Also known as Ox Brody, The North Man, Dave Viking
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Well here’s a wrestler with a presence. What else could be said about a man who stood 6’4″ tall, weighed around twenty stones, and appeared in the ring in horned helmet, fur skin and carrying an axe. And that’s without mentioning the mass of tattoos and well endowment in the facial hair department’
This was Dave Cross, a 1970s/80s heavyweight villain from Ellesmere Port who worked for both the independent and Joint Promotions.
Of course it wasn’t Dave Cross on the posters. The Norse warrior who would challenge opponents to an “Axe match” in which each contestant carried an axe was Ragnor The Viking. Well, apart from the time he appeared under a number of other guises.
Ragnor appeared on the scene in 1975, initially working for Blackpool promoter Bobby Barron, and then various independent promoters around the country.
A new identity came along when Ragnor began working or Joint Promotions in 1980. The identity may have changed but Ox Brody was just as big and just as wild, A couple of television appearances came his way, but with opponents Ray Steele and Wayne Bridges there was little hope for the giant Ox. In April, 1980 he was disqualified against Steele and in August a two falls to one loss to Bridges. Working for Joint Promotions he worked with a wide range o opponents but was rarely allowed the opportunity or a win.
Back with the independents the Ragnor persona was revived along with other new names, Dave Viking and The North Man.
Beyond the United Kingdom Ragnor wrestled extensively in Germany, Austria and South Africa, using the name Dave Viking. He liked Germany and, Gernot Freiberger tells us he moved to Germany as an organic farmer, and part time street entertainer.
Page added 04/04/2026
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