Professional wrestling as a sport sees those involved give their body, mind, and soul for the sake of their performance. The body is subject to a controlled maiming, the mind is tested to endure the pain that is compounded by injury, and prolonged periods of travel make proper rest scarce.
To succeed in wrestling requires a deep-seated passion for the business, where payouts are mere pittances outside of the highest level. The life of a road warrior, away from loved ones and the comfort of home as they make town to town, can severely impact one’s mental state.
For some, substances can provide the solace they seek until they can no longer chase that dragon.
Eventually, it snowballs into more potent means which yields its own personal and social issues.
Unlike any other industry, wrestling has seen scores of premature deaths relating to its talent. Whether it be self-inflicted or accidental, the nature of these deaths leaves their families and the wrestling community as a whole reeling.
That’s not to say some wrestlers don’t get to live a full life, but headlines of talent dying young are all too common.
When tragedies like this strike, it’s up to the industry to pick itself up and pay tribute to those who’ve given their time to the ring.
In no particular order, here are some of professional wrestling’s greatest memorial shows. given their time to the ring. In no particular order, here are some of professional wrestling’s greatest memorial shows.
ROH: Jay Briscoe Celebration of Life
On January 17, 2023, Jay Briscoe died at 38 in a head-on car accident in Laurel, Maryland. Briscoe, a pillar of Ring of Honor since its founding, is a former World Champion and collected numerous tag team championships with his brother Mark.
The Briscoes wrestled their last televised bout against FTR at ROH Final Battle the month before, dropping the belts in a sickening dog collar match. A day after his passing, the Jay Briscoe Celebration of Life was taped following an episode of AEW Dynamite.
The opening contest saw Wheeler Yuta retain his Pure Rules Championship against Big Japan visitor Hagane Shinno. Noted Briscoe’s rival Eddie Kingston defeated QT Marshall and during his victory would tell Jay he loved him to the hard cam.
Throughout the broadcast, tearful eulogies from Samoa Joe, Adam Cole, Prince Nana, and others depicted the hard worker and devout family man Briscoe was. Also woven into the event were highlights of Briscoe’s career, including his Fight Without Honor against Cole at Final Battle 2014.
The main event saw ROH stalwart Christopher Daniels step to the plate in a losing effort against defending World Champion Claudio Castagnoli. Following a Jay Driller and pinfall by Castagnoli, the two competitors embraced as Briscoe’s music led the broadcast off the air.
Both men cut a promo honoring Briscoe, with Daniels grateful for sharing the ring with the Sandy Fork native throughout his career. Castagnoli emphasized giving Briscoe his flowers, telling the crowd to hug those they love before sending the audience off.
The episode was released on Honor Club the day after what would’ve been the 39th birthday of Jay. Briscoe’s funeral was held later that week, with members of the wrestling world coming to pay their respects to someone taken too soon.
WCCW: Von Erich Memorial Parade of Champions
The first family of Dallas’ World Class Championship Wrestling, the Von Erichs were massively beloved figures in the public eye.
The Yellow Rose of Texas, David Von Erich was poised to become NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion thanks to his youthful vigor, technical acumen, and promo ability. While on tour with All Japan Pro Wrestling, David was found dead in his hotel room at 25. David’s funeral was a media spectacle, being mourned by thousands on both sides of the Pacific.
Fritz Von Erich would announce a memorial supercard held in his late son’s honor at Texas Stadium, headlined by defending NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair taking on Kerry Von Erich.
Fans packed the stadium, breaking attendance records as they sought to pay their respects. Glen Goza wrote “Heaven Needed a Champion” in honor of David, which was performed by Jill Floyd during the show.
In the semi-main event, Fritz stepped out of retirement to join his sons Kevin and Mike in a six-man bout against the Fabulous Freebirds.
The Von Erichs would win the NWA World Six-Man Tag Team Championship in a “Badstreet Rules” brawl. The main event saw the globally-recognized Flair take on local hero Kerry, donned in yellow in tribute to his brother.
Utilizing a backslide to score the 3-fall, Kerry began an 18-day reign as he celebrated with his family in the ring to close out the show.
The show was a plot point in “The Iron Claw” film, depicting a coin toss that would decide if Kevin or Kerry would be the one to face Flair. Archival footage of the match would be shown as well.
During the episode of “Dark Side of the Ring” covering the family, Kevin would describe Kerry’s win saying “It was a great night, not bittersweet at all sweet sweet.”
Four more stadium shows were held in the following years as the promotion’s relevance eroded. The 1987 edition was in memoriam of David and Mike Von Erich, who passed away from suicide following over a year of health and legal troubles.
The Wrestling Observer Newsletter voted the company’s exploitation of Mike’s death as the Most Disgusting Promotional Tactic of that year.
Mark Curtis Memorial Reunion
While the wrestlers get the spotlight during a show, there are dozens of actors behind the scenes who make the production work. Brian Hildebrand, who also worked as Mark Curtis, infamously portrayed the Ninja Turtle knockoff Kowabunga in Smoky Mountain Wrestling.
A gifted athlete, Hildebrand’s unassuming looks led to him being typecast as a referee in ECW and WCW.
Sadly, Hildebrand died of stomach and bowel cancer in September 1999. Featuring many of Curtis’ old comrades from SMW, a 2005 Reunion Memorial show was promoted with the proceeds going to the Children’s Miracle Network.
A battle royal opened the show, with Big Dick Flannigan besting a dozen other competitors. Noted southern independent personality Count Grog came out of retirement, managing Timber the Lumberjack in a loss against Death & Destruction’s Roger Anderson.
The Texas Heavyweight Championship was contested over as Tom Prichard failed to retain the belt against Terry Taylor in the semi-main event.
The final match saw Mick Foley return to the ring for the first time in a year, teaming with Shane Douglas to get the win over Al Snow and D’Lo Brown.
In his book “Countdown to Lockdown” Foley mentions the show as being one of his few house show outings throughout the 2000s.
He’d later call Hildebrand one of his best friends in the industry and distinguish his passing as “however tragic, could not be linked to wrestling in any realistic way.” Douglas recapped the event during an episode of his “Triple Threat Podcast” webshow.
WWF RAW: Rest In Peace, Brian Pillman
Breaking into the wrestling business after a career in the NFL, Brian Pillman made a name for himself for his unhinged persona in and out of the ring. Earning notoriety in WCW and ECW, Pillman was a year into a run with the WWF when he was scheduled for a match at In Your House: Badd Blood.
Hours before belltime, hotel staff found Pillman dead of a heart attack, the result of a previously unknown cardiological condition and substance abuse.
On that week’s broadcast of Raw, McMahon opened the episode as the arena fell silent as a salute was made in honor of Pillman.
The first promo saw Shawn Michaels and Triple H, flanked by Rick Rude and Chyna call out the Hart Foundation. WWF Champion Bret Hart would refer to Michaels as “nothing more than a degenerate,” which would morph into the D-Generation X faction name.
Triple H went over Hart in a count-out victory for the main event, setting the stage for Hart and Michaels’ confrontation at Survivor Series.
In his first appearance on network television, Kane made quick work of the Hardy Boyz after which Paul Bearer mocked the Undertaker. Bearer vowed to set Kane on a path of destruction until their eventual confrontation.
The WWF interviewed Melanie Pillman, newly widowed and shaken by the events of the last 24 hours. McMahon referred to Pillman’s death as an “overdose,” despite toxicology reports not being produced to verify those claims.
The interview segment featuring Pillman’s distraught family was scrutinized by critics, winning the Wrestling Observer’s Most Disgusting Tactic award for 1997.
In his book “Have a Nice Day” Mick Foley set the stage for the talent being told of Pillman’s death and the decision to move forward with a realistic, Attitude-centric presentation.
Angles featuring Pillman such as the infamous gun segment were representative of this shift, and his passing left a hole for storytelling in this style.
HWA: Brian Pillman Memorial Show
Following Pillman’s death, wrestler and HWA promoter Les Thatcher produced the Brian Pillman Memorial Show to raise funds for the education of Pillman’s children.
A collaboration between the big three companies of the Monday Night Wars, as well as independent talent, the show was sanctioned at Norwood Middle School in Norwood, Ohio.
The undercard saw appearances from Nick Dinsmore, later known as Eugene of the WWE and future TNA star Shark Boy. The semi-main event saw ECW’s Chris Candido bested by Al Snow, who would be called back to the WWF a month later.
The main event saw WCW’s Chris Benoit defeat Chris Jericho in another chapter of their international rivalry. Steve Austin also cut a promo in a special guest segment.
Before the Forbidden Door or Prohibited Portal, independent memorial cards offered a chance for wrestlers, no matter their corporate allegiances, to pay tribute. Brian Pillman Jr., now known as Lexis King in WWE, would go on to say that the solidarity shown to him by the wrestling community was “a really beautiful thing” (h/t Fightful).
Pillman’s daughter Brittany alleges that the money raised for her and her siblings was mismanaged by their mother, who battled addiction (h/t WhatCulture).
Later events saw increased involvement from the major promotions, with the last show held in 2001. Al Snow would say that despite the bickering of a wrestling locker room, shows like Pillman’s memorial showed how the business and those involved “would take care of one of their own.”
WWF Raw: Raw is Owen
The youngest of the Hart wrestling dynasty, Owen Hart was known for his immense in-ring talent mixing agile athleticism with technical know-how.
As the Blue Blazer, Hart was set to challenge for the Intercontinental Championship at Over the Edge in May 1999. Rigged to dive in from the rafters as part of a gag, an error with his harness resulted in a fatal accident.
The following night in St. Louis, Vince McMahon gave a public address about the previous night’s tragedy. A ten bell salute and video tribute to Hart’s best moments were played to celebrate his life in and out of the ring.
Jeff Jarrett, a close friend of Owen, faced off against Test to earn a victory in the opener.
Members of the roster were allowed to speak on their experiences with Hart. Mark Henry wrote a poem eulogizing Owen, tearfully walking off at the end.
The Godfather, Owen’s intended opponent the night of his accident, paid Road Dogg off with escorts to successfully retain his Intercontinental Championship. In the final segment of the event, Austin gave a final toast to Owen as an “In Memoriam” bumper faded off the air.
On The Steve Austin Show, Stone Cold described the mood going into the show as “discombobulating.” While fans expected a typical episode of Raw is War, the tragedy needed to be acknowledged. Clips of Hart’s funeral were shown on the following episode of Raw.
AJPW: Bruiser Brody Memorial Show
A world-traveled attraction who went by his own accord, Bruiser Brody was among the most influential brawlers of his time. During a locker room scuffle in Puerto Rico with José González, who worked as the masked Invader 1, Brody suffered a stab wound to his gut.
As wrestlers and paramedics struggled to get him out of the arena, Brody bled out on the way to the hospital at the age of 42. Brody had made a significant career in Japan, one of its most distinguished gaijin performers in both New Japan and All Japan.
Running out of the Budokan, AJPW held a tribute show in honor of Brody’s contributions to the business. In a memorial service, talents laid flowers and paid their respects to one of the top foreign talents of the country. Also present for the event was Brody’s widow Barbara Goodish and their son Geoffrey.
Stan Hansen, whose relationship with Brody goes back to their days in West Texas A&M, was handed Brody’s chain by his widow.
Hansen would see action in the penultimate match of the night, going over Abdullah the Butcher via disqualification. Company promoter Giant Baba stood tall after a bout against Rusher Kimura.
The barnburner main event saw the AJPW World Tag Team Titles change hands as Jumbo Tsuruta and Yoshiaki Yatsu dropped the belts to Genichiro Tenryu and Ashura Hara.
The proceeds of the show were handed off to the Goodish family in an act of solidarity. The show would be a massive success for the promotion, bringing their largest gate in a decade.
Brody’s death was a period of international mourning, leaving fans from scores of territories reeling. On his website, Tom Zenk was quoted as saying it was “great and eerie… beautiful to see all the fans bring him roses and gifts.”
AEW Dynamite: Brodie Lee Celebration of Life
On Boxing Day of 2020, AEW star Brodie Lee succumbed to idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis in Jacksonville following a two month hospitalization.
Beloved and respected by colleagues following a body of work spanning nearly two decades, Lee’s death at 41 shook the wrestling world to its core.
During his short stint with the company, Lee squashed Cody Rhodes for the TNT Championship before losing the belt back in a hellacious swan song of a Dog Collar Match.
AEW hosted a “Celebration of Life” honoring Lee the following Dynamite at Daily’s Place. The television special opened with a ten-bell salute for Lee, with his family and the AEW locker room on stage to pay their respects.
Throughout the night, testimonies of Lee’s character and kindness were given by the roster. Lance Archer, wearing a white tank top and denim jeans in homage to Lee, joined forces with Evil Uno and Stu Grayson to take on Eddie Kingston, The Butcher, and The Blade.
During a trios match against MJF, Santana, and Ortiz, Erick Redbeard made his company debut in a run-in save for Hangman Page and Dark Order members Alex Reynolds and John Silver.
Embracing Page and Lee’s stablemates, a tearful Redbeard held a sign up to the hard camera telling Lee “Goodbye, for now, my brother.”
In the main event, Cody teamed with Orange Cassidy and Preston Vance to defeat Team Taz. To close out the night, Rhodes gave a speech and Tony Khan deemed Lee to be “TNT Champion for Life.”
Khan presented Lee’s son, Brodie Jr., with the same championship his father held and retired the design. As Lee’s boots and purple bandana lay in the ring, a video package closed the broadcast.
Lee’s legacy is felt within the company to this day, with his wife Amanda Huber joining the company as Community Engagement Coordinator until she was reportedly moved into production.
In an interview with GiveMeSport WWE, Kingston described breaking down following his match and described the backstage environment saying “I saw everyone’s passion that night and it was beautiful.”
WWE Raw: Raw is Eddie
An heir of the Guerrero wrestling family, Eddie Guerrero ascended through the hierarchy from the midcard to the WWE Championship. Conquering his vices and becoming a bonafide main eventer by 2005, Guerrero’s health problems slowly mounted despite his attempts to keep them under wraps.
On November 13th of that year, Eddie was found by his nephew Chavo and Marriott staff lying on a hotel bathroom floor. Guerrero succumbed to acute heart failure at 38.
With a WWE taping commencing later that evening, fans had been made aware of the morning’s events and arrived with signs memorializing Eddie.
Vince McMahon greeted the crowd and stated Guerrero’s passing, with much of the roster behind him wearing “I’m Your Papi” shirts. Guerrero’s lowrider was also on stage, as a highlight reel of his best moments played for the viewers.
Members of both Raw and Smackdown were present for the show, with the opening bout seeing World Tag Team Champions Kane and the Big Show defeat WWE Tag Team Champs MNM.
Noted Guerrero rival Kurt Angle tapped out former protege Shelton Benjamin via the Ankle Lock. In their first-ever encounter, Rey Mysterio defeated Shawn Michaels. WWE Champion John Cena won a non-title main event against Randy Orton via disqualification.
Roster members were given the platform to say their piece on the tragedy, highlighting Guerrero’s work ethic and contributions to the business.
Chris Benoit in particular, gave an especially somber message to Eddie given their close friendship stemming from their work in New Japan Pro Wrestling.
That week’s Smackdown was taped the same evening, a continuation of the tribute on Guerrero’s home brand. Mercedes Mone, fka Sasha Banks, talked about being present at the taping hoping Guerrero would see her sign from her second row seats (h/t Fightful).
She described “crying like a little baby,” as she was told of his passing after arriving at the arena.
AJPW: Giant Baba Memorial Show
Japan’s mild-mannered colossus, Giant Baba gained national fame as a baseball player, turning to professional wrestling as a student of puroresu deity Rikidozan.
Following his teacher’s death, Baba formed All Japan Pro Wrestling in 1972 where he led the promotion as its top star. Falling out of the spotlight into the undercard, Baba’s health deteriorated until he passed from colon cancer in January 1999.
In honor of their fallen founder, AJPW held the Giant Baba Memorial Show which was treated more like a retirement show.
Former opponents of Baba such as The Destroyer, Gene Kiniski, and Bruno Sammartino made an appearance in a special ceremony, with Baba’s boots left in the ring. All of the company’s Four Pillars of Heaven competed on the card, as well as Baba’s rival and trusted friend Stan Hansen.
Joining with Hansen and Akira Taue was Steve Williams, limping due to an injury but jumpstarting his post-WWF comeback tour early in honor of his former boss. Resident Gaijin Johnny Ace teamed with his brother Animal and Hawk of the Road Warriors, returning to Japan after a rough patch in the WWF.
The main event saw company ace Mitsuharu Misawa take on Vader, the rampaging Triple Crown Champion amid a second puro renaissance following his own botched WWF run. To end the show on a high note, Misawa conquered The Mastodon to win his fifth world championship.
The show broke box office records at the time, selling out the Tokyo Dome and being amongst some of the largest attendances in wrestling history. Baba’s death marked a change in the company’s culture as Baba’s widow Motoko and company president Misawa butted heads over conflicting visions.
The push to modernize the company would see Misawa, along with nearly the entire roster, jump ship to form Pro Wrestling NOAH the next year.
In a 2002 interview, Hansen would credit Mrs. Baba’s management style for alienating the locker room. He hypothesized had Giant Baba been alive the exodus wouldn’t have happened.
WWE SmackDown: Bray Wyatt & Terry Funk Tribute Show
In a week during August 2023, the wrestling world lost two beloved figures. Terry Funk died at 79 in a Phoenix hospital following a years-long battle with Parkinson’s and dementia.
With a second-generation career spanning five decades on the road, Funk wrestled his last match at 73. A global icon of the industry, Funk’s influence as a journeyman is beyond words.
Windham Rotunda, best known to WWE fans as Bray Wyatt, was found dead in his Florida home of a heart attack. He left behind four children, as well as his wife ex-ring announcer JoJo Offerman.
Wyatt had returned to the company the previous year but was off television after the Royal Rumble due to life-threatening health issues related to COVID-19.
That week’s episode of SmackDown opened with a ten bell salute as cell phone lights polka-dotted the audience, paralleling the “fireflies” of Wyatt’s entrance. As the crowd sang “He’s got the whole world in his hands,” the segment closed with Wyatt’s wooden rocking chair taking the spotlight center stage.
In tribute to Funk’s extreme escapades, Pete Dunne and Ridge Holland of the Brawling Brutes took on the Street Profits in a Hardcore Tag Team match. The Profits secured the victory after a 3D through a table with Montez Ford pinning Holland.
LA Knight, Wyatt’s last opponent, cut a promo during the show giving kudos to Wyatt’s toughness preparing him for the path ahead. Calling out The Miz ahead of their Payback match, Knight referenced a past Wyatt promo leading into their Royal Rumble encounter.
The main event saw Knight secure a victory over Finn Balor of the Judgment Day, who was Wyatt’s first opponent under his Fiend persona. After the broadcast was cut off the air, Cody Rhodes took on Austin Theory in a winning effort.
Commenting on the show, Knight would credit Wyatt for establishing him on the main roster by reiterating “Sometimes your biggest foes can be your biggest helpers,” (h/t Sportskeeda). The Wyatt Sicks, a faction led by Bray’s brother Bo Dallas, has since debuted for the WWE in homage to Wyatt as well as Brodie Lee.
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