Great Outdoor Fight 1994

From The Great Outdoor Fight

Those who disagreed that the infamous "80s Slump" ended with the remarkable 1993 Fight were convinced of the return to glory with Marc Burkett's superlative victory the next year. Marc had been a competitor for several years without a win, always competing well into the third day but seeming to lack the drive to secure a victory for himself. This year, he rallied a group of thirty-five first time contestants (Burkett's 35) and, largely due to his quick thinking and surprisingly loud voice, he guided them through the field in a variety of formations (called formation-based brawling or formation brawling) through the first two days, protecting the strongest from injury and preserving each other's energy for day three.

The majority of the fight had been taking place between the army led by Lord Brannigan's nephew, Peter Brannigan (whose Exemption to participate in the Fight was somewhat contraversial, as he invoked Blood of Champion without being a direct descendant. After this fight, and perhaps as a result of it, the Ruling Body declared a requirement for direct lineal descent), and that of dark horse contender Pauly "Split" Lipscomb. Both were still going strong and had several good fighters standing in the early morning of day three. Burkett sent in his men - who fought bravely, but whose lack of experience, lack of sleep, lack of food (Burkett, though an army leader, was not invited into the tent for a Turkey Dinner) and lack of any help or encouragement from Burkett himself, led to their quick defeat, one man shy of three dozen remaining for Burkett to handle, all of them still strong. Burkett, who had been in similar positions in three previous Fights (1992, 1990, 1987) was expected to fold at this point; however, he surprised everyone by charging first into Brannigan's crowd, then Lipscomb's, demolishing his opponents with some classic takedowns and a few heretofore unseen at the Acres:

Some of the more famous takedowns during this final showdown were:

• Eldon Henderson (thumb through the jaw) Eldon made a full recovery and ended up Champion some years later.
• "Giddy" Lawrence Giles (both feet torn off at the ankles, left foot used to hammer the right into his chest) Giddy lived with his own foot planted deeply in his lung for several months, finally succumbing to the injury in January 1995. Though never fore or since seen in the Fight, this takedown is referred to as the Railroad Spike.
• Jules G. Greer (classic Jibblies Punch) Burkett, not a particularly short man, was on his knees at the time. It is said that Greer was not actively defending himself, instead shedding tears of joy in the knowledge that Burkett's rally marked the triumphant return of the Fight.

As the results and highlights of the Fight made their rounds, people were thrilled to see this heady return to the drama and showmanship of the Golden Age. Upon hearing the news, Great Outdoor Fight Museum historian Greg Heinz exclaimed, "Here is the honor! Here is the glory! Here is the Fight our fathers wished we could see!" As Ted Parrish's victory had seen at least double the entrants to the 1994 qualifying rounds, so did this victory double that attendance, making the 1995 qualifying rounds the largest seen since 1973. Young Jude Surrency, one of the Fight's most revered personalities, made no further public appearances in his life after viewing the fight from Tower One. In his last public statement to the press, he commented, "He [Burkett] brought the Fight back, bless that sonuvabitch."