Jim Brunzell Believes Personal Issue Is Keeping Killer Bees Out Of WWE Hall Of Fame

During WWE's first golden age in the 1980s, "Jumpin" Jim Brunzell and B. Brian Blair, aka the Killer Bee's, were among the most colorful tag teams in the promotion, as well as foils for The Hart Foundation and Demolition. But despite their popularity, the duo never rose high enough to earn WWE Tag Team Championship gold, which is arguably a key reason why the remain on the outside looking in when it comes to the WWE Hall of Fame.

But according to Brunzell, another reason exists for why he and Blair will likely never receive a call for a Hall of Fame induction. Appearing on "Busted Open Radio" last Thursday, Brunzell theorized that a personal beef between him and former WWE Chairman Vince McMahon was the biggest thing holding the Killer Bees back from more accolades.

"To be honest with you, I think the reason why we weren't made champions, and also because [the reason] we're not in the WWE Hall of Fame with Liberrace and whoever else is in there, is because Vince and I didn't get along," Brunzell said. "It's as simple as that...and if you have any, you know, ill feelings towards one another, it's just not conducive to good business."

Brunzell's belief that McMahon didn't like him was formed from a contentious meeting the two shared shortly after Brunzell joined WWE. And the reason for the contention was The High Flyers, a tag team Brunzell had with Greg Gagne while wrestling for the AWA from 1974 to 1985, and one that was unknowingly continuing to follow Brunzell even though he and Gagne now worked in different promotions.

"So I went into the office in Stamford...and sitting in front of him on his desk are two action figures of Greg Gagne and myself as the High Flyers," Brunzell said. "And they had just come out. And Vince said to me 'What's going on Jim?' I said 'I have no idea...Why would I want to have High Flyer dolls when I'm working for you?' And he said 'Well that's the $64K question.' So immediately, when I get out of the office, I call Greg. 

"I say 'Greg, what in the hell is going on? You know I was going to go to New York.' And you know what he told me? He said 'Jim, they weren't going to make the dolls up, the action figures up unless you're name was on the contract. So I signed it.'" So needless to say...and then Vince took the $12,000 that they paid upfront to me, as part of the contract. So he said 'Well, you're working for me now, so that money's mind.' So this was all in the first four weeks."

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit "Busted Open Radio" and provide a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription