The world of professional wrestling is mourning the loss of three-time WWE world champion Bray Watt who unexpectedly passed away on August 24, 2023. Confirmed by WWE content officer Paul Levesque aka Triple H on social media, Wyatt’s death was a result of an undisclosed health issue. After battling COVID-19, the 36-year-old’s undisclosed heart condition worsened, and on Thursday, the wrestler succumbed to a cardiac arrest.
Wyatt is survived by his two children, brother Bo Dallas (Taylor Rotunda), and sister Mika. While the world is grappling with the loss of their beloved wrestler, it’s important to note that he isn’t the only wrestler who left us too early. WWE is a physically and mentally demanding sport, and over the years the unfortunate passing away of many contenders has saddened the fans. Here are seven unexpected wrestler deaths that shook the world.
1. Bruiser Brody
Frank Donald Goodish aka Bruiser Brody became synonymous with hardcore wrestling brawling style in the ring. A WWE Hall of Fame inductee, Bruiser Body unexpectedly passed away in 1988, aged 42 due to stab wounds suffered at a wrestling event.
Prior to a match, a fellow wrestler Tony Atlas saw Brody bleeding out holding his stomach in the shower. Stabbed by another wrestler José González, who approached Brody in the locker room and asked him to follow him to the shower to ‘discuss business,’ Brody was declared dead when the paramedics arrived.
2. Brian Pillman
Professional football player turned wrestler Brian Pillman left behind a legacy as The Loose Cannon, referring to a wrestling gimmick he used. His career gained momentum in the 1990s when he participated in the World Championship Wrestling and later in WWE. With his unpredictable character and out-of-the-world in-ring techniques, he quickly earned a place in the audience’s hearts.
However, Pillman’s life and career were cut short in 1997, when he was 35 years old, due to a heart disease. Reportedly, Pillman succumbed to a heart attack caused by an undetected atherosclerotic heart ailment, the same disease that took his father’s life.
3. Owen Hart
A member of the Hart wrestling family, Owen Hart aka The Blue Blazer was a WWF champion who interestingly won every major championship in the WWF except for the much coveted WWF championship itself. Having entertained fans with his agility and versatility, Hart’s life ended prematurely at the age of 34 when one of his WWE stunts went wrong.
During the Over the Edge event, in a dramatic entrance, Hart was being lowered down with a harness. However, unfortunately, the wrestler unintentionally triggered an early release leading to a bad fall. Reportedly, his death was a result of internal bleeding from blunt force trauma.
4. Eddie Guerrero – 2005
A key figure in WWE’s Attitude Era, Eddie Guerrero was a top wrestler on the SmackDown brand in 2004. Having struggled with alcohol addiction and substance abuse in his life, Guerrero often inculcated his life experiences and his fight with his personal demons in his performances.
A 2004 WWE Tag Team champion, Guerrero was ranked 11th in the list of greatest professional wrestlers of all time. However, he unexpectedly passed away in 2005 at the age of 38 due to heart failure.
5. Chris Benoit – 2007
The Rabid Wolverine aka The (Canadian) Crippler, Chris Benoit holds thirty championships to his name across formats like WWF/WWE, ECW, WCW, NJPW, and Stampede. A world Heavyweight champion, Benoity won the 2004 Royal Rumble and headlined multiple pay-per-view events for WWE.
But shockingly, the 40-year-old wrestler committed a heart-wrenching three-day double murder and suicide. After killing his wife on June 22, 2007, Benoit murdered his 7-year-old son the next day and committed suicide on June 24.
6. Macho Man Randy Savage
Randy Mario Poffo famous as Macho Man Randy Savage was dubbed as ‘one of the greatest pro wrestlers who ever lived’ by American sportswriter Bill Simmons. Agreeing with the description, fans often recognize Randy with his over-the-top attire and raspy voice.
Having won six world championships across WWF and WCW, Randy is known to be one of the greatest titleholders in WWE. However, in 2011, the world lost the 58-year-old wrestler in a car crash.
7. Luke Harper
Jonathan Huber, famous as Luke Harper is a AEW TNT champion. For the majority of his career, Harper was closely associated with Bray Wyatt and other members of the Wyatt family like Erik Rowan.
A one-time WWE Intercontinental champion, the 41-year-old wrestler was hospitalized for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis in October 2020. However, unfortunately, Huber died from the condition in December of the same year.
