List of premature professional wrestling deaths

According to a 2014 study by Eastern Michigan University examining professional wrestlers who were active between 1985 and 2011, mortality rates for professional wrestlers are up to 2.9 times greater than the rate for men in the wider United States population.[1] A 2014 report by John Moriarty of the University of Manchester and Benjamin Morris of FiveThirtyEight also found that the mortality rate for professional wrestlers was significantly higher than that of athletes in other sports.[2][3][4] Experts suggest that a combination of the physical nature of the business, no off-season, and potentially high work load (with some wrestlers fighting more than 100 and even 200 matches per year), along with the drug culture in wrestling during the 1970s, 1980s, and early 1990s contributes to high mortality rates among wrestlers.[5][6][7][8][9] Another study ascribes the higher death rate largely to higher rates of cardiovascular disease compared to the general population with morbidly obese wrestlers being especially at risk.[10][11]

Many promotions employ performers as "independent contractors" and do not offer company-sponsored group health insurance coverage in most instances. This is said to have a causal connection to their longevity, morbidity, and mortality. WWE performers' status as independent contractors was spotlighted by John Oliver on an episode of his show Last Week Tonight with John Oliver in March 2019,[12][13][14] with Oliver calling on WWE fans to protest at WrestleMania 35.[12][13][14] WWE denied Oliver's critique.[15]

The concept of the untimely deaths of professional wrestlers was a frequent topic of discussion on the Opie & Anthony show.[16] After Scott Hall's death in 2022, Bret Hart and Kevin Nash talked about the premature death of several wrestlers, mentioning the mental and body damage as possible causes.[17][18]

List

edit

Under 20

edit
Age Ring name
(Birth name)
Promotion(s) worked for Date of birth Date of death Cause of death
18 Janet Wolfe
(Janet Boyer Wolfe)
NWA June 13, 1933 July 27, 1951 Brain hemorrhage

Under 30

edit
 
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 Oro
(Jesús Javier Hernández)
CMLL, UWA December 24, 1971 October 26, 1993 Head injury during match[19]
21 Jeff Peterson Independent circuit, ECWA, MCW, IPW August 13, 1981 November 29, 2002 Leukemia
21 Chris Von Erich
(Chris Adkisson)
WCCW, USWA September 30, 1969 September 12, 1991 Suicide by gunshot[20]
21 Asahi
(Name unknown)
Ice Ribbon, Actwres girl'Z October 19, 2002 February 1, 2024 car accident
22 Rey Celestial (Oscar Leonardo Torres Parra) AAA, CLL, DTU August 29, 1995 September 17, 2017 Struck in a hit and run
22 Hana Kimura World Wonder Ring Stardom, ROH, Wrestle-1, various Japanese Promotions September 3, 1997 May 23, 2020 Suicide by hydrogen sulfide inhalation
22 Mass Transit (Erich Kulas) ECW, independent circuit October 17, 1979 May 12, 2002 Complications from gastric bypass surgery[21]
22 Mirai
(Chiemi Kitagami)
AJW, K-DOJO, Atoz November 17, 1982 September 14, 2005 Drowned in bathtub; possibly suicide
22 Spider
(Daniel Quirk)
NWA New England, independent circuit, WXW, ACW July 19, 1982 May 28, 2005 Head injury in match
23 Edouard Beaupre
(Joseph Édouard Beaupré Piché)
N/A January 9, 1881 July 3, 1904 Tuberculosis
23 Chri$ Ca$h
(Christopher Bauman Jr.)
CZW July 13, 1982 August 18, 2005 Motorcycle accident
23 Emiko Kado JWP, ARSION January 28, 1976 April 9, 1999 Intercerebral bleeding in match
23 Shane Shamrock
(Brian Howser)
MCW, MEWF, IPWA February 8, 1975 August 18, 1998 Shot by police
23 Mike Von Erich
(Michael Adkisson)
WCCW, NWA, NJPW March 2, 1964 April 12, 1987 Suicide by drug overdose[20]
25 Reid Flair
(Reid Fliehr)
AJPW, WCW, NWA, SSW, Lucha Libre USA February 26, 1988 March 29, 2013 Drug overdose[22]
25 David Von Erich
(David Adkisson)
WCCW, NWA St. Louis, NWA, AJPW July 22, 1958 February 10, 1984 Acute enteritis[20]
26 Kasavubu
(Jimmy Banks)
Stampede Wrestling, WWWF, NWA, IWE May 14, 1956 July 27, 1982 Heart attack during operation
26 Kurtis Chapman Revolution Pro Wrestling, Progress Wrestling, GCW, various British promotions December 19, 1997 December 29, 2023 Unknown
27 J.C. Bailey CZW, IWA Mid-South, IWA East-Coast August 23, 1983 August 30, 2010 Intracranial aneurysm
27 Masakazu Fukuda WAR, NJPW May 17, 1972 April 19, 2000 Head injury in match
27 Russ Haas
(Thomas Russell Haas)
ECWA, CZW, MCW, HWA, WWF, JAPW March 11, 1974 December 15, 2001 Heart failure
27 Louie Spicolli
(Louis Mucciolo Jr.)
WWF, ECW, WCW, UWF, AAA, FMW February 10, 1971 February 15, 1998 Drug overdose[23]
28 Art Barr PNW, WCW, AAA, EMLL October 8, 1966 November 23, 1994 Heart attack caused by a drug overdose[24]
28 Gino Hernandez
(Charles Wolfe Jr.)
WCCW, SCW, Houston Wrestling, NWA, UWF Mid-South August 14, 1957 February 2, 1986 Possible drug overdose or murder[25]
28 Ricky Lawless
(Medardo Leon Jr.)
ICW, NWF, independent circuit December 3, 1959 November 30, 1988 Murder
29 Trent Acid
(Michael Verdi)
ROH, CZW, BJPW, JCW November 12, 1980 June 18, 2010 Drug overdose
29 Lance Cade
(Lance McNaught)
WWE, HWA, OVW, MCW, FCW, AJPW March 2, 1981 August 13, 2010 Heart attack caused by drug overdose[26]
29 Plum Mariko
(Mariko Umeda)
JWP, AJW, Japan Women's Pro-Wrestling November 1, 1967 August 16, 1997 Head injury in match[19]
29 Bobby Shane
(Robert Schoenberger)
NWA, CWF, CCW, CSW, GCW, WCW Australia August 25, 1945 February 20, 1975 Drowning from plane crash
29 Chris Taylor AWA, AJPW, NWA June 13, 1950 June 30, 1979 Cardiomyopathy
29 Clarence Whistler N/A February 24, 1856 November 6, 1885 Pneumonia

Under 40

edit
 
Jay Youngblood
 
Crash Holly
 
Chris Candido
 
Lonnie Mayne
 
La Parkita
 
Brain Damage
 
Yokozuna
 
Kerry Von Erich
 
Owen Hart
 
Umaga
 
Ray
 
Eddie Guerrero
 
Rikidōzan
 
Davey Boy Smith
 
El Solitario
 
Ashley Massaro
 
Shad Gaspard
 
Jay Briscoe
 
Bray Wyatt
Age Ring name
(Birth name)
Promotion(s) worked for Date of birth Date of death Cause of death
30 Zubair Jhara
(Muhammad Zubair Aslam)
Wrestled in Pakistan, NJPW November 24, 1960 September 10, 1991 Heart failure
30 Sara Lee WWE June 7, 1992 October 5, 2022 Suicide by combined drug intoxication[27]
30 Pierre Lefebvre GCW, WWF, Lutte Internationale, ESA, NWA, UWF February 24, 1955 December 24, 1985 Car wreck[28]
30 Rick McGraw WWF, NWA, Lutte Internationale, MACW, GCW, SCW, WWA March 19, 1955 November 1, 1985 Heart attack[29]
30 Giant Ochiai
(Takayuki Okada)
Battlarts, WJ May 8, 1973 August 8, 2003 Subdural hematoma
30 Johnny Perry Unknown October 24, 1972 November 21, 2002 Heart failure
30 Larry Sweeney
(Alexander Whybrow)
Chikara, IWC, ROH, CZW, IWA Mid-South, PLW February 18, 1981 April 11, 2011 Suicide by hanging
30 Jay Youngblood
(Steven Romero)
AWA, NWA, MACW, MLW, CWF, AJPW June 21, 1955 September 2, 1985 Heart attack[30]
31 Christin Able
(Josh Burgess)
ROH, AAW Wrestling, independent circuit January 11, 1985 April 14, 2016 Unknown
31 Ed Gantner CWF, MACW February 4, 1959 December 31, 1990 Suicide by gunshot[31]
31 Gene Lipscomb NWA, NWA San Francisco August 9, 1931 May 10, 1963 Drug overdose
31 Scott Peterson PNW, NWA June 10, 1963 July 25, 1994 Motorcycle accident
31 Kazuharu Sonoda AJPW, NWA, WSS, WCCW, CWF, MACW September 16, 1956 November 28, 1987 Plane crash (South African Airways Flight 295)
31 Frank Speer Unknown May 27, 1907 June 10, 1938 Bronchial pneumonia
31-32 Sorakichi Matsuda
(Koujiro Matsuda)
N/A 1859 August 16, 1891 Tuberculosis
32 Steve Bradley
(Steve Bisson)
WWF/E, PPW, OVW, NECW, HWA, WWA December 10, 1975 December 1, 2008 Unknown
32 Jaime Cardriche Pacific Wrestling Alliance March 28, 1968 July 28, 2000 Complications during gallbladder surgery
32 Adam Firestorm
(Adam Dykes)
ECCW, Stampede Wrestling, various promotions in Western Canada and Pacific Northwest November 25, 1976 November 5, 2009 Suicide
32 Crash Holly
(Mike Lockwood)
WWF/E, ECW, FC !Bang!, APW, TNA August 25, 1971 November 6, 2003 Suicide by drug overdose and alcohol poisoning[32]
32 Billy McCrary NWA, NJPW December 7, 1946 July 14, 1979 Motorcycle accident[33][34]
32 Buzz Sawyer
(Bruce Woyan)
NWA, WWF, UWF, WCCW, MACW, WCW June 14, 1959 February 7, 1992 Cocaine-induced heart attack[19][35]
32 Frank Townsend NWA, MLW, CWC, ASW, JWA, Joint Promotions March 20, 1933 May 15, 1965 Drowning in boating accident; considered a missing person
32 Kris Travis TNA, RPW, PCW, ICW, PROGRESS December 16, 1983 March 31, 2016 Stomach cancer
33 Karsten Beck
(Karsten Pitann)
WXW, BJPW, CZW, various European promotions November 25, 1986 October 15, 2020 Brain cancer
33 Jim Browning N/A March 31, 1903 June 25, 1936 Pulmonary embolism
33 Chris Candido WCW, WWF, ECW, SMW, NJPW, TNA March 21, 1972 April 28, 2005 Acute pneumonia[36]
33 Eddie Gilbert
(Thomas Edward Gilbert Jr.)
NWA, WCW, UWF, WWF, USWA, ECW August 14, 1961 February 18, 1995 Heart attack[37]
33 Paul E. Normous
(Paul Fauchs)
OVW, ECWA, independent circuit April 15, 1975 January 16, 2009 Drug overdose
33 Michel Martel
(Michel Vigneault)
Stampede Wrestling, WWC, IWE, NWA October 4, 1944 June 30, 1978 Heart attack after match
33 Moondog Mayne
(Ronald Mayne)
NWA, WWWF, PNW September 12, 1944 August 13, 1978 Car accident
33 Gran Naniwa
(Yoshikuni Kimura)
Michinoku Pro, AJPW, ECW, WAR, NJPW February 15, 1977 October 6, 2010 Heart attack
33 José Aarón Alvarado Nieves CMLL, UWA May 9, 1966 October 27, 1999 Infection
33 D.J. Peterson (David Peterson) AWA, WWF, UWF, NWA, NJPW, CSW July 17, 1959 May 25, 1993 Motorcycle accident
33 The Renegade
(Rick Wilson)
WCW, WAR October 16, 1965 February 23, 1999 Suicide by gunshot[38]
33 Neil Superior
(Neil Caricofe)
NWL, IWCCW; SAPW, WCW April 6, 1963 August 23, 1996 Confrontation with police
33 Test
(Andrew Martin)
WWF/E, FC !Bang!, WWA, TNA March 17, 1975 March 13, 2009 Drug overdose[39]
33 Kerry Von Erich
(Kerry Adkisson)
WCCW, NWA, UWF, USWA, WWF February 3, 1960 February 18, 1993 Suicide by gunshot[20]
33–34 Damian Steele
(Damien Dothard)
GCW, NWA Wildside, TCW, DSW 1975 July 22, 2009 Brain aneurysm
34 Adrian Adonis
(Keith Franke)
AWA, WWF, NJPW, CWF, GCW, ASW September 15, 1953 July 4, 1988 Car accident[40]
34 Brain Damage
(Marvin Lambert)
IWA MS, CZW December 14, 1977 October 18, 2012 Suicide
34 Big Dick Dudley
(Alex Rizzo)
ECW, WWC, WWA, XPW January 12, 1968 May 16, 2002 Kidney failure[41]
34 Bobby Duncum Jr. WCW, ECW, GWF, AJPW August 26, 1965 January 24, 2000 Accidental prescription drug overdose[42]
34 Espectrito II
(Alejandro Pérez Jiménez)
AAA, WWF May 15, 1975 June 30, 2009 Murder by poisoning
34 Owen Hart WWF, Stampede Wrestling, NJPW, CWA May 7, 1965 May 23, 1999 Fell from ceiling during botched stunt at Over the Edge pay-per-view event.[43]
34 Danny Havoc
(Grant Berkland)
CZW, GCW, WXW, ICW, BJPW, IWA Mid-South May 19, 1986 May 31, 2020 Heart failure
34 El Hijo de Cien Caras
(Eustacio "Tacho" Jiménez Ibarra)
AAA, CMLL March 21, 1976 November 29, 2010 Murder
34 Wayne Munn NWA February 9, 1896 January 9, 1931 Bright's disease
34 John Olin N/A March 15, 1886 October 8, 1920 Heart attack
34 La Parkita
(Alberto Pérez Jiménez)
AAA, WWF May 15, 1975 June 30, 2009 Murder by poisoning
34 Chase Tatum
(William Tatum)
WCW, UPW, Innovate Wrestling November 3, 1973 March 23, 2008 Drug overdose
34 Elias Theodorou Superkick'D May 31, 1988 September 11, 2022 Colon cancer and liver failure
34 Thunder
(Luke Fordward)
CMLL, Okinawa Pro Wrestling and various promotions in Australia October 7, 1981 June 30, 2016 Stomach cancer
34 Yokozuna
(Rodney Anoa'i)
WWF, AWA, NJPW, UWA October 2, 1966 October 23, 2000 Heart attack[44]
34-35 Sean Patrick O'Brien OVW, independent circuit 1988 March 17, 2023 Unknown
35 Perro Aguayo Jr.
(Perro Aguayo Ramírez)
AAA, CMLL, Perros del Mal July 23, 1979 March 21, 2015 Cervical spine trauma during match
35 Harold Angus BWA November 10, 1904 October 30, 1940 Shooting accident
35 James Castle
(Jamie Stacey)
NWA, RPW July 11, 1988 June 15, 2024 Acute myeloid leukemia[45]
35 Chris Duffy WWF, IWF, independent circuit July 7, 1965 August 25, 2000 Brain aneurysm
35 Dino Casanova
(David DiMeglio)
WCW, ECW, independent circuit, MEWF February 8, 1967 March 1, 2002 Heart attack[21]
35 Miguel Ángel Delgado
(Miguel Ángel Delgado Reyes)
EMLL August 28, 1947 February 7, 1983 Leukemia
35 Scott Irwin WWWF, UWF, CWF, AWA, Lutte Internationale May 14, 1952 September 5, 1987 Brain tumor, also reported as brain aneurysm[19]
35 Andy Kaufman CWA January 17, 1949 May 16, 1984 Kidney failure from lung cancer
35 Marianna Komlos WWF September 3, 1969 September 26, 2004 Breast cancer[46]
35 Mike Lozansky (Michael Lozanski) ECW, USWA, WWC, Stampede Wrestling, various Mexican and Japanese promotions November 13, 1968 December 19, 2003 Heart attack
35 Brian Pillman Stampede, WCW, ECW, WWF May 22, 1962 October 5, 1997 Arteriosclerotic heart disease[47]
36 Gary Albright Stampede, UWFi, AJPW, ECW May 18, 1963 January 7, 2000 Heart attack in match[48]
36 Shoichi Arai FMW promoter December 19, 1965 May 16, 2002 Suicide by hanging
36 Harry Boatswain ECW June 26, 1969 August 8, 2005 Heart attack
36 Lloyd Burdick Unknown August 8, 1909 August 9, 1945 Train wreck
36 Sean Evans PWX, NWA Wildside, GCW, WWE, NWA, independent circuit January 28, 1971 October 2, 2007 Lung cancer
36 Emory Hale
(Emory Hail)
WCW, XWF December 13, 1969 January 28, 2006 Kidney failure
36 Dean Hart Stampede, NWA Hawaii, WSS January 3, 1954 November 21, 1990 Bright's disease
36 Katsuya Kitamura NJPW December 14, 1985 October 13, 2022 Unknown
36 Lionheart
(Adrian McCallum)
ICW, PCW December 17, 1982 June 19, 2019 Suicide[49]
36 Pitbull #2
(Anthony Durante)
ECW, CWA, NJPW, JAPW July 26, 1967 September 25, 2003 Drug overdose[50]
36 Buford Pusser UWF Mid-South December 12, 1937 August 21, 1974 Car accident
36 Ray
(Name unknown)
Smash, WNC, Shimmer, Ice Ribbon, JWP February 14, 1982 August 30, 2018 Brain tumor[51]
36 Freddie Sweetan
(Fred Prossner)
NWA, Stampede Wrestling, CSW, MACW July 25, 1938 July 26, 1974 House fire
36 Jerry Tuite
(Michael Jerome Tuite)
WCW, ECW, TNA, PCW, AJPW December 27, 1966 December 6, 2003 Heart attack[52]
36 Umaga
(Edward Fatu)
WWE, TNA, HWA, WXW, AJPW March 28, 1973 December 4, 2009 Heart attack caused by combined drug intoxication[53]
36 Bray Wyatt
(Windham Rotunda)
WWE, FCW May 23, 1987 August 24, 2023 Heart Attack resulting from COVID-19 complications[54]
37 Abismo Negro
(Andrés Alejandro Palomeque González)
AAA, CMLL, WWF, TNA July 1, 1971 March 22, 2009 Drowning
37 Mike Bell WWF, ECW, UPW March 18, 1971 December 14, 2008 Heart attack from drug overdose
37 Leroy Brown
(Roland C. Daniels)
NWA, CWF, NJPW, UWF November 30, 1950 September 6, 1988 Heart attack[55]
37 Whitey Caldwell NWA Mid-America, NWA Gulf Coast July 2, 1935 October 7, 1972 Car accident
37 Brian Hildebrand SMW, ECW, referee for WCW January 5, 1962 September 8, 1999 Stomach and bowel cancer
37 Sam McVey Wrestled in Australia May 17, 1884 December 23, 1921 Pneumonia
37 Jaysin Strife
(Nathan Blodgett)
NWA, IWA Mid-South, independent circuit August 14, 1985 December 29, 2022 Illness
37 Alberto Torres NWA, AWA,GCW, NWA Tri-State January 2, 1934 June 16, 1971 Ruptured Pancreas (from a heart attack and other internal injuries)
37 Randolph Turpin N/A June 7, 1928 May 17, 1966 Shot; unknown if murder or suicide
37–38 Espanto I
(José Eusebio Vázquez Bernal)
EMLL 1930 May 30, 1968 Beaten
38 Aleksander Aberg N/A August 11, 1881 February 20, 1920 Pneumonia
38 Tim Arson
(Timothy Calkins)
WWE, WWC, independent circuit December 27, 1976 January 7, 2015 Unknown
38 Jay Briscoe
(Jamin Pugh)
ROH, CZW, NJPW, Impact Wrestling January 25, 1984 January 17, 2023 Car accident
38 Matt Cappotelli OVW, WWE November 12, 1979 June 29, 2018 Brain cancer[56]
38 Brian Danovich Contestant for WWE Tough Enough, DSW, independent circuit July 8, 1980 August 9, 2018 Suicide
38 Chip Fairway
(Brett Keen)
HWA, IWA Mid-South November 7, 1972 April 9, 2011 Unknown
39 Johnny Grunge
(Michael Durham)
ECW, WCW, WWF, 3PW, TCW July 10, 1965 February 16, 2006 Sleep apnea complications[57]
38 Eddie Guerrero
(Eduardo Gory Guerrero Llanes)
CMLL, AAA, NJPW, ECW, WCW, WWF/E October 9, 1967 November 13, 2005 Arteriosclerotic heart disease[58]
38 Jim Hady
(John Hady)
NWA Hawaii, NWA, AWA, WWWF, MLW May 30, 1930 January 13, 1969 Heart attack (during match)
38 John Kronus
(George Caiazzo)
ECW, USWA, IWF, CZW, WAR, XPW January 13, 1969 July 18, 2007 Heart failure[59]
38 Danno O'Mahony
(Daniel O'Mahony)
NWA September 29, 1912 November 5, 1950 Car accident
38 Chabela Romero
(Isabela Romero Rangel)
AJW, CMLL, UWA November 11, 1946 April 19, 1985 Unknown
38 Victor the Bodyguard
(Victor Rodriguez)
IWA, WWC August 19, 1965 June 20, 2004 Heart attack
38 Bison Smith
(Mark Smith)
IWA, ROH, WWC, APW, Pro Wrestling Noah September 24, 1973 November 22, 2011 Heart complications
38 Wolf
(Daniel Wolfe)
NWA, ECW, JAPW, independent circuit June 30, 1972 February 2, 2011 Unknown
39 BellaDonna
(Roxanne "Rocksan" Biggerstaff)
TNA April 25, 1979 January 21, 2019 Unknown
39 Hercules Cortez
(Alfonso Chicharro)
AWA, WCW Australia, NWA July 7, 1932 July 23, 1971 Car accident
39 Fabián el Gitano
(Emilio Fabián Fernández de León)
CMLL January 24, 1972 March 17, 2011 Pancreatic hemorrhage
39 Shad Gaspard WWE, OVW, FCW, JAPW, IGF, NWA Wildside January 13, 1981 May 17, 2020 Drowning
39 George Kennedy
(George Kendall)
Promoter for wrestling in Montreal December 29, 1881 October 19, 1921 Complications from Spanish flu
39 Joey Maggs
(Joseph Magliano)
WCW, WWF, SMW, USWA September 29, 1967 October 15, 2006 Cardiac arrest[60]
39 Ashley Massaro WWE May 26, 1979 May 16, 2019 Suicide by hanging[61]
39 Médico Asesino
(Cesáreo Anselmo Manríquez González )
EMLL, NWA August 27, 1920 June 16, 1960 Cancer[62]
39 Skull Murphy
(John Murphy)
GCW, WWWF, WCW Australia, Studio Wrestling December 7, 1930 March 23, 1970 Suicide by drug overdose
39 Jimmy Rave
(James Michael Guffey)
ROH, TNA, FIP, NWA Wildside, NWA, CZW, PWG December 8, 1982 December 12, 2021 MRSA infection
39 Rikidōzan
(Kim Sin-rak)
NWA, JWA November 14, 1924 December 15, 1963 Peritonitis (as result of stabbing)[63]
39 Davey Boy Smith
(David Smith)
Stampede Wrestling, WWF, AJPW, ECW, WCW November 27, 1962 May 18, 2002 Heart attack[64]
39 El Solitario
(Roberto González)
UWA, EMLL May 22, 1946 April 6, 1986 Cardiac arrest during operation[19]
39 Pak Song
(Pak Song Nam)
NWA, JWA, WSS, AJPW, CWF, WCCW April 11, 1943 October 24, 1982[65] Marfan syndrome[65]
39 Villano II
(José Alfredo Díaz Mendoza)
UWA, EMLL September 25, 1949 April 17, 1989 Suicide by hanging[66]
39 Ed Virag NWA, various European promotions August 12, 1912 October 20, 1951 Car accident

Under 50

edit
 
Chris Benoit
 
Frank Gotch
 
Shinya Hashimoto
 
Brodie Lee
 
Mike Awesome
 
Miss Elizabeth
 
Sherri Martel
 
Big Boss Man
 
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 Absolute Andy
(Andreas Ullmann)
WXW, various German and European promotions September 22, 1983 November 23, 2023 Illness
40 Sambo Asako
(Fumiharu Asako)
FMW, various Japanese promotions August 27, 1963 May 18, 2004 Diabetes
40 Bad Bones
(John Klinger)
WXW, BJW, Impact Wrestling, various German and European promotions May 14, 1984 May 20, 2024 Heart attack
40 Chris Benoit Stampede Wrestling, NJPW, ECW, WCW, WWF/E May 21, 1967 June 24, 2007 Suicide by hanging[67]
40 Brady Boone
(Dean Peters)
PNW, MACW, WCW, WWF August 22, 1958 December 15, 1998 Car accident
40 Larry Chene
(Arthur Lawrence Beauchene)
NWA Detroit, NWA, NWA Texas, AWA June 22, 1924 October 2, 1964 Car accident
40 Cincinnati Red
(Gregory Scott Daves)
NWC, EWF, independent circuit October 17, 1974 March 20, 2015 Heart attack
40 Don Eagle
(Carl Donald Bell)
AWA, NWA Chicago, NWA August 25, 1925 March 17, 1966 Suicide by gunshot
40 Terry Gordy WCCW, NWA, WCW, ECW, WWF, AJPW April 23, 1961 July 16, 2001 Blood clot
40 Frank Gotch N/A April 27, 1877 December 16, 1917 Uremic poisoning
40 Shinya Hashimoto NJPW, Zero1, Stampede Wrestling, Hustle, NWA, USWA July 3, 1965 July 11, 2005 Brain aneurysm
40 Scott Henson Elite Canadian Championship Wrestling, independent circuit July 13, 1983 June 15, 2024 Unknown
40 Chris Kanyon (Christopher Klucsarits) WCW, WWF/E, ECW, SMW, NWA Shockwave January 4, 1970 April 2, 2010 Suicide by drug overdose[68]
40 George Kotsonaros N/A October 16, 1892 July 13, 1933 Car accident
40 Pequeño Nitro CMLL March 9, 1984 May 18, 2024 To be determined
40 Rick Rude
(Richard Rood)
CWF, WCCW, WWF, ECW, WCW December 7, 1958 April 20, 1999 Heart failure[25]
40 Gordon Scozzari promtoer 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 accident
40–41 Gulam Wrestled in Europe and India 1860 1901 Cholera
41 Atsushi Aoki AJPW, Noah, AAA September 25, 1977 June 3, 2019 Motorcycle accident
41 Big Boss Man
(Ray Traylor)
WCW, MACW, WWF, AJPW, UWF, IWA Japan May 2, 1963 September 22, 2004 Heart attack
41 Larry Cameron Stampede Wrestling, NWA, AWA, CWA November 4, 1952 December 13, 1993 Heart attack in match[19]
41 Alan Carnill IWF Promotions, independent circuit March 12, 1962 January 25, 2004 Car accident
41 John Foti
(John Fotie)
Stampede Wrestling, NWA, AWA, WWWF March 13, 1928 April 29, 1969 Suicide
41 Yusuf İsmail N/A 1857 July 4, 1898 Drowned aboard the SS La Bourgogne
41 Koba Kurtanidze FMW October 13, 1964 December 6, 2005 Years of bedrriden from injuries
41 Brodie Lee
aka Luke Harper (Jonathan Huber)
WWE, AEW, FCW, ROH, Dragon Gate, Chikara, Dragon Gate USA December 16, 1979 December 26, 2020 Pulmonary fibrosis[69]
41 Jerry London
(Jerry Linden)
NWA, CWC, Stampede Wrestling, MLW July 9, 1929 September 20, 1970 Suicide (overdose of sleeping pills)
41 Hack Meyers
(Donald Havilland)
ECW, FOW, IPW, FC !Bang! December 7, 1973 December 5, 2015 Complications from brain surgery
41 Justice Pain
(Christopher Wilson)
CZW, XPW, IPW, JAPW, BJW May 16, 1978 January 24, 2020 Suicide by jumping off bridge
41 Jackie Sato
(Naoko Sato)
AJW, JWPW October 30, 1957 August 9, 1999 Stomach cancer
41 Billy Travis
(Gary Mize)
CWA, USWA, WWF, PPW April 29, 1961 November 23, 2002 Heart attack[21]
41 Adam Windsor
(Adam Bryniarski)
Funking Conservatory, NWA Wildside, WXW, independent circuit, various promotions in England January 17, 1981 April 21, 2022 Heart issues
41-42 Manjiro "Matty" Matsuda N/A 1887 1929 Injuries during match
42 Randy Anderson referee for WCW, NWA July 17, 1959 May 5, 2002 Testicular cancer
42 Mike Awesome
(Michael Alfonso)
AJPW, FMW, ECW, WCW, WWF, MLW January 24, 1965 February 17, 2007 Suicide by hanging
42 John Ayers UWF April 14, 1953 October 2, 1995 Liver cancer
42 Bruiser Brody
(Frank Goodish)
NWA, AJPW, WWWF, WCCW June 18, 1946 July 17, 1988 Murdered[25]
42 Ray Candy
(Ray Canty)
NWA, AJPW, WWC, NJPW, WCW December 3, 1951 May 23, 1994 Heart attack
42 Miss Elizabeth
(Elizabeth Hulette)
WWF, WCW, ICW November 19, 1960 May 1, 2003 Drug overdose[25]
42 Hiromichi Fuyuki AJPW, NJPW, FMW, IWE, NWA, CWA May 11, 1960 March 19, 2003 Intestinal cancer
42 John Tenta WWF, WCW, ASW, AJPW June 22, 1963 June 7, 2006 Bladder cancer[70]
42 Biff Wellington
(Shayne Bower)
Stampede Wrestling, WCW, NJPW, ECW April 18, 1965 June 24, 2007 Heart attack
42 Xavier
(John Bedoya)
ROH, WWE, ECWA, JAPW, NEW, CW December 28, 1977 August 16, 2020 Unknown
42–43 George Gardiner Wrestled only in Australia and New Zealand 1898 May 18, 1941 Peritonitis
42-43 Marie Lograsso
(Dina DeStefano)
World Championship Wrestling 1963 March 14, 2006 Drug overdose
43 Brian Adams PNW, NJPW, WWF, WCW, AJPW April 14, 1964 August 13, 2007 Drug overdose[71]
43 Ángel Azteca
(Juan Manuel Zúñiga)
AAA, CMLL, UWA June 24, 1963 March 18, 2007 Heart attack after match
43 Nancy Benoit CWF, ECW, WCW May 17, 1964 June 22, 2007 Murder[67]
43 Doctor X
(Clemente Nájera)
CMLL July 17, 1968 October 11, 2011 Murder[72]
43 Héctor Garza CMLL, Perros del Mal, WCW, WWF June 12, 1969 May 26, 2013 Lung cancer[25]
43 Franky Gee
(Francisco Gutierrez)
FMW February 19, 1962 October 22, 2005 Cerebral hemorrhage
43 Rocky Hata
(Mitsuo Hata)
AJPW, CSW, GCW, NWA Tri-State, CWF September 12, 1948 October 27, 1991 Complications from diabetes[73]
43 Jocephus
(Joseph Hudson)
NWA July 1, 1977 February 24, 2021 Congenital heart defect
43 Georg Lurich N/A 22 April [O.S. 10 April] 1876 20 January 1920 Typhus
43 Corey Maclin Announcer for USWA, PPW, Memphis Wrestling May 6, 1970 July 31, 2013 Car accident
43 Sean O'Haire
(Sean Haire)
WCW, OVW, WWF/E, NJPW, UPW February 25, 1971 September 8, 2014 Suicide by hanging
43 Goga Pehlwan
(Goga Moazzam)
Wrestled only in India 1937 February 6, 1981 Died in the ring
43 Reggie Roby WWF July 30, 1961 February 22, 2005 Believed to be Heart attack
43 Tony Rumble
(Anthony Magliaro)
NWA New England, ECW, ICW, AWA, IWCCW, WCW November 6, 1956 November 13, 1999 Heart attack
43 Peter Smit RINGS December 24, 1961 August 15, 2005 Murder
43 Viscera
(Nelson Frazier, Jr.)
WWF/E, AJPW, USWA, TNA, Memphis Wrestling February 14, 1971 February 18, 2014 Heart attack
44 Carl Abs N/A September 12, 1851 February 18, 1895 Liver and kidney failure
44 Dino Bravo
(Adolfo Bresciano)
NWA, AWA, Lutte Internationale, WWF August 6, 1948 March 11, 1993 Murder[25]
44 The Bruiser
(RJ Meyer)
MCW, Independent Circuit August 15, 1976 November 16, 2020 Leukemia
44 Dustin Diamond NWA-TNA, MCW, Hulk Hogan's Celebrity Championship Wrestling, independent circuit January 7, 1977 February 1, 2021 Cancer (small-cell carcinoma)
44 Eric The Red
(Ib Solvang Hansen)
WWWF, NWF, IWA, AWA, NJPW, CWF August 1, 1934 November 16, 1978 Car accident
44 Danny Fargo
(Audie Hager)
WWC, CWA, NWA, SWCW June 13, 1959 December 26, 2003 Cancer
44 Mark Frear WWF, USWA, MEWF, independent circuit February 1, 1970 May 11, 2014 Unknown
44 Jorge González WCW, WWF, NJPW January 31, 1966 September 22, 2010 Diabetes and severe heart issues
44 Curt Hennig AWA, PNW, WWF/E, WCW, TNA March 28, 1958 February 10, 2003 Combined drug intoxication[25]
44 Koichiro Kimura AJPW, DDT Pro-Wrestling, RINGS, W*ING, WJ November 18, 1969 October 28, 2014 Pneumonia
44 Balls Mahoney
(Jonathan Rechner)
ECW, SMW, WWF/E April 11, 1972 April 12, 2016 Heart attack[74]
44 Emil Naucke N/A May 2, 1855 January 25, 1900 Heart attack
44 Kevin Randleman AJPW, Zero1, Hustle August 10, 1971 February 11, 2016 Heart attack and pneumonia
44 Billy Reil JAPW, independent circuit June 19, 1979 April 29, 2024 Years of health issues
44 Axl Rotten
(Brian Knighton)
ECW, MEWF, IWA Mid-South, WCW, WWE April 21, 1971 February 4, 2016 Drug overdose
44–45 Nurullah Hasan N/A 1867 1912 Unknown
45 Toni Adams
(Toni Collins)
UWF, WCCW, USWA August 19, 1964 June 24, 2010 Heart attack
45 Bam Bam Bigelow
(Scott Bigelow)
CWA, WWF/E, ECW, WCW, NJPW September 1, 1961 January 19, 2007 Drug overdose[75]
45 Jerry Blackwell AWA, WWWF, NWA, MACW, AJPW April 26, 1949 January 22, 1995 Complications from car accident[19]
45 Stephan Bonnar Impact Wrestling, House Of Glory, independent circuit April 4, 1977 December 22, 2022 Heart attack caused by accidental fentanyl overdose
45 Nick Campofreda N/A January 14, 1914 May 23, 1959 Heart Attack
45 Mike Davis CWA, MACW, WCCW, GWF, WCW November 2, 1956 December 26, 2001 Heart attack
45 Iron Mike DiBiase AWA, NWA, WCCW, CSW December 24, 1923 July 2, 1969 Heart attack
45 Junkyard Dog
(Sylvester Ritter)
Stampede Wrestling, IWE, NWA, UWF, WWF, WCW December 13, 1952 June 2, 1998 Car accident
45 Aya Koyama AJW, BJW, JWPW, JDStar, Gaea Japan March 8, 1973 August 27, 2018 Cancer
45 Pasión Kristal
(José Gabriel Zentella Damián)
AAA, IWRG, various Mexican promotions January 9, 1976 June 2, 2021 Drowning
45 Peter Maivia
(Pita Fanene Anderson)
NWA, AWA, NJPW, NWA Hawaii, WWWF April 6, 1937 June 13, 1982 Cancer
45 Johan Olin N/A June 30, 1883 December 3, 1928 Unknown
45 Val Puccio
(Valentino Puccio)
AJPW, WWF, ECW June 9, 1965 January 7, 2011 Believed to be obesity
45 Jean Pusie wrestled various promotions in Quebec October 15, 1910 April 21, 1956 Heart attack
46 Chris Adams WCCW, UWF, SCW, WCW, Joint Promotions, AWF February 10, 1955 October 7, 2001 Shot
46 André the Giant
(André René Roussimoff)
NWA, Lutte Internationale, NJPW, IWE, AWA, WWF, AJPW May 19, 1946 January 28, 1993 Congestive heart failure[76]
46 Argentina Apollo
(Vincente Denigris)
WWWF, NWA, CWF, MACW, AJPW, IWA April 28, 1938 August 2, 1984 Heart attack
46 Brian Christopher
(Brian Lawler)
WWF/E, USWA, TNA, WWA, Memphis Wrestling January 10, 1972 July 29, 2018 Suicide by hanging
46 Chyna
(Joanie Laurer)
WWF, NJPW, TNA December 27, 1969 April 20, 2016 Medication overdose
46 Floyd Creatchman Lutte Internationale, NWA Detroit June 25, 1957 October 26, 2003 Crohn's disease
46 Daffney
(Shannon Spruill)
WCW, TNA, OVW, Wrestlicious, SHIMMER, ACW July 17, 1975 September 1, 2021 Suicide by gunshot[77]
46 Herman Hickman NWA October 1, 1911 April 25, 1958 Unknown
46 Magnificent Maurice (Eugene Dubuque) WWWF, NWA, AWA, NWA San Francisco, NWA Hawaii December 11, 1927 March 13, 1974 Plane crash
46 Maximum Capacity (Michael Stanco) NWA, FOW, Zero1, Hustle, wrestled in various promotions in Europe August 2, 1968 August 21, 2014 Colorectal cancer
46 Mitsuharu Misawa AJPW, Pro Wrestling Noah, NJPW, JPW, NWA, ROH June 18, 1962 June 13, 2009 Heart attack after cervical spinal cord injury in match[78][79]
46 Mr. Niebla
(Efrén Tiburcio Márquez)
CMLL, AAA February 22, 1973 December 23, 2019 Blood infection
46 Víctor Quiñones IWA, FMW, IWA Japan, WWC, W*ING June 30, 1959 April 1, 2006 Mix of alcohol and drug overdose
46 Road Warrior Hawk
(Michael Hegstrand)
AWA, Lutte Internationale, NWA, AJPW, WWF, WCW, NJPW January 12, 1957 October 19, 2003 Heart attack[80]
46 Bestia Salvaje
(Juan Rodriguez)
CMLL February 11, 1962 March 20, 2008 Liver disease
46 Sam Sheppard NWA Los Angeles December 29, 1923 April 6, 1970 Wernicke encephalopathy
46 Gus Sonnenberg NWA, DWU March 6, 1898 September 9, 1944 Leukemia
47 Ángel Blanco
(José Ángel Vargas Sánchez)
EMLL, UWA, NJPW August 2, 1938 April 26, 1986 Car accident
47 Tiger Jack Fox N/A April 2, 1907 April 6, 1954 Heart attack
47 Tony Halme NJPW, WWF, CWA January 6, 1963 January 8, 2010 Suicide by gunshot
47 Hayabusa
(Eiji Ezaki)
FMW, ECW, CMLL, AJPW November 29, 1968 March 3, 2016 Subarachnoid hemorrhage
47 Hercules
(Ray Fernandez)
NWA, WWF, NJPW, WCW, CWF, NWA St. Louis May 7, 1956 March 6, 2004 Heart disease
47 Dan Kolov
(Doncho Danev)
N/A December 27, 1892 March 26, 1940 Tuberculosis
47 Bob Konovsky NWA, NWA Chicago August 19, 1934 March 6, 1982 Unknown
47 Luther Lindsay
(Luther Goodall)
NWA, Stampede Wrestling, PNW, MACW December 30, 1924 February 21, 1972 Heart attack in match
47 Man Mountain Mike
(Gary Fletcher)
NWA, AWA, WWWF September 15, 1940 April 30, 1988 Heart attack
47 Rosey
(Matthew Anoa'i)
WWE, HWA, WXW, ECW, AJPW April 7, 1970 April 17, 2017 Congestive heart failure[81]
47 Skulu
(Televise Masalosalo)
UPW, Hustle, Pro Wrestling Zero1, independent circuit April 2, 1973 December 21, 2020 Unknown
47 Starman
(Name unknown)
CMLL, NJPW November 16, 1974 September 23, 2022 Unknown
47 Big John Studd
(John Minton)
NWA, AWA, WWF, NAWA February 19, 1948 March 20, 1995 Liver cancer[19]
47 El Texano
(Juan Aguilar Jauregui)
UWA, WCW, CMLL, AAA November 26, 1958 January 15, 2006 Pneumonia
48 Tom Burton WWF, USWA, GWF, UWFi, WCW, IWA Mid-South October 14, 1961 March 29, 2010 Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
48 Francisco Ciatso
(Frank Caizzo)
Independent Circuit, USWA, NWA, TNA, DSW November 5, 1975 January 20, 2024 Unknown
48 Chris Colt
(Charles Harris)
NWA, NWA Detroit, PNW, NWA Vancouver June 22, 1946 May 23, 1995 Unknown (AIDS, a drug overdose or suicide)
48 Cousin Junior
(Lanny Kean)
WWF, CWA, NWA, USWA March 19, 1960 January 13, 2009 Heart attack
48 Dennis Coralluzzo NWA New Jersey promoter March 5, 1953 July 21, 2001 Brain bleed due to a stroke
48 Doc Dean
(Ian Dean)
ASW, WCW, NJPW, European Wrestling Federation (France) July 3, 1970 August 14, 2018 Heart attack
48 Steve Doll WWF, PNW, WCW, AJPW, IWA Mid-South, USWA December 9, 1960 March 22, 2009 Blood clot
48 Gorgeous George
(George Wagner)
NWA March 24, 1915 December 26, 1963 Heart attack
48 Ray Gunkel NWA, GCW February 15, 1924 August 1, 1972 Heart attack after match
48 Don Ross NWAHW, NWA October 6, 1946 June 2, 1995 Heart attack[19]
48 Harley Saito
(Sayori Saito)
LLPW, Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling December 21, 1967 December 15, 2016 Esophageal cancer
48 Ryan Sakoda WWE, UPW, Zero1, EWF, XWF, WSX December 31, 1972 September 2, 2021 Unknown
48 Luna Vachon
(Gertrude Vachon)
CWF, WWF, WCW, ECW, POWW January 12, 1962 August 27, 2010 Drug overdose
48 Clarence Weber Wrestled only in Australia March 27, 1882 November 20, 1930 Coronary occlusion
48 Mark Young
(Joe Scarpa Jr.)
WWF, WCW, PNW, AJPW April 23, 1967 February 25, 2016 Unknown
48 Yukon Eric
(Eric Holmback)
NWA, MLW, AWA April 16, 1916 January 16, 1965 Suicide by gunshot
49 Sheik Ali
(Wadi Ayoub)
WCW Australia, Joint Promotions, and various international promotions April 20, 1927 September 29, 1976 Cancer
49 Big Titan
(Rick Bognar)
FMW, WWF, WAR, USWA, CWA, NJPW January 16, 1970 September 20, 2019 Heart attack
49 Louis Cyr
(Cyprien-Noé Cyr)
N/A October 10, 1863 November 10, 1912 Chronic nephritis
49 Jack Claybourne
(Elmer Claybourne)
NWA, NWA Hawaii, MLW March 8, 1910 January 7, 1960 Suicide by gunshot
49 Dean Detton NWA June 27, 1908 February 23, 1958 Suicide by hanging
49 Espectrito
(Mario Jiminez)
EMLL, AAA, WWF, IWA Puerto Rico December 18, 1966 January 23, 2016 Unknown
49 La Fiera
(Arturo Casco Hernández)
EMLL, AAA, AJPW, NJPW March 17, 1961 September 12, 2010 Murder
49 Kung Fu
(Raymundo Cuesta Veloz)
EMLL, UWA January 20, 1951 January 3, 2001 Arterial hypertension
49 Hideki Hosaka FMW, AJPW, Pro Wrestling Zero1, BJPW, various Japanese Promotions August 5, 1971 August 2, 2021 Liver and colon cancer
49 Bullwhip Johnson
(Daniel Johnston)
NWA, WCW, Lutte International January 6, 1954 July 20, 2003 Liver cirrhosis
49 David Khakhaleishvili RINGS February 28, 1971 January 11, 2021 Complications from heart surgery
49 Sherri Martel
(Sherry Russell)
AWA, WWF, WCW, ECW February 8, 1958 June 15, 2007 Drug overdose
49 Piratita Morgan
(Raymundo Rodríguez)
EMLL, WWC, AAA, WWF, WWA, TNA March 15, 1969 July 8, 2018 Health issues
49 Dick Murdoch
(Hoyt Murdoch)
CWF, NWA, WWF, AJPW, NJPW, WCW, August 16, 1946 June 15, 1996 Heart attack
49 Lynn Nelson Only wrestled in North Dakota February 24, 1905 February 19, 1955 Unknown
49 Raizel
(Name unknown)
CMLL, AAA, IWRG, NJPW, various Mexican promotions February 8, 1973 April 4, 2022 Unknown
49 Rocco Rock
(Ted Petty)
ECW, NWA, WCW, WWF September 1, 1953 September 21, 2002 Heart attack[21]
49 Ray Steele
(Peter Sauer)
NWA February 2, 1900 September 11, 1949 Heart attack
49 Supreme
(Lester Perfors)
XPW, FMW, Perros del Mal, independent circuit May 30, 1970 May 6, 2020 Heart attack
49 Jumbo Tsuruta
(Tomomi Tsuruta)
AJPW, NWA, AWA March 25, 1951 May 13, 2000 Complications of a liver transplant
49 Grigory Verichev FMW April 4, 1957 May 25, 2006 Unknown
49 "Dr. Death" Steve Williams Mid-South/UWF, NWA, WWF, WCW, AJPW, ECW May 14, 1960 December 29, 2009 Throat cancer

Under 60

edit
 
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 Max Baer unknown February 11, 1909 November 21, 1959 Heart attack
50 The French Angel
(Maurice Tillet)
AWA, NWA, NWA Tri-State October 23, 1903 September 4, 1954 Cardiovascular disease
50 Fuzzy Cupid
(Leon Stap)
WWWF, NWA September 24, 1928 April 26, 1979 Unknown
50 Ivan Gomes NJPW December 25, 1939 March 2, 1990 Renal illness
50 King Kong Kirk
(Malcolm Kirk)
Joint Promotions, CWA, ASW, NWA December 18, 1936 August 24, 1987 Heart attack in match
50 Yakov Kozalchik Wrestled only in Israel July 13, 1902 June 13, 1953 Starvation from depression
50 Dave Legeno
(David Steven Murray)
British Wrestling Federation October 12, 1963 July 6, 2014 Heat illness
50 Lucifer
(Tim Burke)
MEWF, IPWA, ECWA, MCW October 1, 1960 June 21, 2011 Cancer
50 Kızılcıklı Mahmut N/A 1880 February 3, 1931 Unknown
50 Billy Papke N/A September 17, 1886 November 26, 1936 Murder-suicide
50 Paul Pons N/A June 23, 1864 April 13, 1915 Drowning
50 Mark Starr
(Mark Ashford-Smith)
WCW, CWF, CWA, WWF, PWFG, FMW December 26, 1962 June 7, 2013 Heart attack
50 Sweet Georgia Brown
(Susie Mae McCoy)
NWA, MACW, Stampede Wrestling December 22, 1938 July 25, 1989 Breast cancer
50 Villano I
(José de Jesús Díaz Mendoza)
UWA, CMLL June 28, 1950 January 4, 2001 Cerebral hemorrhage
50 Buddy Wayne
(Steve Finley)
NWA Vancouver, PNW, WWF, WCW, ECCW May 27, 1967 June 15, 2017 Heart attack
50 Bearcat Wright
(Edward Wright)
NWA, CWC, Stampede Wrestling, CWF, NJPW January 13, 1932 August 28, 1982 Sickle cell anemia
50 Yar
(Raymond Gajtkowski)
NWA, JAPW, ECW, independent circuit March 5, 1971 September 1, 2021 Unknown
50 Yutaka Yoshie NJPW, AJPW, Zero1, Toryumon, Noah, various Japanese promotions January 5, 1974 March 10, 2024 Arteriosclerosis[82]
51 Arkangel de la Muerte
(Alfredo Pasillas)
CMLL July 16, 1966 June 13, 2018 Cardiac arrest[83]
51 Al Mills AWA, Stampede Wrestling 1910 July 10, 1961 Unknown
51 Verlon Biggs CWA, UWF Mid-South March 16, 1943 June 7, 1994 Leukemia
51 Black Cat
(Victor Manuel)
UWA, NJPW, AAA, WCW October 17, 1954 January 28, 2006 Heart attack
51 Kerry Brown Stampede Wrestling, GPW, Lutte Internationale, WWC, NWA, NJPW February 3, 1958 September 10, 2009 Liver failure
51 Renato Gardini N/A March 20, 1889 September 29, 1940 Unknown
51 Hido
(Hideo Takayama)
BJW, IWA-MS, FMW, W*ING October 19, 1969 October 17, 2021 Unknown
51 Jimmy Jackson UWF Mid-South, WWF, MACW July 28, 1956 June 17, 2008 Unknown
51 Jun Izumida AJPW, NOAH October 28, 1965 January 25, 2017 Heart attack
51 Azumafuji Kin'ichi
(Kinichi Inoue)
JWA, NWA Hawaii October 28, 1921 July 31, 1973 Colon cancer
51 Harvey Martin WWF, WCCW, GWF November 16, 1950 December 24, 2001 Pancreatic cancer
51 Moondog Spot
(Larry Latham)
WWF, CWA, NWA, USWA June 6, 1952 November 29, 2003 Heart attack in match
51 Nikola Petroff
(Nikola Petrov)
N/A December 19, 1873 January 2, 1925 Unknown
51 Picudo
(Arturo Hernández Herrada)
AAA, IWRG August 3, 1967 August 3, 2018 Diabetes
51 Silver King
(César Cuauhtémoc González Barrón)
UWA, WCW, CMLL, AJPW, NJPW, AAA January 9, 1968 May 11, 2019 Stroke in ring, followed by heart attack
51 Paul Varelans ECW, Kingdom September 17, 1969 January 16, 2021 COVID-19
51 Maurice Webb created the Admiral-Lord Mountevans rules in the United Kingdom September 26, 1904 June 10, 1956 Unknown
51 Frankie Williams
(Armando Pumarejo)
WWWF/WWF February 20, 1940 April 23, 1991 Lung cancer
51 Emmanuel Yarbrough CWA September 5, 1964 December 21, 2015 Heart attack
52 Gene Anderson AWA, GCW, MACW October 4, 1939 October 31, 1991 Heart attack
52 Buddy Austin
(Austin Wesley Rapes)
WWWF, NWA, JWA February 27, 1929 August 12, 1981 Heart attack
52 Nicole Bass WWF, ECW, XPW, NEO August 10, 1964 February 17, 2017 Heart attack
52 Ady Berber wrestled only in Austria and Germany February 4, 1913 January 3, 1966 Unknown
52 Trevor Berbick UWFi August 1, 1954 October 28, 2006 Murder
52 El Brazo
(Juan Alvarado Nieves)
WWA, AAA, UWA, CMLL July 30, 1961 October 15, 2013 Diabetes
52 Melissa Coates OVW, UPW, WSU, Independent Circuit June 18, 1969 June 23, 2021 Complications from COVID-19[84]
52 John Cozman Stampede Wrestling, HIW, various independent circuit promotions in Canada August 28, 1964 November 28, 2016 Unknown
52 Jimmy Del Ray
(David Ferrier)
SMW, WWF, PWF, USWA, ECW, WCW November 30, 1962 December 6, 2014 Heart attack
52 Espantito
(Martín Rodríguez)
AAA, NWA, various promotions in Mexico and United States April 24, 1968 October 12, 2020 Pneumonia
52 Doug Furnas
(Dwight Furnas)
AJPW, CCW, WCW, WWF, ECW December 11, 1959 March 2, 2012 Heart attack
52 George Gadaski
(George Kosti)
AWA, NWA, Stampede Wrestling April 30, 1930 December 16, 1982 Brain Tumor
52 Giant Haystacks
(Martin Ruane)
Stampede Wrestling, Joint Promotions CWA, AJPW, WCW October 10, 1946 November 29, 1998 Lymphoma
52 Troy 'The Hippie' Graham
(Troy Rolland Thompson Jr.)
AWA, CWA, NWA, USWA October 26, 1949 March 7, 2002 Heart attack
52 Tonina Jackson
(Héctor Garza Lozano Vela)
EMLL, NWA, NWA Mid-America, WCCW, WWWF January 9, 1917 November 3, 1969 Possibly complications from health issues
52 Jim Jefferson MACW, CWA, CSW, CWF July 14, 1960 February 8, 2013 Unknown
52 Karol Kalmikoff NWA, AWA, NWA Tri-State, MLW August 12, 1912 September 11, 1964 Heart attack
52 Ivan Linow
(Jānis Linaus)
N/A November 21, 1888 November 21, 1940 Heart attack
52 Paul Luty Joint Promotions May 4, 1932 January 12, 1985 Unknown
52 Rockin' Rebel
(Charles Williams)
ECW, WCW, WWF, CZW, independent circuit January 13, 1966 June 1, 2018 Murder-suicide
52 Silo Sam
(John Elmo Harris)
WCCW, AWA September 12, 1952 April 19, 2005 Unknown; possibly related to gigantism
52 Iron Mike Steele
(John Meek)
CWF, Independent circuit July 18, 1955 August 29, 2007 Vehicular homicide
52 Frank Wycheck TNA October 14, 1971 December 9, 2023 Head injuries from a fall
53 Aníbal
(Carlos Contreras)
EMLL/CMLL, UWA November 5, 1940 March 4, 1994 Brain tumor
53 Johnny Attitude
(John Greene)
Founder of Micro Championship Wrestling, WCW, independent circuit June 9, 1965 June 12, 2018 Unknown
53 George Bollas NWA, NWA Hawaii, CWC, Joint Promotions, various European promotions September 19, 1923 January 28, 1977 Heart failure
53 Johnny K-9
(Ion Kroitoru)[85]
WWF, NJPW, SMW, BCW December 7, 1963 February 21, 2017 Acute pulmonary edema[85]
53 Ricky Gibson
(Richard Cain)
GCCW, CWA, NWA Mid-America, NWA, UWF, MACW November 19, 1952 September 15, 2006 Heart attack
53 Ryuma Go
(Hiroshi Yagi)
NJPW, AJPW, IWE, NWA, AWA, WAR March 23, 1956 October 18, 2009 Blood poisoning
53 Tony Jones APW, BattlARTS, UPW, WWE, XPW April 6, 1971 April 11, 2024 Unknown
53 Anton Koolmann N/A September 11, 1899 June 29, 1953 Unknown
53 Henry Kulky NWA, Various International Promotions August 11, 1911 February 12, 1965 Heart attack
53 Buddy Landel
(William Ensor)
NWA, WCW, MACW, SMW, USWA, WWF August 14, 1961 June 22, 2015 Injuries from a car accident
53 Danny Little Bear NWA, Stampede Wrestling, CSW, GCCW September 13, 1937 May 12, 1991 Liver cancer
53 Curly Moe
(Donald Zalesky)
IWCCW April 3, 1962 July 1, 2015 Unknown
53 Larry O'Dea
(Larry Davies)
WCW Australia, CWF, AJPW 1944 June 30, 1997 Liver cancer
53 Johnny Rougeau IWA Montreal, BTW, NWA, ASW June 9, 1929 May 25, 1983 Cancer
53 Mike Shaw Stampede Wrestling, WCW, WWF May 9, 1957 September 11, 2010 Heart attack
53 Silver Cat
(Antonio Hernández Herrada)
CMLL, AAA, various Mexican promotions April 8, 1970 March 29, 2024 Unknown
53 Ski Hi Lee
(Robert Leedy)
Stampede Wrestling, NWA, Joint Promotions February 9, 1921 May 31, 1974 Believed to be acromegaly
53 Ken Timbs MACW, GCW, EMLL, CSW, CWF January 27, 1951 August 1, 2004 Cardiomyopathy and congestive heart failure
53–54 Taro Miyake N/A August 15, 1881 1935 Unknown
54 Akebono
(Chadwick Haheo Rowan)
WWE, AJPW, NJPW, Hustle, Zero 1, various Japanese promotions May 8, 1969 April 11, 2024 heart failure
54 Ted Allen
(Ted Allen Lipscomb)
GCW, Mid-South Wrestling, CWA, SMW, Independent Circuit November 17, 1955 August 19, 2010 Heart attack
54 Angel of Death
(David Sheldon)
Stampede Wrestling, UWF, GWF, WCW July 20, 1953 November 25, 2007 Unknown
54 Awesome Kong
(Dwayne McCullough)
WCW, GWF, USWA, Independent Circuit January 5, 1958 November 17, 2012 Heart attack
54 Black Warrior
(Jesus Toral López)
CMLL, UWA, AAA January 7, 1969 January 10, 2023 Unknown
54 Josephine Blatt N/A 1869 September 1, 1923 Unknown
54 Jonathan Boyd
(Jonathan Barry Boyle)
WCW Australia, NWA, PNW, CWA October 21, 1944 August 7, 1999 Heart attack
54 Crybaby Waldo
(Walt McDonald)
ECW, NWA, IPWA, independent circuit April 21, 1966 July 28, 2020 Heart attack
54 Lionel Conacher wrestled only in Canada May 24, 1900 May 26, 1954 Heart attack
54 Droz
(Darren Drozdov)
WWF, ECW April 7, 1969 June 30, 2023 Natural causes
54 Bob Fitzsimmons N/A May 26, 1863 October 22, 1917 Pneumonia
54 Dory Funk, Sr. WSS, NWA, AWA, NWA St. Louis, WWWF May 4, 1919 June 3, 1973 Heart attack
54 Karloff Lagarde Jr.
(César Baltazar de Lucio Valencia)
CMLL, UWA, AAA October 21, 1970 December 13, 2024
54 Jos LeDuc
(Michel Pigeon)
NWA, Lutte Internationale, AWA, WWF, CWA, CWF, GCW August 30, 1944 May 1, 1999 Lung infection
54 Arvo Lindén N/A February 27, 1887 March 18, 1941 Unknown
54 Benny McCrary NWA, NJPW December 7, 1946 March 26, 2001 Heart attack[33][34]
54 Yoshihiro Momota AJPW March 15, 1946 November 22, 2000 Liver failure
54 Väinö Myllyrinne wrestled in Europe February 27, 1909 April 13, 1963 Acromegaly
54 La Parka II
(Jesús Alfonso Huerta Escoboza)
AAA, IWRG, DDT Pro-Wrestling, wrestled in various promotions in Mexico January 4, 1966 January 11, 2020 Lung and kidney failure
54 Puppet the Psycho Dwarf
(Stevie Lee)
TNA, WWA, Independent Circuit 1966 September 9, 2020 Unknown[86][87]
54 Tommy Rogers
(Thomas Couch)
UWF, NWA, AJPW, WCW, WWF, ECW May 14, 1961 June 1, 2015 Unknown (believed to be suicide)
54 The Ultimate Warrior
(James Hellwig)
WWF, CWA, WCWA, WCW June 16, 1959 April 8, 2014 Heart attack
54 Uncle Elmer
(Stan Fraizer)
CWA, NWA, GCCW, WWF, USWA August 16, 1937 July 1, 1992 Diabetes
54 Pez Whatley CWF, NWA, WWF, WCW January 10, 1951 January 18, 2005 Heart attack
54–55 Hergeleci İbrahim
(Ibrahim Mahmut)
wrestled only in Turkey 1862 1917 Unknown
54–55 George de Relwyskow Joint Promotions June 18, 1887 1942 Unknown
55 Matt Borne
(Matthew Osborne)
PNW, WCCW, UWF, WWF, WCW, ECW July 27, 1957 June 28, 2013 Drug overdose (possible heart failure)
55 Danie Brits WWP, various promotions in South Africa March 3, 1965 September 3, 2020 Heart attack
55 Haystacks Calhoun
(William Dee Calhoun)
WWWF, NWA August 3, 1934 December 7, 1989 Diabetes
55 Chief Little Eagle
(Richard Thomas Bryant)
NWA, GCW, NWA Gulf Coast, CWC March 21, 1935 July 7, 1990 Murder
55 Johnny Lee Clary NWF June 18, 1959 October 21, 2014 Heart attack
55 Eddie Graham
(Edward Gossett)
WWWF, CWF, NWA January 15, 1930 January 21, 1985 Multiple gunshot suicide
55 Rumi Kazama AJW, JWP, LLPW, DDT, WAR November 28, 1965 September 21, 2021 Endometriosis
55 Koji Kitao SWS, NJPW, WWF, WAR August 12, 1963 February 10, 2019 Kidney disease
55 MS-1
(Pablo Fuentes Reyna)
CMLL, AAA, UWA December 31, 1956 January 12, 2012 Car accident
55 Mantaur
(Mike Halac)
WWF, ECW, CWA, USWA May 14, 1968 July 11, 2023 Diabetes
55 Tony Matisi N/A August 23, 1914 August 26, 1969 Illness
55 Hans Nijman
(Johannes Nijman)
Fighting Network Rings September 23, 1959 November 5, 2014 Murder
55 Bull Ortega
(Jesus Ortega)
Stampede Wrestling, NWA, WWWF, MLW, NWA Detroit May 12, 1922 July 28, 1977 Heart attack
55 Antonio Peña
(Antonio Herrada)
founder of AAA, CMLL June 13, 1951 October 5, 2006 Heart attack
55 Antonino Rocca
(Antonino Biasetton)
WWWF, NWA April 13, 1921 March 15, 1977 Urinary tract infection
55 Universo 2000
(Andrés Reyes González)
CMLL, AAA, IWRG April 18, 1963 May 1, 2018 Heart problems
55 Diane Von Hoffman
(Phyllis Burch)
USWA, CWA, LPWA, LMLW April 13, 1962 July 6, 2017 Complications from knee surgery
55 Timothy Well
(Timothy Smith)
AJPW, USWA, WWF, WCW, ECW September 8, 1961 January 9, 2017 Kidney failure
55 Chris Youngblood
(Christopher Romero)
WCCW, WWC, WCW, AJPW, USWA, FMW February 10, 1966 July 7, 2021 Believed to be liver and kidney failure
56 Brad Batten NWA, CSW, ACCW, SMW, WWC, SSW September 8, 1958 November 18, 2014 Heart attack
56 Edwin Bibby N/A November 15, 1848 May 5, 1905 Rheumatism
56 Paul Bunyan
(Max Palmer)
NWA Mid-America, NWF November 27, 1927 May 17, 1984 Heart disease
56 Emilio Charles Jr.
(Sergio Garduño)
CMLL October 12, 1956 December 28, 2012 Kidney failure[88]
56 Espanto III
(Miguel Vázquez Bernal)
EMLL February 11, 1940 December 8, 1996 Heart attack
56 Bill Fralic WWF October 31, 1962 December 13, 2018 Cancer
56 Steve Gillespie WFWA, Stampede Wrestling, FMW, WWF, CNWA, Onita Pro July 22, 1963 January 18, 2020 Heart attack
56 Babe the Farmer's Daughter
(Ursula Hayden)
GLOW March 8, 1966 December 3, 2022 Cancer
56 Walter Johnson NWA, BTW, WCCW November 13, 1942 June 29, 1999 Heart attack
56 Cowboy Lang
(Harry Lang)
NWA, WWF, AWA August 28, 1950 January 4, 2007 Heart disease
56 Steve Lawler
(Steve Gower)
SCW, DSW, TCW, Independent Circuit January 24, 1965 September 2, 2021 COVID-19
56 Maurice Letchford wrestled in the US, Canada, UK, and South Africa August 27, 1908 August 15, 1965 Unknown
56 Blimp Levy
(Martin Levy)
NWA April 30, 1905 November 8, 1961 Believed to be complications from obesity
56 Dave McKigney MLW, WWWF, NWA, NJPW, NWA Detroit, Big Bear Promotions June 9, 1932 July 4, 1988 Car accident
56 Moondog King
(Edward White)
WWF, Lutte Internationale May 18, 1949 August 26, 2005 Injuries from a car accident and health issues
56 Max Muscle
(John Czawlytko)
WCW, USWA, GWF, MCW, XPW February 22, 1963 June 27, 2019 Unknown
56 Yvon Robert NWA, Montreal, MLW October 8, 1914 July 12, 1971 Heart attack
56 Garry Robbins CNWA, GWF, NJPW, WWC, Indo-Asian Wrestling September 9, 1957 December 11, 2013 Heart attack
56 Ben Roller N/A July 1, 1876 April 19, 1933 Pneumonia
56 Buddy Rose
(Paul Perschmann)
AWA, PNW, WWF November 27, 1952 April 28, 2009 Natural causes from obesity; diabetes complications
56 Kurt Von Hess
(William Terry)
NWA, Lutte Internationale, All-Star, Maple Leaf Wrestling, NJPW, WWF April 10, 1942 March 13, 1999 Heart attack
56–57 Black Guzmán
(Miguel Guzman Huerta)
CMLL, NWA 1916 December 1, 1973 Unknown
57 Jerry Balisok GCW, CWF September 8, 1955 April 18, 2013 Heart attack
57 Fred Beell N/A January 17, 1876 August 5, 1933 Shot
57 Brazo de Oro
(Jesús Alvarado Nieves)
CMLL, WWA, UWA, NWA Los Angeles October 7, 1959 April 28, 2017 Heart attack
57 Brick Bronsky
(Jeffrey Beltzner)
Stampede Wrestling, Independent circuit April 18, 1964 August 23, 2021 COVID-19
57 Brickhouse Brown
(Frederick Seawright)
UWF Mid-South, NWA, WWF, CWA, USWA August 11, 1960 July 29, 2018 Prostate cancer
57 Chris Champion
(Christopher Ashford-Smith)
WCW, MACW, CWA, CWF, USWA February 17, 1961 August 22, 2018 Presumed to be a stroke
57 Al Green
(Alfred Dobalo)
WCW, WCPW, CWF, AJPW, CWA October 15, 1955 June 14, 2013 Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
57 The Grand Wizard
(Ernie Roth)
NWA, WWWF/WWF August 30, 1926 October 12, 1983 Heart attack
57 Betty Jo Hawkins
(Elizabeth Floyd)
NWA, CWF, Stampede Wrestling October 22, 1930 December 4, 1987 Heart attack
57 Samson Kutsuwada JWA, AJPW May 1, 1947 October 12, 2004 Leukemia
57 Masakre
(Aristóteles Radamés Coccó Flores)
CMLL, AAA May 13, 1954 April 12, 2012 Spinal cancer
57 Akram Pahalwan Joint Promotions. wrestled in India, Pakistan, and various international promotions 1930 April 12, 1987 Unknown
57 Zoogz Rift
(Robert Pawlikowski)
UWF July 10, 1953 March 22, 2011 Complications from diabetes
57 Bert Ruby
(Bertalan Rubinstein)
NWA, promoter for NWA Detroit November 29, 1910 March 9, 1968 Heart attack
57 Paddy Ryan
(Earl Patrick Freeman)
Stampede Wrestling, PNW, NWA All-Star Wrestling August 23, 1932 December 28, 1989 Heart attack
57 Bart Sawyer
(Steven Stewart)
PNW, NWA, WCW, USWA, ECCW, W*ING November 30, 1965 September 12, 2023 Unknown
57 Mark Tendler WWWF, NWA Hawaii, NWA, AJPW March 4, 1932 February 15, 1990 Murder by Gunshot
57 Shag Thomas
(James Thomas)
Stampede Wrestling, NWA, PNW August 11, 1924 July 25, 1982 Heart attack
57 Don Vines Joint Promotions February 6, 1932 September 17, 1989 Unknown
57 Fez Whatley
(Todd Hillier)
World Championship Wrestling March 31, 1964 August 14, 2021 Heart failure
58 Gran Apache
(Mario Balbuena González)
CMLL, AAA, IWA Japan April 16, 1959 May 7, 2017 Intestinal cancer
58 Paul Bearer
(William Moody)
WWF, CWF, WCCW, USWA, TNA April 10, 1954 March 5, 2013 Heart attack
58 Brazo de Plata
(José Luis Alvarado Nieves)
CMLL, AAA, WWE, WWA, UWA, IWRG March 19, 1963 July 26, 2021 Heart attack
58 Bulldog Bob Brown NWA, Stampede Wrestling, AWA, All-Star, NWA St. Louis, CSW October 16, 1938 February 5, 1997 Heart attack
58 Ripper Collins
(Roy Lee Albern)
NWA Hawaii, AWA, GCCW, Stampede Wrestling October 10, 1933 November 12, 1991 Melanoma
58 Adam Forepaugh N/A February 28, 1831 January 22, 1890 Complications from 1889–1890 pandemic
58 Giant Gustav NWA, NJPW, IWCCW April 13, 1961 October 6, 2019 Heart Attack
58 Tarzan Goto
(Seijo Goto)
AJPW, FMW, NWA, CWA, ECW, IWA Japan August 16, 1963 May 29, 2022 Liver cancer
58 Kevin Greene WCW July 31, 1962 December 21, 2020 Heart attack
58 Helen Hild
(Gladys Helen Nevins)
NWA, WWWF February 26, 1926 March 4, 1984 Lung infection
58 Ice Train
(Harold Hogue)
WCW, CWA November 13, 1965 January 23, 2024 Unknown
58 Tank Morgan
(Paul McManus)
WWWF, NWA, IWE, NWA Hawaii, UWF April 18, 1933 August 15, 1991 Murder
58 New Jack
(Jerome Young)
ECW, SMW, USWA, TNA, XPW January 3, 1963 May 14, 2021 Heart attack
58 Don Nakaya Nielsen NJPW, PWFG July 8, 1959 August 16, 2017 Heart attack complications from surgery
58 Osley Bird Saunooke N/A July 19, 1906 April 16, 1965 Unknown
58 Randy Savage
(Randall Poffo)
WWF, NWA, ICW, CWA, WCW November 15, 1952 May 20, 2011 Cardiovascular disease
58 Scorpio Jr.
(Rafael Núñez Juan)
CMLL, AAA, UWA, various Mexican Promotions October 11, 1966 November 7, 2024
58 Tracy Smothers CWA, WCW, SMW, WWF, ECW, IWA Mid-South September 2, 1962 October 28, 2020 Lymphoma
58 George Tragos NWA March 14, 1897 September 5, 1955 Unknown
58 Tarzan Tyler
(Camille Tourville)
NWA, Lutte Internationale, WWWF, CWF December 4, 1927 December 24, 1985 Car wreck
58 Larry Winters ECW, TWA, AWA, NWA, Pro Wrestling USA, NWF April 14, 1956 January 27, 2015 Heart attack
59 Evgeny Artyukhin Sr. NJPW June 17, 1949 July 12, 2008 Heart attack during training
59 Shota Chochishvili NJPW July 10, 1950 August 27, 2009 Leukemia
59 John Condrone CCW, NWA, WCW, independent circuit November 16, 1960 October 20, 2020 COVID-19
59 Douglas Clark Joint Promotions May 2, 1891 February 1, 1951 Unknown
59 Espectro I
(Antonio Arriaga)
EMLL February 9, 1934 October 13, 1993 Unknown
59 Angel Gabriele WWA, PPW March 21, 1956 February 23, 2016 Unknown
59 René Guajardo
(Manuel Guajardo Mejorado)
EMLL, UWA, WCCW, CWA January 4, 1933 May 11, 1992 Liver cancer
59 Ralph Hammonds NWA July 9, 1906 May 5, 1966 Unknown
59 Mickie Henson referee for WWE, WCW, CWF January 2, 1963 February 14, 2022 COVID-19
59 Ernie Holmes GCW, WWF July 11, 1948 January 17, 2008 Car accident
59 Don Kent
(Leo Smith Jr.)
NWA, WWWF, NWA Mid-America, CWF June 24, 1933 June 7, 1993 Leukemia
59 Evan "Strangler" Lewis N/A May 24, 1860 November 9, 1919 Cancer[89]
59 Dutch Mantell
(Alfred Albert Joe de Re la Gardiur)
N/A July 25, 1881 January 31, 1941 Cancer
59 Mike Marino Joint Promotions October 8, 1921 August 24, 1981 Leukemia
59 Drew McDonald
(Charles Shaw)
All Star Wrestling, Stampede Wrestling, CWA June 16, 1955 February 9, 2015 Cancer
59 Jerry Monti
(Gerald Monti)
NWA San Francisco, NWA, AWA, WWF January 2, 1940 December 3, 1999 Cancer
59 Matthew Saad Muhammad UWFi August 5, 1954 May 25, 2014 Lou Gehrig's disease
59 Charlie Norris WCW, PWA, independent circuit October 21, 1963 February 6, 2023 Unknown
59 Tony Parisi
(Antonio Pugliese)
WWWF, NWA, Lutte Internationale, MLW January 22, 1941 August 19, 2000 Heart attack
59 The Patriot
(Del Wilkes)
AWA, WCW, WWF, GWF, AJPW December 21, 1961 July 1, 2021 Heart attack
59 Eddie Quinn promoter for wrestling in Montreal, NWA St. Louis May 22, 1906 December 14, 1965 Cerebral hemorrhage
59 Mangla Rai
(Mahamalla Rai)
Wrestled only in India October 1916 June 24, 1976 Multiple organ failure
59 Tex Rickard
(George Rickard)
promoter for wrestling in New York City January 2, 1870 January 6, 1929 Appendicitis
59 John L. Sullivan N/A October 15, 1858 February 2, 1918 Heart disease
59 Skip Young
(Galton Young)
WCCW, NWA, CWF, USWA, WWC July 24, 1951 December 3, 2010 Unknown
59 Super Muñeco
(Hebert Palafox)
AAA, WWA, CMLL/EMLL, various promotions in Mexico April 10, 1962 February 9, 2022 Unknown
59 Don West TNA June 20, 1963 December 30, 2022 Lymphoma
59 Tom Zenk AWA, WWF, Lutte Internationale, WCW, AJPW November 30, 1958 December 9, 2017 Heart attack from atherosclerosis and cardiomegaly

Under 65

edit
 
Dynamite Kid
 
Giant Baba
 
Roddy Piper
 
Scott Hall
 
Big Van Vader
 
Road Warrior Animal
 
Sid Eudy
Age Ring name
(Birth name)
Promotion(s) worked for Date of birth Date of death Cause of death
60 Dieusel Berto PWFG, RINGS, Battlarts March 24, 1958 December 29, 2018 Illness
60 Bearcat Brown
(Matt Jewell)
NWA Mid-America, NWA, NWA Gulf Coast, CWF, CWA August 31, 1935 April 7, 1996 Unknown
60 Dynamite Kid
(Thomas Billington)
WWF, Stampede Wrestling, Joint Promotions, ASW, NJPW, AJPW December 5, 1958 December 5, 2018 Unconfirmed, but had long-term health issues including stroke[90]
60 Rufus R. Jones
(Carey Lloyd)
CSW, NWA St. Louis, NWA, MACW, AWA, AJPW July 4, 1933 November 13, 1993 Heart attack
60 Mosco de la Merced
(Juan Valdez Valentino)
UWA, AAA June 23, 1964 August 19, 2024
60 Mountain Fiji
(Emily Dole)
GLOW September 28, 1957 January 2, 2018 Natural causes from years of health issues
60 Princess Jasmine
(Cynthia Peretti)
GLOW, AWA, POWW June 2, 1948 May 8, 2009 Cancer
60 Road Warrior Animal
(Joseph Laurinaitis)
NWA, Lutte Internationale, AWA, MACW, WWF/E, WCW, AJPW, TNA September 12, 1960 September 22, 2020 Heart attack
60 Stan Stasiak
(George Stipich)
PNW, Stampede Wrestling, WWWF, NWA April 13, 1937 June 19, 1997 Heart failure
60 Ray Stevens
(Carl Stevens)
BTW SF, AWA, NWA, WWWF/WWF, CWF September 5, 1935 May 3, 1996 Heart attack
60 Yamaguchi-san
(Yusuke Yamaguchi)
AJPW, FMW, WWF, Michinoku Pro Wrestling, ULL May 5, 1958 March 9, 2019 Stroke
61 Jimmy Abbott various promotions in South Africa May 11, 1959 March 21, 2021 Heart attack
61 Giant Baba
(Shohei Baba)
JWA, AJPW, NWA, WWWF January 23, 1938 January 31, 1999 Colon cancer
61 Butcher Brannigan
(Joseph Novo)
WCW Australia, CWF, WWWF, Stampede Wrestling, NWA September 3, 1948 September 7, 2009 Kidney failure and heart disease
61 Cocoa Samoa
(Ulualoaiga Emelio)
ASW, CWF, PNW, CWA March 9, 1945 January 9, 2007 Unknown
61 Terry Garvin
(Terry Joyal)
GCCW, IWA Montreal, CSW, NWA, MACW, WWF March 1, 1937 August 17, 1998 Cancer
61 Mike Graham
(Michael Gossett)
CWF, NWA, AWA, WCW September 22, 1951 October 19, 2012 Suicide by gunshot while intoxicated
61 Killer Karl Krupp
(George Momberg)
ESA, GPW, WCCW, MLW, NJPW, CWA May 13, 1934 August 24, 1995 Hepatitis
61 Little Beaver
(Lionel Giroux)
Lutte Internationale, WWWF/WWF, MLW, AWA, NWA April 18, 1934 December 4, 1995 Emphysema
61 Boris Malenko
(Larry Simon)
CWF, WWWF, CWC, MACW, NWA, NJPW June 28, 1933 September 1, 1994 Leukemia
61 Bubba Monroe
(Quentin Bell)
CWA, TASW, GWF, independent circuit October 23, 1960 September 10, 2022 Unknown
61 Roddy Piper
(Roderick Toombs)
AWA, PNW, GCW, MLW, WWF, WCW April 17, 1954 July 31, 2015 Heart attack from pulmonary embolism
61 Goldie Rogers
(David Sherwin)
ASW, MLW, Stampede Wrestling, WWF August 5, 1950 July 20, 2012 Heart attack
61 Sapphire
(Juanita Wright)
WWF, USWA October 24, 1934 September 11, 1996 Heart attack
61 Eddy Steinblock
(Edwin Steinblock)
CWA, VDB, owner of European Wrestling Federation, various German promotions December 16, 1955 November 9, 2017 Unknown Illness
61-62 Peter Fatouros wrestled in Australia 1891 1953 Unknown
62 Frank Andersson NJPW, WCW May 9, 1956 September 9, 2018 Heart failure
62 Le Petit Prince
(Daniel Dubail)
FFCP September 25, 1943 December 17, 2005 Unknown
62 Luke Brown
(Carl Campbell)
AWA, WWWF, NWA, CSW July 28, 1935 November 12, 1997 Stroke
62 Crybaby Cannon
(George McCarther)
NWA, Lutte Internationale, AWA, WWWF, MLW, BTW March 28, 1932 July 1, 1994 Cancer
62 Mocho Cota
(Manuel Cota Soto)
EMLL/CMLL June 5, 1954 December 22, 2016 Brain aneurysm
62 Bobby Eaton CWA, NWA Mid-America, UWF Mid-South, WCCW, MACW, WCW August 14, 1958 August 4, 2021 Unknown (found dead in sleep)[91]
62 Gorilla Monsoon
(Robert Marella)
WWWF/WWF, NWA, WCW Australia June 4, 1937 October 6, 1999 Heart failure
62 Oliver Humperdink
(John Sutton)
MACW, CWF, WWF, WCW January 16, 1949 March 20, 2011 Complications from pneumonia and cancer
62 Dr. Karonte
(Miguel Urive)
EMLL/CMLL February 14, 1957 August 26, 2019 Unknown
62 Scott LeDoux
(Alan LeDoux)
AWA January 7, 1949 August 11, 2011 Lou Gehrig's disease
62 Tommy Lister Jr. WWF, WWC, WCW June 24, 1958 December 10, 2020 Hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease[92]
62 Hiro Matsuda
(Yasuhiro Kojima)
JWA, CWF, WCW, NWA July 22, 1937 November 27, 1999 Prostate cancer
62 Mongolian Mauler
(Peter Miller)
ASW, WCW, various international promotions September 2, 1961 January 22, 2024 Years of Health issues
62 Barry Orton
(Randal Berry Orton)
WWF, NWA, ICW, MACW, Stampede Wrestling May 28, 1958 March 20, 2021 Unknown
62 Ari Romero
(Jose Luis Arias Romero)
CMLL, MPW, BJPW December 20, 1951 December 29, 2013 Liver cancer
62 Ron Slinker
(David Slinker)
CWF, NWA, IWCCW, UWF October 30, 1945 March 28, 2008 Liver failure from years of alcoholism
62 Moondog Spike
(William Smithson)
CWA, USWA, AJPW, W*ING May 31, 1950 March 21, 2013 Unknown
62 Thunder Sugiyama JWA, AJPW, NJPW, IWE, NWA July 23, 1940 November 22, 2002 Unknown
62 Villano V
(Raymundo Díaz Mendoza Jr.)
WCW, CMLL, UWA, AAA March 22, 1962 August 29, 2024
63 Mamdouh Farag CWA (Germany), promotions in Egypt August 16, 1951 August 16, 2014 Illness
63 Big Van Vader
(Leon White)
WCW, WWF, AWA, NJPW, AJPW, Pro Wrestling NOAH May 14, 1955 June 18, 2018 Heart problems
63 Rusty Brooks
(Kurt Koski)
WWF, UWF, FOW, various promotions in Florida February 8, 1958 February 11, 2021 Health issues
63 Bulldog Brower
(Richard Gland)
MLW, NWA, WWWF/WWF, NWF September 17, 1933 September 15, 1997 Complications from hip surgery
63 Bad News Brown
(Allen James Coage)
WWF, NJPW, Stampede Wrestling October 22, 1943 March 6, 2007 Heart attack
63 King Kong Bundy
(Christopher Pallies)
WWF, WCCW, NWA, GCW, NJPW, UWF November 7, 1955 March 4, 2019 Complications from diabetes
63 Big Bully Busick
(Nick Busick)
WWF, SCW, GWF June 1, 1954 May 8, 2018 Cancer in the cerebrospinal fluid
63 Candi Devine
(Candace Rummel)
AWA, NWA, CWA, LPWA, USWA, UWF January 1, 1959 February 9, 2022 Collapsed lung and other health issues
63 Brian Glover Joint Promotions April 2, 1934 July 24, 1997 Brain tumor
63 Scott Hall WWF/WWE, WCW, TNA, NWA, AWA, NJPW October 20, 1958 March 14, 2022 Multiple heart attacks as a result of complications from hip surgery
63 Wilhelm von Homburg
(Norbert Grupe)
N/A August 25, 1940 March 10, 2004 Prostate cancer
63 S. D. Jones
(Conrad Efraim)
WWF, MACW, NWA, NJPW March 30, 1945 October 26, 2008 Stroke
63 Rob Kaman Fighting Network Rings June 5, 1960 March 30, 2024 Unknown
63 Wahoo McDaniel
(Edward McDaniel)
NWA, MACW, WWWF, WCCW, AWA June 19, 1938 April 18, 2002 Complications from diabetes and kidney failure
63 Jim Neidhart WWF, Stampede, WCW, ECW, CWF, NJPW February 8, 1955 August 13, 2018 Head injury from a fall
63 Benny Ramírez NWA, NWA Texas, CSW, IWE, Stampede Wrestling January 2, 1932 December 20, 1995 Plane crash (American Airlines Flight 965)
63 Savannah Jack
(Theodore Russell)
AWA, UWF Mid-South October 15, 1948 January 17, 2012 Years of cardiomyopathy problems
63 Brett Sawyer
(Brett Eugene Woyan)
NWA, PNW, GCW, MACW, WCW August 10, 1960 September 9, 2023 Unknown
63 Sid Vicious
(Sid Eudy)
WCW, WWF, ECW, USWA, CWA December 16, 1960 August 26, 2024 Cancer
63 Crusher Verdu
(Oscar Verdu)
WWWF, NWA, Joint Promotions, various European promotions October 21, 1940 January 2004 Unknown
63 Vivian St. John
(Suzanne Miller)
WWWF/WWF, CWF September 10, 1950 December 20, 2013 Long illness
64 Cousin Luke
(Gene Petit)
WWF, AWA, CWF, MACW May 19, 1949 September 29, 2013 Multiple sclerosis and diabetes
64 Jeff Gaylord USWA, UWF Mid-South, WCCW, GWF, WWF October 15, 1958 March 15, 2023 Unknown
64 Bobby Jaggers
(Robert Jeaudoin)
MACW, NWA, NWA St. Louis, PNW, CWF January 8, 1948 September 30, 2012 Kidney failure from hepatitis C
64 Teijo Khan
(Thomas Kasat)
AWA, CWF, NWA, MACW, PWA March 24, 1956 April 10, 2020 Unknown
64 Rocky King
(William Boulware Jr.)
NWA, MACW, WCW January 30, 1958 March 27, 2022 Years of health issues
64 Corporal Kirchner
(Michael Penzel)
WWF, NJPW, Stampede Wrestling, IWA Japan, W*ING, FMW September 7, 1957 December 22, 2021 Heart attack
64 Peggy Lee Leather
(Peggy Lee Fowler)
WWF, NWA, POWW, AWA, WCW, LPWA, WOW January 19, 1959 May 22, 2023 Unknown
64 Dale Lewis AWA, CWF, NWA August 29, 1933 August 30, 1997 Leukemia
64 Winona Littleheart
(Winifred Childree)
CWF, WWWF/WWF, NWA, POWW, WCW (Women's Championship Wrestling) September 9, 1955 May 9, 2020 Unknown
64 Lizmark
(Juan Baños)
EMLL, AAA, CMLL December 18, 1950 December 16, 2015 Respiratory failure
64 Michael Okpala promoter in Nigeria, Joint Promotions, and various international promotions August 8, 1939 March 11, 2004 Illness
64 Iron Mike Sharpe CWA, ASW, MSWA, WWWA, WWF October 28, 1951 January 17, 2016 Years of health issues
64 Clem Turner AWA, WWA, NWA Detroit, NWA St. Louis May 28, 1945 December 20, 2009 Car accident
64 Lee Wang-pyo NJPW, AJPW, KWA, TPW, IWE, FMW June 11, 1954 September 4, 2018 Gallbladder cancer
64 Nikolai Zouev RINGS May 20, 1958 May 21, 2022 Heart disease

See also

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ Herman, Christopher W.; Conlon, Anna S. C.; Rubenfire, Melvyn; Burghardt, Andrew R.; McGregor, Stephen J. (5 November 2014). "The Very High Premature Mortality Rate among Active Professional Wrestlers Is Primarily Due to Cardiovascular Disease". PLOS ONE. 9 (11): e109945. Bibcode:2014PLoSO...9j9945H. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0109945. PMC 4220919. PMID 25372569.
  2. ^ Rhodes, David (8 August 2015). "Why do wrestlers so often die young?". BBC.
  3. ^ Morris, Benjamin (2014-04-24). "Comparing the WWF's Death Rate to the NFL's And Other Pro Leagues'". FiveThirtyEight. Retrieved 2021-11-18.
  4. ^ Morris, Benjamin (2014-04-21). "Are Pro Wrestlers Dying at an Unusual Rate?". FiveThirtyEight. Retrieved 2021-11-18.
  5. ^ Farhi, Paul (9 April 2014). "The Ultimate Warrior joins a long list of wrestlers who died prematurely". The Washington Post.
  6. ^ Morris, Benjamin (24 April 2014). "Comparing the WWF's Death Rate to the NFL's and Other Pro Leagues'". FiveThirtyEight.
  7. ^ Morris, Benjamin (21 April 2014). "Are Pro Wrestlers Dying at an Unusual Rate?". FiveThirtyEight.
  8. ^ "The Most Dangerous Sport No One Talks About". Medical Daily. 21 January 2015.
  9. ^ The Masked Man (24 May 2011). "The Dead Wrestler of the Week Archive". Deadspin.
  10. ^ Herman, Christopher W.; Conlon, Anna S. C.; Rubenfire, Melvyn; Burghardt, Andrew R.; McGregor, Stephen J. (November 5, 2014). "The Very High Premature Mortality Rate among Active Professional Wrestlers Is Primarily Due to Cardiovascular Disease". PLOS One. 9 (11): e109945. Bibcode:2014PLoSO...9j9945H. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0109945. PMC 4220919. PMID 25372569.
  11. ^ "Wrestlers who died before age 50".
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  13. ^ a b Dator, James (April 2, 2019). "Why John Oliver is calling for WWE fans to protest at WrestleMania". Retrieved April 4, 2019. It's not a new story, but WWE hasn't fixed the problem.
  14. ^ a b Haysom, Sam (April 2, 2019). "John Oliver's 20-minute rant about the way WWE treats wrestlers is pretty shocking". Mashable. Retrieved April 4, 2019.
  15. ^ Parker, Ryan (April 1, 2019). "WWE Hits Back Against John Oliver's 'Last Week Tonight' Wrestling Takedown". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved April 4, 2019.
  16. ^ Richard Hatred (2017-11-28). Opie and Anthony: Wrestler Death Clock Compilation. Retrieved 2019-05-14.
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  18. ^ "Bret Hart reacciona al fallecimiento de Scott Hall". 15 March 2022.
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  21. ^ a b c d Gallipoli, Thomas M. (December 3, 2007). "SPECIALIST: List of Deceased Wrestlers for 2002 (Wahoo, Thesz, Rocco, Mr. Wrestling)". Pro Wrestling Torch.
  22. ^ "Reid Flair reportedly dies at age 24". Pro Wrestling Torch. Flair News.
  23. ^ McCarthy, Mike (April 6, 2011). "Dead Wrestler Wednesday: Louie Spicolli". Retrieved January 5, 2015.
  24. ^ Kraetsch, Rich (August 9, 2013). "Wrestling's Biggest Busts: Art Barr". Retrieved January 5, 2015.
  25. ^ a b c d e f g "Brainroom: Past Deaths of Professional Wrestlers". June 26, 2007. Retrieved January 5, 2015.
  26. ^ "Lance Cade passes away". August 13, 2013. Retrieved January 5, 2015.
  27. ^ Dye, Natasha (2023-03-22). "WWE Wrestler Sara Lee Was 'Heavily Drinking' Before Her 'Sudden' Death at 30: Source". People. Retrieved 2023-03-25.
  28. ^ Oliver, Greg (December 2000). "SLAM! Wrestling Canadian Hall of Fame: Pierre 'Mad Dog' Lefebvre". Canadian Online Explorer. Archived from the original on January 21, 2016.
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  33. ^ a b Fowler, Hayley (December 8, 2020). "700-pound NC twins rode minibikes, wrestled with Andre the Giant. They'd be 74 today". Charlotte Observer – via Yahoo!.
  34. ^ a b Oliver, Greg. "Benny McGuire dead at 54". canoe.ca. Archived from the original on January 15, 2013. Retrieved 2008-09-25.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
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  37. ^ Mushnick, Phil (February 22, 1995). "On the Death of Eddie Gilbert". New York Post. Retrieved January 5, 2015.
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  39. ^ Burgett, Joe (April 11, 2009). "Andrew "Test" Martin's Cause of Death Finally Revealed". Bleacher Report. Retrieved January 5, 2015.
  40. ^ Ward, Marshall (July 4, 2013). "Adrian Adonis: A Look Back on the Anniversary of His Death". Retrieved January 5, 2015.
  41. ^ McCarthy, Mike (February 16, 2011). "Dead Wrestler Wednesday: Big Dick Dudley". Retrieved January 5, 2015.
  42. ^ Molinaro, John (January 25, 2000). "Bobby Duncum Jr found dead". Slam! Sports. Archived from the original on January 15, 2013. Retrieved January 5, 2015.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
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Further reading

edit
  NODES
inspiration 1
INTERN 25
Note 1