10 Pro Wrestling Legends Who Sadly Died From Cancer

Dusty Rhodes was one of the greatest wrestlers of all time, someone who lit up an audience with his charisma and in-ring ability. The fact that he was truly a man of the people meant his passing was something that fans felt personally.

Rhodes was dealing with numerous health issues at the time of his death, with stomach cancer being something that he had to battle through as well. Rhodes' legacy endures through his sons and the numerous wrestlers he trained over the years.

Sid Vicious

Sid Vicious was a brilliant big man in professional wrestling who enjoyed a great career because of it. He was hard-hitting and held nothing back inside the ring, often being a convincing opponent against other larger wrestlers, such as The Undertaker.

Sid dealt with a lengthy battle against cancer, which pushed him to his limits and sadly cost him his life. However, he has a legacy that continues to live on due to the impressive work he provided inside the ring.

Harley Race

Harley Race is one of the greatest names in the history of the business, having helped take the wrestling industry to new heights with his work. He passed away after a battle with lung cancer, which was an emotional situation due to the legacy he created.

Race is someone who had an influence far beyond what he personally achieved inside the ring, though, due to the number of people he trained. He played a hand in the careers of people like Dustin Rhodes, Trevor Murdoch, and Tomasso Ciampa, ensuring fans remember him.

Earthquake

Earthquake was a giant in the professional wrestling business, dominating the ring with his size advantage. He fought all the way until 2004 when he was diagnosed with bladder cancer, giving him just a 20% chance of living. He was able to fight that for another two years before he passed away, showcasing the type of spirit he had.

The career of Earthquake was recently honored by WWE as part of the 2025 Hall of Fame class, where The Natural Disasters were inducted as a tag team, which was a significant moment for his family.

Big John Studd

Big John Studd achieved a lot throughout his wrestling career, working both in and out of WWE throughout his tenure. Given his size, Studd was able to stand out and showcase his fighting spirit, especially during a memorable feud against Andre the Giant, where the two big men delivered some hard-hitting encounters.

Studd also gave the fight of his life during his battle against cancer, having fought against it from 1993 to 1995. He underwent surgery and worked hard to save his life, but it was unfortunately to no avail as the tumor ended up spreading around his body.

Steve Williams

Steve Williams was an aggressive wrestler who was someone that Jim Ross was a big advocate for over the years. He was involved in the infamous Brawl For All tournament, while he also proved himself in Japan, where his physical style worked perfectly.

Williams battled throat cancer for a while before it cost him his life, which was an upsetting situation. That was made even worse by the fact that he was only 49 years old when he passed away.

Jimmy Snuka

Jimmy Snuka was a pioneer in professional wrestling, with high-flying moves being something that few people of his size did at that time. He was innovative and exciting to watch, bringing plenty of charisma to the ring at the same time as he captivated attention.

Snuka struggled with his health toward the end of his life, suffering from stomach cancer. He ended up in a hospice for the final six months of his life after the illness had become terminal, which ultimately took his life.

Black Bart

Black Bart was another influential performer who put together a memorable career where his performances were brilliant wherever he went. Bart was physical with his approach, and that helped him thrive during his era, and eventually led to him training a young JBL, who certainly honored his legacy.

Unfortunately, in 2022, he was diagnosed with colon cancer, but he even fought that for several years as his toughness clearly stretched into his real life as well, eventually passing away in 2025.

Giant Baba

Giant Baba is often regarded as one of the greatest wrestlers in Japanese history, with his popularity being off the charts in the country. He was a legitimate giant, and that in itself made him stand out and become memorable, with Baba backing it up inside the ring with great performances.

Giant Baba dealt with several health issues toward the end of his life, including battling liver cancer. However, he opted to keep it all to himself, away from the public eye, which meant that his death was a significant surprise.

Chavo Guerrero Sr.

The Guerrero family is one of the greatest in wrestling history, and Chavo Guerrero Sr. was a big part in making that a reality. He worked around the world and provided fantastic technical work that helped to cement his legacy as one of the best in the business.

Unfortunately, he's another legendary performer who passed away after a battle with cancer. Guerrero Sr. passed away after a battle with liver cancer, dying at the age of 68.