59. “Bad Bad” Leroy Brown (1950-1988) – 37 Years
Worked For: NWA, Mid-South, JCP
Achievements: NWA Southern Heavyweight Championship. Mid-South Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Ernie Ladd
Roland Daniels died on September 6, 1988 as the result of a stroke and subsequent heart attack, caused by severe cirrhosis at a hospital in Savannah, Georgia.
60. Louie Spicolli (1971-1998) – 27 Years
Worked For: WWF, ECW, WCW
Achievements: WWA World Trios Championship (2 times) – with Bill Anderson and Tim Patterson
Spicolli had stopped taking drugs after renewed fears for his health, but the news that his mother was terminally ill with cancer led to a relapse. On February 15, 1998, Spicolli died at the age of 27 after overdosing on Soma and wine, choking on his own vomit in his sleep.
Investigators found an empty vial of the male hormone testosterone, pain pills and an anxiety-reducing drug. The Los Angeles County coroner’s office determined the drugs might have contributed to his heart condition.
61. Ludvig Borga (1963-2010) – 47 Years
Worked For: WWF
Achievements: IWGP Tag Team Championship – with Scott Norton
On January 8, 2010, Halme died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, from an unlicensed handgun. His body was found two days later. Following Halme’s death, Jim Ross stated: “I won’t speak at length about those that have passed away but Tony obviously had issues and was not a great guy to be around. Perhaps others have a different view of this man but I personally found him to be somewhat obnoxious and he could be a bully if allowed to be such. Guys like Halme don’t mix well in any locker room and need to be removed from the ‘team’ sooner rather than later. I still feel badly about the last years of Tony’s life as things really unraveled for him seemingly due to alcohol and drug issues.
62. Luna Vachon (1962-2010) – 48 Years
Worked For: WWF, ECW, WCW
Achievements: USWA Women’s Championship, WSU Hall of Fame (Class of 2011)
On the morning of August 27, 2010, she was found dead at her Florida home, when her mother called on her. She was 48 years old. According to the District Six Medical Examiner’s Office in Florida, she died from an “overdose of oxycodone and benzodiazepine”.
Investigators previously found crushed pill residue and snorting straws at multiple locations inside Luna’s house. Luna became addicted to medication at some point and underwent rehabilition, paid for by WWE, which she completed in June 2009.
63. Marianna Komlos (1969-2004) – 35 Years
Worked For: WWF
She was known for her stint as “Mrs. Cleavage”, manager (& mother) of a wrestler named Beaver Cleavage. She died on September 26, 2004 from breast cancer.
64. Brian Hildebrand / Mark Curtis (1962-1999) – 37 Years
Worked For: SMW, ECW, WCW
Hildebrand (right) was diagnosed with stomach and bowel cancer in October 1997. After having surgery in attempt to remove it, he continued refereeing for WCW throughout the following months. During the final stage of his disease in 1999, a Curtis Goes Home benefit was held in his hometown of Rostraver Township, Pennsylvania. Cody Michaels developed and promoted the event, which is viewed by wrestling insiders and experts as one of the truly memorable events in history that actually brought together the major companies at the time, World Wrestling Federation, World Championship Wrestling, and Extreme Championship Wrestling, in support for one of the most genuinely loved workers in the industry.
The major stars that worked and provided support that night included Mick Foley, Dean Malenko, Eddie Guerrero, Chris Benoit, Chris Jericho, Shane Douglas, Bruno Sammartino, Dominic DeNucci, Terry Taylor, D’Lo Brown, Al Snow, Hugh Morrus, Les Thatcher, Billy Kidman, Chris Candido, and many others. Hildebrand died from the disease on September 8, 1999.
65. Michael Von Erich (1964-1987) – 23 Years
Worked For: WCCW
Achievements: NWA American Heavyweight Championship, NWA World Six-Man Tag Team Championship (4 times) – with Kerry and Kevin Von Erich (3), Kevin and Lance Von Erich (1), WCCW Middle Eastern Championship, WWE Hall of Fame (Class of 2009)
A few days before his death, Mike (far right) was arrested on drunk driving and drug charges. On April 12, 1987, he left a suicide note for his family, then went to Lake Dallas, where he overdosed on the sleeping pill Placidyl and alcohol. He was found dead four days later and buried at Grove Hill Memorial Park in Dallas.
66. Mike Awesome (1965-2007) – 42 Years
Worked For: ECW, WCW, WWE, AJPW
Achievements: ECW World Heavyweight Championship (2 times), ECW World Tag Team Championship – with Raven, WWF Hardcore Championship
On February 17, 2007, at around 10:30 p.m, a group of Awesome’s friends found him hanged inside his Tampa home. He was 42 years old. WWE recognized Awesome’s death on-air by displaying an “In Memory…” graphic at the beginning of the February 20, 2007 edition of ECW on Sci Fi, and an article about his death was posted on WWE.com, saying that Awesome was found dead but omitting the cause of death.
67. Mike Davis (1956-2001) – 45 Years
Worked For: WCCW, CWA, WCW
Achievements: AWA Southern Tag Team Championship (5 times) – with Tommy Lane, CWA Tag Team Championship – with Tommy Lane, CWF Tag Team Championship – with Masahiro Chono
Davis (right) died on December 25, 2001 from a massive heart attack in Granbury, Texas, at the age of 45. He was the third World Class wrestler to die in six months (following the deaths of Terry Gordy and Chris Adams in July and October respectively).
68. Miss Elizabeth (1960-2003) – 42 Years
Worked For: WWF, WCW
Achievements: Slammy Award for Woman of the Year (1987)
On May 1, 2003, in Marietta, Georgia, Luger called 9-1-1 to report that Hulette was not breathing. She did not respond to mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, and paramedics rushed her to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead. A medical examiner listed the cause of death as “acute toxicity”, brought on by a mix of painkillers and vodka.
69. Mitsuharu Misawa (1962-2009) – 46 Years
Worked For: AJPW, NJPW, NOAH
Achievements: AJPW Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship (5 times), World Tag Team Championship (6 times) – with Toshiaki Kawada (2), Kenta Kobashi (2), Jun Akiyama (1) and Yoshinari Ogawa (1), GHC Heavyweight Championship (3 times)
On June 13, 2009, Misawa teamed with Go Shiozaki against GHC Tag Team Champions Akitoshi Saito and Bison Smith in a title match at Hiroshima Green Arena. After taking a belly to back suplex from Saito, Misawa lost consciousness and was taken to a hospital. He was pronounced dead in the hospital at 10:10pm JST.
Trending Stories
Latest News
You can keep up with all your wrestling news right here on eWrestlingNews.com. Or, you can follow us over on our Twitter and Facebook pages.
