38 Wrestlers Who Died In 2025
17. Austin Steele (6 July)
Austin Steele, a go-to enhancement talent for both the WWF and WCW during the early nineties, died on 6 July at the age of 70.
Born Danny Johnnie Cagle on 18 February, 1955, Steele, one of pro wrestling's many 'Nature Boys', was scouted by the big hitters almost straight away, wrestling The Steiner Brothers, Dustin Rhodes, and Vader within his first year of active competition for WCW: there, he went by the alias of Danny Deese. Vince McMahon came calling soon after, positioning Austin against Lex Luger, The 1-2-3 Kid, Tatanka, and Doink The Clown, to name a few, between January and July 1994.
His final recorded match, from January 2000, was a tag team match loss with Dr Love as they were usurped by Roger Blade and Justin Sane.