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Can a wrestling fed be cursed?

Can a wrestling fed be cursed?

Posted: Jun 27th 2007 By: mikeiles

With the recent tragedy regarding Chris Benoit, several wrestling fans have begun to wonder if perhaps Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) is cursed. The fact a wrestling company is cursed is nothing new by any stretch of the imagination. In the past, it was believed that World Class Championship Wrestling (WCCW) was a cursed wrestling federation due to several of its top stars dying either at the peak of their career or dying at a relatively young age.

By most accounts, there have been 18 former WCCW stars that have had their life end tragically and far too early. The Von Erich family tragedy is well documented with four of Fritz Von Erich's wrestling sons dying young and three of them taking their own lives. David Von Erich was the first of those sons to pass away. He died while on a wrestling tour of Japan in February 1984. It was ruled that David died of acute enteritis which is a severe inflammation of the intestines. However, conspiracy theorists feel that the enteritis cause of death was a cover up and David actually died of a drug overdose. Mike Von Erich was the second to pass away and first to take his own life. He committed suicide in April 1987 by overdosing on the tranquilizer, Placidyl. Chris Von Erich, who was extremely close to his brother Mike, committed suicide by self inflicted gunshot in September 1991, his older brother Kerry Von Erich did the same in February 1993. However, they are far from the only stars who left the Earth far too soon.

Billy Joe Travis: heart attack in November 2002
Bruiser Brody: stabbed in the locker room in Puerto Rico in July 1988
Buzz Sawyer: drug overdose (reportedly heroin) in February 1992
Captain USA (John Studd): Hodgkins Disease in March 1995
Chris Adams: killed by gunshot following an altercation in October 2001; shooter claimed self defense
Crusher Yurkof (Bam Bam Bigelow): drug overdose of cocaine and Benzodiazepine in January 2007
Dave Peterson: motorcycle accident in May 1993
Gino Hernandez: drug overdose of cocaine in January 1986
Magic Dragon: plane crash in November 1987
Mike Davis: heart attack in December 2001
Ralph Pulley: AIDS in January 1992
Rick Rude: heart attack in April 1999
Scott Irwin: brain aneuryism in September 1987
Terry Gordy: heart attack in July 2001

However, ECW has also had its fair share of tragedy as well.

Bam Bam Bigelow: see Crusher Yurkof above
Big Dick Dudley: kidney failure in May 2002
Chris Benoit: alleged suicide by hanging in June 2007
Chris Candido: blood clot due to surgery complications in April 2005
Eddie Gilbert: heart attack in February 1995
Eddie Guerrero: heart failure in November 2005
Johnny Grunge: sleep apnea complications in February 2006
Louie Spicolli: drug overdose of Soma and wine in February 1998
Mike Awesome: suicide by hanging in February 2007
Mike Lockwood (AKA Crash Holly): drug overdose of painkillers in November 2003
Mike Lozansky: died in his sleep of apparent heart failure in December 2003
Pitbull #2 (Anthony Durante): drug overdose of homemade Oxycontin in September 2003
Rocco Rock: heart attack in September 2002
Terry Gordy: see above
Woman: allegedly murdered by her husband Chris Benoit in June 2007

An argument could possibly even be made that WCW or WWF/WWE are also cursed. In addition to several of the names already listed above, WCW and/or WWF/WWE also have had several wrestlers on their roster that have passed away. Below is a list of those wrestlers and by no means a complete and comprehensive list:

Art Barr (AKA The Juicer; WCW)
Adrian Adonis (WWF)
Andre the Giant (WWF)
Bad News Brown (WWF)
Bertha Faye (AKA Rhonda Singh; WCW & WWF)
Bobby Duncum Jr. (WCW)
Brady Boone (WCW & WWF)
Brian Pillman (WCW & WWF)
Curt Hennig (AKA Mr. Perfect; WCW & WWF)
Davey Boy Smith (WCW and WWF)
Dick Murdoch (WCW & WWF)
Dino Bravo (WWF)
Hercules (WWF)
Jeep Swenson (WCW)
John Tenta (AKA Earthquake; WCW & WWF)
Junkyard Dog (WCW & WWF)
Loch Ness (WCW)
Marianna Komlos (AKA Mrs. Cleavage; WWF)
Mark Curtis (WCW)
Miss Elizabeth (WCW & WWF)
Moondog Spot (WWF)
Owen Hart (WWF)
Pez Whatley (WCW)
Randy "Pee Wee" Anderson (WCW)
Ray Traylor (AKA Big Bossman; WCW & WWF)
Renegade (WCW; not the one with Oklahoma experience)
Road Warrior Hawk (WCW & WWF)
Russ Haas (under a WWE developmental deal at the time of his death)
Sapphire (WWF)
Sherri Martel (WCW & WWF)
The Wall (WCW)
Uncle Elmer (WWF)
Yokozuna (WWF)

Is there a curse involving WCCW, ECW, or any other wrestling fed? That is something for wrestling fans to debate and decide for themselves. We should all hope that the list of wrestlers passing away before their time does not continue to add names anytime soon.

 

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Supplemental Information

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Spotlight in History

  • 1951 Joe Alderman became the TSW Missouri Junior Heavyweight Champion
  • 1972 Jose Lothario def. Stan Stasiak for the WCCW Texas Heavyweight Title
  • 1981 Kerry Von Erich & Terry Orndorff def. Tim Brooks & Arman Hussein for the WCCW American Tag Team Titles
  • 2008 3rd Rail def. Outlaw for the SWCW Heavyweight Title
  • 2014 Montego Seeka became the IWR Revolutionary Champion
  • 2020 Thrash became the ASP Mid-American Champion
  • 2020 Brawler Morrison def. Gemini [2nd] for the ASP 5-Star Title
  • 2025 Giganto def. Pastor Brent for the WAH Living Hope Title
  • 2025 Duncan Kincaid def. Deacon Hendrix for the MajCW 24/7 On Call Title
  • 2025 Vald def. Duncan Kincaid for the MajCW 24/7 On Call Title
  • 2025 Duncan Kincaid def. Vald for the MajCW 24/7 On Call Title
  • 2025 Psycho Mike def. Duncan Kincaid for the MajCW 24/7 On Call Title

Week of Sun 10-25 to Sat: 10-31

  • 10-25 1951 Joe Alderman became the TSW Missouri Junior Heavyweight Champion
  • 10-25 1972 Jose Lothario def. Stan Stasiak for the WCCW Texas Heavyweight Title
  • 10-25 1981 Kerry Von Erich & Terry Orndorff def. Tim Brooks & Arman Hussein for the WCCW American Tag Team Titles
  • 10-25 2008 3rd Rail def. Outlaw for the SWCW Heavyweight Title
  • 10-25 2014 Montego Seeka became the IWR Revolutionary Champion
  • 10-25 2020 Thrash became the ASP Mid-American Champion
  • 10-25 2020 Brawler Morrison def. Gemini [2nd] for the ASP 5-Star Title
  • 10-25 2025 Giganto def. Pastor Brent for the WAH Living Hope Title
  • 10-25 2025 Duncan Kincaid def. Deacon Hendrix for the MajCW 24/7 On Call Title
  • 10-25 2025 Vald def. Duncan Kincaid for the MajCW 24/7 On Call Title
  • 10-25 2025 Duncan Kincaid def. Vald for the MajCW 24/7 On Call Title
  • 10-25 2025 Psycho Mike def. Duncan Kincaid for the MajCW 24/7 On Call Title
  • 10-26 1964 Tony Borne def. Karl Kox for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
  • 10-26 1978 Ernie Ladd became the TSW Arkansas Champion
  • 10-26 1983 Junkyard Dog def. Butch Reed for the MSW North American Heavyweight Title
  • 10-26 1986 John Tatum & Jack Victory def. The Fantastics (Tommy Rogers & Bobby Fulton) for the UWF Tag Team Titles
  • 10-26 2002 Beau Dalton def. Vinnie Valentino for the OCW Oklahoma Title
  • 10-26 2002 Michael Faith & Smash Hansen def. Big Daddy Moore & Karl Davis for the OCW Oklahoma Tag Team Titles
  • 10-26 2006 D Money became the UWF06 Heavyweight Champion
  • 10-26 2024 Tommy Dean def. Wesley Crane for the WFC Hometown Heroes Title
  • 10-26 2024 Daniel Aaron Michalles def. Super Star for the WAH Hunger Dojo Title
  • 10-26 2024 Riley Grinn def. Tommy Dean for the WFC Hometown Heroes Title
  • 10-26 2024 Sean Ryan def. Daniel Aaron Michalles for the WAH Hunger Dojo Title
  • 10-26 2025 Duncan Kincaid def. Psycho Mike for the MajCW 24/7 On Call Title
  • 10-27 1984 Chris Adams & Gino Hernandez & Jake Roberts def. Kerry Von Erich, Mike Von Erich, & Bobby Fulton (substituting for Kevin Von Erich) for the WCCW World 6-Man Tag Team Titles
  • 10-27 1995 TNT def. Casey Cannon for the PZWA Heavyweight Title
  • 10-27 2007 Shane Rawls def. Jerry Bostic for the UWF06 Heavyweight Title
  • 10-27 2007 Les Mayne def. Dane Griffin for the UWF06 Texhoma Title
  • 10-27 2007 Martin Justice became the GPCW Lightweight Champion
  • 10-27 2007 Justin Lee def. Shane Morbid for the ComPro Oklahoma X Division Title
  • 10-27 2023 Johnny Kove def. Koko for the CPW Heavyweight Title
  • 10-27 2023 Lunchador became the MajCW 24/7 On Call Native American Champion
  • 10-27 2023 Handgun Dan def. Lunchador for the MajCW 24/7 On Call Native American Title
  • 10-27 2023 Brandon Warhawk def. Handgun Dan for the MajCW 24/7 On Call Native American Title
  • 10-27 2023 Lunchador def. Brandon Warhawk for the MajCW 24/7 On Call Native American Title
  • 10-27 2024 Billie the Kiid def. Malik Mayfield for the ASP Livestream Title
  • 10-28 1975 Karl Kox def. Dick Murdoch for the TSW North American Title
  • 10-28 2006 Mass Destruction (Spoiler 2000 & Bash) became the NWA-U Universal Tag Team Champions
  • 10-28 2006 John O'Malley def. Rocco Valentino for the NWA-U Oklahoma Heavyweight Title
  • 10-28 2006 Christopher Fox became the NWA-U Universal Heavyweight Champion
  • 10-28 2006 Rocco Valentino def. Christopher Fox for the NWA-U Universal Heavyweight Title
  • 10-28 2007 The South Side Soul Assassins (Tyson Jaymes & 3rd Rail) def. Bad Boy & Outlaw for the MSWA Mid-South Tag Team Titles
  • 10-28 2012 Bobby Starr def. Cody Jones for the MSWA Oklahoma Title
  • 10-28 2012 The Investment (Jason Noal & Jay Synn) became the ACW Tag Team Champions
  • 10-28 2012 Johnny Z def. Double D for the MSWA Mid-South Heavyweight Title
  • 10-28 2017 Duke Swellington def. Kikutaro for the ComPro Oklahoma X Division Title
  • 10-29 1969 Johnny Valentine def. Wahoo McDaniel for the WCCW Texas Heavyweight Title
  • 10-29 1984 Kerry Von Erich def. Gino Hernandez for the WCCW American Heavyweight Title
  • 10-29 1995 The Bad Boyz (Brett Knight & Krull Danzig) became the WWEmp Tag Team Champions
  • 10-29 1995 Shane Cortez def. Original Renegade for the WWEmp Television Title
  • 10-29 1995 Red Eagle def. Annihilator for the WWEmp Heavyweight Title
  • 10-29 2002 Ty Magnus def. Brandon Bishop for the ACW Heavyweight Title
  • 10-29 2016 Nathan Estrada def. Gavin Dixon for the ComPro Oklahoma X Division Title
  • 10-29 2016 Urn Stokes def. Steven Cruze for the ComPro Showtime Title
  • 10-29 2016 MX2 (Zak Mason & Dan Maestro) def. Dynamic Shields (Justin Dynamic & Shawn Shields) for the ComPro Tag Team Titles
  • 10-29 2022 Ryan the Ripper def. Ronnie Morton for the RDW Brass Knucks Title
  • 10-29 2022 The Psychotic Messengers (Malachi & Maniac Mike) def. Team Boner (Drake Gallows & MLP) for the AIWF Tag Team Titles
  • 10-29 2022 X-Rated (Kevin James Sanchez & Shane Sanchez & Ozzy Hendrix) def. The Psychotic Messengers (Malachi & Maniac Mike) for the EPW Tag Team Titles
  • 10-30 1978 Mark Lewin & The White Knight became the WCCW Texas Tag Team Champions
  • 10-30 2009 Franco D'Angelo def. Jeremy Quinn III for the ACW Heavyweight Title
  • 10-30 2010 Gene Valdez def. Ryan Reed for the NCW Heavyweight Title
  • 10-30 2010 Mr. Big & Michael H became the NCW Tag Team Champions
  • 10-31 1967 Fritz Von Erich def. Brute Bernard for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
  • 10-31 1972 Johnny Valentine def. Stan Stasiak for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
  • 10-31 1980 Ernie Ladd & Leroy Brown def. Junkyard Dog & Terry Orndorff for the MSW Mid-South Tag Team Titles
  • 10-31 1983 Johnny Mantell def. Jimmy Garvin for the WCCW Television Title
  • 10-31 1994 Beast 3rd became the WWEmp Heavyweight Champion
  • 10-31 2009 Martin Justice became the OECW Heavyweight Champion
  • 10-31 2025 Phoenix Down (Colton Kinnamon & Ricky Wingrave) def. Blazin' Saddles (Bang Bang Bennett & Scotty Rose) for the RDW Tag Team Titles
10-25
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  • Paul Orndorff Oct 29th
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  • Debbie Combs Oct 30th
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  • George Wells Oct 30th
  • Jesse Beeler Oct 30th
  • Jayson Boss Oct 31st
  • Bugsy McGraw Nov 1st
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