29 Wrestlers Who Died In 2019

3. Rick Bognar (20 September)

Ashley Massaro
WWE

Former WWE wrestler Rick Bognar suddenly passed away on 20 September following a heart attack. He was 49.

News of Bognar's passing broke when his brother, Ken, posted an update via former WCW referee Billy Silverman's Facebook account, stating that Rick had "passed away suddenly and unexpectedly". In a brief tribute message, Ken stated: "It is tough to comprehend and will likely never sink in fully. Rick left behind a great legacy and I know he will be remembered and missed by all of us."

Though he worked for promotions as diverse as ECW, NJPW, and AAA, Bognar is best remembered for his work as WWE's fake Razor Ramon in September 1996. Introduced alongside an imposter Diesel (played by Glenn Jacobs) following Scott Hall and Kevin Nash's departures for WCW, the short-lived angle lasted only a few months, with Bognar and Jacobs sent to the USWA as part of a talent exchange program shortly after the 1997 Royal Rumble.

Bognar would continue wrestling through to his 2000 retirement, having last worked for Stampede Wrestling in his native Canada.

Editorial Team
Editorial Team

Benjamin was born in 1987, and is still not dead. He variously enjoys classical music, old-school adventure games (they're not dead), and walks on the beach (albeit short - asthma, you know). He's currently trying to compile a comprehensive history of video game music, yet denies accusations that he purposefully targets niche audiences. He's often wrong about these things.