The Day Denny Brown Ran Into Lazer Tron

It was an early March night

Inside WTBS Studios

1987 was the year to be exact

March 7 was the day

Denny Brown was preparing to make another defense

Of his NWA Junior Heavyweight championship

You see

There was a bit of confusion of when Brown’s reign

Officially started in the eyes

Of Jim Crockett Promotions

And the National Wrestling Alliance

Some say 1984

The Night of Starrcade 1984

When he defeated Mike Davis

Others say

He was just awarded the belt

Due to the faltering relationship between New Japan and the NWA

Regardless of which

Ultimately the Board of Directors

Accepted Brown

As champion

And Brown was very successful

As Junior Heavyweight champion

Save for a month reign by Gary Royal

From 8/15/85 to 9/15/85

And a month by Steve Regal

No, not “Lord”

From 8/2/86 to 9/1/86

“Downtown” was absolutely

DOMINANT

As the king of the 80s version

Of Light Heavyweight wrestling

Born in Honolulu

Brown had grown leaps and bounds

Ever since being in the NWA

Worked incredibly hard

To be a three time champion

Master of the Oklahoma Roll

He had proven himself

To be a very talented individual

And raised prestige to a championship

That never really got much love

The NWA Junior Heavyweight championship

Has been around since May 1945

When the founder of the NWA

Pinkie George

Awarded Ken Fenelon

To be the first champion

Over the years

Men like LeRoy McGuirk

Verne Gagne

Angelo Savoldi

Dory Funk

Mike DiBiase

Hiro Matsuda

Danny Hodge

Les Thornton

Gerald Brisco

Chavo Guerrero, Sr

Tiger Mask

Are among the greats to hold that title

So when March 7, 1987 came around

“Downtown” Denny Brown was prepared to make

Another title defense

However

This time he had a very unique opponent

The one

The only

Lazer Tron

Lazer Tron

The Protector of the Children

Based off the hot game Lazer Tag

Was a true hero for the younger fan base

Wearing a lucha style mask

Which darkened his entire complexion

Red antennas on top of the cranium

A silver top with red trim

Matching trunks

And a lazer tag logo on the chest

Silver forearm length gloves as well

A far-out look

Especially in the world of JCP

But definitely a different demographic

Loved what Lazer Tron was about

The bell rang

After Scrappy McGowan’s signal

And the match began

Schiavone and Crockett on the call

And almost immediately

You get a different vibe

Inside of WTBS Studios

Two men had something to prove

Lazer Tron’s quick debut and into an opportunity

While Brown’s stranglehold

Over the NWA Junior Heavyweight strap

Hung in the balance

Both men employed

Holds and counter-holds

Definitely a different feel

Then what you see today

During light heavyweight style matches

Lazer Tron early worked on the left arm

Hammerlocks

Arm wringers

Wrenching the shoulder blade

Somehow in the middle of the arm wringer

He threw in a pair of back fists

Something new

Mixed in with an old school hold

During the call

Schiavone made mention

That the referee allowed Tron’s padded arm gloves

To be worn in the match

The match went into Brown’s favor

For a moment or two

After an Irish Whip in the buckle

Followed up with the back body drop

After a side headlock takeover

Tron worked his momentum into a headscissors

Somehow worked Brown up to his feet

And took him over again

After several moments

Brown had enough and rolled to the floor

Took a breather

And immediately picked up the pace

But Lazer Tron blocked it

And used European uppercuts

Padded gloves aided

And nailed a back body drop of his own

Brown had enough

And got more aggressive

More knees and clubs

He wanted to keep his championship

At any means necessary

After a back elbow

Brown got cocky

And went for a jumping knee drop

But missed

And Lazer Tron

Thinking with the mind of a champion

Locked on a figure four leglock

After 45 seconds

Brown was able to get to the ropes

Tron went right to the legs

Trying to go for the kill

After a few kicks

Tron locked on a double ankle lock

While “Downtown” was on his back

Brown tried kicking him off into a monkey flip

But Tron landed on his feet

And went right back to the double ankle lock

Just as Lazer Tron

Nearly locked on a Lion Tamer

Brown thought smart and punched his way out

From his back

And back to his feet

Brown side-headlocked Tron

And suddenly went into a criss-cross

Back and forth they went

Running opposite of one another

And then OUT OF NOWHERE

“Downtown” dug down deep

And nailed a Five-Arm

That should’ve been it

But Brown scooped him up

Seemingly looking for another move

Which in hindsight

Was a major miscue

After a vertical suplex

Tron kicked out at 2

And after a burst of energy

Landed on his feet after another back body drop attempt

This time

Brown was cooked

After the great balance

Tron utilized

The Protector of the Children

Bounced off the ropes

And nailed a Five-Arm of his own

Which was aided greatly

By the silver padded arm gloves

It knocked Brown out

And three pounds on the mat

By Scrappy McGowan

And Lazer Tron

Became NWA Junior Heavyweight champion

As a fan

I think Brown was cheated

The major question will always be

How much thorough checking

Did NWA referee Scrappy McGowan

Really do with Lazer Tron’s padded arm gloves?

Tron used them to his advantage

As Schiavone mentioned in further Tron title defenses

And was never fully investigated

I might call it a conspiracy theory

Denny Brown might as well

March 7, 1987

Was a day of infamy for “Downtown” Denny Brown

It was the last day he was ever held

The NWA Junior Heavyweight title

Lazer Tron was stripped of the belt

In October 1987

After he left Jim Crockett Promotions

Brown lost in the finals

Of a tournament

On October 16, 1987

To Nelson Royal

Who promptly took the title

To USA Championship Wrestling

In Knoxville, TN

After a few years of performing

In Florida

And as enhancement talent in WCW

He retired in 1997

His career was never the same

After receiving a Five-Arm aided with padded arm gloves

Although the greatest achievement of all

Is holding a championship

During the heyday of Jim Crockett Promotions

Denny Brown can always hold his hat on that

But the end of his reign

As Junior Heavyweight champion

Will always be mired in controversy

March 7, 1987

The Day Denny Brown Ran Into Lazer Tron

And changed everything forever.

Jon Harder

jon@thejonharder.com