23 WWE Wrestlers and 3 WWE Managers who have died since 2000

WWE Wrestlers are very much a part of our lives. But like everyone else, they are human. They may be superheroes onscreen but in reality, they are mortal. They are born, they live and they die. That is the arc of every human being on planet earth. What they do leave behind is a legacy that will be remembered in the years to come.

As WWE superstars have had an impact, so have their managers. Especially with regards to heels, the manager or valet pushes the wrestler, who they are managing, forward. So, let's get into it. Here are 23 WWE Wrestlers and 3 WWE Managers who have died since 2000.

#26 Davey Boy Smith aka British Bulldog

The British Bulldog is easily one of the more famous wrestlers to come out of the UK. If anything, he was synonymous with the Hart Family as well as being part of the later version of the Hart Foundation. He held multiple single titles as well as tag team championships. Perhaps, his match with Bret Hart at SummerSlam 1992 is still considered one of the best in the Pay Per View's history and probably Bulldog's best match of all time.

When did the British Bulldog die?

The British Bulldog passed away on 18th May, 2002 of a heart attack at the age of 39.

#25 Miss Elizabeth

If there is anything to describe Miss Elizabeth in the WWE, it's that she was 'The Real Mccoy.' Some could argue she was the original WWE Diva but classy in her demeanour and soothing to the eyes. Her career is best defined by her association with her ex-husband, Macho Man Randy Savage. Miss Elizabeth defined the 1980s era which was known to some as the Golden Age of Wrestling. Now and forever, she will always been known as the first WWE Diva who captured the hearts and minds of many in the WWE Universe.

When did Miss Elizabeth die?

Miss Elizabeth died on 1st May, 2003 of a drug overdose at the age of 43.

#24 Crash Holly

Crash Holly debuted as the cousin of Hardcore Holly and formed the team, The Holly Cousins. But Crash Holly is probably best remembered for being a 22 time WWE Hardcore Champion. It's hard to realize that only Raven is better than him with 27 title reigns with the Hardcore title.

Crash Holly had a spark about him and came across as a lovable rogue. When the 24/7 rule was initiated, it led to memorable spots with various wrestlers attacking him at the circus, airports and even arcades. If anything, it was entertaining to say the least.

When did Crash Holly Die?

Crash Holly died on 6th November, 2003 at the age of 39. His death was ruled a suicide.

#23 Big Boss Man

Big Boss Man was a wrestler who didn't win any WWE championships on his first run but enjoyed much more success in his second run with the WWE during the attitude era. While his feuds with The Undertaker, Al Snow and Big Show were not great, they certainly caught the fans attention. Big Boss man was a 4 time Hardcore Champion and was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2016.

When did Big Boss Man Die?

Big Boss Man died of a heart attack on 22nd September, 2004 at the age of 41.

#22 Eddie Guerrero

Eddie Guerrero was probably one of the best WWE Wrestlers of all time. He was one of the better wrestlers to come out of WCW and through sheer hard work and tenacity, became WWE Champion when he beat Brock Lesnar at No Way Out in 2004. He became part of an elite list of Grand Slam Champions and was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2006.

When Did Eddie Guerrero die?

Eddie Guerrero died on 13th November, 2005 at the age of 38 of acute heart failure.

#21 Sherri Martel

While an accomplished female wrestler, Sherri Martel was best known as a manager of some of the greatest WWE Superstars of all time. This included the likes of Macho Man Randy Savage, Ted Dibiase, Shawn Michaels and even managed Ric Flair and Harlem Heat in WCW. She was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2006.

When did Sherri Martel die?

Sherri Martel died of a drug overdose on 15th June, 2007 at the age of 49.

#20 Chris Benoit

Chris Benoit. The Canadian Crippler. The Rabid Wolverine. The Best Technical Wrestler in the World. Benoit was all of these things and he was fantastic in the ring. But most fans in the WWE Universe realize that his legacy will always be tarnished by the Benoit Family Tragedy.

Many fans have debated whether he deserves a place in the WWE Hall of Fame. Recently, Vickie Guerrero recently endorsed the idea that he should go into the WWE Hall of Fame for the better or worst.

When did Chris Benoit die?

Chris Benoit died on 4th June, 2007 at the age of 40. His death was ruled a murder-suicide.

#19 Brian Adams

Brian Adams aka Crush was probably another wrestler who jumped around between WWE and WCW. In WWE, he was a surfer guy who transformed into a member of a biker gang named DOA. He was also a member of the NWO and was in a tag team called Kronik with Bryan Klark called Kronik. Interestingly, he was also in a Bollywood Film called Khiladiyon Ka Khiladi.

When did Brian Adams die?

Brian Adams died on 13th August, 2007 of an accidental drug overdose at the age of 43.

#18 Test

Andrew Martin aka Test was perhaps of the more interesting cases in terms of WWE Wrestlers who arrived during the attitude era. While his name was perhaps the least memorable thing about him, he was involved in storylines involving Stephanie McMahon and was part of The Corporation. He was also in a tag team T & A with Albert and managed by Trish Stratus.

How did Test die?

Test died on 13th March, 2009 at the age of 33 of an accidental drug overdose.

#17 Umaga

A member of the famous Anoa'i wrestling family, Umaga originally debuted in a tag team called 3-minute warning with his cousin, Rosey. He returned to the WWE as Umaga in 2006 and was booked as an unstoppable monster and feuded with the likes of John Cena and Triple H.

He was also involved in the 'Battle of the Billionaires' Match at WrestleMania 23 as a representative of Vince McMahon where he wrestled Bobby Lashley.

When did Umaga die?

Umaga died on 4th December, 2009 at the age of 36 as a result of a heart attack.

#16 Chris Kanyon

Chris Kanyon was perhaps not the most memorable wrestler in the WWE. He was part of the multiple stables such as The Flock and The Jersey Triad in WCW. He was part of the alliance when they invaded WWE in 2001. Later on, he had a '"Who Betta Than Kanyon?" gimmick which didn't go anywhere.

When did Chris Kanyon die?

Chris Kanyon died on 2nd April, 2010 of a drug overdose, at the age of 40.

#15 Macho Man Randy Savage

Macho Man. Mr. Madness. Whatever name you want to refer to him by, Randy Savage will go down as the one of the greatest WWE Superstars of all time. He was a multiple time world champion in both WCW and WWE, and was well recognized outside of the wrestling world with cameos in films such as Spider-Man and doing voiceover work for cartoons like Dexter's Laboratory.

When did Macho Man die?

Macho Man died on 20th May, 2011 at the age of 58 from a heart attack.

#14 Ultimate Warrior

The Ultimate Warrior. The Man from Parts Unknown. Ultimate Warrior will always be remembered for his over-the-top promos, high impact entrances and adrenaline-rush matches. His most memorable moment was the WrestleMania 6 match with Hulk Hogan. He truly left his stamp on WWE History.

When did Ultimate Warrior die?

Ultimate Warrior died on 8th April 2014 at the age of 54. His death was the result of a heart attack.

#13 Dusty Rhodes

Dusty Rhodes was truly The American Dream. He was the son of a plumber who rose to great heights in the old territory days. His ability to connect with the audience with his promos and his agility in the ring despite his size captivated America. He is no doubt a WWE legend.

When did Dusty Rhodes die?

Dusty Rhodes died on 11th June, 2015 at the age of 69, due to stomach cancer.

#12 Roddy Piper

Rowdy Roddy Piper. The greatest trash talker of them all. The man they called Hot Rod was everything a WWE legend was. It's also notable that Roddy Piper was one of the few all time greats who never won the WWE Championship. He was also an actor who acted in cult films such as They Live and Body Slam.

When did Roddy Piper die?

Roddy Piper died of a heart atttack on 31st July, 2015 at the age of 61.

#11 Chyna

What's left to say about Chyna? She was the ninth wonder of the world and she brought it to the ring every time she went out there. She won the men's WWE Intercontinental Championship twice and really broke the glass ceiling for WWE female wrestlers going forward. Chyna was finally inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2019. While her life ended in tragedy, she will be fondly remembered for the exploits in the ring.

When did Chyna die?

Chyna died of a drug overdose on 20th April, 2016 at the age of 46.

#10 Rosey

Rosey was another Samoan wrestler who actually enjoyed success in the WWE even though it was limited. His cousin Fatu recieved a major push. His own brother, Roman Reigns, is practically the face of the WWE. Rosey enjoyed his biggest success when he was paired with Hurricane Helms when they won the World Tag Team Championships.

When did Rosey die?

Rosey died on 17th April 2017 at the age of 47, due to congestive heart failure.

#09 Bobby Heenan

While Bobby Heenan started his career as a wrestler, he was probably the best Heel manager of all time. He managed the likes of Andre The Giant, Rick Rude, Mr Perfect and others. He could cut a promo and he lit up the TV screen every time he came on. He was also a colour commentator and he shined in that area as well.

When did Bobby Heenan die?

Bobby Heenan died on 17th September, 2017 at the age of 72, due to complications from throat cancer.

#8 Bruno Sammartino

Before Hulk Hogan, there was Bruno Sammartino. Bruno was one of the longest reigning WWE champions which lasted 2803 days. He was one of the most gifted athletes of his time. Despite his falling out with Vince McMahon which lasted 25 years, he was finally inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2013.

When did Bruno Sammartino die?

Bruno Sammartino died on 18th April, 2018 at 82. He died from multiple organ failure due to his ongoing heart problems.

#7 Big Van Vader

Big Van Vader was the definition of a monster. He was agile in the ring and had great matches with some of the very best in the business. The list includes the likes of Sting, Shawn Michaels, Hulk Hogan and many others. While he didn't win any WWE titles, he was a 3 time WCW World Champion.

When did Big Van Vader die?

Big Van Vader died of heart failure on 18th June, 2018 at the age of 63.

#6 Brian Christopher

The son of Jerry 'The King' Lawler and member of Too Cool, Brian Christopher was probably one of the more memorable acts in the WWE during the late 1990s. While he and his partner, Scotty 2 Hotty were not the most agile in the ring, they certainly were entertaining. While Brian Christopher's life ended in tragedy, he will forever remain in the hearts and minds of the WWE Universe.

When did Brian Christopher die?

Brian Christopher died on 29 July, 2018 at the age of 46. His death was ruled a suicide.

#5 Nikolai Volkoff

Nikolai Volkoff was best remembered for his feuds with Hulk Hogan and teaming up with The Iron Shiek. He was a great heel and knew how to sell his evil gimmick of being pro-Russia.

When did Nikolai Volkoff die?

Nikolai Volkoff died on 29th July, 2018 at the age of 70.

#4 Jim Neidhart

Jim The Anvil Neidhart was a WWE legend. He was part of the original Hart foundation and was primarily a tag team wrestler. He was a 2 time WWE Tag Team Champion alongside Bret Hart. He was known for his over-the-top promos and a powerful in-ring style. He was finally inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame alongside Bret Hart in the form of The Hart Foundation.

When did Jim Neidhart die?

Jim Neidhart died on 13th August, 2018 at the age of 63.

#3 Dynamite Kid

Dynamite Kid alongside Davey Boy Smith were one of the best WWE Tag Teams in the 1980s. Most in the wrestling business say that the Dynamite Kid was probably one of the most gifted in-ring performers and was a huge influence in the wrestling industry, because of the fusing of many wrestling styles that he brought with him.

When did Dynamite Kid die?

Dynamite Kid died on 5th December, 2018 at the age of 60.

#2 King Kong Bundy

King Kong Bundy. He was one of the memorable heels in the WWE during the 1980s. The highlight of his career was a steel cage match with Hulk Hogan at WrestleMania 2. He was also one of the more notable WWE Wrestlers during his time with the company that never won a WWE Championship.

When did King Kong Bundy die?

King Kong Bundy died on 4th March, 2019 at the age of 63.

#1 Ashley Massaro

Ashley Massaro is the unfortunate addition to this list. Her recent passing has shocked the wrestling world. With that, multiple tributes from various WWE wrestlers, past and present, have come in all over social media.

Ashley Massaro's best moment in the WWE came during her feud with Melina at WrestleMania 23. She will be missed by the WWE Universe.

When did Ashley Massaro die?

Ashley Massaro died on 16th May, 2019 at the age of 39. The cause of death is still not official but most believe it to be suicide.