# Brian Knobbs
**Brian Knobbs** (born Brian Yandrisovitz, 1964) is an American retired professional wrestler, best known as one half of the tag team [The Nasty Boys](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-nasty-boys) with [Jerry Sags](https://www.edgepedia.org/jerry-sags). He is a former WWF World Tag Team Champion, a three-time WCW World Tag Team Champion, and a three-time WCW Hardcore Champion, a record for that title.
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1964, Allentown, Pennsylvania[1](https://prowrestling.fandom.com/wiki/Brian_Knobbs) |
| Ring name | Brian Knobbs, one half of The Nasty Boys with Jerry Sags[1](https://prowrestling.fandom.com/wiki/Brian_Knobbs) |
| WWF World Tag Team Champion | March 24, 1991 to August 26, 1991 (with Jerry Sags)[2](https://www.cagematch.net/?id=2&nr=633&page=11) |
| WCW World Tag Team Champion | Three reigns with Jerry Sags between September 1993 and May 1995[2](https://www.cagematch.net/?id=2&nr=633&page=11) |
| WCW Hardcore Champion | Three reigns between January and March 2000, a record for the title[3](https://www.wwe.com/superstars/nasty-boys?page=1) |
| Finishing move | Running Powerslam[4](https://www.gerweck.net/2020/03/03/brian-knobbs/) |
| Health | Hospitalized in March 2025 for a foot infection and emergency blood transfusion; faced possible foot amputation by August 2025[5](https://www.pwinsider.com/article/193877/brian-knobbs-update.html?p=1) • [6](https://www.f4wonline.com/news/wwe/brian-knobbs-foot-amputation/) |
## Early life and training
Yandrisovitz was born in [Allentown, Pennsylvania](https://www.edgepedia.org/allentown-pennsylvania), in 1964[1](https://prowrestling.fandom.com/wiki/Brian_Knobbs). He was trained by Brad Rheingans and [Verne Gagne](https://www.edgepedia.org/verne-gagne)[4](https://www.gerweck.net/2020/03/03/brian-knobbs/).
## The Nasty Boys
Knobbs began his career in the [American Wrestling Association](https://www.edgepedia.org/american-wrestling-association) in 1985, wrestling under a mask as the Terrorist[4](https://www.gerweck.net/2020/03/03/brian-knobbs/). He and Jerry Sags, a childhood friend from Whitehall Township, Pennsylvania, formed The Nasty Boys in 1986[1](https://prowrestling.fandom.com/wiki/Brian_Knobbs) • [7](https://prowrestling.fandom.com/wiki/Nasty_Boys). The team wrestled in the Tennessee territory before moving to [Florida Championship Wrestling](https://www.edgepedia.org/florida-championship-wrestling), where they won five tag team titles between 1988 and 1990[1](https://prowrestling.fandom.com/wiki/Brian_Knobbs).
After a brief stop in WCW in 1990, where they feuded with the Steiner Brothers over the WCW United States Tag Team Championship, the team joined the World Wrestling Federation, managed by [Jimmy Hart](https://www.edgepedia.org/jimmy-hart)[1](https://prowrestling.fandom.com/wiki/Brian_Knobbs). They won the WWF World Tag Team Championship from The Hart Foundation at [WrestleMania VII](https://www.edgepedia.org/wrestlemania-vii) on March 24, 1991, and lost the titles to the [Legion of Doom](https://www.edgepedia.org/legion-of-doom) at SummerSlam on August 26, 1991[2](https://www.cagematch.net/?id=2&nr=633&page=11). In late 1992, the Nasty Boys became fan favorites and began a rivalry with Hart's Money Inc. for the tag team championship, though they failed to win the belts back.[1](https://prowrestling.fandom.com/wiki/Brian_Knobbs)
The team returned to WCW in 1993, where they won the [WCW World Tag Team Championship](https://www.edgepedia.org/wcw-world-tag-team-championship) three times, defeating teams including [Arn Anderson](https://www.edgepedia.org/arn-anderson) and [Paul Roma](https://www.edgepedia.org/paul-roma), 2 Cold Scorpio and Marcus Bagwell, and Harlem Heat[2](https://www.cagematch.net/?id=2&nr=633&page=11) • [8](https://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profiles_old/b/brian-knobbs.html). Their brawling, hardcore style was a defining feature of their run, and they were named PWI Tag Team of the Year in 1994[9](https://www.thesmackdownhotel.com/wrestlers/brian-knobbs).
## Singles career and later work
Jerry Sags retired from in-ring competition in early 1997 due to injury, splitting the team and leading Knobbs to a solo career[4](https://www.gerweck.net/2020/03/03/brian-knobbs/). He won the WCW Hardcore Championship three times between January and March 2000, a record for that championship[3](https://www.wwe.com/superstars/nasty-boys?page=1).
Knobbs was a minority owner and one of the founders of the XWF (Xtreme Wrestling Federation) along with [Greg Valentine](https://www.edgepedia.org/greg-valentine) and Jimmy Hart[8](https://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profiles_old/b/brian-knobbs.html). He was a frequent guest star on [Hulk Hogan](https://www.edgepedia.org/hulk-hogan)'s reality show Hogan Knows Best in 2005[8](https://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profiles_old/b/brian-knobbs.html). Knobbs and Sags received the Cauliflower Alley Club's Tag Team Award in 2023[9](https://www.thesmackdownhotel.com/wrestlers/brian-knobbs).
## Health
Knobbs has faced a series of serious health issues in recent years. In March 2025, he was hospitalized with critically low blood levels and underwent an emergency blood transfusion[5](https://www.pwinsider.com/article/193877/brian-knobbs-update.html?p=1). He attributed a serious foot infection to stepping on a screw in a hotel where he was staying after [Hurricane Milton](https://www.edgepedia.org/hurricane-milton) damaged his home[10](https://www.wrestlezone.com/news/1553285-brian-knobbs-gives-health-update-after-recent-hospitilazation). By August 2025, he revealed that the infection had recurred and that doctors were discussing amputation of his foot[6](https://www.f4wonline.com/news/wwe/brian-knobbs-foot-amputation/). GoFundMe campaigns were established to help with his medical and living expenses[11](https://411mania.com/wrestling/update-brian-knobbs-recent-health-issues/). He was hospitalized again in February 2026 as the infection battle continued[12](https://www.pwmania.com/brian-knobbs-hospitalized-again-while-battling-severe-infection).
## References
1. [Brian Knobbs, Pro Wrestling Fandom](https://prowrestling.fandom.com/wiki/Brian_Knobbs)
2. [Brian Knobbs Titles, CAGEMATCH](https://www.cagematch.net/?id=2&nr=633&page=11)
3. [The Nasty Boys, WWE](https://www.wwe.com/superstars/nasty-boys?page=1)
4. [Brian Knobbs, Gerweck.net](https://www.gerweck.net/2020/03/03/brian-knobbs/)
5. [Brian Knobbs Update, PWInsider](https://www.pwinsider.com/article/193877/brian-knobbs-update.html?p=1)
6. [Former WWE wrestler may face foot amputation, F4W/WON](https://www.f4wonline.com/news/wwe/brian-knobbs-foot-amputation/)
7. [Nasty Boys, Pro Wrestling Fandom](https://prowrestling.fandom.com/wiki/Nasty_Boys)
8. [Brian Knobbs, Online World of Wrestling](https://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profiles_old/b/brian-knobbs.html)
9. [Brian Knobbs Profile, The SmackDown Hotel](https://www.thesmackdownhotel.com/wrestlers/brian-knobbs)
10. [Brian Knobbs Gives Health Update, Wrestlezone](https://www.wrestlezone.com/news/1553285-brian-knobbs-gives-health-update-after-recent-hospitilazation)
11. [Update On Brian Knobbs' Recent Health Issues, 411Mania](https://411mania.com/wrestling/update-brian-knobbs-recent-health-issues/)
12. [Brian Knobbs Hospitalized Again, PWMania](https://www.pwmania.com/brian-knobbs-hospitalized-again-while-battling-severe-infection)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Individual sports and outdoor recreation › Combat sports and professional wrestling › Professional wrestlers and stables › American wrestlers › Rock 'n' wrestling era wrestlers › WWF era wrestlers*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
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License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license