5 Pro Wrestlers Who Passed Away After or During Matches

Professional wrestling is not a sport for the faint of heart. Much like other combat sports such as boxing and mixed martial arts, pro wrestlers legitimately risk their lives on a nightly basis to entertain the masses. Today, let's take a quick look at some wrestlers who died during/ due to the fight.

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Moondog Spot

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Booker, a native of Memphis, died in his hometown when he suffered a heart attack during a Memphis Championship Wrestling match on November 29, 2003. The wrestlers involved in the match brought it to a swift end as the paramedics swarmed the ring. Booker passed away upon arriving at the local medical facility.

Luther Lindsay

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Lindsay won his last match, which occurred on February 21, 1972 at the Park Civic Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. He defeated Bobby Paul with a diving belly flop. However, Lindsay died on top of his opponent. When he did not respond to the referee after the match, paramedics took Lindsay backstage where he was pronounced dead at the age of 47. 

Owen Hart

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According to CNN, the harness system that was supposed to lower Hart to the ring malfunctioned on the way down, causing Hart to free fall 78 feet and hit the canvas with a sickening thud. Hart ultimately died of internal bleeding from blunt force trauma, resulting in one of the saddest days in the history of the business.

Ray Gunkel

Wrestler-promoter Ray Gunkel may not have died directly in front of a live audience, but he did pass away in the immediate aftermath of a match where he sustained a legitimate chest injury.  When Baker went to deliver the Heart Punch, the impact created a hematoma in Gunkel's chest, which led to an eventual blood clot that rapidly worsened in the hours following their match until it reached his heart and killed him. 

Jeanette Wolfe

Walding slammed the undersized Wolfe on the mat with authority, which according to the coroner, likely ruptured her stomach. However, she complained of a headache before her second scheduled match of the night and wrestled for a few minutes before collapsing on the ring apron. Wolfe was rushed to the hospital but died the next day.

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