Piper main-evented the very first WrestleMania and lost to Hogan and Mr. T. Despite the loss, Piper would continue to be a major attraction for WWE for many years as a wrestler, manager, and interviewer. After WrestleMania I, Piper would also do other work, such as acting in film, on TV, and as a voice actor. He would appear sporadically over the years, including short-lived runs in 2003 and 2006. Tragically, Piper passed away on July 31st, 2015 at age 61. He is believed to have died in his sleep. A lot of people, including Piper himself, believed that he wouldnt make it to old age. The lifestyle he lived during his peak years in pro wrestling, coupled with an allegedly poor diet and choice of health decisions, led him to die at such a young age.
Alexander Podgorski is a writer for WhatCulture that has been a fan of professional wrestling since he was 8 years old. He loves all kinds of wrestling, from WWE and sports entertainment, to puroresu in Japan.
He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Queen's University in Political Studies and French, and a Master's Degree in Public Administration. He speaks English, French, Polish, a bit of German, and knows some odd words and phrases in half a dozen other languages.
