10 great wrestlers who have passed on and their legacies

#4 Hot Stuff Eddie Gilbert

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.