The Viking Raiders reflect on the life of Jay Briscoe and their time together.
The wrestling world lost Jay Briscoe in January 2023 due to a tragic car accident. In the wake of his passing, many in the wrestling world have spoken highly of the former Ring of Honor World Championship for the performer that he was between the ropes and the man he was in his everyday life.
Speaking with Sean Ross Sapp ahead of WrestleMania 39, Erik & Ivar, The Viking Raiders, formerly known as War Machine in Ring of Honor, reflected on their time with Jay both in and out of the ring.
“We had so many matches, whether we were teaming with them, working with them, they were the hardest-hitting tag team. The business can be so cynical at times. Those guys were so giving to us in so many instances,“ said Ivar.
Erik reflected more on the man Briscoe was outside of the ring, saying that while he was a great competitor, the man he was left behind had a more significant impact.
“The legacy of the Briscoes and Jay Briscoe, he was the most real person in wrestling. His promos, his matches, he was real. Everything he said, every move he made, everything was real and true and honest. As amazing and as game-changing and as groundbreaking a performer he is, we won't talk about that. We'll talk about what a family man he was. He beloved he was. The kind of father he is. A wonderful friend and husband. It's hard for me to talk about Jay without crying. Every time we talk about him, I lose it," said Erik. "Him being taken from us, we have to face the fact that we're not given tomorrow, we're not promised tomorrow. That's terrifying to think about. You just assume, 'Tomorrow is coming.' We're not given tomorrow. There were so many conversations I had with Jay where, just weeks before he passed, we were exchanging messages. I didn't say the things to him that I thought, about him as a man, as a father, how much he meant to me, how much I love him. Those went unspoken. They were understood, I'm sure, but I could have said them and I didn't. I'm trying to use that and move forward in life to where I'm being more expressive and tell my friends that I love them and tell people that I value them and drive that message home.”
Though it wasn't recorded, Erik and Ivar followed up our interview with a hilarious recounting of Jay and Mark Briscoe getting into a brotherly fist fight over who could tape up an ankle appropriately when Erik had an injury.
Fans can read more tributes to Jay Briscoe from his peers at this link.
Mark Briscoe continues on as a wrestler as part of AEW. You can read some of his thoughts on his brother's passing at this link.
