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"A life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved, except in memory" -- Leonard Nimoy
Professional Wrestling has been around for a long time and its modern form has existed since the early 1920s. Naturally, with that kind of longevity, there are many athletes who are sadly no longer on this mortal coil.
We salute ten of the best who have slipped the surly bonds of earth and become truly immortal.
#10 Kerry Von Erich
Kerry Gene Adkisson, better known by his ring name Kerry Von Erich, was one of the most promising young stars of the 80s. Tall, powerfully built, and handsome, many believed that he would be on the level of Hulk Hogan early in his career.
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Fate was not so kind. The tale of the von Erich dynasty is one filled with myriad tragedies. Clan patriarch Fritz von Erich was rumoured to be a stern taskmaster, harder on his sons than anyone else in the business.
Kerry's brothers who survived to adulthood all followed in their legendary father's footsteps to become professional wrestlers. However, by 1993, four of his brothers were already gone.
Addicted to painkillers because of a terrible motorcycle accident, he pushed himself to wrestle just six months after the terrible ordeal. He faced Brian Adias in a short bout that re-injured his shattered leg. Doctors had no choice but to partially amputate his right foot.
Sent into a tailspin of depression by his brothers' deaths and his own limited mobility, Kerry descended even further into addiction, and he was fired from WWE for his frequent drug-related arrests. Faced with the end of his career and a lengthy jail sentence, he finally hit rock bottom.
After a phone call to his frantic brother, Kerry Gene Adkisson succumbed to his demons and took his life.
Legacy
Kerry is survived by his daughter, Lacey von Erich. She has wrestled for TNA and other promotions in the past but her in-ring days seem to be over.
Lacey is planning to write a book on her father and his famous lineage.
Wrestling fans the world over will always revere Kerry von Erich and his family's legacy. The former WWE Intercontinental and NWA World champion was formally inducted, along with his family, into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2009.
A lot of people focus on Kerry's battles with addiction, and eventual suicide. That is the true tragedy of Kerry Von Erich, because what should be spoken about are his great matches, like when he faced Ric Flair for the NWA championship.
#9 Dusty Rhodes
Virgil Runnels Jr. burst onto the pro wrestling scene in 1967 after his pro football career faltered. Lacking a muscular physique, Rhodes nevertheless possessed tremendous stamina, capable of wrestling for an hour or more.
While he could definitely deliver inside the ring, it was Rhodes' charisma and great interview skills which endeared him to the fans. He displayed those skills in his famed 'hard times' diatribe.
The promoters realised his potential and Rhodes turned babyface in 1974. From there, his fame around the world grew until he earned one of the greatest honours a professional wrestler can hope to achieve: the NWA World Heavyweight Championship.
Rhodes wasn't just influential inside the ring. He was often tapped to play the role of booker in both the NWA and WCW. Wrestling fans have mixed feelings about his booking runs. Some believe that his focus on stable-based feuds formed the basis of modern day Pro Wrestling.
Others argue that he also popularised the 'screwjob finish,' in which a hotly contested PPV match would end without a decisive finish. In fact, some refer to a screwjob finish as a "Dusty Screwjob."
Dusty passed on peacefully in 2015. Loved or hated, Dusty will always be remembered, honoured among the fallen of the squared circle.
Legacy
In addition to having a tag team tournament named in his honour -- odd considering he is remembered primarily as a singles star -- Dusty has two sons, both of whom followed him into the wrestling business.
His son Dustin Runnels, better known as Goldust, still competes in WWE.
Younger son Cody now competes for ROH and New Japan Pro Wrestling after a lengthy stint in the WWE. He looks set to eclipse even his legendary father in accolades.
#8 Brian Pillman
Brian Pillman and hardship were no strangers. Suffering from non-cancerous polyps forming on his throat, he underwent over thirty operations as a child. Sickly, and with a weakened voice, he was a frequent target for bullies.
Pillman became interested in boxing and fitness as a way to defend himself from torment. Discovering an affinity for sports, Pillman took up American football and even played in the NFL for the Cincinnati Bengals. His early ring gear represented the Bengals colours.
Cut from the Buffalo Bills, Pillman gave up on football and turned to wrestling. He was a rookie standout in Canada and teamed with members of the legendary Hart family.
His career truly took off when he joined Ted Turner's WCW in 1989. His athleticism and technical prowess earned him instant praise from fans and management alike. Pillman has the honour of being in the opening match of WCW Nitro, where he defeated Jushin Thunder Liger.
After outing Kevin Sullivan as a booker live on a WCW PPV, Pillman would move on to WWE, where he feuded with Goldust and Steve Austin. He also holds the dubious distinction of being the only pro wrestler to brandish a firearm on television.
Legacy
Brian Pillman's clashes with Jushin Thunder Liger and Steve Austin are still spoken of today. His 24-year-old son, Brian Pillman Jr, has said that he intends to embark upon his own wrestling career. We look forward to seeing how he fares in the future while raising a glass to his father.
Sadly, Pillman's many surgeries and drug use caught up with him and he passed away in 1997. We remember him with this classic confrontation with Steve Austin.
#7 Bruiser Brody
Frank Donald Goodish, also known as Bruiser Brody, is one of the greats from the early 1980s wrestling scene. An international star of massive appeal, Brody also had massive size.; He stood 6'8" tall and weighed nearly three hundred pounds.
The former football player was known for his physical style and no holds barred antics at after-hours parties. He was also known for 'shooting' on opponents whom he deemed to be slacking off or had insulted him in some way. Some speculate that this may have led to his untimely death.
Brody was never one to shy away from brutality, as you can see here in this match against Abdullah the Butcher.
Feared by both promoters and wrestlers alike, Brody nearly blacklisted himself when he famously broke character during a match with rising star Lex Luger. Many times fisticuffs broke out between himself and his fellow performers.
It was a backstage beef with wrestler Invader I that allegedly led to Brody's death. Invader I was never prosecuted for the crime, and it remains one of wrestling's darkest mysteries.
Legacy
Brody will always be remembered as one of the toughest men the wrestling world has ever seen. While he may not have been technically skilled or pleasant to work with, he managed to captivate audiences the world over.
Below is a video of his incredible match against Dory Funk Jr.
#6 Junk Yard Dog
Sylvester Ritter became the Junk Yard Dog when he worked for promoter "Cowboy" Bill Watts. He quickly worked his way to the top of the card as the top babyface.
JYD's charm and powerful build drew the attention of Vince McMahon and his wrestling empire. Prominently featured during the Rock N Wrestling era, JYD had action figures made in his image, and even went so far as to be on a Saturday morning cartoon -- back before the PTC ruined it for everyone.
The Wadesboro North Carolina native--or as he liked to call it, "North Chackalacka,"-- utilised the powerslam as his finisher, calling it the Thump! (exclamation mark included.) In fact, most of his tights were emblazoned with it across the rear.
When JYD joined the then-WWF in the early eighties, he was pushed to the upper card. He even won the Wrestling Classic, an elimination style tournament that many call the 'first WWF pay per view.' Though he would never hold a title in the federation, his run is synonymous with the Hogan era.
JYD made the jump to WCW in the early 90s, though his run was less than memorable. He did face Nature Boy Ric Flair for the NWA world title at Clash of the Champions 11.
Legacy
Ritter has an important place in history, blazing the trails for other people of colour, particulary in the south. He was also one of very few African American characters on children's television during the 1980s. No matter who you speak to in the wrestling business, if you mention Junkyard Dog, they will probably have a smile on their face.
Junk Yard Dog was taken too soon by an automobile accident, but we'd rather concentrate on his life than his death. Here's the debut of JYD in the WWE, at the old Kiel Auditorium in the Professional Wrestling capital of the world, St. Louis Missouri.
#5 Ultimate Warrior
James Brian Hellwig, affectionately known as the Ultimate Warrior, burst onto the wrestling scene in 1985 as a part of Powerteam USA, a faction which also included Sting. From there the two formed a tag team known as the Blade Runners.
The duo were a deliberate homage/rip off of Hawk and Animal, the Road Warriors. When the team split up, Hellwig became the Dingo Warrior, with a look which greatly resembled his future as Ultimate Warrior.
Once he made his WWE debut, Warrior turned heads for his high energy antics and racing to the ring. His ring rope shake proved to be so popular that WWE even trademarked it, allowing its use for wrestlers such as Dave Batista.
Ultimate Warrior went on to end Honky Tonk Man's record Intercontinental Championship reign, squashing him in less than a minute at Summerslam 1988.
From there, it was only a matter of time until he won the 'big belt.' At Wrestlemania VI, it was Champion vs. Champion as Warrior took on Hogan. In what was clearly a passing of the torch, Hogan would lose cleanly to Warrior after a body splash.
Warrior left the WWE in the early 90s, eventually ending up on Ted Turner's WCW Monday Nitro. After a brief, losing fuel to Hogan, he again dropped off the wrestling scene.
During the Monday Night Wars, Vince became bitter toward any former employee who worked for Ted Turner. He produced a vile, mean-spirited 'video special' about Hellwig entitled The Self Destruction of the Ultimate Warrior. The 'documentary' so upset Hellwig that he refused to have anything to do with Vince or the WWE for many years.
Unexpectedly, Warrior and WWE buried the hatchet in 2013, when he agreed to appear in 2K's popular WWE video game franchise. From there it was a short step to the WWE Hall of Fame.
Legacy
There's no denying that Warrior will never be remembered as the greatest technical wrestler, capable of putting on sixty-minute suplex clinics. However, in terms of playing a character which resonated with legions of fans the world over, James Brian Hellwig is an indisputable success.
The Ultimate Warrior finally got his due, being inducted into the Hall of Fame. However, a few days later he passed on due to heart failure. Below, you can watch his last on-screen appearance, a speech which alternately gives one chills and a wellspring of tears.
#4 Hot Stuff Eddie Gilbert
A second generation wrestler, Eddie Gilbert took to the business like a duck to water. A true student of the game, Gilbert used to make faux wrestling cards and angles as a child.
Initially, he worked for the WWE in the early 80s as an 'enhancement talent.' Bit by bit, his talent and work ethic worked him up to the mid-card. He seemed a sure bet for a championship run until an auto accident made him miss nearly a year of ring time.
Gilbert would work for both Mid South wrestling and the UWF, making a name for himself in Bill Watts's promotion. Mentoring young stars like Sting and Ric Steiner, Gilbert also dipped his toe into the booking pool. He is credited for the red-hot Battle of New Orleans angle, which is still spoken of today.
Hot Stuff eventually wound up in Jim Crockett's NWA, where he was pushed as a solid mid-carder. Perhaps his greatest accolade during this time was getting to the finals for the NWA United States Tag Team Championship in a losing effort to The Fantastics with partner Ron Simmons (Farooq). You can watch the entire barn-burner of a match below.
Eddie Gilbert was a victim of the power exchange when Ted Turner bought out JCP and formed World Championship Wrestling. While he was featured in the NES game of the same name, Eddie wasn't high on the new booking team's list. He was 'too small' and didn't have the ripped physique of Lex Luger or Brian Pillman. Gilbert left WCW shortly after the transfer.
Gilbert spent the next several years on the independent circuit, until he was contacted by the pre-extreme ECW promotion. During an era when kayfabe was rarely discussed outside the business, Gilbert broke character during a shoot style interview, drawing heat from fellow performers and promoters alike.
He also left the GWF promotion while still their world champion, refusing to return the belt and living up to his 'hot head' gimmick and persona.
Legacy
Eddie Gilbert is still revered by pro wrestling fans and performers alike. While his understated style would fail to turn heads in the modern era, he was a true student of the psychology of wrestling and had a keen mind for booking. In addition to his championship reigns, Hot Stuff won Wrestling Observer Newsletter's Best Booker of 1998 award.
Eddie passed on in 1995 peacefully in his Puerto Rico apartment. We remember him now with a classic match against Jerry Lawler.
#3 Mr. Perfect Curt Hennig
As the son of legendary performer Larry "the Ax" Hennig, Hennig found that great things were expected of him. He was able to fulfil most of those expectations during his career, competing as both a tag team and singles star.
Early on Hennig tagged with Eddie Gilbert, but it was his union with future NWO member Scott Hall which is the most memorable. Hennig played the part of the 'babyface in peril,' taking the brunt of the punishment for his team before making a hot tag to the much larger Hall.
In fact, many wrestling fans who didn't know better would criticize Hall for not dumping his 'useless' partner.
Hennig had two runs in the WWE, but the one that is most memorable took place from 1988-1996. Appearing in a series of vignettes where he would perform difficult or impossible feats with a single try, Hennig debuted as the Mr. Perfect character for the first time. It was a role which would define his career.
With a two-year undefeated streak, a reign as IC champion, and a feud with Hulk Hogan, Mr. Perfect would achieve great heights in the WWE -- though he would never hold the 'big' belt.
Eventually, Hennig made the jump to Turner's WCW, mostly because he could work fewer dates for more money and avoid battering his ageing body. After taking Arn Anderson's spot in the Horsemen, he betrayed the group and joined the NWO. Many thought Hennig's career was on the wane.
However, in 1999 Eric Bischoff hired Master P as both a booker and on-air performer. Master P wanted his own stable of rapping wrestlers, and the No Limit Soldiers were born. Just as Superman needs Lex Luger, the Soldiers needed enemies. WCW turned to veteran performer Hennig and transformed him from Mr. Perfect into a West Texas Redneck.
In a turn around that had WCW bookers wondering where they went wrong, the Rednecks became huge crowd favourites, while the ostensible heroes, the Soldiers, were booed relentlessly. The WTX Rednecks became staples of WCW's fading years.
Mr. Perfect returned to the WWE in the early 2000s, though he was fired for drunken antics on the Plane Ride from Hell. After that would be a stint in TNA. Hennig was an active wrestler until his death in 2003.
Legacy
Besides a motherlode of tremendous five-star matches, Hennig left the world a son, Joe, who wrestles under the name Curtis Axel to pay tribute to his father and grandfather. As of this writing, his son is employed by the WWE, and has enjoyed modest success with the company. Whether or not he will escape his father's shadow remains to be seen. Wrestling Fans may never see so 'perfect' a competitor again.
We remember Hennig with his classic match Vs. Bret Hart.
#2 Lance Russell
In the bombastic world of wrestling announcers, you can have flash like Jesse Ventura, you can have comedic skills like Bobby Heenan, or you can have substance, like Lance Russel.
Russell started his career at the end of the 50s, when wrestling was making great headway on television. He was widely praised for his simple, earnest, and smoothly-spoken announce style.
When asked how he approached an announcing gig, Russell replied that he took it seriously. He believed that wrestling fans appreciated him treating the business like a genuine sport, and brought a quiet dignity to the announce team even when confronted by a giant with apoplexy.
While he spent most of his career working for Lawler on the Memphis wrestling scene, Russell would wind up in Turner's WCW promotion for several years. Often teaming with fellow announce team legend Gordon Solie, Russell's everyman approach and "What in Samhill?" catchphrase still resonate with fans today.
Legacy
While not as famous as Jim Ross or Jerry Lawler, Lance Russell continues to be the gold standard for wrestling announce teams. The WWE encourages their neophyte announcers to watch footage of Rusell's days in the announce booth. Many modern-day announcers, such as Kevin Kelly, directly take their inspiration from Russell.
We remember Russell with this interview, in which he spoke at length about his life and career.
#1 Andre the Giant
André René Roussimoff, better known the world over as Andre the Giant, was perhaps the most beloved professional wrestler of his or any era.
Andre actually didn't choose wrestling as his first career. He attempted to join the French army, but was rejected due to the fact that there were no uniforms available in his size. Also, he would not have fit into traditionally sized foxholes, or be able to pilot most military vehicles.
Never one to let a setback drag him down, Andre entered the world of wrestling and was an overnight sensation. Often, the massive Andre was pitted against two wrestlers at the same time to make it a 'fair' fight.
During a tour of Japan, Andre was examined by a doctor who finally diagnosed his rare genetic condition, Acromegaly. Told he would likely not live past his 40th birthday, Andre was initially devastated by the news but quickly resolved to live life to its fullest in the time he had left.
Thus began the legend of Andre the Giant outside of the ring. 108 beers in one sitting, and then wine with dinner. Turning over a car full of hecklers and leaving the drunks to explain to law enforcement that an 'angry giant' had caused their accident. Literally shutting down a five-star restaurant so he and friend Hulk Hogan could dine on breakfast, lunch, and dinner--all in one visit.
And the women... Andre became a notorious ladies man, often bundling up with several of them at once. Andre also had success outside of the ring, famously playing Bigfoot on 70s cheesefest The Six Million Dollar Man.
But it was his performance in The Princess Bride which truly endeared Andre to our hearts. His earnest, funny, and gentle portrayal of Fezzik is still a staple of movie festivals and Valentine's Day special events.
Legacy
Andre is still the most recognisable wrestler in the world, decades after his death. Famous on every continent except Antartica, Andre was also used for an early ad campaign by street artist Shepard Fairey. His cross-promotional appeal and huge heart will resonate with both wrestling and non-wrestling fans alike forever.
We remember Andre the Giant with his biggest match, when he faced Hulk Hogan at the Pontiac Silverdome in Wrestlemania III's main event.
