24 Wrestlers Who Died In 2020
14. 'Rollerball' Rocco (30 July)
Mark 'Rollerball' Rocco, a legend of the British wrestling scene and New Japan Pro Wrestling's original Black Tiger, died in a care home on 30 July at the age of 69. He had been living with dementia throughout the latter stages of his life.
Born 11 May 1951 in Manchester, England, Rocco was a regular on ITV's flagship wrestling show, World of Sport, crossing paths with future stars Dynamite Kid and Fit Finlay, as well as mainstays of the domestic industry such as Marty Jones.
A three time World Heavy Middleweight Champion, Rocco translated his success across continents, starring in New Japan Pro Wrestling as the original Black Tiger. His electric performances under the hood opposite Satoru 'Tiger Mask' Sayama helped revolutionise the burgeoning junior heavyweight style.
Following his death, fellow Brit William Regal composed a touching tribute to the British superstar, writing: "There aren't enough words for me to explain how much it means to me to be fortunate to have known him, wrestled him."