8 Deceased Wrestling Stars you might not remember

At one point, it seemed like virtually every week the wrestling world was saddened to learn they’d lost another star.

Sad beyond belief, it wasn’t only the loss of so many performers before their time had come that puts a frown on our face. Instead, in retrospect, it is even more disappointing that there are so many wrestlers that sacrificed so much for their fans only to have the fact that they have passed away be largely forgotten. With that in mind, it is time to look at this list of 8 wrestling stars you should remember.

In order for someone to be considered for possible inclusion on this list, they first and foremost need to have risen to a certain level of fame within the wrestling business. On top of that, it has to seem like a surprisingly large percentage of wrestling fans have forgotten that they are no longer among the living. Finally, it should be noted that everyone’s knowledge base is different, which means some readers may recall these performers are gone but that might be rare.

#8 Dino Bravo

Notable for his explosive power, during his long wrestling career, the man that came to be known as Dino Bravo performed with some of the biggest stars to ever lace up a pair of boots. Most memorable for his final WWE run, Dino was known at the time for his villainous way, feats of strength, and Québécois heritage.

Opting to step away from in-ring competition in 1992, for the remainder of his far too short life, Dino helped to train prospective wrestlers in Montreal. Sadly, he wasn’t able to work with too many prospective performers as he met a grisly end in 1993.

Still, an incident that is shrouded in mystery, Dino’s life was taken from him after he was hit with 34 different shots while sitting in his home watching hockey. Believed to have been trafficking in illegal tobacco products at the time of his demise, it has been suggested that explains the circumstances of his demise but that has not been proven.

#7 Rosey

Born Matthew Tapunu'u Anoaʻi, the man that was known as Rosey in the WWE was a member of one of the most impactful families in the history of wrestling. The son of WWE Hall of Famer Sika and brother of a current megastar, Roman Reigns, Rosey’s considerable talents in the ring must have come somewhat naturally to him.

A massive man that could move like someone half his size, it is a real shame that Rosey was never given a gimmick that was worthy of his abilities. Still, his time as the sidekick of The Hurricane was memorable and his all too brief run in the tag team 3-Minute Warning made an impact on WWE fans of that era.

Gone from the WWE since 2006, Rosey spent several years working on the independent scene and he and his father even founded a small promotion of their own. Unfortunately, after several years of coping with heart-related health problems, word broke in mid-2017 that Rosey had passed away.

#6 Big Daddy V/Viscera/Mabel

One of a select few wrestlers that the WWE rehired over and over again, that explains why Nelson Frazier Jr. went by so many names during his time with the company. Debuting under the name Mabel in 1993, during that run he won the King of the Ring, challenged for the WWE Championship and seemed destined for big things.

Released from his contract the first time in 1996, during the Attitude Era he returned under the name Viscera and became a member of The Undertaker’s Ministry of Darkness. Following up that gimmick with a run as the “world’s largest love machine” before he was turned into the Big Daddy V character, his final tenure with the WWE ended in 2008.

He is no longer with us due to a heart attack that took his life in 2014, despite his many years in the wrestling business he was only 43 at the time. The topic of a lawsuit that alleged the WWE was partially responsible for his demise, his widow’s case was dismissed after a lengthy battle.

#5 Test

Part of the WWE roster during arguably the most successful era in company history, Andrew “Test” Martin had a lot of things going for him at the time. Blessed with the size and a look that Vince McMahon that clearly would appeal to Vince McMahon, for a while it seemed like Test could be a future Superstar.

Even tapped to be involved in a lengthy storyline with the McMahon family, which typically is a big deal, at one point his character was even engaged to Stephanie. Of course, all of that came to an end when Triple H married his onscreen fiancée and his career never reached those heights again.

Found by police after his neighbour noticed that it looked like his body hadn’t moved in hours, it is believed his life came to an end the day before. Eventually revealed to have passed away due to an accidental Oxycodone overdose, it was an inauspicious end for someone that had accomplished so much.

#4 Chris Kanyon

Introduced to most wrestling fans while he performed under a colourful and fearsome mask and went by the name Mortis, the man that came to be known as Chris Kanyon was extremely skilled. Renowned for his often innovative offence, eventually he showed the world his face and his career proceeded to take off from there.

Part of three WCW factions, The Flock, Jersey Triad, and New Blood, it seemed like each time he moved from one group to another his career prospects only improved. One of the performers whose contract was bought out when the WWE purchased WCW, sadly after a match in which he and DDP were obliterated by Undertaker and Kane his career never recovered.

Open about the fact that he had Bipolar Disorder and suffered from bouts of depression during his living years, Kanyon took his own life in mid-2010. Remembered by fans who enjoyed his in-ring work and wrestlers that loved him, Kanyon’s career and life deserve to be a lot more celebrated.

#3 Brian Adams

Given a practically impossible task when he first rose to fame in the WWE, Brian Adams was added to the tag team Demolition under the ring name Crush. An act that millions of wrestling fans already loved without him, many viewers saw his addition as an intrusion. Eventually able to overcome a bad first impression, Crush feuded with Randy Savage as a solo star and was one of the early members of the Nation of Domination.

Opting to jump to the WCW at the height of the Monday Night Wars, Adams went by his birth name while there and joined one of the most important factions of all-time, the nWo. Then he became the Kiss Demon before forming the dominating tag team KroniK with Bryan Clark.

Signed by the WWE one last time but gone before long, Adams left the limelight for the most part in 2001 and met his untimely demise in 2007. Found unconscious in his bed, Adams had ingested a normal level of several medications which combined fatally impeded his respiratory system.

#2 Bam Bam Bigelow

The kind of performer that stands out from the moment you see him, Bam Bam Bigelow was a large man with fire tattoos on the top of his head where hair normally would be. More agile than most men half his size, Bigelow could do astonishing things in the ring, including performing an absolutely gorgeous moonsault.

Most famous for his time in the WWE, his career peaked when Bigelow was tapped to battle Lawrence Taylor in the main event of WrestleMania XI. Also able to have a lengthy run in WCW and the land of the extreme, he even managed to have a reign as ECW World Heavyweight Championship.

Most worthy of praise for one moment in his life, in a moment of true heroism, Bigelow suffered second-degree burns to 40% of his body after saving three children from a house fire. Unfortunately, even though he saved those lives his own came to an end in 2007. Found in his home, he’d ingested a lethal amount of an anti-anxiety medication and an illegal substance and he also had a heart problem.

#1 Lance Cade

Trained by arguably the single best wrestler in the history of the business, the fact that Shawn Michaels chose to teach Lance Cade the ropes says an awful lot. When you combine that in with the fact that he looked like the prototypical performer Vince McMahon wants, it is amazing his career only went so far.

Signed by the WWE where he had a forgettable first three years, his career started to take off when he teamed with Trevor Murdoch and the pair won Tag Team gold 3 times. Also, he chose to align himself with Chris Jericho onscreen, that storyline could have started Cade’s ascent if he hadn’t been abruptly released from the company.

Fired due to what Jim Ross described as a “major league mistake while utilizing bad judgment that cost him his job” that included “having a seizure on an aeroplane”, Cade never got another WWE chance. That is the case because less than 2 years later he passed away due to accidentally ingesting multiple medications and having an enlarged heart.

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