Wrestling has always had its share of so-called “mama’s boys.” Jim Cornette is famous for his schtick, as is Crybaby Cannon. During the GWF’s brief run, another of these gimmicks appeared, in the form of “Crybaby” Buxton. Now, Francis didn’t call himself Crybaby, and quickly corrected anyone who did. But it didn’t take much for “Mama’s Heavyweight Champion” to throw a temper tantrum in the middle of the ring: Yep, there’s nothing more intimidating than a grown man crying and kicking his feet in the air while pounding the mat. That’s not just macho, that’s ma-cheeze-mo.
For those that remember the Global Wrestling Federation, you may remember how it started off so great, with a talent roster that was jam-packed with stars. Soon, though, the talent started to thin out, and was replaced by guys like Buxton and Rude Dog. It didn’t last too much longer after that.
The high-impact start with guys like Patriot and Eddie Gilbert was quickly replaced by gimmicks stolen straight from Pee Wee Herman films. See, if you thought the name Francis Buxton sounded familiar, its because you watched the Tim Burton masterpiece (and pre-Paul Reubens pervert crimes) PEE WEE’S BIG ADVENTURE. In that flick, Pee Wee was beleaguered by his arch-nemesis, the very rich Francis Buxton, who was portrayed by Mark Holton. Holtan later went on to such great roles as Chubby in the TEEN WOLF films, a guy who got a gold coin ripped out of his stomach in LEPRECHAUN and that perennial favorite John Wayne Gacy, Jr. in GACY. Why am I telling you all this? I don’t know, but it sure stretches this entry out a bit, don’t it?
Buxton, like the rest of the GWF didn’t survive for long, and disappeared shortly thereafter. Francis, under the name Lolly Dude, went on to start a pizza parlor in Mississippi, and promoted wrestling cards. The most recent I’ve seen of him, he was announcing for the World Wrestling Alliance about five years ago, and was barely recognizable from his Crybaby days.