all japan pro wrestling Archives

Giant Baba Death

By Mike Rickard on March 11, 2018 / 1990s, 1999, Cancer / Leave a comment

Giant Baba Death – Cancer 1938-1999 (Age 61) Japanese wrestling has had its share of icons, with names like Rikidozan, Antonio Inoki, Jumbo Tsuruta, and Mitsuharu Misawa immediately coming to mind. However, no list of Japanese greats is complete without mentioning Shohei “Giant” Baba. Baba would find acclaim in Japan as both a wrestler, and the co-founder of All-Japan Pro Wrestling. Baba’s accomplishments were many, up until his death from cancer at age 61. From Pro Baseball to Pro Wrestling Shohei Baba was born on January 23, 1938 in Japan’s Sanjo City. Baba was a stand-out baseball pitcher in high school, earning a spot on the much-revered Tokyo Giants pro team after dropping out of high school in his junior year. However, Baba’s pitching record led to him being sent to the minors, then traded to another team. Whatever Baba’s future might have held in baseball ended when he slipped

Sean O’Haire Death

By Ryan on October 23, 2016 / 2010s, 2014, Dead Before 50, Most Popular, Suicide / Leave a comment

Sean O’Haire Death – Suicide 1971-2014 (age 43) Sean Haire was a South Carolina native, best known by his ring name Sean O’Haire. O’Haire had runs with WCW, WWE, and New Japan Pro Wrestling. After exiting the wrestling world, Haire briefly tested the waters with MMA. Sean O’Haire in WCW, WWE O’Haire first signed with WCW. He saw success with the company, wrestling as part of “The Natural Born Thrillers” faction – enforcers to figureheads Eric Bishoff and Vince Russo. When WCW was acquired by WWE in 2001, so was O’Haire’s contract. O’Haire was packaged with Chuck Palumbo, a tag partner from his WCW days. The two quickly began programs with The Hardy Boys, and the APA. Early in 2002, O’Haire had rather abruptly disappeared from WWE programming. He was sent to OVW in Louisville, one of the WWE’s developmental territories at the time. O’Haire made another WWE run in 2003. He began

Doug Furnas Death

By Ryan on October 22, 2016 / 2010s, 2012, Heart Disease / 1 Comment

Doug Furnas Death – Hypertensive Heart Disease / Atherosclerotic 1959-2012 (age 52) Doug Furnas, best known for his tag team work with Phil Lafon, died on March 2, 2012 from hypertensive heart disease. Furnas was 52 years old at the time of his death. Doug Furnas spent a considerable amount of his career working in Japan, and also competed briefly in Mexico, as well as runs with the WWE, WCW, and ECW. Please check back soon as we’ll be expanding on the career and death of Doug Furnas.

Lance Cade Death

By Ryan on January 3, 2016 / 2010, 2010s, Dead Before 50, Drug Overdose, Most Popular / 2 Comments

Lance Cade Death – Drug Overdose 1981-2010 (age 29) If there’s one WWE death that has largely been overlooked, it’s the passing of Lance Cade. Known to family and friends as Lance McNaught, the young superstar was trained by Shawn Michaels in San Antonio, TX. Unlike many before him, Lance managed to reach the big stage of wrestling in very short time. He seemed to have a promising career ahead of him. The Lance Cade death story would break within a few years of him reaching the WWE. Prior to reaching the WWE, Lance Cade briefly spent in Japan in 1999-2000. He was quickly moved to the WWE’s developmental territories – Heartland Wrestling Association in Memphis, followed by Ohio Valley Wrestling. By 2003, just four short years after training, Cade was debuting on Sunday Night Heat. Cade was primarily a tag team wrestler with the WWE, first teaming up with Mark Jindrak under

Andre the Giant Death

By Ryan on January 2, 2016 / 1990s, 1993, Dead Before 50, Heart Failure, Most Popular / 8 Comments

Andre the Giant Death – Heart Failure 1946-1993 (age 46) Many athletes are larger than life, but one 80s wrestler put new meaning to the term. Sadly, Andre the Giant passed away much too young. He was 46. This is the Andre the Giant death story. A Giant Is Born Andre Rene Roussinoff, better known by his ring name of Andre the Giant, was born in Grenoble France on May 19, 1946. Andre quickly rose in the wrestling ranks to become a household name around the globe, as well as an actor. In wrestling he was often called “The 8th Wonder of the World.” Andre was born to parents who were an ordinary size, as were his siblings. Meanwhile, Andre measured a very tall 7’4” and weighed between 380-520 pounds throughout the course of his career. By the age of 12, he was already 6’3”. The North American debut for this wrestler was in Montreal, Canada in 1971,

Umaga Death

By Ryan on January 2, 2016 / 2000s, 2009, Dead Before 50, Drug Overdose, Most Popular / 7 Comments

Umaga Death – Drug Overdose 1973-2009 (age 36) To die at the young age of 36 is tragic. Such was the case for professional wrestler Umaga. Here is the Umaga death story. About the Wrestler Umaga was born in San Francisco, CA, on March 28, 1973, as Edward “Eddie” Fatu. He was also known to some as Ecki. He started his wrestling career in the WWE with a brief stint from 2002-2003 under the ring name Jamal. He was partnered with Matt Anoa’i, his real life cousin, who went by Rosey. Sadly, Rosey passed in 2017. The duo formed the tag team 3-Minute Warning. Unfortunately by mid 2003, Fatu was dismissed from the WWE after rumors surfaced about his involvement in a bar fight. Then Eddie Fatu reemerged on the wrestling scene, this time under the name of Ekmo. He wrestled for TNA and went overseas to partake in All-Japan Pro Wrestling. The time

Steve Williams Death

By Ryan on December 20, 2015 / 2000s, 2009, Cancer, Dead Before 50 / 7 Comments

Steve Williams Death – Throat Cancer 1960-2009 (age 49) While he was best known for his achievements in the ring as a wrestler, Steve Williams was a talented athlete who excelled on the football field playing for the University of Oklahoma. From 1982 to 2009, he was known as “Dr. Death’ and by his given name, as he battled for and won multiple titles, including the UWF World Heavyweight Championship, the Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship (Japan) and a run as a tag team champion alongside Terry Gordy in WCW. Not only was Williams a fierce competitor, but he was also an inspiration to people everywhere, as the details of the Steve Williams death story show. “Dr. Death” and Terry “Bam Bam” Gordy win the NWA Tag Team Titles in 1992 A Prelude to the Steve Williams Death Story In 2003, Steve Williams was enjoying a storied career in wrestling. He earned a name for himself

Mike Awesome Death

By Ryan on December 8, 2015 / 2000s, 2007, Dead Before 50, Suicide / 3 Comments

Mike Awesome Death – Suicide 1965-2007 (age 42) You have to be a confident person to choose “Awesome” to be part of your wrestling name, and in the ring, Mike Awesome, or Michael Alfonso, definitely carried himself with confidence. During the course of his 17-year career, the heavyweight won the ECW World Heavyweight Championship twice and the WWF Hardcore Championship twice. He also won several titles with Frontier Martial Arts Wrestling and was ranked in the top 10 of the annual ranking of top singles wrestlers published in Pro Wrestling Illustrated in 2000. Sadly, the events surrounding the Mike Awesome death have largely overshadowed his career in the squared circle. 7 years before his death: Mike Awesome manhandles Kevin Nash in his WCW Nitro debut on April 10, 2000 An Early Retirement After a brief stint with TNA in 2003, Mike Awesome began to compete as a singles wrestler on the independent circuit. He wrestled in

Earthquake Death

By Ryan on December 7, 2015 / 2000s, 2006, Cancer, Dead Before 50, Most Popular / 3 Comments

Earthquake Death – Bladder Cancer 1963-2006 (age 42) Some wrestlers love being adored by fans; others seem to thrive on their hate. Such was the case with Earthquake, a former sumo wrestler who earned the distinction of being awarded the title of “Most Hated Wrestler of the Year” by Pro Wrestling Illustrated in 1990. During his career, Earthquake, known to family and friends as John Tenta, also won the Rookie of the Year Award from Tokyo Sports and the World Wrestling Federation’s Tag Team Championship with Typhoon. Easily spotted by his blue, yellow and black singlet and his massive 6-foot, 7-inch, 468-pound frame, Earthquake never failed to bring action to the ring. Sadly, the Earthquake death story started in his prime and took his life much too soon. A Cancer Diagnosis Begins the Earthquake Death Story In 2004, the Canadian professional wrestler shared with fans that he was suffering from bladder cancer. This form

Terry Gordy Death

By Ryan on December 5, 2015 / 2000s, 2001, Dead Before 50, Heart Attack / 2 Comments

Terry Gordy Death – Heart Attack 1961-2001 (age 40) Many professional wrestlers don’t make it to age 50. Sadly, Terry Gordy barely made it out of his 30s. This is the Terry Gordy death story. Best known as a member of the infamous Fabulous Freebirds, Terry “Bam Bam” Gordy had a huge following in the 80s. With the rest of the Freebirds, Gordy won the NWA World Six-Man Tag Team Championship on five separate occasions. In the early 90s, Terry held one half of the WCW tag team championship alongside “Dr. Death” Steve Williams. WCCW in the 80s: Terry and the Freebirds in a classic rivalry against the Von Erich’s Beginning in 1996, Gordy had a brief run with the WWF. The less-than-memorable gimmick tagged Terry Gordy as “The Executioner”. He landed a couple of PPV matches, including a feud with the Undertaker, but ultimately left the company. The gimmick wasn’t a great script and as the WWF moved into

Crush Death

By Ryan on March 1, 2015 / 2000s, 2007, Dead Before 50, Drug Overdose / 5 Comments

Crush Death – Drug Overdose 1964-2007 (age 43) It’s not uncommon for wrestlers to reinvent themselves during the course of their careers, and Hawaiian born Brian Adams was no exception. With the WWF he was part of Demolition, the Disciples of Apocalypse stable, and possibly most remembered for his “Kona Crush” gimmick – the laid back surfer dude who feuded with Doink the Clown in the early 90s. Adams also spent time with WCW. Although he never saw huge success, Crush was a tag team championship winner with both World Championship Wrestling and the World Wrestling Federation. He had plans of retiring and leading a quiet life, but sadly he passed away at the young age of 43. A Shocking Prelude to the Crush Death Story The news of Brian “Crush” Adam’s death would end up becoming a major news story in the world of sports but not because of Brian Adams’ level of fame. Less than

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