10 Great Wrestlers Whose Careers Were Cut Short

Flyin' Brian's wild man 'Loose Cannon' persona had quickly turned him into a fan favourite by 1996. From the shock-horror of acknowledging Kevin Sullivan as a booker on live pay per view to threatening to urinate in the middle of an ECW ring, Pillman's antics had everyone talking. While kayfabe was not quite what it once was by the mid '90s, his dangerous, seemingly off-script style had viewers wondering if it was a work or if he really had gone into business for himself.

Most wild of all was the legendary 'Pillman's Got A Gun' angle he worked with Stone Cold Steve Austin. Arguably the prologue to what would become the Attitude Era, this home invasion segment landed both the wrestlers involved and the promotion as a whole in hot water with TV execs and viewers alike.

The only major problem keeping Pillman from ascending up the card was his health. Having shattered his ankle in a car crash, he'd also racked up wear and tear on his knees and neck from several punishing years in the ring. Rumours of drug and alcohol abuse also circled the former CFL star in his final days.

At Badd Blood 1997, Pillman was pencilled in for a clash with Dude Love. Worried about a potential no-show when Pillman didn't turn up at the arena on time, Jim Cornette called the hotel he was staying at and was informed of his fatal heart attack earlier that day. Coming from a family lineage rife with heart problems, Pillman's tragic death shocked the world and robbed wrestling of one its brightest stars at just 35.