A 2014 study by Eastern Michigan University of professional wrestlers who were active between 1985 and 2011, found that mortality rates for professional wrestlers are up to 2.9 times greater than the rate for men in the wider United States population, with cardiovascular-related deaths being 15.1 times higher than the general population, drug overdose-related deaths being 122.7 times greater than the general population, and cancer deaths being 6.4 times higher than the general population. A 2014 report by John Moriarty of the University of Manchester and Benjamin Morris of FiveThirtyEight also found that the mortality rate for professional wrestlers was significantly higher than that of athletes in other sports.
Experts suggest that a combination of the physical nature of the business, no off-season, and potentially high work load, with some wrestlers fighting more than 100 and even 200 matches per year, along with the drug culture in wrestling in the 1970s, 1980s, and early 1990s contributes to high mortality rates among wrestlers. Another 2014 study ascribes the higher death rate largely to higher rates of cardiovascular disease compared to the general population, with morbidly obese wrestlers being especially at risk.
Many promotions employ performers as "independent contractors" and do not offer company-sponsored group health insurance coverage in most instances. This is said to have a causal connection to their longevity, morbidity, and mortality. WWE performers' status as independent contractors was spotlighted by John Oliver on an episode of his show Last Week Tonight with John Oliver in March 2019, with Oliver calling on WWE fans to protest at WrestleMania 35. The WWE denied Oliver's critique.
The concept of the untimely deaths of professional wrestlers was a frequent topic of discussion on the Opie & Anthony show. After Scott Hall's death in 2022, Bret Hart and Kevin Nash talked about the premature death of several wrestlers, mentioning the mental and body damage as possible causes.
List
Under 20 AgeRing namePromotion(s) worked forDate of birthDate of deathCause of death 18 Janet Wolfe NWA June 13, 1933 July 28, 1951 Brain haemorrhage
Under 30
AgeRing namePromotion(s) worked forDate of birthDate of deathCause of death 21 Taishin Nagao AJPW September 13, 2003 September 9, 2025 Car accident 21 Oro CMLL, UWA December 24, 1971 October 26, 1993 Head injury during match 21 Jeff Peterson Independent circuit, ECWA, MCW, IPW August 13, 1981 November 29, 2002 Leukemia 21 Chris Von Erich WCCW, USWA September 30, 1969 September 12, 1991 Suicide by gunshot 21 Asahi Ice Ribbon, Actwres girl'Z October 19, 2002 February 1, 2024 Car crash 22 Rey Celestial AAA, CLL, Desastre Total Ultraviolento August 29, 1995 September 17, 2017 Struck in a hit and run 22 Hana Kimura World Wonder Ring Stardom, ROH, Wrestle-1, various Japanese Promotions September 3, 1997 May 23, 2020 Suicide by hydrogen sulfide inhalation 22 Mass Transit ECW, independent circuit October 17, 1979 May 12, 2002 Complications from gastric bypass surgery 22 Mirai AJW, K-DOJO, Atoz November 17, 1982 September 14, 2005 Drowned in bathtub; possibly suicide 22 Spider NWA New England, independent circuit, WXW, ACW July 19, 1982 May 28, 2005 Head injury in match 23 Edouard Beaupre N/A January 9, 1881 July 3, 1904 Tuberculosis 23 Chri$ Ca$h CZW July 13, 1982 August 18, 2005 Motorcycle accident 23 Emiko Kado JWP, ARSION January 28, 1976 April 9, 1999 Intercerebral bleeding in match 23 Jordan Saint Independent circuit May 1, 2003 June 12, 2026 Traffic accident 23 Shane Shamrock MCW, MEWF, IPWA February 8, 1975 August 18, 1998 Shot by police 23 Mike Von Erich WCCW, NWA, NJPW March 2, 1964 April 12, 1987 Suicide by drug overdose 25 Matt Travis House of Glory Unknown November 9, 2019 Traffic accident 25 Reid Flair AJPW, WCW, NWA, SSW, Lucha Libre USA February 26, 1988 March 29, 2013 Drug overdose 25 David Von Erich WCCW, NWA St. Louis, NWA, AJPW July 22, 1958 February 10, 1984 Acute enteritis 25 Chicken Finger Independent circuit Unknown October 3, 2026 Unknown 26 Kasavubu Stampede Wrestling, WWWF, NWA, IWE May 14, 1956 July 27, 1982 Heart attack during operation 26 Kurtis Chapman Revolution Pro Wrestling, Progress Wrestling, GCW, various British promotions December 19, 1997 December 29, 2023 Suicide by hanging 27 J.C. Bailey CZW, IWA Mid-South, IWA East-Coast August 23, 1983 August 30, 2010 Intracranial aneurysm 27 Masakazu Fukuda WAR, NJPW May 17, 1972 April 19, 2000 Head injury in match 27 Russ Haas ECWA, CZW, MCW, HWA, WWF, JAPW March 11, 1974 December 15, 2001 Heart failure 27 Louie Spicolli WWF, ECW, WCW, UWF, AAA, FMW February 10, 1971 February 15, 1998 Drug overdose 28 Art Barr PNW, WCW, AAA, EMLL October 8, 1966 November 23, 1994 Heart attack caused by a drug overdose 28 Gino Hernandez WCCW, SCW, Houston Wrestling, NWA, UWF Mid-South August 14, 1957 February 2, 1986 Possible drug overdose or murder 28 Ricky Lawless ICW, NWF, independent circuit December 3, 1959 November 30, 1988 Murder 29 Trent Acid ROH, CZW, BJPW, JCW November 12, 1980 June 18, 2010 Drug overdose 29 Lance Cade WWE, HWA, OVW, MCW, FCW, AJPW March 2, 1981 August 13, 2010 Heart attack caused by drug overdose 29 Plum Mariko JWP, AJW, Japan Women's Pro-Wrestling November 1, 1967 August 16, 1997 Head injury in match 29 Bobby Shane NWA, CWF, CCW, CSW, GCW, WCW Australia August 25, 1945 February 20, 1975 Drowning from plane crash 29 Chris Taylor AWA, AJPW, NWA June 13, 1950 June 30, 1979 Cardiomyopathy 29 Clarence Whistler N/A February 24, 1856 November 6, 1885 Pneumonia
Under 40