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Deceased Wrestlers for 2000
PWTorch.com Exclusive
By Thomas M. Gallipoli, PWTorch.com Obituary Specialist

"Welcome to my funeral parlor."-Paul Bearer

Hey friends and neighbors. I’m back with the 2000 Obituary List.

As with the 2001 edition, I will list the information by Wrestler's Name, Real Name, Date of Death, Cause, Age and a brief snapshot of his/her career. I will also provide any Main-Stream Media links to the wrestlers if applicable. As a mild surprise, 2000 had more links to it than 2001. Again, please note that much of, if not most, of this information may be culled from "non-official sources" like blogs and websites but I have tried to insure the information was accurate. It is still my goal to make this section as up-to-date and accurate as possible for Wade and visitors so please feel free to email me at tomphoenix@optonline.net with any questions, comments, updates, links, corrections, or anything else you like. I’ll give you a shout-out and thanks for any updates or corrections. I'd also like to thank MattheWWFanatic, Genghis, Dusty Giebink, Super Jerk, and Steve MHW for posting on the Obit thread I started on at PWTorch.com. Poat on the thread and get a mention!

I hope to update this section at least once per week with one entire year per update so the next one will cover 1999.

I'd like to thank my wife, parents, and sister for their eternally ongoing patience and love. And now, onto the roll call

Jim "Thunderbolt" Casey, January 2, 2000, Natural Causes, age 87
-Longtime wrestler, I could find no other information

Mr. Hayashi, Koichi Hayashi, January 4, 2000, Heart attack, age 57
-Japanese wrestler, I could find no other information

Gary Albright, January 7, 2000, Heart Attack, age 34
-Trained by legendary Hart family, member by marriage of the famous Anoia Samoan family, wrestled for UFWI Shoot wrestling promotion in Japan, Stampede Wrestling-Stampede International Tag Team Champion, two-time AJPW Tag Team Champion

Al Costello, Giacomo Costa, January 22, 2000, Pneumonia & Heart Problems, age 80
-Italian citizen who became naturalized U.S. citizen, one half of famous Tag Team the Fabulous Kangaroos, claimed to be from Australia, carried boomerang into ring, NWA (Northeast United States Tag Team Champion, Florida United States Tag Team Champion, International Tag Team Champion, four-time Canadian Tag Team Champion, Texas Tag Team Champion, Detroit Tag Team Champion, three-time Tennessee & Alabama Tag Team Champion, Florida Tag Team Champion), WWC Tag Team Champion, WWA( two-time Tag Team Champion, two-time Los Angeles Tag Team Champion), Amarillo-Amarillo International Tag Team Champion

Paul Reyes, Ismael Reyes, January 19, 2000, Unknown, age 60
-Longtime wrestler, I could find no further information

Terry Majors, Terri James, January 24, 2000, Pneumonia, cancer, age 65
-Longtime lady wrestler, I could find no further information

Bobby Duncum Jr., Robert Eldon Duncum Jr., January 24, 2000, Drug Overdose, age 34
-Son of wrestler Bobby Duncum Sr., trained by Skandar Akbar, claim to fame was part of WCW faction, West Texas Rednecks, and sang "Rap is Crap" which got some local country music fame, GWF Tag Team Champion
MSM Link:
Bobby Duncum article

Irish Jackie, John P. Cusic, February 8, 2000, Heart Attack, age 69
-I could find no further information

Liz Chase, Elizabeth Chase, February 29, 2000, Died During Surgery, age 45
-Lady wrestler, trained by Fabulous Moolah, I could find out no further information

Doctor Kamakaze, Edwin William James Stratton, March 9, 2000, Cancer, age 63
-I could find no further information

Masakazu Fukada, April 19, 2000, Internal Bleeding of the Brain, age 27
-I could find no further information on this Japanese wrestler

Tom Renesto (Assassin #1), April 25, 2000, Heart Failure, age 72
-Masked wrestler, I could find no further information

Sugi Sito, Francisco Javier Mar Hernández , May 4, 2000, Heart Failure, age 73
-Longtime Mexican citizen of Asian descent, played stereotypical Asian gimmick, trained by Rolando Vera, two time-Stampede International Tag Team Champion, NWA
(two-time Middleweight Champion, Texas Tag Team Champion, Gulf Coast Tag Team Champion)

Jumbo Tsuruta, Tomoni Tsuruta, May 13, 2000, Internal Bleeding, age 49
-Japanese Wrestler, nicknamed "Tommy", trained by Lou Thesz, tag team partner of Giant Baba, NWA (nine-time International Tag Team Champion, six-time United National Heavyweight Champion, three-time International Heavyweight Champion, Detroit Tag Team Champion, Amarillo International Tag Team Champion), three-time AJPW Triple Crown Heavyweight Champion, seven-time Tag Team Champion, AWA World Heavyweight Champion, PWF (Heavyweight Champion, two-time Tag Team Champion)
MSM Link:
Tsuruta article

Benny "The Bull" Jarrells, Benjamin R. Jarrells, May 26, 2000, Natural causes, age 60
-I could find no further information

The Terrible Turk, George Kopecky, May 31, 2000, Unknown, age 74
-I could find no further information

Jesse James, Demetri Jejucus, June ??, 2000, Natural causes, age 83
-I could find no further information

Mark Mendian, June 1, 2000, Dies in ring, age 20
-I could find no further information

Lee Fields, Albert Lee Hatfield, June 4, 2000, Leukemia, age 69
-Longtime wrestler, trained by Herb Welch, played redneck gimmick, NWA (Mid America Southern Tag Team Champion, two-time Mid America Tag Team Champion, three-time Gulf Coast Tag Team Champion, Florida-Southern Tag Team Champion)

Gordon Solie, Francis Jonard Labiak/ Jonard Pierre Sjoblom, July 27, 2000, Cancer, age 71
-Longtime legendary wrestling announcer, referred to as The Walter Cronkite of Wrestling, Howard Cosell of Wrestling, and The Dean of professional wrestling announcers, worked out of NWA Florida-which can be seen on WWE 24/7, treated and called wrestling matches as if they were legitimate matches, achieved some notoriety in WCW but could not adapt to "sports entertainment" style of wrestling, WCW Hall of Famer

Harlem Warlord, Jaime Cardriche, July 28, 2000, Gall Bladder Surgery Complications, age 32
-African American indie wrestler, former football All-American for Oklahoma University, I could find out no further information
MSM Link:
Harlem Warlord article

Mighty Chang, Milton Reid, August ??, 2000, Unknown, age 54
-British wrestler of half-Asian descent, played stereotypical Asian gimmick, Europe-European Heavyweight Champion, European Tag Team Champion
MSM Link:
Mighty Chang article

Rick Davidson, August 5, 2000, Unknown, age 47
-I could find no further information

Tony Nash, Anthony Nash, August 5, 2000, Tony Nash, Ring Injury, age 30
-I could find no further information

"Cannonball" Tony Parisi, Antonio Pugliese, August 18, 2000, Heart Attack, age 58
-Canadian wrestler of Italian descent, born in Italy and became Canadian citizen, WWWF (Tag Team Champion, International Champion, four-time WWWF United States Tag Team Champion, four-time IWA Tag Team Champion, three-time NWF Tag Team Champion, NWA (Florida Tag Team Champion, Texas Tag Team Champion), three-time IW International Tag Team Champion, two-time MWWF Tag Team Champion

Chris Duffy, Christopher Duffy, August 25, 2000, Seizure, age 36
-Indie wrestler, trained by Killer Kowalski, most famous for playing the Santa Claus that Steve Austin stunnered on television, which is seen on WWE 24/7

Professor Toru Tanaka, Charles Kalani, August 22, 2000, Natural Causes, age 70
-Longtime Hawaiian wrestler, longtime partner with Mr. Fuji, became minor television and movie star playing heel henchmen roles, 10 year U.S. Army veteran, WWWF (International Tag Team Champion, three-time WWWF Tag Team Champion), AWA (Southern Heavyweight Champion, two-time Southern Tag Team Champion), NWA (Texas Brass Knuckles Champion, two-time Southeastern Heavyweight Champion, two-time British Empire/Commonwealth Heavyweight Champion, Georgia Heavyweight Champion, three-time American Heavyweight Champion, Florida Tag Team Champion, American Tag Team Champion, Americas Tag Team Champion, two-time Georgia Tag Team Champion, Southeastern Tag Team Champion, Hawai'i North American Heavyweight Champion), WCWA Brass Knuckles Champion, IWA (two-time Heavyweight Champion, IWA Tag Team Champion), NCW Heavyweight Champion, ACCW Tag Team Champion, RMW Heavyweight Champion, L&G Caribbean Heavyweight Champion
MSM Link;
Toru Tanaka article

Otto Lugger, Barney Lobsinger, September 1, 2000, Natural Causes, age 86
- Longtime Canadian wrestler, World-World Middleweight Champion

"Canadian Destroyer" Doug Chevalier, September 10, 2000, Unknown, age 41
-I could find no further information

Billy Joyce, September 15, 2000, Unknown, age 65
-I could find no further information

Klondike Bill Bulbar, William Soloweyko, October 3, 2000, Palsy, age 68
-Longtime Canadian wrestler, also known as the Kodiak Bear, NWA (Tri State- United States Tag Team Champion, Hawaii Heavyweight Champion, Central States-North American Tag Team Champion), AJPW All Asian Tag Team Champion
MSM Link:
Klondike Bill article

Joe Schoenberger, Joseph Schoenberger, October 2, 2000, Unknown, age 84
-I could find no further information

Leo Nomellini, Leo Joseph Nomellini, October 17, 2000, Stroke, age 76
-Born in Italy, trained by Verne Gagne and was his tag team partner for two title reigns, former professional football player for San Francisco 49ers, in Football Hall of Fame, feuded with Lou Thesz, four-time NWA San Francisco Tag Team Champion, three-time AWA Tag Team Champion
MSM Link:
Leo Nomellini article

Yokozuna, Agatpu Rodney Anoai, October 22, 2000, Heart Attack, age 34
-Member of the famous Anoia Samoan wrestling family, portrayed stereotypical evil Japanese Sumo wrestler gimmick, legitimately weighed over 800 pounds at one point, making the heaviest wrestler ever, trained by Afa and Sika, managed by Mr. Fuji and James E. Cornette, known as Kokina Maximus in AWA, only man to pin Hulk Hogan where Hogan never got his win back, WWE (WWE Tag Team Champion, two-time WWE World Heavyweight Champion), 1993 WWE Royal Rumble Winner, UWA Heavyweight Champion

Doug Hepburn, Douglas Hepburn, November ??, 2000, Unknown, age 74
-Longtime Canadian wrestler, former World Weightlifting Champion in 1953, crippled by polio when he was a child but overcame it due to weightlifting, after retiring he became an advocate for drug-free sports, feuded with Yukon Eric
MSM Link:
Doug Hepburn article

Cherie (Manager), Cherie Dupre, November 2, 2000, Natural Causes, age 71
-I could find no further information

Yoshi Momota, Yoshihiro Momota, November 22, 2000, Liver Cancer, age 54
-Japanese wrestler, I could find no further information

"The Outlaw" Eddie Sullivan, Ruben Huizar, November 24, 2000, Stroke, age 59
-Trained by Iron Mike DiBiase (Ted's father), member of tag team the Mighty Yankees, NWA (ten-time NWA Gulf Coast Tag Team Champion, Mid America-United States Tag Team Champion, four time Gulf Coast-United States Tag Team Champion, three-time Mississippi Heavyweight Champion, three-time Gulf Coast Heavyweight Champion, Mid America-Tag Team Champion, Mid America-Southern Tag Team Champion, Tri State-United States Tag Team Champion, Alabama Heavyweight Champion), IWA Tag Team Champion

The Blue Demon, Alejandro Muñoz Moreno, December 16, 2000, Heart Attack, age 78
-Longtime Mexican wrestler, trained by Roland Vera, three-time Mexico-National Welterweight Champion, two-time NWA Welterweight Champion

Rick Bolton, Richard Bolton, December 25, 2000, Unknown, age 49
-I could find out no further information

Jesse Morales, Jesse Anthony Venegas, Sr., December 29, 2000, Stroke, age 69
-I could find no further information

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