List of premature professional wrestling deaths
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According to a 2014 study by Eastern Michigan University examining professional wrestlers who were active between 1985 and 2011, mortality rates for professional wrestlers are up to 2.9 times greater than the rate for men in the wider United States population.[1] A 2014 report by John Moriarty of the University of Manchester and Benjamin Morris of FiveThirtyEight also found that the mortality rate for professional wrestlers was significantly higher than that of athletes in other sports.[2][3][4] Experts suggest that a combination of the physical nature of the business, no off-season, and potentially high work load (with some wrestlers fighting more than 100 and even 200 matches per year), along with the drug culture in wrestling during the 1970s, 1980s, and early 1990s contributes to high mortality rates among wrestlers.[5][6][7][8][9] Another study ascribes the higher death rate largely to higher rates of cardiovascular disease compared to the general population with morbidly obese wrestlers being especially at risk.[10][11]
Many promotions employ performers as "independent contractors" and do not offer company-sponsored group health insurance coverage in most instances. This is said to have a causal connection to their longevity, morbidity, and mortality. WWE performers' status as independent contractors was spotlighted by John Oliver on an episode of his show Last Week Tonight with John Oliver in March 2019,[12][13][14] with Oliver calling on WWE fans to protest at WrestleMania 35.[12][13][14] WWE denied Oliver's critique.[15]
The concept of the untimely deaths of professional wrestlers was a frequent topic of discussion on the Opie & Anthony show.[16] After Scott Hall's death in 2022, Bret Hart and Kevin Nash talked about the premature death of several wrestlers, mentioning the mental and body damage as possible causes.[17][18]
List
[edit]Under 20
[edit]Age | Ring name (Birth name) |
Promotion(s) worked for | Date of birth | Date of death | Cause of death |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
18 | Janet Wolfe (Janet Boyer Wolfe) |
NWA | June 13, 1933 | July 27, 1951 | Brain hemorrhage |
Under 30
[edit]Age | Ring name (Birth name) |
Promotion(s) worked for | Date of birth | Date of death | Cause of death |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
21 | Oro (Jesús Javier Hernández) |
CMLL, UWA | December 24, 1971 | October 26, 1993 | Head injury during match[19] |
21 | Jeff Peterson | Independent circuit, ECWA, MCW, IPW | August 13, 1981 | November 29, 2002 | Leukemia |
21 | Chris Von Erich (Chris Adkisson) |
WCCW, USWA | September 30, 1969 | September 12, 1991 | Suicide by gunshot[20] |
21 | Asahi (Name unknown) |
Ice Ribbon, Actwres girl'Z | October 19, 2002 | February 1, 2024 | car accident |
22 | Rey Celestial (Oscar Leonardo Torres Parra) | AAA, CLL, DTU | August 29, 1995 | September 17, 2017 | Struck in a hit and run |
22 | Hana Kimura | World Wonder Ring Stardom, ROH, Wrestle-1, various Japanese Promotions | September 3, 1997 | May 23, 2020 | Suicide by hydrogen sulfide inhalation |
22 | Mass Transit (Erich Kulas) | ECW, independent circuit | October 17, 1979 | May 12, 2002 | Complications from gastric bypass surgery[21] |
22 | Mirai (Chiemi Kitagami) |
AJW, K-DOJO, Atoz | November 17, 1982 | September 14, 2005 | Drowned in bathtub; possibly suicide |
22 | Spider (Daniel Quirk) |
NWA New England, independent circuit, WXW, ACW | July 19, 1982 | May 28, 2005 | Head injury in match |
23 | Edouard Beaupre (Joseph Édouard Beaupré Piché) |
N/A | January 9, 1881 | July 3, 1904 | Tuberculosis |
23 | Chri$ Ca$h (Christopher Bauman Jr.) |
CZW | July 13, 1982 | August 18, 2005 | Motorcycle accident |
23 | Emiko Kado | JWP, ARSION | January 28, 1976 | April 9, 1999 | Intercerebral bleeding in match |
23 | Shane Shamrock (Brian Howser) |
MCW, MEWF, IPWA | February 8, 1975 | August 18, 1998 | Shot by police |
23 | Mike Von Erich (Michael Adkisson) |
WCCW, NWA, NJPW | March 2, 1964 | April 12, 1987 | Suicide by drug overdose[20] |
25 | Reid Flair (Reid Fliehr) |
AJPW, WCW, NWA, SSW, Lucha Libre USA | February 26, 1988 | March 29, 2013 | Drug overdose[22] |
25 | David Von Erich (David Adkisson) |
WCCW, NWA St. Louis, NWA, AJPW | July 22, 1958 | February 10, 1984 | Acute enteritis[20] |
26 | Kasavubu (Jimmy Banks) |
Stampede Wrestling, WWWF, NWA, IWE | May 14, 1956 | July 27, 1982 | Heart attack during operation |
26 | Kurtis Chapman | Revolution Pro Wrestling, Progress Wrestling, GCW, various British promotions | December 19, 1997 | December 29, 2023 | Unknown |
27 | J.C. Bailey | CZW, IWA Mid-South, IWA East-Coast | August 23, 1983 | August 30, 2010 | Intracranial aneurysm |
27 | Masakazu Fukuda | WAR, NJPW | May 17, 1972 | April 19, 2000 | Head injury in match |
27 | Russ Haas (Thomas Russell Haas) |
ECWA, CZW, MCW, HWA, WWF, JAPW | March 11, 1974 | December 15, 2001 | Heart failure |
27 | Louie Spicolli (Louis Mucciolo Jr.) |
WWF, ECW, WCW, UWF, AAA, FMW | February 10, 1971 | February 15, 1998 | Drug overdose[23] |
28 | Art Barr | PNW, WCW, AAA, EMLL | October 8, 1966 | November 23, 1994 | Heart attack caused by a drug overdose[24] |
28 | Gino Hernandez (Charles Wolfe Jr.) |
WCCW, SCW, Houston Wrestling, NWA, UWF Mid-South | August 14, 1957 | February 2, 1986 | Possible drug overdose or murder[25] |
28 | Ricky Lawless (Medardo Leon Jr.) |
ICW, NWF, independent circuit | December 3, 1959 | November 30, 1988 | Murder |
29 | Trent Acid (Michael Verdi) |
ROH, CZW, BJPW, JCW | November 12, 1980 | June 18, 2010 | Drug overdose |
29 | Lance Cade (Lance McNaught) |
WWE, HWA, OVW, MCW, FCW, AJPW | March 2, 1981 | August 13, 2010 | Heart attack caused by drug overdose[26] |
29 | Plum Mariko (Mariko Umeda) |
JWP, AJW, Japan Women's Pro-Wrestling | November 1, 1967 | August 16, 1997 | Head injury in match[19] |
29 | Bobby Shane (Robert Schoenberger) |
NWA, CWF, CCW, CSW, GCW, WCW Australia | August 25, 1945 | February 20, 1975 | Drowning from plane crash |
29 | Chris Taylor | AWA, AJPW, NWA | June 13, 1950 | June 30, 1979 | Cardiomyopathy |
29 | Clarence Whistler | N/A | February 24, 1856 | November 6, 1885 | Pneumonia |
Under 40
[edit]Age | Ring name (Birth name) |
Promotion(s) worked for | Date of birth | Date of death | Cause of death |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
30 | Zubair Jhara (Muhammad Zubair Aslam) |
Wrestled in Pakistan, NJPW | November 24, 1960 | September 10, 1991 | Heart failure |
30 | Sara Lee | WWE | June 7, 1992 | October 5, 2022 | Suicide by combined drug intoxication[27] |
30 | Pierre Lefebvre | GCW, WWF, Lutte Internationale, ESA, NWA, UWF | February 24, 1955 | December 24, 1985 | Car wreck[28] |
30 | Rick McGraw | WWF, NWA, Lutte Internationale, MACW, GCW, SCW, WWA | March 19, 1955 | November 1, 1985 | Heart attack[29] |
30 | Giant Ochiai (Takayuki Okada) |
Battlarts, WJ | May 8, 1973 | August 8, 2003 | Subdural hematoma |
30 | Johnny Perry | Unknown | October 24, 1972 | November 21, 2002 | Heart failure |
30 | Larry Sweeney (Alexander Whybrow) |
Chikara, IWC, ROH, CZW, IWA Mid-South, PLW | February 18, 1981 | April 11, 2011 | Suicide by hanging |
30 | Jay Youngblood (Steven Romero) |
AWA, NWA, MACW, MLW, CWF, AJPW | June 21, 1955 | September 2, 1985 | Heart attack[30] |
31 | Christin Able (Josh Burgess) |
ROH, AAW Wrestling, independent circuit | January 11, 1985 | April 14, 2016 | Unknown |
31 | Ed Gantner | CWF, MACW | February 4, 1959 | December 31, 1990 | Suicide by gunshot[31] |
31 | Gene Lipscomb | NWA, NWA San Francisco | August 9, 1931 | May 10, 1963 | Drug overdose |
31 | Scott Peterson | PNW, NWA | June 10, 1963 | July 25, 1994 | Motorcycle accident |
31 | Kazuharu Sonoda | AJPW, NWA, WSS, WCCW, CWF, MACW | September 16, 1956 | November 28, 1987 | Plane crash (South African Airways Flight 295) |
31 | Frank Speer | Unknown | May 27, 1907 | June 10, 1938 | Bronchial pneumonia |
31-32 | Sorakichi Matsuda (Koujiro Matsuda) |
N/A | 1859 | August 16, 1891 | Tuberculosis |
32 | Steve Bradley (Steve Bisson) |
WWF/E, PPW, OVW, NECW, HWA, WWA | December 10, 1975 | December 1, 2008 | Unknown |
32 | Jaime Cardriche | Pacific Wrestling Alliance | March 28, 1968 | July 28, 2000 | Complications during gallbladder surgery |
32 | Adam Firestorm (Adam Dykes) |
ECCW, Stampede Wrestling, various promotions in Western Canada and Pacific Northwest | November 25, 1976 | November 5, 2009 | Suicide |
32 | Crash Holly (Mike Lockwood) |
WWF/E, ECW, FC !Bang!, APW, TNA | August 25, 1971 | November 6, 2003 | Suicide by drug overdose and alcohol poisoning[32] |
32 | Billy McCrary | NWA, NJPW | December 7, 1946 | July 14, 1979 | Motorcycle accident[33][34] |
32 | Buzz Sawyer (Bruce Woyan) |
NWA, WWF, UWF, WCCW, MACW, WCW | June 14, 1959 | February 7, 1992 | Cocaine-induced heart attack[19][35] |
32 | Frank Townsend | NWA, MLW, CWC, ASW, JWA, Joint Promotions | March 20, 1933 | May 15, 1965 | Drowning in boating accident; considered a missing person |
32 | Kris Travis | TNA, RPW, PCW, ICW, PROGRESS | December 16, 1983 | March 31, 2016 | Stomach cancer |
33 | Karsten Beck (Karsten Pitann) |
WXW, BJPW, CZW, various European promotions | November 25, 1986 | October 15, 2020 | Brain cancer |
33 | Jim Browning | N/A | March 31, 1903 | June 25, 1936 | Pulmonary embolism |
33 | Chris Candido | WCW, WWF, ECW, SMW, NJPW, TNA | March 21, 1972 | April 28, 2005 | Acute pneumonia[36] |
33 | Eddie Gilbert (Thomas Edward Gilbert Jr.) |
NWA, WCW, UWF, WWF, USWA, ECW | August 14, 1961 | February 18, 1995 | Heart attack[37] |
33 | Paul E. Normous (Paul Fauchs) |
OVW, ECWA, independent circuit | April 15, 1975 | January 16, 2009 | Drug overdose |
33 | Michel Martel (Michel Vigneault) |
Stampede Wrestling, WWC, IWE, NWA | October 4, 1944 | June 30, 1978 | Heart attack after match |
33 | Moondog Mayne (Ronald Mayne) |
NWA, WWWF, PNW | September 12, 1944 | August 13, 1978 | Car accident |
33 | Gran Naniwa (Yoshikuni Kimura) |
Michinoku Pro, AJPW, ECW, WAR, NJPW | February 15, 1977 | October 6, 2010 | Heart attack |
33 | José Aarón Alvarado Nieves | CMLL, UWA | May 9, 1966 | October 27, 1999 | Infection |
33 | D.J. Peterson (David Peterson) | AWA, WWF, UWF, NWA, NJPW, CSW | July 17, 1959 | May 25, 1993 | Motorcycle accident |
33 | The Renegade (Rick Wilson) |
WCW, WAR | October 16, 1965 | February 23, 1999 | Suicide by gunshot[38] |
33 | Neil Superior (Neil Caricofe) |
NWL, IWCCW; SAPW, WCW | April 6, 1963 | August 23, 1996 | Confrontation with police |
33 | Test (Andrew Martin) |
WWF/E, FC !Bang!, WWA, TNA | March 17, 1975 | March 13, 2009 | Drug overdose[39] |
33 | Kerry Von Erich (Kerry Adkisson) |
WCCW, NWA, UWF, USWA, WWF | February 3, 1960 | February 18, 1993 | Suicide by gunshot[20] |
33–34 | Damian Steele (Damien Dothard) |
GCW, NWA Wildside, TCW, DSW | 1975 | July 22, 2009 | Brain aneurysm |
34 | Adrian Adonis (Keith Franke) |
AWA, WWF, NJPW, CWF, GCW, ASW | September 15, 1953 | July 4, 1988 | Car accident[40] |
34 | Brain Damage (Marvin Lambert) |
IWA MS, CZW | December 14, 1977 | October 18, 2012 | Suicide |
34 | Big Dick Dudley (Alex Rizzo) |
ECW, WWC, WWA, XPW | January 12, 1968 | May 16, 2002 | Kidney failure[41] |
34 | Bobby Duncum Jr. | WCW, ECW, GWF, AJPW | August 26, 1965 | January 24, 2000 | Accidental prescription drug overdose[42] |
34 | Espectrito II (Alejandro Pérez Jiménez) |
AAA, WWF | May 15, 1975 | June 30, 2009 | Murder by poisoning |
34 | Owen Hart | WWF, Stampede Wrestling, NJPW, CWA | May 7, 1965 | May 23, 1999 | Fell from ceiling during botched stunt at Over the Edge pay-per-view event.[43] |
34 | Danny Havoc (Grant Berkland) |
CZW, GCW, WXW, ICW, BJPW, IWA Mid-South | May 19, 1986 | May 31, 2020 | Heart failure |
34 | El Hijo de Cien Caras (Eustacio "Tacho" Jiménez Ibarra) |
AAA, CMLL | March 21, 1976 | November 29, 2010 | Murder |
34 | Wayne Munn | NWA | February 9, 1896 | January 9, 1931 | Bright's disease |
34 | John Olin | N/A | March 15, 1886 | October 8, 1920 | Heart attack |
34 | La Parkita (Alberto Pérez Jiménez) |
AAA, WWF | May 15, 1975 | June 30, 2009 | Murder by poisoning |
34 | Chase Tatum (William Tatum) |
WCW, UPW, Innovate Wrestling | November 3, 1973 | March 23, 2008 | Drug overdose |
34 | Elias Theodorou | Superkick'D | May 31, 1988 | September 11, 2022 | Colon cancer and liver failure |
34 | Thunder (Luke Fordward) |
CMLL, Okinawa Pro Wrestling and various promotions in Australia | October 7, 1981 | June 30, 2016 | Stomach cancer |
34 | Yokozuna (Rodney Anoa'i) |
WWF, AWA, NJPW, UWA | October 2, 1966 | October 23, 2000 | Heart attack[44] |
34-35 | Sean Patrick O'Brien | OVW, independent circuit | 1988 | March 17, 2023 | Unknown |
35 | Perro Aguayo Jr. (Perro Aguayo Ramírez) |
AAA, CMLL, Perros del Mal | July 23, 1979 | March 21, 2015 | Cervical spine trauma during match |
35 | Harold Angus | BWA | November 10, 1904 | October 30, 1940 | Shooting accident |
35 | James Castle (Jamie Stacey) |
NWA, RPW | July 11, 1988 | June 15, 2024 | Acute myeloid leukemia[45] |
35 | Chris Duffy | WWF, IWF, independent circuit | July 7, 1965 | August 25, 2000 | Brain aneurysm |
35 | Dino Casanova (David DiMeglio) |
WCW, ECW, independent circuit, MEWF | February 8, 1967 | March 1, 2002 | Heart attack[21] |
35 | Miguel Ángel Delgado (Miguel Ángel Delgado Reyes) |
EMLL | August 28, 1947 | February 7, 1983 | Leukemia |
35 | Scott Irwin | WWWF, UWF, CWF, AWA, Lutte Internationale | May 14, 1952 | September 5, 1987 | Brain tumor, also reported as brain aneurysm[19] |
35 | Andy Kaufman | CWA | January 17, 1949 | May 16, 1984 | Kidney failure from lung cancer |
35 | Marianna Komlos | WWF | September 3, 1969 | September 26, 2004 | Breast cancer[46] |
35 | Mike Lozansky (Michael Lozanski) | ECW, USWA, WWC, Stampede Wrestling, various Mexican and Japanese promotions | November 13, 1968 | December 19, 2003 | Heart attack |
35 | Brian Pillman | Stampede, WCW, ECW, WWF | May 22, 1962 | October 5, 1997 | Arteriosclerotic heart disease[47] |
36 | Gary Albright | Stampede, UWFi, AJPW, ECW | May 18, 1963 | January 7, 2000 | Heart attack in match[48] |
36 | Shoichi Arai | FMW promoter | December 19, 1965 | May 16, 2002 | Suicide by hanging |
36 | Harry Boatswain | ECW | June 26, 1969 | August 8, 2005 | Heart attack |
36 | Lloyd Burdick | Unknown | August 8, 1909 | August 9, 1945 | Train wreck |
36 | Sean Evans | PWX, NWA Wildside, GCW, WWE, NWA, independent circuit | January 28, 1971 | October 2, 2007 | Lung cancer |
36 | Emory Hale (Emory Hail) |
WCW, XWF | December 13, 1969 | January 28, 2006 | Kidney failure |
36 | Dean Hart | Stampede, NWA Hawaii, WSS | January 3, 1954 | November 21, 1990 | Bright's disease |
36 | Katsuya Kitamura | NJPW | December 14, 1985 | October 13, 2022 | Unknown |
36 | Lionheart (Adrian McCallum) |
ICW, PCW | December 17, 1982 | June 19, 2019 | Suicide[49] |
36 | Pitbull #2 (Anthony Durante) |
ECW, CWA, NJPW, JAPW | July 26, 1967 | September 25, 2003 | Drug overdose[50] |
36 | Buford Pusser | UWF Mid-South | December 12, 1937 | August 21, 1974 | Car accident |
36 | Ray (Name unknown) |
Smash, WNC, Shimmer, Ice Ribbon, JWP | February 14, 1982 | August 30, 2018 | Brain tumor[51] |
36 | Freddie Sweetan (Fred Prossner) |
NWA, Stampede Wrestling, CSW, MACW | July 25, 1938 | July 26, 1974 | House fire |
36 | Jerry Tuite (Michael Jerome Tuite) |
WCW, ECW, TNA, PCW, AJPW | December 27, 1966 | December 6, 2003 | Heart attack[52] |
36 | Umaga (Edward Fatu) |
WWE, TNA, HWA, WXW, AJPW | March 28, 1973 | December 4, 2009 | Heart attack caused by combined drug intoxication[53] |
36 | Bray Wyatt (Windham Rotunda) |
WWE, FCW | May 23, 1987 | August 24, 2023 | Heart Attack resulting from COVID-19 complications[54] |
37 | Abismo Negro (Andrés Alejandro Palomeque González) |
AAA, CMLL, WWF, TNA | July 1, 1971 | March 22, 2009 | Drowning |
37 | Mike Bell | WWF, ECW, UPW | March 18, 1971 | December 14, 2008 | Heart attack from drug overdose |
37 | Leroy Brown (Roland C. Daniels) |
NWA, CWF, NJPW, UWF | November 30, 1950 | September 6, 1988 | Heart attack[55] |
37 | Whitey Caldwell | NWA Mid-America, NWA Gulf Coast | July 2, 1935 | October 7, 1972 | Car accident |
37 | Brian Hildebrand | SMW, ECW, referee for WCW | January 5, 1962 | September 8, 1999 | Stomach and bowel cancer |
37 | Sam McVey | Wrestled in Australia | May 17, 1884 | December 23, 1921 | Pneumonia |
37 | Jaysin Strife (Nathan Blodgett) |
NWA, IWA Mid-South, independent circuit | August 14, 1985 | December 29, 2022 | Illness |
37 | Alberto Torres | NWA, AWA,GCW, NWA Tri-State | January 2, 1934 | June 16, 1971 | Ruptured Pancreas (from a heart attack and other internal injuries) |
37 | Randolph Turpin | N/A | June 7, 1928 | May 17, 1966 | Shot; unknown if murder or suicide |
37–38 | Espanto I (José Eusebio Vázquez Bernal) |
EMLL | 1930 | May 30, 1968 | Beaten |
38 | Aleksander Aberg | N/A | August 11, 1881 | February 20, 1920 | Pneumonia |
38 | Tim Arson (Timothy Calkins) |
WWE, WWC, independent circuit | December 27, 1976 | January 7, 2015 | Unknown |
38 | Jay Briscoe (Jamin Pugh) |
ROH, CZW, NJPW, Impact Wrestling | January 25, 1984 | January 17, 2023 | Car accident |
38 | Matt Cappotelli | OVW, WWE | November 12, 1979 | June 29, 2018 | Brain cancer[56] |
38 | Brian Danovich | Contestant for WWE Tough Enough, DSW, independent circuit | July 8, 1980 | August 9, 2018 | Suicide |
38 | Chip Fairway (Brett Keen) |
HWA, IWA Mid-South | November 7, 1972 | April 9, 2011 | Unknown |
39 | Johnny Grunge (Michael Durham) |
ECW, WCW, WWF, 3PW, TCW | July 10, 1965 | February 16, 2006 | Sleep apnea complications[57] |
38 | Eddie Guerrero (Eduardo Gory Guerrero Llanes) |
CMLL, AAA, NJPW, ECW, WCW, WWF/E | October 9, 1967 | November 13, 2005 | Arteriosclerotic heart disease[58] |
38 | Jim Hady (John Hady) |
NWA Hawaii, NWA, AWA, WWWF, MLW | May 30, 1930 | January 13, 1969 | Heart attack (during match) |
38 | John Kronus (George Caiazzo) |
ECW, USWA, IWF, CZW, WAR, XPW | January 13, 1969 | July 18, 2007 | Heart failure[59] |
38 | Danno O'Mahony (Daniel O'Mahony) |
NWA | September 29, 1912 | November 5, 1950 | Car accident |
38 | Chabela Romero (Isabela Romero Rangel) |
AJW, CMLL, UWA | November 11, 1946 | April 19, 1985 | Unknown |
38 | Victor the Bodyguard (Victor Rodriguez) |
IWA, WWC | August 19, 1965 | June 20, 2004 | Heart attack |
38 | Bison Smith (Mark Smith) |
IWA, ROH, WWC, APW, Pro Wrestling Noah | September 24, 1973 | November 22, 2011 | Heart complications |
38 | Wolf (Daniel Wolfe) |
NWA, ECW, JAPW, independent circuit | June 30, 1972 | February 2, 2011 | Unknown |
39 | BellaDonna (Roxanne "Rocksan" Biggerstaff) |
TNA | April 25, 1979 | January 21, 2019 | Unknown |
39 | Hercules Cortez (Alfonso Chicharro) |
AWA, WCW Australia, NWA | July 7, 1932 | July 23, 1971 | Car accident |
39 | Fabián el Gitano (Emilio Fabián Fernández de León) |
CMLL | January 24, 1972 | March 17, 2011 | Pancreatic hemorrhage |
39 | Shad Gaspard | WWE, OVW, FCW, JAPW, IGF, NWA Wildside | January 13, 1981 | May 17, 2020 | Drowning |
39 | George Kennedy (George Kendall) |
Promoter for wrestling in Montreal | December 29, 1881 | October 19, 1921 | Complications from Spanish flu |
39 | Joey Maggs (Joseph Magliano) |
WCW, WWF, SMW, USWA | September 29, 1967 | October 15, 2006 | Cardiac arrest[60] |
39 | Ashley Massaro | WWE | May 26, 1979 | May 16, 2019 | Suicide by hanging[61] |
39 | Médico Asesino (Cesáreo Anselmo Manríquez González ) |
EMLL, NWA | August 27, 1920 | June 16, 1960 | Cancer[62] |
39 | Skull Murphy (John Murphy) |
GCW, WWWF, WCW Australia, Studio Wrestling | December 7, 1930 | March 23, 1970 | Suicide by drug overdose |
39 | Jimmy Rave (James Michael Guffey) |
ROH, TNA, FIP, NWA Wildside, NWA, CZW, PWG | December 8, 1982 | December 12, 2021 | MRSA infection |
39 | Rikidōzan (Kim Sin-rak) |
NWA, JWA | November 14, 1924 | December 15, 1963 | Peritonitis (as result of stabbing)[63] |
39 | Davey Boy Smith (David Smith) |
Stampede Wrestling, WWF, AJPW, ECW, WCW | November 27, 1962 | May 18, 2002 | Heart attack[64] |
39 | El Solitario (Roberto González) |
UWA, EMLL | May 22, 1946 | April 6, 1986 | Cardiac arrest during operation[19] |
39 | Pak Song (Pak Song Nam) |
NWA, JWA, WSS, AJPW, CWF, WCCW | April 11, 1943 | October 24, 1982[65] | Marfan syndrome[65] |
39 | Villano II (José Alfredo Díaz Mendoza) |
UWA, EMLL | September 25, 1949 | April 17, 1989 | Suicide by hanging[66] |
39 | Ed Virag | NWA, various European promotions | August 12, 1912 | October 20, 1951 | Car accident |
Under 50
[edit]Age | Ring name (Birth name) |
Promotion(s) worked for | Date of birth | Date of death | Cause of death |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
40 | Absolute Andy (Andreas Ullmann) |
WXW, various German and European promotions | September 22, 1983 | November 23, 2023 | Illness |
40 | Sambo Asako (Fumiharu Asako) |
FMW, various Japanese promotions | August 27, 1963 | May 18, 2004 | Diabetes |
40 | Bad Bones (John Klinger) |
WXW, BJW, Impact Wrestling, various German and European promotions | May 14, 1984 | May 20, 2024 | Heart attack |
40 | Chris Benoit | Stampede Wrestling, NJPW, ECW, WCW, WWF/E | May 21, 1967 | June 24, 2007 | Suicide by hanging[67] |
40 | Brady Boone (Dean Peters) |
PNW, MACW, WCW, WWF | August 22, 1958 | December 15, 1998 | Car accident |
40 | Larry Chene (Arthur Lawrence Beauchene) |
NWA Detroit, NWA, NWA Texas, AWA | June 22, 1924 | October 2, 1964 | Car accident |
40 | Cincinnati Red (Gregory Scott Daves) |
NWC, EWF, independent circuit | October 17, 1974 | March 20, 2015 | Heart attack |
40 | Don Eagle (Carl Donald Bell) |
AWA, NWA Chicago, NWA | August 25, 1925 | March 17, 1966 | Suicide by gunshot |
40 | Terry Gordy | WCCW, NWA, WCW, ECW, WWF, AJPW | April 23, 1961 | July 16, 2001 | Blood clot |
40 | Frank Gotch | N/A | April 27, 1877 | December 16, 1917 | Uremic poisoning |
40 | Shinya Hashimoto | NJPW, Zero1, Stampede Wrestling, Hustle, NWA, USWA | July 3, 1965 | July 11, 2005 | Brain aneurysm |
40 | Scott Henson | Elite Canadian Championship Wrestling, independent circuit | July 13, 1983 | June 15, 2024 | Unknown |
40 | Chris Kanyon (Christopher Klucsarits) | WCW, WWF/E, ECW, SMW, NWA Shockwave | January 4, 1970 | April 2, 2010 | Suicide by drug overdose[68] |
40 | George Kotsonaros | N/A | October 16, 1892 | July 13, 1933 | Car accident |
40 | Pequeño Nitro | CMLL | March 9, 1984 | May 18, 2024 | To Be Determined |
40 | Rick Rude (Richard Rood) |
CWF, WCCW, WWF, ECW, WCW | December 7, 1958 | April 20, 1999 | Heart failure[25] |
40 | Rhonda Sing | WWF, WCW, Stampede Wrestling, AJW, WWC, AAA | February 21, 1961 | July 27, 2001 | Heart attack |
40 | Robert Swenson | WCCW, GWF, WCW | January 5, 1957 | August 18, 1997 | Heart failure |
40 | Vivian Vachon | AWA, WWWF, CWF, International Wrestling, NWA | February 14, 1951 | August 25, 1991 | Car accident |
40–41 | Gulam | Wrestled in Europe and India | 1860 | 1901 | Cholera |
41 | Atsushi Aoki | AJPW, Noah, AAA | September 25, 1977 | June 3, 2019 | Motorcycle accident |
41 | Big Boss Man (Ray Traylor) |
WCW, MACW, WWF, AJPW, UWF, IWA Japan | May 2, 1963 | September 22, 2004 | Heart attack |
41 | Larry Cameron | Stampede Wrestling, NWA, AWA, CWA | November 4, 1952 | December 13, 1993 | Heart attack in match[19] |
41 | Alan Carnill | IWF Promotions, independent circuit | March 12, 1962 | January 25, 2004 | Car accident |
41 | John Foti (John Fotie) |
Stampede Wrestling, NWA, AWA, WWWF | March 13, 1928 | April 29, 1969 | Suicide |
41 | Yusuf İsmail | N/A | 1857 | July 4, 1898 | Drowned aboard the SS La Bourgogne |
41 | Koba Kurtanidze | FMW | October 13, 1964 | December 6, 2005 | Years of bedrriden from injuries |
41 | Brodie Lee aka Luke Harper (Jonathan Huber) |
WWE, AEW, FCW, ROH, Dragon Gate, Chikara, Dragon Gate USA | December 16, 1979 | December 26, 2020 | Pulmonary fibrosis[69] |
41 | Jerry London (Jerry Linden) |
NWA, CWC, Stampede Wrestling, MLW | July 9, 1929 | September 20, 1970 | Suicide (overdose of sleeping pills) |
41 | Hack Meyers (Donald Havilland) |
ECW, FOW, IPW, FC !Bang! | December 7, 1973 | December 5, 2015 | Complications from brain surgery |
41 | Justice Pain (Christopher Wilson) |
CZW, XPW, IPW, JAPW, BJW | May 16, 1978 | January 24, 2020 | Suicide by jumping off bridge |
41 | Jackie Sato (Naoko Sato) |
AJW, JWPW | October 30, 1957 | August 9, 1999 | Stomach cancer |
41 | Billy Travis (Gary Mize) |
CWA, USWA, WWF, PPW | April 29, 1961 | November 23, 2002 | Heart attack[21] |
41 | Adam Windsor (Adam Bryniarski) |
Funking Conservatory, NWA Wildside, WXW, independent circuit, various promotions in England | January 17, 1981 | April 21, 2022 | Heart issues |
41-42 | Manjiro "Matty" Matsuda | N/A | 1887 | 1929 | Injuries during match |
42 | Randy Anderson | referee for WCW, NWA | July 17, 1959 | May 5, 2002 | Testicular cancer |
42 | Mike Awesome (Michael Alfonso) |
AJPW, FMW, ECW, WCW, WWF, MLW | January 24, 1965 | February 17, 2007 | Suicide by hanging |
42 | John Ayers | UWF | April 14, 1953 | October 2, 1995 | Liver cancer |
42 | Bruiser Brody (Frank Goodish) |
NWA, AJPW, WWWF, WCCW | June 18, 1946 | July 17, 1988 | Murdered[25] |
42 | Ray Candy (Ray Canty) |
NWA, AJPW, WWC, NJPW, WCW | December 3, 1951 | May 23, 1994 | Heart attack |
42 | Miss Elizabeth (Elizabeth Hulette) |
WWF, WCW, ICW | November 19, 1960 | May 1, 2003 | Drug overdose[25] |
42 | Hiromichi Fuyuki | AJPW, NJPW, FMW, IWE, NWA, CWA | May 11, 1960 | March 19, 2003 | Intestinal cancer |
42 | John Tenta | WWF, WCW, ASW, AJPW | June 22, 1963 | June 7, 2006 | Bladder cancer[70] |
42 | Biff Wellington (Shayne Bower) |
Stampede Wrestling, WCW, NJPW, ECW | April 18, 1965 | June 24, 2007 | Heart attack |
42 | Xavier (John Bedoya) |
ROH, WWE, ECWA, JAPW, NEW, CW | December 28, 1977 | August 16, 2020 | Unknown |
42–43 | George Gardiner | Wrestled only in Australia and New Zealand | 1898 | May 18, 1941 | Peritonitis |
42-43 | Marie Lograsso (Dina DeStefano) |
World Championship Wrestling | 1963 | March 14, 2006 | Drug overdose |
43 | Brian Adams | PNW, NJPW, WWF, WCW, AJPW | April 14, 1964 | August 13, 2007 | Drug overdose[71] |
43 | Ángel Azteca (Juan Manuel Zúñiga) |
AAA, CMLL, UWA | June 24, 1963 | March 18, 2007 | Heart attack after match |
43 | Nancy Benoit | CWF, ECW, WCW | May 17, 1964 | June 22, 2007 | Murder[67] |
43 | Doctor X (Clemente Nájera) |
CMLL | July 17, 1968 | October 11, 2011 | Murder[72] |
43 | Héctor Garza | CMLL, Perros del Mal, WCW, WWF | June 12, 1969 | May 26, 2013 | Lung cancer[25] |
43 | Franky Gee (Francisco Gutierrez) |
FMW | February 19, 1962 | October 22, 2005 | Cerebral hemorrhage |
43 | Rocky Hata (Mitsuo Hata) |
AJPW, CSW, GCW, NWA Tri-State, CWF | September 12, 1948 | October 27, 1991 | Complications from diabetes[73] |
43 | Jocephus (Joseph Hudson) |
NWA | July 1, 1977 | February 24, 2021 | Congenital heart defect |
43 | Georg Lurich | N/A | 22 April [O.S. 10 April] 1876 | 20 January 1920 | Typhus |
43 | Corey Maclin | Announcer for USWA, PPW, Memphis Wrestling | May 6, 1970 | July 31, 2013 | Car accident |
43 | Sean O'Haire (Sean Haire) |
WCW, OVW, WWF/E, NJPW, UPW | February 25, 1971 | September 8, 2014 | Suicide by hanging |
43 | Goga Pehlwan (Goga Moazzam) |
Wrestled only in India | 1937 | February 6, 1981 | Died in the ring |
43 | Reggie Roby | WWF | July 30, 1961 | February 22, 2005 | Believed to be Heart attack |
43 | Tony Rumble (Anthony Magliaro) |
NWA New England, ECW, ICW, AWA, IWCCW, WCW | November 6, 1956 | November 13, 1999 | Heart attack |
43 | Peter Smit | RINGS | December 24, 1961 | August 15, 2005 | Murder |
43 | Viscera (Nelson Frazier, Jr.) |
WWF/E, AJPW, USWA, TNA, Memphis Wrestling | February 14, 1971 | February 18, 2014 | Heart attack |
44 | Carl Abs | N/A | September 12, 1851 | February 18, 1895 | Liver and kidney failure |
44 | Dino Bravo (Adolfo Bresciano) |
NWA, AWA, Lutte Internationale, WWF | August 6, 1948 | March 11, 1993 | Murder[25] |
44 | The Bruiser (RJ Meyer) |
MCW, Independent Circuit | August 15, 1976 | November 16, 2020 | Leukemia |
44 | Dustin Diamond | NWA-TNA, MCW, Hulk Hogan's Celebrity Championship Wrestling, independent circuit | January 7, 1977 | February 1, 2021 | Cancer (small-cell carcinoma) |
44 | Eric The Red (Ib Solvang Hansen) |
WWWF, NWF, IWA, AWA, NJPW, CWF | August 1, 1934 | November 16, 1978 | Car accident |
44 | Danny Fargo (Audie Hager) |
WWC, CWA, NWA, SWCW | June 13, 1959 | December 26, 2003 | Cancer |
44 | Mark Frear | WWF, USWA, MEWF, independent circuit | February 1, 1970 | May 11, 2014 | Unknown |
44 | Jorge González | WCW, WWF, NJPW | January 31, 1966 | September 22, 2010 | Diabetes and severe heart issues |
44 | Curt Hennig | AWA, PNW, WWF/E, WCW, TNA | March 28, 1958 | February 10, 2003 | Combined drug intoxication[25] |
44 | Koichiro Kimura | AJPW, DDT Pro-Wrestling, RINGS, W*ING, WJ | November 18, 1969 | October 28, 2014 | Pneumonia |
44 | Balls Mahoney (Jonathan Rechner) |
ECW, SMW, WWF/E | April 11, 1972 | April 12, 2016 | Heart attack[74] |
44 | Emil Naucke | N/A | May 2, 1855 | January 25, 1900 | Heart attack |
44 | Kevin Randleman | AJPW, Zero1, Hustle | August 10, 1971 | February 11, 2016 | Heart attack and pneumonia |
44 | Billy Reil | JAPW, independent circuit | June 19, 1979 | April 29, 2024 | Years of health issues |
44 | Axl Rotten (Brian Knighton) |
ECW, MEWF, IWA Mid-South, WCW, WWE | April 21, 1971 | February 4, 2016 | Drug overdose |
44–45 | Nurullah Hasan | N/A | 1867 | 1912 | Unknown |
45 | Toni Adams (Toni Collins) |
UWF, WCCW, USWA | August 19, 1964 | June 24, 2010 | Heart attack |
45 | Bam Bam Bigelow (Scott Bigelow) |
CWA, WWF/E, ECW, WCW, NJPW | September 1, 1961 | January 19, 2007 | Drug overdose[75] |
45 | Jerry Blackwell | AWA, WWWF, NWA, MACW, AJPW | April 26, 1949 | January 22, 1995 | Complications from car accident[19] |
45 | Stephan Bonnar | Impact Wrestling, House Of Glory, independent circuit | April 4, 1977 | December 22, 2022 | Heart attack caused by accidental fentanyl overdose |
45 | Nick Campofreda | N/A | January 14, 1914 | May 23, 1959 | Heart Attack |
45 | Mike Davis | CWA, MACW, WCCW, GWF, WCW | November 2, 1956 | December 26, 2001 | Heart attack |
45 | Iron Mike DiBiase | AWA, NWA, WCCW, CSW | December 24, 1923 | July 2, 1969 | Heart attack |
45 | Junkyard Dog (Sylvester Ritter) |
Stampede Wrestling, IWE, NWA, UWF, WWF, WCW | December 13, 1952 | June 2, 1998 | Car accident |
45 | Aya Koyama | AJW, BJW, JWPW, JDStar, Gaea Japan | March 8, 1973 | August 27, 2018 | Cancer |
45 | Pasión Kristal (José Gabriel Zentella Damián) |
AAA, IWRG, various Mexican promotions | January 9, 1976 | June 2, 2021 | Drowning |
45 | Peter Maivia (Pita Fanene Anderson) |
NWA, AWA, NJPW, NWA Hawaii, WWWF | April 6, 1937 | June 13, 1982 | Cancer |
45 | Johan Olin | N/A | June 30, 1883 | December 3, 1928 | Unknown |
45 | Val Puccio (Valentino Puccio) |
AJPW, WWF, ECW | June 9, 1965 | January 7, 2011 | Believed to be obesity |
45 | Jean Pusie | wrestled various promotions in Quebec | October 15, 1910 | April 21, 1956 | Heart attack |
46 | Chris Adams | WCCW, UWF, SCW, WCW, Joint Promotions, AWF | February 10, 1955 | October 7, 2001 | Shot |
46 | André the Giant (André René Roussimoff) |
NWA, Lutte Internationale, NJPW, IWE, AWA, WWF, AJPW | May 19, 1946 | January 28, 1993 | Congestive heart failure[76] |
46 | Argentina Apollo (Vincente Denigris) |
WWWF, NWA, CWF, MACW, AJPW, IWA | April 28, 1938 | August 2, 1984 | Heart attack |
46 | Brian Christopher (Brian Lawler) |
WWF/E, USWA, TNA, WWA, Memphis Wrestling | January 10, 1972 | July 29, 2018 | Suicide by hanging |
46 | Chyna (Joanie Laurer) |
WWF, NJPW, TNA | December 27, 1969 | April 20, 2016 | Medication overdose |
46 | Floyd Creatchman | Lutte Internationale, NWA Detroit | June 25, 1957 | October 26, 2003 | Crohn's disease |
46 | Daffney (Shannon Spruill) |
WCW, TNA, OVW, Wrestlicious, SHIMMER, ACW | July 17, 1975 | September 1, 2021 | Suicide by gunshot[77] |
46 | Herman Hickman | NWA | October 1, 1911 | April 25, 1958 | Unknown |
46 | Magnificent Maurice (Eugene Dubuque) | WWWF, NWA, AWA, NWA San Francisco, NWA Hawaii | December 11, 1927 | March 13, 1974 | Plane crash |
46 | Maximum Capacity (Michael Stanco) | NWA, FOW, Zero1, Hustle, wrestled in various promotions in Europe | August 2, 1968 | August 21, 2014 | Colorectal cancer |
46 | Mitsuharu Misawa | AJPW, Pro Wrestling Noah, NJPW, JPW, NWA, ROH | June 18, 1962 | June 13, 2009 | Heart attack after cervical spinal cord injury in match[78][79] |
46 | Mr. Niebla (Efrén Tiburcio Márquez) |
CMLL, AAA | February 22, 1973 | December 23, 2019 | Blood infection |
46 | Víctor Quiñones | IWA, FMW, IWA Japan, WWC, W*ING | June 30, 1959 | April 1, 2006 | Mix of alcohol and drug overdose |
46 | Road Warrior Hawk (Michael Hegstrand) |
AWA, Lutte Internationale, NWA, AJPW, WWF, WCW, NJPW | January 12, 1957 | October 19, 2003 | Heart attack[80] |
46 | Bestia Salvaje (Juan Rodriguez) |
CMLL | February 11, 1962 | March 20, 2008 | Liver disease |
46 | Sam Sheppard | NWA Los Angeles | December 29, 1923 | April 6, 1970 | Wernicke encephalopathy |
46 | Gus Sonnenberg | NWA, DWU | March 6, 1898 | September 9, 1944 | Leukemia |
47 | Ángel Blanco (José Ángel Vargas Sánchez) |
EMLL, UWA, NJPW | August 2, 1938 | April 26, 1986 | Car accident |
47 | Tiger Jack Fox | N/A | April 2, 1907 | April 6, 1954 | Heart attack |
47 | Tony Halme | NJPW, WWF, CWA | January 6, 1963 | January 8, 2010 | Suicide by gunshot |
47 | Hayabusa (Eiji Ezaki) |
FMW, ECW, CMLL, AJPW | November 29, 1968 | March 3, 2016 | Subarachnoid hemorrhage |
47 | Hercules (Ray Fernandez) |
NWA, WWF, NJPW, WCW, CWF, NWA St. Louis | May 7, 1956 | March 6, 2004 | Heart disease |
47 | Dan Kolov (Doncho Danev) |
N/A | December 27, 1892 | March 26, 1940 | Tuberculosis |
47 | Bob Konovsky | NWA, NWA Chicago | August 19, 1934 | March 6, 1982 | Unknown |
47 | Luther Lindsay (Luther Goodall) |
NWA, Stampede Wrestling, PNW, MACW | December 30, 1924 | February 21, 1972 | Heart attack in match |
47 | Man Mountain Mike (Gary Fletcher) |
NWA, AWA, WWWF | September 15, 1940 | April 30, 1988 | Heart attack |
47 | Rosey (Matthew Anoa'i) |
WWE, HWA, WXW, ECW, AJPW | April 7, 1970 | April 17, 2017 | Congestive heart failure[81] |
47 | Starman (Name unknown) |
CMLL, NJPW | November 16, 1974 | September 23, 2022 | Unknown |
47 | Big John Studd (John Minton) |
NWA, AWA, WWF, NAWA | February 19, 1948 | March 20, 1995 | Liver cancer[19] |
47 | El Texano (Juan Aguilar Jauregui) |
UWA, WCW, CMLL, AAA | November 26, 1958 | January 15, 2006 | Pneumonia |
48 | Tom Burton | WWF, USWA, GWF, UWFi, WCW, IWA Mid-South | October 14, 1961 | March 29, 2010 | Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease |
48 | Francisco Ciatso (Frank Caizzo) |
Independent Circuit, USWA, NWA, TNA, DSW | November 5, 1975 | January 20, 2024 | Unknown |
48 | Chris Colt (Charles Harris) |
NWA, NWA Detroit, PNW, NWA Vancouver | June 22, 1946 | May 23, 1995 | Unknown (AIDS, a drug overdose or suicide) |
48 | Cousin Junior (Lanny Kean) |
WWF, CWA, NWA, USWA | March 19, 1960 | January 13, 2009 | Heart attack |
48 | Dennis Coralluzzo | NWA New Jersey promoter | March 5, 1953 | July 21, 2001 | Brain bleed due to a stroke |
48 | Doc Dean (Ian Dean) |
ASW, WCW, NJPW, European Wrestling Federation (France) | July 3, 1970 | August 14, 2018 | Heart attack |
48 | Steve Doll | WWF, PNW, WCW, AJPW, IWA Mid-South, USWA | December 9, 1960 | March 22, 2009 | Blood clot |
48 | Gorgeous George (George Wagner) |
NWA | March 24, 1915 | December 26, 1963 | Heart attack |
48 | Ray Gunkel | NWA, GCW | February 15, 1924 | August 1, 1972 | Heart attack after match |
48 | Don Ross | NWAHW, NWA | October 6, 1946 | June 2, 1995 | Heart attack[19] |
48 | Harley Saito (Sayori Saito) |
LLPW, Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling | December 21, 1967 | December 15, 2016 | Esophageal cancer |
48 | Ryan Sakoda | WWE, UPW, Zero1, EWF, XWF, WSX | December 31, 1972 | September 2, 2021 | Unknown |
48 | Luna Vachon (Gertrude Vachon) |
CWF, WWF, WCW, ECW, POWW | January 12, 1962 | August 27, 2010 | Drug overdose |
48 | Clarence Weber | Wrestled only in Australia | March 27, 1882 | November 20, 1930 | Coronary occlusion |
48 | Mark Young (Joe Scarpa Jr.) |
WWF, WCW, PNW, AJPW | April 23, 1967 | February 25, 2016 | Unknown |
48 | Yukon Eric (Eric Holmback) |
NWA, MLW, AWA | April 16, 1916 | January 16, 1965 | Suicide by gunshot |
49 | Sheik Ali (Wadi Ayoub) |
WCW Australia, Joint Promotions, and various international promotions | April 20, 1927 | September 29, 1976 | Cancer |
49 | Big Titan (Rick Bognar) |
FMW, WWF, WAR, USWA, CWA, NJPW | January 16, 1970 | September 20, 2019 | Heart attack |
49 | Louis Cyr (Cyprien-Noé Cyr) |
N/A | October 10, 1863 | November 10, 1912 | Chronic nephritis |
49 | Jack Claybourne (Elmer Claybourne) |
NWA, NWA Hawaii, MLW | March 8, 1910 | January 7, 1960 | Suicide by gunshot |
49 | Dean Detton | NWA | June 27, 1908 | February 23, 1958 | Suicide by hanging |
49 | Espectrito (Mario Jiminez) |
EMLL, AAA, WWF, IWA Puerto Rico | December 18, 1966 | January 23, 2016 | Unknown |
49 | La Fiera (Arturo Casco Hernández) |
EMLL, AAA, AJPW, NJPW | March 17, 1961 | September 12, 2010 | Murder |
49 | Kung Fu (Raymundo Cuesta Veloz) |
EMLL, UWA | January 20, 1951 | January 3, 2001 | Arterial hypertension |
49 | Hideki Hosaka | FMW, AJPW, Pro Wrestling Zero1, BJPW, various Japanese Promotions | August 5, 1971 | August 2, 2021 | Liver and colon cancer |
49 | Bullwhip Johnson (Daniel Johnston) |
NWA, WCW, Lutte International | January 6, 1954 | July 20, 2003 | Liver cirrhosis |
49 | David Khakhaleishvili | RINGS | February 28, 1971 | January 11, 2021 | Complications from heart surgery |
49 | Sherri Martel (Sherry Russell) |
AWA, WWF, WCW, ECW | February 8, 1958 | June 15, 2007 | Drug overdose |
49 | Piratita Morgan (Raymundo Rodríguez) |
EMLL, WWC, AAA, WWF, WWA, TNA | March 15, 1969 | July 8, 2018 | Health issues |
49 | Dick Murdoch (Hoyt Murdoch) |
CWF, NWA, WWF, AJPW, NJPW, WCW, | August 16, 1946 | June 15, 1996 | Heart attack |
49 | Lynn Nelson | Only wrestled in North Dakota | February 24, 1905 | February 19, 1955 | Unknown |
49 | Raizel (Name unknown) |
CMLL, AAA, IWRG, NJPW, various Mexican promotions | February 8, 1973 | April 4, 2022 | Unknown |
49 | Rocco Rock (Ted Petty) |
ECW, NWA, WCW, WWF | September 1, 1953 | September 21, 2002 | Heart attack[21] |
49 | Ray Steele (Peter Sauer) |
NWA | February 2, 1900 | September 11, 1949 | Heart attack |
49 | Supreme (Lester Perfors) |
XPW, FMW, Perros del Mal, independent circuit | May 30, 1970 | May 6, 2020 | Heart attack |
49 | Jumbo Tsuruta (Tomomi Tsuruta) |
AJPW, NWA, AWA | March 25, 1951 | May 13, 2000 | Complications of a liver transplant |
49 | Grigory Verichev | FMW | April 4, 1957 | May 25, 2006 | Unknown |
49 | "Dr. Death" Steve Williams | Mid-South/UWF, NWA, WWF, WCW, AJPW, ECW | May 14, 1960 | December 29, 2009 | Throat cancer |
Under 60
[edit]Age | Ring name (Birth name) |
Promotion(s) worked for | Date of birth | Date of death | Cause of death |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
50 | Brad Armstrong (Robert Bradley James) |
WCW, NWA, SMW, NJPW, USWA, WWE | June 15, 1962 | November 1, 2012 | Heart attack |
50 | Max Baer | unknown | February 11, 1909 | November 21, 1959 | Heart attack |
50 | The French Angel (Maurice Tillet) |
AWA, NWA, NWA Tri-State | October 23, 1903 | September 4, 1954 | Cardiovascular disease |
50 | Fuzzy Cupid (Leon Stap) |
WWWF, NWA | September 24, 1928 | April 26, 1979 | Unknown |
50 | Ivan Gomes | NJPW | December 25, 1939 | March 2, 1990 | Renal illness |
50 | King Kong Kirk (Malcolm Kirk) |
Joint Promotions, CWA, ASW, NWA | December 18, 1936 | August 24, 1987 | Heart attack in match |
50 | Yakov Kozalchik | Wrestled only in Israel | July 13, 1902 | June 13, 1953 | Starvation from depression |
50 | Dave Legeno (David Steven Murray) |
British Wrestling Federation | October 12, 1963 | July 6, 2014 | Heat illness |
50 | Lucifer (Tim Burke) |
MEWF, IPWA, ECWA, MCW | October 1, 1960 | June 21, 2011 | Cancer |
50 | Kızılcıklı Mahmut | N/A | 1880 | February 3, 1931 | Unknown |
50 | Billy Papke | N/A | September 17, 1886 | November 26, 1936 | Murder-suicide |
50 | Paul Pons | N/A | June 23, 1864 | April 13, 1915 | Drowning |
50 | Mark Starr (Mark Ashford-Smith) |
WCW, CWF, CWA, WWF, PWFG, FMW | December 26, 1962 | June 7, 2013 | Heart attack |
50 | Sweet Georgia Brown (Susie Mae McCoy) |
NWA, MACW, Stampede Wrestling | December 22, 1938 | July 25, 1989 | Breast cancer |
50 | Villano I (José de Jesús Díaz Mendoza) |
UWA, CMLL | June 28, 1950 | January 4, 2001 | Cerebral hemorrhage |
50 | Buddy Wayne (Steve Finley) |
NWA Vancouver, PNW, WWF, WCW, ECCW | May 27, 1967 | June 15, 2017 | Heart attack |
50 | Bearcat Wright (Edward Wright) |
NWA, CWC, Stampede Wrestling, CWF, NJPW | January 13, 1932 | August 28, 1982 | Sickle cell anemia |
50 | Yar (Raymond Gajtkowski) |
NWA, JAPW, ECW, independent circuit | March 5, 1971 | September 1, 2021 | Unknown |
50 | Yutaka Yoshie | NJPW, AJPW, Zero1, Toryumon, Noah, various Japanese promotions | January 5, 1974 | March 10, 2024 | Arteriosclerosis[82] |
51 | Arkangel de la Muerte (Alfredo Pasillas) |
CMLL | July 16, 1966 | June 13, 2018 | Cardiac arrest[83] |
51 | Al Mills | AWA, Stampede Wrestling | 1910 | July 10, 1961 | Unknown |
51 | Verlon Biggs | CWA, UWF Mid-South | March 16, 1943 | June 7, 1994 | Leukemia |
51 | Black Cat (Victor Manuel) |
UWA, NJPW, AAA, WCW | October 17, 1954 | January 28, 2006 | Heart attack |
51 | Kerry Brown | Stampede Wrestling, GPW, Lutte Internationale, WWC, NWA, NJPW | February 3, 1958 | September 10, 2009 | Liver failure |
51 | Renato Gardini | N/A | March 20, 1889 | September 29, 1940 | Unknown |
51 | Hido (Hideo Takayama) |
BJW, IWA-MS, FMW, W*ING | October 19, 1969 | October 17, 2021 | Unknown |
51 | Jimmy Jackson | UWF Mid-South, WWF, MACW | July 28, 1956 | June 17, 2008 | Unknown |
51 | Jun Izumida | AJPW, NOAH | October 28, 1965 | January 25, 2017 | Heart attack |
51 | Azumafuji Kin'ichi (Kinichi Inoue) |
JWA, NWA Hawaii | October 28, 1921 | July 31, 1973 | Colon cancer |
51 | Harvey Martin | WWF, WCCW, GWF | November 16, 1950 | December 24, 2001 | Pancreatic cancer |
51 | Moondog Spot (Larry Latham) |
WWF, CWA, NWA, USWA | June 6, 1952 | November 29, 2003 | Heart attack in match |
51 | Nikola Petroff (Nikola Petrov) |
N/A | December 19, 1873 | January 2, 1925 | Unknown |
51 | Picudo (Arturo Hernández Herrada) |
AAA, IWRG | August 3, 1967 | August 3, 2018 | Diabetes |
51 | Silver King (César Cuauhtémoc González Barrón) |
UWA, WCW, CMLL, AJPW, NJPW, AAA | January 9, 1968 | May 11, 2019 | Stroke in ring, followed by heart attack |
51 | Paul Varelans | ECW, Kingdom | September 17, 1969 | January 16, 2021 | COVID-19 |
51 | Maurice Webb | created the Admiral-Lord Mountevans rules in the United Kingdom | September 26, 1904 | June 10, 1956 | Unknown |
51 | Frankie Williams (Armando Pumarejo) |
WWWF/WWF | February 20, 1940 | April 23, 1991 | Lung cancer |
51 | Emmanuel Yarbrough | CWA | September 5, 1964 | December 21, 2015 | Heart attack |
52 | Gene Anderson | AWA, GCW, MACW | October 4, 1939 | October 31, 1991 | Heart attack |
52 | Buddy Austin (Austin Wesley Rapes) |
WWWF, NWA, JWA | February 27, 1929 | August 12, 1981 | Heart attack |
52 | Nicole Bass | WWF, ECW, XPW, NEO | August 10, 1964 | February 17, 2017 | Heart attack |
52 | Ady Berber | wrestled only in Austria and Germany | February 4, 1913 | January 3, 1966 | Unknown |
52 | Trevor Berbick | UWFi | August 1, 1954 | October 28, 2006 | Murder |
52 | El Brazo (Juan Alvarado Nieves) |
WWA, AAA, UWA, CMLL | July 30, 1961 | October 15, 2013 | Diabetes |
52 | Melissa Coates | OVW, UPW, WSU, Independent Circuit | June 18, 1969 | June 23, 2021 | Complications from COVID-19[84] |
52 | John Cozman | Stampede Wrestling, HIW, various independent circuit promotions in Canada | August 28, 1964 | November 28, 2016 | Unknown |
52 | Jimmy Del Ray (David Ferrier) |
SMW, WWF, PWF, USWA, ECW, WCW | November 30, 1962 | December 6, 2014 | Heart attack |
52 | Espantito (Martín Rodríguez) |
AAA, NWA, various promotions in Mexico and United States | April 24, 1968 | October 12, 2020 | Pneumonia |
52 | Doug Furnas (Dwight Furnas) |
AJPW, CCW, WCW, WWF, ECW | December 11, 1959 | March 2, 2012 | Heart attack |
52 | George Gadaski (George Kosti) |
AWA, NWA, Stampede Wrestling | April 30, 1930 | December 16, 1982 | Brain Tumor |
52 | Giant Haystacks (Martin Ruane) |
Stampede Wrestling, Joint Promotions CWA, AJPW, WCW | October 10, 1946 | November 29, 1998 | Lymphoma |
52 | Troy 'The Hippie' Graham (Troy Rolland Thompson Jr.) |
AWA, CWA, NWA, USWA | October 26, 1949 | March 7, 2002 | Heart attack |
52 | Tonina Jackson (Héctor Garza Lozano Vela) |
EMLL, NWA, NWA Mid-America, WCCW, WWWF | January 9, 1917 | November 3, 1969 | Possibly complications from health issues |
52 | Jim Jefferson | MACW, CWA, CSW, CWF | July 14, 1960 | February 8, 2013 | Unknown |
52 | Karol Kalmikoff | NWA, AWA, NWA Tri-State, MLW | August 12, 1912 | September 11, 1964 | Heart attack |
52 | Ivan Linow (Jānis Linaus) |
N/A | November 21, 1888 | November 21, 1940 | Heart attack |
52 | Paul Luty | Joint Promotions | May 4, 1932 | January 12, 1985 | Unknown |
52 | Rockin' Rebel (Charles Williams) |
ECW, WCW, WWF, CZW, independent circuit | January 13, 1966 | June 1, 2018 | Murder-suicide |
52 | Silo Sam (John Elmo Harris) |
WCCW, AWA | September 12, 1952 | April 19, 2005 | Unknown; possibly related to gigantism |
52 | Iron Mike Steele (John Meek) |
CWF, Independent circuit | July 18, 1955 | August 29, 2007 | Vehicular homicide |
52 | Frank Wycheck | TNA | October 14, 1971 | December 9, 2023 | Head injuries from a fall |
53 | Aníbal (Carlos Contreras) |
EMLL/CMLL, UWA | November 5, 1940 | March 4, 1994 | Brain tumor |
53 | Johnny Attitude (John Greene) |
Founder of Micro Championship Wrestling, WCW, independent circuit | June 9, 1965 | June 12, 2018 | Unknown |
53 | George Bollas | NWA, NWA Hawaii, CWC, Joint Promotions, various European promotions | September 19, 1923 | January 28, 1977 | Heart failure |
53 | Johnny K-9 (Ion Kroitoru)[85] |
WWF, NJPW, SMW, BCW | December 7, 1963 | February 21, 2017 | Acute pulmonary edema[85] |
53 | Ricky Gibson (Richard Cain) |
GCCW, CWA, NWA Mid-America, NWA, UWF, MACW | November 19, 1952 | September 15, 2006 | Heart attack |
53 | Ryuma Go (Hiroshi Yagi) |
NJPW, AJPW, IWE, NWA, AWA, WAR | March 23, 1956 | October 18, 2009 | Blood poisoning |
53 | Tony Jones | APW, BattlARTS, UPW, WWE, XPW | April 6, 1971 | April 11, 2024 | Unknown |
53 | Anton Koolmann | N/A | September 11, 1899 | June 29, 1953 | Unknown |
53 | Henry Kulky | NWA, Various International Promotions | August 11, 1911 | February 12, 1965 | Heart attack |
53 | Buddy Landel (William Ensor) |
NWA, WCW, MACW, SMW, USWA, WWF | August 14, 1961 | June 22, 2015 | Injuries from a car accident |
53 | Danny Little Bear | NWA, Stampede Wrestling, CSW, GCCW | September 13, 1937 | May 12, 1991 | Liver cancer |
53 | Curly Moe (Donald Zalesky) |
IWCCW | April 3, 1962 | July 1, 2015 | Unknown |
53 | Larry O'Dea (Larry Davies) |
WCW Australia, CWF, AJPW | 1944 | June 30, 1997 | Liver cancer |
53 | Johnny Rougeau | IWA Montreal, BTW, NWA, ASW | June 9, 1929 | May 25, 1983 | Cancer |
53 | Mike Shaw | Stampede Wrestling, WCW, WWF | May 9, 1957 | September 11, 2010 | Heart attack |
53 | Silver Cat (Antonio Hernández Herrada) |
CMLL, AAA, various Mexican promotions | April 8, 1970 | March 29, 2024 | Unknown |
53 | Ski Hi Lee (Robert Leedy) |
Stampede Wrestling, NWA, Joint Promotions | February 9, 1921 | May 31, 1974 | Believed to be acromegaly |
53 | Ken Timbs | MACW, GCW, EMLL, CSW, CWF | January 27, 1951 | August 1, 2004 | Cardiomyopathy and congestive heart failure |
53–54 | Taro Miyake | N/A | August 15, 1881 | 1935 | Unknown |
54 | Akebono (Chadwick Haheo Rowan) |
WWE, AJPW, NJPW, Hustle, Zero 1, various Japanese promotions | May 8, 1969 | April 11, 2024 | heart failure |
54 | Ted Allen (Ted Allen Lipscomb) |
GCW, Mid-South Wrestling, CWA, SMW, Independent Circuit | November 17, 1955 | August 19, 2010 | Heart attack |
54 | Angel of Death (David Sheldon) |
Stampede Wrestling, UWF, GWF, WCW | July 20, 1953 | November 25, 2007 | Unknown |
54 | Awesome Kong (Dwayne McCullough) |
WCW, GWF, USWA, Independent Circuit | January 5, 1958 | November 17, 2012 | Heart attack |
54 | Black Warrior (Jesus Toral López) |
CMLL, UWA, AAA | January 7, 1969 | January 10, 2023 | Unknown |
54 | Josephine Blatt | N/A | 1869 | September 1, 1923 | Unknown |
54 | Jonathan Boyd (Jonathan Barry Boyle) |
WCW Australia, NWA, PNW, CWA | October 21, 1944 | August 7, 1999 | Heart attack |
54 | Crybaby Waldo (Walt McDonald) |
ECW, NWA, IPWA, independent circuit | April 21, 1966 | July 28, 2020 | Heart attack |
54 | Lionel Conacher | wrestled only in Canada | May 24, 1900 | May 26, 1954 | Heart attack |
54 | Droz (Darren Drozdov) |
WWF, ECW | April 7, 1969 | June 30, 2023 | Natural causes |
54 | Bob Fitzsimmons | N/A | May 26, 1863 | October 22, 1917 | Pneumonia |
54 | Dory Funk, Sr. | WSS, NWA, AWA, NWA St. Louis, WWWF | May 4, 1919 | June 3, 1973 | Heart attack |
54 | Jos LeDuc (Michel Pigeon) |
NWA, Lutte Internationale, AWA, WWF, CWA, CWF, GCW | August 30, 1944 | May 1, 1999 | Lung infection |
54 | Arvo Lindén | N/A | February 27, 1887 | March 18, 1941 | Unknown |
54 | Benny McCrary | NWA, NJPW | December 7, 1946 | March 26, 2001 | Heart attack[33][34] |
54 | Yoshihiro Momota | AJPW | March 15, 1946 | November 22, 2000 | Liver failure |
54 | Väinö Myllyrinne | wrestled in Europe | February 27, 1909 | April 13, 1963 | Acromegaly |
54 | La Parka II (Jesús Alfonso Huerta Escoboza) |
AAA, IWRG, DDT Pro-Wrestling, wrestled in various promotions in Mexico | January 4, 1966 | January 11, 2020 | Lung and kidney failure |
54 | Puppet the Psycho Dwarf (Stevie Lee) |
TNA, WWA, Independent Circuit | 1966 | September 9, 2020 | Unknown[86][87] |
54 | Tommy Rogers (Thomas Couch) |
UWF, NWA, AJPW, WCW, WWF, ECW | May 14, 1961 | June 1, 2015 | Unknown (believed to be suicide) |
54 | The Ultimate Warrior (James Hellwig) |
WWF, CWA, WCWA, WCW | June 16, 1959 | April 8, 2014 | Heart attack |
54 | Uncle Elmer (Stan Fraizer) |
CWA, NWA, GCCW, WWF, USWA | August 16, 1937 | July 1, 1992 | Diabetes |
54 | Pez Whatley | CWF, NWA, WWF, WCW | January 10, 1951 | January 18, 2005 | Heart attack |
54–55 | Hergeleci İbrahim (Ibrahim Mahmut) |
wrestled only in Turkey | 1862 | 1917 | Unknown |
54–55 | George de Relwyskow | Joint Promotions | June 18, 1887 | 1942 | Unknown |
55 | Matt Borne (Matthew Osborne) |
PNW, WCCW, UWF, WWF, WCW, ECW | July 27, 1957 | June 28, 2013 | Drug overdose (possible heart failure) |
55 | Danie Brits | WWP, various promotions in South Africa | March 3, 1965 | September 3, 2020 | Heart attack |
55 | Haystacks Calhoun (William Dee Calhoun) |
WWWF, NWA | August 3, 1934 | December 7, 1989 | Diabetes |
55 | Chief Little Eagle (Richard Thomas Bryant) |
NWA, GCW, NWA Gulf Coast, CWC | March 21, 1935 | July 7, 1990 | Murder |
55 | Johnny Lee Clary | NWF | June 18, 1959 | October 21, 2014 | Heart attack |
55 | Eddie Graham (Edward Gossett) |
WWWF, CWF, NWA | January 15, 1930 | January 21, 1985 | Multiple gunshot suicide |
55 | Rumi Kazama | AJW, JWP, LLPW, DDT, WAR | November 28, 1965 | September 21, 2021 | Endometriosis |
55 | Koji Kitao | SWS, NJPW, WWF, WAR | August 12, 1963 | February 10, 2019 | Kidney disease |
55 | MS-1 (Pablo Fuentes Reyna) |
CMLL, AAA, UWA | December 31, 1956 | January 12, 2012 | Car accident |
55 | Mantaur (Mike Halac) |
WWF, ECW, CWA, USWA | May 14, 1968 | July 11, 2023 | Diabetes |
55 | Tony Matisi | N/A | August 23, 1914 | August 26, 1969 | Illness |
55 | Hans Nijman (Johannes Nijman) |
Fighting Network Rings | September 23, 1959 | November 5, 2014 | Murder |
55 | Bull Ortega (Jesus Ortega) |
Stampede Wrestling, NWA, WWWF, MLW, NWA Detroit | May 12, 1922 | July 28, 1977 | Heart attack |
55 | Antonio Peña (Antonio Herrada) |
founder of AAA, CMLL | June 13, 1951 | October 5, 2006 | Heart attack |
55 | Antonino Rocca (Antonino Biasetton) |
WWWF, NWA | April 13, 1921 | March 15, 1977 | Urinary tract infection |
55 | Universo 2000 (Andrés Reyes González) |
CMLL, AAA, IWRG | April 18, 1963 | May 1, 2018 | Heart problems |
55 | Diane Von Hoffman (Phyllis Burch) |
USWA, CWA, LPWA, LMLW | April 13, 1962 | July 6, 2017 | Complications from knee surgery |
55 | Timothy Well (Timothy Smith) |
AJPW, USWA, WWF, WCW, ECW | September 8, 1961 | January 9, 2017 | Kidney failure |
55 | Chris Youngblood (Christopher Romero) |
WCCW, WWC, WCW, AJPW, USWA, FMW | February 10, 1966 | July 7, 2021 | Believed to be liver and kidney failure |
56 | Brad Batten | NWA, CSW, ACCW, SMW, WWC, SSW | September 8, 1958 | November 18, 2014 | Heart attack |
56 | Edwin Bibby | N/A | November 15, 1848 | May 5, 1905 | Rheumatism |
56 | Paul Bunyan (Max Palmer) |
NWA Mid-America, NWF | November 27, 1927 | May 17, 1984 | Heart disease |
56 | Emilio Charles Jr. (Sergio Garduño) |
CMLL | October 12, 1956 | December 28, 2012 | Kidney failure[88] |
56 | Espanto III (Miguel Vázquez Bernal) |
EMLL | February 11, 1940 | December 8, 1996 | Heart attack |
56 | Bill Fralic | WWF | October 31, 1962 | December 13, 2018 | Cancer |
56 | Steve Gillespie | WFWA, Stampede Wrestling, FMW, WWF, CNWA, Onita Pro | July 22, 1963 | January 18, 2020 | Heart attack |
56 | Babe the Farmer's Daughter (Ursula Hayden) |
GLOW | March 8, 1966 | December 3, 2022 | Cancer |
56 | Ice Train (Harold Hogue) |
WCW, CWA | November 13, 1942 | January 23, 2024 | Unknown |
56 | Walter Johnson | NWA, BTW, WCCW | November 13, 1942 | June 29, 1999 | Heart attack |
56 | Cowboy Lang (Harry Lang) |
NWA, WWF, AWA | August 28, 1950 | January 4, 2007 | Heart disease |
56 | Steve Lawler (Steve Gower) |
SCW, DSW, TCW, Independent Circuit | January 24, 1965 | September 2, 2021 | COVID-19 |
56 | Maurice Letchford | wrestled in the US, Canada, UK, and South Africa | August 27, 1908 | August 15, 1965 | Unknown |
56 | Blimp Levy (Martin Levy) |
NWA | April 30, 1905 | November 8, 1961 | Believed to be complications from obesity |
56 | Dave McKigney | MLW, WWWF, NWA, NJPW, NWA Detroit, Big Bear Promotions | June 9, 1932 | July 4, 1988 | Car accident |
56 | Moondog King (Edward White) |
WWF, Lutte Internationale | May 18, 1949 | August 26, 2005 | Injuries from a car accident and health issues |
56 | Max Muscle (John Czawlytko) |
WCW, USWA, GWF, MCW, XPW | February 22, 1963 | June 27, 2019 | Unknown |
56 | Yvon Robert | NWA, Montreal, MLW | October 8, 1914 | July 12, 1971 | Heart attack |
56 | Garry Robbins | CNWA, GWF, NJPW, WWC, Indo-Asian Wrestling | September 9, 1957 | December 11, 2013 | Heart attack |
56 | Ben Roller | N/A | July 1, 1876 | April 19, 1933 | Pneumonia |
56 | Buddy Rose (Paul Perschmann) |
AWA, PNW, WWF | November 27, 1952 | April 28, 2009 | Natural causes from obesity; diabetes complications |
56 | Kurt Von Hess (William Terry) |
NWA, Lutte Internationale, All-Star, Maple Leaf Wrestling, NJPW, WWF | April 10, 1942 | March 13, 1999 | Heart attack |
56–57 | Black Guzmán (Miguel Guzman Huerta) |
CMLL, NWA | 1916 | December 1, 1973 | Unknown |
57 | Jerry Balisok | GCW, CWF | September 8, 1955 | April 18, 2013 | Heart attack |
57 | Fred Beell | N/A | January 17, 1876 | August 5, 1933 | Shot |
57 | Brazo de Oro (Jesús Alvarado Nieves) |
CMLL, WWA, UWA, NWA Los Angeles | October 7, 1959 | April 28, 2017 | Heart attack |
57 | Brick Bronsky (Jeffrey Beltzner) |
Stampede Wrestling, Independent circuit | April 18, 1964 | August 23, 2021 | COVID-19 |
57 | Brickhouse Brown (Frederick Seawright) |
UWF Mid-South, NWA, WWF, CWA, USWA | August 11, 1960 | July 29, 2018 | Prostate cancer |
57 | Chris Champion (Christopher Ashford-Smith) |
WCW, MACW, CWA, CWF, USWA | February 17, 1961 | August 22, 2018 | Presumed to be a stroke |
57 | Al Green (Alfred Dobalo) |
WCW, WCPW, CWF, AJPW, CWA | October 15, 1955 | June 14, 2013 | Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease |
57 | The Grand Wizard (Ernie Roth) |
NWA, WWWF/WWF | August 30, 1926 | October 12, 1983 | Heart attack |
57 | Betty Jo Hawkins (Elizabeth Floyd) |
NWA, CWF, Stampede Wrestling | October 22, 1930 | December 4, 1987 | Heart attack |
57 | Samson Kutsuwada | JWA, AJPW | May 1, 1947 | October 12, 2004 | Leukemia |
57 | Masakre (Aristóteles Radamés Coccó Flores) |
CMLL, AAA | May 13, 1954 | April 12, 2012 | Spinal cancer |
57 | Akram Pahalwan | Joint Promotions. wrestled in India, Pakistan, and various international promotions | 1930 | April 12, 1987 | Unknown |
57 | Zoogz Rift (Robert Pawlikowski) |
UWF | July 10, 1953 | March 22, 2011 | Complications from diabetes |
57 | Bert Ruby (Bertalan Rubinstein) |
NWA, promoter for NWA Detroit | November 29, 1910 | March 9, 1968 | Heart attack |
57 | Paddy Ryan (Earl Patrick Freeman) |
Stampede Wrestling, PNW, NWA All-Star Wrestling | August 23, 1932 | December 28, 1989 | Heart attack |
57 | Bart Sawyer (Steven Stewart) |
PNW, NWA, WCW, USWA, ECCW, W*ING | November 30, 1965 | September 12, 2023 | Unknown |
57 | Mark Tendler | WWWF, NWA Hawaii, NWA, AJPW | March 4, 1932 | February 15, 1990 | Murder by Gunshot |
57 | Shag Thomas (James Thomas) |
Stampede Wrestling, NWA, PNW | August 11, 1924 | July 25, 1982 | Heart attack |
57 | Don Vines | Joint Promotions | February 6, 1932 | September 17, 1989 | Unknown |
57 | Fez Whatley (Todd Hillier) |
World Championship Wrestling | March 31, 1964 | August 14, 2021 | Heart failure |
58 | Gran Apache (Mario Balbuena González) |
CMLL, AAA, IWA Japan | April 16, 1959 | May 7, 2017 | Intestinal cancer |
58 | Paul Bearer (William Moody) |
WWF, CWF, WCCW, USWA, TNA | April 10, 1954 | March 5, 2013 | Heart attack |
58 | Brazo de Plata (José Luis Alvarado Nieves) |
CMLL, AAA, WWE, WWA, UWA, IWRG | March 19, 1963 | July 26, 2021 | Heart attack |
58 | Bulldog Bob Brown | NWA, Stampede Wrestling, AWA, All-Star, NWA St. Louis, CSW | October 16, 1938 | February 5, 1997 | Heart attack |
58 | Ripper Collins (Roy Lee Albern) |
NWA Hawaii, AWA, GCCW, Stampede Wrestling | October 10, 1933 | November 12, 1991 | Melanoma |
58 | Adam Forepaugh | N/A | February 28, 1831 | January 22, 1890 | Complications from 1889–1890 pandemic |
58 | Giant Gustav | NWA, NJPW, IWCCW | April 13, 1961 | October 6, 2019 | Heart Attack |
58 | Tarzan Goto (Seijo Goto) |
AJPW, FMW, NWA, CWA, ECW, IWA Japan | August 16, 1963 | May 29, 2022 | Liver cancer |
58 | Kevin Greene | WCW | July 31, 1962 | December 21, 2020 | Heart attack |
58 | Helen Hild (Gladys Helen Nevins) |
NWA, WWWF | February 26, 1926 | March 4, 1984 | Lung infection |
58 | Tank Morgan (Paul McManus) |
WWWF, NWA, IWE, NWA Hawaii, UWF | April 18, 1933 | August 15, 1991 | Murder |
58 | New Jack (Jerome Young) |
ECW, SMW, USWA, TNA, XPW | January 3, 1963 | May 14, 2021 | Heart attack |
58 | Don Nakaya Nielsen | NJPW, PWFG | July 8, 1959 | August 16, 2017 | Heart attack complications from surgery |
58 | Randy Savage (Randall Poffo) |
WWF, NWA, ICW, CWA, WCW | November 15, 1952 | May 20, 2011 | Cardiovascular disease |
58 | Scorpio Jr. (Rafael Núñez Juan) |
CMLL, AAA, UWA, various Mexican Promotions | October 11, 1966 | November 7, 2024 | |
58 | Tracy Smothers | CWA, WCW, SMW, WWF, ECW, IWA Mid-South | September 2, 1962 | October 28, 2020 | Lymphoma |
58 | George Tragos | NWA | March 14, 1897 | September 5, 1955 | Unknown |
58 | Tarzan Tyler (Camille Tourville) |
NWA, Lutte Internationale, WWWF, CWF | December 4, 1927 | December 24, 1985 | Car wreck |
58 | Larry Winters | ECW, TWA, AWA, NWA, Pro Wrestling USA, NWF | April 14, 1956 | January 27, 2015 | Heart attack |
59 | Evgeny Artyukhin Sr. | NJPW | June 17, 1949 | July 12, 2008 | Heart attack during training |
59 | Shota Chochishvili | NJPW | July 10, 1950 | August 27, 2009 | Leukemia |
59 | John Condrone | CCW, NWA, WCW, independent circuit | November 16, 1960 | October 20, 2020 | COVID-19 |
59 | Douglas Clark | Joint Promotions | May 2, 1891 | February 1, 1951 | Unknown |
59 | Espectro I (Antonio Arriaga) |
EMLL | February 9, 1934 | October 13, 1993 | Unknown |
59 | Angel Gabriele | WWA, PPW | March 21, 1956 | February 23, 2016 | Unknown |
59 | René Guajardo (Manuel Guajardo Mejorado) |
EMLL, UWA, WCCW, CWA | January 4, 1933 | May 11, 1992 | Liver cancer |
59 | Ralph Hammonds | NWA | July 9, 1906 | May 5, 1966 | Unknown |
59 | Mickie Henson | referee for WWE, WCW, CWF | January 2, 1963 | February 14, 2022 | COVID-19 |
59 | Ernie Holmes | GCW, WWF | July 11, 1948 | January 17, 2008 | Car accident |
59 | Don Kent (Leo Smith Jr.) |
NWA, WWWF, NWA Mid-America, CWF | June 24, 1933 | June 7, 1993 | Leukemia |
59 | Evan "Strangler" Lewis | N/A | May 24, 1860 | November 9, 1919 | Cancer[89] |
59 | Dutch Mantell (Alfred Albert Joe de Re la Gardiur) |
N/A | July 25, 1881 | January 31, 1941 | Cancer |
59 | Mike Marino | Joint Promotions | October 8, 1921 | August 24, 1981 | Leukemia |
59 | Drew McDonald (Charles Shaw) |
All Star Wrestling, Stampede Wrestling, CWA | June 16, 1955 | February 9, 2015 | Cancer |
59 | Matthew Saad Muhammad | UWFi | August 5, 1954 | May 25, 2014 | Lou Gehrig's disease |
59 | Charlie Norris | WCW, PWA, independent circuit | October 21, 1963 | February 6, 2023 | Unknown |
59 | Tony Parisi (Antonio Pugliese) |
WWWF, NWA, Lutte Internationale, MLW | January 22, 1941 | August 19, 2000 | Heart attack |
59 | The Patriot (Del Wilkes) |
AWA, WCW, WWF, GWF, AJPW | December 21, 1961 | July 1, 2021 | Heart attack |
59 | Eddie Quinn | promoter for wrestling in Montreal, NWA St. Louis | May 22, 1906 | December 14, 1965 | Cerebral hemorrhage |
59 | Mangla Rai (Mahamalla Rai) |
Wrestled only in India | October 1916 | June 24, 1976 | Multiple organ failure |
59 | Tex Rickard (George Rickard) |
promoter for wrestling in New York City | January 2, 1870 | January 6, 1929 | Appendicitis |
59 | John L. Sullivan | N/A | October 15, 1858 | February 2, 1918 | Heart disease |
59 | Skip Young (Galton Young) |
WCCW, NWA, CWF, USWA, WWC | July 24, 1951 | December 3, 2010 | Unknown |
59 | Super Muñeco (Hebert Palafox) |
AAA, WWA, CMLL/EMLL, various promotions in Mexico | April 10, 1962 | February 9, 2022 | Unknown |
59 | Don West | TNA | June 20, 1963 | December 30, 2022 | Lymphoma |
59 | Tom Zenk | AWA, WWF, Lutte Internationale, WCW, AJPW | November 30, 1958 | December 9, 2017 | Heart attack from atherosclerosis and cardiomegaly |
Under 65
[edit]Age | Ring name (Birth name) |
Promotion(s) worked for | Date of birth | Date of death | Cause of death |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
60 | Dieusel Berto | PWFG, RINGS, Battlarts | March 24, 1958 | December 29, 2018 | Illness |
60 | Bearcat Brown (Matt Jewell) |
NWA Mid-America, NWA, NWA Gulf Coast, CWF, CWA | August 31, 1935 | April 7, 1996 | Unknown |
60 | Dynamite Kid (Thomas Billington) |
WWF, Stampede Wrestling, Joint Promotions, ASW, NJPW, AJPW | December 5, 1958 | December 5, 2018 | Unconfirmed, but had long-term health issues including stroke[90] |
60 | Rufus R. Jones (Carey Lloyd) |
CSW, NWA St. Louis, NWA, MACW, AWA, AJPW | July 4, 1933 | November 13, 1993 | Heart attack |
60 | Mosco de la Merced (Juan Valdez Valentino) |
UWA, AAA | June 23, 1964 | August 19, 2024 | |
60 | Mountain Fiji (Emily Dole) |
GLOW | September 28, 1957 | January 2, 2018 | Natural causes from years of health issues |
60 | Princess Jasmine (Cynthia Peretti) |
GLOW, AWA, POWW | June 2, 1948 | May 8, 2009 | Cancer |
60 | Road Warrior Animal (Joseph Laurinaitis) |
NWA, Lutte Internationale, AWA, MACW, WWF/E, WCW, AJPW, TNA | September 12, 1960 | September 22, 2020 | Heart attack |
60 | Stan Stasiak (George Stipich) |
PNW, Stampede Wrestling, WWWF, NWA | April 13, 1937 | June 19, 1997 | Heart failure |
60 | Ray Stevens (Carl Stevens) |
BTW SF, AWA, NWA, WWWF/WWF, CWF | September 5, 1935 | May 3, 1996 | Heart attack |
60 | Yamaguchi-san (Yusuke Yamaguchi) |
AJPW, FMW, WWF, Michinoku Pro Wrestling, ULL | May 5, 1958 | March 9, 2019 | Stroke |
61 | Jimmy Abbott | various promotions in South Africa | May 11, 1959 | March 21, 2021 | Heart attack |
61 | Giant Baba (Shohei Baba) |
JWA, AJPW, NWA, WWWF | January 23, 1938 | January 31, 1999 | Colon cancer |
61 | Butcher Brannigan (Joseph Novo) |
WCW Australia, CWF, WWWF, Stampede Wrestling, NWA | September 3, 1948 | September 7, 2009 | Kidney failure and heart disease |
61 | Cocoa Samoa (Ulualoaiga Emelio) |
ASW, CWF, PNW, CWA | March 9, 1945 | January 9, 2007 | Unknown |
61 | Terry Garvin (Terry Joyal) |
GCCW, IWA Montreal, CSW, NWA, MACW, WWF | March 1, 1937 | August 17, 1998 | Cancer |
61 | Mike Graham (Michael Gossett) |
CWF, NWA, AWA, WCW | September 22, 1951 | October 19, 2012 | Suicide by gunshot while intoxicated |
61 | Killer Karl Krupp (George Momberg) |
ESA, GPW, WCCW, MLW, NJPW, CWA | May 13, 1934 | August 24, 1995 | Hepatitis |
61 | Little Beaver (Lionel Giroux) |
Lutte Internationale, WWWF/WWF, MLW, AWA, NWA | April 18, 1934 | December 4, 1995 | Emphysema |
61 | Boris Malenko (Larry Simon) |
CWF, WWWF, CWC, MACW, NWA, NJPW | June 28, 1933 | September 1, 1994 | Leukemia |
61 | Bubba Monroe (Quentin Bell) |
CWA, TASW, GWF, independent circuit | October 23, 1960 | September 10, 2022 | Unknown |
61 | Roddy Piper (Roderick Toombs) |
AWA, PNW, GCW, MLW, WWF, WCW | April 17, 1954 | July 31, 2015 | Heart attack from pulmonary embolism |
61 | Goldie Rogers (David Sherwin) |
ASW, MLW, Stampede Wrestling, WWF | August 5, 1950 | July 20, 2012 | Heart attack |
61 | Sapphire (Juanita Wright) |
WWF, USWA | October 24, 1934 | September 11, 1996 | Heart attack |
61 | Eddy Steinblock (Edwin Steinblock) |
CWA, VDB, owner of European Wrestling Federation, other German promotions | December 16, 1955 | November 9, 2017 | Unknown |
61-62 | Peter Fatouros | wrestled in Australia | 1891 | 1953 | Unknown |
62 | Frank Andersson | NJPW, WCW | May 9, 1956 | September 9, 2018 | Heart failure |
62 | Le Petit Prince (Daniel Dubail) |
FFCP | September 25, 1943 | December 17, 2005 | Unknown |
62 | Luke Brown (Carl Campbell) |
AWA, WWWF, NWA, CSW | July 28, 1935 | November 12, 1997 | Stroke |
62 | Crybaby Cannon (George McCarther) |
NWA, Lutte Internationale, AWA, WWWF, MLW, BTW | March 28, 1932 | July 1, 1994 | Cancer |
62 | Mocho Cota (Manuel Cota Soto) |
EMLL/CMLL | June 5, 1954 | December 22, 2016 | Brain aneurysm |
62 | Bobby Eaton | CWA, NWA Mid-America, UWF Mid-South, WCCW, MACW, WCW | August 14, 1958 | August 4, 2021 | Unknown (found dead in sleep)[91] |
62 | Gorilla Monsoon (Robert Marella) |
WWWF/WWF, NWA, WCW Australia | June 4, 1937 | October 6, 1999 | Heart failure |
62 | Oliver Humperdink (John Sutton) |
MACW, CWF, WWF, WCW | January 16, 1949 | March 20, 2011 | Complications from pneumonia and cancer |
62 | Dr. Karonte (Miguel Urive) |
EMLL/CMLL | February 14, 1957 | August 26, 2019 | Unknown |
62 | Scott LeDoux (Alan LeDoux) |
AWA | January 7, 1949 | August 11, 2011 | Lou Gehrig's disease |
62 | Tommy Lister Jr. | WWF, WWC, WCW | June 24, 1958 | December 10, 2020 | Hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease[92] |
62 | Hiro Matsuda (Yasuhiro Kojima) |
JWA, CWF, WCW, NWA | July 22, 1937 | November 27, 1999 | Prostate cancer |
62 | Mongolian Mauler (Peter Miller) |
ASW, WCW, various international promotions | September 2, 1961 | January 22, 2024 | Years of Health issues |
62 | Barry Orton (Randal Berry Orton) |
WWF, NWA, ICW, MACW, Stampede Wrestling | May 28, 1958 | March 20, 2021 | Unknown |
62 | Ari Romero (Jose Luis Arias Romero) |
CMLL, MPW, BJPW | December 20, 1951 | December 29, 2013 | Liver cancer |
62 | Ron Slinker (David Slinker) |
CWF, NWA, IWCCW, UWF | October 30, 1945 | March 28, 2008 | Liver failure from years of alcoholism |
62 | Moondog Spike (William Smithson) |
CWA, USWA, AJPW, W*ING | May 31, 1950 | March 21, 2013 | Unknown |
62 | Thunder Sugiyama | JWA, AJPW, NJPW, IWE, NWA | July 23, 1940 | November 22, 2002 | Unknown |
62 | Villano V (Raymundo Díaz Mendoza Jr.) |
WCW, CMLL, UWA, AAA | March 22, 1962 | August 29, 2024 | |
63 | Mamdouh Farag | CWA (Germany), promotions in Egypt | August 16, 1951 | August 16, 2014 | Illness |
63 | Big Van Vader (Leon White) |
WCW, WWF, AWA, NJPW, AJPW, Pro Wrestling NOAH | May 14, 1955 | June 18, 2018 | Heart problems |
63 | Rusty Brooks (Kurt Koski) |
WWF, UWF, FOW, various promotions in Florida | February 8, 1958 | February 11, 2021 | Health issues |
63 | Bulldog Brower (Richard Gland) |
MLW, NWA, WWWF/WWF, NWF | September 17, 1933 | September 15, 1997 | Complications from hip surgery |
63 | Bad News Brown (Allen James Coage) |
WWF, NJPW, Stampede Wrestling | October 22, 1943 | March 6, 2007 | Heart attack |
63 | King Kong Bundy (Christopher Pallies) |
WWF, WCCW, NWA, GCW, NJPW, UWF | November 7, 1955 | March 4, 2019 | Complications from diabetes |
63 | Big Bully Busick (Nick Busick) |
WWF, SCW, GWF | June 1, 1954 | May 8, 2018 | Cancer in the cerebrospinal fluid |
63 | Candi Devine (Candace Rummel) |
AWA, NWA, CWA, LPWA, USWA, UWF | January 1, 1959 | February 9, 2022 | Collapsed lung and other health issues |
63 | Brian Glover | Joint Promotions | April 2, 1934 | July 24, 1997 | Brain tumor |
63 | Scott Hall | WWF/WWE, WCW, TNA, NWA, AWA, NJPW | October 20, 1958 | March 14, 2022 | Multiple heart attacks as a result of complications from hip surgery |
63 | Wilhelm von Homburg (Norbert Grupe) |
N/A | August 25, 1940 | March 10, 2004 | Prostate cancer |
63 | S. D. Jones (Conrad Efraim) |
WWF, MACW, NWA, NJPW | March 30, 1945 | October 26, 2008 | Stroke |
63 | Rob Kaman | Fighting Network Rings | June 5, 1960 | March 30, 2024 | Unknown |
63 | Wahoo McDaniel (Edward McDaniel) |
NWA, MACW, WWWF, WCCW, AWA | June 19, 1938 | April 18, 2002 | Complications from diabetes and kidney failure |
63 | Jim Neidhart | WWF, Stampede, WCW, ECW, CWF, NJPW | February 8, 1955 | August 13, 2018 | Head injury from a fall |
63 | Benny Ramírez | NWA, NWA Texas, CSW, IWE, Stampede Wrestling | January 2, 1932 | December 20, 1995 | Plane crash (American Airlines Flight 965) |
63 | Savannah Jack (Theodore Russell) |
AWA, UWF Mid-South | October 15, 1948 | January 17, 2012 | Years of cardiomyopathy problems |
63 | Brett Sawyer (Brett Eugene Woyan) |
NWA, PNW, GCW, MACW, WCW | August 10, 1960 | September 9, 2023 | Unknown |
63 | Sid Vicious (Sid Eudy) |
WCW, WWF, ECW, USWA, CWA | December 16, 1960 | August 26, 2024 | Cancer |
63 | Crusher Verdu (Oscar Verdu) |
WWWF, NWA, Joint Promotions, various European promotions | October 21, 1940 | January 2004 | Unknown |
63 | Vivian St. John (Suzanne Miller) |
WWWF/WWF, CWF | September 10, 1950 | December 20, 2013 | Long illness |
64 | Cousin Luke (Gene Petit) |
WWF, AWA, CWF, MACW | May 19, 1949 | September 29, 2013 | Multiple sclerosis and diabetes |
64 | Jeff Gaylord | USWA, UWF Mid-South, WCCW, GWF, WWF | October 15, 1958 | March 15, 2023 | Unknown |
64 | Bobby Jaggers (Robert Jeaudoin) |
MACW, NWA, NWA St. Louis, PNW, CWF | January 8, 1948 | September 30, 2012 | Kidney failure from hepatitis C |
64 | Teijo Khan (Thomas Kasat) |
AWA, CWF, NWA, MACW, PWA | March 24, 1956 | April 10, 2020 | Unknown |
64 | Rocky King (William Boulware Jr.) |
NWA, MACW, WCW | January 30, 1958 | March 27, 2022 | Years of health issues |
64 | Corporal Kirchner (Michael Penzel) |
WWF, NJPW, Stampede Wrestling, IWA Japan, W*ING, FMW | September 7, 1957 | December 22, 2021 | Heart attack |
64 | Peggy Lee Leather (Peggy Lee Fowler) |
WWF, NWA, POWW, AWA, WCW, LPWA, WOW | January 19, 1959 | May 22, 2023 | Unknown |
64 | Dale Lewis | AWA, CWF, NWA | August 29, 1933 | August 30, 1997 | Leukemia |
64 | Winona Littleheart (Winifred Childree) |
CWF, WWWF/WWF, NWA, POWW, WCW (Women's Championship Wrestling) | September 9, 1955 | May 9, 2020 | Unknown |
64 | Lizmark (Juan Baños) |
EMLL, AAA, CMLL | December 18, 1950 | December 16, 2015 | Respiratory failure |
64 | Michael Okpala | promoter in Nigeria, Joint Promotions, and various international promotions | August 8, 1939 | March 11, 2004 | Illness |
64 | Iron Mike Sharpe | CWA, ASW, MSWA, WWWA, WWF | October 28, 1951 | January 17, 2016 | Years of health issues |
64 | Clem Turner | AWA, WWA, NWA Detroit, NWA St. Louis | May 28, 1945 | December 20, 2009 | Car accident |
64 | Lee Wang-pyo | NJPW, AJPW, KWA, TPW, IWE, FMW | June 11, 1954 | September 4, 2018 | Gallbladder cancer |
64 | Nikolai Zouev | RINGS | May 20, 1958 | May 21, 2022 | Heart disease |
See also
[edit]- List of oldest surviving professional wrestlers
- List of professional wrestling memorial shows
- Ten-bell salute
- Tributes: Remembering Some of the World's Greatest Wrestlers, a book featuring eulogies for professional wrestlers
References
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Further reading
[edit]- Hamilton, Ian (2012). Gone Too Soon: Deaths That Changed Wrestling. CreateSpace. ISBN 978-1-4775-4026-8.