Known for his tough-guy persona in the wrestling world, Tyrus, takes us on a journey beyond his larger-than-life figure. Alongside his wrestling reputation, Tyrus is recognized for his intelligence, eloquence, and insightful nature, offering us a glimpse into the adversities he’s faced, particularly the challenging memories of a childhood marked with a longing to change his skin color.
While these childhood scars never fully disappear, Tyrus chose to transform his pain into a source of strength, forging a remarkable path forward. In this narrative, we delve into Tyrus’ inspiring story and explore the role of his renowned wife, who has been pivotal in his transformative journey.
For wrestling enthusiasts, Tyrus, now 51 years old, likely sounds familiar. This former NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion has left an indelible mark in the ring with his robust performances. However, his renown isn’t limited to wrestling. He has since transitioned into a cable news commentator, making regular appearances on Fox News and Fox Nation, especially as a co-host on the late-night talk show, Gutfeld!.
Tyrus’ voyage to fame and fortune is anything but a straightforward stroll. When you hear about his beginnings, it’s astonishing to witness the distance he has covered. Born George Murdoch on February 21, 1973, in Boston, Massachusetts, Tyrus has certainly had an incredible trajectory toward fame.
However, life didn’t hand him an easy path. Born to parents who were themselves teenagers — with his father being just 19 and his mother 15 — Tyrus grew up amid turbulent conditions in Los Angeles. The situation worsened when his abusive father caused him injury as a child, leaving him with a damaged eye. This led Tyrus’s mother to flee the situation, taking him and his brother along.
Unfortunately, Tyrus and his brother faced rejection at their grandparents’ home because of their mixed-race heritage, subsequently entering the foster care system. The painful experience drove a young Tyrus into an “obsession” with altering his skin color, believing it might reunite him with his family.
Eventually, Tyrus and his brother rejoined their determined mother, who worked long hours — often up to 80 in a week — to support them. As a result, stability was elusive, with the family relocating every six months to accommodate her job.
Complications arose when a stepfather entered the family picture, and Tyrus, unwilling to accept a new paternal figure, departed home at 15. Embracing his homeless state out of pride, Tyrus chose not to seek assistance, spending many nights hidden within his school’s locker room.
While grappling with personal challenges, Tyrus found salvation through sports, with football serving as his refuge.
“Football saved my life. No question about it. Without football, I’d be in jail or worse,” Tyrus once candidly shared with the Lexington Clipper-Herald.
Through football, Tyrus found role models and friends who became crucial parts of his life, offering him a sense of accountability and purpose. His prowess on the field also paved the way to higher education opportunities.
The burly offensive lineman drew recruiters’ attention, securing him a place at Antelope Valley College and then the University of Nebraska at Kearney (UNK). At UNK, Tyrus thrived as part of the Lopers football team, renowned for his size and aptitude.
Sports provided a platform for personal growth during his tenure at UNK, leading Tyrus to embrace values such as structure, discipline, and integrity. However, financial burdens trailed him. Despite obtaining a bachelor’s degree in physical education in 1998, Tyrus couldn’t afford the traditional cap and gown for his graduation ceremony, choosing not to ask for help due to pride—a decision he later reflected upon.
Transitioning from a bar brawl to a wrestling star, Tyrus’s story took a unique turn that many might not anticipate. Following encounters with the NFL that didn’t progress to fruition and an unfortunate ruptured appendix, Tyrus’s football dreams dissipated.
After these setbacks, Tyrus turned to teaching as a substitute during the day and worked as a nightclub bouncer in the evening.
The transition into the wrestling sphere came unexpectedly. One night in the early 2000s, while Tyrus was managing the crowd at a nightclub, an altercation unfolded between two disruptive patrons. As Tyrus stepped in to resolve the chaos, his method involved humorously “clunking” the two together and carrying them out like bags.
Professional wrestler Tommy Dreamer happened to witness the incident and thought Tyrus’s natural charisma and commanding presence would shine on television.
This led to Tyrus making his pro wrestling debut in 2006 under the moniker Brodus Clay, eventually earning fame as The Funkasaurus, before joining Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) in 2014, cementing his identity simply as Tyrus.
Tyrus’s larger-than-life persona transcended not just the ring — it captivated TV producers as well.
Quite hilariously, Tyrus’s journey to Gutfeld! and Fox News began with playful social media banter between him and host Greg Gutfeld. Amused by their exchanges, Gutfeld invited Tyrus to join his show, blending politics with satire.
Beyond wrestling and television chatter, Tyrus has also ventured into acting, appearing in television series like The Purge, MacGyver, and Syn, as well as starring in the horror movie No One Lives.
Tyrus’s personal life also shares an impressive chapter. He married his longtime partner, Ingrid Rinck Herbert, on January 7, 2024.
Ingrid is not only a supportive spouse but an accomplished entrepreneur and fitness trainer, deeply involved in Tyrus’s life for nearly a decade. Ingrid Murdoch founded The Rinck Routine, a lifestyle and fitness brand advocating holistic living approaches.
Additionally, she established Sensible Meals, a meal preparation company utilizing her extensive experience as a personal trainer to guide others in achieving their health objectives.
