Professional wrestling is a job that takes a massive toll on your body and mind.
With no offseason, there isn't much time for wrestlers to recover, so it's not surprising
that many have died far too young.
Here are pro wrestlers you may not know passed away.
During his career, Andrew "Test" Martin held the European, Intercontinental, and Tag Team
championships.
He might've climbed even further up the ladder if he hadn't suffered a neck injury in 2004.
He was later released from the WWE after undergoing spinal fusion surgery.
Test was aware of the short life span of professional wrestlers and was determined to escape the
curse of drugs in particular.
Alas, it didn't work out that way.
In 2009, he was found in his Florida condo, dead at the age of 33 of an accidental overdose
of painkillers.
"It's either you sit in your room and go crazy, or you go out and party.
I mean, that's all, that's basically how it is."
Test's fate is particularly tragic because even if he'd managed to escape an overdose,
his story was unlikely to end well.
A doctor who examined his body found alarming signs of brain damage.
In fact, his brain resembled that of an Alzheimer's patient twice his age.
In 2003, Matt Cappotelli was doing very well for himself.
Together with John Hennigan, he had just won the WWE Tough Enough III competition, and
franchise stardom seemed imminent.
But while Hennigan went on to reach main event status, Cappotelli never made much of an impact.
That wasn't because he didn't have what it takes.
He just fought his battles on a far more serious stage than the wrestling ring.
In 2005, Cappotelli was diagnosed with a brain tumor, which ended his career before he could
reach the highest levels.
The tumor was successfully removed, but that was only a temporary respite.
Despite yearly screenings, he started having headaches and seizures in 2017, and a surgery
failed to remove a new, malignant tumor.
After consulting his neuro-oncologist, he decided to cease medical interventions.
He died in 2018, exactly one year after the surgery.
He was only 38 years old.
If the lifestyle of a professional wrestler can be difficult for the average superstar,
imagine what it must have been like for Nelson Frazier Jr.
The 6'9", 487-pound giant was one of the largest competitors to ever climb into the ring.
He was obviously a threatening presence, but also lighter on his feet than you'd expect
from a man who was almost as wide as he was tall.
"I'm here to cash some checks and break some necks."
Frazier intimidated his fellow performers under various gimmicks.
Unfortunately, the same girth that made Frazier such a fearsome ring presence eventually took
its toll.
In 2014, WWE released a statement that Frazier had passed away at the young age of 43.
Although the company was tactfully quiet about the actual cause of death, it was eventually
revealed that he died of a massive heart attack.
Nicole Bass wasn't your typical wrestling diva.
She was a muscular lady who towered over the competition and mostly played a bodyguard-type
character instead of an active wrestler.
Her start in the business was equally unorthodox.
She was a successful bodybuilder whose large frame and deep voice led to a gig on Howard
Stern's radio show, which she in turn negotiated into a budding wrestling career, and another
career as an adult film actress.
Bass didn't have the longest tenure in wrestling, as she was released just a few months after
she was signed.
She then sued WWF for no less than $120 million, claiming she had been wrongfully terminated,
that another performer had sexually assaulted her, and that the company was a discriminatory
workplace that paid women less than men.
A jury ruled against her.
Bass died in 2017 at the age of 52, though the cause is somewhat uncertain.
The Independent reported that she suffered a stroke, but according to Bass' girlfriend,
she suddenly got very sick, so she was taken to a hospital, but nothing could be done.
Chris Kanyon's wrestling career was always marred with difficulties.
His posthumous autobiography describes his life a closeted gay man in an ultra-macho
profession.
He wasn't ashamed of his orientation, but he strongly suspected that coming out wouldn't
mesh well with his career, so he took extreme measures to protect his secret.
He had sex with female groupies to keep up appearances and once had to escape a gay bar
when his coworkers wandered in for drinks after the other watering holes had closed.
When Kanyon finally came out in 2001, his worst fears came true.
After an unfortunate series of injuries, he found out that his comeback was a humiliating,
Boy George-themed joke segment.
Eventually, the only airtime he received was on Velocity, the least-appreciated WWE show
at the time.
In 2003, Kanyon's life took an even more tragic turn.
He attempted suicide, ended up in the hospital, and was diagnosed with bipolar disorder.
Now, he realized that he was wrestling with his opponents, sexuality, and mental illness.
Though Kanyon ended up leaving the WWE, it looks like he never found true peace.
He was found dead in 2010 with pills near his body.
He was 40 years old.
If you or anyone you know is having suicidal thoughts, please contact the National Suicide
Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).