A Complete History of WrestleMania Personalities Dying Before the Age of 60

WrestleMania Record: 1 - 1
WrestleMania Appearances: WrestleMania II (defeated Uncle Elmer); WrestleMania III (lost to "Rowdy" Roddy Piper)

Career Highlight: As part of the East-West Connection with partner Jesse Ventura, Adonis enjoyed a lengthy reign as AWA World Tag Team champion. But he's best known for portraying a gender-bending effeminate character in the WWF during the mid-'80s. Adonis wore pastel pink tights, eye-shadow, the occasional sun-dress and feuded with "Rowdy" Roddy Piper, culminating in a Hair vs. Hair match at WrestleMania III.
Date and Cause of Death: July 4, 1988 - Car accident

WrestleMania Record: 0 - 1
WrestleMania Appearances: WrestleMania II (lost to Adrian Adonis)

Career Highlight: The 450-pound country boy was nearly immobile in the ring but he did get around. Uncle Elmer married Joyce Stazko on the Oct. 5, 1985 airing of Saturday Night's Main Event. Of course, since this is pro wrestling, it didn't go according to plan: Jesse Ventura heckled the new couple before Hillbilly Jim came to their defense.
Date and Cause of Death: July 1, 1992 - Kidney failure

WrestleMania Record: 2 - 3 - 1
WrestleMania Appearances: WrestleMania I (defeated Big John Studd); WrestleMania II (won 20-man Battle Royal); WrestleMania III (lost to Hulk Hogan); WrestleMania IV (fought Hulk Hogan to a double countout); WrestleMania V (lost to Jake "the Snake" Roberts" via disqualification); WrestleMania VI (with Haku, lost the WWF Tag Team Championship to Demolition)

Career Highlight: As one of the most beloved wrestlers of the '70s and '80s, the Giant was billed as being undefeated (by pinfall or submission). But he made his greatest mark in defeat--and as a heel. At WrestleMania III, Hulk Hogan pinned Andre the Giant in the most anticipated WrestleMania main event of all time.
Date And Cause Of Death: Jan. 27, 1993 - Heart failure

WrestleMania Record: 1 - 0
WrestleMania Appearances: WrestleMania VII (defeated Dino Bravo)

Career Highlight: Kerry led the Von Erich clan during their legendary feud with the Fabulous Freebirds and achieved solo stardom on May 6, 1984 at the David Von Erich Memorial Parade of Champions. Just months after his big brother's death, Von Erich defeated Ric Flair for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship.
Date and Cause of Death: Feb. 18, 1993 – Suicide, gun

WrestleMania Record: 1 - 3
WrestleMania Appearances: WrestleMania III (accompanied The Dream Team to the ring); WrestleMania IV (lost to Don Muraco via countout); WrestleMania V (defeated Ronnie Garvin); WrestleMania VI (lost to Jim Duggan); WrestleMania VII (lost to Kerry Von Erich)

Career Highlight: At the 1988 Royal Rumble, Bravo, with a little help from Jesse "The Body" Ventura "bench-pressed" 715 pounds setting a new "world record." The quotation marks are present because this is pro wrestling.
Date and Cause of Death: March 10, 1993 – Shot 17 times in an alleged mob hit

WrestleMania Record: 0 - 2
WrestleMania Appearances: WrestleMania I (lost to Andre the Giant); WrestleMania II (lost 20-man Battle Royal)

Career Highlight: In professional wrestling's version of the Hundred Years War, Studd feuded with Andre the Giant from 1983 to 1986. There were body slam challenges, battle royals and sneak attacks, but nothing was more memorable than when Studd gave the Giant a haircut.
Date And Cause Of Death: March 20, 1995 – Liver cancer and Hodgkin's Disease

Wrestlemania Record: 1 - 3
Wrestlemania Appearances: WrestleMania I (defeated Greg "The Hammer" Valentine by countout); WrestleMania II (with Tito Santana, lost to Terry Funk and Hoss Funk); WrestleMania III (lost to Harley Race); WrestleMania IV (lost 20-man Battle Royal)

Career Highlight: In one of the earliest WWF pay-per-view events and single-night tournaments, JYD defeated the Iron Sheik, Moondog Spot and Randy Savage to win the 16-man Wrestling Classic. He also had one of the coolest theme songs.
Date and Cause of Death: July 2, 1998 - Car Accident

Wrestlemania Record: 2 - 0- 1
Wrestlemania Appearances: WrestleMania IV (fought Jake "The Snake" Roberts to a time limit draw); WrestleMania V (defeated the Ultimate Warrior for the WWF Intercontinental Title); WrestleMania VI (defeated Jimmy Snuka)

Career Highlight: As WCW United States champion, Rude, and the Dangerous Alliance, spent most of 1992 tormenting Sting, Ricky Steamboat, Nikita Koloff and all the fat, out-of-shape simpleminded sweathogs ringside.
Date and Cause of Death: April 20, 1999 – Overdose of "mixed medications"

Wrestlemania Record: 5 - 2 - 1
Wrestlemania Appearances: WrestleMania V (as The Blue Blazer, lost to Mr. Perfect); WrestleMania VIII (defeated Skinner); WrestleMania X (defeated Bret Hart); WrestleMania XI (with Yokozuna, defeated the Smoking Gunns for the WWF Tag Team Championship); WrestleMania XII (with Vader and Davey Boy Smith, defeated Jake Roberts, Yokozuna and Ahmed Johnson); WrestleMania XIII (with Davey Boy Smith, fought Vader and Mankind to a double countout); WrestleMania XIV (lost to Triple H); WrestleMania XV (with Jeff Jarrett, defeated D'Lo Brown and Test)

Career Highlight: Before the Harbaugh Brothers and the Williams Sisters (but after Michael and Fredo Corleone) there was Bret and Owen Hart. Forever in the shadow of his big brother, Owen turned on Bret at the 1994 Royal Rumble and then defeated him at WrestleMania X.
Date and cause Of Death: May 23, 1999 – Internal bleeding from blunt force trauma (Hart fell from the rafters in a botched entrance during a WWF pay-per-view event).

Wrestlemania Record: 3 - 3
Wrestlemania Appearances: WrestleMania IX (defeated Bret Hart for the WWF Championship; lost WWF Championship to Hulk Hogan); WrestleMania X (defeated Lex Luger via disqualification; lost the WWF Championship to Bret Hart); WrestleMania XI (with Owen Hart, defeated the Smoking Gunns for the WWF Tag Team Championship); WrestleMania XII (with Jake Roberts and Ahmed Johnson, lost to Vader, Owen Hart, Davey Boy Smith)

Career Highlight: At the 1993 King of the Ring, Yokozuna squashed Hulk Hogan with his own finishing maneuver (the Atomic Leg Drop), avenged his defeat at WrestleMania IX, regained the WWF Championship and sentenced Hogan to a terrible fate: a seven-year stint in WCW.
Date and Cause of Death: Oct. 23, 2000 – pulmonary edema

Wrestlemania Record: 0 - 1
Wrestlemania Appearances: WrestleMania II (lost 20-man Battle Royal)

Career Highlight: This pass-rushing specialist of the famed Dallas Cowboys Doomsday Defense was co-MVP of Super Bowl XII but that didn't help him at WrestleMania II; Martin and Pedro Morales eliminated each other early on during a battle royal that pitted wrestling against football players.
Date and Cause of Death: Dec. 24, 2001 - Pancreatic cancer

Wrestlemania Record: 4 - 2 - 1
Wrestlemania Appearances: WrestleMania II (with Dynamite Kid defeated The Dream Team for the WWF Tag Team Championship); WrestleMania III (with Dynamite Kid and Tito Santana, lost to the Hart Foundation and Danny Davis); WrestleMania IV (with Dynamite Kid and Koko B. Ware, lost to The Islanders and Bobby "the Brain" Heenan); WrestleMania VII (defeated the Warlord); WrestleMania XI (with Lex Luger defeated the Blu Brothers); WrestleMania XII (with Owen Hart and Vader, defeated Jake Roberts, Ahmed Johnson and Yokozuna); WrestleMania XIII (with Owen Hart, fought Vader and Mankind to a double countout)

Career Highlight: In front of 80,000 of his adoring countrymen at Wembley Stadium, the Bulldog defeated real-life brother-in-law Bret "The Hitman" Hart for the WWF Intercontinental Championship. The Summer Slam '92 clash was by far the best match of his career. Still, no excuse for the braids he sported for the occasion.
Date and Cause of Death: May 18, 2002 - Heart Attack

WrestleMania Record: 0 - 1
WrestleMania Appearances: WrestleMania XV (with Johnny Grunge, lost 21-man battle royal)

Career Highlight: Formed the wild, brawling, chair-throwing, table-smashing tag team The Public Enemy with Johnny Grunge in ECW in 1993. Fun-loving fan favorites at times, who often waved their hands like extras in the "Hip-Hop Hooray" video. Both were once buried under dozens of chairs.
Date and Cause of Death: Sept. 21, 2002 – Heart Attack

WrestleMania Record: 1 - 4
WrestleMania Appearances: WrestleMania V (defeated The Blue Blazer) WrestleMania VI (lost to Brutus "the Barber" Beefcake); WrestleMania VII (lost to Big Bossman via disqualification); WrestleMania VIII (managed Ric Flair); WrestleMania IX (lost to Lex Luger); WrestleMania X (special guest referee, Lex Luger vs. Yokozuna); WrestleMania X8 (with Lance Storm and Test, lost to Rikishi, Scotty 2 Hotty and Albert)

Career Highlight: The arrogant Mr. Perfect was once a young, bland babyface in the AWA. On May 2, 1987, he turned to the dark side after cheating Nick Bockwinkel out of the AWA World Heavyweight Championship.
Date and Cause of Death: Feb. 10, 2003 - Acute cocaine intoxication

WrestleMania Record: 0 - 0
WrestleMania Appearances: WrestleMania II, WrestleMania III, WrestleMania IV, WrestleMania VIII (manager, "Macho Man" Randy Savage) WrestleMania V (neutral corner for Hulk Hogan and Savage)

Career Highlight: After years of emotional abuse Elizabeth left her onscreen (and real-life) boyfriend Randy Savage. (Savage aligning with Queen Sherri was the final straw.) Their reunion at WrestleMania VII, however, was one of the most emotional moments in pro wrestling history. Yes, yes, it's a soap opera.
Date and cause Of Death: May 1, 2003 – Drug overdose from prescription drugs and alcohol

Wrestlemania Record: 3 - 1
Wrestlemania Appearances: WrestleMania VII (with Animal, defeated Paul Roma and Hercules); WrestleMania XIII (with Animal and Ahmed Johnson, defeated the Nation of Domination); WrestleMania XIV (with Animal, won a 15-team battle royal); WrestleMania XV (with Animal, lost 21-man battle royal)

Career Highlight: As the Road Warriors, Animal and Hawk were the most dominating tag team of the 1980's. Storming the ring in face paint, leather and spikes and annihilating opponents was their m.o. And in Oct. 1988, they brutalized the Midnight Express to win the NWA World Tag Team Championships.
Date and Cause of Death: Oct. 19, 2003 - Heart attack

Wrestlemania Record: 0 - 1
Wrestlemania Appearances: WrestleMania XVI (lost hardcore battle royal)

Career Highlight: Crash and his storyline cousin Hardcore Holly--both had bleached blond crew cuts, muscles, and kind of looked like Barney Rubble--defeated The Rock and Sock Connection (The Rock and Mankind) for the WWF Tag Team Championships on Oct. 18, 1999.
Date and Cause of Death: Nov. 6, 2003 – Suicide via prescription drugs and alcohol

WrestleMania Record: 1 - 4 - 1
WrestleMania Appearances: WrestleMania II (lost to Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat) WrestleMania III (fought Billy Jack Haynes to a double countout); WrestleMania IV (lost to the Ultimate Warrior); WrestleMania V (defeated King Haku); WrestleMania VI (lost to Earthquake); WrestleMania VII (with Paul Roma, lost to the Legion of Doom)

Career Highlight: Hercules, a 270-pound powerhouse, debuted in the WWF in 1985 with "Classy" Freddie Blassie as his manager but his career really took once he fell under the tutelage of Slick. His most high-profile match came against Hulk Hogan on a Nov. 1986 episode of Saturday Night's Main Event.
Date and Cause of Death: March 6, 2004 - Heart disease

Wrestlemania Record: 5 - 1
Wrestlemania Appearances: WrestleMania V (with Akeem, defeated The Rockers); WrestleMania VI (defeated Akeem); WrestleMania VII (defeated Mr. Perfect via disqualification); WrestleMania VIII (with Virgil, Sgt. Slaughter, Jim Duggan, defeated Nasty Boys, Repo Man and the Mountie); WrestleMania XV (lost to the Undertaker); WrestleMania XVI (with Bull Buchanan, defeated the Godfather and D'Lo Brown)

Career Highlight: It definitely wasn't the time he interrupted a funeral and drove off with the casket. The most beloved prison guard in history debuted in the WWF as the evil henchman of Slick. And in late 1988, Bossman and his tag team partner Akeem the African Dream--a white guy, mind you--feuded with Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage, the two biggest stars in the company.
Date and Cause of Death: Sept. 22, 2004 – Heart Attack

Wrestlemania Record: 1 - 0
Wrestlemania Appearances: WrestleMania XII (with Zip, defeated the Godwinns for the WWF Tag Team Championship)

Career Highlight: Does dating Tammy Lynn Sytch (a.k.a. Sunny in WWF) count as a career highlight? In addition to the impressive arm candy, Candido was also a solid wrestler with a mean streak who had a nice run as ECW Tag Team Champion with Lance Storm in 1998.
Date and Cause of Death: April 28, 2005 – complications during surgery for a broken tibia and fibula suffered in a match

Wrestlemania Record: 2 - 3
Wrestlemania Appearances: WrestleMania XVI (with Perry Saturn and Dean Malenko, lost to Too Cool and Chyna); WrestleMania XVII (defeated Test for the WWF European Championship); WrestleMania XIX (with Chavo Guerrero, lost to Team Angle in 3-way match); WrestleMania XX (defeated Kurt Angle); WrestleMania XXI (lost to Rey Mysterio)

Career Highlight: One of the most proficient, entertaining ("We lie! We cheat! We steal!") and popular wrestlers of all time, Guererro won WWE World Heavyweight title beat Brock Lesnar to win the WWE Championship. Also, probably holds the unofficial record for the sickest blade job in wrestling history.
Date and Cause of Death: Nov. 13, 2005 – Heart Failure

Wrestlemania Record: 0 - 1
Wrestlemania Appearances: WrestleMania XV (with Rocco Rock, lost 21-man battle royal)

Career Highlight: Redefined tag team violence with Rocco Rock as The Public Enemy and engaged in a long brutal feud with The Gangstas.
Date and Cause of Death: Feb. 16, 2006 – Heart disease complicated by obesity, acute toxicity of carisoprodol and hydrocodone

Wrestlemania Record: 4 - 1
Wrestlemania Appearances: WrestleMania VI (defeated Hercules); WrestleMania VII (defeated Greg Valentine); WrestleMania VIII (with Typhoon, defeated Money Inc. via countout); WrestleMania X (defeated Adam Bomb); WrestleMania XVII (lost gimmick battle royal)

Career Highlight: Shortly after debuting in the WWF, Earthquake, a former sumo wrestler, attacked Hulk Hogan, knocking him out of action until Summer Slam '90. We didn't find out until later how truly heinous Earthquake's actions were; Hogan filmed Suburban Commando during his hiatus.
Date and Cause of Death: June 7, 2006 - Bladder cancer

Wrestlemania Record: 1 - 2
Wrestlemania Appearances: WrestleMania IV (lost to the One Man Gang via countout); WrestleMania X (with Luna Vachon, defeated Doink the Clown and Dink); WrestleMania XI (lost to Lawrence Taylor)

Career Highlight: The former real-life bounty hunter with the tattooed skull was a mid-card staple for most of his career before main-eventing WrestleMania XI. Bigelow lost to football legend Lawrence Taylor but somehow got a decent match out of him. It didn't suck! Seriously!
Date and Cause pf Death: Jan. 19, 2007 – Accidental drug overdose (cocaine and anti-anxiety drugs) and arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease

Wrestlemania Record: 0 - 1
Wrestlemania Appearances: WrestleMania VI (with Randy Savage, lost to Dusty Rhodes and Sapphire); WrestleMania VII (managed Randy Savage); WrestleMania VIII (managed Shawn Michaels); WrestleMania IX (managed Tatanka)

Career Highlight: Known for her time managing champions in the AWA (Buddy Rose and Doug Somers), WCW (Ric Flair) and the WWF (Randy Savage, Shawn Michaels), Martel was, in fact, one of the most gifted female wrestlers of the 1980's. She won the AWA Women's Championship in 1985 and on July 24, 1987 Sherri defeated the Fabulous Moolah for the WWF Women's Championship.
Date and Cause of Death: June 15, 2007 – Drug overdose from Oxycodone

WrestleMania Record: 3 - 5
WrestleMania Appearances: WrestleMania XVI (defeated Kurt Angle and Chris Jericho for the WWF Intercontinental Championship; lost to Chris Jericho); WrestleMania XVII (lost to Kurt Angle); WrestleMania XIX (with Rhyno, lost to Team Angle in 3-way); WrestleMania XX (defeated Triple H and Shawn Michaels for the World Heavyweight Championship); WrestleMania XXI (lost to Edge in 6-man Money in the Bank ladder match); WrestleMania XXII (lost to JBL); WrestleMania XXIII (defeated MVP)

Career Highlight: At WrestleMania XX, Benoit defeated Triple H and Shawn Michaels for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. Afterwards, with balloons falling from the rafters, he embraced his longtime friend, the WWE Champion Eddie Guerrero.
Date And Cause Of Death: June 24, 2007 – Suicide, hanging; also murdered his wife and young son