Brad Armstrong obit

Former WWE Wrestler Brad Armstrong Passes Away at 51

 

He was not on the list.

Wrestler Brad Armstrong, who rose to prominence as a member of World Championship Wrestling (WCW) in the 1990s and later joined WWE as a member of the ECW brand, passed away today at age 51, according to WWE.com.

The report states Armstrong met with his doctor last week for an undisclosed issue before being found unresponsive today. He was last a member of the ECW brand back in 2006, serving in several different roles during his stint.

Armstrong, whose father "Bullet" Bob Armstrong was a legendary wrestler, still has a connection with the WWE as his brothers, "The Road Dogg" Jesse James and Scott Armstrong, work for the company as a producer and referee, respectively.

He wore many different hats during his nearly three decades in wrestling, which started with Southeast Championship Wrestling in 1980. He moved on to the National Wrestling Alliance a few years later, where he became a tag team champion.

Armstrong got his big break when he moved to the WCW. His successful stint included tag team and light heavyweight championship reigns, which helped him get noticed on a much wider scale as the company was starting to grow.

The versatile superstar won several awards during his career. He was named Rookie of the Year by Pro Wresting Illustrated in 1982 and the Wrestling Observer Newsletter named him the most underrated wrestler in 1987, according to CageMatch.net.

He also reached as high as No. 63 on PWI's annual ranking of the top 500 wrestlers in 1992, during his peak time with WCW.

Armstrong was solid in-ring worker who was never afraid to try a new character or gimmick and made the most out of the opportunities he was given. That included briefly trying his hand as an announcer during his time with ECW.

He was a key piece of a terrific wrestling family and will be missed by the tight-knit community of entertainers.