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Another year has come to a close and with it, the wrestling business is welcoming in a new year without several of its most recognizable former WWE and WCW Superstars.
Every year the alumni pool gets smaller and the WWE Universe is hit by the news that another group of legends have passed away. These wrestlers may be gone, but the path they've paved and the legacy they've left behind will live forever.
The wrestling world said farewell to some of its biggest legends in 2021 and here are just 10 of those names:
#10. WWE Hall of Famer Blackjack Lanza - 1935-2021
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WWE Hall of Famer Blackjack Lanza sadly passed away on December 8th at the age of 86 and is now resting with his former Tag Team partner Blackjack Mulligan, who passed away in 2016.
The Blackjacks were well-known throughout the wrestling business for a number of years under the guidance of their manager Bobby Heenan.
Lanza retired from in-ring action in 1985 and went on to work behind the scenes for WWE and Vince McMahon. His accomplishments inside and outside the ring later led to him and Blackjack Mulligan being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2016.
#9. Former WWE Superstar Butch Reed - 1954-2021
Former WWE Superstar Butch Reed passed away back in February 2021, with many reports claiming this was as a result of two heart attacks the star suffered a few weeks earlier. It was also noted that the star tested positive for COVID-19 just weeks prior to his passing.
Reed is perhaps best known for his time in WWE as "The Natural" Butch Reed, where he worked alongside his manager Slick. Competing at some of the company's biggest events and even lifting the Intercontinental Championship before being stripped of the belt when he no-showed at an event.
The former star's final WWE match came back in 1988 when he faced Macho Man Randy Savage in WrestleMania IV’s WWF Championship tournament.
#8. WWE Hall of Famer Paul Orndoff - 1949-2021
Paul Orndoff made quite the splash in WWE when he joined the company in 1983. Managed by WWE Hall of Famer Rowdy Roddy Piper, Orndoff was quickly able to be pushed as the company's top heel.
Mr. Wonderful was involved in some of the biggest showdowns between Hulk Hogan, Roddy Piper, Junkyard Dog, and several of the biggest names in the business at the time.
Although he was never able to capture a Championship in the business, he was still seen as one of the company's most memorable stars. Orndorff was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2005, before his passing in July 2021 at the age of 71.
#7. Former WCW Superstar Bobby Eaton - 1958-2021
Former WCW Superstar Bobby Eaton sadly passed away on Thursday, August 5th, when it was confirmed by Eaton's sister on her Facebook account. As of writing, the cause of death is still unknown, but it was noted that his wife passed away just a year earlier.
Eaton will be remembered as one of the most technically gifted performers the business has ever seen. As a member of Midnight Express, alongside “Loverboy” Dennis Condrey and manager Jim Cornette, the star embarked on a lengthy feud with The Rock 'n' Roll Express.
In 2019 Eaton was inducted into the professional wrestling Hall of Fame but went on to deal with several illnesses in the later stages of his life.
#6. Former WWE Superstar Ryan Sakoda - 1972-2021
Ryan Sakoda is perhaps best remembered for his short stint in WWE from 2003-2004. Sakoda was a developmental superstar for the company during that time but was still able to make an impact on WWE TV in their Cruiserweight Division.
After teaming with Jimmy Wang Yang and serving as a henchman for Tajiri, Sakoda was released from WWE in 2004 before he retired from the business in 2007.
Following his wrestling career, the star went on to work for Disney at their Grand California Hotel. He sadly passed away on September 2nd, 2021 with the details of his passing still relatively unknown.
#5. Former WCW Superstar Jody "The Assassin" Hamilton - 1938-2021
Jody Hamilton is perhaps best remembered as the youngest man to main event Madison Square Garden in his prime, as well as being an exciting tag team wrestler.
Teaming with his brother Larry, the two stars were able to find success as The Assassins before a career-threatening injury ensured that Jody would excel as a trainer instead.
Hamilton helped train a number of future WWE Superstars, including Hall of Famers Kevin Nash, Goldberg, and The Big Show. The star also worked as a manager for WCW and his sons later went on to break into the business and follow his legacy.
Hamilton sadly passed away in August 2021 at the age of 82.
#4. Former WWE Superstar Corporal Kirchner 1957-2021
Corporal Kirchner became a star in WWE following the departure of Sgt. Slaughter. The WWE Hall of Famer's conflict with Vince McMahon led to the chairman looking in another direction and filling the gap with Kirchner.
Kirchner made his debut in WWE in 1985 before going on to win a flag match at WrestleMania II. The star left the company in 1987 and went on to transform himself into a character known as Leatherface in Japan’s W*ING promotion.
The former WWE Superstar retired from the business in 2010 and sadly passed away on December 22nd following a heart attack.
#3. Former IMPACT Superstar New Jack - 1963-2021
Wrestling fans around the world learned about the reputation of New Jack and what he brought to the ring during his time in ECW.
New Jack joined ECW in 1995 and went on to be part of some of the promotion's most brutal matches. The star's reputation for violence both inside and outside of the ring led to him racking up a number of victims and his match against Erich Kulas in 1996 led to the cancelation of ECW's first pay-per-view.
The star sadly passed away on May 14th, 2021 following a heart attack at the age of 58.
#2. Former WWE Superstar The Patriot - 1961-2021
Del Wilkes, who was best known to WWE fans as The Patriot, started his wrestling career after stepping away from the football pitch.
The Patriot joined WWE in 1997 where he would feud with The Hart Foundation but an injury in the build-up to their match at SummerSlam left him on the sidelines.
Less than six months after his WWE debut, he was released from the company in early 1998. Wilkes later struggled with a number of personal issues ahead of his passing in July 2021 from a heart attack at the age of 59.
#1. Former WCW Superstar Daffney - 1975-2021
One of the biggest shocks of the year came back in September when former WCW Superstar Daffney was part of a live broadcast on Instagram where she was looking extremely distraught.
The former WCW Superstar was later pronounced dead after law enforcement raced to find her in time. Daffney was best known for her career in WCW and later IMPACT Wrestling where she would portray a character that WWE Hall of Famer Mick Foley described as "ahead of her time."
Daffney suffered a number of injuries whilst working in the business that would sadly go on to haunt her for the rest of her life. She passed away on the 1st of September, 2021.
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