegasus Video Review: Great American Bash '92 |url=https://411mania.com/wrestling/dark-pegasus-video-review-great-american-bash-92/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303192044/https://411mania.com/wrestling/dark-pegasus-video-review-great-american-bash-92/ |archive-date=March 3, 2016 |access-date=June 15, 2025 |website=411Mania.com}}</ref>

In September, Pillman [[Glossary of professional wrestling terms#Turn|turned]] heel by slapping [[Brad Armstrong (wrestler)|Brad Armstrong]] out of frustration for his knee injury and vacating the title when he was scheduled to defend it against Pillman at ''[[Clash of the Champions XX]]''.<ref name="WCW1992">{{Cite web |title=WCW Results 1992 |url=https://thehistoryofwwe.com/wcw-results-1992/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230323060327/https://thehistoryofwwe.com/wcw-results-1992/ |archive-date=March 23, 2023 |access-date=June 15, 2025 |website=The History of WWE}}</ref> He lost to Steamboat at [[Halloween Havoc (1992)|Halloween Havoc]] on October 25 and defeated Armstrong at ''[[Clash of the Champions#Clash of the Champions XXI|Clash of the Champions XXI]]'' on November 18.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Dunn |first=J.D. |date=March 10, 2009 |title=Dark Pegasus Video Review: Halloween Havoc '92 |url=https://411mania.com/wrestling/dark-pegasus-video-review-halloween-havoc-92/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250615230445/https://411mania.com/wrestling/dark-pegasus-video-review-halloween-havoc-92/ |archive-date=June 15, 2025 |access-date=June 15, 2025 |website=411Mania.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Thomas |first=Joel |date=February 9, 2012 |title=The Chrononaut Chronicles: Clash of the Champions XXI |url=https://411mania.com/wrestling/the-chrononaut-chronicles-clash-of-the-champions-xxi/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303174618/https://411mania.com/wrestling/the-chrononaut-chronicles-clash-of-the-champions-xxi/ |archive-date=March 3, 2016 |access-date=June 15, 2025 |website=411Mania.com}}</ref> Pillman also started teaming with his former rival Windham, challenging for the [[NWA World Tag Team Championship|NWA]] and [[WCW World Tag Team Championship]]s against Steamboat and [[Shane Douglas]] at [[Starrcade (1992)|Starrcade]] on December 28 in a losing effort.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Dunn |first=J.D. |date=March 15, 2009 |title=Dark Pegasus Video Review: Starrcade '92: Battlebowl/Lethal Lottery II |url=https://411mania.com/wrestling/dark-pegasus-video-review-starrcade-92-battlebowllethal-lottery-ii/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160820114633/https://411mania.com/wrestling/dark-pegasus-video-review-starrcade-92-battlebowllethal-lottery-ii/ |archive-date=August 20, 2016 |access-date=June 15, 2025 |website=411Mania.com}}</ref> Their team lasted until January 1993, as Windham had his sights on the [[NWA World Heavyweight Championship]].<ref name="WCW1993">{{Cite web |title=WCW Results 1993 |url=https://thehistoryofwwe.com/wcw-results-1993/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230323053216/https://thehistoryofwwe.com/wcw-results-1993/ |archive-date=March 23, 2023 |access-date=June 15, 2025 |website=The History of WWE}}</ref>

==== Hollywood Blonds (1993–1994)====
{{Main|Hollywood Blonds}}
Pillman subsequently began teaming with [[Stone Cold Steve Austin|"Stunning" Steve Austin]] as the [[Hollywood Blonds]], defeating [[Erik Watts]] and [[Buff Bagwell|Marcus Alexander Bagwell]] on February 21 at [[SuperBrawl III]].<ref name="WCW1993"/><ref>{{Cite web |last=Dunn |first=J.D. |date=January 7, 2010 |title=Dark Pegasus Video Review: Superbrawl III |url=https://411mania.com/wrestling/dark-pegasus-video-review-superbrawl-iii/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180623005125/https://411mania.com/wrestling/dark-pegasus-video-review-superbrawl-iii/ |archive-date=June 23, 2018 |access-date=June 15, 2025 |website=411Mania.com}}</ref> On the March 27 episode of ''[[WCW Power Hour|Power Hour]]'', they won the championships from Steamboat and Douglas.<ref name="WCW1993"/> At [[Slamboree '93: A Legends' Reunion|Slamboree]] on May 23, they successfully defended the titles against Dos Hombres (Steamboat and Zenk) in a [[steel cage match]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hoops |first=Brian |date=May 26, 2008 |title=Nostalgia Review: WCW Slamboree 1993; Vader vs. Davey Boy Smith; Hollywood Blonds vs. Dos Hombres; Nick Bockwinkel vs. Dory Funk Jr. |url=https://www.pwtorch.com/artman2/publish/The_Specialists_34/article_25708.shtml |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110606080100/https://www.pwtorch.com/artman2/publish/The_Specialists_34/article_25708.shtml |archive-date=June 6, 2011 |access-date=June 15, 2025 |website=Pro Wrestling Torch |publisher=TDH Communications Inc.}}</ref> Pillman and Austin then feuded with Ric Flair and Arn Anderson of The Four Horsemen, mocking their ages and parodying Flair's interview show, "''A Flair for the Gold''", with their own called "''A Flair for the Old''".<ref name="observer"/> They successfully defended the titles against Anderson and [[Paul Roma]] at [[Beach Blast (1993)|Beach Blast]] on July 18 before losing them in a rematch at ''[[Clash of the Champions XXIV]]'' on August 18.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Furious |first=Arnold |date=April 24, 2006 |title=The Furious Flashbacks – WCW Beach Blast '93 |url=https://411mania.com/wrestling/the-furious-flashbacks-wcw-beach-blast-93/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250615234012/https://411mania.com/wrestling/the-furious-flashbacks-wcw-beach-blast-93/ |archive-date=June 15, 2025 |access-date=June 15, 2025 |website=411Mania.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Pantoja |first=Kevin |date=June 9, 2015 |title=Random Network Reviews: Clash of the Champions XXIV |url=https://411mania.com/wrestling/random-network-reviews-clash-of-the-champions-xxiv/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151224183659/https://411mania.com/wrestling/random-network-reviews-clash-of-the-champions-xxiv/ |archive-date=December 24, 2015 |access-date=June 15, 2025 |website=411Mania.com}}</ref> Prior to the event, Pillman suffered a leg injury during a tag team match on an episode of [[WCW Main Event|''Main Event'']], so he was replaced in the match by [[William Regal|Lord Steven Regal]].<ref name="WCW1993"/>

The Hollywood Blonds separated in October after Austin turned on Pillman to join [[Robert Fuller (wrestler)|Col. Robert Parker]]'s [[Stud Stable]], turning Pillman face and starting a feud between the two.<ref name="WCW1993"/> At ''[[Clash of the Champions XXV]]'' on November 10, he lost to Austin after interference from Parker.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Thomas |first=Joel |date=March 6, 2012 |title=The Chrononaut Chronicles: Clash of the Champions XXV |url=https://411mania.com/wrestling/the-chrononaut-chronicles-clash-of-the-champions-xxv/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250615235606/https://411mania.com/wrestling/the-chrononaut-chronicles-clash-of-the-champions-xxv/ |archive-date=June 15, 2025 |access-date=June 15, 2025 |website=411Mania.com}}</ref> On January 27, 1994, at ''[[Clash of the Champions#Clash of the Champions XXVI|Clash of the Champions XXVI]]'', he defeated Parker in a match where the loser had to wear a chicken suit.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Furious |first=Arnold |date=July 3, 2006 |title=The Furious Flashbacks – WCW Clash of the Champions 26 |url=https://411mania.com/wrestling/the-furious-flashbacks-wcw-clash-of-the-champions-26/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250616000122/https://411mania.com/wrestling/the-furious-flashbacks-wcw-clash-of-the-champions-26/ |archive-date=June 16, 2025 |access-date=June 15, 2025 |website=411Mania.com}}</ref> At [[SuperBrawl IV]] on February 20, Pillman, [[Dustin Rhodes]] and Sting defeated Austin, [[Paul Orndorff]] and [[Rick Rude]] in a [[Thundercage|Thundercage match]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Furious |first=Arnold |date=July 12, 2006 |title=The Furious Flashbacks – WCW Superbrawl IV |url=https://411mania.com/wrestling/the-furious-flashbacks-wcw-superbrawl-iv/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160820111325/https://411mania.com/wrestling/the-furious-flashbacks-wcw-superbrawl-iv/ |archive-date=August 20, 2016 |access-date=June 15, 2025 |website=411Mania.com}}</ref> He challenged Regal for the [[WCW World Television Championship]] on April 17 at [[Spring Stampede (1994)|Spring Stampede]], but the match ended in a 15-minute time limit draw.<ref>{{Cite web |date=July 29, 2010 |title=Sharpshooter Review: Spring Stampede 1994 |url=https://411mania.com/wrestling/sharpshooter-review-spring-stampede-1994/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180623032828/https://411mania.com/wrestling/sharpshooter-review-spring-stampede-1994/ |archive-date=June 23, 2018 |access-date=June 14, 2025 |website=411Mania.com}}</ref>

==== Four Horsemen and "Loose Cannon" (1995–1996) ====
{{main|The Four Horsemen (professional wrestling)}}
After several months of inactivity, Pillman made his return to WCW programming in January 1995, originally to be renamed California Brian (which was quickly scrapped) as a face who had moved to [[California]] to pursue acting work on ''[[Baywatch]]'', with Pillman slowly progressing into a [[Glossary of professional wrestling terms#tweener|tweener]].<ref name="mooneyham"/><ref name="WCW1995">{{Cite web |title=WCW Results 1995 |url=https://thehistoryofwwe.com/wcw-results-1995/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230323042950/https://thehistoryofwwe.com/wcw-results-1995/ |archive-date=March 23, 2023 |access-date=June 15, 2025 |website=The History of WWE}}</ref> He lost to [[Alex Wright]] at [[The Great American Bash (1995)|The Great American Bash]] on June 18.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Furious |first=Arnold |date=November 23, 2006 |title=The Furious Flashbacks – WCW Great American Bash '95 |url=https://411mania.com/wrestling/the-furious-flashbacks-wcw-great-american-bash-95/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221202050316/https://411mania.com/wrestling/the-furious-flashbacks-wcw-great-american-bash-95/ |archive-date=December 2, 2022 |access-date=June 15, 2025 |website=411Mania.com}}</ref> On September 4, Pillman wrestled the first match on the inaugural episode of ''[[WCW Monday Nitro|Monday Nitro]]'', defeating Jushin Thunder Liger.<ref name="WCW1995"/> After costing Flair a match to Arn Anderson at [[Fall Brawl (1995)|Fall Brawl]] on September 17,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Pantoja |first=Kevin |date=June 20, 2015 |title=Random Network Reviews: Fall Brawl 1995 |url=https://411mania.com/wrestling/random-network-reviews-fall-brawl-1995/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150621165215/https://411mania.com/wrestling/random-network-reviews-fall-brawl-1995/ |archive-date=June 21, 2015 |access-date=June 15, 2025 |website=411Mania.com}}</ref> Flair recruited the help of [[Sting (wrestler)|Sting]] to team up against Pillman and Anderson at [[Halloween Havoc (1995)|Halloween Havoc]] on October 29. Pillman and Anderson attacked Flair before the match, forcing Sting to come out alone. When Sting needed a tag the most, Flair came out at the last minute with a bandage on his head, tagged Sting and immediately turned and attacked him, removing the fake bandage from his head to show it was all a plan between Pillman, Anderson and Flair.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Leighty Jr. |first=Robert |date=March 16, 2025 |title=Leighty's Retro Review: WCW Halloween Havoc '95 |url=https://411mania.com/wrestling/leightys-retro-review-wcw-halloween-havoc-95/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250316050453/https://411mania.com/wrestling/leightys-retro-review-wcw-halloween-havoc-95/ |archive-date=March 16, 2025 |access-date=June 15, 2025 |website=411Mania.com}}</ref> These actions signaled the reunion of The Four Horsemen; this incarnation consisted of Flair, Anderson, Pillman and Chris Benoit.<ref name="lentz">{{cite book |author=Lentz III |first=Harris M. |title=Biographical Dictionary of Professional Wrestling, 2d ed. |publisher=[[McFarland & Company|McFarland]] |year=2003 |isbn=978-1-4766-0505-0 |pages=271–272}}</ref>

In the middle of 1995, Pillman again returned to New Japan Pro-Wrestling to compete in the [[Best of the Super Juniors]]. He wrestled against the likes of [[Dean Malenko]], [[Tatsuhito Takaiwa]], [[Black Cat (wrestler)|Black Cat]], [[Koji Kanemoto]], [[Shinjiro Otani]], [[Gran Hamada]], [[Black Tiger (professional wrestling)|Black Tiger]], [[Chris Benoit|Wild Pegasus]], Wright and [[El Samurai]] in singles matches and in tag team matches together with Wright, [[Norio Honaga]], Hamada or Malenko against [[Akira Nogami]], Koji Kanemoto, [[Takayuki Iizuka]], El Samurai, Malenko and Honaga.<ref name="KreikenbohmNJPW"/>

At the end of 1995, Pillman developed his "Loose Cannon" gimmick, cultivating a reputation for unpredictable behavior and blurring fact and fiction with his [[Glossary of professional wrestling terms#Work|worked]] [[Glossary of professional wrestling terms#Shoot|shoots]]. He changed his once Hollywood Blond and Flyin' Brian clean athletic look for an edgy, out of control image. Even his allies in the Horsemen, especially Anderson, were wary of his behavior and tried in vain to keep him in check.<ref name=WWEbio/><ref name="lentz"/><ref name="pwinsider">{{Cite web |last=Johnson |first=Mike |date=July 13, 2005 |title=Looking back at Brian Pillman, the original work/shoot angle in professional wrestling, similarities to Matt Hardy's WWE return & more |url=https://www.pwinsider.com/ViewArticle.php?id=11623&p=1 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250616045810/https://www.pwinsider.com/ViewArticle.php?id=11623&p=1 |archive-date=June 16, 2025 |access-date=June 15, 2025 |website=Pro Wrestling Insider}}</ref> In a match with [[Eddie Guerrero]] on January 23, 1996, at ''[[Clash of the Champions XXXII]]'', which Pillman won, he grabbed commentator [[Bobby Heenan]] by the collar, causing Heenan, who had a history of neck problems, to blurt out "What the fuck are you doing?" live on the air.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Leighty Jr. |first=Robert |date=February 1, 2023 |title=Leighty's Retro Review: WCW Clash of The Champions XXXII |url=https://411mania.com/wrestling/leightys-retro-review-wcw-clash-of-the-champions-xxxii/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230201063639/https://411mania.com/wrestling/leightys-retro-review-wcw-clash-of-the-champions-xxxii/ |archive-date=February 1, 2023 |access-date=June 15, 2025 |website=411Mania.com}}</ref> On February 11, Pillman outed [[Kevin Sullivan (wrestler)|Kevin Sullivan]] as [[Glossary of professional wrestling terms#Booker|booker]] at [[SuperBrawl VI]] in an [[Professional wrestling match types#Strap match|I Respect You Strap match]], where the loser announces that they respect the other wrestler, much like an [["I Quit" match]]. Pillman lost to Sullivan in under a minute after grabbing the microphone and telling Sullivan "I respect you, booker man."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Leighty Jr. |first=Robert |date=March 2, 2023 |title=Leighty's Retro Review: WCW SuperBrawl VI |url=https://411mania.com/wrestling/leightys-retro-review-wcw-superbrawl-vi/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230416160817/https://411mania.com/wrestling/leightys-retro-review-wcw-superbrawl-vi/ |archive-date=April 16, 2023 |access-date=June 15, 2025 |website=411Mania.com}}</ref> The words "booker man" were cut from the commercial tape.<ref name="WCW1996">{{Cite web |title=WCW Results 1996 |url=https://thehistoryofwwe.com/wcw-results-1996/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230323035351/https://thehistoryofwwe.com/wcw-results-1996/ |archive-date=March 23, 2023 |access-date=June 15, 2025 |website=The History of WWE}}</ref>

The day after SuperBrawl VI, Pillman was fired by WCW President [[Eric Bischoff]].<ref name="pwinsider"/> In Bischoff's autobiography, he said that Pillman was fired so that he could go and develop the "loose cannon" gimmick in ECW then return to WCW with more [[Glossary of professional wrestling#Legit|legitimate]] [[Heat (professional wrestling)|heat]]. Bischoff claims it was a plan he and Pillman came up with together, but Pillman wound up not returning.<ref>{{cite book|title=Between the Ropes: Wrestling's Greatest Triumphs and Failures|last1=Fritz|first1=Brian|last2=Murray|first2=Christopher|page=88|publisher=[[ECW Press]]|year=2006|isbn=978-1-55022-726-0}}</ref> Pillman's final televised WCW match was actually on the February 19 episode of ''[[WCW Prime]]'', taped long before SuperBrawl VI, where he teamed with fellow Four Horsemen member Chris Benoit to defeat The Barrio Brothers ([[Fidel Sierra]] and [[Ricky Santana]]).<ref name="WCW1996"/>

=== Extreme Championship Wrestling (1994, 1996)===
In late 1994, Pillman appeared with [[Extreme Championship Wrestling]] (ECW) as part of a talent exchange between ECW and WCW. His only match there was teaming with [[Shane Douglas]] to replace an injured Steve Austin, with [[Sherri Martel]] as their manager, in a losing effort to [[Ron Simmons]] and [[2 Cold Scorpio]].<ref>{{cite book|title=Hardcore History: The Extremely Unauthorized Story of the ECW|author=Williams, Scott E.|publisher=Sports Publishing LLC|year=2006|isbn=1-59670-021-1|page=42}}</ref>

Immediately following his departure from WCW, Pillman returned to ECW and appeared at the promotion's annual [[Internet]] [[Fan convention|convention]], [[CyberSlam (1996)|ECW CyberSlam]], on February 17, 1996. During an interview conducted in the ring by [[Joey Styles]], Pillman insulted Bischoff, calling him a commentator, a "gofer", and a "piece of fucking shit". After Styles attempted to end the interview, Pillman prevented him from doing so and turned his attention to the ECW audience, derisively calling them "[[Glossary of professional wrestling terms#Smart|smart]] [[Glossary of professional wrestling terms#Mark|marks]]". He then proceeded further by threatening to "yank out (his) [[Human penis|Johnson]]" and [[Urination|urinate]] in the ring, before being confronted by ECW owner [[Tod Gordon]], booker [[Paul Heyman]] and wrestler [[Shane Douglas]], who had him removed from the ring by security guards. While being dragged from the arena, Pillman attacked a [[Glossary of professional wrestling terms#Plant|plant]] sitting in the audience with a [[fork]] he produced from his boot.<ref>{{Cite web |title=ECW CyberSlam Results |url=https://thehistoryofwwe.com/ecw-cyberslam-results/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230323045017/https://thehistoryofwwe.com/ecw-cyberslam-results/ |archive-date=March 23, 2023 |access-date=June 15, 2025 |website=The History of WWE}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Keith |first=Scott |date=July 31, 2002 |title=The SmarK Retro Repost – Cyberslam 1996 |url=https://411mania.com/wrestling/the-smark-retro-repost-cyberslam-1996/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150701082850/https://411mania.com/wrestling/the-smark-retro-repost-cyberslam-1996/ |archive-date=July 1, 2015 |access-date=June 15, 2025 |website=411Mania.com}}</ref> Although he did not wrestle for ECW, Pillman made several further appearances with the promotion, engaging in a war of words with Douglas, setting up a proposed feud.<ref name="pwinsider"/> He gained the backstage ire of [[New Jack]] when he referred to Jack's [[The Gangstas|tag team with]] [[Jamal Mustafa|Mustafa Saed]] as "Niggas with Attitudes" at [[ECW Fight the Power|Fight the Power]] in June, a reference to the rap group [[N.W.A]].<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Jack |first1=New |author-link1=New Jack |title=New Jack: Memoir of a Pro Wrestling Extremist |last2=Norman |first2=Jason |publisher=[[McFarland & Company|McFarland]] |year=2020 |isbn=978-1-4766-3830-0 |pages=92–93}}</ref>

On April 15, 1996, Pillman was badly injured in [[Kentucky]] when his [[Hummer H1]] flipped after he fell asleep while driving and hit a tree trunk. He was thrown 40 feet into a field and found in a pool of his own blood.<ref name="observer"/> Pillman was in a [[coma]] for a week and suffered numerous facial fractures and a shattered ankle, forcing doctors to fuse it together in a fixed walking position.<ref name="LooseCannon"/><ref name="torch"/><ref name="mooneyham"/> He was forced to abandon his previous high-flying wrestling style for a more grounded style.<ref name="slam"/>

===World Wrestling Federation (1996–1997)===
==== Feud with Stone Cold Steve Austin (1996–1997)====
Pillman signed a contract with the [[WWE|World Wrestling Federation]] (WWF) on June 10, 1996, which was announced in a [[News conference|press conference]].<ref name="WWEbio" /><ref name="WWF1996">{{Cite web |title=WWF Results 1996 |url=https://thehistoryofwwe.com/wwf-results-1996/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230323052651/https://thehistoryofwwe.com/wwf-results-1996/ |archive-date=March 23, 2023 |access-date=June 15, 2025 |website=The History of WWE}}</ref> He was the second wrestler to sign a guaranteed contract with the WWF after [[Marc Mero]] (indicative of the period in which [[Vince McMahon]] began to protect the company from abruptly losing talent to WCW) which was worth $200,000.<ref name="torch"/> Pillman acted as a commentator alongside [[Jim Ross]] while recovering from his broken ankle.<ref name="LooseCannon"/>

On November 4, 1996, Pillman took part in the infamous "Pillman's got a gun" angle on ''Raw'' with his [[The Hollywood Blonds#Steve Austin and Brian Pillman|former teammate]] [[Stone Cold Steve Austin]]. When Pillman initially arrived to the WWF, he aligned himself immediately with his long-time friend and former teammate Austin, serving as his lackey while he recovered. However, Pillman began noticeably favoring Austin's nemesis, Bret Hart, before Austin had enough and brutally attacked him in the ring during an interview on an episode of ''[[WWF Superstars of Wrestling|Superstars]]'' on October 27, 1996. Austin and Pillman had been feuding for several weeks, and Austin finally decided to take matters into his own hands and visit Pillman, whom he had already injured, at his home in [[Walton, Kentucky]]. WWF interviewer Kevin Kelly sat in Pillman's house with a camera crew and the Pillman family, while Pillman's friends surrounded the house to protect him. As the interview progressed, Pillman got infuriated and produced a handgun, angrily exclaiming, "when Austin 3:16 meets Pillman 9-millimeter glock, I'm gonna blast his sorry ass straight to hell." Austin was attacked by Pillman's friends as soon as he arrived, but he quickly subdued them. He then proceeded to break into Pillman's home and advance on his nemesis. However, Pillman responded by pulling out the pistol and pointing it at a hesitant Austin, while Kelly and Pillman's wife Melanie screamed for help. The camera feed was then disrupted, with the scene fading to black. The on-scene director contacted commentator Vince McMahon and reported that he had heard "a couple explosions". The transmission was restored shortly before the end of ''Raw'', and viewers witnessed Pillman's friends dragging Austin from the house while Pillman aimed the gun at Austin and announced his intention to "kill that son of a bitch!" Pillman also slipped up by saying "get out of the fucking way!" on live television, which prevented it from being edited out.<ref name="WWF1996"/> The WWF and Pillman eventually apologized for the entire angle.<ref name="LooseCannon"/>

==== Hart Foundation (1997) ====
{{see also|Hart Foundation}}
Pillman then aligned himself with his real life close friends [[Bret Hart]], [[Owen Hart]], [[Davey Boy Smith|The British Bulldog]] and [[Jim Neidhart]], turning heel as part of the anti-American [[Hart Foundation#The Hart Foundation (1997 incarnation)|Hart Foundation]] and feuding with his former partner Austin.<ref name="WWEbio" /><ref name="lentz" /> In the course of the feud, Austin was given on-screen credit for damaging Pillman's ankle in late October 1996 after placing it in between the seat and backrest of a folded chair and then jumping on the chair,<ref name="observer" /> a move which has subsequently been dubbed "Pillmanizing".<ref>{{cite web |title=Pillmanize definition |url=https://definithing.com/pillmanize/ |website=definithing |access-date=14 July 2025}}</ref> Pillman began competing again full-time in May 1997, frequently teaming with Hart Foundation members in six-man tag team matches against Austin and the [[Road Warriors|Legion of Doom]] ([[Road Warrior Hawk|Hawk]] and [[Road Warrior Animal|Animal]]).<ref name="WWF1997">{{Cite web |title=WWF Results 1997 |url=https://thehistoryofwwe.com/wwf-results-1997/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230323045218/https://thehistoryofwwe.com/wwf-results-1997/ |archive-date=March 23, 2023 |access-date=June 15, 2025 |website=The History of WWE}}</ref> On July 6, at [[In Your House 16: Canadian Stampede]], Pillman and The Hart Foundation defeated the American team of Austin, [[Dustin Rhodes|Goldust]], [[Ken Shamrock]] and the Legion of Doom in the main event.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gutschmidt |first=Adam |date=June 1, 2005 |title=WWF IYH: Canadian Stampede |url=http://www.oowrestling.com/columns/ooldtyme/20050601.shtml |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111207234111/http://www.oowrestling.com/columns/ooldtyme/20050601.shtml |archive-date=December 7, 2011 |access-date=June 14, 2025 |website=Online Onslaught}}</ref>

Pillman engaged in his final feud with Goldust over [[Terri Runnels|Marlena]].<ref name="Encyclopedia">{{cite book |last1=Shields |first1=Brian |url=https://archive.org/details/wweencyclopediad0000shie/page/44 |title=WWE Encyclopedia |last2=Sullivan |first2=Kevin |publisher=[[Dorling Kindersley|DK]] |year=2009 |isbn=978-0-7566-4190-0 |page=[https://archive.org/details/wweencyclopediad0000shie/page/44 44]}}</ref> At [[SummerSlam (1997)|SummerSlam]] on August 3, he lost to Goldust, forcing him to wear a dress during his matches for a month.<ref>{{Cite web |title=SummerSlam 1997 results |url=https://www.wwe.com/shows/summerslam/1997/results |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120330152655/https://www.wwe.com/shows/summerslam/1997/results |archive-date=March 30, 2012 |access-date=June 14, 2025 |publisher=[[WWE]]}}</ref> Pillman then challenged Goldust again to a match with two stipulations; if Pillman won, he would take Marlena away from Goldust to be his personal assistant for 30 days, and if Goldust won, Pillman would leave the WWF for the rest of his life.<ref name="WWF1997"/> In his final WWF pay-per-view appearance, Pillman defeated Goldust at [[Ground Zero: In Your House|In Your House 17: Ground Zero]] on September 7.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Powell |first=John |date=September 8, 1997 |title=Hit Man dismantles The Patriot |url=http://slam.canoe.ca/SlamWrestlingArchive/sep8_hit.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120723233229/http://slam.canoe.ca/SlamWrestlingArchive/sep8_hit.html |archive-date=July 23, 2012 |access-date=June 14, 2025 |website=Slam! Sports |publisher=[[Canadian Online Explorer]]}}</ref> During the feud they would for several weeks later appear in segments called "Brian Pillman's XXX-Files", in which Marlena was made to wear sexually provocative clothing.<ref name="LooseCannon"/> His final televised match came on the October 4 episode of [[WWF Shotgun Saturday Night|''Shotgun Saturday Night'']] (taped on September 23), defeating [[The Patriot (wrestler)|The Patriot]] by disqualification due to interference from Goldust. After the match, Goldust chased him and Marlena out of the arena.<ref name="WWF1997"/>

==Personal life==
Pillman was a close friend to the [[Hart wrestling family|Hart family]]. Both Pillman and the Harts have referred to themselves as being as close as siblings.<ref name="LooseCannon"/> He was the only member of the [[Hart Foundation]] to not be related to the family through either blood or marriage.<ref name="torch"/><ref>{{cite book |author=McCoy |first=Heath |title=Pain and Passion: The History of Stampede Wrestling |publisher=[[ECW Press]] |year=2007 |isbn=978-1-55022-787-1 |page=220}}</ref>

In 1993, Pillman was arrested for [[drunk driving]] and illegal possession of prescription drugs. As part of a plea agreement, the drug charges were eventually dropped.<ref name="mooneyham"/><ref name="observer"/>

In 1990, Pillman dated [[Terri Runnels]] while they were in WCW together.<ref name="LooseCannon"/> He later married Melanie Morgan (1965–2022), who he first saw in a [[Penthouse (magazine)|Penthouse]] magazine,<ref name="observer"/> on March 17, 1993.<ref name="LooseCannon"/><ref>{{Cite web |last=Currier |first=Joseph |date=June 2, 2022 |title=Melanie Pillman, widow of Brian Pillman, passes away |url=https://www.f4wonline.com/news/other-wrestling/melanie-pillman-widow-of-brian-pillman-passes-away/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220602233852/https://www.f4wonline.com/news/other-wrestling/melanie-pillman-widow-of-brian-pillman-passes-away/ |archive-date=June 2, 2022 |access-date=June 15, 2025 |website=[[Wrestling Observer Newsletter]]}}</ref> Melanie had two children at the time, Alexis Michelle Reed and Jesse Morgan, from her previous relationships. At the time, he also had daughters, Danielle and Brittany, from two previous relationships.<ref name="LooseCannon"/> Brian and Melanie had two children together, [[Lexis King|Brian Zachary]] and Skylar King, the latter born after Pillman's death. Melanie also adopted one of Brian's daughters, Brittany. Despite not being their biological parent, Pillman is often referred to as the father of Melanie's children, Jesse Morgan and Alexis Michelle Reed, who he adopted before his death.<ref>{{cite book|title=Remembering Some of the World's Greatest Wrestlers|publisher=Winding Stair Press|year=2001|isbn=978-1553660859|page=17 pp}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Hart |first=Bret |author-link=Bret Hart |title=Hitman: My Real Life in the Cartoon World of Wrestling |publisher=Random House |year=2009 |isbn=9781407029313 |pages=447}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |title=Titan Screwed − Lost Smiles, Stunners and Screwjobs |last1=Reynolds |first1=R. D. |year=2017 |isbn=9781326981723 |pages=132 |last2=Dixon |first2=James |last3=Henry |first3=Justin |publisher=Lulu.com |author-link=R. D. Reynolds}}</ref> At the time of his death, Brian and Melanie were involved in a heated divorce.<ref name="mooneyham"/> She said that the divorce was meant to be a wake-up call for Brian, and they were still living together at the time of Brian's death, but he was banished to the basement.<ref name="LooseCannon"/><ref name="torch">{{Cite journal |last=Keller |first=Wade |author-link=Wade Keller |date=October 11, 1997 |title=Brian Pillman dies in hotel room at age 35 |journal=Pro Wrestling Torch |publisher=TDH Communications Inc. |issue=461}}</ref>

In 2017, Pillman's daughter Brittany claimed that her half-sister Skylar King is not Pillman's biological daughter, but the child of another man whom Melanie married shortly after Pillman's death, and that all the money given by WWF and wrestlers to support Pillman's family was used by Melanie for drugs.<ref>{{cite web |last=Dixon |first=James |date=January 23, 2016 |title=WWE Exclusive Report: Brian Pillman's Daughter Speaks Out |url=http://whatculture.com/wwe/wwe-exclusive-report-brian-pillmans-daughter-speaks-out.php |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160413064306/https://whatculture.com/wwe/wwe-exclusive-report-brian-pillmans-daughter-speaks-out |archive-date=April 13, 2016 |access-date=June 15, 2025 |website=WhatCulture.com}}</ref>

==Death==
On October 5, 1997, Pillman was scheduled to wrestle [[Mick Foley|Dude Love]] at the WWF pay-per-view [[Badd Blood: In Your House|In Your House 18: Badd Blood]].<ref name="slam">{{Cite web |last=Powell |first=John |date=October 6, 1997 |title=Pillman found dead |url=http://slam.canoe.ca/SlamWrestlingPillman/oct6_pillman.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120715075954/http://slam.canoe.ca/SlamWrestlingPillman/oct6_pillman.html |archive-date=July 15, 2012 |access-date=June 15, 2025 |website=Slam! Sports |publisher=[[Canadian Online Explorer]]}}</ref> [[Stone Cold Steve Austin|Steve Austin]] relayed that [[Jim Cornette]] was instructed to find the whereabouts of Pillman. Cornette contacted the Budgetel Motel in [[Bloomington, Minnesota]], where Pillman had stayed the previous night, and was told by the receptionist that Pillman was found dead in his hotel room by the maids earlier that day at 1:09&nbsp;p.m. Central Time. He was 35 years old.<ref name="cold112">Austin, Steve. ''The Stone Cold Truth'' (p.112–113)</ref> Bottles of painkillers and muscle relaxers were also found in his room.<ref name="mooneyham">{{Cite web |last=Mooneyham |first=Mike |date=October 12, 1997 |title=Pillman's Real Life Played Out |url=https://mikemooneyham.com/1997/10/12/pillmans-real-life-played-out/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140902142036/https://mikemooneyham.com/1997/10/12/pillmans-real-life-played-out/ |archive-date=September 2, 2014 |access-date=June 15, 2025 |website=The Wrestling Gospel According to Mike Mooneyham}}</ref> An autopsy attributed Pillman's death to a [[Myocardial infarction|heart attack]] caused by previously undetected [[Atherosclerosis|atherosclerotic]] [[coronary disease|heart disease]], a condition which had also led to the death of his father.<ref name="LooseCannon"/><ref name="torch"/> Nonlethal traces of cocaine were also found in his system.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Pugmire |first=Lance |date=March 29, 2003 |title=A wrestler's widow remembers his pills, hormone injections |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2003-mar-29-et-pugmireside29-story.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210302232025/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2003-mar-29-et-pugmireside29-story.html |archive-date=March 2, 2021 |access-date=June 16, 2025 |website=[[The Los Angeles Times]]}}</ref>

The next night on ''Raw'', the WWF paid tribute to Pillman, and later in the show, Vince McMahon interviewed Melanie Pillman.<ref name="cold112" /><ref name="WWF1997"/> The interview was seen as being in poor taste and was awarded ''[[Wrestling Observer Newsletter]]'''s Most Disgusting Promotional Tactic award for that year.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Meltzer |first=Dave |author-link=Dave Meltzer |date=January 26, 2011 |title=Biggest issue of the year: The 2011 Wrestling Observer Newsletter Awards Issue |location=[[Campbell, California]] |pages=1–40 |issn=1083-9593 |periodical=[[Wrestling Observer Newsletter]]}}</ref>

==Legacy==
In January 2008, Pillman's adopted daughter Alexis Michelle Reed entered professional wrestling as a valet and ring girl under the name "Sexy" Lexi Pillman. She died at the age of 26 on November 26, 2009, from injuries sustained in an automobile accident.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Johnson |first=Mike |date=November 27, 2009 |title=Lexi Pillman passes away (update) |url=https://www.pwinsider.com/ViewArticle.php?id=43259 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131002233258/https://www.pwinsider.com/ViewArticle.php?id=43259 |archive-date=October 2, 2013 |access-date=June 14, 2025 |website=Pro Wrestling Insider}}</ref>

Like his father, [[Brian Pillman Jr.|Brian Zachary]] became a football player and played at the [[High school football|high-school level]] while attending [[Dixie Heights High School]] before graduating in 2011.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kizer |first=Drake |date=July 19, 2019 |title=Picking up the pieces: Brian Pillman's son chasing dad's legacy in professional wrestling |url=https://www.cincinnati.com/story/sports/2019/07/19/picking-up-pieces-pillmans-son-chasing-dads-legacy-pro-wrestling-wwf-wwe-british-bulldog-bret-hart/1779849001/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190720150958/https://www.cincinnati.com/story/sports/2019/07/19/picking-up-pieces-pillmans-son-chasing-dads-legacy-pro-wrestling-wwf-wwe-british-bulldog-bret-hart/1779849001/ |archive-date=July 20, 2019 |access-date=June 16, 2025 |website=[[The Cincinnati Enquirer]]}}</ref> In February 2017, he announced his decision to follow in his father's footsteps to become a professional wrestler.<ref name="WKRC">{{Cite news |last=Clements |first=Adam |date=February 20, 2017 |title=Local wrestler's son to follow in his father's footsteps |url=https://local12.com/news/local/local-wrestlers-son-to-follow-in-his-fathers-footsteps |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180610152409/https://local12.com/news/local/local-wrestlers-son-to-follow-in-his-fathers-footsteps |archive-date=June 10, 2018 |access-date=January 28, 2018 |work=WKRC |location=[[Cincinnati|Cincinnati, Ohio]]}}</ref> Trained by [[Lance Storm]], he made his debut in December of that year.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Johnson |first=Mike |date=December 31, 2017 |title=Brian Pillman Jr. makes professional wrestling debut, backstage visitors at SmackDown in Tampa |url=https://www.pwinsider.com/article/114482/brian-pillman-jr-makes-professional-wrestling-debut-backstage-visitors-at-smackdown-in-tampa.html?p=1 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250222025140/https://www.pwinsider.com/article/114482/brian-pillman-jr-makes-professional-wrestling-debut-backstage-visitors-at-smackdown-in-tampa.html?p=1 |archive-date=February 22, 2025 |access-date=January 28, 2018 |website=Pro Wrestling Insider}}</ref> He wrestled for [[All Elite Wrestling]] (AEW) beginning in the summer of 2020, where he, [[Griff Garrison]], and [[Julia Hart (wrestler)|Julia Hart]] formed a stable, the Varsity Blondes, paying tribute to the 1980s era and his father's tag team with Steve Austin. He left AEW in 2023 and soon after debuted in WWE's developmental brand, [[WWE NXT|NXT]], under the ring name Lexis King.

Pillman was the subject of a 2021 episode of [[Viceland]]'s ''[[Dark Side of the Ring]]''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Leighty Jr. |first=Robert |date=May 7, 2021 |title=411's Dark Side of The Ring Report: 'How Brian Pillman Broke Wrestling's 4th Wall' |url=https://411mania.com/wrestling/411s-dark-side-of-the-ring-report-how-brian-pillman-broke-wrestlings-4th-wall/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210507095104/https://411mania.com/wrestling/411s-dark-side-of-the-ring-report-how-brian-pillman-broke-wrestlings-4th-wall/ |archive-date=May 7, 2021 |access-date=June 16, 2025 |website=411Mania.com}}</ref> In 2024, Pillman's daughter Brittany Evans signed a Legends contract with WWE, allowing merchandise of the senior Pillman to be offered under her authority.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rose |first=Bryan |date=February 6, 2024 |title=Brian Pillman's estate signs Legends contract with WWE |url=https://www.f4wonline.com/news/wwe/brian-pillmans-estate-signs-legends-contract-with-wwe/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240207001551/https://www.f4wonline.com/news/wwe/brian-pillmans-estate-signs-legends-contract-with-wwe/ |archive-date=February 7, 2024 |access-date=June 14, 2025 |website=[[Wrestling Observer Newsletter]]}}</ref>

==Championships and accomplishments==

===Football===
* Division I-AA [[All-American]] ([[1983 College Football All-America Team|1983]])
* Division I-AA [[All-American]] Second-team ([[1982 College Football All-America Team|1982]])<ref name="LooseCannon"/>
* [[Mid-American Conference football individual awards#Defensive Player of the Year|MAC Defensive Player of the Year]] (1983)<ref>{{Cite news |date=November 22, 1983 |title=Strawberry N.L. rookies |work=[[The Bryan Times]] |page=14 |quote=Bowling Green sophomore quarterback Brian McClure was selected the league's offensive player of the year in voting by members of the MAC News Media Association while Miami nose tackle Brian Pillman was named the defensive player of the year and Western Michigan tight end Kelly Spielmaker the fresh-man of the year.}}</ref>
* [[Ed Block Courage Award]] (1984)<ref>{{Cite news |date=January 19, 1985 |title=Courage Award nominees set for Baltimore event |work=[[Baltimore Afro-American|The Afro-American]] |page=10}}</ref>

===Professional wrestling===
*'''[[World Championship Wrestling]]'''
**[[NWA United States Tag Team Championship]] (1 time) – with [[Tom Zenk|"Z-Man" Tom Zenk]]
**[[NWA World Tag Team Championship]] (1 time) – with [[Stone Cold Steve Austin|"Stunning" Steve Austin]]
**[[WCW Light Heavyweight Championship]] (2 times)<ref name="WCWLightHeavyweightTitle">{{Cite web |title=WCW World Light Heavyweight Title |url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/wcw/wcw-lh.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20031005080213/http://www.wrestling-titles.com/wcw/wcw-lh.html |archive-date=October 5, 2003 |access-date=June 15, 2025 |website=Wrestling-Titles.com}}</ref>
**[[WCW World Tag Team Championship]] (1 time) – with "Stunning" Steve Austin
*'''[[Stampede Wrestling]]'''
**[[Stampede Wrestling International Tag Team Championship]] (2 times) – with [[Bruce Hart (wrestler)|Bruce Hart]]<ref name="StampedeInternationalTag">{{Cite web |title=Stampede Wrestling International Tag Team Title |url=https://www.wrestling-titles.com/canada/ab/stampede/ab-int-t.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141008161845/https://www.wrestling-titles.com/canada/ab/stampede/ab-int-t.html |archive-date=October 8, 2014 |access-date=June 15, 2025 |website=Wrestling-Titles.com}}</ref>
**[[Stampede Wrestling#Hall of Fame|Stampede Wrestling Hall of Fame]] (1995)<ref>{{Cite episode |title=Stampede Wrestling Hall of Fame: 1948-1990 |series=Showdown at the Corral: A Tribute to Stu Hart |series-link=Stu Hart 50th Anniversary Show |last=Whalen |first=Ed (host) |network=[[Shaw Communications|Shaw Cable]] |station=[[CICT-DT|Calgary 7]] |date=December 15, 1995 |time=27:55}}</ref>
*'''[[Pro Wrestling Illustrated]]'''
**PWI ranked him '''#84''' of the top 500 singles wrestlers of the ''PWI Years'' in 2003
*'''''[[Wrestling Observer Newsletter]]'''''
**[[List of professional wrestling matches rated 5 or more stars by Dave Meltzer#1990s|5 Star Match (1991) with Sting, Rick Steiner, and Scott Steiner vs. Ric Flair, Larry Zbyszko, Barry Windham, and Sid Vicious (February 24, WarGames match, WrestleWar)]]
**[[List of Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards#Feud of the Year|Feud of the Year (1997) with Bret Hart, Owen Hart, Jim Neidhart, and Davey Boy Smith vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin]]
**[[List of Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards#Most Underrated|Most Underrated (1994)]]
**[[List of Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards#Rookie of the Year|Rookie of the Year (1987)]]<ref name="LooseCannon"/>
**[[List of Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards#Tag Team of the Year|Tag Team of the Year (1993) with "Stunning" Steve Austin as The Hollywood Blonds]]<ref name="observer"/>

==Media==
* ''[[WCW Superbrawl Wrestling]]'' (Video game − SNES, November 1994)
* ''[[Legends of Wrestling]]'' (Video game − December 3, 2001; May 27, 2002)
* ''[[Legends of Wrestling II]]'' (Video game − November 2002)
* ''[[Showdown: Legends of Wrestling]]'' (Video game − June 22, 2004)
* ''[[Brian Pillman: Loose Cannon]]'' (DVD, September 26, 2006)<ref name="LooseCannon"/>
* ''[[WWE '13]] Downloadable Content'' (Video game, January 2013)<ref>{{Cite web |date=January 8, 2013 |title=You're Welcome in Five Languages DLC Pack for 'WWE '13' out now! |url=https://www.wwe.com/inside/thq/wwe-13/youre-welcome-in-five-languages-dlc-pack-for-wwe-13-out-now |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130112151346/https://www.wwe.com/inside/thq/wwe-13/youre-welcome-in-five-languages-dlc-pack-for-wwe-13-out-now |archive-date=January 12, 2013 |access-date=June 16, 2025 |publisher=[[WWE]]}}</ref>
* ''[[WWE 2K16]]'' (Video game − October 27, 2015)<ref>{{Cite web |date=August 10, 2015 |title=Superstars and Divas featured on WWE 2K16 roster list |url=https://www.wwe.com/inside/2k/wwe-2k16/wwe-2k16-roster-playable-characters-superstars-divas |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190321095326/https://www.wwe.com/inside/2k/wwe-2k16/wwe-2k16-roster-playable-characters-superstars-divas |archive-date=March 21, 2019 |access-date=June 16, 2025 |publisher=[[WWE]]}}</ref>
* ''[[WWE 2K17]]'' (Video game − October 11, 2016)<ref>{{Cite web |last=Artus |first=Matthew |date=June 27, 2016 |title=Superstars to be featured on WWE 2K17 roster |url=https://www.wwe.com/section/wwe-2k17/article/wwe-2k17-roster-playable-characters-superstars |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160630074701/https://www.wwe.com/section/wwe-2k17/article/wwe-2k17-roster-playable-characters-superstars |archive-date=June 30, 2016 |access-date=June 16, 2025 |publisher=[[WWE]]}}</ref>
* ''[[Crazy Like a Fox (book)|Crazy Like a Fox: The Definitive Chronicle of Brian Pillman 20 Years Later]]'' (Book − November 5, 2017)<ref>{{Cite web |last=Wonsover |first=Michael |date=April 16, 2018 |title=The unlikely story of 'Crazy Like a Fox,' the biography of Brian Pillman |url=https://www.espn.com/wwe/story/_/id/23204001/wwe-unlikely-story-book-crazy-fox-comprehensive-brian-pillman-biography |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180423192736/https://www.espn.com/wwe/story/_/id/23204001/wwe-unlikely-story-book-crazy-fox-comprehensive-brian-pillman-biography |archive-date=April 23, 2018 |access-date=June 16, 2025 |website=[[ESPN]]}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Brian Pillman Memorial Show]]
* [[List of premature professional wrestling deaths]]
* [[List of gridiron football players who became professional wrestlers]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
* ''Crazy Like a Fox: The Definitive Chronicle of Brian Pillman 20 Years Later'' by Liam O'Rourke, 2017, ISBN/1-97654-124-7.
* ''[[Tributes (book)|Tributes]]'' by [[Dave Meltzer]], 2001, {{ISBN|1-55366-085-4}}.
* {{cite book|author=Stone Cold Steve Austin and Jim Ross|title=The Stone Cold Truth|publisher=Pocket Books|year=2003|isbn=0-7434-7720-0|url=https://archive.org/details/stonecoldtruth00aust}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
{{Wikiquote}}
* {{Professional wrestling profiles}}
* {{IMDb name|id=0683543|name=Brian Pillman}}

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