Which Wwe Wrestler Was a Wrestler Than an Announcer Then a Wrestler Again

Information technology's non exactly a secret that wrestlers tend to die young, but given the lack of content and air time dedicated to some of WWE's deceased stars, one might think the company would similar it to be that style. Quite oftentimes, specially in recent years, WWE has chosen to simply ignore the deaths of former employees who had either fallen out of favor with the company or had struggled with drug and painkiller habit. It'south a strategy that makes sense if you're trying to maintain a squeaky-make clean paradigm in response to numerous tragedies, just at the same fourth dimension, it'due south a slap in the face to the wrestlers and their families - at to the lowest degree in most cases.

Other times, WWE has acknowledged deaths but did so in quite poor gustatory modality that peradventure the company adopted the less is more strategy; or better yet, nothing is more. When Brian Pillman died of a centre attack fueled by drug use in his hotel room in 1997, Vince McMahon conducted a somewhat tasteless, awkward, and bizarre interview with his widow Melanie Pillman the following night. Then in that location'southward Chyna, who legitimatized the WWE women's division, just fell out of the company's skilful graces (to put it lightly) in recent years. She was essentially ignored up until her death in 2016, when a tribute video was shown on Raw.

Information technology's a instance-past-case basis in regard to who the WWE is going to award through death. And as much as the company has come effectually in contempo years, there are still several deceased alumnus information technology pretends never existed.

xv 15. Chris Benoit

We'll become the obvious ones out of the fashion early, fifty-fifty if Benoit's inclusion here isn't exactly 100 pct accurate. The WWE did honor the uber-talented Superstar during a Mon Dark Raw tribute show post-obit news of his untimely decease in 2007. The tribute videos were an incredible homage to a wrestling legend which inspired some real emotion from Superstars such every bit Stone Common cold Steve Austin, Stephanie McMahon, and a grief-stricken Vince McMahon standing lonely in the ring in the centre of an empty arena.

The WWE had known Benoit, his wife, and child were all pronounced dead, but didn't have the details of how or why - then they came out. Benoit killed both his wife and son before hanging himself in one of the near shocking wrestler-related incidents always. Vince later went on The Today Show to discuss the incident, merely that was the last time the chairman would speak publicly about Benoit. The Raw tribute testify was replaced past a all-time-of episode on the WWE Network.

xiv 14. Nancy Benoit

When Chris Benoit murdered his wife and son, he took away another member of the wrestling circle in Nancy Benoit, who worked in both the WCW and ECW as Woman and Fallen Angel. Originally married to Kevin Sullivan, Benoit start appeared on WCW TV every bit a fan of Rick Steiner who would ever interact with him during his matches, but subsequently turned on him to align with Sullivan and eventually Ric Flair and The Four Horseman. She besides managed Sandman in the ECW before returning to WCW where she struck an on- and off-screen human relationship with Chris Benoit.

No, she was never a major player in the WWE world, but with the company essentially washing itself clean of the Chris Benoit double murder-suicide, it has made no mention of Nancy's death, other than throughout the original tribute evidence.

13 13. Jack Tunney

If you lot grew up watching WWE in the 1980s, you probable thought Jack Tunney was the visitor's president and Vince McMahon was no more than an journalist. Not so. Tunney, a Canadian wrestling promoter, was the company's figurehead on-screen President and would often be shown in his part announcing new titles or championship matches. He passed away from centre disease in 2004, but no official mention was fabricated during WWE programming. He has, still, been brought up on occasion by JBL and CM Punk.

But when he died, the WWE made no mention whatsoever on either of its platforms. In fact, it has been reported that none of his wrestling companions attended his funeral. He manifestly fell out of favor during his time with the WWE because of his heavy drinking and gambling debts and was let go in 1995.

12 12. Chris Kanyon

Chris Kanyon was a mediocre wrestler in WCW when the WWE bought his contract along with the purchase of WCW. He accomplished moderate success in the WWE, winning the WCW United States Championship and the WWE Tag Team Championship with DDP for a brief 12-twenty-four hour period stint. He was too an openly gay wrestler (at least, following his release from WWE) and sued the company, accusing it of denying him health care benefits post-obit a leg injury that hurt his career.

He pushed the idea in the media that the WWE fired him because he was gay, but eventually conceded that it was all a publicity stunt. Though Kanyon battled with depression and bipolar disorder throughout his life ending in a 2010 suicide, the WWE hasn't exactly been proactive in honoring his life. The best he got was a ii-judgement press release on the WWE website.

11 11. Ludvig Borga

Finnish Superstar Ludvig Borga's stint in the WWE was short, but he had some memorable achievements during his time with the company. He is best known for ending Tatanka'due south undefeated streak in the early 90s and scoring a win over Marty Jannetty at SummerSlam, but his wrestling career ended abruptly after he suffered an ankle injury in a friction match against Rick Steiner in 1994.

He didn't practice much following his wrestling career, other than fighting briefly in the UFC, entering Republic of finland'southward Parliament in 2007 and calling the country's president a lesbian. Minor things, you know. His 2010 suicide followed years of alcohol-related offenses and a stint in psychiatric intendance. No mention has been made of his death past the WWE, other than Jim Ross commenting: "Perhaps others have a different view of this man merely I personally found him to exist somewhat obnoxious and he could be a dandy if allowed to be such."

ten 10. Chris Candido

Chris Candido competed in the WWE every bit one one-half of The Bodydonnas tag team during the 1990s and won a Tag Team Title. He was managed by his real-life girlfriend at the time, Tammy Lynn Sytch, and the two were known equally Sunny and Skip. He had competed in the ECW and WCW following his brief run in the WWE and so went on to wrestle for TNA, which was where he suffered a leg injury that ultimately led to an untimely expiry.

Later on undergoing surgery for a broken tibia and fibula in his leg, Candido fell ill months after and died soon later on equally a effect of blood clots. Sytch has lashed out in regard to a Candido documentary produced by his brother Johnny, while the WWE has steered articulate of remembering the talented athlete. TNA, meanwhile, honored him with the Chris Candido Memorial Tag Team Tournament in August of 2005.

9 9. Dino Bravo

Of all the ill-timed deaths on this list, that of Dino Bravo has to be the virtually bizarre and foreign. An Italian-Canadian big man, Bravo, born Adolfo Bresciano, was a former WWE World Tag Team Champion who was allow go by the visitor in 1991. 2 years later on, he was shot 17 times while - of course - watching a hockey game. The reason for his murder? He was related past marriage to Montreal mobster Vic Cotroni and used his power to smuggle illegal cigarettes in Canada.

The still-unsolved murder is believed to be over a deal that angered the mafia, only whatever it was, it was incredibly personal given the 17 shots. His married woman and daughter discovered him later that evening. His legend had been carried on by fellow Canadian wrestlers Bret Hart (in his autobiography) and shut friend Rick Martel, only the WWE opted non to memorialize the Italian Stiff Man.

8 viii. Crash Holly

Michael Lockwood was best known in the WWE equally the younger cousin, Crash Holly, to Hardcore Holly. In his starting time appearances he would bring a scale to the ring to effort and prove his 400-pound status despite the fact he was 5-foot-eleven and 212 pounds. And though he never reached the heavyweight status he desired, he did have neat success in his brusk career, winning the WWE Hardcore Championship 22 times, albeit virtually of which were extremely brusk stints given the 24/7 rule.

He wrestled briefly for TNA following his eventual release from WWE and, in 2003, died of an overdose. He was found in the home of good friend and fellow wrestler Stevie Richards, lying virtually empty alcohol and pill bottles, as well every bit a pool of his own vomit. The WWE fabricated no mention of his death, though he was office of a video tribute during ECW One Night Stand up in 2005.

seven 7. Viscera

Viscera was a loyal and longtime wrestler in the WWE, debuting as Mabel in the early 90s and then being re-packaged as Viscera, function of The Undertaker'due south Ministry of Darkness, before finally wrestling as Big Daddy V. He was a ascendant force every bit both opposing characters, frequently inbound the Royal Rumble and clearing business firm every bit larger than life wrestlers are apt to do. He was released by the company in 2008 and passed abroad in February 2014 from a center attack.

The presence of drugs and alcohol were found in his bloodstream, only his expiry document noted morbid obesity was a primary cause of death, likewise as blazon 2 diabetes eye damage. His widow, Cassandra Frazier, filed a lawsuit against the WWE in which she claimed they were partially responsible for his death. After not mentioning his death on Raw, WWE gave him a short video tribute the following week, but that was the extent of their efforts to recollect the human.

6 vi. Lance Cade

Lance Cade was a rising star in the WWE prior to beingness released in 2008 in what many have referred to equally a large fault by the company. He was a 3-time Tag Team Champion with Trevor Murdoch and was building on a promising singles career prior to the abrupt release. According to Jim Ross, Cade had a seizure on a plane as a event of prescription pill abuse and was afterward released. Less than 2 years later, he died from an drug overdose after a failed WWE comeback attempt. He was just 29-years-former.

Wrestlers like Murdoch and Shawn Michaels, who trained Cade throughout his career, spoke well-nigh the deceased young man, only nothing officially came from the WWE, despite his 1-time rising star status.

5 five. Doink the Clown

Matt Osborne was all-time known for portraying Doink the Clown, the evil clown who tormented his rivals such as Bret Hart, Randy Savage, and, almost famously, Vanquish. He was fired for drug-related issues in 1993, but the Doink gimmick transferred over to Ray Apollo, who played him every bit more of a happy-go-lucky face prankster. Osborne's boxing with drug addiction came to a halt in 2013 when he was found dead of a drug overdose.

His family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the WWE in 2015, blaming the company for his death by promoting violence and not making Osborne aware of the dangers of repeated blows to the head. The case was since picked up past Kyros Law, a house representing numerous retired wrestlers in a head injury lawsuits confronting the WWE.

4 four. Umaga

Part of the famed Anoa'i family unit, Umaga debuted on-screen in the WWE as Jamal, part of Eric Bischoff's 3-Minute Warning, which were brought out to put an end to matches Bischoff accounted boring. His second go-around with the WWE, equally Umaga, was a far more successful venture, with the big human being taking master event status and even scoring a PPV win over Ric Flair and winning the Intercontinental Championship twice.

Like many of the wrestlers on this list, he was released after failing consecutive drug tests. The second came in 2009 and, only a few short months later, he was plant dead every bit a result of a lethal mix of painkillers, muscle relaxers, and anti-anxiety medication. WWE released a statement in response to his decease, wishing his family and friends well, but made sure to distance themselves from the troubled star.

3 3. Hercules Hernandez

A big and powerful bodybuilder, Raymond"Hercules" Hernandez never had much success during his run with the WWE in the 1980s, though he did frequently square off against some of the company's best talent such every bit Hulk Hogan and The Ultimate Warrior. However, he became a total-fourth dimension jobber by the early 1990s and eventually left for WCW, where he only lasted a year.

He died at only 47-years-former in 2004. He was plant by his wife, and while his family has limited the data made public in regard to his expiry, it'southward believed his center failure was acquired by his regular use of enhancement drugs. The WWE did little to memorialize the early WrestleMania fixture, though a Facebook tribute page for Hernandez currently has 7,264 likes.

ii two. Sean O'Haire

A prominent WCW wrestler who was one-half of the tag squad Natural Born Thrillers, Sean O'Haire came to the WWE after the visitor purchased WCW in 2001. Partnered with Chuck Palumbo in the WWE, the tag team feuded with The Hardy Boys and The APA, but never actually rose to prominence. He was released by the company in 2004 and faced numerous personal obstacles, including various arrests for trigger-happy altercations.

Information technology'southward well known that O'Haire battled with depression and alcoholism post-obit his release. His problems became worse in 2009 when he was arrested for choking his girlfriend; ii years later he was arrested on battery charges. He entered WWE-sponsored rehab on six split occasions before committing suicide in 2014. The talented, but troubled athlete was never honored by WWE.

1 1. Test

Andrew "Examination" Martin was a contentious figure during his fourth dimension in the WWE. The on-screen boyfriend and fiancé of Stephanie McMahon, Test won numerous titles during his WWE career, but remained primarily a mid-carte wrestler. Again, similar others before him on this list, he failed a drug test which led to his release in 2007. He was subsequently fired from TNA a year afterward for the same problem.

He was plant motionless by a neighbor in 2009, only four days before his 34th birthday. The cause of death was accidental overdose. Dr. Bennet Omalu, who was portrayed by Will Smith in the film Concussion, establish extensive brain damage as a issue of repeated blows to the head, noting similarities between Martin and Chris Benoit. Originally, WWE didn't make any mention of Test'southward expiry, it did add together him to its alumni section on WWE.com in 2013.

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