Legendary Wrestler Butch Reed Dies Aged 66
In some tragic news, the legendary Butch Reed has passed away at the age of 66.
In some tragic news, the legendary Butch Reed has passed away at the age of 66.
This awful news was announced on Reed’s Instagram account earlier today, with Butch passing away due to heart complications.
Having played in the NFL for the Kansas City Chiefs, Bruce ‘Butch’ Reed embarked on a pro wrestling career in 1978. As ‘Hacksaw’ Butch Reed, the charismatic star made a solid impression in Florida Championship Wrestling and Georgia Championship, before taking his career to a whole other level in Bill Watts’ Mid-South Wrestling.
By 1986, Reed signed with the then-WWF and began using the moniker of ‘The Natural’ Butch Reed, usually with Slick at his side. Having entered into a rivalry with Ricky Steamboat, Reed was rumoured to have been in line to take Steamboat’s Intercontinental Championship before the Honky Tonk Man was instead given the nod to dethrone the Dragon.
From 1988 – 1992, Butch returned into the NWA fold with Jim Crockett Promotions, with him famously becoming a member of the Doom tag team with Ron Simmons. That tandem would go on to take the WCW Tag Team Championships from the Steiner Brothers at 1990’s Capital Combat PPV.
The sad news of Butch Reed’s passing comes only a matter of days after his Instagram account detailed how Butch had suffered two major heart attacks in recent weeks.
The thoughts of all of us here at WhatCulture go out to the family, friends and fans of Butch.