Happy Birthday to those who have passed on and to those great wrestlers still with us:
In Memoriam:
Brenda Britton 1941
Brian Adams\Crush 1964
Happy Birthday:
Jesse Barr (67)
Amy Dumas\Lita (51)
Maria Shafir (38)
RIP Memorial: We stop & remember those who have passed on this day and gave themselves to the business for us, the fans. We salute you and thank you.
Gene Kiniski 4-14-2018 at the age of 81
Motoko Baba 4-13-2018 at the age of 78
The Life and Career of Brenda Britton
Pictured: 1980 ICW Ring Girl Brenda Britton and Lady Wrestler, Debbie Combs
Brenda Britton, born Brenda Joyce Peckham on April 14, 1941, in Wichita, Kansas, carved out a memorable niche in professional wrestling during the early 1980s as one of the territory era’s prominent female valets and managers.
Known professionally as “Miss Brenda Britton,” she primarily served as the heel valet and manager for her husband, “Hustler” Rip Rogers (real name Mark Sciarra), helping generate heat in promotions across the Midwest, South, and Southeast. Though her wrestling career spanned roughly 1980 to 1987, her work left an impression in an era when female managers were still relatively rare. After retiring from the ring, she built a second career in martial arts instruction and community service before passing away on July 27, 2007, at age 66 in Seymour, Indiana.
Pictured: Brenda Britton alongside real shoot husband, “Hustler” Rip Rogers
Not much is known about Britton’s earliest years beyond her Kansas roots. She was the daughter of Delmas Edward Peckham and Pressie Mae Dittmeyer Peckham, grew up in Wichita where she attended high school, and later received training as a medical assistant at Ivy Tech State College in Columbus, Indiana (after relocating to the Midwest). She had four children—sons David Allen Brandon and Thaddeus Aaron Everitt, and daughters Terry Lee Brandon and Kathryn Sue Lester—from prior relationships, along with siblings and eventually four grandchildren. Her marriage to Rip Rogers, a flamboyant wrestler known for his “Hustler” gimmick, drew her into the wrestling world around 1980.
Britton first became familiar to ICW audiences, based in Lexington, Kentucky, as the valet for her husband, “Hustler” Rip Rogers (sometimes billed earlier in the territory as Rick Rogers or the Disco Kid). Rogers was a fixture in the promotion from near its inception, most notably as part of the heel tag team the Convertible Blondes, which feuded extensively with Leaping Lanny Poffo and others over the ICW United States Tag Team titles. Britton’s presence at ringside amplified Rogers’ arrogant, rule-breaking persona. Fans recognized her as a loyal, attractive heel figure who played to the crowd effectively, drawing reactions that complemented the territory’s southern-style wrestling product. Her role was consistent with ICW’s emphasis on personal feuds and larger-than-life characters broadcast from Lexington.
Pictured: Brenda Britton being the ring valet for the ICW World Heavyweight Champion, Randy “Macho Man” Savage
By around 1980–1981, Britton transitioned into a high-profile association with another top ICW heel, “Macho Man” Randy Savage, the promotion’s World Champion for much of the era. Following the conclusion of Savage’s lengthy two-and-a-half-year feud with Ronnie Garvin (which had included Garvin freeing Crusher Broomfield from Savage’s control), ICW shifted focus toward new angles and contenders. Savage, ever the arrogant rule-breaker, began promoting a “Ms. Macho Man” contest on the territory’s weekly television programs taped in Lexington. He teased fans that he would reveal his new female companion the following week, promising she would add glamour and support to his championship reign.
During Savage’s on-air announcement, babyface rivals Ronnie Garvin and Leaping Lanny Poffo interrupted dramatically. Garvin announced that he had already selected Savage’s perfect “Ms. Macho Man” and wheeled a large wooden mystery box into the studio. Loud thrashing and struggling noises emanated from inside the box, building anticipation and confusion. Garvin assured the champion he would “love” his new valet. When the box was opened in front of the live studio audience, it revealed Pistol Pez Whatley—Savage’s frequent tag-team partner—hog-tied and comically dressed in women’s clothing and drag. The prank humiliated both Savage and Whatley, providing one of the territory’s lighter, more ridiculous moments and giving the babyfaces a momentary psychological edge
The very next week, Savage recovered from the embarrassment and properly introduced the legitimate winner of his contest: Brenda Britton. ICW fans already recognized her as the real-life wife and longtime valet of heel “Hustler” Rip Rogers (previously billed as Rick Rogers or the Disco Kid). Billed as “Ms. Macho Man” or “Miss Macho Man,” Britton stepped into the role with poise and crowd-pleasing presence. Unlike her earlier work alongside Rogers—where she amplified his arrogant heel persona—Britton played a more neutral, glamorous supporting character with Savage. She accompanied him to the ring for title defenses and major matches but did not interfere or take an active heel role, focusing instead on visual appeal and adding storyline depth to Savage’s championship run.
The pairing lasted through the remainder of 1981 and into early 1982, appearing on cards across Kentucky venues and enhancing the promotion’s television product. A November 26, 1981, photograph from a Lexington-area high-school taping even captured Savage and Britton together, underscoring how visible the angle became in the territory. Britton’s ability to adapt from heel valet duties with Rogers to this higher-profile, non-interfering role with the World Champion demonstrated her versatility within ICW’s small, family-run ecosystem. The “Ms. Macho Man” contest and its prankish execution remain a fondly remembered piece of the promotion’s creative output, blending humor, rivalry, and character development in true Southern territorial style.
While her primary contribution was managerial, Britton also stepped into the ring for a handful of matches that stood out as special attractions on ICW cards. On November 7, 1981, in Flemingsburg, Kentucky, she competed in a mud-wrestling bout against Pam Watson. Later in 1982, during a period when ICW occasionally experimented with intergender matches for novelty, Britton faced Tony Falk in Manchester, Kentucky. These appearances, though limited, demonstrated her willingness to participate beyond valet duties and fit the promotion’s occasional use of women in mixed or specialty contests to draw crowds in smaller venues.
Throughout 1978 to 1982, Brenda Britton remained a recognizable supporting player in ICW’s ecosystem. She never held a women’s championship (the promotion did not emphasize a dedicated women’s division), but her work as a valet and occasional competitor helped flesh out the territory’s television product and live events. In an era when ICW relied on strong personalities to compete regionally, Britton’s crowd-pleasing style and connections to key heels like Rogers and Savage made her a consistent presence on cards taped in Lexington and toured across Kentucky.
She accompanied Rip Rogers in territories including Central States Wrestling (Kansas City area), where she hosted the popular interview segment “The Beauty Shop” on the promotion’s television show, a format reminiscent of later talk-show-style segments like Piper’s Pit. The segment allowed for sharp promos and angle advancement, often positioning Britton as a sassy, antagonistic figure who drew boos from the crowd. Fans sometimes derisively nicknamed her “Flea Bag” as part of the heel dynamic.
Pictured: Brenda Britton does an interview with Gordon Solie on Championship Wrestling from Florida
Her managerial highlights included guiding Rip Rogers and Ted Oates to the National Tag Team Championship in Georgia Championship Wrestling. She also worked in Championship Wrestling from Florida and Continental Championship Wrestling, where she was involved in notable feuds such as those involving Adrian Street and Miss Linda, as well as “Wildfire” Tommy Rich.
By the mid-1980s, Britton and Rogers had divorced, though she continued working with him on-screen for a time. Her active wrestling involvement wound down around 1987. In the years that followed, she reinvented herself professionally. She owned and operated Shi-Ra Karate and Kung-Fu in Seymour, Indiana, for ten years, serving as an instructor in martial arts—an interest she genuinely pursued outside the ring. She also worked as a cosmetology instructor, drawing on skills that aligned with her on-screen “Beauty Shop” persona. A devoted animal lover, she volunteered at the Jennings County Animal Shelter (sometimes referred to in memorials as the Seymour shelter) and was a member of Peter Switch Nazarene Church in Seymour. She enjoyed dogs and continued practicing martial arts through associations like Sin The Shoalin Karate.
Brenda Joyce Sciarra (her married name) passed away on July 27, 2007, at the Lutheran Community Home in Seymour. She was cremated with no formal services held. Memorial contributions were directed to the Jennings County Animal Shelter, reflecting her lifelong passion for animals. She was survived by her children, grandchildren, and sisters, but preceded in death by her parents and a brother.
Though never a national superstar like some later valets (Miss Elizabeth, Sherri Martel, or Woman), Brenda Britton exemplified the gritty, territorial wrestling scene of the 1980s. As one of the earlier prominent female managers in that decade, she helped pave the way for women to play active, on-screen roles beyond simple eye candy. Her post-wrestling life demonstrated resilience and versatility: from the bright lights of television tapings to teaching self-defense and caring for shelter animals. In an industry often defined by larger-than-life personas, Britton’s story reminds us of the real people behind the gimmicks—dedicated performers who balanced kayfabe drama with ordinary lives of family, work, and community service.
One Thing I Learned About Motoko Baba
Although Shohei “Giant” Baba was one of Japan’s biggest sports celebrities in the 1970s, he and Motoko kept their marriage completely secret from the public for nearly a decade. The couple wed privately on September 16, 1971, in Hawaii (a place Giant Baba loved and visited often), but the relationship wasn’t revealed until around 1982, when they finally announced it at a press conference. A public ceremony followed in 1983.
The secrecy was reportedly to protect Giant Baba’s larger-than-life public image as a national icon. It’s a fascinating glimpse into how even the most famous figures in Japanese wrestling maintained a very private personal life behind the scenes.
Thank You for Reading
I’m Tony Richards, Pro Wrestling Historian, Author and Storyteller. I share pro wrestling historical items in each issue of the Time Tunnel Pro Wrestling History Newsletter. Thanks for reading! If you enjoy my information on select events, matches and insights, please share it with folks you think might like to be a subscriber!
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