12 Most Shocking Deaths In WWE History, Including Bray Wyatt And Owen Hart
By Matt Higgins,
1 hours ago
@WrestlingNewsCo, X
It can shock your system when one of your favorite WWE wrestlers growing up dies unexpectedly. Unfortunately, in the world of professional wrestling, it has happened too many times over the long history of the industry. With that in mind, we examine the 12 most shocking deaths of WWE wrestlers.
Owen Hart
Credit: The Rock/Dwayne Johnson
Owen Hart tragically fell to his death on May 23, 1999, at WWE’s Over the Edge pay-per-view. As the Blue Blazer at the time, Hart was supposed to be lowered to the ring in a harness, however, he plummeted 78 feet, hitting the turnbuckle in front of thousands of fans. Despite the horrific incident, then-WWE chairman Vince McMahon decided to continue the pay-per-view. Hart, who was only 34 years old when he passed, was a member of the illustrious Hart family. Hart had classic rivalries with his brother, Bret Hart, Stone Cold Steve Austin, and The Rock.
Chris Benoit took his own life at the age of 40 after killing his wife and their young son in a murder-suicide in June 2007. Benoit, a champion in both WWE and WCW, was found to have severe CTE. According to neuroscientists, his brain resembled that of an 85-year-old Alzheimer’s patient. WWE removed any mention of Benoit from their website and broadcasts, and he hasn’t been mentioned since.
Eddie Guerrero was one of the most beloved wrestlers of all time. In 2004, he reached the pinnacle of his career when he became WWE champion after defeating Brock Lesnar at No Way Out. On top of that, he was cruiserweight champion, U.S. champion, European champion, Intercontinental champion, and Tag Team champion. He famously became “Latino Heat” after teaming up with Chyna and would go on to have rivalries about JBL, Rey Mysterio, and Dave Bautista. Guerrero died at the age of 38 on Nov. 15, 2005, due to heart failure. WWE inducted Guerrero into the Hall of Fame in 2006.
Bray Wyatt, real name Windham Rotunda, shockingly died at the age of 36 on Aug. 23, 2023, from a heart attack. Wyatt was one of the most creative wrestlers to ever grace WWE, starting The Wyatt Family before becoming The Fiend. Wyatt was let go in July 2021, but came back at the end of Extreme Rules in October 2023, to the delight of millions of wrestling fans. He was supposed to face Bobby Lashley at WrestleMania 39, but an undisclosed illness stopped those plans. Unfortunately, he passed away a few months later. Wyatt would capture the WWE Championship, the WWE Universal Championship, and the Tag Team Championship during his time with the company.
Luke Harper, whose real name is Jon Huber, sadly passed away at the age of 41 on Dec. 26, 2020, from a rare respiratory illness called idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Huber was with AEW as Brodie Lee at the time of his death. With WWE, Harper was part of the Wyatt Family, with Bray Wyatt, Erick Rowan, and Braun Strowman. While with WWE, Harper was an Intercontinental champion and Tag Team champion.
The Ultimate Warrior, real name James Brian Hellwig, was one of the greatest wrestling characters ever. He burst onto the scene in the late 1980s, defeating The Honky Tonk Man to become the Intercontinental champion, and then would defeat Hulk Hogan for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania VI. He would go on to have a falling out with WWE and Vince McMahon after he left the company in 1992 and 1996.
The Ultimate Warrior was finally brought back into the WWE fold in April 2014 as he was inducted into the Hall of Fame. He appeared at WrestleMania XXX on April 6, and then Raw the following night. On April 8, 2014, just days after reconciliation, he died of a heart attack at the age of 54.
Randy “Macho Man” Savage was an all-time great. He had memorable WrestleMania matches against Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat, Hulk Hogan, The Ultimate Warrior, and Ric Flair. Savage was also remembered for having his former wife, Miss Elizabeth, as his valet. Savage was an Intercontinental champion and won both the WWE and WCW Championships.
He shockingly died at just 58 in 2011 when symptoms of heart disease led to a tragic car crash that ended his life too soon.
Chyna, real name Joan Laurer, revolutionized women’s wrestling during her time with WWE. Known as “The Ninth Wonder of the World,” she was a founding member of D-Generation X. She was also the first woman to ever win the Intercontinental Championship and was a Women’s champion. Chyna was the first woman to ever compete in the men’s Royal Rumble and the King of the Ring tournament. She died at the age of 46 on April 17, 2016, from an accidental drug and alcohol overdose.
Umaga, real name Edward Fatu, was part of Anoaʻi family — the great Samoan wrestling dynasty. During his first stint in WWE, he was part of the 3-Minute Warning tag team along with his cousin Matt Anoaʻi, the brother of Roman Reigns.
After leaving in 2003, Fatu returned in 2005 as Umaga and would go on to win the Intercontinental Championship during his second run with the company. Fatu passed away at the age of 36 on Dec. 4, 2009, from drug use and heart disease.
Brian Pillman was one of the most fiery competitors to grace the squared circle. Pillman wrestled for Stampede Wrestling, WCW, and WWE during his career. He also appeared on ECW but never competed. During his time with WCW, he teamed with “Stunning” Steve Austin to become the Hollywood Blonds and earn the tag team titles. However, when he came over to the WWF, he was involved in one of the most infamous angles of all time with Austin — “Pillman’s got a gun.”
Pillman would go on to join The Hart Foundation and feud with Stone Cold. Pillman passed away from a heart attack at the age of 35 on Oct. 5, 1997. He was found dead in his hotel room after failing to show up for his pay-per-view match. His son, Brian Pillman Jr., currently wrestles under the name of Lexis King in NXT.
Scott Hall changed the world of professional wrestling. During his first stint with the WWE, Hall was known as “The Bad Guy” Razor Ramon and had a historic ladder match against Shawn Michaels for the Intercontinental Championship. In 1996, Hall left WWE for WCW, where he, along with Kevin Nash and Hulk Hogan, formed the nWo. Sports entertainment would never be the same after that.
The nWo catapulted WCW ahead of the ratings and forced WWE to enter “The Attitude Era.” After WCW folded years later, Hall returned to WWE with the original members of the nWo. Hall died at the age of 63 on March 14, 2022, after multiple heart attacks following hip surgery.
Shad Gaspard was part of the Cryme Tyme tag team for two runs in the WWE — from 2006-2007 and from 2008-2010. Gaspard died tragically on May 17, 2020, at the age of 39 while saving his son from drowning in the Pacific Ocean at Venice Beach. His body was found washed ashore a few days later.
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