Another new year is set to begin as 2023 draws to a close. Unfortunately, when the new year is ushered in, it will be without several legendary wrestling personalities who sadly passed away in 2023.
Throughout 2023, several legendary Hall of Famers and notable active wrestling stars died. However, they left behind legacies and a plethora of incredible memories for their fans all over the world who watched them live and on television.
This feature looks at the 10 most notable wrestling stars who passed away in 2023.
Jay Briscoe – Aged 38 (January 25, 1984 – January 19, 2023)
The new year kicked off with a truly shocking and tragic death as Jamin Pugh, better known as Jay Briscoe was killed in a car accident.
The 38-year-old father of three was killed instantly in a head on collision.
Briscoe was one half of the hugely successful Briscoe Brothers tag team who reigned as Ring of Honor Tag Team Champions for a record 13 times. As a singles competitor he also wore ROH World Title gold.
He also competed for New Japan, AEW and CZW in a 23 year career that was sadly cut short.
Lanny Poffo – Aged 68 (December 28, 1954 – February 2, 2023)
‘Macho Man’ Randy Savage’s younger brother, Lanny Poffo passed away of heart failure at the age of 68.
Poffo was an enhancement act as ‘Leaping’ Lanny Poffo but found greater fame as the heel, Genius character. Although never a headline act, The Genius entertained by his pre-match ritual of reciting poems, with an eloquence not seen elsewhere in wrestling during the 1980s and early 1990s.
In 2015, he inducted his late brother into the WWE Hall of Fame.
A regular on the convention circuit in his later years, Poffo also had his own podcast between 2018 and 2019. Poffo was survived by his wife and daughter.
Jerry Jarrett – Aged 80 (September 4, 1942 – February 14, 2023)
Jerry Jarrett is one of the most deserving names yet to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. He sadly passed away at the age of 80. Jarrett was undergoing treatment for oesophageal cancer when he died from a heart attack.
Jarrett is perhaps best known in the 21st century for being the father of Jeff Jarrett and co-founder of NWA: TNA (now Impact Wrestling).
However, he was a successful wrestler in the 1960s and 1970s before he founded and became the head booker of the CWA, based in Memphis.
Had Vince McMahon been convicted in the 1994 steroid trial, the story goes that Jarrett was waiting in the wings to step in as head booker of the WWF. That speaks volumes as to the reputation of one of the most pre-eminent promoters in wrestling history.
Jarrett was survived by his wife and four children.
Bushwhacker Butch – Aged 78 (October 21, 1944 – April 2, 2023)
Butch Miller was best known as one half of the opening match tag team, The Bushwhackers who were a fixture on WWF television from 1988 to 1996.
Miller passed away at the age of 78 at an LA hospital on April 2, 2023. He had travelled to California to participate in WrestleMania weekend.
Although the Bushwhackers were never a serious act in the WWF, they had enjoyed a previous life as intense combo, The Sheepherders who were a top championship-level act throughout the 1970s.
The Bushwhackers were inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2015.
Superstar Billy Graham – Aged 79 (June 7, 1943 – May 17, 2023)
Former WWWF Champion, Superstar Billy Graham passed away 79 on May 17, 2023 after a lengthy illness. He died of multiple organ failure and sepsis.
In his prime, Graham was one of the top drawing cards in the industry. His superhuman physique and energetic interviews heavily influenced the likes of Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair and Scott Steiner.
He won the WWWF Title from Bruno Sammartino on April 30, 1977 and finally lost the belt to the next babyface figurehead, Bob Backlund on February 20, 1978. Graham famously petioned then WWWF owner, Vince McMahon Sr. to delay his title loss, given the fact he was doing excellent business as champion. However, McMahon Sr. was unmoved and the title change went ahead as planned.
Graham was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2004.
The Iron Sheik – Aged 81 (March 15, 1942 – June 7, 2023)
The Iron Sheik was best known for acting as the bridge between the antiquated Bob Backlund era and Hulkamania.
Sheik lifted the WWF Championship from Backlund in an infamous bout on Boxing Day 1983. He then dropped the strap to Hulk Hogan on January 23, 1984 at MSG. Sheik was reportedly offered $100,000 by AWA boss, Verne Gagne to break Hogan’s leg during the match and derail Hulkamania before it had even begun. However, Sheik turned the offer down and laid down for ‘The Hulkster’ as planned.
The Iron Sheik was one of the most despised heels in the business during the 1970s and 1980s. He even had a brief renaissance as one of Sergeant Slaughter’s heel crew in 1991.
In later years, Sheik became known for his foul-mouthed shoot interviews and tirades on Twitter.
He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2005. Sheik died of cardiac arrest at the age of 81.
Droz – Aged 54 (April 7, 1969 – June 30, 2023)
Unfortunately, Darren Drozdov was best known for two things; being able to puke on demand as depicted in wrestling documentary, Beyond the Mat and for the unfortunate botched powerbomb which saw him paralysed in October 1999.
Droz had enjoyed a brief career in American Football in the NFL and CFL before embarking on a wrestling career in 1997, which as stated above was tragically cut short when he suffered two fractured vertebrae in his neck.
After initially being left as a quadriplegic, Droz in later years was able to regain the feeling in his upper body and arms.
He sadly passed away at the age of 54 from natural causes on June 30, 2023.
Mantaur – Aged 55 (May 14, 1968 – July 11, 2023)
Mike Halac, most famous for portraying Mantaur, passed away in his sleep at the age of 55. He had been hospitalised earlier that day after severely injuring his back.
The Mantaur character was half man, half bull and was synonymous of the ludicrous gimmicks that filled out the depleted roster on WWF television in the mid-1990s.
Mantaur was a short-lived gimmick and after departing the Federation in the summer of 1995, Halac mainly wrestled for small independent promotions under a variety of gimmicks.
Terry Funk – Aged 79 (June 30, 1944 – August 23, 2023)
WWE Hall of Famer, Terry Funk was one of the most famous and decorated wrestlers of all time. The son of Dory Funk and brother to Dory Funk Jr., Funk lifted the NWA World Title in 1975.
After initially retiring from the ring in 1983, Funk made a comeback the following year and would retire and unretire on numerous occasions throughout the next three decades.
Funk had a career resurgence in 1989 in an all-time classic World Title feud with ‘Nature Boy’ Ric Flair and was the figurehead of renegade promotion, ECW in the mid-1990s. Funk also starred in several movies, such as Paradise Alley and Road House.
‘The Funker’ was deservedly inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2009 alongside his brother.
Funk sadly passed away at the age of 79 on August 23, 2023.
Bray Wyatt – Aged 36 (May 23, 1987 – August 24, 2023)
The wrestling world was shocked when news broke of Bray Wyatt’s sudden and tragic death at the tender age of 36. Thoughts immediately went out to Wyatt’s four young children.
The former WWE and Universal Champion who had been preparing for his comeback after a long illness, died from a heart attack.
The world had lost one of the finest wrestling minds of all time. Wyatt leaves behind a legacy of cutting-edge gimmicks and moments, not least The Firefly Funhouse.
It would appear to be a certainty that Wyatt will be posthumously honoured with a WWE Hall of Fame induction in 2024.
Inside The Ropes would like to send our condolences to family and friends of these legendary wrestlers at this time.
You can watch all of these legendary performers and many of their most memorable moments exclusively on the WWE Network.