Brian Christopher Lawler, a former WWE star and son of legend Jerry “The King” Lawler,” died Sunday, July 29 after reportedly attempting suicide in his jail cell. The wrestling world sustained two other blows on Sunday, as WWE Hall of Famer Nikolai Volkoff — nee Josip Nikolai Peruzovic — died at the age of 70, and Brickhouse Brown at the age 57 after a battle with cancer.
Brian Christopher Lawler, a former WWE star and son of legend Jerry “The King” Lawler,” died Sunday, July 29 after reportedly attempting suicide in his jail cell.
The wrestling world sustained two other blows on Sunday, as WWE Hall of Famer Nikolai Volkoff — nee Josip Nikolai Peruzovic — died at the age of 70, and Brickhouse Brown at the age 57 after a battle with cancer.
The Associated Press reports the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation says the 46-year-old was found hanging in his cell on Saturday. Officials then performed CPR and transported Lawler to a hospital in Memphis.
Lawler, performing under the name “Grandmaster Sexay,” was a one-time WWE Tag Team Champion as part of the team “Too Cool” with “Scotty 2 Hotty.” The duo burst on the scene back in 1999, when professional wrestling was getting used to reaching new mainstream levels of popularity.
The group later turned into a trio when WWE Hall of Famer Rikishi joined the fold, and “Too Cool” added a layer of fun to professional wrestling with their dancing and fan-favorite antics.
“WWE is saddened to learn that Brian Christopher Lawler, who is best known in WWE as Too Cool’s Grandmaster Sexay, has passed away,” WWE writes in a post.
“Lawler, who is the son of WWE Hall of Famer Jerry ‘The King’ Lawler, competed during the height of the Attitude Era. WWE extends its condolences to Lawler’s family, friends and fans.”
A. P. reports Lawler was booked in the Hardeman County Jail back on July 7 for driving under the influence, driving on a revoked license and evading arrest.
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Volkoff was inducted into the hall of fame back in 2005, and was best known for teaming with the Iron Sheik and singing the Soviet Union’s national anthem before the pair’s matches.
Volkoff and Sheik were former tag team champions together in the mid-1980s and feuded with some of the biggest names the industry had to offer.
“Best known for his dastardly, WWE Tag Team Championship-winning union with The Iron Sheik, Volkoff’s in-ring career spanned the better part of 40 years, which featured battles against the likes of Sgt. Slaughter, Hulk Hogan and Bruno Sammartino,” WWE reports.
“As one of the greatest villains sports-entertainment had ever seen, Volkoff’s infamous rendition of the Soviet National Anthem before his matches made him an instant icon in the eyes of the WWE Universe as a Superstar they truly loved to hate. Jim Ross inducted Volkoff into the WWE Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2005.”
It was also reported that former WWE and worldwide performer Brickhouse Brown died Sunday at the age of 57 after a battle with prostate cancer. Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter confirmed the death of all three men in a Sunday morning tweet.
