Wrestling is one of the most popular sports in the world. The world of this sport is very intense and is filled with energy and power. However, it often comes with severe risks, such as the loss of precious lives. Over the past few years, many WWE stars have unfortunately passed away in the wrestling ring and have left a remarkable impact on their fans and the industry. So, in this article, we will talk about 24 wrestlers who tragically died in the ring while doing what they loved most.
Owen Hart
The American-Canadian wrestler belonged to the Hart wrestling family and was regarded as one of the best in-ring performers of the WWE. The success of the pro wrestler came mostly from the World Wrestling Federation, where he wrestled under the ring names Blue Blazer and Blue Angel. However, in May 1999, Hart passed away in a tragic accident while he was in the ring. He fell to his death during the Over The Edge pay-per-view event, where he was to make an entrance from the rafters of Kemper Arena. The equipment which was holding him suddenly malfunctioned, and he fell on the ground from the top, first landing on his chest, resulting in his demise.
Brian Ong
The young professional wrestler is known worldwide for his great wrestling skills. However, the professional career of the wrestler was cut short when he passed away suddenly in an accident. In May 2001, Brian died when he received a flapjack wrestling move during a training session from fellow wrestler, The Great Khali. During the training session, he suffered a previous concussion, but the trainers told him to continue training. After his death, it was reported that he was not provided any gear for protection by the staff of APW. Due to this, the 2nd concussion he received took away his life. Later, a lawsuit was filed against Khali, and the training school was held liable.
Mitsuharu Misawa
The Japanese professional wrestler was famous throughout the world for being a part of the APW’s Four Pillars Of Heaven alongside Akira Taue, Toshiaki Kawada, and Kenta Kobashi. During his wrestling career, Misawa was regarded as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of his generation. However, in June 2009, when he teamed up with his fellow wrestlers to compete in a title match, he sadly lost his life. The wrestling match was stopped just 10 minutes before the end when Misawa received a back suplex from his opponent, Akitoshi Saito, and lay motionless in the ring. He was taken to hospital where the doctors declared him dead. At the time of his death, Misawa was just 46 years old.
Gary Albright
The professional wrestler from America who was best known for his contribution to the All Japan Pro Wrestling, UWF Wrestling, and Stampede Wrestling in Canada. The height of the wrestler was approximately 6 feet 4 inches and his weight was 160 Kg. Throughout his spectacular wrestling career, Albright was known as the Master of Suplex. However, on 7th January 2000, the pro wrestler competed at a World Xtreme Wrestling Show against Lucifer Grimm. During the match, Albright was hit by a cutter due to which he fainted. Soon after, the match ended and the doctors tried to wake him up. But, he was declared dead. At the time of his, Albright was 36 years old. It was reported that his official cause of death was a heart attack.
Plum Mariko
Mariko was a female professional wrestler from Japan who is regarded as one of the best wrestlers of her generation. From 1986 to 1992, Mariko wrestled for Japan Women’s Pro Wrestling, and from 1992 to 1997, she competed in the JWP Joshi Puroresu. Throughout her professional career, Mariko received many injuries, resulting in a Brain Abscess. However, in August 1997, during a wrestling match at the Hiroshima Sun Plaza against Reiko Amano and Mayumi Ozaki, she sadly lost her life in the ring. During the game, Ozaki gave her one of her popular moves, the Liger Bomb, which knocked her out. After the match, the officials saw that Mariko was lying motionless in the ring, and a few hours later, she was pronounced dead.
Perro Aguayo Jr
The Mexican professional wrestler was also a promoter who was famous around the world for being the real-life son of Perro Aguayo. In addition, he rose to fame for being the leader of Los Perros Del Mal stable, which he began in the Consejo Mundial De Lucha Libre. However, the professional career of the wrestler was cut short when he passed away during a match. In March 2015, Aguayo tragically died due to cardiac arrest after fracturing three vertebrae while performing in a wrestling match. It was reported that his opponent Rey Mysterio kicked him, after which he fell unconscious. At the time of his death, Aguayo was just 35 years old.
Daniel Quirk
The professional wrestler from America was famous around the world by his ring name, Spider. In addition, he was known for competing in various independent promotions including the northeastern and mid-Atlantic promotions. However, the young wrestler’s career was cut short when he died due to an in-ring accident. After suffering grave injuries at a wrestling event in Massachusetts. It was stated that Quirk attempted to give a moonsault to his opponent but his opponent caught him due to which his head struck on the floor first. Quirk was just 22 years old when he unfortunately died.
Emiko Kado
The next wrestler who passed away in a ring was Emiko Kado. She was a Japanese wrestler who made her professional debut in the year 1999 by competing in her first match at Tokyo’s Korakuen Hall. However, Kado had a very short wrestling career which ended in 1999. During her last match in March 1999, Kado got a blow on her head by the opponent due to which she fell unconscious. She was immediately taken to the hospital by the officials. But in April of the same year, Kado passed away because of intracerebral bleeding. At the time of her sudden death, Kado was just 23 years old.
Iron Mike DiBiase
The professional wrestler from America was known around the world by his name, Iron Mike DiBiase. He was 6 feet tall wrestler who made his professional debut in the year 1950 and throughout his career, he won numerous championships. However, the wrestling career of DiBiase came to an abrupt end when he died in the ring. In July 1969, after competing with Man Mountain Mike, he passed away due to a cardiac arrest. When he was lying motionless in the ring, officials performed CPR but were unsuccessful in reviving him. Later, at the hospital, he was declared dead.
Larry Cameron
The 6-foot-tall professional wrestler was also a popular football player who was drafted in 1974 by the Denver Broncos. Cameron made his wrestling debut in 1985 with Stampede Wrestling when his football career ended. During his successful career, Cameron won many championships and titles. However, in December 1993, he died due to a heart attack, which he suffered during his match with Tony St Clair. It was reported that Cameron was just 41 years old when he tragically died.
Luther Lindsay
Another wrestler who was also a football and lost his life in the ring was Luther Lindsay. He made his professional debut in 1950 or 1951 and competed throughout the United States with the National Wrestling Alliance. Also, he was famous for his contribution to the AJPW and Stampede Wrestling. However, in February 1972, Lindsay passed away in a wrestling match when he was facing Bobby Paul, a local wrestler. During the match, Lindsay pinned his opponent and was on top of him, but suddenly he suffered a heart attack and died. The star wrestler was just 47 years old at the time of his death.
Moondog Spot
The professional wrestler from America was known to the world by his ring name, Moondog Spot or Larry Latham but his real name was Larry Wayne Booker. He made his professional wrestling debut in the year 1977 and competed in various championships. Also, he was a member of The Moondogs stable, whose name was suggested by Vince McMahon. However, in November 2003, Moondog Spot passed away due to a heart attack in the ring during the birthday bash show of Jerry Lawler. He was taken to the hospital immediately by the officials and was later declared dead by the doctors. He was 51 years old at the time of his death.
Oro
The Mexican professional wrestler was famous around the world by his ring name, Oro which means gold, though his actual name was Jesus Javier Hernandez Silva. In addition to this, his fans also called him a masked professional wrestler. He started his wrestling career in 1990 along with his brother Plata. However, the exceptional career of the 2nd generation wrestler was ended when he died in the ring. In October 1993, during a match in Mexico City, Oro collapsed in the ring and his pulse became weak due to his opponent’s move. He was immediately taken to the ambulance, but before reaching there, he sadly passed away. He was just 21 years old at the time of his untimely demise.
Silver King
Another wrestler who lost his life while competing in a wrestling match is Silver King, whose real name was Cesar Cuauhtemoc Gonzalez Barron. He was a Mexican wrestler who made his professional debut in 1985 and since then, he worked for many promotions such as the Universal Wrestling Association, World Championship Wrestling, and many more. However, in May 2019, Silver King passed away due to a heart attack that he suffered during a match in London. It was reported that he collapsed in the ring first and after a short time, died due to the heart condition.
Jeanette Wolfe
Jeanette Wolfe was a wrestler from America whose actual name was Janet Boyer Wolfe. Throughout the world, she was known for being the foster daughter of Mildred Burke and Billy Wolfe. In 1951, she made her professional debut and competed in several championships. However, in July 1951, she passed away while competing in a wrestling match due to a brain hemorrhage. It was revealed that before the final match at the Patterson Field, she complained about having severe headaches, but nevertheless participated in the match. However, after a few minutes, she collapsed in the ring and was taken to the hospital, where she lost her life.
Malcolm Kirk
He was an English wrestler who was famous around the world for his names, King Kong, Kojak Kirk, Killer Kirk, and Mucky Mal Kirk. Before becoming a successful wrestling player, Malcolm was a rugby league player. In the 1950s, he made his professional debut but rose to prominence in the 1970s and 1980s because of the popularity of televised wrestling. However, in August 1987, the professional career of the wrestler was cut short when he died. During a match in England, Malcolm collapsed in the ring and it was reported that he lost his life due to a heart attack.
Ray Gunkel
The professional wrestler from America was also a promoter in Georgia. After leaving his university, Gunkel made his professional wrestling debut in 1948, though he wanted to become a teacher. Throughout his career, he competed and won several championships including NWA Texas Tag Team Championship. However, in August 1972, Gunkel lost his life in the ring when he wrestled Ox Baker in a match in Georgia. It was reported that Baker punched him in the chest due to which he passed away later that day. Also, an autopsy showed that he died due to heart trauma.
Masakazu Fukuda
Widely recognized for his appearances in New Japan Pro Wrestling and Wrestle Association R, Fukuda was a Japanese professional wrestler who made his debut in 1996. He was a 6 feet 2 inches tall wrestler who competed in numerous championships. However, in April 2000, he suffered a severe head injury during a wrestling match in the Young Lion Cup Tournament. He was taken to the hospital immediately and due to this injury, he suffered a brain hemorrhage and lost his life. At the time of his death, he was just 27 years old.
Evgeny Artyukhin Sr.
The heavyweight wrestler was famous worldwide for winning a world title in 1983. He majorly competed in Greco-Roman wrestling and won a gold medal in the 1983 Kyiv World Wrestling Championship. However, in July 2008, Evgeny Artykhin Sr passed away during a training session meetup. No cause of his death has been officially revealed, but he was 59 years old at the time of his passing.
La Parka
The Mexican professional wrestler was famous worldwide by his ring name La Parka, but his actual name was Jesus Alfonso Huerta Escoboza. He was a 101 Kg wrestler who made his professional debut in 1987. However, in October 2019, he suffered severe injuries and got paralyzed when he missed his opponent and his head hit the floor. He was taken to the hospital where his treatment took place. But in 2020 it was revealed that he lost his life. Though the wrestler did not die in the ring per se, but he passed away due to the injuries he sustained during a match.
Yutaka Yoshie
Yoshie was a professional wrestler from Japan who made his wrestling debut in December 1994. From 2006 to 2024, he worked as a freelancer, most notably for All Japan Pro Wrestling. However, the professional career of the wrestler was ended when he tragically died. In March 2024, he competed in a match which was held in Takasaki. After the match and interviewing, he went to the locker room where he fainted. In the hospital, the medical officials reported that he died due to arteriosclerosis. He was 50 years old at the time of his death.
Rob Thomson
The Canadian wrestler, Rob Thomson was famous throughout the world as Rob Rage. He was an independent pro wrestler who began his professional wrestling career in 2012. However, Thomson’s career was cut short when he passed away abruptly. In November 2023, he was competing in a charity wrestling event in Ontario, Canada. Soon after the match was over, he went to the locker room where he suffered a heart attack. He died immediately, though the doctors present at the time tried to revive him.
Richard Delicious
Richard Delicious was an independent wrestler whose actual name was Wayne VanDyke. He was a professional wrestler who competed in many competitions. However, when he was competing in a match at the Ronin Pro Wrestling event, he did not feel well and suffered a heart attack. Later when he fell unconscious on the ground, he was taken to the hospital. On his way to the hospital, Delicious suffered a 2nd heart attack. Then in the hospital, he suffered a 3rd heart attack. He was then put into a medically induced coma and was declared dead a few days later.
Alberto Torres
The American professional wrestler, Alberto Torres was famous around the world for being a part of The Famous Torres Brothers along with Enrique and Roman Torres. The brothers were well-known in the 1950s and 1960s both as a singles competitor and a tag team. However, the professional wrestler passed away in the ring in June 1971. It was reported that Alberto and his partner were competing in a wrestling match against Ox Barker and The Claw during which he suffered a ruptured pancreas, internal injuries, and heart disease. Due to all these causes, he tragically lost his life after the match. At the time of his death, Alberto was just 37 years old.
Eric Denis
The popular wrestler, Eric Denis was involved in the sport for almost 20 years. Also, he was the father of a total of 6 children. However, when he died in the ring, his exceptional career ended abruptly. It was reported that he died after suffering a heart attack while competing in a charity fight in Montreal, Canada. The medical officials present on the scene tried to revive him but he was declared dead upon arriving at the hospital.
