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From Eddie Guerrero to Owen Hart, a look at WWE wrestlers who tragically died young
As the WWE Universe tries to come to terms with Bray Wyatt's passing, we take a look at some renowned pro-wrestlers who went away too soon.
Just hours after the news of former WWE champion Bray Wyatt's death broke, fans started speculating about the reason behind his tragic demise. According to Fightful's Sean Ross Sapp, Wyatt, 36, died after suffering from a heart attack. Sapp posted that Wyatt, whose real name was Windham Rotunda, was dealing with heart-related issues, which were "exacerbated" after he contracted COVID-19 this year. However, there is no official word yet on the cause of Wyatt’s death.
As the WWE Universe tries to come to terms with Wyatt's passing, we take a look at some renowned pro-wrestlers who went away too soon.
Eddie Guerrero- 38
One of the most iconic wrestlers in the history of WWE, Eddie Guerrero, passed away at the age of 38 in November 2005. A future Hall of Famer, Guerrero was found dead in his hotel room in Minneapolis. One of the most beloved professional wrestlers of all time, Guerrero won the WWE championship after defeating Brock Lesnar at the No Way Out PPV in February of 2004. The Raw after Guerrero's passing was a tribute to the life and career of 'Latino Heat'. The WWE observed 10 bells of silence as all wrestlers gathered on the stage were unable to hold back tears. Kayfabe was broken in an emotional two-hour show with the crowd regularly breaking into 'Eddie' chants.
Umaga- 36
Eddie Fatu, popularly known by the ring name Umaga, died at the age of 36 in 2009 due to a heart attack. During his eventful WWE career, the two-time Intercontinental champion featured in several exciting matches against big names like Triple H, John Cena and Ric Flair. Despite his brilliance in the ring, Umaga was fired by WWE for allegedly violating the Wellness Program.
Chris Benoit- 40
Dubbed by many as a future Hall of Famer, Chris Benoit was one of the finest wrestlers of his time. But his life shockingly came to an end in 2007 following a bone-chilling double-murder, suicide case. After killing his wife and son, Benoit committed suicide in his house located in Fayette County, just outside of Atlanta. Also known as the Canadian Crippler, Benoit was a part of the World Championship Wrestling (WCW) from 1988 to 2001. The WWE has since removed all mention of Benoit from their website and archive.
Luke Harper- 41
American professional wrestler Jon Huber, popularly known as Luke Harper, passed away at the age of 41 in 2020. Harper died fighting a hard battle with a non-Covid-related lung issue. As part of the Wyatt Family, Bray Wyatt and Harper formed a prolific stable in WWE. After being released by WWE in 2019, Harper decided to join the All-Elite Wrestling (AEW).
Owen Hart- 33
Canadian wrestler Owen Hart was a distinguished member of the renowned Hart family, hailing from the esteemed Hart dungeon known for producing exceptionally skilled wrestlers. Younger brother of the legendary Bret Hart, Owen met a tragic end at the age of 33, following a fall of 78 feet during the PPV event WWE Over the Edge. The unfortunate incident occurred as Owen, dressed as the Blue Blazer, descended from the rafters of the Kemper Arena in Kansas. Regrettably, his harness malfunctioned, causing a plummet of 24 meters. This fall led to him landing chest-first on the top turnbuckle.
In the aftermath of the fall, Owen lay motionless in the ring, where he received immediate attention from medical personnel. Despite their valiant efforts to resuscitate him, Owen succumbed to his injuries. The news of his passing was delivered to viewers via live TV by on-air commentator Jim Ross. Surprisingly, WWE decided to continue with the show despite this tragic occurrence, a decision that continues to be the subject of debate to this day. In the wake of Owen's untimely demise, WWE made the decision to expunge all footage capturing the distressing incident from their records.
Andrew "Test" Martin- 33
Canadian professional wrestler Andrew "Test" Martin passed away in March 2009. The WWE wrestler was found dead at his home Tampa, US, just four days before his 34th day. Test was also known by other ring names like- ‘Martin Kane’ and T-J Thunder.’ According to ESPN, the Hillsborough County medical examiner ruled that Test died of an accidental overdose of oxycodone, an ingredient which can be found in the painkiller OxyContin.
Crash Holly- 32
American professional wrestler Mike Lockwood, better known as Crash Holly, passed away at the age of 32 in November 2003. Reportedly, Lockwood died of what was later ruled as a suicide by choking on his own vomit after consuming a combination of Carisoprodol (muscle relaxer pills) and alcohol. Lockwood had joined WWE in 1999, as the cousin of Bob “Hardcore” Holly. He had won the WWF Hardcore Championship 22 times. Lockwood also claimed the WWF Light Heavyweight and European Championships one time each.
