11 WWE Superstars who passed away early
The deaths of WWE Superstars, or professional wrestlers in general, could be described as some of the worst tragedies. Living on the road, the demons that plague wrestlers, and the lack of separation between real life and living as a character can be demanding and heartbreaking at the same time.
The demons have plagued Dustin Rhodes and Jake Roberts, who are living clean and prosperous lives after years of recovery. The demons have caused great damage to Ric Flair’s life, his family, and his income. And then there are those who end their lives too early or die due to the consequences of their lifestyle.
Here is a look at eleven wrestlers who died way too soon and are sorely missed even to this day:
#11 Brodie Lee - 41 years of age
#WWE is saddened to learn that Jon Huber, known to WWE fans as Luke Harper, passed away today at age 41. WWE extends its condolences to Huber’s family, friends and fans. wwe.com/article/jon-hu… https://t.co/14BfhdFvF4
Let's start with the most recent case on this list. Brodie Lee, formerly known as Luke Harper, was one of the hottest things in WWE in 2017. The WWE Universe was vouching to add the first son of the Wyatt family to the WrestleMania 33 WWE Championship match between Randy Orton and Bray Wyatt. While he was a multi-time tag team and a former Intercontinental Champion, Harper was never able to shatter the 'glass ceiling'.
Making his AEW debut as the leader of The Dark Order, Lee unsuccessfully challenged for the AEW World Championship before winning the TNT Championship. The real-life John Huber passed away on December 26, 2020, mere days after his 41st birthday. He died from idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, a rare condition which causes lung tissue to become irreversibly thickened and stiff.
#10 Chris Benoit - 40 years of age
Benoit’s story is a major controversy and is still not mentioned within the walls of WWE Headquarters – the double homicide and suicide involving the former WWE Champion.
He was a Triple Crown winner in WWE and WCW and was also a member of the famed Four Horsemen. Benoit, regardless of how his story ended, is one of the greatest Canadian wrestlers to come out of the famed Hart Dungeon, who died at the age of 40.
#9 Owen Hart - 34 years of age
Remembering the late, great Owen Hart, who tragically passed away on this day in 1999. 🖤 https://t.co/Qi1jHsOOk6
This one truly is one of the saddest moments in WWE/F history as it was a direct result of a mechanical failure as part of a wrestling event. One of the brothers of the Hart Family, Owen Hart was on track to become a megastar in WWE.
Hart died on May 23, 1999, when an equipment malfunction occurred during his entrance from the rafters of Kemper Arena in Kansas City, Missouri, at WWF's Over the Edge pay-per-view event. He was 34 years old.
#8 Kerry Von Erich - 33 years of age
This is just one of the many tragedies of the famed Von Erich Family. Von Erich came to WWF as the Texas Tornado and claimed the Intercontinental Championship by beating Mr. Perfect. Kerry committed suicide with a shot to the heart on February 18, 1993, on his father's ranch. He was 33 years old.
#7 Rick Rude - 40 years of age
A body that was sculpted and an attitude that was as arrogant as any performer on a WWF/E roster. Rick Rude had it all – looks and charisma and always played the heel. He was a founding member of DX and a bad boy in every sense of the word. Rude retired from the business at an early age due to injuries. He passed away at the age of 40 from heart failure as a result of mixed medications.
#6 Curt Hennig - 44 years of age
At one point. Curt Hennig was one of the best performers in the business. A former AWA World Champion and WWF Intercontinental Champion, Curt was successful in WCW as well and is credited with taking down the Four Horsemen at one point.
He is the son of wrestler Larry "The Axe" Hennig, and the father of former WWE wrestler Curtis Axel. Hennig died at the age of 44 in Tampa from what the medical examiner determined was acute cocaine intoxication. It is believed steroids and pain killers led to his death.
#5 Umaga - 36 years of age
Eddie Fatu, popularly known as Umaga in WWE, passed away at the age of 36. During his time in WWE, he was as invincible a superstar as there was. He was a member of the Anoa’I wrestling family and frequently worked as a part of a tag team – variously named The Island Boyz, the Samoan Gangstas, and 3-Minute Warning, but as Umaga, he found his greatest success. He is a former two-time Intercontinental Champion. On December 4, 2009, he was found unresponsive after suffering a heart attack from an apparent drug overdose.
#4 Yokozuna - 34 years of age
Another member of the famed Anoa’I family who left the business too soon. Rodney Anoa’I took on the persona of Yokozuna, which is a reference to the highest rank of Sumo wrestler. He was a two-time WWF World Heavyweight Champion and two-time WWF Tag Team Champion, as well as the winner of the 1993 Royal Rumble.
He died of pulmonary edema in 2000 at the age of 34.
#3 Sherri Martel - 49 years of age
One of the most decorated women to ever get in the ring, Sherri Martel was a women’s champion in both the AWA and WWF. She had a solid run as the manager of both Shawn Michaels and Randy Savage in WWF, and was later a manager for the Harlem Heat in WCW. She passed away at the age of 49 at her mother’s home due to a drug overdose.
#2 WWE Hall of Famer Eddie Guerrero - 38 years of age
Eddie Guerrero's death is still talked about with such sadness. The Latino star connected the masses with his "Lie, Cheat, and Steal attitude" in a way no other member of the WWE roster could. The fact that he fought through his addictions to become a larger-than-life character in a surreal world made him an even bigger star. Guerrero died due to acute heart failure at the age of 38 in 2005.
#1 Bam Bam Bigelow - 45 years of age
The first thing you noticed about Scott Bigelow was his big frame and his tattooed skull. Everything else about him screamed success in WCW, WWE, and ECW. At 390 pounds, he was a one-time ECW World Heavyweight Champion and a two-time WCW World Tag Team Champion.
While he was a big man, he was known for agility and his hardcore nature. At 45 years of age, Bigelow was found dead at his home in 2007 after a drug dose using cocaine.