Nobody's dead, Arnold

[RoryFice]

Partially inspired by Chris B mentioning on another thread about former fans asking about old wrestlers, then having to inform them they are dead, and partially inspired by morbid curiosity (and utter boredom at work), I thought I would check to see how many old WWE PPV events are "death-free" so to speak. Due to heart attacks, drug overdoses, family murderers, suicides and tragic accidents amongst others, there sadly aren't very many.

I haven't included referees or announcers, only the wrestlers, although I don't know it doing so would make any difference,

I checked this out before a few years ago, and without re-checking any further back, I think Rebellion 2001 is the earliest example, falling neatly into that time period where Eddie Guerrero and Chris Benoit were both not on the active roster, and benefiting from a smaller crew due to it being a UK event.

From my count there are only 20 more events prior to 2010, which could possibly be considered to be in the same category, listed below for the sake of it, with additional notes where necessary:

Wrestlemania X8 (2002) - Again benefits from no Benoit or Guerrero. However, Crash Holly gets involved in the Hardcore Title 24/7 shenanigans, and Mr Perfect and Test were in the pre-show match.

Vengeance (2005) - Single brand PPV, and Benoit had just been went to Smackdown earlier that month. However, Rosey was on the Heat pre-show match.

Summerslam (2006) - However, Umaga interferes in tag team match

One Night Stand (2007) - Again, Umaga involved in a match that he isn't a participant.

Benoit then exits the picture, and with that the numbers start to increase.

Judgment Day (2008) - From the looks of it, the first one since Rebellion where including inference and pre-show, everything is still in the land of the living.

Night of Champions (2008) - However, Umaga on pre-show/dark match

Summerslam (2008)

No Mercy (2008)

Armageddon (2008)

Royal Rumble (2009) - That's 4 out of the last seven. Perhaps surprising as it's a Rumble event. Umaga returned to TV the next week.

No Way Out (2009)

Backlash (2009)

The Bash (2009)

Night of Champions (2009) - However, Shad Gaspard on pre-show/dark match.

Gaspard then wrestles at Summerslam, but the final five shows of the decade appear to be death-free.

There are quite a few events within the 2001-2009 timeframe where there is only one death (apart from the aforementioned, Ashley Massaro and Garrison Cade for example) but similarly there are plenty on the list above where one single death could remove a whole lot from the list, if the wrestler was regularly featured within the era.

It's all rather sad, and if anyone is sad enough (in a different way, like me) to correct me or add to the list then go for it.

 

[Onyx2]

40 minutes ago, RoryFice said:

Gaspard then wrestles at Summerslam

Fucking hell I'd forgotten. What a tragedy.

I don't do football, but how far back do you have to go for say, the FA Cup final to be death-free? Sounds like one for @JNLister

[RoryFice]

In the interest of relative completion, no WCW or ECW PPvs were death-free.

[RoryFice]

46 minutes ago, Onyx2 said:

Fucking hell I'd forgotten. What a tragedy.

I don't do football, but how far back do you have to go for say, the FA Cup final to be death-free? Sounds like one for @JNLister

Totally off-topic, but ask and ye shall receive - as far as I can see every player who featured in the 1979 FA Cup final is alive (according to Wikipedia). Only unused Man U sub Brian Greenhoff is listed as having passed.

Conversely, the most recent non death-free FA Cup Final appears to be 2010 (Papa Bouba Diop has since passed)

Edited February 8, 2021 by RoryFice

[Dai]

Mildly related, but I was rewatching the 2000 Royal Rumble, and noticed there was a run of four entrants who were all dead (Vis, Bossman, Test and Bulldog). When you think of the ages of all those guys, plus the fact it was an event in the 00's, it was quite a sad moment. Got me thinking though, that there must be Rumbles from the early 90's where that number in a row would be higher, and got me wondering how high that number actually gets,

[RoryFice]

9 minutes ago, Dai said:

Mildly related, but I was rewatching the 2000 Royal Rumble, and noticed there was a run of four entrants who were all dead (Vis, Bossman, Test and Bulldog). When you think of the ages of all those guys, plus the fact it was an event in the 00's, it was quite a sad moment. Got me thinking though, that there must be Rumbles from the early 90's where that number in a row would be higher, and got me wondering how high that number actually gets,

Equalled once or twice prior to then, but only bettered (if that's the correct word) in 1990 - Snuka, Bravo, Earthquake, Neidhart, Warrior.

Eight others dead from 1990, in entrance streaks of 2, 3 and 3.

Edited February 8, 2021 by RoryFice

[Dai]

Pleasanty shocked at that, thought we would be getting into 5+ on most occasions. Now that we are going down this road, how about the World War 3 entrances?

[RoryFice]

Just now, Dai said:

Pleasanty shocked at that, thought we would be getting into 5+ on most occasions. Now that we are going down this road, how about the World War 3 entrances?

That's plenty! And they all entered the match at the same time anyway.