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List of premature professional wrestling deaths

Updated: Wikipedia source

List of premature professional wrestling deaths

A 2014 study by Eastern Michigan University of professional wrestlers who were active between 1985 and 2011, found that mortality rates for professional wrestlers are up to 2 times greater than the rate for men in the wider United States population, with cardiovascular-related deaths being 15 times higher than the general population, drug overdose-related deaths being 122 times greater than the general population, and cancer deaths being 6 times higher than the general population. 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. 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 in the 1970s, 1980s, and early 1990s contributes to high mortality rates among wrestlers. Another 2014 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. 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, with Oliver calling on WWE fans to protest at WrestleMania 35. The WWE denied Oliver's critique. The concept of the untimely deaths of professional wrestlers was a frequent topic of discussion on the Opie & Anthony show. 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.

Tables

· List › Under 20
Janet Wolfe (Janet Boyer Wolfe)
Janet Wolfe (Janet Boyer Wolfe)
Age
18
Ring name (Birth name)
Janet Wolfe (Janet Boyer Wolfe)
Promotion(s) worked for
NWA
Date of birth
June 13, 1933
Date of death
July 28, 1951
Cause of death
Brain haemorrhage
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 28, 1951
Brain haemorrhage
· List › Under 30
Oro (Jesús Javier Hernández)
Oro (Jesús Javier Hernández)
Age
21
Ring name (Birth name)
Oro (Jesús Javier Hernández)
Promotion(s) worked for
CMLL, UWA
Date of birth
December 24, 1971
Date of death
October 26, 1993
Cause of death
Head injury during match
Jeff Peterson
Jeff Peterson
Age
21
Ring name (Birth name)
Jeff Peterson
Promotion(s) worked for
Independent circuit, ECWA, MCW, IPW
Date of birth
August 13, 1981
Date of death
November 29, 2002
Cause of death
Leukemia
Chris Von Erich (Chris Adkisson)
Chris Von Erich (Chris Adkisson)
Age
21
Ring name (Birth name)
Chris Von Erich (Chris Adkisson)
Promotion(s) worked for
WCCW, USWA
Date of birth
September 30, 1969
Date of death
September 12, 1991
Cause of death
Suicide by gunshot
Asahi (Name unknown)
Asahi (Name unknown)
Age
21
Ring name (Birth name)
Asahi (Name unknown)
Promotion(s) worked for
Ice Ribbon, Actwres girl'Z
Date of birth
October 19, 2002
Date of death
February 1, 2024
Cause of death
Car crash
Rey Celestial (Oscar Leonardo Flores Parra)
Rey Celestial (Oscar Leonardo Flores Parra)
Age
22
Ring name (Birth name)
Rey Celestial (Oscar Leonardo Flores Parra)
Promotion(s) worked for
AAA, CLL, Desastre Total Ultraviolento
Date of birth
August 29, 1995
Date of death
September 17, 2017
Cause of death
Struck in a hit and run
Hana Kimura
Hana Kimura
Age
22
Ring name (Birth name)
Hana Kimura
Promotion(s) worked for
World Wonder Ring Stardom, ROH, Wrestle-1, various Japanese Promotions
Date of birth
September 3, 1997
Date of death
May 23, 2020
Cause of death
Suicide by hydrogen sulfide inhalation
Mass Transit (Erich Kulas)
Mass Transit (Erich Kulas)
Age
22
Ring name (Birth name)
Mass Transit (Erich Kulas)
Promotion(s) worked for
ECW, independent circuit
Date of birth
October 17, 1979
Date of death
May 12, 2002
Cause of death
Complications from gastric bypass surgery
Mirai (Chiemi Kitagami)
Mirai (Chiemi Kitagami)
Age
22
Ring name (Birth name)
Mirai (Chiemi Kitagami)
Promotion(s) worked for
AJW, K-DOJO, Atoz
Date of birth
November 17, 1982
Date of death
September 14, 2005
Cause of death
Drowned in bathtub; possibly suicide
Spider (Daniel Quirk)
Spider (Daniel Quirk)
Age
22
Ring name (Birth name)
Spider (Daniel Quirk)
Promotion(s) worked for
NWA New England, independent circuit, WXW, ACW
Date of birth
July 19, 1982
Date of death
May 28, 2005
Cause of death
Head injury in match
Edouard Beaupre (Joseph Édouard Beaupré Piché)
Edouard Beaupre (Joseph Édouard Beaupré Piché)
Age
23
Ring name (Birth name)
Edouard Beaupre (Joseph Édouard Beaupré Piché)
Promotion(s) worked for
N/A
Date of birth
January 9, 1881
Date of death
July 3, 1904
Cause of death
Tuberculosis
Chri$ Ca$h (Christopher Bauman Jr.)
Chri$ Ca$h (Christopher Bauman Jr.)
Age
23
Ring name (Birth name)
Chri$ Ca$h (Christopher Bauman Jr.)
Promotion(s) worked for
CZW
Date of birth
July 13, 1982
Date of death
August 18, 2005
Cause of death
Motorcycle accident
Emiko Kado
Emiko Kado
Age
23
Ring name (Birth name)
Emiko Kado
Promotion(s) worked for
JWP, ARSION
Date of birth
January 28, 1976
Date of death
April 9, 1999
Cause of death
Intercerebral bleeding in match
Shane Shamrock (Brian Howser)
Shane Shamrock (Brian Howser)
Age
23
Ring name (Birth name)
Shane Shamrock (Brian Howser)
Promotion(s) worked for
MCW, MEWF, IPWA
Date of birth
February 8, 1975
Date of death
August 18, 1998
Cause of death
Shot by police
Mike Von Erich (Michael Adkisson)
Mike Von Erich (Michael Adkisson)
Age
23
Ring name (Birth name)
Mike Von Erich (Michael Adkisson)
Promotion(s) worked for
WCCW, NWA, NJPW
Date of birth
March 2, 1964
Date of death
April 12, 1987
Cause of death
Suicide by drug overdose
Reid Flair (Reid Fliehr)
Reid Flair (Reid Fliehr)
Age
25
Ring name (Birth name)
Reid Flair (Reid Fliehr)
Promotion(s) worked for
AJPW, WCW, NWA, SSW, Lucha Libre USA
Date of birth
February 26, 1988
Date of death
March 29, 2013
Cause of death
Drug overdose
David Von Erich (David Adkisson)
David Von Erich (David Adkisson)
Age
25
Ring name (Birth name)
David Von Erich (David Adkisson)
Promotion(s) worked for
WCCW, NWA St. Louis, NWA, AJPW
Date of birth
July 22, 1958
Date of death
February 10, 1984
Cause of death
Acute enteritis
Kasavubu (Jimmy Banks)
Kasavubu (Jimmy Banks)
Age
26
Ring name (Birth name)
Kasavubu (Jimmy Banks)
Promotion(s) worked for
Stampede Wrestling, WWWF, NWA, IWE
Date of birth
May 14, 1956
Date of death
July 27, 1982
Cause of death
Heart attack during operation
Kurtis Chapman
Kurtis Chapman
Age
26
Ring name (Birth name)
Kurtis Chapman
Promotion(s) worked for
Revolution Pro Wrestling, Progress Wrestling, GCW, various British promotions
Date of birth
December 19, 1997
Date of death
December 29, 2023
Cause of death
Suicide by hanging
J . Bailey
J . Bailey
Age
27
Ring name (Birth name)
J . Bailey
Promotion(s) worked for
CZW, IWA Mid-South, IWA East-Coast
Date of birth
August 23, 1983
Date of death
August 30, 2010
Cause of death
Intracranial aneurysm
Masakazu Fukuda
Masakazu Fukuda
Age
27
Ring name (Birth name)
Masakazu Fukuda
Promotion(s) worked for
WAR, NJPW
Date of birth
May 17, 1972
Date of death
April 19, 2000
Cause of death
Head injury in match
Russ Haas (Thomas Russell Haas)
Russ Haas (Thomas Russell Haas)
Age
27
Ring name (Birth name)
Russ Haas (Thomas Russell Haas)
Promotion(s) worked for
ECWA, CZW, MCW, HWA, WWF, JAPW
Date of birth
March 11, 1974
Date of death
December 15, 2001
Cause of death
Heart failure
Louie Spicolli (Louis Mucciolo Jr.)
Louie Spicolli (Louis Mucciolo Jr.)
Age
27
Ring name (Birth name)
Louie Spicolli (Louis Mucciolo Jr.)
Promotion(s) worked for
WWF, ECW, WCW, UWF, AAA, FMW
Date of birth
February 10, 1971
Date of death
February 15, 1998
Cause of death
Drug overdose
Art Barr
Art Barr
Age
28
Ring name (Birth name)
Art Barr
Promotion(s) worked for
PNW, WCW, AAA, EMLL
Date of birth
October 8, 1966
Date of death
November 23, 1994
Cause of death
Heart attack caused by a drug overdose
Gino Hernandez (Charles Wolfe Jr.)
Gino Hernandez (Charles Wolfe Jr.)
Age
28
Ring name (Birth name)
Gino Hernandez (Charles Wolfe Jr.)
Promotion(s) worked for
WCCW, SCW, Houston Wrestling, NWA, UWF Mid-South
Date of birth
August 14, 1957
Date of death
February 2, 1986
Cause of death
Possible drug overdose or murder
Ricky Lawless (Medardo Leon Jr.)
Ricky Lawless (Medardo Leon Jr.)
Age
28
Ring name (Birth name)
Ricky Lawless (Medardo Leon Jr.)
Promotion(s) worked for
ICW, NWF, independent circuit
Date of birth
December 3, 1959
Date of death
November 30, 1988
Cause of death
Murder
Trent Acid (Michael Verdi)
Trent Acid (Michael Verdi)
Age
29
Ring name (Birth name)
Trent Acid (Michael Verdi)
Promotion(s) worked for
ROH, CZW, BJPW, JCW
Date of birth
November 12, 1980
Date of death
June 18, 2010
Cause of death
Drug overdose
Lance Cade (Lance McNaught)
Lance Cade (Lance McNaught)
Age
29
Ring name (Birth name)
Lance Cade (Lance McNaught)
Promotion(s) worked for
WWE, HWA, OVW, MCW, FCW, AJPW
Date of birth
March 2, 1981
Date of death
August 13, 2010
Cause of death
Heart attack caused by drug overdose
Plum Mariko (Mariko Umeda)
Plum Mariko (Mariko Umeda)
Age
29
Ring name (Birth name)
Plum Mariko (Mariko Umeda)
Promotion(s) worked for
JWP, AJW, Japan Women's Pro-Wrestling
Date of birth
November 1, 1967
Date of death
August 16, 1997
Cause of death
Head injury in match
Bobby Shane (Robert Schoenberger)
Bobby Shane (Robert Schoenberger)
Age
29
Ring name (Birth name)
Bobby Shane (Robert Schoenberger)
Promotion(s) worked for
NWA, CWF, CCW, CSW, GCW, WCW Australia
Date of birth
August 25, 1945
Date of death
February 20, 1975
Cause of death
Drowning from plane crash
Chris Taylor
Chris Taylor
Age
29
Ring name (Birth name)
Chris Taylor
Promotion(s) worked for
AWA, AJPW, NWA
Date of birth
June 13, 1950
Date of death
June 30, 1979
Cause of death
Cardiomyopathy
Clarence Whistler
Clarence Whistler
Age
29
Ring name (Birth name)
Clarence Whistler
Promotion(s) worked for
N/A
Date of birth
February 24, 1856
Date of death
November 6, 1885
Cause of death
Pneumonia
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
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
21
Asahi (Name unknown)
Ice Ribbon, Actwres girl'Z
October 19, 2002
February 1, 2024
Car crash
22
Rey Celestial (Oscar Leonardo Flores Parra)
AAA, CLL, Desastre Total Ultraviolento
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
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
25
Matt Travis
House of Glory
Unknown
November 9, 2019
Traffic accident
25
Reid Flair (Reid Fliehr)
AJPW, WCW, NWA, SSW, Lucha Libre USA
February 26, 1988
March 29, 2013
Drug overdose
25
David Von Erich (David Adkisson)
WCCW, NWA St. Louis, NWA, AJPW
July 22, 1958
February 10, 1984
Acute enteritis
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
Suicide by hanging
27
J . 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
28
Art Barr
PNW, WCW, AAA, EMLL
October 8, 1966
November 23, 1994
Heart attack caused by a drug overdose
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
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
29
Plum Mariko (Mariko Umeda)
JWP, AJW, Japan Women's Pro-Wrestling
November 1, 1967
August 16, 1997
Head injury in match
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
· List › Under 40
Zubair Jhara (Muhammad Zubair Aslam)
Zubair Jhara (Muhammad Zubair Aslam)
Age
30
Ring name (Birth name)
Zubair Jhara (Muhammad Zubair Aslam)
Promotion(s) worked for
Wrestled in Pakistan, NJPW
Date of birth
November 24, 1960
Date of death
September 10, 1991
Cause of death
Heart failure
Sara Lee
Sara Lee
Age
30
Ring name (Birth name)
Sara Lee
Promotion(s) worked for
WWE
Date of birth
June 7, 1992
Date of death
October 5, 2022
Cause of death
Suicide by combined drug intoxication
Pierre Lefebvre
Pierre Lefebvre
Age
30
Ring name (Birth name)
Pierre Lefebvre
Promotion(s) worked for
GCW, WWF, Lutte Internationale, ESA, NWA, UWF
Date of birth
February 24, 1955
Date of death
December 24, 1985
Cause of death
Car crash
Rick McGraw
Rick McGraw
Age
30
Ring name (Birth name)
Rick McGraw
Promotion(s) worked for
WWF, NWA, Lutte Internationale, MACW, GCW, SCW, WWA
Date of birth
March 19, 1955
Date of death
November 1, 1985
Cause of death
Heart attack
Giant Ochiai (Takayuki Okada)
Giant Ochiai (Takayuki Okada)
Age
30
Ring name (Birth name)
Giant Ochiai (Takayuki Okada)
Promotion(s) worked for
Battlarts, WJ
Date of birth
May 8, 1973
Date of death
August 8, 2003
Cause of death
Subdural hematoma
Johnny Perry
Johnny Perry
Age
30
Ring name (Birth name)
Johnny Perry
Promotion(s) worked for
Unknown
Date of birth
October 24, 1972
Date of death
November 21, 2002
Cause of death
Heart failure
Larry Sweeney (Alexander Whybrow)
Larry Sweeney (Alexander Whybrow)
Age
30
Ring name (Birth name)
Larry Sweeney (Alexander Whybrow)
Promotion(s) worked for
Chikara, IWC, ROH, CZW, IWA Mid-South, PLW
Date of birth
February 18, 1981
Date of death
April 11, 2011
Cause of death
Suicide by hanging
Jay Youngblood (Steven Romero)
Jay Youngblood (Steven Romero)
Age
30
Ring name (Birth name)
Jay Youngblood (Steven Romero)
Promotion(s) worked for
AWA, NWA, MACW, MLW, CWF, AJPW
Date of birth
June 21, 1955
Date of death
September 2, 1985
Cause of death
Heart attack
Christin Able (Josh Burgess)
Christin Able (Josh Burgess)
Age
31
Ring name (Birth name)
Christin Able (Josh Burgess)
Promotion(s) worked for
ROH, AAW Wrestling, independent circuit
Date of birth
January 11, 1985
Date of death
April 14, 2016
Cause of death
Unknown
Ed Gantner
Ed Gantner
Age
31
Ring name (Birth name)
Ed Gantner
Promotion(s) worked for
CWF, MACW
Date of birth
February 4, 1959
Date of death
December 31, 1990
Cause of death
Suicide by gunshot
Gene Lipscomb
Gene Lipscomb
Age
31
Ring name (Birth name)
Gene Lipscomb
Promotion(s) worked for
NWA, NWA San Francisco
Date of birth
August 9, 1931
Date of death
May 10, 1963
Cause of death
Drug overdose
Scott Peterson
Scott Peterson
Age
31
Ring name (Birth name)
Scott Peterson
Promotion(s) worked for
PNW, NWA
Date of birth
June 10, 1963
Date of death
July 25, 1994
Cause of death
Motorcycle accident
Kazuharu Sonoda
Kazuharu Sonoda
Age
31
Ring name (Birth name)
Kazuharu Sonoda
Promotion(s) worked for
AJPW, NWA, WSS, WCCW, CWF, MACW
Date of birth
September 16, 1956
Date of death
November 28, 1987
Cause of death
Plane crash (South African Airways Flight 295)
Frank Speer
Frank Speer
Age
31
Ring name (Birth name)
Frank Speer
Promotion(s) worked for
Unknown
Date of birth
May 27, 1907
Date of death
June 10, 1938
Cause of death
Bronchial pneumonia
Dom Travis
Dom Travis
Age
31
Ring name (Birth name)
Dom Travis
Promotion(s) worked for
various promotions in England
Date of birth
September 14, 1980
Date of death
April 14, 2012
Cause of death
Suicide
Sorakichi Matsuda (Koujiro Matsuda)
Sorakichi Matsuda (Koujiro Matsuda)
Age
31-32
Ring name (Birth name)
Sorakichi Matsuda (Koujiro Matsuda)
Promotion(s) worked for
N/A
Date of birth
1859
Date of death
August 16, 1891
Cause of death
Tuberculosis
Australian Suicide (Broderick Shephard)
Australian Suicide (Broderick Shephard)
Age
32
Ring name (Birth name)
Australian Suicide (Broderick Shephard)
Promotion(s) worked for
AEW, Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide, various promotions in Australia
Date of birth
December 9, 1992
Date of death
March 6, 2025
Cause of death
Cardiac arrest preceded by non-wrestling related blunt forced trauma to the head
Steve Bradley (Steve Bisson)
Steve Bradley (Steve Bisson)
Age
32
Ring name (Birth name)
Steve Bradley (Steve Bisson)
Promotion(s) worked for
WWF/E, PPW, OVW, NECW, HWA, WWA
Date of birth
December 10, 1975
Date of death
December 1, 2008
Cause of death
Unknown
Jaime Cardriche
Jaime Cardriche
Age
32
Ring name (Birth name)
Jaime Cardriche
Promotion(s) worked for
Pacific Wrestling Alliance
Date of birth
March 28, 1968
Date of death
July 28, 2000
Cause of death
Complications during gallbladder surgery
Adam Firestorm (Adam Dykes)
Adam Firestorm (Adam Dykes)
Age
32
Ring name (Birth name)
Adam Firestorm (Adam Dykes)
Promotion(s) worked for
ECCW, Stampede Wrestling, various promotions in Western Canada and Pacific Northwest
Date of birth
November 25, 1976
Date of death
November 5, 2009
Cause of death
Suicide
Crash Holly (Mike Lockwood)
Crash Holly (Mike Lockwood)
Age
32
Ring name (Birth name)
Crash Holly (Mike Lockwood)
Promotion(s) worked for
WWF/E, ECW, FC !Bang!, APW, TNA
Date of birth
August 25, 1971
Date of death
November 6, 2003
Cause of death
Suicide by drug overdose and alcohol poisoning
Billy McCrary
Billy McCrary
Age
32
Ring name (Birth name)
Billy McCrary
Promotion(s) worked for
NWA, NJPW
Date of birth
December 7, 1946
Date of death
July 14, 1979
Cause of death
Motorcycle accident
Buzz Sawyer (Bruce Woyan)
Buzz Sawyer (Bruce Woyan)
Age
32
Ring name (Birth name)
Buzz Sawyer (Bruce Woyan)
Promotion(s) worked for
NWA, WWF, UWF, WCCW, MACW, WCW
Date of birth
June 14, 1959
Date of death
February 7, 1992
Cause of death
Cocaine-induced heart attack
Frank Townsend
Frank Townsend
Age
32
Ring name (Birth name)
Frank Townsend
Promotion(s) worked for
NWA, MLW, CWC, ASW, JWA, Joint Promotions
Date of birth
March 20, 1933
Date of death
May 15, 1965
Cause of death
Drowning in boating accident; considered a missing person
Kris Travis
Kris Travis
Age
32
Ring name (Birth name)
Kris Travis
Promotion(s) worked for
TNA, RPW, PCW, ICW, PROGRESS
Date of birth
December 16, 1983
Date of death
March 31, 2016
Cause of death
Stomach cancer
Karsten Beck (Karsten Pitann)
Karsten Beck (Karsten Pitann)
Age
33
Ring name (Birth name)
Karsten Beck (Karsten Pitann)
Promotion(s) worked for
WXW, BJPW, CZW, various European promotions
Date of birth
November 25, 1986
Date of death
October 15, 2020
Cause of death
Brain cancer
Jim Browning
Jim Browning
Age
33
Ring name (Birth name)
Jim Browning
Promotion(s) worked for
N/A
Date of birth
March 31, 1903
Date of death
June 25, 1936
Cause of death
Pulmonary embolism
Chris Candido
Chris Candido
Age
33
Ring name (Birth name)
Chris Candido
Promotion(s) worked for
WCW, WWF, ECW, SMW, NJPW, TNA
Date of birth
March 21, 1972
Date of death
April 28, 2005
Cause of death
Acute pneumonia
Eddie Gilbert (Thomas Edward Gilbert Jr.)
Eddie Gilbert (Thomas Edward Gilbert Jr.)
Age
33
Ring name (Birth name)
Eddie Gilbert (Thomas Edward Gilbert Jr.)
Promotion(s) worked for
NWA, WCW, UWF, WWF, USWA, ECW
Date of birth
August 14, 1961
Date of death
February 18, 1995
Cause of death
Heart attack
Paul E. Normous (Paul Fauchs)
Paul E. Normous (Paul Fauchs)
Age
33
Ring name (Birth name)
Paul E. Normous (Paul Fauchs)
Promotion(s) worked for
OVW, ECWA, independent circuit
Date of birth
April 15, 1975
Date of death
January 16, 2009
Cause of death
Drug overdose
Michel Martel (Michel Vigneault)
Michel Martel (Michel Vigneault)
Age
33
Ring name (Birth name)
Michel Martel (Michel Vigneault)
Promotion(s) worked for
Stampede Wrestling, WWC, IWE, NWA
Date of birth
October 4, 1944
Date of death
June 30, 1978
Cause of death
Heart attack after match
Moondog Mayne (Ronald Mayne)
Moondog Mayne (Ronald Mayne)
Age
33
Ring name (Birth name)
Moondog Mayne (Ronald Mayne)
Promotion(s) worked for
NWA, WWWF, PNW
Date of birth
September 12, 1944
Date of death
August 13, 1978
Cause of death
Car crash
Gran Naniwa (Yoshikuni Kimura)
Gran Naniwa (Yoshikuni Kimura)
Age
33
Ring name (Birth name)
Gran Naniwa (Yoshikuni Kimura)
Promotion(s) worked for
Michinoku Pro, AJPW, ECW, WAR, NJPW
Date of birth
February 15, 1977
Date of death
October 6, 2010
Cause of death
Heart attack
José Aarón Alvarado Nieves
José Aarón Alvarado Nieves
Age
33
Ring name (Birth name)
José Aarón Alvarado Nieves
Promotion(s) worked for
CMLL, UWA
Date of birth
May 9, 1966
Date of death
October 27, 1999
Cause of death
Infection
D . Peterson (David Peterson)
D . Peterson (David Peterson)
Age
33
Ring name (Birth name)
D . Peterson (David Peterson)
Promotion(s) worked for
AWA, WWF, UWF, NWA, NJPW, CSW
Date of birth
July 17, 1959
Date of death
May 25, 1993
Cause of death
Motorcycle accident
The Renegade (Rick Wilson)
The Renegade (Rick Wilson)
Age
33
Ring name (Birth name)
The Renegade (Rick Wilson)
Promotion(s) worked for
WCW, WAR
Date of birth
October 16, 1965
Date of death
February 23, 1999
Cause of death
Suicide by gunshot
Neil Superior (Neil Caricofe)
Neil Superior (Neil Caricofe)
Age
33
Ring name (Birth name)
Neil Superior (Neil Caricofe)
Promotion(s) worked for
NWL, IWCCW; SAPW, WCW
Date of birth
April 6, 1963
Date of death
August 23, 1996
Cause of death
Confrontation with police
Test (Andrew Martin)
Test (Andrew Martin)
Age
33
Ring name (Birth name)
Test (Andrew Martin)
Promotion(s) worked for
WWF/E, FC !Bang!, WWA, TNA
Date of birth
March 17, 1975
Date of death
March 13, 2009
Cause of death
Accidental overdose of Oxycodone
Kerry Von Erich (Kerry Adkisson)
Kerry Von Erich (Kerry Adkisson)
Age
33
Ring name (Birth name)
Kerry Von Erich (Kerry Adkisson)
Promotion(s) worked for
WCCW, NWA, UWF, USWA, WWF
Date of birth
February 3, 1960
Date of death
February 18, 1993
Cause of death
Suicide by gunshot
Damian Steele (Damien Dothard)
Damian Steele (Damien Dothard)
Age
33–34
Ring name (Birth name)
Damian Steele (Damien Dothard)
Promotion(s) worked for
GCW, NWA Wildside, TCW, DSW
Date of birth
1975
Date of death
July 22, 2009
Cause of death
Brain aneurysm
Adrian Adonis (Keith Franke)
Adrian Adonis (Keith Franke)
Age
34
Ring name (Birth name)
Adrian Adonis (Keith Franke)
Promotion(s) worked for
AWA, WWF, NJPW, CWF, GCW, ASW
Date of birth
September 15, 1953
Date of death
July 4, 1988
Cause of death
Car crash
Brain Damage (Marvin Lambert)
Brain Damage (Marvin Lambert)
Age
34
Ring name (Birth name)
Brain Damage (Marvin Lambert)
Promotion(s) worked for
IWA MS, CZW
Date of birth
December 14, 1977
Date of death
October 18, 2012
Cause of death
Suicide
Big Dick Dudley (Alex Rizzo)
Big Dick Dudley (Alex Rizzo)
Age
34
Ring name (Birth name)
Big Dick Dudley (Alex Rizzo)
Promotion(s) worked for
ECW, WWC, WWA, XPW
Date of birth
January 12, 1968
Date of death
May 16, 2002
Cause of death
Kidney failure
Bobby Duncum Jr.
Bobby Duncum Jr.
Age
34
Ring name (Birth name)
Bobby Duncum Jr.
Promotion(s) worked for
WCW, ECW, GWF, AJPW
Date of birth
August 26, 1965
Date of death
January 24, 2000
Cause of death
Accidental prescription drug overdose
Espectrito II (Alejandro Pérez Jiménez)
Espectrito II (Alejandro Pérez Jiménez)
Age
34
Ring name (Birth name)
Espectrito II (Alejandro Pérez Jiménez)
Promotion(s) worked for
AAA, WWF
Date of birth
May 15, 1975
Date of death
June 30, 2009
Cause of death
Murder by poisoning
Owen Hart
Owen Hart
Age
34
Ring name (Birth name)
Owen Hart
Promotion(s) worked for
WWF, Stampede Wrestling, NJPW, CWA
Date of birth
May 7, 1965
Date of death
May 23, 1999
Cause of death
Fell from ceiling during botched stunt at Over the Edge pay-per-view event.
Danny Havoc (Grant Berkland)
Danny Havoc (Grant Berkland)
Age
34
Ring name (Birth name)
Danny Havoc (Grant Berkland)
Promotion(s) worked for
CZW, GCW, WXW, ICW, BJPW, IWA Mid-South
Date of birth
May 19, 1986
Date of death
May 31, 2020
Cause of death
Heart failure
El Hijo de Cien Caras (Eustacio "Tacho" Jiménez Ibarra)
El Hijo de Cien Caras (Eustacio "Tacho" Jiménez Ibarra)
Age
34
Ring name (Birth name)
El Hijo de Cien Caras (Eustacio "Tacho" Jiménez Ibarra)
Promotion(s) worked for
AAA, CMLL
Date of birth
March 21, 1976
Date of death
November 29, 2010
Cause of death
Murder
Wayne Munn
Wayne Munn
Age
34
Ring name (Birth name)
Wayne Munn
Promotion(s) worked for
NWA
Date of birth
February 9, 1896
Date of death
January 9, 1931
Cause of death
Bright's disease
John Olin
John Olin
Age
34
Ring name (Birth name)
John Olin
Promotion(s) worked for
N/A
Date of birth
March 15, 1886
Date of death
October 8, 1920
Cause of death
Heart attack
La Parkita (Alberto Pérez Jiménez)
La Parkita (Alberto Pérez Jiménez)
Age
34
Ring name (Birth name)
La Parkita (Alberto Pérez Jiménez)
Promotion(s) worked for
AAA, WWF
Date of birth
May 15, 1975
Date of death
June 30, 2009
Cause of death
Murder by poisoning
Chase Tatum (William Tatum)
Chase Tatum (William Tatum)
Age
34
Ring name (Birth name)
Chase Tatum (William Tatum)
Promotion(s) worked for
WCW, UPW, Innovate Wrestling
Date of birth
November 3, 1973
Date of death
March 23, 2008
Cause of death
Drug overdose
Elias Theodorou
Elias Theodorou
Age
34
Ring name (Birth name)
Elias Theodorou
Promotion(s) worked for
Superkick'D
Date of birth
May 31, 1988
Date of death
September 11, 2022
Cause of death
Colon cancer and liver failure
Thunder (Luke Fordward)
Thunder (Luke Fordward)
Age
34
Ring name (Birth name)
Thunder (Luke Fordward)
Promotion(s) worked for
CMLL, Okinawa Pro Wrestling and various promotions in Australia
Date of birth
October 7, 1981
Date of death
June 30, 2016
Cause of death
Stomach cancer
Yokozuna (Rodney Anoa'i)
Yokozuna (Rodney Anoa'i)
Age
34
Ring name (Birth name)
Yokozuna (Rodney Anoa'i)
Promotion(s) worked for
WWF, AWA, NJPW, UWA
Date of birth
October 2, 1966
Date of death
October 23, 2000
Cause of death
Heart attack
Sean Patrick O'Brien
Sean Patrick O'Brien
Age
34-35
Ring name (Birth name)
Sean Patrick O'Brien
Promotion(s) worked for
OVW, independent circuit
Date of birth
1988
Date of death
March 17, 2023
Cause of death
Unknown
Perro Aguayo Jr. (Perro Aguayo Ramírez)
Perro Aguayo Jr. (Perro Aguayo Ramírez)
Age
35
Ring name (Birth name)
Perro Aguayo Jr. (Perro Aguayo Ramírez)
Promotion(s) worked for
AAA, CMLL, Perros del Mal
Date of birth
July 23, 1979
Date of death
March 21, 2015
Cause of death
Cardiac arrest and cervical spine trauma during match
Harold Angus
Harold Angus
Age
35
Ring name (Birth name)
Harold Angus
Promotion(s) worked for
BWA
Date of birth
November 10, 1904
Date of death
October 30, 1940
Cause of death
Shooting accident
James Castle (Jamie Stacey)
James Castle (Jamie Stacey)
Age
35
Ring name (Birth name)
James Castle (Jamie Stacey)
Promotion(s) worked for
NWA, RPW
Date of birth
July 11, 1988
Date of death
June 15, 2024
Cause of death
Acute myeloid leukemia
Rocky Columbo (Rocco John Colombo)
Rocky Columbo (Rocco John Colombo)
Age
35
Ring name (Birth name)
Rocky Columbo (Rocco John Colombo)
Promotion(s) worked for
NWA, Stampede Wrestling
Date of birth
September 22, 1928
Date of death
March 5, 1964
Cause of death
Drug overdose
Chris Duffy
Chris Duffy
Age
35
Ring name (Birth name)
Chris Duffy
Promotion(s) worked for
WWF, IWF, independent circuit
Date of birth
July 7, 1965
Date of death
August 25, 2000
Cause of death
Brain aneurysm
Dino Casanova (David DiMeglio)
Dino Casanova (David DiMeglio)
Age
35
Ring name (Birth name)
Dino Casanova (David DiMeglio)
Promotion(s) worked for
WCW, ECW, independent circuit, MEWF
Date of birth
February 8, 1967
Date of death
March 1, 2002
Cause of death
Heart attack
Miguel Ángel Delgado (Miguel Ángel Delgado Reyes)
Miguel Ángel Delgado (Miguel Ángel Delgado Reyes)
Age
35
Ring name (Birth name)
Miguel Ángel Delgado (Miguel Ángel Delgado Reyes)
Promotion(s) worked for
EMLL
Date of birth
August 28, 1947
Date of death
February 7, 1983
Cause of death
Leukemia
Scott Irwin
Scott Irwin
Age
35
Ring name (Birth name)
Scott Irwin
Promotion(s) worked for
WWWF, UWF, CWF, AWA, Lutte Internationale
Date of birth
May 14, 1952
Date of death
September 5, 1987
Cause of death
Brain tumor, also reported as brain aneurysm
Andy Kaufman
Andy Kaufman
Age
35
Ring name (Birth name)
Andy Kaufman
Promotion(s) worked for
CWA
Date of birth
January 17, 1949
Date of death
May 16, 1984
Cause of death
Kidney failure from lung cancer
Marianna Komlos
Marianna Komlos
Age
35
Ring name (Birth name)
Marianna Komlos
Promotion(s) worked for
WWF
Date of birth
September 3, 1969
Date of death
September 26, 2004
Cause of death
Breast cancer
Mike Lozansky (Michael Lozanski)
Mike Lozansky (Michael Lozanski)
Age
35
Ring name (Birth name)
Mike Lozansky (Michael Lozanski)
Promotion(s) worked for
ECW, USWA, WWC, Stampede Wrestling, various Mexican and Japanese promotions
Date of birth
November 13, 1968
Date of death
December 19, 2003
Cause of death
Heart attack
Brian Pillman
Brian Pillman
Age
35
Ring name (Birth name)
Brian Pillman
Promotion(s) worked for
Stampede, WCW, ECW, WWF
Date of birth
May 22, 1962
Date of death
October 5, 1997
Cause of death
Arteriosclerotic heart disease
Gary Albright
Gary Albright
Age
36
Ring name (Birth name)
Gary Albright
Promotion(s) worked for
Stampede, UWFi, AJPW, ECW
Date of birth
May 18, 1963
Date of death
January 7, 2000
Cause of death
Heart attack in match
Shoichi Arai
Shoichi Arai
Age
36
Ring name (Birth name)
Shoichi Arai
Promotion(s) worked for
FMW promoter
Date of birth
December 19, 1965
Date of death
May 16, 2002
Cause of death
Suicide by hanging
Bobby Becker (John Emerling)
Bobby Becker (John Emerling)
Age
36
Ring name (Birth name)
Bobby Becker (John Emerling)
Promotion(s) worked for
NWA
Date of birth
April 5, 1918
Date of death
November 25, 1954
Cause of death
Leukemia
Harry Boatswain
Harry Boatswain
Age
36
Ring name (Birth name)
Harry Boatswain
Promotion(s) worked for
ECW
Date of birth
June 26, 1969
Date of death
August 8, 2005
Cause of death
Heart attack
Lloyd Burdick
Lloyd Burdick
Age
36
Ring name (Birth name)
Lloyd Burdick
Promotion(s) worked for
Unknown
Date of birth
August 8, 1909
Date of death
August 9, 1945
Cause of death
Train wreck
Sean Evans
Sean Evans
Age
36
Ring name (Birth name)
Sean Evans
Promotion(s) worked for
PWX, NWA Wildside, GCW, WWE, NWA, independent circuit
Date of birth
January 28, 1971
Date of death
October 2, 2007
Cause of death
Lung cancer
Emory Hale (Emory Hail)
Emory Hale (Emory Hail)
Age
36
Ring name (Birth name)
Emory Hale (Emory Hail)
Promotion(s) worked for
WCW, XWF
Date of birth
December 13, 1969
Date of death
January 28, 2006
Cause of death
Kidney failure
Dean Hart
Dean Hart
Age
36
Ring name (Birth name)
Dean Hart
Promotion(s) worked for
Stampede, NWA Hawaii, WSS
Date of birth
January 3, 1954
Date of death
November 21, 1990
Cause of death
Heart Attack caused by kidney disease.
Katsuya Kitamura
Katsuya Kitamura
Age
36
Ring name (Birth name)
Katsuya Kitamura
Promotion(s) worked for
NJPW
Date of birth
December 14, 1985
Date of death
October 13, 2022
Cause of death
Unknown
Lionheart (Adrian McCallum)
Lionheart (Adrian McCallum)
Age
36
Ring name (Birth name)
Lionheart (Adrian McCallum)
Promotion(s) worked for
ICW, PCW
Date of birth
December 17, 1982
Date of death
June 19, 2019
Cause of death
Suicide
Pitbull (Anthony Durante)
Pitbull (Anthony Durante)
Age
36
Ring name (Birth name)
Pitbull (Anthony Durante)
Promotion(s) worked for
ECW, CWA, NJPW, JAPW
Date of birth
July 26, 1967
Date of death
September 25, 2003
Cause of death
Drug overdose
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
30
Pierre Lefebvre
GCW, WWF, Lutte Internationale, ESA, NWA, UWF
February 24, 1955
December 24, 1985
Car crash
30
Rick McGraw
WWF, NWA, Lutte Internationale, MACW, GCW, SCW, WWA
March 19, 1955
November 1, 1985
Heart attack
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
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
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
Dom Travis
various promotions in England
September 14, 1980
April 14, 2012
Suicide
31-32
Sorakichi Matsuda (Koujiro Matsuda)
N/A
1859
August 16, 1891
Tuberculosis
32
Australian Suicide (Broderick Shephard)
AEW, Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide, various promotions in Australia
December 9, 1992
March 6, 2025
Cardiac arrest preceded by non-wrestling related blunt forced trauma to the head
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
Billy McCrary
NWA, NJPW
December 7, 1946
July 14, 1979
Motorcycle accident
32
Buzz Sawyer (Bruce Woyan)
NWA, WWF, UWF, WCCW, MACW, WCW
June 14, 1959
February 7, 1992
Cocaine-induced heart attack
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
33
Eddie Gilbert (Thomas Edward Gilbert Jr.)
NWA, WCW, UWF, WWF, USWA, ECW
August 14, 1961
February 18, 1995
Heart attack
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 crash
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 . 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
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
Accidental overdose of Oxycodone
33
Kerry Von Erich (Kerry Adkisson)
WCCW, NWA, UWF, USWA, WWF
February 3, 1960
February 18, 1993
Suicide by gunshot
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 crash
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
34
Bobby Duncum Jr.
WCW, ECW, GWF, AJPW
August 26, 1965
January 24, 2000
Accidental prescription drug overdose
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.
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
· List › Under 50
Absolute Andy (Andreas Ullmann)
Absolute Andy (Andreas Ullmann)
Age
40
Ring name (Birth name)
Absolute Andy (Andreas Ullmann)
Promotion(s) worked for
WXW, various German and European promotions
Date of birth
September 22, 1983
Date of death
November 23, 2023
Cause of death
Illness
Sambo Asako (Fumiharu Asako)
Sambo Asako (Fumiharu Asako)
Age
40
Ring name (Birth name)
Sambo Asako (Fumiharu Asako)
Promotion(s) worked for
FMW, various Japanese promotions
Date of birth
August 27, 1963
Date of death
May 18, 2004
Cause of death
Diabetes
Bad Bones (John Klinger)
Bad Bones (John Klinger)
Age
40
Ring name (Birth name)
Bad Bones (John Klinger)
Promotion(s) worked for
WXW, BJW, Impact Wrestling, various German and European promotions
Date of birth
May 14, 1984
Date of death
May 20, 2024
Cause of death
Heart attack
Chris Benoit
Chris Benoit
Age
40
Ring name (Birth name)
Chris Benoit
Promotion(s) worked for
Stampede Wrestling, NJPW, ECW, WCW, WWF/E
Date of birth
May 21, 1967
Date of death
June 24, 2007
Cause of death
Suicide by hanging
Brady Boone (Dean Peters)
Brady Boone (Dean Peters)
Age
40
Ring name (Birth name)
Brady Boone (Dean Peters)
Promotion(s) worked for
PNW, MACW, WCW, WWF
Date of birth
August 22, 1958
Date of death
December 15, 1998
Cause of death
Car crash
Larry Chene (Arthur Lawrence Beauchene)
Larry Chene (Arthur Lawrence Beauchene)
Age
40
Ring name (Birth name)
Larry Chene (Arthur Lawrence Beauchene)
Promotion(s) worked for
NWA Detroit, NWA, NWA Texas, AWA
Date of birth
June 22, 1924
Date of death
October 2, 1964
Cause of death
Car crash
Cincinnati Red (Gregory Scott Daves)
Cincinnati Red (Gregory Scott Daves)
Age
40
Ring name (Birth name)
Cincinnati Red (Gregory Scott Daves)
Promotion(s) worked for
NWC, EWF, independent circuit
Date of birth
October 17, 1974
Date of death
March 20, 2015
Cause of death
Heart attack
Don Eagle (Carl Donald Bell)
Don Eagle (Carl Donald Bell)
Age
40
Ring name (Birth name)
Don Eagle (Carl Donald Bell)
Promotion(s) worked for
AWA, NWA Chicago, NWA
Date of birth
August 25, 1925
Date of death
March 17, 1966
Cause of death
Suicide by gunshot
Terry Gordy
Terry Gordy
Age
40
Ring name (Birth name)
Terry Gordy
Promotion(s) worked for
WCCW, NWA, WCW, ECW, WWF, AJPW
Date of birth
April 23, 1961
Date of death
July 16, 2001
Cause of death
Blood clot
Frank Gotch
Frank Gotch
Age
40
Ring name (Birth name)
Frank Gotch
Promotion(s) worked for
N/A
Date of birth
April 27, 1877
Date of death
December 16, 1917
Cause of death
Uremic poisoning
Shinya Hashimoto
Shinya Hashimoto
Age
40
Ring name (Birth name)
Shinya Hashimoto
Promotion(s) worked for
NJPW, Zero1, Stampede Wrestling, Hustle, NWA, USWA
Date of birth
July 3, 1965
Date of death
July 11, 2005
Cause of death
Brain aneurysm
Scott Henson
Scott Henson
Age
40
Ring name (Birth name)
Scott Henson
Promotion(s) worked for
Elite Canadian Championship Wrestling, independent circuit
Date of birth
July 13, 1983
Date of death
June 15, 2024
Cause of death
Unknown
Chris Kanyon (Christopher Klucsarits)
Chris Kanyon (Christopher Klucsarits)
Age
40
Ring name (Birth name)
Chris Kanyon (Christopher Klucsarits)
Promotion(s) worked for
WCW, WWF/E, ECW, SMW, NWA Shockwave
Date of birth
January 4, 1970
Date of death
April 2, 2010
Cause of death
Suicide by drug overdose
George Kotsonaros
George Kotsonaros
Age
40
Ring name (Birth name)
George Kotsonaros
Promotion(s) worked for
N/A
Date of birth
October 16, 1892
Date of death
July 13, 1933
Cause of death
Car crash
Pequeño Nitro
Pequeño Nitro
Age
40
Ring name (Birth name)
Pequeño Nitro
Promotion(s) worked for
CMLL
Date of birth
March 9, 1984
Date of death
May 18, 2024
Cause of death
To be determined
Rick Rude (Richard Rood)
Rick Rude (Richard Rood)
Age
40
Ring name (Birth name)
Rick Rude (Richard Rood)
Promotion(s) worked for
CWF, WCCW, WWF, ECW, WCW
Date of birth
December 7, 1958
Date of death
April 20, 1999
Cause of death
Heart failure
Gordon Scozzari
Gordon Scozzari
Age
40
Ring name (Birth name)
Gordon Scozzari
Promotion(s) worked for
promoter for AWF
Date of birth
June 26, 1970
Date of death
January 5, 2011
Cause of death
complications from kidney disease
Rhonda Sing
Rhonda Sing
Age
40
Ring name (Birth name)
Rhonda Sing
Promotion(s) worked for
WWF, WCW, Stampede Wrestling, AJW, WWC, AAA
Date of birth
February 21, 1961
Date of death
July 27, 2001
Cause of death
Heart attack
Robert Swenson
Robert Swenson
Age
40
Ring name (Birth name)
Robert Swenson
Promotion(s) worked for
WCCW, GWF, WCW
Date of birth
January 5, 1957
Date of death
August 18, 1997
Cause of death
Heart failure
Vivian Vachon
Vivian Vachon
Age
40
Ring name (Birth name)
Vivian Vachon
Promotion(s) worked for
AWA, WWWF, CWF, International Wrestling, NWA
Date of birth
February 14, 1951
Date of death
August 25, 1991
Cause of death
Car crash
Gulam
Gulam
Age
40–41
Ring name (Birth name)
Gulam
Promotion(s) worked for
Wrestled in Europe and India
Date of birth
1860
Date of death
1901
Cause of death
Cholera
Atsushi Aoki
Atsushi Aoki
Age
41
Ring name (Birth name)
Atsushi Aoki
Promotion(s) worked for
AJPW, Noah, AAA
Date of birth
September 25, 1977
Date of death
June 3, 2019
Cause of death
Motorcycle accident
Sam Bass (Fred Bass)
Sam Bass (Fred Bass)
Age
41
Ring name (Birth name)
Sam Bass (Fred Bass)
Promotion(s) worked for
NWA, CCW, NWA Mid-America
Date of birth
April 19, 1935
Date of death
July 27, 1976
Cause of death
Car crash
Big Boss Man (Ray Traylor)
Big Boss Man (Ray Traylor)
Age
41
Ring name (Birth name)
Big Boss Man (Ray Traylor)
Promotion(s) worked for
WCW, MACW, WWF, AJPW, UWF, IWA Japan
Date of birth
May 2, 1963
Date of death
September 22, 2004
Cause of death
Heart attack
Larry Cameron
Larry Cameron
Age
41
Ring name (Birth name)
Larry Cameron
Promotion(s) worked for
Stampede Wrestling, NWA, AWA, CWA
Date of birth
November 4, 1952
Date of death
December 13, 1993
Cause of death
Heart attack in match
Alan Carnill
Alan Carnill
Age
41
Ring name (Birth name)
Alan Carnill
Promotion(s) worked for
IWF Promotions, independent circuit
Date of birth
March 12, 1962
Date of death
January 25, 2004
Cause of death
Car crash
John Foti (John Fotie)
John Foti (John Fotie)
Age
41
Ring name (Birth name)
John Foti (John Fotie)
Promotion(s) worked for
Stampede Wrestling, NWA, AWA, WWWF
Date of birth
March 13, 1928
Date of death
April 29, 1969
Cause of death
Suicide
Yusuf İsmail
Yusuf İsmail
Age
41
Ring name (Birth name)
Yusuf İsmail
Promotion(s) worked for
N/A
Date of birth
1857
Date of death
July 4, 1898
Cause of death
Drowned during the SS La Bourgogne disaster
Koba Kurtanidze
Koba Kurtanidze
Age
41
Ring name (Birth name)
Koba Kurtanidze
Promotion(s) worked for
FMW
Date of birth
October 13, 1964
Date of death
December 6, 2005
Cause of death
Years of bedridden from injuries
Brodie Lee aka Luke Harper (Jonathan Huber)
Brodie Lee aka Luke Harper (Jonathan Huber)
Age
41
Ring name (Birth name)
Brodie Lee aka Luke Harper (Jonathan Huber)
Promotion(s) worked for
WWE, AEW, FCW, ROH, Dragon Gate, Chikara, Dragon Gate USA
Date of birth
December 16, 1979
Date of death
December 26, 2020
Cause of death
Pulmonary fibrosis
Jerry London (Jerry Linden)
Jerry London (Jerry Linden)
Age
41
Ring name (Birth name)
Jerry London (Jerry Linden)
Promotion(s) worked for
NWA, CWC, Stampede Wrestling, MLW
Date of birth
July 9, 1929
Date of death
September 20, 1970
Cause of death
Suicide (overdose of sleeping pills)
Knuckles Madsen (Kevin Nikel)
Knuckles Madsen (Kevin Nikel)
Age
41
Ring name (Birth name)
Knuckles Madsen (Kevin Nikel)
Promotion(s) worked for
WWE, OVW, independent circuit
Date of birth
January 31, 1984
Date of death
July 11, 2025
Cause of death
Murder (shot)
Hack Meyers (Donald Havilland)
Hack Meyers (Donald Havilland)
Age
41
Ring name (Birth name)
Hack Meyers (Donald Havilland)
Promotion(s) worked for
ECW, FOW, IPW, FC !Bang!
Date of birth
December 7, 1973
Date of death
December 5, 2015
Cause of death
Complications from brain surgery
Justice Pain (Christopher Wilson)
Justice Pain (Christopher Wilson)
Age
41
Ring name (Birth name)
Justice Pain (Christopher Wilson)
Promotion(s) worked for
CZW, XPW, IPW, JAPW, BJW
Date of birth
May 16, 1978
Date of death
January 24, 2020
Cause of death
Suicide by jumping off bridge
Jackie Sato (Naoko Sato)
Jackie Sato (Naoko Sato)
Age
41
Ring name (Birth name)
Jackie Sato (Naoko Sato)
Promotion(s) worked for
AJW, JWPW
Date of birth
October 30, 1957
Date of death
August 9, 1999
Cause of death
Stomach cancer
Billy Travis (Gary Mize)
Billy Travis (Gary Mize)
Age
41
Ring name (Birth name)
Billy Travis (Gary Mize)
Promotion(s) worked for
CWA, USWA, WWF, PPW
Date of birth
April 29, 1961
Date of death
November 23, 2002
Cause of death
Heart attack
Adam Windsor (Adam Bryniarski)
Adam Windsor (Adam Bryniarski)
Age
41
Ring name (Birth name)
Adam Windsor (Adam Bryniarski)
Promotion(s) worked for
Funking Conservatory, NWA Wildside, WXW, independent circuit, various promotions in England
Date of birth
January 17, 1981
Date of death
April 21, 2022
Cause of death
Heart issues
Manjiro "Matty" Matsuda
Manjiro "Matty" Matsuda
Age
41-42
Ring name (Birth name)
Manjiro "Matty" Matsuda
Promotion(s) worked for
N/A
Date of birth
1887
Date of death
August 15, 1929
Cause of death
Injuries during match
Randy Anderson
Randy Anderson
Age
42
Ring name (Birth name)
Randy Anderson
Promotion(s) worked for
referee for WCW, NWA
Date of birth
July 17, 1959
Date of death
May 5, 2002
Cause of death
Testicular cancer
Mike Awesome (Michael Alfonso)
Mike Awesome (Michael Alfonso)
Age
42
Ring name (Birth name)
Mike Awesome (Michael Alfonso)
Promotion(s) worked for
AJPW, FMW, ECW, WCW, WWF, MLW
Date of birth
January 24, 1965
Date of death
February 17, 2007
Cause of death
Suicide by hanging
John Ayers
John Ayers
Age
42
Ring name (Birth name)
John Ayers
Promotion(s) worked for
UWF
Date of birth
April 14, 1953
Date of death
October 2, 1995
Cause of death
Liver cancer
Bruiser Brody (Frank Goodish)
Bruiser Brody (Frank Goodish)
Age
42
Ring name (Birth name)
Bruiser Brody (Frank Goodish)
Promotion(s) worked for
NWA, AJPW, WWWF, WCCW
Date of birth
June 18, 1946
Date of death
July 17, 1988
Cause of death
Murdered
Ray Candy (Ray Canty)
Ray Candy (Ray Canty)
Age
42
Ring name (Birth name)
Ray Candy (Ray Canty)
Promotion(s) worked for
NWA, AJPW, WWC, NJPW, WCW
Date of birth
December 3, 1951
Date of death
May 23, 1994
Cause of death
Heart attack
Miss Elizabeth (Elizabeth Hulette)
Miss Elizabeth (Elizabeth Hulette)
Age
42
Ring name (Birth name)
Miss Elizabeth (Elizabeth Hulette)
Promotion(s) worked for
WWF, WCW, ICW
Date of birth
November 19, 1960
Date of death
May 1, 2003
Cause of death
Drug overdose
Hiromichi Fuyuki
Hiromichi Fuyuki
Age
42
Ring name (Birth name)
Hiromichi Fuyuki
Promotion(s) worked for
AJPW, NJPW, FMW, IWE, NWA, CWA
Date of birth
May 11, 1960
Date of death
March 19, 2003
Cause of death
Intestinal cancer
John Tenta
John Tenta
Age
42
Ring name (Birth name)
John Tenta
Promotion(s) worked for
WWF, WCW, ASW, AJPW
Date of birth
June 22, 1963
Date of death
June 7, 2006
Cause of death
Bladder cancer
Biff Wellington (Shayne Bower)
Biff Wellington (Shayne Bower)
Age
42
Ring name (Birth name)
Biff Wellington (Shayne Bower)
Promotion(s) worked for
Stampede Wrestling, WCW, NJPW, ECW
Date of birth
April 18, 1965
Date of death
June 24, 2007
Cause of death
Heart attack
Xavier (John Bedoya)
Xavier (John Bedoya)
Age
42
Ring name (Birth name)
Xavier (John Bedoya)
Promotion(s) worked for
ROH, WWE, ECWA, JAPW, NEW, CW
Date of birth
December 28, 1977
Date of death
August 16, 2020
Cause of death
Unknown
George Gardiner
George Gardiner
Age
42–43
Ring name (Birth name)
George Gardiner
Promotion(s) worked for
Wrestled only in Australia and New Zealand
Date of birth
1898
Date of death
May 18, 1941
Cause of death
Peritonitis
Marie Lograsso (Dina DeStefano)
Marie Lograsso (Dina DeStefano)
Age
42-43
Ring name (Birth name)
Marie Lograsso (Dina DeStefano)
Promotion(s) worked for
World Championship Wrestling
Date of birth
1963
Date of death
March 14, 2006
Cause of death
Drug overdose
Brian Adams
Brian Adams
Age
43
Ring name (Birth name)
Brian Adams
Promotion(s) worked for
PNW, NJPW, WWF, WCW, AJPW
Date of birth
April 14, 1964
Date of death
August 13, 2007
Cause of death
Drug overdose
Ángel Azteca (Juan Manuel Zúñiga)
Ángel Azteca (Juan Manuel Zúñiga)
Age
43
Ring name (Birth name)
Ángel Azteca (Juan Manuel Zúñiga)
Promotion(s) worked for
AAA, CMLL, UWA
Date of birth
June 24, 1963
Date of death
March 18, 2007
Cause of death
Heart attack after match
Nancy Benoit
Nancy Benoit
Age
43
Ring name (Birth name)
Nancy Benoit
Promotion(s) worked for
CWF, ECW, WCW
Date of birth
May 17, 1964
Date of death
June 22, 2007
Cause of death
Murder
Doctor X (Clemente Nájera)
Doctor X (Clemente Nájera)
Age
43
Ring name (Birth name)
Doctor X (Clemente Nájera)
Promotion(s) worked for
CMLL
Date of birth
July 17, 1968
Date of death
October 11, 2011
Cause of death
Murder
Héctor Garza
Héctor Garza
Age
43
Ring name (Birth name)
Héctor Garza
Promotion(s) worked for
CMLL, Perros del Mal, WCW, WWF
Date of birth
June 12, 1969
Date of death
May 26, 2013
Cause of death
Lung cancer
Franky Gee (Francisco Gutierrez)
Franky Gee (Francisco Gutierrez)
Age
43
Ring name (Birth name)
Franky Gee (Francisco Gutierrez)
Promotion(s) worked for
FMW
Date of birth
February 19, 1962
Date of death
October 22, 2005
Cause of death
Cerebral hemorrhage
Rocky Hata (Mitsuo Hata)
Rocky Hata (Mitsuo Hata)
Age
43
Ring name (Birth name)
Rocky Hata (Mitsuo Hata)
Promotion(s) worked for
AJPW, CSW, GCW, NWA Tri-State, CWF
Date of birth
September 12, 1948
Date of death
October 27, 1991
Cause of death
Complications from diabetes
Jocephus (Joseph Hudson)
Jocephus (Joseph Hudson)
Age
43
Ring name (Birth name)
Jocephus (Joseph Hudson)
Promotion(s) worked for
NWA
Date of birth
July 1, 1977
Date of death
February 24, 2021
Cause of death
Congenital heart defect
Georg Lurich
Georg Lurich
Age
43
Ring name (Birth name)
Georg Lurich
Promotion(s) worked for
N/A
Date of birth
22 April [O . 10 April] 1876
Date of death
20 January 1920
Cause of death
Typhus
Corey Maclin
Corey Maclin
Age
43
Ring name (Birth name)
Corey Maclin
Promotion(s) worked for
Announcer for USWA, PPW, Memphis Wrestling
Date of birth
May 6, 1970
Date of death
July 31, 2013
Cause of death
Car crash
Sean O'Haire (Sean Haire)
Sean O'Haire (Sean Haire)
Age
43
Ring name (Birth name)
Sean O'Haire (Sean Haire)
Promotion(s) worked for
WCW, OVW, WWF/E, NJPW, UPW
Date of birth
February 25, 1971
Date of death
September 8, 2014
Cause of death
Suicide by hanging
Goga Pehlwan (Goga Moazzam)
Goga Pehlwan (Goga Moazzam)
Age
43
Ring name (Birth name)
Goga Pehlwan (Goga Moazzam)
Promotion(s) worked for
Wrestled only in India
Date of birth
1937
Date of death
February 6, 1981
Cause of death
Died in the ring
Reggie Roby
Reggie Roby
Age
43
Ring name (Birth name)
Reggie Roby
Promotion(s) worked for
WWF
Date of birth
July 30, 1961
Date of death
February 22, 2005
Cause of death
Believed to be heart attack
Tony Rumble (Anthony Magliaro)
Tony Rumble (Anthony Magliaro)
Age
43
Ring name (Birth name)
Tony Rumble (Anthony Magliaro)
Promotion(s) worked for
NWA New England, ECW, ICW, AWA, IWCCW, WCW
Date of birth
November 6, 1956
Date of death
November 13, 1999
Cause of death
Heart attack
Peter Smit
Peter Smit
Age
43
Ring name (Birth name)
Peter Smit
Promotion(s) worked for
RINGS
Date of birth
December 24, 1961
Date of death
August 15, 2005
Cause of death
Murder
Viscera (Nelson Frazier, Jr.)
Viscera (Nelson Frazier, Jr.)
Age
43
Ring name (Birth name)
Viscera (Nelson Frazier, Jr.)
Promotion(s) worked for
WWF/E, AJPW, USWA, TNA, Memphis Wrestling
Date of birth
February 14, 1971
Date of death
February 18, 2014
Cause of death
Heart attack
Carl Abs
Carl Abs
Age
44
Ring name (Birth name)
Carl Abs
Promotion(s) worked for
N/A
Date of birth
September 12, 1851
Date of death
February 18, 1895
Cause of death
Liver and kidney failure
Dino Bravo (Adolfo Bresciano)
Dino Bravo (Adolfo Bresciano)
Age
44
Ring name (Birth name)
Dino Bravo (Adolfo Bresciano)
Promotion(s) worked for
NWA, AWA, Lutte Internationale, WWF
Date of birth
August 6, 1948
Date of death
March 11, 1993
Cause of death
Murder
The Bruiser (RJ Meyer)
The Bruiser (RJ Meyer)
Age
44
Ring name (Birth name)
The Bruiser (RJ Meyer)
Promotion(s) worked for
MCW, Independent Circuit
Date of birth
August 15, 1976
Date of death
November 16, 2020
Cause of death
Leukemia
Dustin Diamond
Dustin Diamond
Age
44
Ring name (Birth name)
Dustin Diamond
Promotion(s) worked for
TNA, independent circuit, MCW, Hulk Hogan's Celebrity Championship Wrestling
Date of birth
January 7, 1977
Date of death
February 1, 2021
Cause of death
Cancer
Eric The Red (Ib Solvang Hansen)
Eric The Red (Ib Solvang Hansen)
Age
44
Ring name (Birth name)
Eric The Red (Ib Solvang Hansen)
Promotion(s) worked for
WWWF, NWF, IWA, AWA, NJPW, CWF
Date of birth
August 1, 1934
Date of death
November 16, 1978
Cause of death
Car crash
Danny Fargo (Audie Hager)
Danny Fargo (Audie Hager)
Age
44
Ring name (Birth name)
Danny Fargo (Audie Hager)
Promotion(s) worked for
WWC, CWA, NWA, SWCW
Date of birth
June 13, 1959
Date of death
December 26, 2003
Cause of death
Cancer
Mark Frear
Mark Frear
Age
44
Ring name (Birth name)
Mark Frear
Promotion(s) worked for
WWF, USWA, MEWF, independent circuit
Date of birth
February 1, 1970
Date of death
May 11, 2014
Cause of death
Unknown
Jorge González
Jorge González
Age
44
Ring name (Birth name)
Jorge González
Promotion(s) worked for
WCW, WWF, NJPW
Date of birth
January 31, 1966
Date of death
September 22, 2010
Cause of death
Diabetes and severe heart issues
Curt Hennig
Curt Hennig
Age
44
Ring name (Birth name)
Curt Hennig
Promotion(s) worked for
AWA, PNW, WWF/E, WCW, TNA
Date of birth
March 28, 1958
Date of death
February 10, 2003
Cause of death
Combined drug intoxication
Koichiro Kimura
Koichiro Kimura
Age
44
Ring name (Birth name)
Koichiro Kimura
Promotion(s) worked for
AJPW, DDT Pro-Wrestling, RINGS, W*ING, WJ
Date of birth
November 18, 1969
Date of death
October 28, 2014
Cause of death
Pneumonia
Balls Mahoney (Jonathan Rechner)
Balls Mahoney (Jonathan Rechner)
Age
44
Ring name (Birth name)
Balls Mahoney (Jonathan Rechner)
Promotion(s) worked for
ECW, SMW, WWF/E
Date of birth
April 11, 1972
Date of death
April 12, 2016
Cause of death
Heart attack
Emil Naucke
Emil Naucke
Age
44
Ring name (Birth name)
Emil Naucke
Promotion(s) worked for
N/A
Date of birth
May 2, 1855
Date of death
January 25, 1900
Cause of death
Heart attack
Kevin Randleman
Kevin Randleman
Age
44
Ring name (Birth name)
Kevin Randleman
Promotion(s) worked for
AJPW, Zero1, Hustle
Date of birth
August 10, 1971
Date of death
February 11, 2016
Cause of death
Heart attack and pneumonia
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
40
Brady Boone (Dean Peters)
PNW, MACW, WCW, WWF
August 22, 1958
December 15, 1998
Car crash
40
Larry Chene (Arthur Lawrence Beauchene)
NWA Detroit, NWA, NWA Texas, AWA
June 22, 1924
October 2, 1964
Car crash
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
40
George Kotsonaros
N/A
October 16, 1892
July 13, 1933
Car crash
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
40
Gordon Scozzari
promoter for AWF
June 26, 1970
January 5, 2011
complications from kidney disease
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 crash
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
Sam Bass (Fred Bass)
NWA, CCW, NWA Mid-America
April 19, 1935
July 27, 1976
Car crash
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
41
Alan Carnill
IWF Promotions, independent circuit
March 12, 1962
January 25, 2004
Car crash
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 during the SS La Bourgogne disaster
41
Koba Kurtanidze
FMW
October 13, 1964
December 6, 2005
Years of bedridden 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
41
Jerry London (Jerry Linden)
NWA, CWC, Stampede Wrestling, MLW
July 9, 1929
September 20, 1970
Suicide (overdose of sleeping pills)
41
Knuckles Madsen (Kevin Nikel)
WWE, OVW, independent circuit
January 31, 1984
July 11, 2025
Murder (shot)
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
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
August 15, 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
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
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
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
· List › Under 60
Brad Armstrong (Robert Bradley James)
Brad Armstrong (Robert Bradley James)
Age
50
Ring name (Birth name)
Brad Armstrong (Robert Bradley James)
Promotion(s) worked for
WCW, NWA, SMW, NJPW, USWA, WWE
Date of birth
June 15, 1962
Date of death
November 1, 2012
Cause of death
Heart attack
Max Baer
Max Baer
Age
50
Ring name (Birth name)
Max Baer
Promotion(s) worked for
unknown
Date of birth
February 11, 1909
Date of death
November 21, 1959
Cause of death
Heart attack
The French Angel (Maurice Tillet)
The French Angel (Maurice Tillet)
Age
50
Ring name (Birth name)
The French Angel (Maurice Tillet)
Promotion(s) worked for
AWA, NWA, NWA Tri-State
Date of birth
October 23, 1903
Date of death
September 4, 1954
Cause of death
Cardiovascular disease
Fuzzy Cupid (Leon Stap)
Fuzzy Cupid (Leon Stap)
Age
50
Ring name (Birth name)
Fuzzy Cupid (Leon Stap)
Promotion(s) worked for
WWWF, NWA
Date of birth
September 24, 1928
Date of death
April 26, 1979
Cause of death
Unknown
Ivan Gomes
Ivan Gomes
Age
50
Ring name (Birth name)
Ivan Gomes
Promotion(s) worked for
NJPW
Date of birth
December 25, 1939
Date of death
March 2, 1990
Cause of death
Renal illness
Leroy Howard
Leroy Howard
Age
50
Ring name (Birth name)
Leroy Howard
Promotion(s) worked for
WCW, WWF, CWA, Battlarts, IWA Puerto Rico, WWC
Date of birth
August 5, 1968
Date of death
October 8, 2018
Cause of death
Unknown
King Kong Kirk (Malcolm Kirk)
King Kong Kirk (Malcolm Kirk)
Age
50
Ring name (Birth name)
King Kong Kirk (Malcolm Kirk)
Promotion(s) worked for
Joint Promotions, CWA, ASW, NWA
Date of birth
December 18, 1936
Date of death
August 24, 1987
Cause of death
Heart attack in match
Yakov Kozalchik
Yakov Kozalchik
Age
50
Ring name (Birth name)
Yakov Kozalchik
Promotion(s) worked for
Wrestled only in Israel
Date of birth
July 13, 1902
Date of death
June 13, 1953
Cause of death
Starvation from depression
Dave Legeno (David Steven Murray)
Dave Legeno (David Steven Murray)
Age
50
Ring name (Birth name)
Dave Legeno (David Steven Murray)
Promotion(s) worked for
British Wrestling Federation
Date of birth
October 12, 1963
Date of death
July 6, 2014
Cause of death
Heat illness
Lucifer (Tim Burke)
Lucifer (Tim Burke)
Age
50
Ring name (Birth name)
Lucifer (Tim Burke)
Promotion(s) worked for
MEWF, IPWA, ECWA, MCW
Date of birth
October 1, 1960
Date of death
June 21, 2011
Cause of death
Cancer
Kızılcıklı Mahmut
Kızılcıklı Mahmut
Age
50
Ring name (Birth name)
Kızılcıklı Mahmut
Promotion(s) worked for
N/A
Date of birth
1880
Date of death
February 3, 1931
Cause of death
Unknown
Billy Papke
Billy Papke
Age
50
Ring name (Birth name)
Billy Papke
Promotion(s) worked for
N/A
Date of birth
September 17, 1886
Date of death
November 26, 1936
Cause of death
Murder-suicide
Paul Pons
Paul Pons
Age
50
Ring name (Birth name)
Paul Pons
Promotion(s) worked for
N/A
Date of birth
June 23, 1864
Date of death
April 13, 1915
Cause of death
Drowning
Mark Starr (Mark Ashford-Smith)
Mark Starr (Mark Ashford-Smith)
Age
50
Ring name (Birth name)
Mark Starr (Mark Ashford-Smith)
Promotion(s) worked for
WCW, CWF, CWA, WWF, PWFG, FMW
Date of birth
December 26, 1962
Date of death
June 7, 2013
Cause of death
Heart attack
Sweet Georgia Brown (Susie Mae McCoy)
Sweet Georgia Brown (Susie Mae McCoy)
Age
50
Ring name (Birth name)
Sweet Georgia Brown (Susie Mae McCoy)
Promotion(s) worked for
NWA, MACW, Stampede Wrestling
Date of birth
December 22, 1938
Date of death
July 25, 1989
Cause of death
Breast cancer
Villano I (José de Jesús Díaz Mendoza)
Villano I (José de Jesús Díaz Mendoza)
Age
50
Ring name (Birth name)
Villano I (José de Jesús Díaz Mendoza)
Promotion(s) worked for
UWA, CMLL
Date of birth
June 28, 1950
Date of death
January 4, 2001
Cause of death
Cerebral hemorrhage
Buddy Wayne (Steve Finley)
Buddy Wayne (Steve Finley)
Age
50
Ring name (Birth name)
Buddy Wayne (Steve Finley)
Promotion(s) worked for
NWA Vancouver, PNW, WWF, WCW, ECCW
Date of birth
May 27, 1967
Date of death
June 15, 2017
Cause of death
Heart attack
Bearcat Wright (Edward Wright)
Bearcat Wright (Edward Wright)
Age
50
Ring name (Birth name)
Bearcat Wright (Edward Wright)
Promotion(s) worked for
NWA, CWC, Stampede Wrestling, CWF, NJPW
Date of birth
January 13, 1932
Date of death
August 28, 1982
Cause of death
Sickle cell anemia
Yar (Raymond Gajtkowski)
Yar (Raymond Gajtkowski)
Age
50
Ring name (Birth name)
Yar (Raymond Gajtkowski)
Promotion(s) worked for
NWA, JAPW, ECW, independent circuit
Date of birth
March 5, 1971
Date of death
September 1, 2021
Cause of death
Unknown
Yutaka Yoshie
Yutaka Yoshie
Age
50
Ring name (Birth name)
Yutaka Yoshie
Promotion(s) worked for
NJPW, AJPW, Zero1, Toryumon, Noah, various Japanese promotions
Date of birth
January 5, 1974
Date of death
March 10, 2024
Cause of death
Arteriosclerosis
Arkangel de la Muerte (Alfredo Pasillas)
Arkangel de la Muerte (Alfredo Pasillas)
Age
51
Ring name (Birth name)
Arkangel de la Muerte (Alfredo Pasillas)
Promotion(s) worked for
CMLL
Date of birth
July 16, 1966
Date of death
June 13, 2018
Cause of death
Cardiac arrest
Al Mills
Al Mills
Age
51
Ring name (Birth name)
Al Mills
Promotion(s) worked for
AWA, Stampede Wrestling
Date of birth
1910
Date of death
July 10, 1961
Cause of death
Unknown
Verlon Biggs
Verlon Biggs
Age
51
Ring name (Birth name)
Verlon Biggs
Promotion(s) worked for
CWA, UWF Mid-South
Date of birth
March 16, 1943
Date of death
June 7, 1994
Cause of death
Leukemia
Black Cat (Victor Manuel)
Black Cat (Victor Manuel)
Age
51
Ring name (Birth name)
Black Cat (Victor Manuel)
Promotion(s) worked for
UWA, NJPW, AAA, WCW
Date of birth
October 17, 1954
Date of death
January 28, 2006
Cause of death
Heart attack
Kerry Brown
Kerry Brown
Age
51
Ring name (Birth name)
Kerry Brown
Promotion(s) worked for
Stampede Wrestling, GPW, Lutte Internationale, WWC, NWA, NJPW
Date of birth
February 3, 1958
Date of death
September 10, 2009
Cause of death
Liver failure
Renato Gardini
Renato Gardini
Age
51
Ring name (Birth name)
Renato Gardini
Promotion(s) worked for
N/A
Date of birth
March 20, 1889
Date of death
September 29, 1940
Cause of death
Unknown
Hido (Hideo Takayama)
Hido (Hideo Takayama)
Age
51
Ring name (Birth name)
Hido (Hideo Takayama)
Promotion(s) worked for
BJW, IWA-MS, FMW, W*ING
Date of birth
October 19, 1969
Date of death
October 17, 2021
Cause of death
Unknown
Jimmy Jackson
Jimmy Jackson
Age
51
Ring name (Birth name)
Jimmy Jackson
Promotion(s) worked for
UWF Mid-South, WWF, MACW
Date of birth
July 28, 1956
Date of death
June 17, 2008
Cause of death
Unknown
Jun Izumida
Jun Izumida
Age
51
Ring name (Birth name)
Jun Izumida
Promotion(s) worked for
AJPW, NOAH
Date of birth
October 28, 1965
Date of death
January 25, 2017
Cause of death
Heart attack
Azumafuji Kin'ichi (Kinichi Inoue)
Azumafuji Kin'ichi (Kinichi Inoue)
Age
51
Ring name (Birth name)
Azumafuji Kin'ichi (Kinichi Inoue)
Promotion(s) worked for
JWA, NWA Hawaii
Date of birth
October 28, 1921
Date of death
July 31, 1973
Cause of death
Colon cancer
Harvey Martin
Harvey Martin
Age
51
Ring name (Birth name)
Harvey Martin
Promotion(s) worked for
WWF, WCCW, GWF
Date of birth
November 16, 1950
Date of death
December 24, 2001
Cause of death
Pancreatic cancer
Mighty Jumbo (Samuel Thomas Hesser)
Mighty Jumbo (Samuel Thomas Hesser)
Age
51
Ring name (Birth name)
Mighty Jumbo (Samuel Thomas Hesser)
Promotion(s) worked for
NWA, CWC, MLW NWA Mid-America
Date of birth
June 25, 1923
Date of death
September 3, 1974
Cause of death
Brain Tumor
Moondog Spot (Larry Latham)
Moondog Spot (Larry Latham)
Age
51
Ring name (Birth name)
Moondog Spot (Larry Latham)
Promotion(s) worked for
WWF, CWA, NWA, USWA
Date of birth
June 6, 1952
Date of death
November 29, 2003
Cause of death
Heart attack during match
Motoshi Okuma
Motoshi Okuma
Age
51
Ring name (Birth name)
Motoshi Okuma
Promotion(s) worked for
AJPW, NWA, JWA, IWE
Date of birth
December 18, 1941
Date of death
December 27, 1992
Cause of death
Kidney failure
Nikola Petroff (Nikola Petrov)
Nikola Petroff (Nikola Petrov)
Age
51
Ring name (Birth name)
Nikola Petroff (Nikola Petrov)
Promotion(s) worked for
N/A
Date of birth
December 19, 1873
Date of death
January 2, 1925
Cause of death
Unknown
Picudo (Arturo Hernández Herrada)
Picudo (Arturo Hernández Herrada)
Age
51
Ring name (Birth name)
Picudo (Arturo Hernández Herrada)
Promotion(s) worked for
AAA, IWRG
Date of birth
August 3, 1967
Date of death
August 3, 2018
Cause of death
Diabetes
Silver King (César Cuauhtémoc González Barrón)
Silver King (César Cuauhtémoc González Barrón)
Age
51
Ring name (Birth name)
Silver King (César Cuauhtémoc González Barrón)
Promotion(s) worked for
UWA, WCW, CMLL, AJPW, NJPW, AAA
Date of birth
January 9, 1968
Date of death
May 11, 2019
Cause of death
Stroke in ring, followed by heart attack
Paul Varelans
Paul Varelans
Age
51
Ring name (Birth name)
Paul Varelans
Promotion(s) worked for
ECW, Kingdom
Date of birth
September 17, 1969
Date of death
January 16, 2021
Cause of death
COVID-19
Maurice Webb
Maurice Webb
Age
51
Ring name (Birth name)
Maurice Webb
Promotion(s) worked for
created the Admiral-Lord Mountevans rules in the United Kingdom
Date of birth
September 26, 1904
Date of death
June 10, 1956
Cause of death
Unknown
Frankie Williams (Armando Pumarejo)
Frankie Williams (Armando Pumarejo)
Age
51
Ring name (Birth name)
Frankie Williams (Armando Pumarejo)
Promotion(s) worked for
WWWF/WWF
Date of birth
February 20, 1940
Date of death
April 23, 1991
Cause of death
Lung cancer
Emmanuel Yarbrough
Emmanuel Yarbrough
Age
51
Ring name (Birth name)
Emmanuel Yarbrough
Promotion(s) worked for
CWA
Date of birth
September 5, 1964
Date of death
December 21, 2015
Cause of death
Heart attack
Gene Anderson
Gene Anderson
Age
52
Ring name (Birth name)
Gene Anderson
Promotion(s) worked for
AWA, NWA, GCW, MACW
Date of birth
October 4, 1939
Date of death
October 31, 1991
Cause of death
Heart attack
Buddy Austin (Austin Wesley Rapes)
Buddy Austin (Austin Wesley Rapes)
Age
52
Ring name (Birth name)
Buddy Austin (Austin Wesley Rapes)
Promotion(s) worked for
WWWF, NWA, JWA
Date of birth
February 27, 1929
Date of death
August 12, 1981
Cause of death
Heart attack
Nicole Bass
Nicole Bass
Age
52
Ring name (Birth name)
Nicole Bass
Promotion(s) worked for
WWF, ECW, XPW, NEO
Date of birth
August 10, 1964
Date of death
February 17, 2017
Cause of death
Heart attack
Ady Berber
Ady Berber
Age
52
Ring name (Birth name)
Ady Berber
Promotion(s) worked for
wrestled only in Austria and Germany
Date of birth
February 4, 1913
Date of death
January 3, 1966
Cause of death
Unknown
Trevor Berbick
Trevor Berbick
Age
52
Ring name (Birth name)
Trevor Berbick
Promotion(s) worked for
UWFi
Date of birth
August 1, 1954
Date of death
October 28, 2006
Cause of death
Murder
El Brazo (Juan Alvarado Nieves)
El Brazo (Juan Alvarado Nieves)
Age
52
Ring name (Birth name)
El Brazo (Juan Alvarado Nieves)
Promotion(s) worked for
WWA, AAA, UWA, CMLL
Date of birth
July 30, 1961
Date of death
October 15, 2013
Cause of death
Diabetes
Melissa Coates
Melissa Coates
Age
52
Ring name (Birth name)
Melissa Coates
Promotion(s) worked for
OVW, UPW, WSU, Independent Circuit
Date of birth
June 18, 1969
Date of death
June 23, 2021
Cause of death
Complications from COVID-19
John Cozman
John Cozman
Age
52
Ring name (Birth name)
John Cozman
Promotion(s) worked for
Stampede Wrestling, HIW, various independent circuit promotions in Canada
Date of birth
August 28, 1964
Date of death
November 28, 2016
Cause of death
Unknown
Jimmy Del Ray (David Ferrier)
Jimmy Del Ray (David Ferrier)
Age
52
Ring name (Birth name)
Jimmy Del Ray (David Ferrier)
Promotion(s) worked for
SMW, WWF, PWF, USWA, ECW, WCW
Date of birth
November 30, 1962
Date of death
December 6, 2014
Cause of death
Heart attack
Espantito (Martín Rodríguez)
Espantito (Martín Rodríguez)
Age
52
Ring name (Birth name)
Espantito (Martín Rodríguez)
Promotion(s) worked for
AAA, NWA, various promotions in Mexico and United States
Date of birth
April 24, 1968
Date of death
October 12, 2020
Cause of death
Pneumonia
Doug Furnas (Dwight Furnas)
Doug Furnas (Dwight Furnas)
Age
52
Ring name (Birth name)
Doug Furnas (Dwight Furnas)
Promotion(s) worked for
AJPW, CCW, WCW, WWF, ECW
Date of birth
December 11, 1959
Date of death
March 2, 2012
Cause of death
Heart attack
George Gadaski (George Kosti)
George Gadaski (George Kosti)
Age
52
Ring name (Birth name)
George Gadaski (George Kosti)
Promotion(s) worked for
AWA, NWA, Stampede Wrestling
Date of birth
April 30, 1930
Date of death
December 16, 1982
Cause of death
Brain Tumor
Giant Haystacks (Martin Ruane)
Giant Haystacks (Martin Ruane)
Age
52
Ring name (Birth name)
Giant Haystacks (Martin Ruane)
Promotion(s) worked for
Stampede Wrestling, Joint Promotions, CWA, AJPW, WCW
Date of birth
October 10, 1946
Date of death
November 29, 1998
Cause of death
Lymphoma
Troy 'The Hippie' Graham (Troy Rolland Thompson Jr.)
Troy 'The Hippie' Graham (Troy Rolland Thompson Jr.)
Age
52
Ring name (Birth name)
Troy 'The Hippie' Graham (Troy Rolland Thompson Jr.)
Promotion(s) worked for
AWA, CWA, NWA, USWA
Date of birth
October 26, 1949
Date of death
March 7, 2002
Cause of death
Heart attack
Tonina Jackson (Héctor Garza Lozano Vela)
Tonina Jackson (Héctor Garza Lozano Vela)
Age
52
Ring name (Birth name)
Tonina Jackson (Héctor Garza Lozano Vela)
Promotion(s) worked for
EMLL, NWA, NWA Mid-America, WCCW, WWWF
Date of birth
January 9, 1917
Date of death
November 3, 1969
Cause of death
Possibly complications from health issues
Jim Jefferson
Jim Jefferson
Age
52
Ring name (Birth name)
Jim Jefferson
Promotion(s) worked for
MACW, CWA, CSW, CWF
Date of birth
July 14, 1960
Date of death
February 8, 2013
Cause of death
Unknown
Karol Kalmikoff
Karol Kalmikoff
Age
52
Ring name (Birth name)
Karol Kalmikoff
Promotion(s) worked for
NWA, AWA, NWA Tri-State, MLW
Date of birth
August 12, 1912
Date of death
September 11, 1964
Cause of death
Heart attack
Ivan Linow (Jānis Linaus)
Ivan Linow (Jānis Linaus)
Age
52
Ring name (Birth name)
Ivan Linow (Jānis Linaus)
Promotion(s) worked for
N/A
Date of birth
November 21, 1888
Date of death
November 21, 1940
Cause of death
Heart attack
Miss Janeth
Miss Janeth
Age
52
Ring name (Birth name)
Miss Janeth
Promotion(s) worked for
CMLL, AAA, W*ING, various Mexican promotions
Date of birth
January 14, 1973
Date of death
December 17, 2025
Paul Luty
Paul Luty
Age
52
Ring name (Birth name)
Paul Luty
Promotion(s) worked for
Joint Promotions
Date of birth
May 4, 1932
Date of death
January 12, 1985
Cause of death
Unknown
Rockin' Rebel (Charles Williams)
Rockin' Rebel (Charles Williams)
Age
52
Ring name (Birth name)
Rockin' Rebel (Charles Williams)
Promotion(s) worked for
ECW, WCW, WWF, CZW, independent circuit
Date of birth
January 13, 1966
Date of death
June 1, 2018
Cause of death
Murder-suicide
Silo Sam (John Elmo Harris)
Silo Sam (John Elmo Harris)
Age
52
Ring name (Birth name)
Silo Sam (John Elmo Harris)
Promotion(s) worked for
WCCW, AWA
Date of birth
September 12, 1952
Date of death
April 19, 2005
Cause of death
Unknown; possibly related to gigantism
Iron Mike Steele (John Meek)
Iron Mike Steele (John Meek)
Age
52
Ring name (Birth name)
Iron Mike Steele (John Meek)
Promotion(s) worked for
CWF, Independent circuit
Date of birth
July 18, 1955
Date of death
August 29, 2007
Cause of death
Vehicular homicide
Frank Wycheck
Frank Wycheck
Age
52
Ring name (Birth name)
Frank Wycheck
Promotion(s) worked for
TNA
Date of birth
October 14, 1971
Date of death
December 9, 2023
Cause of death
Head injuries from a fall
Aníbal (Carlos Contreras)
Aníbal (Carlos Contreras)
Age
53
Ring name (Birth name)
Aníbal (Carlos Contreras)
Promotion(s) worked for
EMLL/CMLL, UWA
Date of birth
November 5, 1940
Date of death
March 4, 1994
Cause of death
Brain tumor
Johnny Attitude (John Greene)
Johnny Attitude (John Greene)
Age
53
Ring name (Birth name)
Johnny Attitude (John Greene)
Promotion(s) worked for
Founder of Micro Championship Wrestling, WCW, independent circuit
Date of birth
June 9, 1965
Date of death
June 12, 2018
Cause of death
Unknown
George Bollas
George Bollas
Age
53
Ring name (Birth name)
George Bollas
Promotion(s) worked for
NWA, NWA Hawaii, CWC, Joint Promotions, various European promotions
Date of birth
September 19, 1923
Date of death
January 28, 1977
Cause of death
Heart failure
Johnny K-9 (Ion Kroitoru)
Johnny K-9 (Ion Kroitoru)
Age
53
Ring name (Birth name)
Johnny K-9 (Ion Kroitoru)
Promotion(s) worked for
WWF, NJPW, SMW, BCW
Date of birth
December 7, 1963
Date of death
February 21, 2017
Cause of death
Acute pulmonary edema
Ricky Gibson (Richard Cain)
Ricky Gibson (Richard Cain)
Age
53
Ring name (Birth name)
Ricky Gibson (Richard Cain)
Promotion(s) worked for
GCCW, CWA, NWA Mid-America, NWA, UWF, MACW
Date of birth
November 19, 1952
Date of death
September 15, 2006
Cause of death
Heart attack
Ryuma Go (Hiroshi Yagi)
Ryuma Go (Hiroshi Yagi)
Age
53
Ring name (Birth name)
Ryuma Go (Hiroshi Yagi)
Promotion(s) worked for
NJPW, AJPW, IWE, NWA, AWA, WAR
Date of birth
March 23, 1956
Date of death
October 18, 2009
Cause of death
Blood poisoning
Tony Jones
Tony Jones
Age
53
Ring name (Birth name)
Tony Jones
Promotion(s) worked for
APW, BattlARTS, UPW, WWE, XPW
Date of birth
April 6, 1971
Date of death
April 11, 2024
Cause of death
Unknown
Anton Koolmann
Anton Koolmann
Age
53
Ring name (Birth name)
Anton Koolmann
Promotion(s) worked for
N/A
Date of birth
September 11, 1899
Date of death
June 29, 1953
Cause of death
Unknown
Henry Kulky
Henry Kulky
Age
53
Ring name (Birth name)
Henry Kulky
Promotion(s) worked for
NWA, Various International Promotions
Date of birth
August 11, 1911
Date of death
February 12, 1965
Cause of death
Heart attack
Buddy Landel (William Ensor)
Buddy Landel (William Ensor)
Age
53
Ring name (Birth name)
Buddy Landel (William Ensor)
Promotion(s) worked for
NWA, WCW, MACW, SMW, USWA, WWF
Date of birth
August 14, 1961
Date of death
June 22, 2015
Cause of death
Injuries from a car accident
Danny Little Bear
Danny Little Bear
Age
53
Ring name (Birth name)
Danny Little Bear
Promotion(s) worked for
NWA, Stampede Wrestling, CSW, GCCW
Date of birth
September 13, 1937
Date of death
May 12, 1991
Cause of death
Liver cancer
Curly Moe (Donald Zalesky)
Curly Moe (Donald Zalesky)
Age
53
Ring name (Birth name)
Curly Moe (Donald Zalesky)
Promotion(s) worked for
IWCCW
Date of birth
April 3, 1962
Date of death
July 1, 2015
Cause of death
Unknown
Osamu Nishimura
Osamu Nishimura
Age
53
Ring name (Birth name)
Osamu Nishimura
Promotion(s) worked for
NJPW, AJPW, ECW, various Japanese and International promotions
Date of birth
September 23, 1971
Date of death
February 28, 2025
Cause of death
Esophageal cancer
Larry O'Dea (Larry Davies)
Larry O'Dea (Larry Davies)
Age
53
Ring name (Birth name)
Larry O'Dea (Larry Davies)
Promotion(s) worked for
WCW Australia, CWF, AJPW
Date of birth
1944
Date of death
June 30, 1997
Cause of death
Liver cancer
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
Leroy Howard
WCW, WWF, CWA, Battlarts, IWA Puerto Rico, WWC
August 5, 1968
October 8, 2018
Unknown
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
51
Arkangel de la Muerte (Alfredo Pasillas)
CMLL
July 16, 1966
June 13, 2018
Cardiac arrest
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
Mighty Jumbo (Samuel Thomas Hesser)
NWA, CWC, MLW NWA Mid-America
June 25, 1923
September 3, 1974
Brain Tumor
51
Moondog Spot (Larry Latham)
WWF, CWA, NWA, USWA
June 6, 1952
November 29, 2003
Heart attack during match
51
Motoshi Okuma
AJPW, NWA, JWA, IWE
December 18, 1941
December 27, 1992
Kidney failure
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, NWA, 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
52
John Cozman
Stampede Wrestling, HIW, various independent circuit promotions in Canada
August 28, 1964
November 28, 2016
Unknown

References

  1. Deseret News via Yahoo News
    https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/why-pro-wrestlers-die-prematurely-200119973.html
  2. PLOS ONE
    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4220919
  3. BBC
    https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-33817959
  4. FiveThirtyEight
    https://web.archive.org/web/20180731062154/https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/comparing-the-wwfs-death-rate-to-the-nfls-and-other-pro-leagues/
  5. FiveThirtyEight
    https://web.archive.org/web/20180731062146/https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/are-pro-wrestlers-dying-at-an-unusual-rate/
  6. The Washington Post
    https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/the-ultimate-warrior-joins-a-long-list-of-wrestlers-who-died-prematurely/2014/04/09/64428b08-c02f-11e3-bcec-b71ee10e9bc3_story.html
  7. "Comparing the WWF's Death Rate to the NFL's and Other Pro Leagues'"
    https://web.archive.org/web/20180731062154/https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/comparing-the-wwfs-death-rate-to-the-nfls-and-other-pro-leagues/
  8. "Are Pro Wrestlers Dying at an Unusual Rate?"
    https://web.archive.org/web/20180731062146/https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/are-pro-wrestlers-dying-at-an-unusual-rate/
  9. "The Most Dangerous Sport No One Talks About"
    https://www.medicaldaily.com/pro-wrestling-americas-most-dangerous-sport-ex-wwe-wrestlers-sue-over-lifelong-318732
  10. "The Dead Wrestler of the Week Archive"
    https://deadspin.com/the-dead-wrestler-of-the-week-archive-5805167/
  11. PLOS One
    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4220919
  12. "Wrestlers who died before age 50"
    https://wrestlerdeaths.com/wrestlers-who-died-before-age-50/
  13. WWE
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8UQ4O7UiDs
  14. "Why John Oliver is calling for WWE fans to protest at WrestleMania"
    https://www.sbnation.com/2019/4/2/18291980/john-oliver-wwe-video-wrestlemania-vince-mcmahon
  15. Mashable
    https://mashable.com/video/john-oliver-wwe-vince-mcmahon/
  16. The Hollywood Reporter
    https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/wwe-hits-back-john-olivers-last-week-tonight-wrestling-takedown-1198510
  17. Opie and Anthony: Wrestler Death Clock Compilation
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nij3N-_EcX8
  18. "Kevin Nash responde a Bret Hart sobre la muerte prematura de los luchadores"
    https://solowrestling.mundodeportivo.com/new/106975-kevin-nash-a-bret-hart-sobre-muerte-prematura-de-luchadores
  19. "Bret Hart reacciona al fallecimiento de Scott Hall"
    https://solowrestling.mundodeportivo.com/new/106915-bret-hart-reacciona-al-fallecimiento-de-scott-hall
  20. Wrestling Babylon: Piledriving Tales of Drugs, Sex, Death, and Scandal
    https://books.google.com/books?id=gMVg5JWqh3YC&q=%22Big+E.+Sleaze%22&pg=PA143
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