Mark Briscoe

1.1. Birth and Family

Born Mark Pugh on January 18, 1985, he hails from Delaware, United States. His older brother, Jay Pugh, also pursued professional wrestling, becoming known as Jay Briscoe. The two brothers would go on to form one of the most dominant tag teams in professional wrestling history, forging a bond that extended from their personal lives into their professional careers.

1.2. Early Career Beginnings

Mark Briscoe began his professional wrestling career in May 2000, forming a tag team with his brother Jay. Their early years were spent gaining experience and reputation across various independent promotions. They made their debut for Combat Zone Wrestling (CZW) on January 20, 2001, at the event Delaware Invasion. They quickly gained attention, particularly at the inaugural Best of the Best event, a tournament focusing on athletic junior heavyweights. Despite being new to the independent circuit and very young at the time, their match against each other in the second round was highly praised and seen as a significant launchpad for their careers.

The Briscoe Brothers also made their debut for Jersey All Pro Wrestling (JAPW) on March 24, 2001, at March Madness Night 2. Their appearances in Pennsylvania-based promotions like CZW during this period were often navigated by using masks and pseudonyms, such as "The Midnight Outlaws," due to strict child labor laws in Pennsylvania that prohibited individuals under 18 from performing in wrestling exhibitions. Mark was only 16 at the time of these early appearances, while Jay was 17. Despite these initial hurdles, their early work laid the foundation for their future success, establishing them as a formidable duo in the independent wrestling scene.

2.1. Independent Circuit Activities

The Briscoe Brothers' early career was characterized by their dynamic performances across numerous independent promotions, where they quickly established themselves as a formidable force.

In Combat Zone Wrestling (CZW), after an initial loss at their debut, they secured the CZW World Tag Team Championship on July 14, 2001, by defeating the original H8 Club at H8 Club: Dead?. Their reign was brief, losing the title in their first defense two weeks later to Johnny Kashmere and Justice Pain. Mark had a period of inactivity in CZW afterward, but the brothers returned in 2003 for Best of the Best 3 and later challenged unsuccessfully for the CZW World Tag Team Championship against The Backseat Boyz at Truth or Consequences. Their returns to CZW continued years later, including on December 11, 2010, at Cage of Death XII. They won the CZW World Tag Team Championship for a second time on February 12, 2011, defeating Philly's Most Wanted, but lost the title back to them on May 14, 2011.

In Jersey All Pro Wrestling (JAPW), their debut saw them lose a tag team match. They made several other appearances in 2001, including an unsuccessful challenge for the JAPW Tag Team Championship. In 2002, they participated in a tables, ladders, and chairs match for the tag team title, which Da Hit Squad won. They also competed in JAPW in late 2005 and early 2006, often in high-stakes tag team matches. In October 2008, at JAPW's 11th Anniversary Show, Mark suffered a significant head injury during a brawl outside the ring.

Across these independent promotions, the Briscoes also held titles such as the FIP Tag Team Championship (once), GCW Tag Team Championship (three times), HOG Tag Team Championship (once), JCW Light Heavyweight Championship (once for Mark), NWA Wildside Tag Team Championship (once), PWU Tag Team Championship (once), RCW Tag Team Championship (once), and 2CW Tag Team Championship (once), solidifying their status as one of the most decorated tag teams on the independent circuit.

2.2. Ring of Honor (2002-2023)

Mark Briscoe's career in Ring of Honor (ROH) was a cornerstone of his professional journey, where he and his brother Jay achieved unparalleled success and became synonymous with the promotion's tag team division.

2.2.2. Singles Competition and Later Tag Team Run (2013-2023)

Following the end of their eighth tag team reign, Mark Briscoe briefly ventured into singles competition. On June 22, 2013, at Best in the World 2013, Mark unsuccessfully challenged his brother Jay Briscoe for the ROH World Championship. It was reported shortly after that both brothers' contracts with ROH had expired. However, Mark returned to ROH on July 16, 2013, to participate in a tournament for the new ROH World Champion, but he was eliminated in the first round by Adam Cole. On September 28, Mark won the ROH Honor Rumble to earn another shot at the ROH World Championship but was once again defeated by Adam Cole.

The Briscoe Brothers continued to make appearances, including at the ROH/New Japan Pro-Wrestling co-produced War of the Worlds iPPV on May 17, 2014, where they unsuccessfully challenged Bullet Club for the IWGP Tag Team Championship. Mark also had an unsuccessful challenge for the ROH World Television Championship against Bobby Fish at Death Before Dishonor XIV.

Their return to the tag team division became more prominent in 2017. On March 11, The Briscoes and Bully Ray defeated The Kingdom to win the ROH World Six-Man Tag Team Championship. They lost the title on June 23, 2017, to Dalton Castle and The Boys. Later that year, Jay and Mark both turned on Bully Ray, signifying a more aggressive approach to their tag team dynamic.

On March 9, 2018, at the ROH 16th Anniversary Show, The Briscoes defeated The Motor City Machine Guns to win the ROH World Tag Team Championship for the ninth time. They lost the titles to SoCal Uncensored on October 14, 2018, but regained them for a tenth reign on December 14, 2018. They then lost them to Villain Enterprises at the ROH 17th Anniversary Show. In July 2019, The Briscoes defeated Guerrillas of Destiny in a New York City Street Fight to win the ROH World Tag Team Championships for an eleventh time, a reign that lasted 146 days before they lost to Jay Lethal and Jonathan Gresham at Final Battle (2019).

During the COVID-19 pandemic, ROH suspended events, and The Briscoes competed less frequently. They returned to ROH events in October 2020 without fans. On October 27, 2021, ROH announced a hiatus after Final Battle in December, with all personnel, including The Briscoes, being released from their contracts. At Final Battle, The Briscoes won the ROH World Tag Team Championships for a twelfth time, defeating The Kingdom. After the match, they were confronted and attacked by AEW's FTR, initiating a major rivalry.

Throughout late 2021 and early 2022, The Briscoes defended their ROH World Tag Team Championships on various independent shows. On March 2, 2022, Tony Khan, owner of AEW, announced he had acquired Ring of Honor. This led to a highly anticipated match at Supercard of Honor XV, where The Briscoes lost the titles to FTR in a critically acclaimed encounter, ending their twelfth reign at 111 days. Their rivalry with FTR continued, leading to another highly praised two-out-of-three falls match at Death Before Dishonor in July, which FTR won 2-1 after over 43 minutes. The feud culminated in a third match at Final Battle on December 10, a Dog Collar match, where The Briscoes finally defeated FTR to win the ROH World Tag Team Titles for a record thirteenth time. This emotional victory was the last match The Briscoes would have in ROH before Jay Briscoe's sudden passing on January 17, 2023.

Following his brother's passing, Mark returned to singles competition in ROH. On March 31, 2023, at Supercard of Honor, he unsuccessfully challenged Samoa Joe for the ROH World Television Championship. On April 5, 2024, at Supercard of Honor, Mark Briscoe achieved a significant milestone by defeating Eddie Kingston to win the ROH World Championship for the first time, coincidentally on the 11th anniversary of his brother Jay's first world title win. He successfully defended the title against Roderick Strong at Death Before Dishonor on July 26. His reign ended on October 23, when he lost the ROH World Championship to Chris Jericho in a Ladder War on AEW Dynamite, after holding the title for 201 days.

2.3. International Appearances

Mark Briscoe, alongside his brother Jay, made significant impacts in major international professional wrestling promotions, especially in Japan.

2.3.1. New Japan Pro-Wrestling (2016)

Through ROH's working relationship with New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), The Briscoes debuted in NJPW on January 4, 2016, at Wrestle Kingdom 10 in Tokyo Dome. They teamed with Toru Yano to defeat Bullet Club (Bad Luck Fale, Tama Tonga, and Yujiro Takahashi) to become the inaugural NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Champions. This alliance also saw The Briscoes become part of the Chaos stable. They successfully defended the title once before losing it to a different Bullet Club trio on February 11 at The New Beginning in Osaka. However, they regained the title three days later at The New Beginning in Niigata, only to lose it again on February 20 at Honor Rising: Japan 2016 to The Elite (Kenny Omega, Matt Jackson, and Nick Jackson).

The Briscoes returned to NJPW on June 19 at Dominion 6.19 in Osaka-jo Hall, where they defeated Guerrillas of Destiny (Tama Tonga and Tanga Loa) to win the IWGP Tag Team Championship. They successfully defended the title twice against Hangman Page and Yujiro Takahashi, and against The Young Bucks. They lost the title back to Tonga and Loa on October 10 at King of Pro-Wrestling.

2.4. Impact Wrestling (2022)

On April 1, 2022, The Briscoe Brothers made their Impact Wrestling debut at Multiverse of Matches, losing to The Good Brothers (Doc Gallows and Karl Anderson). On May 7, 2022, they defeated Violent By Design (Eric Young and Deaner) at Under Siege to win the Impact World Tag Team Championship for the first time. Their reign lasted 43 days, as they lost the titles back to The Good Brothers at Slammiversary.

2.5. All Elite Wrestling (2023-present)

Mark Briscoe's entry into All Elite Wrestling (AEW) was significantly influenced by external factors, including his late brother Jay's past controversies and the subsequent outpouring of support following Jay's passing.

Jay Briscoe's previous anti-LGBTQ tweets from 2013 had reportedly led to a ban on the Briscoe Brothers appearing on AEW television and pay-per-views due to intervention from an unnamed WarnerMedia executive. This ban persisted despite Jay's apologies and the respect he had earned from many within the wrestling community, including LGBTQ performers like EFFY.

However, this ban was lifted shortly after Jay's tragic death in a car accident on January 17, 2023. On January 25, 2023, what would have been Jay Briscoe's 39th birthday, Mark Briscoe made his AEW debut on AEW Dynamite, defeating Jay Lethal in a match dedicated to his brother. The emotional moment saw Briscoe and Lethal embrace, and the entire AEW locker room came out to celebrate with Mark, signifying a moment of collective healing and remembrance within the wrestling community. This highly visible appearance demonstrated AEW's sensitive navigation of the social complexities surrounding Jay's past actions and the community's desire to honor his legacy.

On February 15, 2023, it was officially announced that Mark Briscoe had signed with All Elite Wrestling, allowing him to compete in both AEW and ROH. In November 2023, Briscoe participated in the inaugural Continental Classic tournament, placed in the Gold Block, where he finished with 3 points, failing to qualify for the semi-finals. In June 2024, Briscoe formed an alliance with Kyle O'Reilly and Orange Cassidy known as "The Conglomeration", which later saw Tomohiro Ishii join in July. On September 7, 2024, at All Out, Briscoe unsuccessfully challenged Kazuchika Okada for the AEW Continental Championship in a four-way match. He also competed in the 2024 Continental Classic, placed in the Blue league, finishing with 9 points but not advancing to the playoff stage.

3.1. Finishing Moves

• Cut-Throat Driver: A modified Burning Hammer where he hooks one of the opponent's arms around their neck before lifting them in an Argentine backbreaker rack position and dropping them on their head. This move's usage has been curtailed in some promotions due to its perceived dangerous nature.
• Diving Elbow Drop: A high-impact diving elbow drop from the top rope.
• Jay Driller: A double underhook piledriver used by his brother, also occasionally utilized by Mark.
• Briscoe Salto (ブリスコ・サルト_{Burisuko Saruto}^Japanese): A moonspringboard somersault senton (often called a moonsault press) which he is noted for performing with high accuracy and impact.
• Springboard Briscoe Cutter: A diamond cutter executed after springing off the ropes.
• Shooting Star Press: A signature move where he launches himself from the top rope, performing a backflip and landing on the opponent. He is renowned for its variations, including performing it from the top rope to the floor, or from elevated structures like truck beds and entrance gates, often referred to as "Shooting Mark Press" (シューティングマーク・プレス_{Shūtingumāku Puresu}^Japanese) in some circles.
• Slingshot Stomp: A slingshot-style foot stomp.
• Springboard Corkscrew Body Press: A corkscrew body press performed after springing off the ropes.

3.2. Striking Techniques

Mark Briscoe employs a range of hard-hitting strikes to incapacitate his opponents.

• Elbow
• Elbow stamp
• Elbow smash
• Back elbow
• Back hand chop (水平チョップ_{Suihei Choppu}^Japanese)
• Chop smash
• Throat thrust
• Briscoe Barrage: A rapid combination of throat thrusts and chops, often accompanied by a leg lariat and Bruce Lee-esque yells, reflecting his aggressive, martial arts-influenced style.
• Knuckle part
• Lariat
• Enzuigiri
• Big boot
• Superkick

3.3. Throwing Techniques

Briscoe incorporates various suplex and throwing maneuvers into his offense, demonstrating his grappling capabilities.

• Suplex
• Superplex
• German suplex
• Belly-to-back suplex
• Uranage

3.4. Tag Team Maneuvers

Mark Briscoe's tag team maneuvers with his brother Jay were highly synchronized and often devastating.

• Springboard Doomsday Device: A signature tag team finisher where Jay lifts an opponent onto his shoulders (like a splash mountain or electric chair setup), and Mark springs from the apron onto the top rope before hitting a lariat on the opponent, driving them down. This move has various creative setups, including a triangular jump from the ring and through ladders.
• Cut-Throat Driver Leg Drop Combo: Mark sets up an opponent for the Cut-Throat Driver, and Jay simultaneously performs a diving leg drop onto the opponent's head, driving them into the mat with combined force.
• Spike Jay Driller: Jay sets up an opponent for a double underhook piledriver, while Mark springs from the ropes to grab the opponent's legs, allowing both brothers to drive the opponent headfirst into the mat together.
• Shooting Star Press Leg Drop Combo: Both Jay and Mark ascend opposite corners. They simultaneously leap onto a prone opponent in the center of the ring, with one performing a diving leg drop and the other a shooting star press.
• Redneck Boogie: Mark hoists an opponent in a splash mountain position, and Jay runs in to execute a neckbreaker on the opponent.

6.1. Accolades and Awards

Mark Briscoe, primarily alongside Jay, received substantial recognition throughout their careers. They were honored as the first inductees into the ROH Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2022, a testament to their enduring impact on Ring of Honor. They were repeatedly recognized as the Tag Team of the Year by ROH in 2019 and 2021, and were even named the Tag Team of the Decade for the 2010s.

The prestigious Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards also acknowledged their contributions, naming them Tag Team of the Year in 2007 and recognizing their compelling rivalry with FTR as the Feud of the Year in 2022. In 2023, following Jay's passing, the Pugh family, including Mark, was honored with the Shad Gaspard/Jon Huber Memorial Award, which is given for outstanding contributions to the wrestling community. Mark Briscoe was also named the PWI Inspirational Wrestler of the Year in 2023, reflecting his resilience and continued dedication to wrestling after a profound loss. He was also highly ranked, placing No. 31 in the 2024 PWI 500, an annual list of the top 500 professional wrestlers in the world.

6.2. Tributes and Influence

The legacy of Mark Briscoe and the Briscoe Brothers extends beyond championships, deeply impacting the wrestling industry and leaving a positive mark on the community. Their unique blend of hard-hitting, no-nonsense brawling mixed with surprising athleticism revolutionized tag team wrestling, inspiring a generation of performers. Their unwavering commitment to their craft and their family-oriented approach resonated with fans globally.

In the wake of Jay Briscoe's passing in January 2023, the wrestling world united in an unprecedented outpouring of tributes. Promotions like AEW and ROH dedicated shows and segments to Jay, emphasizing the strong bonds within the wrestling community. Mark Briscoe's continued presence in the ring, notably his emotional debut match in AEW and his subsequent ROH World Championship win on the anniversary of Jay's first reign, served as powerful tributes, allowing the Briscoe Brothers' legacy to evolve and continue to inspire. Their story highlights resilience, family unity, and the ability to persevere through adversity, leaving a lasting positive impact not just on tag team wrestling, but on the broader perception of loyalty and dedication within the sport.