professional wrestling

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Former WWE Wrestler Held in Wife's Death

Janette Becraft suffered from dementia, neighbors say

(Newser) - William Albert Haynes Jr., who wrestled professionally under the name Billy Jack Haynes, is being held in Oregon in the shooting death of his wife. Portland police identified Haynes, 70, as a suspect after Janette Becraft, 85, was found dead in their home on Thursday, the Oregonian reports. A woman...

Dwayne Johnson Finally Gets Rights to Famous Nickname
'The Rock' Has
a New Owner
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
Jan 27, 2024 4:00 PM CST

'The Rock' Has a New Owner

And it's Dwayne Johnson, who strikes a deal with WWE regarding rights to his famous nickname

(Newser) - It's a name that has become almost synonymous with professional wrestling, but its bearer, Dwayne Johnson, has never legally owned "The Rock." That will change under a new agreement with the WWE, under which Johnson will also join the board of TKO Group, the sports and entertainment...

Former WWE Star Sentenced to 17 Years After Fatal DUI Crash

Tamara 'Tammy' Sytch wrestled as 'Sunny'

(Newser) - A former WWE wrestler was sentenced to more than 17 years behind bars Monday after a DUI crash last year in Florida that left a 75-year-old man dead. Police say Tamara "Tammy" Sytch, who went by "Sunny" during her wrestling days, had a blood alcohol content four times...

WWE on Auschwitz Pic Used in Promo: We Had No Idea

Company apologizes after Auschwitz Memorial officials blast use of image in WrestleMania promo

(Newser) - The WWE quietly scrubbed an image of Auschwitz used to promote a WrestleMania match last weekend after instant outrage from the masses, and now the organization is finally speaking up about the offensive flub. "We had no knowledge of what was depicted," the WWE said in a statement...

WWE Wrestler Sara Lee Dead at 30
WWE Wrestler
Sara Lee Dead at 30
OBITUARY
Oct 7, 2022 2:40 PM CDT

WWE Wrestler Sara Lee Dead at 30

'Tough Enough' contestant, mother of 3 dies unexpectedly of unknown cause

(Newser) - Sara Lee, a professional wrestler who nabbed a WWE contract as season 6 winner of the Tough Enough reality TV competition, has died. Lee's mother confirmed the 30-year-old mother of three, who was married to fellow wrester Westin Blake, died unexpectedly. "We are all in shock and arrangements...

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
Mar 15, 2022 5:05 AM CDT

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
Dec 14, 2021 7:23 AM CST

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
Sep 3, 2021 6:39 AM CDT

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...

Wrestling Legend 'Mr. Wonderful' Dies
Wrestling Legend
'Mr. Wonderful' Dies
Jul 13, 2021 12:02 AM CDT

Wrestling Legend 'Mr. Wonderful' Dies

Paul Orndorff was 71

(Newser) - One of the stars of World Wrestling Entertainment's 1980s heyday has died at age 71. Paul Orndorff, otherwise known as "Mr. Wonderful," signed with the World Wrestling Federation in 1983, and was managed by "Rowdy" Roddy Piper, who gave him his nickname, Deadline reports. During the...

Head Injuries Suit Against WWE Goes to Supreme Court

Former wrestlers have lost in lower court rulings

(Newser) - Dozens of former pro wrestlers who claimed in lawsuits that World Wrestling Entertainment failed to protect them from repeated head injuries are taking their case to the US Supreme Court. A lawyer for the former wrestlers, most of them stars in the 1980s and '90s, filed a request late...

Pro-Wrestler Dies of 'Lung Issue' at 41
Former WWE Champ
Jon Huber Dead at 41
obituary
Dec 27, 2020 9:30 AM CST

Former WWE Champ Jon Huber Dead at 41

Huber wrestled for WWE and AEW as Luke Harper and Brodie Lee

(Newser) - Jon Huber, a beloved professional wrestling champ known as Brodie Lee and Luke Harper in the ring, has died at the age of 41. Huber's wife, Amanda Huber, posted about the tragedy on Instagram . "My best friend died today," she wrote, . "surrounded by love ones after...

Wrestler's Last Words: 'Save My Son'
Wrestler's
Last Words:
'Save My Son'
OBITUARY
May 20, 2020 10:40 AM CDT

Wrestler's Last Words: 'Save My Son'

Body of Shad Gaspard, 39, washes ashore in Venice Beach, Calif.

(Newser) - Former WWE star Shad Gaspard has been confirmed dead after he disappeared in a rip current off Venice Beach, Calif., on Sunday. A person reported a body on the beach near Venice Pier around 1:30am Wednesday. The Los Angeles County coroner's office has since confirmed the body is...

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...

The Man Who Trained the Rock Is Dead at 75
The Rock's
Famous Dad
Is Dead at 75
OBITUARY
Jan 16, 2020 6:17 AM CST

The Rock's Famous Dad Is Dead at 75

Rocky Johnson, father of Dwayne Johnson, reportedly died at home after illness

(Newser) - WWE Hall of Famer Rocky Johnson, father of Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, has died at age 75. Sports journalist Dave Meltzer broke the news, later confirmed by the WWE , in a Wednesday tweet , per People . Born Wayde Douglas Bowles, the Canadian competed in the National Wrestling Alliance before joining...

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...

They Stole a Porch Package, Then Found Out What It Was

Thieves apologize, return replica belt meant for sick 5-year-old with brain tumor, autism

(Newser) - Thieves swiped a wrestling belt replica that belonged to a sick 5-year-old Delaware boy—but this story has a somewhat happy ending. Timothy Vick Sr. tells WBOC that little Timmy Vick was diagnosed with autism when he was just a toddler, but then, another development in October: Timmy had a...

Survivor and WWE Star Ashley Massaro Dead at 39
A Former Wrestling
Star Is Dead at 39
OBITUARY
May 17, 2019 1:50 PM CDT

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...

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