8 Wrestlers Who Predicted Their Own Deaths

2. Roddy Piper

Piper made it cool to be the bad guy/rebel. Even up until his death in 2015 when he suffered a cardiac arrest in his sleep, Piper made rebellious, sporadic appearances for WWE, often to confront heels in Piper’s Pit segments.

In a 2003 interview about premature deaths in pro wrestling, Piper spoke about the difficulties wrestlers face trying to make it to an elderly age. He commented on his own mortality with unfortunate accuracy.

He said: “What would you have me do at 49, when my pension plan, I can’t take out until I’m 65? I’m not gonna make 65. Let’s face facts, guys.”

He died at the age of 61. In the saddest sense, a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Also of note, in his last interview just weeks before he died, Piper claimed with the brashness only he had: “When I get to heaven I’ll want to fight.” Let’s hope he’s fighting the greats up there in the square circle right now.