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Professional Wrestling remains one of the most popular sports in North America and the world, featuring wrestlers who compete against each other in scripted and rehearsed matches in a squared ring. Like any other sport, professional wrestling comes with a lot of hazards for superstars who compete physically in matches, and on some occasions, the physicalities and competitiveness take a toll on a superstars life resulting in an early death. WWE remains the world's biggest wrestling promotion has had its fair share of casualties, losing some of its finest wrestlers.
Today we take a look at three WWE superstars who died during their prime times in the sport. We do this with no other intention than paying each of these stars a well-deserved tribute for their performances.
#3 Owen Hart
Owen Hart was one of two brothers from the great Hart wrestling family who competed for WWE. Owen had a decorated career in wrestling which spanned three promotions, the Independent Circuit, World Championship Wrestling, and the World Wrestling Federation( now WWE). His success in the WWF came in his second return where he formed a tag team partnership with his real-life brother in law, Neidhart. He later went on to feud with his real-life brother Bret Hart in what remains one of the greatest WWE feuds in history.
In 1999, Owen who had become a prominent superstar in WWE met his untimely death in an entrance stunt where he was to be lowered using a harness line at the start of his Intercontinental Championship match during a WWE PPV named Over the Edge in Kansas City. Owen fell about 78 feet after there was a technical failure with the raptors and died of Internal bleeding. Owen is still remembered in WWE circles as one of the greatest wrestlers of all time.
#2 Chris Benoit
Chris Benoit had a successful career in professional wrestling that spanned over 22 years, but it was his time in the WWE that gave him immense prominence among wrestling fans. Benoit won his first title in the WWF a month after in a triple threat match against Chris Jericho and Kurt Angle. He would continue an impressive career winning the World Heavyweight Championship, the United States Championship, and the Intercontinental Championship. He was voted by Pro Wrestling as the Wrestler of the year, 2004.
In 2007, Benoit reportedly killed himself, his wife and his son in his home over a three day period. A medical examination made later revealed that Benoit's brain had been severely damaged probably due to year's of drug abuse and multiple concussions suffered during his wrestling career. He died when he was still at his prime in the business.
#1 Eddie Guerrero
Eddie Guerrero debuted in the WWF as part of the Radicalz on the January 31, 2000 episode of Raw and was released a year later in 2001. He would later return to the company in 2002 to feud with Van Dam, defeating him for his second Intercontinental Championship at Backlash. This would be the beginning of an impressive run which saw him become a WWE Champion, and a Tag team Champion. His impressive performances cemented his position as one of the top stars on the WWE roster.
On November 13, 2005, Guerrero was found unconscious in his hotel room at The Marriott City Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota, by his nephew, Chavo, who attempted CPR. However, Guerrero was pronounced dead when paramedics arrived at the scene. The WWE dedicated its entire shows on November 14 and November 18 as tributes to Gurrero. He died at a time when he was considered by many as the greatest wrestler of his generation.
