English: Brian Christopher Lawler posing for a photo with a fan (cropped) in May 2000 Date 24 April 2012, Wikipedia Commons. Author: Mandy Coombes
Former WWE wrestler Brian Christopher Lawler died Sunday at age 46 after being found hanging in his jail cell in Memphis.
According to TMZ, Lawler committed suicide. Lawler, whom WWE said was known as “Too Cool’s Grandmaster Sexay,” had been reportedly booked for driving under the influence and avoiding arrest. Lawler had been placed on life support after his suicide attempt, per TMZ.
Another American wrestler, the Croatian-born Josip Peruzovic, also died at age 70 on Sunday. Peruzovic was best known under his ring name Nikolai Volkoff.
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Lawler started his pro wrestling career in the late 1980s as a member of the U.S. Wrestling Association. He then joined WWE (formerly WWF) in 1997. His last appearance at a WWE event was in February 2014. His father, 68-year-old Jerry “The King” Lawler, is also a famous former wrestler.
Here are tributes to Lawler and Peruzovic from around the wrestling community:
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