professional wrestler

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Wrestling's Iron Sheik Became Flippant Social Media Voice

Hall of Famer embraced his villainous identity

(Newser) - The professional wrestling star known as the Iron Sheik, who built on his villainous character to develop a following as a scathing commentator on social media, has died. Hossein Khosrow Ali Vaziri was 81. His family announced his death, providing no details, NBC News reports. Calling him "a loving...

His 'Fight of the Century' Against Ali Made Him Famous

Popular Japanese wrestler and lawmaker Antonio Inoki is dead at 79

(Newser) - Popular Japanese professional wrestler and lawmaker Antonio Inoki, who faced world boxing champion Muhammad Ali in a mixed martial arts match in 1976, has died at 79. Inoki brought Japanese pro wrestling to fame and pioneered mixed martial arts matches between top wrestlers and champions from other combat sports like...

WWE Hall of Famer 'Razor Ramon' Dead at 63
Wrestling Legend
'Razor Ramon' Dead at 63
obituary

Wrestling Legend 'Razor Ramon' Dead at 63

Scott Hall had multiple heart attacks after fall, hip replacement surgery

(Newser) - Scott Hall, or "Razor Ramon" as he was known in World Wrestling Entertainment, died Monday at age 63. Hall had suffered a fall and broke his hip in early March; he reportedly experienced complications during the ensuing hip replacement surgery. On Saturday, after suffering three heart attacks, he was...

Wrestler Jimmy Rave Dies After 3 Amputations
Wrestler Jimmy Rave
Dies After 3 Amputations
OBITUARY

Wrestler Jimmy Rave Dies After 3 Amputations

Agent Bill Behrens said health issues were related to his drug addiction

(Newser) - Former professional wrestler Jimmy Rave has died at the young age of 39. Wrestling agent Bill Behrens announced the death in a Twitter statement , saying Rave had passed away after "struggling with drug addiction for many years." He added "his struggles resulted in the amputation of his...

Ex-WCW Wrestler Found Dead After Alarming Video
Ex-WCW Wrestler
Found Dead After
Alarming Video
OBITUARY

Ex-WCW Wrestler Found Dead After Alarming Video

Daffney Unger said she wanted her brain studied for CTE

(Newser) - Former World Championship Wrestling star Daffney Unger has died of an apparent suicide after posting alarming videos on Instagram Live, which appeared to show her with a gun. Unger, whose real name was Shannon Spruill, appeared to be speaking her final words in the videos shared late Wednesday, in which...

Former WWE Champ Accused of Horrific Sexual Assault

Jose A. Rodriguez Chucuan, aka Alberto Del Rio, arrested in Texas

(Newser) - A professional wrestler is facing charges after a woman accused him of a horrific, hours-long assault, News 4 San Antonio reports. Jose A. Rodriguez Chucuan, 42, known to wrestling fans as Alberto Del Rio, was arrested in San Antonio, Texas, after a woman told police that Chucuan beat her on...

He Gave It His All in the Ring. It Killed Him

Mask-wearing Mexican pro wrestler 'La Parka' dies at age 54 after October in-ring injury

(Newser) - A horrific in-ring accident in October reportedly left a Mexican pro wrestler paralyzed—and now he has succumbed to his injuries. Per the New York Daily News , "La Parka" (real name Jesus Alfonso Huerta Escoboza), known for donning elaborate costumes and masks, most notably ones depicting skeletons, died Saturday...

Survivor and WWE Star Ashley Massaro Dead at 39
A Former Wrestling
Star Is Dead at 39
OBITUARY

A Former Wrestling Star Is Dead at 39

Ashley Massaro said she'd suffering from depression, other injuries from WWE

(Newser) - She was a model who appeared on the cover of Playboy, as a contestant on Survivor, and as a contender in the ring for WWE . Ashley Massaro had done much in her 39 years, but the chance to do more was cut short early Thursday, when she was pronounced dead...

WWE Star Breaks Character for Emotional Live Reveal

Roman Reigns (aka Leati Joseph Anoa'i) says he's been living with leukemia for 11 years, and it's back

(Newser) - Roman Reigns is now part of Wikipedia's "Breaking Kayfabe" page after an announcement during the WWE's Monday Night Raw live programming in Providence, RI. The professional wrestler (real name Leati Joseph Anoa'i), broke character and proclaimed he was giving up his WWE Universal Championship belt due...

2 Deaths Slam WWE World, Including Son of 'the King'

Brian Lawler reportedly hanged himself; Josip Peruzovic, aka 'Nikolai Volkoff,' dies at 70

(Newser) - The professional wrestling world lost two of its own over the weekend, including the son of WWE legend Jerry Lawler. Per Yahoo Sports and the Commercial Appeal , Brian Christopher Lawler, 46, was found hanging in his jail cell in Memphis, Tenn., Saturday evening and died the next day. "Corrections...

WWE Legend Jimmy 'Superfly' Snuka Dead at 73
Jimmy 'Superfly'
Snuka, WWE
Legend, Dead
at 73
OBITUARY

Jimmy 'Superfly' Snuka, WWE Legend, Dead at 73

Hall of Famer who'd faced murder charges lost his battle with cancer

(Newser) - Less than two weeks after a judge dismissed murder charges against him in a 30-year-plus case, a WWE legend has died. Hall of Famer Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka passed away at the age of 73, TMZ reports, with former WWE star Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson confirming his death on...

Ex-WWE Wrestler Found Dead of Apparent Suicide

43-year-old Sean O'Haire was known for his mysterious 'Devil's Advocate' character

(Newser) - Just months after losing the Ultimate Warrior , WWE has lost another of its own. Sean O'Haire, a 43-year-old former professional wrestler best known for his dark "Devil's Advocate" character, died Monday of an apparent suicide in South Carolina, E! Online reports. According to police reports seen by...

12 Stories