Professional wrestler Andy ‘The Butcher’ Williams died after suffering a medical episode while performing at an event in Millvale, Pa., on Friday night. He was 48.
Williams, who starred alongside Jesse ‘The Blade’ Guilmette as a tag team in AEW for the past several years, collapsed after competing in a match for the Enjoy Wrestling promotion and required immediate medical assistance.
Doctors performed CPR before he was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Williams didn’t start wrestling until his 30s and had been a member of metalcore band Every Time I Die, having played guitar for the group from 1998-2022.
Was the Butcher injured during the match?
There have been conflicting reports over what happened during the match before Williams’ death.
According to TMZ, during a 911 call, an emergency operator reported that a wrestler was injured during a match after hitting his head on a ring post.
However, several fans in attendance claimed that Williams wasn’t involved in that type of incident.
An eyewitness reportedly told the New York Post that Williams “seemed to be in a bit of dire straits; they went to a finish, and he was a little wobbly. Andy then went down, and Blade helped him up a bit and then tried to get folks to help.
“Once they saw, both the crew, the paramedics and the crowd worked in unison. Cleared a path, paid attention to the calls on the mic and then got him chest compressions, ice and then the AED (defibrillator). Then they boarded and got him out of there.”
On social media, others claiming to have been at the venue said that Williams appeared to be overheating during the match and that members of the crew had poured ice on him.
During the match, Williams’ partner put some ice from the bar on his back, as well.
Many fans said that the venue’s temperature wasn’t out of the ordinary.
As of Monday morning, an official cause of death has not been released.
What are other wrestlers saying about the Butcher?
AEW confirmed Williams’ death with a tribute post on social media on Sunday.
“All Elite Wrestling is saddened to learn of the passing of Andy Williams, aka The Butcher,” the company posted. “A trailblazing musician with ETID and Atomic Rule, Williams made a successful transition into the world of professional wrestling and was incredibly respected by his peers both in and out of the ring.
“Our condolences go out to Williams’ family, friends and fans.”
Former AEW star and current WWE champion CM Punk shared an image of himself with Williams at Disneyland on his Instagram Stories with a heart emoji.
AEW world champion Will Ospreay simply posted “Butcher” as a tribute to Williams on X.
Longtime WWE and AEW star Dustin Rhodes shared a story about a backstage moment with Williams after a particularly brutal match featuring the two wrestlers.
“I remember this very well. After the match, Andy was crying to me with happy tears, and that started my water works as well,” Rhodes wrote while reposting and image from 2020. “Andy is one of the kindest people I have ever met, with a pure heart and soul. I will miss you my friend. Prayers to ur family and loved ones.”
AEW has yet to officially announce plans for a tribute to Williams, but one is expected to take place during Wednesday night’s episode of Dynamite.
This week’s show — dubbed Rebel Heart — also serves as a tribute and fundraiser for Tanea “Rebel” Brooks, one of the company’s wrestlers who was diagnosed with ALS in March 2026.