Big-hitting heavyweight Butterbean knocked the living daylights out of WWE superstar, ending an ill-fated tournament branded a failure by insiders.
Facing the four-round knockout specialist was somehow seen as the prize for whoever came out on top of the 1998 WWE’ Brawl For All’ Series on Monday Night Raw. The brainchild of Vince Russo, who would depart the company months after Gunn faced Butterbean at Wrestlemania XV.
The initial idea for the competition was to pit sixteen WWE wrestlers against each other in an actual boxing match over three one-minute rounds. The bouts would occur over two months on Raw from June to August 1998, and eventually, one man would be crowned the champion.
However, the whole arrangement was doomed from the beginning.
Severe injuries began to impact superstars from the off as they weren’t accustomed to taking the heavy blows dished out from athletes who sometimes weighed over 300 pounds. But right from off, Bart Gunn stood out as an early favorite. Gunn, real name Michael Polchlopek, defeated Bob Holly by decision before going on a knockout streak.
Gunn stopped Steve’ Dr Death’ Williams, ‘The Godfather’ Charles Wright [also known as Papa Shango], and John Bradshaw Layfield from claiming the trophy and the $75,000 prize.
His reward was a fight against Butterbean on March 28, 1999, at Wrestlemania XV, something wrestling historian and former promoter Jim Cornette was later critical of in an episode of ‘Dark Side Of The Ring’ charting the tale.
The contest against Butterbean was essentially a way to end the story. WWE creative had been at a loss as to what to do with Gunn, as their preferred winner was ‘Dr Death’ Williams. Gunn’s first victim, Holly, later claimed the Butterbean fight was arranged as punishment for the victory over Williams.
Pitching a wrestler against a thunderous professional boxer, even in a sideshow capacity without safeguarding in place, proved to be a disaster. Gunn was knocked out badly in 35 seconds at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia and could have been badly injured.
After his loss, Gunn was subsequently fired and moved to Japan to wrestle as ‘Mike Barton’ amid claims by former referee Mike Chioda that those damaging 35 seconds were somehow scripted. Chioda cited Gunn’s openness in the fight as his reasoning for those views.
TJR Wrestling documented Chioda’s words from his Monday Mailbag Podcast.
“I really do think it was a work, man, because I’ve never seen Bart not cover [up]. He didn’t cover up. I don’t know. It was weird, man,” said Chioda. It was frickin weird. I think it was just, okay, this will be built around the boxer. You know, Butterbean. You know what I’m saying?
“I’m not saying Butterbean was no joke or anything. He took a right hook from him. He had some power. Don’t get me wrong, but Bart was 6’4, I think 6’3. He was strong. I mean, he just went too fast, too.
“You know, I’m saying? It went too fast. I think it was in the first round, right? I’m pretty sure it was in the first round. I asked Bart, and Bart was kayfabe-ing.”
He added, “I think it was a payday to build up the boxer. I didn’t think they would job Butterbean out and make him look bad. That’s why I say I think it was a work. I really do. Not the fights [at the Brawl For All] to build all the way up to the finish. Just that main event.”
On the Dark Side Of The Ring taping, Butterbean backed up claims about Gunn’s punishment.
“My understanding is that when Bart knocked out Dr. Death,’ Vince got p***ed, so they called me in for his punishment,” Esch explained. “Vince smiled at me when I went to the ring.
“He knew that it was over for Bart. He knew that I was going to knock him out, and he wanted me to knock him out.”
Read all articles and exclusive interviews by Phil Jay. Learn more about the author, experienced boxing writer, and World Boxing News Editor since 2010. Follow on Twitter @PhilJWBN.
