In 1998, WWE (then known as WWF) attempted to merge the world of scripted professional wrestling with real-life shoot fighting and boxing elements in a tournament called Brawl for All. What unfolded was a chaotic, injury-ridden spectacle that derailed careers, alienated fans, and left a mark as one of WWE’s most ill-conceived ideas. This is the story of how it all came together—and ultimately fell apart.
Brawl For All Conception: Desperate Times, Desperate Ideas
Bart Gunn faces off against Dr. Death Steve Williams during WWE’s 1998 Brawl For All, a shootfighting tournament meant to elevate Williams as a top star. Things didn’t go as planned. Photo Credit: WWE.
During the height of the Monday Night Wars, WWE was locked in fierce competition with WCW. As WWE’s creative team searched for new ways to capture attention, an audacious idea emerged: a legitimate tough-man competition featuring mid-card talent.
"Nobody thought it was a good idea," Bob Holly wrote in his autobiography The Hardcore Truth. "Jim Ross was pushing Dr. Death hard, and the plan was to make him look like a beast. They were counting on him walking through everybody."
Jim Cornette, reflecting on the concept years later during a 2020 episode of Dark Side of the Ring dedicated to this topic, summed it up bluntly: "It was a recipe for disaster. Wrestling is a work; the second you try to legitimize it, you’re inviting chaos."
Rules of the Brawl For All Tournament
The official rules of WWE’s Brawl For All tournament in 1998, which mixed shootfighting and boxing elements. These rules would lead to numerous injuries and a controversial outcome. Photo Credit: WWE.
The Brawl For All featured 16 participants and followed modified shootfighting rules:
Matches consisted of three one-minute rounds.
Points were awarded for takedowns, knockdowns, and overall strikes.
A knockout would immediately end the match.
Wrestlers received $5,000 per fight and a $100,000 prize for winning the tournament.
While these rules seemed straightforward, they failed to account for the inexperience of most competitors in legitimate fighting, increasing the risk of injury.
Steve Blackman and Marc Mero exchange blows during the early stages of WWE’s Brawl For All. Blackman, considered a favorite, had to withdraw due to injury, opening opportunities for others. Photo Credit: WWE.
One of the early favorites, Steve Blackman, had to withdraw due to a knee injury sustained in training. His absence opened the door for lesser-known competitors like Bart Gunn and Bob Holly to prove their toughness.
The most shocking moment came early in the tournament when Bart Gunn, a former tag team wrestler with little fanfare, knocked out Dr. Death Steve Williams. The upset not only derailed WWE’s plans but also exposed the flawed nature of the tournament.
"They paid Steve the $100,000 prize money in advance because they were so sure he would win," Holly revealed. "When Bart knocked him out, it wasn’t just a punch to Steve; it was a punch to the whole plan."
Backstage Reactions and Controversy
Bart Gunn celebrates after delivering the knockout punch to Dr. Death Steve Williams. Williams, the tournament favorite, was expected to win, but Gunn’s upset changed everything. Photo Credit: WWE.
The knockout sent shockwaves through the locker room. Bart Gunn’s triumph over Williams was celebrated by many wrestlers who resented the office’s favoritism toward Williams. However, it also created tension with Jim Ross, who had heavily advocated for Dr. Death.
"J.R. was livid," Holly recalled. "He’d been talking up Steve for weeks, saying nobody could touch him. Bart knocking him out wasn’t just an upset—it was a humiliation."
As the tournament progressed, injuries mounted. The Godfather suffered a severe injury, and Savio Vega was also sidelined. The escalating toll on talent led many to question whether the potential payoff was worth the cost.
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The Finale: Bart Gunn vs. Butterbean
Bart Gunn and Butterbean in a promotional photo for WrestleMania XV. The bout was labeled as part of WWE’s Brawl For All, but strict boxing rules tilted the odds heavily in Butterbean’s favor. Photo Credit: WWE.
Bart Gunn’s unexpected rise culminated in a showdown at WrestleMania XV against professional boxer Butterbean. While the match was branded as a Brawl For All bout, it adhered to strict boxing rules, eliminating any chance of Bart utilizing his wrestling skills.
"The match was a setup," Holly explained. "They wanted Bart to get embarrassed because he messed up their plans with Dr. Death."
Butterbean landed a devastating punch that knocked Bart Gunn unconscious, effectively ending his WWE career.
The backstage reaction was one of disbelief. "I thought Bart was dead," Holly admitted. "It looked like Butterbean had broken his neck."
The Aftermath: A Legacy of Failure
Bart Gunn battles The Godfather during the Brawl For All tournament. Gunn’s victory here would lead him to the finals, but injuries and controversies plagued the event. Photo Credit: WWE.
The Brawl For All left a trail of destruction in its wake:
Talent Injuries: Several wrestlers, including Dr. Death, suffered career-altering injuries.
Costs: The tournament reportedly cost WWE $350,000 in payouts, with no tangible return on investment.
Damage to Careers: Bart Gunn was humiliated at WrestleMania and released shortly thereafter. Dr. Death, intended to be the tournament’s star, never recovered his momentum in WWE.
Ratings: Contrary to its purpose, the Brawl For All failed to generate any significant boost in viewership.
"It was a failure on every level," Jim Cornette later remarked. "Nobody came out of it better off—not the wrestlers, not the company, not the fans."
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The Brawl For All’s Legacy: A Mistake Wrestling Never Repeated
Bart Gunn squared off against professional boxer Butterbean in a heavily hyped WrestleMania XV showdown. This boxing match would end disastrously for Gunn in just 35 seconds. Photo Credit: WWE.
The Brawl For All is remembered not for its fights or winners but for its disastrous consequences. From derailed careers like Bart Gunn’s to unfulfilled plans for Dr. Death Steve Williams, the tournament failed everyone involved—fans, wrestlers, and WWE itself.
Its legacy is a cautionary tale about the risks of mixing legitimate competition with a scripted sport. Wrestling thrives on storytelling and characters, not shootfights.
"If you want someone to get over, you book it," as Bob Holly aptly put it. “WWE learned from this blunder, ensuring it was never repeated.”
Sometimes, in professional wrestling, the best ideas are the ones that never leave the drawing board!
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JP Zarka is the founder of Pro Wrestling Stories, established in 2015, where he guides the site's creative vision as editor-in-chief. From 2018 to 2019, he hosted and produced The Genius Cast with Lanny Poffo, brother of WWE legend Macho Man Randy Savage. His diverse background includes roles as a school teacher, assistant principal, published author, musician with the London-based band Sterling Avenue, and being a proud father of two amazing daughters. He has appeared on the television show Autopsy: The Last Hours Of and contributed research for programming on ITV and BBC.
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