List of premature professional wrestling deaths

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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] John Moriarty of the University of Manchester and Benjamin Morris of FiveThirtyEight report that the mortality rate for professional wrestlers is higher than that of athletes in other sports.[2] Experts suggest that a combination of the physical nature of the business, no off-season, and the drug culture of the 1970s and 1980s contributes to high mortality rates among wrestlers.[3][4][5][6][7] Another study ascribes the higher death rate largely to cardiovascular disease.[8] Measures such as the introduction of WWE's Wellness Program have been instituted to curb the trend. For the purposes of this list, wrestlers listed are those who died before age 65.

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,[9][10][11] with Oliver calling on WWE fans to protest at WrestleMania 35.[9][10][11] WWE denied Oliver's critique.[12]

The concept of the untimely deaths of professional wrestlers was a frequent topic of discussion on the Opie & Anthony show.[13]

List[]

Under 20[]

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[]

Hana Kimura
Reid Flair
Lance Cade
Trent Acid
Age Ring name
(Birth name) 		Promotion(s) worked for Date of birth Date of death Cause of death
21 Chris Von Erich
(Chris Adkisson)		 WCCW, USWA September 30, 1969 September 12, 1991 Suicide by gunshot[14]
21 Oro
(Jesus Javier Hernandez)		 CMLL, UWA December 24, 1971 October 26, 1993 Head injury in match[15]
21 Jeff Peterson Independent circuit, ECWA, MCW, IPW August 13, 1981 November 29, 2002 Leukemia
22 Spider
(Daniel Quirk)		 NWA New England, independent circuit, WXW, ACW July 19, 1982 May 28, 2005 Head injury in match
22 Mirai
(Chiemi Kitagami)		 AJW, K-DOJO, Atoz November 17, 1982 September 14, 2005 Drowning in bathtub
22 Mass Transit
(Eric Kulas)		 ECW, independent circuit October 17, 1979 May 12, 2002 Complications from gastric bypass surgery[16]
22 Hana Kimura
World Wonder Ring Stardom, ROH, Wrestle-1, various Japanese Promotions September 3, 1997 May 23, 2020 Suicide by hydrogen sulfide ingestion
23 Mike Von Erich
(Michael Adkisson)		 WCCW, NWA, NJPW March 2, 1964 April 12, 1987 Suicide by drug overdose[14]
23 Shane Shamrock
(Brian Howser)		 MCW, MEWF, IPWA February 8, 1975 August 18, 1998 Shot by police
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
25 David Von Erich
(David Adkisson)		 WCCW, NWA St. Louis, NWA, AJPW July 22, 1958 February 10, 1984 Acute enteritis[14]
25 Reid Flair
(Reid Fliehr)		 AJPW, WCW, NWA, independent circuit February 26, 1988 March 29, 2013 Drug overdose[17]
26 Kasavubu
(Jimmy Banks)		 Stampede Wrestling, WWWF, NWA, IWE May 14, 1956 July 27, 1982 Heart attack (during operation)
27 Russ Haas
(Thomas Russell Haas)		 ECWA, CZW, MCW, HWA, WWF, JAPW March 11, 1974 December 15, 2001 Heart failure
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 Louie Spicolli
(Louis Mucciolo Jr.)		 WWF, ECW, WCW, UWF, AAA, FMW February 10, 1971 February 15, 1998 Drug overdose[18]
28 Art Barr PNW, WCW, AAA, EMLL October 8, 1966 November 23, 1994 Heart attack caused by a drug overdose[19]
28 Gino Hernandez
(Charles Wolfe Jr.)		 WCCW, SCW, Houston Wrestling, NWA, UWF Mid-South August 14, 1957 February 2, 1986 Unknown (Drug overdose or Murder)[20]
28 Ricky Lawless
(Medardo Leon Jr.)		 ICW, NWF, independent circuit December 3, 1959 November 30, 1988 Shot
29 Plum Mariko
(Mariko Umeda)		 JWP, AJW, Japan Women's Pro-Wrestling November 1, 1967 August 16, 1997 Head injury in match[15]
29 Clarence Whistler N/A February 24, 1856 November 6, 1885 Pneumonia
29 Chris Taylor AWA, AJPW, NWA June 13, 1950 June 30, 1979 Cardiomyopathy
29 Lance Cade
(Lance McNaught)		 WWE, HWA, OVW, MCW, FCW, AJPW March 2, 1981 August 13, 2010 Drug overdose[21]
29 Bobby Shane
(Robert Schoenberger)		 NWA, CWF, CCW, CSW, GCW, WCW Australia August 25, 1945 February 20, 1975 Drowning from Plane crash
29 Trent Acid
(Michael Verdi)		 ROH, CZW, BJPW, JCW November 12, 1980 June 18, 2010 Drug overdose

Under 40[]

Crash Holly
Chris Candido
Test
Lonnie Mayne
La Parkita
Brain Damage
Yokozuna
Owen Hart
Umaga
Ray
Eddie Guerrero
Rikidōzan
Davey Boy Smith
El Solitario
Ashley Massaro
Age Ring name
(Birth name) 		Promotion(s) worked for Date of birth Date of death Cause of death
30 Rick McGraw WWF, NWA, MACW, GCW March 19, 1955 November 1, 1985 Heart attack[22]
30 Jay Youngblood
(Steven Romero)		 AWA, NWA, MACW, MLW, CWF, AJPW June 21, 1955 September 2, 1985 Heart attack[23]
30 Larry Sweeney
(Alexander Whybrow)		 Chikara, IWC, ROH, CZW February 18, 1981 April 11, 2011 Suicide by hanging
30 Giant Ochiai
(Takayuki Okada)		 Battlarts, WJ May 8, 1973 August 8, 2003 Subdural hematoma
30 Zubair Jhara
(Muhammad Zubair Aslam)		 wrestled in Pakistan, NJPW November 24, 1960 September 10, 1991 Heart failure
30 Pierre Lefebvre GCW, WWF, Lutte Internationale, NWA, UWF February 24, 1955 December 24, 1985 Car wreck[24]
31 Ed Gantner CWF February 4, 1959 December 31, 1990 Suicide by gunshot[25]
31 Gene Lipscomb NWA, NWA San Francisco August 9, 1931 May 10, 1963 Drug overdose
31 Frank Speer unknown May 27, 1907 June 10, 1938 Bronchial pneumonia
31 Scott Peterson PNW, NWA June 10, 1963 July 25, 1994 Motorcycle accident
31 Kazuharu Sonoda AJPW, NWA, WCCW, CWF, MACW September 16, 1956 November 28, 1987 Died aboard South African Airways Flight 295
31 Joey Marella referee for WWF February 28, 1963 July 4, 1994 Car crash
32 Jaime Cardriche Pacific Wrestling Alliance, independent circuit March 28, 1968 July 28, 2000 Complications during gall bladder surgery
32 Steve Bradley
(Steve Bisson)		 WWF/E, PPW, OVW, NECW, HWA December 10, 1975 December 1, 2008 Unknown
32 Adam Firestorm
(Adam Dykes)		 ECCW, Stampede Wrestling, various promotions in Western Canada and Pacific Northwest November 25, 1976 November 5, 2009 Suicide
32 Kris Travis TNA, RPW, PCW, ICW, PROGRESS December 16, 1983 March 31, 2016 Stomach cancer
32 Sorakichi Matsuda
(Koujiro Matsuda)		 N/A 1859 August 16, 1891 Tuberculosis
32 Crash Holly
(Mike Lockwood)		 WWF/E, ECW, Funking Conservatory, APW, TNA August 25, 1971 November 6, 2003 Suicide by drug overdose and alcohol poisoning[26]
32 Buzz Sawyer
(Bruce Woyan)		 NWA, WWF, UWF, WCCW, MACW, WCW June 14, 1959 February 7, 1992 Cocaine induced Heart attack[15][27]
32 Billy McCrary NWA, NJPW December 7, 1946 July 14, 1979 Motorcycle accident[28][29]
33 Chris Candido WCW, WWF, ECW, SMW, NJPW, TNA March 21, 1972 April 28, 2005 Acute pneumonia[30]
33 Adrian Adonis
(Keith Franke)		 AWA, WWF, NJPW, CWF, GCW, ASW September 15, 1954 July 4, 1988 Car wreck[31]
33 Eddie Gilbert
(Thomas Edward Gilbert Jr.)		 NWA, WCW, UWF, WWF, USWA, ECW August 14, 1961 February 18, 1995 Heart attack[32]
33 José Aarón Alvarado Nieves CMLL, UWA May 9, 1966 October 27, 1999 Infection
33 Kerry Von Erich
(Kerry Adkisson)		 WCCW, NWA, UWF, WWF February 3, 1960 February 18, 1993 Suicide by gunshot[14]
33 Paul E. Normous
(Paul Fauchs)		 OVW, ECWA, independent circuit April 15, 1975 January 16, 2009 Drug overdose
33 The Renegade
(Rick Wilson)		 WCW, WAR October 16, 1965 February 23, 1999 Suicide by gunshot[33]
33 Test
(Andrew Martin)		 WWF/E, Funking Conservatory, TNA March 17, 1975 March 13, 2009 Drug overdose[34]
33 Michel Martel
(Michel Vigneault)		 Stampede Wrestling, WWC, IWE, NWA October 4, 1944 June 30, 1978 Heart attack after match
33 D.J. Peterson
(David Peterson)		 AWA, WWF, UWF, NWA July 17, 1959 May 25, 1993 Motorcycle accident
33 Neil Superior
(Neil Caricofe)		 National Wrestling League, IWCCW; SAPW, WCW April 6, 1963 August 23, 1996 Confrontation with police
33 Moondog Mayne
(Ronald Mayne)		 NWA, WWWF, PNW September 12, 1944 August 13, 1978 Car wreck
33 Gran Naniwa
(Yoshikuni Kimura)		 Michinoku Pro, AJPW, ECW, WAR, NJPW February 15, 1977 October 6, 2010 Heart attack
33 Karsten Beck
(Karsten Pitann)		 WXW, BJPW, CZW, various European promotions November 25, 1986 October 15, 2020 Brain Cancer
33–34 Damian Steele
(Damien Dothard)		 GCW, NWA Wildside, TCW, DSW 1975 July 22, 2009 Brain aneurysm
34 Danny Havoc
(Grant Berkland)		 CZW, GCW, WXW, ICW, BJPW, IWA Mid-South May 19, 1986 May 31, 2020 Unknown (possibly suicide)
34 Espectrito II
(Alejandro Pérez Jiménez)		 AAA, WWF May 15, 1975 June 30, 2009 Poisoned
34 La Parkita
(Alberto Pérez Jiménez)		 AAA, WWF May 15, 1975 June 30, 2009 Poisoned
34 El Hijo de Cien Caras
(Eustacio "Tacho" Jiménez Ibarra)		 AAA, CMLL March 21, 1976 November 29, 2010 Shot
34 Chase Tatum
(William Tatum)		 WCW, Innovate Wrestling November 3, 1973 March 23, 2008 Drug overdose
34 Brain Damage
(Marvin Lambert)		 IWA MS, CZW December 14, 1977 October 18, 2012 Apparent suicide
34 Yokozuna
(Rodney Anoa'i)		 WWF, AWA, NJPW, UWA October 2, 1966 October 23, 2000 Heart attack[35]
34 Bobby Duncum, Jr. WCW, ECW, GWF, AJPW August 26, 1965 January 24, 2000 Accidental prescription drug overdose[36]
34 Owen Hart WWF, Stampede Wrestling, NJPW, CWA May 7, 1965 May 23, 1999 Fall from roof of Kemper Arena (during botched stunt)[37]
34 Big Dick Dudley
(Alex Rizzo)		 ECW, WWC, XPW January 12, 1968 May 16, 2002 Kidney failure[38]
34 Wayne Munn NWA February 9, 1896 January 9, 1931 Bright's disease
34–35 Thunder
(Luke Fordward)		 CMLL, wrestled in various promotions in Japan and Australia 1981 June 30, 2016 Stomach cancer
35 Andy Kaufman CWA January 17, 1949 May 16, 1984 Kidney failure from lung cancer
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[16]
35 Harold Angus N/A November 10, 1904 30 October 1940 shooting accident
35 Scott Irwin WWWF, UWF, CWF, AWA, Lutte Internationale May 14, 1952 September 5, 1987 Cancer, also reported as Brain aneurysm[15]
35 Marianna Komlos WWF September 3, 1969 September 26, 2004 Breast cancer[39]
35 Brian Pillman Stampede Wrestling, WCW, ECW, WWF May 22, 1962 October 5, 1997 Arteriosclerotic heart disease[40]
35 Miguel Ángel Delgado
(Miguel Ángel Delgado Reyes)		 EMLL August 28, 1947 February 7, 1983 Leukemia
35 Perro Aguayo Jr.
(Perro Agusyo Ramírez)		 AAA, CMLL, Perros del Mal July 23, 1979 March 21, 2015 Cervical spine trauma in match
36 Lionheart
(Adrian McCallum)		 ICW, PCW December 17, 1982 June 19, 2019 Suicide[41]
36 Dean Hart Stampede Wrestling, NWA Hawaii, WSS January 3, 1954 November 21, 1990 Bright's disease
36 Emory Hale
(Emory Hail)		 WCW, XWF December 13, 1969 January 28, 2006 Kidney failure
36 Freddie Sweetan
(Fred Prossner)		 NWA, Stampede Wrestling, CSW, MACW July 25, 1938 July 26, 1974 House fire
36 Shoichi Arai FMW promoter December 19, 1965 May 16, 2002 Suicide by hanging
36 Gary Albright Stampede Wrestling, UWFi, AJPW, ECW May 18, 1963 January 7, 2000 Heart attack in match[42]
36 Pitbull #2
(Anthony Durante)		 ECW, CWA, NJPW July 26, 1967 September 25, 2003 Drug overdose[43]
36 Jerry Tuite
(Michael Jerome Tuite)		 WCW, TNA, PCW, AJPW December 27, 1966 December 6, 2003 Heart attack[44]
36 Umaga
(Edward Fatu)		 WWE, TNA, HWA, WXW, AJPW March 28, 1973 December 4, 2009 Heart attack caused by combined drug intoxication[45]
36 Ray
Smash, WNC, Shimmer, Ice Ribbon, JWP February 14, 1982 August 30, 2018 Brain tumor[46]
37 Mike Bell WWF, ECW, UPW March 18, 1971 December 14, 2008 Heart attack (drug overdose)
37 Buford Pusser UWF Mid-South December 12, 1937 August 21, 1974 Car wreck
37 Pak Song
(Pak Song Nam)		 NWA, WSS, AJPW, CWF April 11, 1945 April, 1982 Marfan's syndrome
37 Sam McVey wrestled in Australia May 17, 1884 December 23, 1921 pneumonia
37 Brian Hildebrand SMW, ECW, referee for WCW January 5, 1962 September 8, 1999 Stomach and bowel cancer
37 Joey Maggs
(Joseph Magliano)		 WCW, WWF, SMW, USWA July 1, 1969 October 15, 2006 Cardiac Arrest[47]
37 Leroy Brown
(Roland C. Daniels)		 NWA, CWF, NJPW, UWF November 30, 1950 September 6, 1988 Heart attack[48]
37 Abismo Negro
(Andrés Alejandro Palomeque González)		 AAA, CMLL, WWF, TNA July 1, 1971 March 22, 2009 Drowning
37–38 Espanto I
(José Eusebio Vázquez Bernal)		 EMLL 1930 May 30, 1968 Beaten
38 Eddie Guerrero
(Eduardo Gory Guerrero Llanes)		 CMLL, AAA, NJPW, ECW, WCW, WWF/E October 9, 1967 November 13, 2005 Arteriosclerotic heart disease[49]
38 John Kronus
(George Caiazzo)		 ECW, USWA, IWF, CZW, WAR, XPW January 13, 1969 July 18, 2007 Heart failure[50]
38 Tim Arson
(Timothy Calkins)		 WWE, WWC, independent circuit December 27, 1976 January 7, 2015 Unknown
38 Chip Fairway
(Brett Keen)		 HWA, IWA Mid-South November 7, 1972 April 9, 2011 Unknown
38 Wolf
(Daniel Wolfe)		 NWA, ECW, JAPW, independent circuit June 30, 1972 February 2, 2011 Unknown
38 Danno O'Mahony
(Daniel O'Mahony)		 NWA September 29, 1912 November 5, 1950 Car wreck
38 Aleksander Aberg N/A August 11, 1881 February 20, 1920 Pneumonia
38 Chabela Romero
(Isabela Romero Rangel)		 AJW, CMLL, UWA November 11, 1946 April 19, 1985 Unknown
38 Brian Danovich WWE, DSW, independent circuit July 8, 1980 August 9, 2018 Suicide
38 Bison Smith
(Mark Smith)		 IWA ROH, WWC, APW, Pro Wrestling Noah September 24, 1973 November 22, 2011 Heart complications
38 Matt Cappotelli OVW, WWE November 12, 1979 June 29, 2018 Brain cancer[51]
39 Villano II
(José Alfredo Díaz Mendoza)		 UWA, EMLL September 25, 1949 April 17, 1989 Suicide by hanging
39 George Kennedy
(George Kendall)		 promoter for wrestling in Montreal December 29, 1881 October 19, 1921 Complications from Spanish flu
39 Ed Virag NWA, various European promotions August 12, 1912 October 20, 1951 Car wreck
39 El Solitario
(Roberto González)		 UWA, EMLL May 22, 1946 April 6, 1986 Cardiac arrest during operation[15]
39 Skull Murphy
(John Murphy)		 GCW, WWWF, WCW Australia, Studio Wrestling December 7, 1930 March 23, 1970 Suicide by drug overdose
39 Hercules Cortez
(Alfonso Chicharro)		 AWA, WCW Australia, NWA July 7, 1932 July 23, 1971 Car wreck
39 Fabián el Gitano
(Emilio Fabián Fernández de León)		 CMLL January 24, 1972 March 17, 2011 Pancreatic hemorrhage
39 BellaDonna
(Roxanne "Rocksan" Biggerstaff)		 TNA April 25, 1979 January 21, 2019 Unknown
39 Johnny Grunge
(Michael Durham)		 ECW, WCW, WWF, 3PW, TCW July 10, 1966 February 16, 2006 Sleep apnea complications[52]
39 Rikidōzan
(Kim Sin-rak)		 NWA, JWA November 14, 1924 December 15, 1963 Peritonitis (as result of stabbing)[53]
39 British Bulldog
(David Smith)		 Stampede Wrestling, WWF, AJPW, ECW, WCW November 27, 1962 May 18, 2002 Heart attack[54]
39 Ashley Massaro WWE May 26, 1979 May 16, 2019 Suicide by hanging[55]
39 Shad Gaspard WWE, OVW, FCW, JAPW, IGF, NWA Wildside January 13, 1981 May 17, 2020 Drowning

Under 50[]

Chris Benoit
Frank Gotch
Shinya Hashimoto
Brodie Lee
Mike Awesome
Miss Elizabeth
Viscera
Héctor Garza
Balls Mahoney
Axl Rotten
Junkyard Dog
Chyna
André the Giant
Mitsuharu Misawa
Hayabusa
Gorgeous George
Daffney
Age Ring name
(Birth name) 		Promotion(s) worked for Date of birth Date of death Cause of death
40 Chris Benoit Stampede Wrestling, NJPW, ECW, WCW, WWF/E May 21, 1967 June 24, 2007 Suicide by hanging[56]
40 Brady Boone
(Dean Peters)		 PNW, MACW, WCW, WWF August 22, 1958 December 15, 1998 Car wreck
40 Terry Gordy WCCW, NWA, WCW, ECW, WWF, AJPW April 23, 1961 July 16, 2001 Blood clot
40 Frank Gotch NWA April 27, 1877 December 16, 1917 Uremic poisoning
40 Don Eagle
(Carl Donald Bell)		 AWA, NWA Chicago, NWA August 25, 1925 March 17, 1966 Suicide by gunshot
40 Shinya Hashimoto NJPW, Zero1, Stampede Wrestling July 3, 1965 July 11, 2005 Brain aneurysm
40 Chris Kanyon (Christopher Klucsarits) WCW, WWF/E, ECW, SMW, NWA Shockwave January 4, 1970 April 2, 2010 Suicide by drug overdose[57]
40 Cincinnati Red
(Gregory Scott Daves)		 NWC, EWF, independent circuit October 17, 1974 March 20, 2015 Heart attack
40 Vivian Vachon AWA, WWWF, CWF, International Wrestling, NWA February 14, 1951 August 25, 1991 Car wreck
40 Rick Rude
(Richard Rood)		 CWF, WCCW, WWF, ECW, WCW December 7, 1958 April 20, 1999 Heart failure[20]
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 George Kotsonaros N/A October 16, 1892 July 13, 1933 Car wreck
40–41 Gulam wrestled in Europe and India 1860 1901 Cholera
41 Hack Meyers
(Donald Haviland)		 ECW, FOW, IPW, Funking Conservatory December 7, 1973 December 5, 2015 Complications from brain surgery
41 Brodie Lee
(Jonathan Huber)		 WWE, AEW, FCW, ROH, Dragon Gate, Chikara December 16, 1979 December 26, 2020 Pulmonary Fibrosis
41 Jackie Sato
(Naoko Sato)		 AJW, JWPW October 30, 1957 August 9, 1999 Stomach cancer
41 Yusuf İsmail N/A 1857 July 4, 1898 Drowned aboard the SS La Bourgogne
41 John Foti
(John Fotie)		 Stampede Wrestling, NWA, AWA, WWWF March 13, 1928 April 29, 1969 Suicide
41 Jerry London
(Jerry Linden)		 NWA, CWC, Stampede Wrestling, MLW 1929 September 20, 1970 Suicide (overdose of sleeping pills)
41 Justice Pain
(Christopher Wilson)		 CZW, XPW, IPW, JAPW, BJW May 16, 1978 January 24, 2020 Fall off bridge (being chased by police)
41 Billy Travis
(Gary Mize)		 CWA, USWA, WWF, PPW April 29, 1961 November 23, 2002 Heart attack[16]
41 Alan Carnill IWF Promotions, independent circuit March 12, 1962 January 25, 2004 Car wreck
41 Atsushi Aoki AJPW, Noah, AAA September 25, 1977 June 3, 2019 Motorcycle accident
41 Larry Cameron Stampede Wrestling, NWA, AWA, CWA November 4, 1952 December 13, 1993 Heart attack in match[15]
41 Big Boss Man
(Ray Traylor)		 WCW, MACW, WWF, AJPW, UWF, IWA Japan May 2, 1963 September 22, 2004 Heart attack
41 Herb Abrams Universal Wrestling Federation promoter July 9, 1955 July 23, 1996 Cocaine induced heart attack
42 Mike Awesome
(Michael Alfonso)		 AJPW, FMW, ECW, WCW, WWF, MLW January 24, 1965 February 17, 2007 Suicide by hanging
42 Biff Wellington
(Shayne Bower)		 Stampede Wrestling, WCW, NJPW, ECW April 18, 1965 June 24, 2007 Heart attack
42 Ray Candy
(Ray Canty)		 NWA, AJPW, WWC, NJPW, WCW December 3, 1951 May 23, 1994 Heart attack
42 Randy Anderson referee for NWA, WCW July 17, 1959 May 5, 2002 Testicular cancer
42 Bruiser Brody
(Frank Goodish)		 NWA, AJPW, WWWF, WCCW June 18, 1946 July 17, 1988 Murdered[20]
42 Miss Elizabeth
(Elizabeth Hulette)		 WWF, WCW, ICW November 19, 1960 May 1, 2003 Drug overdose[20]
42 John Tenta WWF, WCW, ASW, AJPW June 22, 1963 June 7, 2006 Bladder cancer[58]
42 John Ayers UWF April 14, 1953 October 2, 1995 Liver cancer
42 Hiromichi Fuyuki AJPW, NJPW, FMW, IWE, NWA, CWA May 11, 1960 March 19, 2003 Intestinal cancer
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
43 Brian Adams PNW, NJPW, WWF, WCW, AJPW April 14, 1964 August 13, 2007 Drug overdose[59]
43 Georg Lurich N/A 22 April [O.S. 10 April] 1876 20 January 1920 Typhus
43 Nancy Benoit CWF, ECW, WCW May 17, 1964 June 22, 2007 Murdered[56]
43 Rocky Hata
(Mitsuo Hata)		 AJPW, CSW, GCW, NWA Tri-State, CWF September 12, 1948 October 27, 1991 Complications from diabetes[60]
43 Viscera
(Nelson Frazier, Jr.)		 WWF/E, AJPW, USWA, TNA, Memphis Wrestling February 14, 1971 February 18, 2014 Heart attack
43 Sean O'Haire
(Sean Haire)		 WCW, OVW, WWF/E, NJPW, UPW February 25, 1971 September 8, 2014 Suicide by hanging
43 Héctor Garza CMLL, Perros del Mal, WCW, WWF June 12, 1969 May 26, 2013 Lung cancer[20]
43 Corey Maclin announcer for USWA, PPW, Memphis Wrestling May 6, 1970 July 31, 2013 Car crash
43 Tony Rumble
(Anthony Magliaro)		 NWA New England, ECW, ICW, AWA, IWCCW, WCW November 6, 1956 November 13, 1999 Heart attack
43 Reggie White WCW, WWF December 19, 1961 December 26, 2004 Sarcoidosis
43 Ángel Azteca
(Juan Manuel Zúñiga)		 AAA, CMLL, UWA June 24, 1963 March 18, 2007 Heart attack after match
43 Goga Pehlwan
(Goga Moazzam)		 Wrestled only in India 1937 February 6, 1981 Died in the ring
43 Doctor X
(Clemente Nájera)		 CMLL July 17, 1968 October 11, 2011 Shot[61]
43–44 Mark Frear WWF, USWA, MEWF, independent circuit 1970 May 11, 2014 Unknown
44 Carl Abs N/A September 12, 1851 February 18, 1895 Liver and kidney failure
44 Balls Mahoney
(Jonathan Rechner)		 ECW, SMW, WWF/E April 12, 1972 April 12, 2016 Heart attack[62]
44 Dustin Diamond Hulk Hogan's Celebrity Championship Wrestling, independent circuit, MCW, NWA-TNA January 1, 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 wreck
44 Koichiro Kimura AJPW, DDT Pro-Wrestling, W*ING, WJ November 18, 1969 October 28, 2014 Pneumonia
44 Danny Fargo
(Audie Hager)		 WWC, CWA, NWA, SWCW June 13, 1959 December 26, 2003 Cancer
44 Kevin Randleman AJPW, Zero1, Hustle August 10, 1971 February 11, 2016 Heart attack and pneumonia
44 The Brusier
(RJ Meyer)		 MCW, Independent Circuit August 15, 1976 November 16, 2020 Leukemia
44 Axl Rotten
(Brian Knighton)		 ECW, MEWF, IWA Mid-South, WCW, WWE April 21, 1971 February 4, 2016 Drug overdose
44 Dino Bravo
(Adolfo Bresciano)		 NWA, AWA, Lutte Internationale, WWF August 6, 1948 March 11, 1993 Shot[20]
44 Curt Hennig AWA, PNW, WWF/E, WCW, TNA March 28, 1958 February 10, 2003 Combined drug intoxication[20]
44 Jorge González WCW, WWF, NJPW January 31, 1966 September 22, 2010 Diabetes and severe heart issues
44–45 Nurullah Hasan N/A 1867 1912 Unknown
45 Bam Bam Bigelow
(Scott Bigelow)		 CWA, WWF/E, ECW, WCW, NJPW September 1, 1961 January 19, 2007 Drug overdose[63]
45 Jerry Blackwell AWA, WWWF, NWA, MACW, AJPW April 26, 1949 January 22, 1995 Complications from car accident[15]
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 wreck
45 Peter Maivia
(Pita Fanene Anderson)		 NWA, AWA, NJPW, NWA Hawaii, WWWF April 6, 1937 June 13, 1982 Cancer
45 Toni Adams
(Toni Collins)		 UWF, WCCW, USWA August 19, 1964 June 24, 2010 Heart attack
45 Pasión Kristal
(José Gabriel Zentella Damián)		 AAA, IWRG, various Mexican promotions January 9, 1976 June 2, 2021 Drowning
45 Jean Pusie wrestled various promotions in Quebec October 15, 1910 April 21, 1956 Heart attack
45 Val Puccio
(Valentino Puccio)		 AJPW, WWF, ECW June 9, 1965 January 7, 2011 Believed to be obesity
45 Rocky Marciano
(Rocco Marchegiano)		 referee for NWA, GCW September 1, 1923 August 31, 1969 Plane crash
45 Aya Koyama AJW, BJW, JWPW March 8, 1973 August 27, 2018 Cancer
46 Daffney
(Shannon Spruill)		 WCW, TNA, OVW, Wrestlicious, SHIMMER, ACW July 17, 1975 September 1, 2021 Suicide by Gunshot[64]
46 Chyna
(Joanie Laurer)		 WWF, NJPW, TNA December 27, 1969 April 17, 2016 Medication overdose
46 Maximum Capacity (Michael Stanco) NWA, FOW, Zero1, wrestled in various promotions in the US and Europe August 2, 1968 August 21, 2014 Colorectal cancer
46 Bestia Salvaje
(Juan Rodriguez)		 CMLL February 11, 1962 March 20, 2008 Liver disease
46 Floyd Creatchman Lutte Internationale, NWA Detroit June 25, 1957 October 26, 2003 Crohn's disease
46 Víctor Quiñones IWA, FMW, IWA Japan, WWC, W*ING June 30, 1959 April 1, 2006 Mix of alcohol and drug overdose
46 Argentina Apollo (Vincente Denigris) WWWF, NWA, CWF, MACW, AJPW, IWA 1938 August 2, 1984 Heart attack
46 Magnificent Maurice (Eugene Dubuque) WWWF, NWA, AWA, NWA San Francisco, NWA Hawaii December 11, 1927 March 13, 1974 Plane crash
46 Herman Hickman NWA October 1, 1911 April 25, 1958 Unknown
46 Brian Christopher
(Brian Lawler)		 WWF/E, USWA, TNA, WWA, Memphis Wrestling January 10, 1972 July 29, 2018 Suicide by hanging
46 Gus Sonnenberg NWA, DWU March 6, 1898 September 9, 1944 Leukemia
46 Sam Sheppard NWA Los Angeles December 29, 1923 April 6, 1970 Wernicke encephalopathy
46 Mr. Niebla
(Efrén Tiburcio Márquez)		 CMLL, AAA February 22, 1973 December 23, 2019 Blood infection
46 Chris Adams WCCW, UWF, SCW, WCW, Joint Promotions, AWF February 10, 1955 October 7, 2001 Shot
46 Road Warrior Hawk
(Michael Hegstrand)		 AWA, NWA, AJPW, WWF, WCW, NJPW September 12, 1957 October 19, 2003 Heart attack[65]
46 André the Giant
(André René Roussimoff)		 NWA, NJPW, IWE, AWA, WWF, AJPW May 19, 1946 January 27, 1993 Congestive heart failure[66]
46 Mitsuharu Misawa AJPW, Pro Wrestling Noah, NJPW, NWA, ROH June 18, 1962 June 13, 2009 Heart attack after cervical spinal cord injury in match[67] [68]
47 Hercules
(Ray Fernandez)		 NWA, WWF, NJPW, WCW, CWF, NWA St. Louis May 7, 1956 March 6, 2004 Heart disease
47 Man Mountain Mike
(Gary Fletcher)		 NWA, AWA, WWWF September 15, 1940 April 30, 1988 Heart attack
47 Dan Kolov N/A December 27, 1892 March 26, 1940 Tuberculosis
47 Hayabusa
(Eiji Ezaki)		 FMW, ECW, CMLL, AJPW November 29, 1968 March 3, 2016 Subarachnoid hemorrhage
47 Rosey
(Matthew Anoa'i)		 WWE, HWA, WXW, ECW, AJPW April 7, 1970 April 17, 2017 Congestive heart failure[69]
47 Big John Studd
(John Minton)		 NWA, AWA, WWF, NAWA February 19, 1948 March 20, 1995 Liver cancer[15]
47 Ludvig Borga NJPW, WWF, CWA January 6, 1963 January 8, 2010 Suicide by gunshot
47 Ángel Blanco
(José Ángel Vargas Sánchez)		 EMLL, UWA, NJPW August 2, 1938 April 26, 1986 Car crash
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 El Texano
(Juan Aguilar Jauregui)		 UWA, WCW, CMLL, AAA November 26, 1958 January 15, 2006 Pneumonia
47–48 Fuzzy Cupid
(Leon Stap)		 WWWF, NWA September 24, 1928 1976 Unknown
48 Doc Dean
(Ian Dean)		 All Star Wrestling, WCW, New Japan Pro-Wrestling, European Wrestling Federation (France) July 3, 1970 August 14, 2018 Heart attack
48 Yukon Eric
(Eric Holmback)		 NWA, MLW, AWA April 16, 1916 January 16, 1965 Suicide by gunshot
48 Cousin Junior
(Lanny Kean)		 WWF, CWA, NWA, USWA March 19, 1960 January 13, 2009 Heart attack
48 Tom Burton WWF, USWA, GWF, UWFi, WCW, IWA Mid-South October 14, 1961 March 29, 2010 Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
48 Harley Saito
(Sayori Saito)		 Ladies Legend Pro-Wrestling, Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling December 21, 1967 December 15, 2016 Esophageal cancer
48 Mark Young
(Joe Scarpa Jr.)		 WWF, WCW, PNW, AJPW April 23, 1967 February 25, 2016 Unknown
48 Don Ross NWAHW, NWA October 6, 1946 June 2, 1995 Heart attack[15]
48 Clarence Weber wrestled only in Australia March 27, 1882 November 20, 1930 Coronary occlusion
48 Dennis Coralluzzo NWA New Jersey promoter March 5, 1953 July 21, 2001 Bleeding on the brain due to a stroke
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 Luna Vachon CWF, WWF, WCW, ECW, POWW January 12, 1962 August 27, 2010 Drug overdose
48 Steve Doll WWF, PNW, WCW, AJPW, IWA Mid-South, USWA December 9, 1960 March 22, 2009 Blood clot
49 Sheik Ali
(Wadi Ayoub)		 WCW Australia, Joint Promotions, and various international promotions April 20, 1927 September 29, 1976 Cancer
49 Dean Detton NWA June 27, 1908 February 23, 1958 Suicide by hanging
49 La Fiera
(Arturo Casco Hernández)		 EMLL, AAA, AJPW, NJPW March 17, 1961 September 12, 2010 Stabbed
49 Kung Fu
(Raymundo Cuesta Veloz)		 EMLL, UWA January 20, 1951 January 3, 2001 Arterial hypertension
49 Ray Steele NWA February 2, 1900 September 11, 1949 Heart attack
49 Piratita Morgan
(Raymundo Rodríguez)		 EMLL, WWC, AAA, WWF, WWA, TNA March 15, 1969 July 8, 2018 Health issues
49 Sherri Martel AWA, WWF, WCW, ECW February 8, 1958 June 15, 2007 Drug overdose
49 Dick Murdoch CWF, NWA, WWF, AJPW, NJPW, WCW, August 16, 1946 June 15, 1996 Heart attack
49 Rocco Rock
(Ted Petty)		 ECW, NWA, WCW, WWF September 1, 1953 September 21, 2002 Heart attack[16]
49 Jumbo Tsuruta
(Tomomi Tsuruta)		 AJPW, NWA, AWA March 25, 1951 May 13, 2000 Complications of a liver transplant
49 Espectrito
(Mario Jiminez)		 EMLL, AAA, WWF, IWA Puerto Rico December 18, 1966 January 23, 2016 Unknown
49 Jack Claybourne NWA, NWA Hawaii, MLW March 8, 1910 January 7, 1960 Suicide by gunshot
49 "Dr. Death" Steve Williams Mid-South/UWF, NWA, WWF, WCW, AJPW, ECW May 14, 1960 December 29, 2009 Throat cancer
49 Louis Cyr
(Cyprien-Noé Cyr)		 N/A October 10, 1863 November 10, 1912 Chronic nephritis
49 Grigory Verichev FMW April 4, 1957 May 25, 2006 Unknown
49 Big Titan
(Rick Bognar)		 FMW, WWF, WAR, USWA, CWA, NJPW January 16, 1970 September 20, 2019 Heart attack
49 Hideki Hosaka FMW, AJPW, Pro Wrestling Zero1, BJPW, various Japanese Promotions August 5, 1971 August 2, 2021 Liver and Colon Cancer

Under 60[]

The French Angel
Silver King
Arkangel de la Muerte
The Ultimate Warrior
Universo 2000
Paul Bearer
Randy Savage
New Jack
Melissa Coates
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 Melissa Coates OVW, Independent Circuit, DSW, UPW, WSU June 18, 1971 June 23, 2021 Health Issues
50 Mark Starr
(Mark Ashford-Smith)		 WCW, CWF, CWA, WWF, PWFG, FMW December 26, 1962 June 7, 2013 Heart attack
50 The French Angel
(Maurice Tillet)		 AWA, NWA, NWA Tri-State October 23, 1903 September 4, 1954 Cardiovascular disease
50 Ivan Gomes NJPW December 25, 1939 March 2, 1990 Renal illness
50 Kızılcıklı Mahmut N/A 1880 February 3, 1931 Unknown
50 Lucifer
(Tim Burke)		 MEWF, IPWA, ECWA, MCW October 1, 1960 June 21, 2011 Cancer
50 Yakov Kozalchik Wrestled only in Israel July 13, 1902 June 13, 1953 Starvation from depression
50 Paul Pons N/A June 23, 1864 April 13, 1915 Drowning
50 Malcolm Kirk Joint Promotions, CWA, All Star Wrestling, NWA December 18, 1936 August 24, 1987 Heart attack in match
50 Bearcat Wright
(Edward Wright)		 NWA, CWC, Stampede Wrestling, CWF, NJPW January 13, 1932 August 28, 1982 Sickle cell anemia
50 Villano I
(José de Jesús Díaz Mendoza)		 UWA, CMLL June 28, 1950 January 4, 2001 Cerebral hemorrhage
51 Kerry Brown Stampede Wrestling, GPW, WWC, NWA, NJPW February 3, 1958 September 10, 2009 Liver failure
51 Moondog Spot
(Larry Latham)		 WWF, CWA, NWA, USWA January 6, 1952 November 29, 2003 Heart attack in match
51 Emmanuel Yarbrough CWA September 5, 1964 December 21, 2015 Heart attack
51 Silver King
(César Cuauhtémoc González Barrón)		 UWA, WCW, CMLL, AJPW, NJPW, AAA January 9, 1968 May 11, 2019 Stroke (in ring) and followed by heart attack
51 Arkangel de la Muerte
(Alfredo Pasillas)		 CMLL July 16, 1966 June 13, 2018 Cardiac arrest[70]
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 Paul Varelans ECW, Kingdom September 17, 1969 January 16, 2021 Coma from COVID-19
51 Renato Gardini N/A March 20, 1889 September 29, 1940 Unknown
51 Jimmy Jackson UWF Mid-South, WWF, MACW July 28, 1956 June 17, 2008 unknown
51 Black Cat
(Victor Manuel)		 UWA, NJPW, AAA, WCW October 17, 1954 January 28, 2006 Heart attack
52 Gene Anderson AWA, GCW, MACW October 4, 1939 October 31, 1991 Heart attack
52 Jim Jefferson MACW, CWA, CSW, CWF 1960-1961 February 8, 2013 Unknown
52 Ady Berber wrestled only in Austria and Germany February 4, 1913 January 3, 1966 Unknown
52 Iron Mike Steele
(John Meek)		 CWF, Independent circuit July 18, 1955 August 29, 2007 Murder
52 El Brazo
(Juan Alvarado Nieves)		 WWA, AAA, UWA, CMLL July 30, 1961 October 15, 2013 Diabetes
52 Espantito AAA, NWA, independent circuit, various promotions in Mexico April 24, 1968 October 12, 2020 Pneumonia
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 Ivan Linow N/A November 21, 1888 November 21, 1940 Heart attack
52 Trevor Berbick UWFi August 1, 1954 October 28, 2006 Murder
52 Karol Kalmikoff NWA, AWA, NWA Tri-State, MLW August 12, 1912 September 11, 1964 heart attack
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 Nicole Bass WWF, ECW, XPW, NEO August 10, 1964 February 17, 2017 Heart attack
52 Jimmy Del Ray
(David Ferrier)		 SMW, WWF, PWF, USWA, ECW, WCW November 30, 1962 December 6, 2014 Heart attack
52 Silo Sam
(John Elmo Harris)		 WCCW, AWA September 12, 1952 April 19, 2005 Unknown (probably related to Gigantism)
52 Rockin' Rebel
(Charles Williams)		 ECW, WCW, WWF, CZW, independent circuit January 13, 1966 June 1, 2018 Suicide by gunshot[71]
52 Buddy Austin
(Austin Wesley Rapes)		 WWWF, NWA, JWA February 27, 1929 August 12, 1981 Heart attack
52 John Cozman Stampede Wrestling, HIW, independent circuit August 28, 1964 November 28, 2016 Unknown
52 Doug Furnas AJPW, CCW, WCW, WWF, ECW December 11, 1959 March 2, 2012 Heart attack
52 Paul Luty Joint Promotions May 4, 1932 January 12, 1985 Unknown
52��53 Ski Hi Lee
(Robert Leedy)		 Stampede Wrestling, NWA, Joint Promotions February 9, 1921 1974 Believed to be acromegaly
53 Mike Shaw Stampede Wrestling, WCW, WWF May 9, 1957 September 11, 2010 Heart attack
53 Ion Croitoru WWF, NJPW, SMW, BCW December 7, 1963 February 21, 2017 Unknown
53 Danny Little Bear NWA, Stampede Wrestling, CSW, GCCW September 13, 1937 May 12, 1991 Liver cancer
53 Aníbal
(Carlos Contreras)		 EMLL/CMLL, UWA November 5, 1940 March 4, 1994 Brain tumor
53 Anton Koolmann N/A September 11, 1899 June 29, 1953 unknown
53 Buddy Landel
(William Ensor)		 NWA, WCW, MACW, SMW, USWA, WWF August 14, 1961 June 22, 2015 Injuries from a car accident
53 Johnny Rougeau IWA Montreal, BTW, NWA, ASW June 9, 1929 May 25, 1983 Cancer
53 Ken Timbs MACW, GCW, EMLL, CSW, CWF January 27, 1951 August 1, 2004 Cardiomyopathy and Congestive heart failure
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
53–54 Taro Miyake N/A 1881 1935 Unknown
54 Angel of Death
(David Sheldon)		 Stampede Wrestling, UWF, GWF, WCW July 20, 1953 November 25, 2007 Unknown
54 Jonathan Boyd
(Jonathan Barry Boyle)		 WCW Australia, NWA, PNW, CWA October 21, 1944 August 7, 1999 Heart attack
54 Väinö Myllyrinne wrestled in Europe February 27, 1909 April 13, 1963 Acromegaly
54 Bob Fitzsimmons N/A May 26, 1863 October 22, 1917 Pneumonia
54 Josephine Blatt N/A 1869 September 1, 1923 Unknown
54 Puppet the Psycho Dwarf
(Stevie Lee)		 TNA, WWA, Independent Circuit 1966 September 9, 2020 Unknown[72][73]
54 Benny McCrary NWA, NJPW December 7, 1946 March 26, 2001 Heart attack[28][29]
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 (in ring)
54 The Ultimate Warrior
(James Hellwig)		 WWF, CWA, WCWA, WCW June 16, 1959 April 8, 2014 Heart attack
54 Uncle Elmer
(Stan Frazier)		 CWA, NWA, GCCW, WWF, USWA August 16, 1937 July 1, 1992 Diabetes
54 Jos LeDuc
(Michel Pigeon)		 NWA, Lutte Internationale, AWA, WWF, CWA, CWF, GCW August 30, 1944 May 1, 1999 Lung infection
54 Lionel Conacher wrestled only in Canada May 24, 1900 May 26, 1954 Heart attack
54 Dory Funk, Sr. WSS, NWA, AWA, NWA St. Louis, WWWF May 4, 1919 June 3, 1973 Heart attack
54 Tommy Rogers
(Thomas Couch)		 UWF, NWA, AJPW, WCW, WWF, ECW May 14, 1961 June 1, 2015 Unknown
54 Pez Whatley CWF, NWA, WWF, WCW January 10, 1951 January 18, 2005 Heart attack
54 Yoshihiro Momota AJPW March 15, 1946 November 22, 2000 liver failure
54–55 Hergeleci İbrahim wrestled only in Turkey 1862 1917 unknown
55 Haystacks Calhoun
(William Dee Calhoun)		 WWWF, NWA August 3, 1934 December 7, 1989 Diabetes
55 Matt Borne
(Matthew Osborne)		 PNW, WCCW, UWF, WWF, WCW, ECW July 27, 1957 June 28, 2013 Drug overdose
55 Eddie Graham
(Edward Gossett)		 WWWF, CWF, NWA January 15, 1930 January 21, 1985 Multiple gunshot suicide
55 Koji Kitao SWS, NJPW, WWF, WAR August 12, 1963 February 10, 2019 Kidney disease
55 Universo 2000
(Andrés Reyes González)		 CMLL, AAA, IWRG April 18, 1963 May 1, 2018 Heart problems
55 MS-1
(Pablo Fuentes Reyna)		 CMLL, AAA, UWA December 31, 1956 January 12, 2012 Car wreck
55 Chris Youngblood
(Christopher Romero)		 WCCW, WWC, WCW, AJPW, USWA, FMW February 10, 1966 July 7, 2021 Believed to be liver and kidney failure
55 Antonino Rocca
(Antonino Biasetton)		 WWWF, NWA April 13, 1921 March 15, 1977 Urinary infection
55 Diane Von Hoffman
(Phyllis Burch)		 USWA, CWA, LPWA, LMLW April 13, 1962 July 6, 2017 Complications from knee surgery
55 Antonio Peña
(Antonio Herrada)		 founder of AAA, CMLL June 13, 1951 October 5, 2006 Heart attack
55 Hans Nijman
(Johannes Nijman)		 Fighting Network Rings September 23, 1959 November 5, 2014 Murder (shot)
55 Danie Brits WWP, various South African Promotions March 3, 1965 September 3, 2020 Unknown
55 Timothy Well
(Timothy Smith)		 AJPW, USWA, WWF, WCW September 8, 1961 January 9, 2017 Kidney failure
56 Max Muscle
(John Czawlytko)		 WCW, USWA, GWF, MCW, XPW February 22, 1963 June 27, 2019 Unknown
56 Moondog King
(Edward White)		 WWF, Lutte Internationale May 18, 1949 August 26, 2005 Injuries from a car accident and health issues
56 Dave McKigney MLW, WWWF, NWA, NJPW, NWA Detroit June 9, 1932 July 4, 1988 Car wreck
56 Espanto III
(Miguel Vázquez Bernal)		 EMLL February 11, 1940 December 8, 1996 heart attack
56 Cowboy Lang
(Harry Lang)		 NWA, WWF, AWA August 28, 1950 January 4, 2007 Heart disease
56 Paul Bunyan
(Max Palmer)		 NWA Mid-America, NWF November 27, 1927 May 17, 1984 Heart disease
56 Garry Robbins CNWA, GWF, NJPW, WWC, Indo-Asian Wrestling September 9, 1957 December 11, 2013 Heart attack
56 Emilio Charles Jr.
(Sergio Garduño)		 CMLL October 12, 1956 December 28, 2012 Kidney failure[74]
56 Steve Gillespie WFWA, Stampede Wrestling, FMW, WWF, CNWA, Onita Pro July 22, 1963 January 18, 2020 Heart attack
56 Walter Johnson NWA, BTW, WCCW November 13, 1942 June 29, 1999 Heart attack
56 Brad Batten NWA, CSW, ACCW, SMW, WWC, SSW September 8, 1958 November 18, 2014 Heart attack
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 Bill Fralic WWF October 31, 1962 December 13, 2018 Cancer
56 Ben Roller N/A July 1, 1876 April 19, 1933 Pneumonia
56 Maurice Letchford wrestled in the US, Canada, UK and South Africa August 27, 1906 August 15, 1965 unknown
56 Steve Lawler
(Steve Gower)		 SCW, DSW, TCW, Independent Circuit January 24, 1965 September 2, 2021 COVID-19
56 Yvon Robert NWA, Montreal, MLW October 8, 1914 July 12, 1971 Heart attack
56 Edwin Bibby N/A November 15, 1848 May 5, 1905 Rheumatism
56 Buddy Rose
(Paul Perschmann)		 AWA, PNW, WWF November 27, 1952 April 28, 2009 Natural causes from obesity, blood sugar and diabetes
56–57 Black Guzmán
(Miguel Guzman Huerta)		 CMLL, NWA 1916 December 1, 1973 Unknown
57 Brick Bronsky
(Jeffrey Beltzner)		 Stampede Wrestling, Independent circuit April 18, 1964 August 23, 2021 COVID-19
57 Al Green
(Alfred Dobalo)		 WCW, WCPW, CWF, AJPW, CWA October 15, 1955 June 14, 2013 COPD
57 Brazo de Oro
(Jesús Alvarado Nieves)		 CMLL, WWA, UWA, NWA Los Angeles October 7, 1959 April 28, 2017 Heart attack
57 Masakre
(Aristóteles Radamés Coccó Flores)		 CMLL, AAA May 13, 1954 April 12, 2012 Spinal cancer
57 Zoogz Rift
(Robert Pawlikowski)		 UWF July 10, 1953 March 22, 2011 complications from diabetes
57 The Grand Wizard
(Ernie Roth)		 NWA, WWWF/WWF August 30, 1926 October 12, 1983 Heart attack
57 Jerry Balisok GCW, CWF September 8, 1955 April 18, 2013 Heart attack
57 Shag Thomas
(James Thomas)		 Stampede Wrestling, PNW August 11, 1924 July 25, 1982 Heart attack
57 Paddy Ryan
(Earl Patrick Freeman)		 Stampede Wrestling, PNW, NWA All-Star Wrestling August 23, 1932 December 28, 1989 Heart attack
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 Believed to be a stroke
57 Akram Pahalwan wrestled in India, Pakistan, Joint Promotions and various international promotions 1930 April 12, 1987 Unknown
57 Fred Beell N/A January 17, 1876 August 5, 1933 Shot
57 Bert Ruby
(Bertalan Rubinstein)		 NWA, promoter for NWA Detroit November 29, 1910 March 9, 1968 Heart attack
57 Samson Kutsuwada JWA, AJPW May 1, 1947 October 12, 2004 Leukemia
57 Don Vines Joint Promotions February 6, 1932 September 17, 1989 Unknown
57–58 Blimp Levy
(Martin Levy)		 NWA 1903 November 8, 1961 Believed to be complications from obesity
58 Helen Hild
(Gladys Helen Nevins)		 NWA, WWWF February 26, 1926 March 4, 1984 Lung infection
58 Paul Bearer
(William Moody)		 WWF, CWF, WCCW, USWA, TNA April 10, 1954 March 5, 2013 Heart attack
58 Gran Apache
(Mario Balbuena González)		 CMLL, AAA, IWA Japan April 16, 1959 May 7, 2017 Intestinal cancer
58 Brazo de Plata
(José Luis Alvarado Nieves)		 CMLL, AAA, WWE, WWA, UWA, IWRG March 19, 1963 July 26, 2021 Heart attack
58 Kevin Greene WCW July 31, 1962 December 21, 2020 Heart Attack
58 Dwaine Hoberg promoter for AWA August 17, 1925 August 6, 1984 Unknown
58 Ripper Collins
(Roy Lee Albern)		 NWA Hawaii, AWA, GCCW, Stampede Wrestling October 10, 1933 November 12, 1991 Melanoma
58 Randy Savage
(Randall Poffo)		 WWF, NWA, ICW, CWA, WCW November 15, 1952 May 20, 2011 Cardiovascular disease
58 George Tragos NWA March 14, 1897 September 5, 1955 Unknown
58 New Jack
(Jerome Young)		 ECW, SMW, USWA, TNA, XPW January 3, 1963 May 14, 2021 Heart attack
58 Tarzan Tyler
(Camille Tourville)		 NWA, Lutte Internationale, WWWF, CWF December 4, 1927 December 24, 1985 Car wreck
58 Bulldog Bob Brown NWA, AWA, All-Star, NWA St. Louis, CSW October 16, 1938 February 5, 1997 Heart attack
58 Tracey Smothers CWA, WCW, SMW, WWF, ECW, IWA Mid-South September 2, 1962 October 28, 2020 Lymphoma cancer
58 Larry Winters ECW, TWA, AWA, NWA, Pro Wrestling USA, NWF April 14, 1956 January 27, 2015 Heart attack
59 Don Kent
(Leo Smith Jr.)		 NWA, WWWF, NWA Mid-America, CWF June 24, 1933 June 7, 1993 Leukemia
59 Angel Gabriele WWA, PPW March 21, 1956 February 23, 2016 unknown
59 Drew McDonald
(Charles Shaw)		 All Star Wrestling, Stampede Wrestling, CWA June 16, 1955 February 9, 2015 Cancer
59 Espectro I
(Antonio Arriaga)		 EMLL February 9, 1934 October 13, 1993 Unknown
59 Evan "Strangler" Lewis N/A May 24, 1860 November 9, 1919 Cancer[75]
59 Mangla Rai Wrestled only in India October 1916 June 24, 1976 Multiple organ failure
59 René Guajardo
(Manuel Guajardo Mejorado)		 EMLL, UWA, WCCW, CWA January 4, 1933 May 11, 1992 Liver cancer
59 Mike Marino Joint Promotions October 8, 1921 August 24, 1981 Leukemia
59 Shota Chochishvili NJPW July 10, 1950 August 27, 2009 Leukemia
59 Matthew Saad Muhammad UWFi August 5, 1954 May 25, 2014 Lou Gehrig's disease
59 Tony Parisi
(Antonio Pugliese)		 WWWF, NWA, Lutte Internationale, MLW January 22, 1941 August 19, 2000 Heart attack
59 Tom Zenk AWA, WWF, WCW, AJPW November 30, 1958 December 9, 2017 Heart attack from arterial sclerosis and cardiomegaly
59 Ralph Hammonds NWA July 9, 1906 May 5, 1966
59 Ernie Holmes GCW, WWF July 11, 1948 January 17, 2008 Car wreck-
59 Eddie Quinn promoter for wrestling in Montreal, NWA St. Louis May 22, 1906 December 14, 1965 Cerebral hemorrhage
59 Skip Young
(Galton Young)		 WCCW, NWA, CWF, USWA, WWC July 24, 1951 December 3, 2010 Unknown
59 The Patriot
(Del Wilkes)		 AWA, WCW, WWF, GWF, AJPW December 21, 1961 July 1, 2021 Heart Attack

Under 65[]

Dynamite Kid
Roddy Piper
Big Van Vader
Road Warrior Animal
Age Ring name
(Birth name) 		Promotion(s) worked for Date of birth Date of death Cause of death
60 Dynamite Kid
(Thomas Billington)		 WWF, Stampede Wrestling, Joint Promotions, All Star Wrestling, NJPW, AJPW December 5, 1958 December 5, 2018 Unconfirmed (context of long-term health issues including stroke)[76]
60 Road Warrior Animal
(Joseph Laurinaitis)		 NWA, AWA, MACW, WWF/E, WCW, AJPW, TNA September 12, 1960 September 22, 2020 Heart attack
60 Princess Jasmine
(Cynthia Peretti)		 GLOW, AWA June 2, 1948 May 8, 2009 Cancer
60 Mountain Fiji
(Emily Dole)		 GLOW September 28, 1957 January 2, 2018 Natural causes from years of health issues
60 Rufus R. Jones
(Carey Lloyd)		 CSW, NWA St. Louis, NWA, MACW, AWA, AJPW July 4, 1933 November 13, 1993 Heart attack
60 Emile Czaja
(Emile George Zeimes)		 JWA, wrestled in various promotions in Europe, Australia, Asia and India July 15, 1909 May 16, 1970 Car wreck
60 Firpo Segura
(Francisco Segura García)		 EMLL November 10, 1907 January 15, 1968 Unknown
60 Ray Stevens BTW SF, AWA, NWA, WWWF/WWF, CWF September 5, 1935 May 3, 1996 Heart attack
60 Primo Carnera NWA, various promotions in Europe October 26, 1906 June 29, 1967 Liver disease and complications from diabetes
60 Sándor Szabó NWA, NWA San Francisco January 4, 1906 October 16, 1966 Heart attack
60 Stan Stasiak
(George Stipich)		 PNW, Stampede Wrestling, WWWF, NWA April 13, 1937 June 19, 1997 Heart failure
60 Yamaguchi-san
(Yusuke Yamaguchi)		 AJPW, FMW, WWF, Michinoku Pro Wrestling, ULL May 5, 1958 March 9, 2019 Stroke
61 Mike Graham
(Michael Gossett)		 CWF, NWA, AWA, WCW September 22, 1951 October 19, 2012 Suicide by gunshot
61 Man Mountain Dean
(Frank Leavitt)		 N/A June 30, 1891 May 29, 1953 Heart attack
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 James McLaughlin N/A June 8, 1844 September 11, 1905 Unknown
61 Butcher Brannigan
(Joseph Novo)		 WCW Australia, CWF, WWWF, Stampede Wrestling, NWA September 3, 1948 September 7, 2009 Kidney failure and heart disease
61 Paul Anderson CWF, NWA, GCW, MACW October 17, 1932 August 15, 1994 kidney failure
61 Cy Williams NWA, NWA San Francisco October 12, 1903 September 28, 1965 Unknown
61 Cocoa Samoa
(Ulualoaiga Emelio)		 ASW, CWF, PNW, CWA March 9, 1945 January 9, 2007 Unknown
61 Goldie Rogers
(David Sherwin)		 ASW, MLW, Stampede Wrestling, WWF August 5, 1950 July 20, 2012 Heart attack
61 Aslam Pahalwan
(Aslam Khan)		 Wrestled mainly in Pakistan and India, Joint Promotions January 14, 1927 January 7, 1988 Unknown
61 Jack Curley
(Jacques Schuel)		 promoter for New York July 4, 1876 July 12, 1937 Heart attack
61 Karl Pojello
(Karolis Požėla)		 wrestled in Europe, China, Japan and the United States February 13, 1893 September 4, 1954 Lung Cancer
61 Terry Garvin
(Terry Joyal)		 GCCW, IWA Montreal, CSW, NWA, MACW, WWF March 1, 1937 August 17, 1998 Cancer
61 Roddy Piper
(Roderick Toombs)		 AWA, PNW, GCW, MLW, WWF, WCW April 17, 1954 July 31, 2015 Heart attack from Pulmonary embolism
61 King Kong Bundy
(Christopher Pallies)		 WWF,WCCW, NWA, GCW, NJPW, UWF November 7, 1957 March 4, 2019 Complications from diabetes
61 Boris Malenko
(Larry Simon)		 CWF, WWWF, CWC, MACW, NWA, NJPW June 28, 1933 September 1, 1994 Leukemia
61 Giant Baba
(Shohei Baba)		 JWA, AJPW, NWA, WWWF January 23, 1938 January 31, 1999 Cancer
61 Sapphire
(Juanita Wright)		 WWF, USWA October 24, 1934 September 11, 1996 Heart attack
62 Lofty Blomfield
(Meynell Blomfield)		 DWU, NWA July 18, 1908 June 29, 1971 Unknown
62 Luke Brown
(Carl Campbell)		 AWA, WWWF, NWA, CSW July 28, 1935 November 12, 1997 Stroke
62 Tsuneharu Sugiyama JWA, AJPW, NJPW, IWE, NWA July 23, 1940 November 22, 2002 Unknown
62 Murciélago Velázquez
(Jesús Velázquez Quintero)		 EMLL February 22, 1910 May 26, 1972 Heart attack from the Cirrhosis of the liver
62 Dick the Bruiser
(William Afflis)		 WWA, AWA, NWA St.Louis, CSW June 27, 1929 November 10, 1991 Internal bleeding
62 Earl Caddock N/A February 27, 1888 August 25, 1950 Heart attack during surgery
62 Great Togo NWA, NWA Hawaii, JWA October 11, 1911 December 19, 1973 Stomach cancer
62 Crybaby Cannon
(George McCarther)		 NWA, 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 Dr. Karonte
(Miguel Urive)		 EMLL/CMLL February 14, 1957 August 26, 2019 Unknown
62 Scott LeDoux referee for AWA January 7, 1949 August 11, 2011 Illness
62 Oliver Humperdink
(John Sutton)		 MACW, CWF, WWF, WCW January 16, 1949 March 20, 2011 Complications from pneumonia and cancer
62 Happy Humphrey
(William Cobb)		 NWA July 16, 1926 March 14, 1989 Heart attack
62 Lord Athol Layton
(Allan Layton)		 NWA, MLW, NWA St.Louis August 20, 1921 January 18, 1984 Heart attack
62 Bull Montana
(Luigi Montagna)		 N/A May 16, 1887 January 24, 1950 Unknown
62 Barry Orton WWF, NWA, ICW, MACW, Stampede Wrestling May 28, 1958 March 20, 2021
62 Ron Slinker
(David Slinker)		 CWF, NWA, IWCCW, UWF October 30, 1945 March 28, 2008 Liver failure from years of alcoholism
62 Harold Sakata
(Toshiyuki Sakata)		 NWA, AWA, NWA Hawaii July 1, 1920 July 29, 1982 Liver cancer
62 Hiro Matsuda
(Yasuhiro Kojima)		 JWA, CWF, WCW, NWA July 22, 1937 November 27, 1999 Prostate cancer
62 Tommy Lister Jr. WWF, WWC, WCW June 24, 1958 December 10, 2020 Hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease[77]
62 Ari Romero
(Jose Luis Arias Romero)		 CMLL, MPW, BJPW December 20, 1951 December 29, 2013 Liver cancer
62 Frank Andersson NJPW, WCW May 9, 1956 September 9, 2018 Heart failure
62 Gorilla Monsoon
(Robert Marella)		 WWWF/WWF, NWA, WCW Australia June 4, 1937 October 6, 1999 Heart failure
62 Wilbur Snyder AWA, WWA, NWA St.Louis, NWA September 15, 1929 December 25, 1991 Heart failure
62 Moondog Spike
(William Smithson)		 CWA, USWA, AJPW, W*ING May 31, 1950 March 21, 2013 Unknown
62 Bobby Eaton CWA,NWA Mid-America, UWF Mid-South, WCCW, MACW, WCW August 14, 1958 August 4, 2021 Injuires from Fall
63 Wilhelm von Homburg
(Norbert Grupe)		 N/A August 25, 1940 March 10, 2004 Prostate cancer
63 Tarzán López
(Carlos López Tovar)		 EMLL August 28, 1912 August 28, 1975 Unknown
63 Brute Bernard
(James Prudhomme)		 WCW Australia, WWWF, MACW June 6, 1921 July 14, 1984 Gunshot while cleaning a rifle
63 Brian Glover Joint Promotions April 2, 1934 July 24, 1997 Brain tumor
63 Jack Carkeek N/A January 22, 1861 March 12, 1924 Unknown
63 Duncan C. Ross N/A March 12, 1856 September 8, 1919 Unknown
63 Savannah Jack
(Theodore Russell)		 AWA, UWF Mid-South October 15, 1948 January 17, 2012 Years of Cardiomyopathy problems
63 Bulldog Brower
(Richard Gland)		 MLW, NWA, WWWF/WWF, NWF September 17, 1933 September 15, 1997 Complications from hip surgery
63 Big Van Vader
(Leon White)		 WCW, WWF, AWA, NJPW, AJPW, Pro Wrestling NOAH May 14, 1955 June 18, 2018 Heart problems
63 Mike Clancy
(Christopher Clancy)		 NWA September 9, 1924 June 11, 1988 Unknown
63 Mike Hogewood commentator for ROH September 13, 1954 September 5, 2018 heart attack
63 Rusty Brooks
(Kurt Koski)		 WWF, UWF, FOW, various promotions in Florida February 8, 1958 February 11, 2021
63 Jim Neidhart WWF, Stampede, WCW, ECW, CWF, NJPW February 8, 1955 August 13, 2018 Head injury from a fall
63 Vivian St. John
(Suzanne Miller)		 WWWF/WWF, CWF September 10, 1950 December 20, 2013 Long illness
63 Ken Fenelon
(Patrick Fenelon)		 NWA February 26, 1909 August 8, 1972 Unknown
63 Bholu Pahalwan
(Haji Manzoor Hussain)		 wrestled only in India and Pakistan January 24, 1922 June 4, 1985 Unknown
63 George Dinnie wrestled only in Australia July 18, 1875 June 13, 1939 Unknown
63 Wahoo McDaniel
(Edward McDaniel)		 WWWF, NWA, MACW, WCCW, AWA June 19, 1938 April 18, 2002 Complications from diabetes and kidney failure
63 Bad News Brown
(Allen James Coage)		 WWF, NJPW, Stampede Wrestling October 22, 1943 March 6, 2007 Heart attack
63 Big Bully Busick
(Nick Busick)		 WWF, GAF, GWF June 1, 1954 May 8, 2018 Cancer in the Cerebrospinal Fluid
63 Jim Crockett promoter for MACW, NWA June 2, 1909 April 1, 1973 Unknown
63 S.D. Jones
(Conrad Efraim)		 WWF, MACW March 30, 1945 October 26, 2008 Stroke
64 Bobby Jaggers
(Robert Jeaudoin)		 MACW, NWA, NWA St.Louis, PNW, CWF January 8, 1948 September 30, 2012 Kidney failure from Hepatitis C
64 Cousin Luke
(Gene Petit)		 WWF, AWA, CWF, MACW May 19, 1949 September 29, 2013 Multiple sclerosis and diabetes
64 Dale Lewis AWA, CWF, NWA August 29, 1933 August 30, 1997 Leukemia
64 Lee Wang-pyo NJPW, AJPW June 11, 1954 September 4, 2018 Gallbladder cancer
64 Emil Klank N/A June 19, 1876 June 27, 1940 heart attack
64 Teijo Khan
(Thomas Kasat)		 AWA, CWF, NWA, MACW, PWA March 24, 1956 April 10, 2020 Unknown
64 Winona Littleheart
(Winifred Childree)		 CWF, WWWF/WWF, NWA, POWW, WCW (Women's Championship Wrestling) September 9, 1955 May 9, 2020 Unknown
64 Clem Turner AWA, WWA, NWA Detroit, NWA St.Louis May 28, 1945 December 20, 2009 car accident
64 Lee Marshall
(Marshall Aaron Mayer)		 announcer for AWA, WWF, WCW, WOW November 28, 1949 April 26, 2014 Esophageal cancer
64 Ibrahim Moustafa N/A September 23 1904 October 9 , 1968 Unknown
64 Bob Ryder founder for Impact Wrestling, journalist for WWF, WCW, ECW October 22, 1956 November 24, 2020 Multiple myeloma
64 Iron Mike Sharpe CWA, ASW, MSWA, WWWA, WWF October 28, 1951 January 17, 2016 Years of health issues
64 Lizmark
(Juan Baños)		 EMLL, AAA, CMLL December 18, 1950 December 16, 2015 Respiratory failure

See also[]

References[]

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Further reading[]

  • Hamilton, Ian (2012). Gone Too Soon: Deaths That Changed Wrestling. CreateSpace. ISBN 978-1-4775-4026-8.
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