Ed Leslie, a wrestler with a storied career, began his journey in the late 1970s under various identities, including "Dizzy" Ed Boulder, often playing the brother of Terry Bollea, now known as Hollywood/Hulk Hogan. His most iconic persona was Brutus "The Barber" Beefcake, a character he portrayed in the WWF from 1984 to 1993. During this time, he shared the WWF Tag-Team Titles with Greg "The Hammer" Valentine in 1986.
Tragedy struck in 1990 when Ed's mother passed away, his wife left him, and he found himself struggling to cope with his emotions. In an attempt to take his mind off his troubles, he took a walk on the beach in Tampa, Florida. However, his walk was suddenly interrupted by an out-of-control parasailor who collided with him, knocking him into the water and nearly drowning him. Ed was rescued, but the impact left him with shattered bones in his face and a disfigured appearance.
He underwent over 9 hours of successful reconstructive surgery at Tampa's Shriner's Hospital, during which metal plates and screws were used to rebuild the shape of his face. Ed was forced to take a 2 1/2-year hiatus from wrestling, but eventually returned to the ring for two matches, including one alongside Hulk Hogan as they challenged the WWF Tag-Team Champions, Money Inc.
Ed's return was short-lived, as he struggled to regain his former glory. He left the WWF and joined WCW in 1994, adopting various personas, such as "The Butcher," "Zodiac," and "The Booty Man." He also sported a beard and a more toned physique as "The Disciple." None of these characters, however, could match the success of his iconic Brutus "The Barber" Beefcake persona.
Ed went on to join The Ultimate Warrior's O.W.N. in late 1998, but the venture ultimately failed to take off. He is currently working as a jobber in WCW and still wrestles as Brutus "The Barber" Beefcake in regional promotions, although he is unable to use the name in WCW due to trademark issues with Titan Sports, aka the WWF.
