The Briscoe Brothers

The Briscoe Brothers in April 2022

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Salisbury, Maryland, United States

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Laurel, Delware, United States

**The Briscoe Brothers** were the professional wrestling tag team consisting of brothers of Jay Briscoe (Jamin "Jay" Pugh) and Mark Briscoe (Mark Pugh).

The Briscoe Brothers were best known for their work in Ring of Honor and are the only wrestlers who worked for the company since being featured on its first-ever event on February 23, 2002. Other than an 18-month absence from August 2004 to February 2006, the brothers have been focal points of the company throughout its history, feuding with some of their biggest stars.

The Briscoe Brothers were a record thirteen-times ROH World Tag Team Champions and a two-times IWGP Tag Team Champions. They have also held the GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship once and the NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Championship twice with Toru Yano, the ROH World Six-Man Tag Team Championship once with Brother Ray and the Impact World Tag Team Championship once. They have also won numerous tag team titles on the independent circuit.

All totaled between ROH, NJPW, NOAH and IMPACT, they have held fourteen World Tag Team Championships, one Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship, and two Six-Man/Trios Championships (with different partners).

As singles competitors, Jay was a record-tying two-time ROH World Champion, while Mark won the 2013 Honor Rumble. They teamed together from most of their career since their debut in May 2000 until Jay's sudden death in a car accident on January 2023.

## Early life

The Pugh brothers, Jamin (Jay) (born January 25, 1984) and Mark (born January 17, 1985) grew up in Laurel, Delaware. As high schoolers, both received honorable mention All-State honors their junior and senior years for football, Jay as a fullback and a linebacker and Mark as a tight end and a linebacker. At one point, both were signed to play for Wesley College (Delaware), a fact even used in wrestling storyline at one point, at ROH *Beating the Odds*, to explain an absence from which they were returning.

The brothers first became interested in wrestling in their youth by watching WWF on one of the two channels their television could receive. Originally, they practiced wrestling moves with one another on a trampoline before the family built a wrestling ring in their backyard. From the beginning, the two of them worked on honing their craft, taping their moves and trying to improve them. Despite the fact that their dad was a coach for their high school's wrestling team, they did not participate in amateur wrestling in their high school years. Their first foray into professional wrestling came with the East Coast Wrestling Association (ECWA), while they were still in high school. While their mother, Jana, was in line to purchase tickets to attend a wrestling event, a promoter for the ECWA approached her and asked if her sons had a tape of themselves wrestling. This led to the brothers debuting for ECWA on May 20, 2000 under the ring names "Jay and Mark Briscoe".

## Professional wrestling career

### Pro Wrestling NOAH (2007)

The Briscoe Brothers toured with Noah in 2007, winning the GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship on January 7, 2007 from the team of Takashi Sugiura and Yoshinobu Kanemaru. However, they quickly dropped it two weeks later to Ricky Marvin and Kotaro Suzuki, essentially making them transitional champions. They returned for three shows in July, the first a time limit draw against KENTA and Taiji Ishimori, the second a victory alongside Nigel McGuinness over Takuma Sano, Takashi Sugiura, and Tsutomu Hirayanagi, and the third a loss with McGuinness to Mitsuharu Misawa (NOAH's owner), Yoshinari Ogawa, and Ricky Marvin. They have since gone back for further tours.

### New Japan Pro Wrestling (2016, 2019)

The Briscoes made their debuts for New Japan Pro Wrestling at Wrestle Kingdom 10 in Tokyo Dome, teaming with Toru Yano in a victory over Bullet Club members Bad Luck Fale, Tama Tonga, and Yujiro Takahashi to become the first NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Champions. The three made their first successful title defense the following day against another Bullet Club trio of Fale, Matt Jackson and Nick Jackson. On February 11 at The New Beginning in Osaka, the Briscoes and Yano lost the NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Championship to Fale, Tonga and Takahashi in their second defense. The Briscoes and Yano regained the title three days later at The New Beginning in Niigata. On February 20 at Honor Rising: Japan 2016, the Briscoes and Yano lost the title to Kenny Omega and The Young Bucks.

The Briscoes returned to NJPW on June 19 at Dominion 6.19 in Osaka-jo Hall, where they defeated Tama Tonga and Tanga Roa to win the IWGP Tag Team Championship. They made their first successful title defense on August 14 against the Bullet Club team of Hangman Page and Yujiro Takahashi. On September 22 at Destruction in Hiroshima, The Briscoe Brothers defeated reigning IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champions The Young Bucks for their second successful title defense. On October 10 at King of Pro-Wrestling, they lost the title back to Tonga and Roa.

On February 22, 2019, at the first night of the Honor Rising: Japan, the Guerrillas of Destiny (Tama Tonga and Tanga Loa) and The Briscoe Brothers took part in an eight-man tag team match against Tomoaki Honma, Toa Henare, Juice Robinson and David Finlay. Afterwards, the Guerrillas of Destiny turned on The Briscoe Brothers. The following day, the Guerrillas of Destiny defeated *Los Ingobernables de Japon* (EVIL and SANADA) to win the IWGP Tag Team Championships for their fourth time. Later that night, The Briscoe Brothers defeated FinJuice, Robinson and Finlay to retain the ROH World Tag Team Championships. After the match, The Briscoe Brothers called out the Guerrillas of Destiny and challenged them to a "Winner Takes All" match at G1 Supercard, for both the IWGP Tag Team Championship and ROH World Tag Team Championship, which they accepted.

Prior to G1 Supercard, The Briscoe Brothers had a scheduled title defense against Villain Enterprises (Brody King and PCO) on March 15 at ROH 17th Anniversary Show, instead, NJPW announced the winners of the match on March 16 would face the Guerrillas of Destiny at G1 Supercard. At ROH 17th Anniversary show, Villain Enterprises defeated The Briscoe Brothers to win the ROH World Tag Team Championship. However on March 22 at Road to G1 Supercard: Baltimore, The Briscoe Brothers invoked their rematch against Villain Enterprises for the ROH World Tag Team Championship. Two days later, NJPW announced a four-way tag team "Winner Takes All" match at G1 Supercard involving *Los Ingobernables de Japón*, The Briscoe Brothers, Guerrillas of Destiny and Villain Enterprises. On March 31 at Road to G1 Supercard: Baltimore, Villain Enterprises would retain their titles by disqualification after Brody King hit Jay Briscoe with a chair from behind, leading to a big brawl between the two teams. On April 6, at G1 Supercard, The Briscoe Brothers unsuccessfully challenged Villain Enterprises and the Guerrillas of Destiny for the IWGP Tag Team Champion and the ROH World Tag Team Champions, after the Guerrillas of Destiny won the match by Tonga pinning King.

## Personal lives

In May 2013, Jay caused a controversy on his Twitter account, when he threatened to "f\*\*king shoot" anybody that tries to "teach [his] kids that there's nothing wrong with [same sex marriage]". He had previously also made other derogatory comments about homosexual people on his Twitter account. Pugh first apologized for the comment on ROH's website and again at a house show on May 11, while also agreeing to donate his full pay from the next two shows to the Partners Against Hate (PAH) charitable organization.

Their favorite bands were Queen and Elton John.

## Jay's death

On January 17, 2023, Jay Briscoe died in a car accident in Laurel, Delaware at the age of 38. Another unnamed passenger died, and Jay's daughters suffered serious injuries. His death was announced on Twitter by AEW and ROH owner, Tony Khan. During the day of Jay's death, the world of professional wrestling went around the world, several companies such as New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), Pro Wrestling NOAH (NOAH), Ring of Honor (ROH), All Elite Wrestling (AEW), Impact Wrestling (Impact), WWE among other companies sent their condolences, including by industry veterans such as Triple H and Shawn Michaels and the people they worked with, such as Seth Rollins, Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn, CM Punk, Matt Hardy, Maria Kanellis, Mike Bennett, Matt Taven, Adam Cole, The Young Bucks, The Good Brothers and FTR.

In the same day, during an episode of WWE's NXT, Vic Joseph on the behalf of WWE payed their prayers and condolences to Jay and his family. ~In the same episode, it was reported by John Pollock that The New Day were planned to do a segment, hosting the funeral of Pretty Deadly. However due to the news of Jay's passing, the NXT head-booking team decided to scrap the plans in condolences to Jay and his family. Instead, the segment involved a confrontation and a brawl between The New Day, Pretty Deadly and Gallus.

Due to the tragic accident, the Laurel School District closed their schools the day after as a mourning to the related incident.

The day after, in a post on *Facebook*, Jay's wife, Ashley Pugh revealed that their was having a back surgery asked people to pray for her return to her mobility, while their other daughter Jayleigh had "some pretty serious injuries, but was stable and resting" while their other child Gannon was waiting for them at their home.

Later that day, the Delaware State Police issued a report on the accident, describing that the incident occured at 5:09 p.m., when Briscoe along with his two two daughters (ages 9 and 12) were traveling on Laurel Road westbound on a 2019 Chevy Silverado 1500. A woman named Lilyanne Ternahan, who was 27 years old, was traveling eastbound in a 2016 Chevy Silverado 2500. She crossed into Jay's lane, for unknown reasons, according to State Police, leading both vehicles coliding head-to-head. At the scene, Ternahan, a resident from Frankford, and Jay, resident from Laurel, were both pronounced dead at the scene, with Ternahan wearing her seatbelt while Jay was not. His daughters were restrained and were taken by an ambulance to a local hospital and admitted in a critical condition.

In the police report, it is unknown if both drivers were alchoolized, which could have played a role in the car crash. The State Police concluded with the continuation of the investigation and the request of contact information to any witness that was present at the scene.

On Wednesday, as tribute and in honor of the memory of Jay, AEW published their entrance song "Reach for the Sky" on all available platafroms, including on YouTube Music, Apple Music and Bandcamp, with the song being later comercialized for free, in memory of Jay. Tony Khan also purchased the rights to the song in perpetuity, "so that the tribute will last forever". Khan also revealed that following Dynamite, he would be filming a special ROH tribute show, in the memory of Jay named "Jay Briscoe Celebration of Life", with the show being later available at ROH's streaming service the HonorClub for free. Khan also reiterated that the show "would not be behind a paywall" and would be also uploaded to ROH's YouTube channel. It was later reported that the decision to tape the tribute show and upload it to HonorClub and ROH's YouTube channel was made due to Warner Bros. Discovery executives' past disapproval of featuring The Briscoe Brothers on their programming due to Jay's past homophobic comments.

The January 18, 2023 episode of AEW Dynamite opened with an "In Memory of Jamin “Jay Briscoe” Pugh" graphic, many wrestlers including Jay Lethal and The Young Bucks wore armbands with "Jay" and "Briscoe" written on it followed by a red heart, with the later pair kissing their armbands and performing The Briscoe Brothers' finishing move, the Doomsday Device during a tag team match against Top Flight. At the end of the show after a TNT Championship match between Darby Allin and KUSHIDA, AEW commentator Excalibur noting that Jay was in their hearts and minds, and in their thought during and leading up to their match.

On Friday, a crowdfunding account made on GiveSendGo had exceeded on its initial goal of $200,000, with the funds going directly to the Pugh family. A non-profit organization based in their home-based of Laurel, Delware revealed on behalf of the Pugh family that Jay's older daughter, Gracie, regained feeling in her lower extremities after not having any feeling below the thighs a day prior, with she being able to make small movements in her lower extremities being also able to get into a wheelchair several times to get out of bed. While Jay's elder daughter, Jayleigh, being hope of getting out of her feeding tube on Saturday and starting to begin to eat regular food, with she being fitted into a back and neck brace and being able to get into a wheelchair for an hour, with their brother Gannon, Mark Briscoe, and the Briscoe's father paying them a visit on Friday.

At Wrestle Kingdom 17 in Yokohama Arena, the roster of both NJPW and NOAH, promotions that The Briscoe Brothers worked in the past, payed tribute to Jay before the start of the event and all both rosters went out to the area surrounding the ring and kept a minute of silence, while ringing a ten-bell salute, with Hiroshi Tanahashi and Naomichi Marufuji, on the behalf of both promotions, carring both a portrait of Jay. After the moment, The Briscoe Brothers' entrance song played until the start of the first match, in honor of Jay.

On Monday, AEW announced the release of a new t-shirt “Reach For The Sky” on *Pro Wrestling Tees*, with the total procedes going directly to the Pugh family.

The next day, it was announced that Mark would make his AEW debut at *Dynamite* against Jay Lethal. It was later reported by *Wrestling Observer* journalist Dave Meltzer that Warner Bros. Discovery's executives cleared Mark on appearing on their programming and approved the airing of the ROH tribute show related to Jay on their programming. Meltzer stated that previously Jay and Mark were banned from appearing on their programming mainly due to Jay's previous homophobic comments. However, he stated that "there was another reason which was cleared up.".

On the Wednesday episode of Dynamite, Mark defeated Lethal in the main-event, after the match, the AEW roster came out, with Mark expressing his love for his brother and embrancing the roster. In a video with ROH color comentator, Caprice Coleman, Mark stated that the most important thing for him was his family and talked about his career alongside his brother and stated to carry him and his legacy.

The ROH tribute show, known as the "Jay Briscoe Celebration of Life", featured matches and segments with fellow wrestlers honoring and paying tribute to Jay and his family. The memorial show began with the entire AEW roster being onstage followed by a ten-bell salute. The three-hour show featured several matches such as Claudio Castagnoli defending ROH World Championship against Christopher Daniels, Wheeler Yuta defending the ROH Pure Champion against Hagane Shinno, Athena defending the ROH World Champion against Madison Rayne, and a in-ring promo made by Adam Cole in memory of Jay. The show also featured sit-down interviews with some of Jay's closests friends, Adam Cole, Austin Gunn, BJ Whitmer, Claudio Castagnoli, Christopher Daniels, Eddie Kingston, Prince Nana, Ryan Nemeth, Samoa Joe, Stokley Hathaway and Zane Decker, as well as some of his past matches, with Jay taking on Adam Cole for the ROH World Championship, Jay against Christopher Daniels and The Briscoe Brothers taking on The Kings of Wrestling.

On Friday on January 27, Wrestling Observer journalist Dave Meltzer revealed that while the main reason for Warner Bros. Discovery's executives blocking The Briscoe Brothers from appearing was mainly due to Jay's past homphobic comments, he also revealed that the second main reason that led to their block was from a past in-ring gear used by both where they the American Confederate flag, which is currently seen with a high polmeic in the United States due to its role in the American Civil War.

## In wrestling

* **Double-team finishing moves**
	+ *Briscoe Bottom* (Double sitout side slam) – early 2000s
	+ *Cut-Throat Driver* (Mark) / Diving leg drop (Jay) combination
	+ Shooting star press (Mark) / Diving leg drop (Jay) combination
	+ *Spike Jay-Driller* (Springboard spike double underhook piledriver)
	+ Springboard doomsday device, sometimes with Mark doing a 180° turn in mid-air
* **Double-team signature moves**
	+ Double forehand chops using both hands to an opponent in the corner
	+ High elevation double hip toss
	+ High elevation double military press drop
	+ Pendulum backbreaker (Jay) / Diving knee drop (Mark) combination
	+ *Redneck Boogie* (Crucifix powerbomb (Mark) / Neckbreaker (Jay) combination)
	+ Sidewalk slam (Mark) / Diving leg drop (Jay) combination
	+ Simultaneous running low-angle big boot / running low-angle dropkick combination to the head of an opponent seated in the corner
	+ Spinebuster (Jay) / Springboard spinning wheel kick (Mark) combination
	+ Three-point stance followed into a double shoulder block
	+ Uppercut (Mark) followed by a leg lariat (Jay) followed by a jawbreaker (Mark) followed by a jumping big boot (Mark) and finished with a reverse STO (Jay)
* **Jay's finishing moves**
	+ *Crucible* (Sitout suplex slam)
	+ *Jay-Driller* (Double underhook piledriver)
	+ Military press dropped into a Death Valley driver
	+ Diving senton – early 2000s
* **Jay's signature moves**
	+ Arched big boot
	+ Cannonball
	+ Death Valley driver
	+ Diving leg drop
	+ Elevated cutter
	+ European uppercut
	+ Frog splash
	+ Full nelson slam
	+ Hangman's neckbreaker
	+ Hurricanrana
	+ Muscle buster
	+ Reverse STO, sometimes into the turnbuckle
	+ Sitout inverted suplex slam, sometimes from the top rope
	+ Superkick
	+ Three-quarter nelson suplex
* **Mark's finishing moves**
	+ *Cut-Throat Driver* (Cut-throat inverted Death Valley driver)
	+ *Froggy Bow* (Frog splash elbow drop)
* **Mark's signature moves**
	+ Baseball slide
	+ *Crab Walk* (Mark walks sideways on the middle rope before hitting a diving senton)
	+ Crane kick
	+ Diving blockbuster from the apron
	+ Fisherman buster
	+ Moonsault
	+ *Redneck Kung Fu* (Multiple throat thrusts followed by a leg lariat to the back of the opponent's head)
	+ Saito suplex
	+ Shooting star press, sometimes springboarding to the outside
	+ Slingshot double foot stomp
	+ Springboard cutter
	+ Superkick
	+ Ura-nage
* **Nicknames**
	+ "Dem Boys"
* **Entrance themes**
	+ **"Reach for the Sky"** by Adam Massacre
	+ "Fight" by Justin Ostrander, David Dorn, Bryan Edwards and Mark Lonsway (NJPW)

## Championships and accomplishments

* **Impact Wrestling**
	+ Impact World Tag Team Championship (1 time)
* **New Japan Pro Wrestling**
	+ IWGP Tag Team Championship (2 times)
	+ NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Toru Yano
* **Pro Wrestling Illustrated**
	+ Ranked Jay #**7** of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2015
	+ Ranked Mark #**49** of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2013
	+ Ranked #**3** of the top 50 Tag Teams in the *PWI Tag Team 50* in 2022
* **Ring of Honor**
	+ ROH World Championship (2 times) – Jay
	+ ROH World Six-Man Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Bully Ray
	+ ROH World Tag Team Championship (13 times)
	+ Honor Rumble (2009, 2013)
	+ ROH Year-End Award (7 times)
		- CM Punk Award (2007)
		- Tag Team of the Year (2007)
		- Feud of the Year (2007) vs. Kevin Steen and El Generico
		- Tag Team of the Year (2019)
		- Feud of the Year (2019) vs. Guerrillas of Destiny
		- Tag Team of the Decade (2010s)
		- Tag Team of the Year (2021)
	+ ROH Hall of Fame (class of 2022)
* **Pro Wrestling NOAH**
	+ GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship (1 time)
* ***Wrestling Observer Newsletter***
	+ Tag Team of the Year (2007)
	+ Feud of the Year (2022) vs. FTR