Brodus Clay
Clay in April 2012.
Ring name(s)	Brodus Clay[1] G-Rilla[1] George Murdoch[1]
Billed height	6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) (WWE)[2]
Billed weight	375 lb (170 kg) (WWE)[2]
Born	(1980-02-21) February 21, 1980 (age 32) Pasadena, California
Billed from	The Concrete Jungle[3] Pasadena, California[2] Planet Funk[4]
Trained by	Deep South Wrestling[1] Florida Championship Wrestling[1]
Debut	2006[1]

George Murdoch^[1] (born February 21, 1980)^[1] is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Brodus Clay. He is signed to WWE and its Raw brand.^[2][5] He was the runner-up on the fourth season of NXT.

Early life[link]

Prior to becoming a professional wrestler, Murdoch worked as a bodyguard for Snoop Dogg.^[1][2]

Professional wrestling career[link]

World Wrestling Entertainment (2006–2008)[link]

Deep South Wrestling (2006–2007)[link]

After signing a contract with World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), Murdoch was assigned to Deep South Wrestling (DSW), a WWE developmental territory. He debuted in September 2006, and began using the ring name G-Rilla along with adopting the gimmick of a gangsta thug. In his first match for the promotion, he defeated Big Bully Douglas in a dark match on September 7.^[6] The following month, he became the enforcer for Urban Assault, a tag team composed of Eric Pérez and Sonny Siaki.^[6] On December 14, Urban Assault was joined by Afa Jr., and the following week, Perez, Siaki, and Afa Jr. attacked Murdoch, throwing him out of the group.^[6] The same month, Murdoch wrestled in two dark matches against Scotty 2 Hotty at SmackDown! house shows while using his real name, winning the first but losing the second. In early January 2007, G-Rilla feuded with Urban Assault, attacking the members during matches.^[7] He then formed a tag team with the Freakin' Deacon, with the pair defeating Urban Assault in their first match together.^[7] They went on to defeat teams including Frankie Coverdale and Bob Hoskins, the Samoan Fight Club of Siaki and Afa Jr., Shawn Osborne and Jon Bolen, and Robert Anthony and Johnny Curtis.^[7] In March, they faced and defeated the DSW Tag Team Champions, Team Elite (Mike Knox and Derrick Neikirk) in two successive non-title matches.^[7]

G-Rilla at an FCW event in 2007.

Florida Championship Wrestling (2007–2008)[link]

In June 2007, Murdoch was moved to the Florida Championship Wrestling (FCW) develiopmental territory. He made his debut at FCW's inaugural show on June 26, using the name G-Rilla and defeating Shawn Osborne.^[8] Three months later, on September 15, G-Rilla won a battle royal to become the number one contender to the FCW Southern Heavyweight Championship by last eliminating Teddy Hart.^[8] He challenged Harry Smith for the championship on September 25, but lost via disqualification which meant that Smith retained the championship.^[8] The following month, G-Rilla continued to feud with Smith and Hart, who had formed The Hart Dynasty with TJ Wilson and Ted DiBiase, Jr., allying himself with Osborne, Jake Hager and Afa, Jr.^[8] G-Rilla briefly formed a tag team with Robert Anthony in December 2007, but on February 4, 2008, Murdoch was released from his contract with WWE.^[1][8]

Return to WWE (2010–present)[link]

Florida Championship Wrestling (2010–2011)[link]

In January 2010, Murdoch re-signed with WWE and was assigned to FCW.^[1] In March, Murdoch, once again using the name G-Rilla, formed an alliance with The Uso Brothers, Tamina, and Donny Marlow.^[9] He went on to defeat both Jacob Novak and Rudy Parker, before changing his ring name to Brodus Clay, a play on Snoop Dogg's real name (Calvin Cordozar Broadus), in May 2010.^[1][9] On June 16, Clay and Marlow challenged Los Aviadores (Hunico and Epico) for the FCW Florida Tag Team Championship, but were unsuccessful.^[10][11] That same month, Clay and Marlow began referring to themselves as The Colossal Connection. The Colossal Connection challenged Los Aviadores for the FCW Florida Tag Team Championship again on July 1, and won by disqualification when The Usos interfered, allowing Los Aviadores to retain the championship. Later that same night, The Colossal Connection defeated The Usos by disqualification to become the number one contenders to the FCW Florida Tag Team Championship after Los Aviadores interfered. On August 6, The Colossal Connection competed in a four-way elimination match for the FCW Florida Tag Team Championship, but Los Aviadores won to retain their title. At the television tapings on August 12, Johnny Curtis and Derrick Bateman won a three-way tag team match over The Colossal Connection and Los Aviadores to win the FCW Florida Tag Team Championship. Clay and Marlow unsuccessfully challenged Curtis and Bateman for the championship throughout August and September.^[9] In October, Clay appeared at a WWE house show, where he lost to JTG.^[12]

NXT and alliance with Alberto Del Rio (2010–2011)[link]

During the finale of season three of NXT, it was announced that Clay would be part of the fourth season, with Ted DiBiase and Maryse as his Pros.^[5][13] He made his in-ring debut on NXT on the December 14, 2010 episode, teaming with DiBiase to defeat Byron Saxton and his mentor Chris Masters.^[14] He suffered his first loss the following week, when he, DiBiase, and Maryse were defeated by Saxton, Masters, and Natalya in a six-person mixed tag team match.^[15] Clay won a four-way elimination match on the January 25 episode of NXT, earning the right to choose a new Pro. He picked Alberto Del Rio as his new Pro, and then attacked DiBiase.^[16] The following week, Clay defeated DiBiase in a singles match.^[17] On the February 8 episode of NXT, Clay won both a match and a challenge to earn three immunity points, his first of the season. Both he and Johnny Curtis were tied on immunity points at the end of the show, and an audience vote determined that Curtis was immune from elimination. Clay survived when Byron Saxton was eliminated.^[18] In the season finale on March 1, Clay ended the competition in second place, losing out to Curtis.^[19]

On the March 7 episode of Raw, Clay debuted as Del Rio's new bodyguard and replaced him in his match against Christian in a losing effort.^[20] As Del Rio was feuding with Edge and Christian, Clay faced off with single matches against them and also teamed with Del Rio to face Edge and Christian.^[21] Clay accompanied Del Rio to the ring at WrestleMania XXVII.^[22][23] On the April 25 episode of Raw, Del Rio was drafted to Raw, while Clay remained on SmackDown.^[24] Clay's final appearance with Del Rio occurred on May 1 at Extreme Rules, when he interfered on Del Rio's behalf as Del Rio faced Christian in a ladder match for the vacant World Heavyweight Championship. Despite this, Del Rio was unsuccessful in winning the match.^[25] Clay was seen bleeding on PPV due to suffering a deep cut in his head following a ladder shot from Christian, and he required staples put in his head to close the wound.^[26]

After a three month absence due to the filming of No One Lives, Clay reappeared on the August 4, 2011 episode of Superstars, where he defeated Pat Silva.^[27] During the next few weeks, Clay would continue to squash various jobbers on Superstars.^[28][29][30]

The Funkasaurus (2012)[link]

Clay as the Funkasaurus with his two dancers, and Hornswoggle also dancing.

After nine consecutive squash victories on Superstars, WWE ran vignettes promoting his return to television on the November 7, 2011 episode of Raw.^[31][32] However, Clay's television return was continuously delayed by authority figure John Laurinaitis to be "next week",^[33] with this trend continuing all the way into January 2012.^[34]

Clay made his television return on the January 9, 2012 episode of Raw as a face with a fun-loving, funk dancing gimmick, with the nickname "The Funkasaurus". Now accompanied by the Funkadactyls Naomi and Cameron and announced as hailing from "Planet Funk", Clay incorporated gyrations and dance moves into his various squash wins on both Raw and SmackDown.^[4][35][36] At the Royal Rumble event, Clay squashed Drew McIntyre.^[37]

Clay then was absent from WWE programming for nearly two months before his reappearance on the March 12 episode of Raw.^[38] At WrestleMania 28, Clay made an on-stage appearance, calling and dancing with Momma Clay.^[39] The following night on Raw, Clay started a feud with Dolph Ziggler and Jack Swagger when he saved Santino Marella from them.^[40] Clay and Marella beat Ziggler and Swagger on the April 9 episode of Raw.^[41] On the April 20 episode of Smackdown, Clay began to be associated with Hornswoggle, with Clay introducing him as his little brother.^[42] On the April 23 episode of Raw, Clay and Hornswoggle defeated Ziggler and Swagger via disqualification after Vickie Guerrero interfered. At Extreme Rules, Clay defeated Ziggler.^[43] At Over the Limit, Clay defeated The Miz in a singles match.^[44] On the May 28 episode of Raw, Clay challenged Big Show to a match, which never officially started due to Show attacking Clay outside the ring. It was later reported on WWE.com that Clay suffered a concussion and bruised ribs from the attack.^[45][46]

Other media[link]

Murdoch made his motion picture debut in a supporting role as Ethan in the upcoming WWE Studios horror movie titled No One Lives.^[47]

Murdoch is also a playable character in WWE '12 as downloadable content.^[48]

Filmography[link]

In wrestling[link]

Brodus Clay and Santino Marella

• Finishing moves
  • Ah Funk It!^[49][50] / Fall of Humanity^[51] / What the Funk?^[52] (Running crossbody)^[27] – 2011–2012
  • G-Grip^[53] (FCW) / Tongan death grip into a chokeslam^[54] (WWE) – 2010
  • ICU^[3] (FCW) / Running splash^[55][56] (WWE) – 2010–present

• Signature moves
  • Body avalanche^[57]
  • Clothesline^[57]
  • Corner hip attack^[58]
  • Elbow drop^[53]
  • Falling powerslam^[59]
  • Fisherman buster^[30]
  • Forearm club^[60]
  • Front powerslam^[61]
  • Headbutt^[61]
  • Multiple suplex variations
    • Exploder^[53]
    • Head and arm^[62]
    • Overhead / Side belly to belly^[63]
    • Snap^[64]
  • Nerve hold^[53]
  • Scoop slam^[59]
  • Seated senton^[57]
  • Spinebuster^[65]

• Nicknames
  • "The Mastodon of Mayhem"^[2][3]
  • "The Super Sexy Suplex Machine"^[3]
  • "The World's Biggest Suplex Machine"^[2]
  • "The Funkasaurus"^[4]

• Entrance themes
  • "Rip It Up" by Josh Powell and Marc Williams (August 4, 2011–November 7, 2011)^[66]
  • "Somebody Call My Momma" by Jim Johnston (January 9, 2012–present)^[67]

Championships and accomplishments[link]

• Pro Wrestling Illustrated
  • PWI ranked him #185 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2011^[68]

References[link]