RING OF HEARTBREAK
Inside tragic ‘wrestling curse’ after dozens of stars suffer untimely deaths as WWE star Killer Khan & Brit Mad Kurt die
WRESTLERS may be larger-than-life characters who entertain millions of fans around the world - but too often their lives are tragically cut short.
The "curse" of the industry has seen so many shining stars gone before their time - with two wrestlers dying in the last 24 hours - 26-year-old Mad Kurt and legendary Killer Khan.
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Khan, who fought the likes of Hulk Hogan and Andre the Giant, passed away shortly after 10pm on Saturday in his native Japan - after reportedly suffering a ruptured artery.
Real name Masashi Ozawa, the wrestler lost consciousness at the counter of Kanchan's Jinjo Sakaba in Nishi-Shinjuku, Tokyo.
The 76-year-old's sudden death came just 24 hours after Mad Kurt, the highly-rated British sensation, suddenly died in the UK.
Still in the early days of his career, Kurtis Chapman was described as "one of the most gifted technical wrestlers".
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He was known for his light-hearted style - and delighted audiences in promotions across the UK.
Both deaths have added to the grim and heartbreaking tally of professional wrestlers who lost their lives in 2023.
One of the most shocking was the sudden passing of wrestler Bray Wyatt, a superstar still very much in his prime and a lynchpin of the modern WWE.
The three-time WWE world champion was suddenly pronounced dead on at just 36-years-old in August after reportedly suffering a heart attack.
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The wrestler, whose real name is Windham Rotunda, hadn't been seen on TV since February and had last wrestled at the Royal Rumble in January.
Rotunda was not only continuing to compete as a professional, but had the rest of his life to look forward to.
He was also a fiance to Joseann Offerman, a former WWE ring announcer, and a father to four children.
And his death came barely 24 hours after it was announced WWE Hall of Famer Terry Funk had died at the age of 79.
And then earlier this year, wrestling star Jay Briscoe passed away at the age of 38 in a car crash.
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In May, tributes were paid to Kristen "Miami" Mitchell - regarded a trailblazer for the sport in Australia - who died aged 36.
She competed against the likes of Rhea Ripley (Demi Bennett), KC Cassidy (Cassie Lee), Shazza McKenzie and Toni Storm.
That same month, WWE hall-of-famer "Superstar" Billy Graham died at age 79 after a months-long health battle.
Graham's family told that he died after with his wife and daughter by his side.
Just a month later, WWE hero Darren Drozdov, who wrestled as Droz, died at the age of 54.
The American grappler joined Vince McMahon's promotion in 1998 and worked primarily in the mid-card before he suffered an in-ring accident that ended his career.
His death came after the passing of WWE legend The Iron Sheik, who died aged 81.
The wrestling icon's passing was announced on his social media account on June 7.
He was born in Iran but moved to America and won the WWF World Heavyweight Championship in 1983.
The Iron Sheikh - real name Hossein Khosrow Ali Vaziri - was most famous for his bad guy character.
He was also infamous for his finishing move the Camel Clutch chin lock.
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Unfortunately, the nature of the sport and lifestyle around it often play a role in these tragic endings.
The combination of gruelling schedules, constant and intense physical competition, the proliferation of painkillers and other drugs, as well as other factors have been the main causes in the past.
Eastern Michigan University found the mortality rates of wrestlers is up to 2.9 times higher than other men in a report from 2014.
And another study by a University of Manchester academic found the death rate is significantly higher than in other sports.
The names of those who have died young reads like a heartbreaking roll call for the WWE Hall of Fame.
Eddie Guerrero was just 38 and in the prime of his career when he died of heart failure.
Aged just 39, The British Bulldog also suffered a heart attack, and the same fate befell the legendary Andre The Giant at just 46.
Other wrestlers to have died before they were 50 include the "Mr Perfect" Curt Henning, Umaga, Yokozuna, Earthquake, Big Boss Man, Big John Studd, Brian Pillman, and Big Daddy V.
Wrestlers are sometimes dubbed "immortals" but the stats show that simply far too many of them do not enjoy full lives even after they have retired.
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The Ultimate Warrior suffered a heart attack aged 54 just days after being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame and giving a farewell speech on the promotion's flagship show Monday Night Raw.
The story was painfully similar to those such as "Macho Man" Randy Savage who suffered a heart attack aged 58, "Rowdy" Roddy Piper who died aged 61, and Big Van Vader who died while recovering from heart surgery aged 63.
And last year saw the death of Scott Hall - also known as Razor Ramon - who was taken off life support after suffering from three heart attacks at just 63.
The mental and physical pain of those years scar hard and deep
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Bret "The Hitman" Hart spoke candidly as the wrestling world faced the grief of Hall's passing, saying simply: "One more wrestler".
"We've lost so many wrestlers from my era, and this is just one more to a list that is far too long," wrote Hart, a seven-time world champion.
"I won't blame any one thing, but I do believe that if the days of wrestling 300 days a year had been kinder and more considerate, if we could've been home with our loved ones more, many of my old friends and brothers would still be here."
And Hall's best friend Kevin Nash - also known as Diesel - weighed in, describing the vicious wrestling schedule faced by stars as a "meat grinder".
Nash said: "The mental and physical pain of those years scar hard and deep."
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Many wrestlers appeared to face a perfect storm - wrestling physically intense matches multiple times a week while travelling from town-to-town suffering nagging injuries, which in turn led to personal battles with booze and drug addictions.
The demands to stay in shape and keep fighting led to potentially lethal combinations of steroids, painkillers and recreational substances.
"Mr Perfect" died from cocaine intoxication aged 44, Chyna died from a cocktail of drugs and painkillers aged 46, and Test was only 33 when he was found dead from an accidental overdose.
Wrestlers who have survived the heyday in the 80s and 90s still bare the physical scars, with WWE legend Mick Foley admitting last year he is paying a "steep price".
The physical toll comes from the constant blows and pressure on the body to perform, as well as the inherently dangerous stunts performed by the stars.
Owen Hart tragically died aged 34 after falling from the rafters during a highly theatrical entrance - being killed in front of a packed arena of 16,000 fans.
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And there is also the toll of mental scars, with many wrestlers also dying by suicide.
Ashley Massaro, Crash Holly, Chris Kanyon, Mike Awesome, Sean O'Haire, Brian Christopher, Daffney, and others are all reported to have taken their own lives.
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