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In the world of professional wrestling, many leave the world far too young. And now, another one has left too soon.
Brian Knighton, best known by audiences as “Axl Rotten”, who made a name for himself by his heavy usage of steel chairs in the popular Extreme Championship Wrestling promotion that lasted from 1993 to 2001, was found dead in his hotel room in Baltimore, Maryland on Thursday, February 4th.
He was 44 years old.
World Wrestling Entertainment, where Rotten wrestled during a brief stint in 2005 released the following statement after hearing of his passing:
“WWE is saddened to learn of reports that Brian Knighton, best known for competing in ECW as Axl Rotten from 1993 to 1999, has passed away. WWE extends its condolences to Knighton’s family, friends and fans.”
After wrestling across the independent circuits for many years, Knighton soon became friends with ECW’s co-founder, Paul Heyman, while in WCW. Knighton made his debut as Rotten on ECW TV in 1993, along with his tag team partner Ian Rotten.
Knighton participated in a feud in 1995 with his former tag team partner that was so highly acclaimed, Pro Wrestling Illustrated named it the “Feud of the Year”. A lot of the “heat” in the rivalry was fueled from real-life ill feelings between the two. The culmination of the feud came during Hardcore Heaven 1995 on July 1, 1995, when Knighton defeated his former partner in a “Tapei Death Match”, one of ECW’s most bloody matches where the wrestler’s hands are wrapped with shattered glass.
Later in his ECW tenure, he started to tag team with Johnathan Rechner, who wrestles under the name “Balls Mahoney”. Together, these two had their biggest success, and soon became the “The Hardcore Chair Swingin’ Freaks”, due to their frequent use of steel chairs.
He left ECW in 1999, and wrestled for various independent promotions over the rest of his career, including a brief reunion with his fellow ECW alumni during WWE’s ECW One Night Stand in 2005.
In 2015, Knighton suffered a spine injury that forced him in a wheelchair.
I personally would like to send my condolences to the family of “Axl Rotten” Brian Knighton at this time.
