Top 10 Darkest Real Life Wrestling Stories
#10: Jake “The Snake” Roberts
The Tragic Story of Jake The Snake
Everyone loves a comeback story, but many wrestling fans seriously doubted that one Jake “The Snake” Roberts would ever return from the brink of his personal abyss. That’s because Roberts overcame massive traumatic issues at home to become one of the business’ most respected in-ring technicians… only to fall into the depths of addiction. It wasn’t until hooking up with “Diamond” Dallas Page and getting clean where Roberts was able to return to the business he loved. Jake’s struggles were even documented in the film “The Resurrection of Jake The Snake” where all of his demons were set full-on display for all to see.
#9: The Ultimate Warrior
10 Darkest Real Life Female Wrestler Stories
The Ultimate Warrior was a bodybuilder turned wrestler that seemed destined for in-ring stardom. He had the look and the energy… but he also had an ego. The man born James Hellwig was so successful during his late ‘80s/early ‘90s peak that it seemed as if nothing could stop him. But Hellwig was his own worst enemy, as conflict with WWE owner Vince McMahon led to his departure from the company. A second career as a conservative public speaker earned Warrior criticism for his homophobic rhetoric, although Hellwig did eventually patch things up with the WWE. Strangely, The Ultimate Warrior died from a heart attack mere days after being inducted into the company’s hall of fame, and making a memorable return on “Monday Night Raw.”
#8: The Von Erich Family
Top 10 Terrifying Real Life Exorcism Stories
It’s called the “Von Erich Curse,” a string of horrific events that seemed to follow the First Family of Texas Wrestling. There are simply no words to describe the electricity conducted by the old Texas Stadium and Sportatorium brawls between The Freebirds and The Von Erichs, but just as crowds cheered on their hometown heroes, so too did they weep as brother after each Von Erich brother seemed to fall. Young Jack Jr. was accidentally electrocuted in 1959, Kerry, Chris and Mike Von Erich soon after ended their own lives, while David Von Erich passed from enteritis in Japan. Although Kevin Von Erich and his sons continue on the family legacy, fans have never forgotten that hard road in the rearview mirror.
#7: Brian Pillman
Brian Griffin DIED WHEN!?!
Brian Pillman was a natural in the ring, a man seemingly born with everything it took to be a pro wrestling star. Charisma, looks, agility, and mic skills: the athlete once known as “Flyin’ Brian” or “The Loose Cannon” was poised for greatness. However, as is the tragic case with so many professional wrestlers, a hectic travel schedule, and personal demons eventually down the road of addiction. Ultimately, it was a heart attack brought on by atherosclerotic heart disease that caused Pillman’s death on October 5th, 1997. However, the WWE’s decision to interview Brian’s widow Melanie the next night on “Monday Night Raw” was prime-time poor taste at its worst.
#6: Owen Hart
It’s difficult for many wrestling fans to imagine the career of Owen Hart without the pain of wondering what he might be doing now. That’s because the life of this incredibly influential performer was cut short on May 23rd, 1999 when he accidentally fell from the Kemper Arena rafters to the ring below. Hart was preparing a ring entrance that required a quick-release drop, only the mechanism let go too soon, leaving the WWE pay-per-view at home and in the area stunned. A lawsuit followed, with the WWE eventually settling with the Hart Family for eighteen million dollars, but it was little comfort for the void Owen’s loss left behind.
#5: Bruiser Brody
Sometimes, the line between character and performer can be incredibly blurry, while other times they couldn’t be more different. Bruiser Brody was an absolute madman in the ring, coming across as unhinged during the incredibly violent encounters with contemporaries like Abdullah the Butcher. However, the man born Frank Goodish was actually a devoted family man with a wife and young son, the complete opposite to the protected character of “The Bruiser.” However, Brody’s time as a squared circle superstar was cut short on July 16th, 1988 when he was attacked in the shower by a fellow wrestler, Jose Huertas Gonzalez, aka Invader I. Medical response was slow to arrive, Brody succumbed to his injuries, and Gonzalez was acquitted of the crime in controversial fashion.
#4: Chyna
The Tragic Real Life Story of Chyna
She was “The Ninth Wonder of the World,” an absolute phenomenon in the world of WWE’s Women’s Division and a pioneer for female professional wrestlers around the world. Her name was Chyna, and she deserved better. Chyna’s in-ring career was well regarded during her heyday of the late nineties into the early millennium, despite the WWE being largely concerned with objectifying women than raising them up during this time. Despite this, her exit from the company was complicated due to her former romantic involvement with current company COO Triple H, while Chyna’ personal life devolved into addiction, reality television appearances, and an eventual career in adult films. She passed away after an accidental overdose on April 17th, 2016.
#3: Nick Gage
For many, the world of professional wrestling is largely about the major leagues of WWE and AEW, but there also exists the vibrant world of indie wrestling. And, somewhere deep below that world lies the subculture of Deathmatch Wrestling. One king of this “deathmatch” style is Nick Gage, an absolutely brutal competitor in a world that applauds the most violent and unhinged antics imaginable. That said, Gage’s personal life has seen painkiller addiction, and homelessness in its rearview, while the hardcore icon even spent time in prison for robbing a bank in 2010. Today, however, Nick Gage is a free man, although still as vicious and unpredictable as ever.
#2: New Jack
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Our penultimate pick was cut from a similar cloth as Nick Gage, an absolutely authentic slide of pro wrestling counterculture who was as dangerous as they come. He once told the documentary crew for the 1999 film “Beyond the Mat” that he had four justifiable homicides, he critically injured multiple opponents during his hardcore wrestling career, and he was unapologetic to the very end. New Jack was New Jack to the very end, take it or leave it. He also competed to the very end, as well, despite failing health and a history with painkillers. New Jack suffered a heart attack on May 14th, 2021, leaving behind a complicated but compelling history of violence.
#1: Chris Benoit
The Chilling Real-Life Story of Chris Benoit
It’s difficult to come to terms with the amazing career of Chris Benoit and the horrifying fall from grace that was the man’s personal life. Although he was once an in-ring mainstay, Benoit committed the unthinkable crime of murdering his wife and son, before taking his own life on June 24th, 2007. It’s important to note that concussion protocols weren’t the same during Benoit’s day as they are now, and images of Chris’ brain showcased the toll that countless bouts of head trauma had on the wrestler. Of course, this changes nothing about the final outcome, but it offers a disturbing view into how the life of a wrestler can change someone from family man to madman.
