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Hello … I'm Brian Zane from Wrestling With Wregret.
As you might have heard, recently I've helped form what I am officially calling “The WrestleTalk
Facgime”.
That good, Oli?
OLI: No.
BZ: Great, Luke?
LUKE: No.
BZ: FANtastic.
Now that this new alliance has been formed on YouTube, it makes me think about one of
the best of it's kind that came before us … the Alliance of WCW/ECW!
INTRO – A Look Back at the WCW/ECW Alliance [working title]
In 2001, a band of wrestlers from two defunct leagues joined forces to take down the WWF.
While ultimately unsuccessful, their presence has left a lasting impact on wrestling to
this day … but some members have received more glory than others.
In this brand-new series, exclusive to Wrestletalk, join me as I look back at some of the forgotten
members of the Alliance … and the sacrifices they made for their cause.
On this episode, a pair of giants among men, who came and went like, a puff of smoke, but
left an indelible mark on the Invasion … a mark that, unfortunately, cannot be scrubbed
out.
This, is Kronik.
The two men who would form Kronik came from troubled, violent beginnings.
Bryan Clark was a survivor of a nuclear disaster, and Brian Adams, a biker gang leader and former
member of a black militant group … it's best that you don't ask questions.
The two former WWF stars joined forces in WCW in the year 2000 … a year that proved
to be historical for the company, in more ways than one.
As Kronik, the two men blazed through their competition, squeezing them tight like they
were roaches.
Holding in the pressure of success but never choking, the Brians would become two-time
WCW Tag Team Champions, and were on a soothing high.
It was basically the APA's gimmick, only with weed instead of beer and cigars … and an
empty void where charisma should be.
After the WCW buyout of March 2001, Kronik would lie in wait until the time was right
… and I guess for an inexplicably black-haired Steven Richards, that time was JUUUUUUST before
the whole angle came to a close.
Like a true strategist.
Kronik stormed the beaches of Stamford in early September, costing the Undertaker and
Kane their WWF Tag Team titles.
Revenge was on the menu at Unforgiven in a battle for the WCW Tag Belts.
Then, as they say, the bell rang.
What transpired at Unforgiven could be considered the fifth biggest tragedy on American soil
that month.
For 12 agonizing minutes, we saw sloppy punches, sloppy kicks, terrible selling, and audible
spot calling … a recipe for a Godawful match.
Most of the blame for this in-ring atrocity lay at the feet of the new invaders, and while
the brothers of destruction weren't totally without fault, their tenured status led them
to avoid any serious repercussions.
One bad match was all it took for Adams and Clark to be given the sloppy big boot.
The Kronik would linger in the air for a couple more years, working for World Wrestling All-Stars
as well as All-Japan Pro Wrestling.
The two eventually retired due to injuries in 2003, and considering their last match
as a team was against Goldberg and the Great Muta, I think there may be a connection there.
Adams would sadly pass away due to an accidental overdose four years later at the age of 43.
As one of WCW's more popular acts in the company's final months, you could argue that Kronik
deserved better than a one-and-done with Taker and Kane.
However, Adams was already a multiple-time disappointment in the WWF, and Clark had previously
left the company on bad terms, so it feels like they were on thin ice from day one.
Not to mention, they already HAD a mercenary tag team on their roster, the one that Kronik
had already lifted from in the first place, so they didn't really NEED another one.
Though things might have been different had they shown up earlier in the Invasion storyline,
Kronik's brief time in the company was memorable, just for the wrong reasons.
Well that's going to do it for this week's episode, folks.
Join me next time as I look back at even more of the forgotten and misguided members of
the Alliance.
I'm BZ, and let the Facgime forever reign!