Mike Awesome (1965-2007)

[GhΩst]

Yeah, and Crash was in Stevie Richards's house when he did it too.

Anyways, I am really curious as to see what Joey Styles's reaction will be. There was a lot of bad blood (not the ppv) between the two, but hopefully Joey will do the right thing and respectfully talk about Awesome.

 

[X]

Damn thats such a shame to hear about these great wrestlers killing themselves, god that makes it so much worse.

And I think Styles will do the right thing here, Joey is a good guy IMO.

 

[Y 2 Jake]

I cant help but think it might have been different if he's recieved a proper push in WWF. He certainly had the look. I think it went downhill for him after Taker said he could'nt work. It's a real shame.

 

[Moon Knight]

I noticed that Heart Attack was on their almost more than anything else, I hope that is not a trend. But I would like to know why he killed himself, maybe it has something to do with the business and if so something needs to be done about it.

 

[Y 2 Jake]

Steroid's give you heart attack's. It narrow's you're vein's and enlarge's you're heart. The doctor gave me some once and they gave me palpatation's so I refused to take them.

 

[Search_JWA1EWA]

The man was a beast. He took over Sid as my favorite big man when I first saw him in ECW. I liked Sid because he was the first person that I saw use the powerbomb, and I thought that there would be no other move more devastating than that. But here comes Mike Awesome, a 6'6" 290 pound Mr. Everything.

He simply amazed me with what he could do in the ring. Power moves, high flying moves, strikes, everything. Not the best technical wrestler, but dammit, he was a beast in the ring. His ranting promos seemed unscripted because it seemed as if he was raging out of control. I didn't mind because I knew when he got into the ring, he was going to bash some ass. When he retired, I felt upset about it, but oh well. I knew it was for personal and physical reasons. Being across the pond, away from family and his bad knees took their toll on him. But as long as he appears every now-and-then, it would be alright and I'll be checking for him. But all things come to pass and at least I'll always remember him for what he's accomplished.

R.I.P. big man - Mike Awesome

 

[Dominus]

Yeah I remember when Crashed died. He was working for TNA too. I didn't know he killed himself though, I just thought it was a heart attack or something. I remember I think it was 3D that came out with "Crash" armbands, or wait maybe that was "Hawk" ?? I know for sure it was Hawk when he went. Anyway WWE did air a "In Memory Of" thing at the start of a show, which also get me. Some people pass away on between Tuesday & Friday and then I don't get to see (because I only watch Raw usually) if WWE even mentions them on SD! (or ECW) or possibly a Sunday PPV. They really should air the "In Memory Of" thing on every show for the next week after his/her death.

Anyways I too wonder what drove Mike to do this. I heard he had a good job out of wrestling, and supposedly that suited him just fine. Maybe he was in pain from wrestling all those years, and it just took a huge toll on his body, and just couldn't stand the pain anymore.

 

[Y 2 Jake]

Source: The Wrestling Observer Newsletter

- As previously reported, Mike Awesome was scheduled to go out with friends on 2/17. Friends arrived at his home, but no one answered. One of Awesome's friends found Awesome hanging through a window. By the time police arrived, Awesome had already passed away.

- It doesn't appear he left behind a suicide note.

- Apparently Awesome had been in poor health in recent months, and had dropped to 235 lbs.

- At the time of his passing, Awesome was going through a divorce.

- For those that have asked, here is Awesome's relationship to Hulk Hogan. Awesome's father's sister (or his aunt) married Hulk Hogan's oldest brother. The couple's oldest son is Mike Bollea (Horace Hogan).

 

[Y 2 Jake]

Date of birth
24 January 1965, Tampa, Florida, USA

Date of death
17 February 2007, Tampa, Florida, USA. (suicide - hanging)

Birth name
Michael Lee Alfonso

Nickname
The Career Killer
That '80s Guy
The Gladiator
That 70s Guy
Fat Chick Thriller
The Mullet Guy
The Awesome One

Height
6' 8" (2.03 m)

Spouse
Delisa Bowers (1991 - 17 February 2007) (his death) 2 children

Trade mark

Running Powerbomb

Trivia

Former ECW World Champion.

Member of the New Bloods.

Cousin of Michael Bollea

Was the first WCW wrestler in the invasion angle to win a WWF Championship (the Hardcore Title)

Is the real life cousin of Horace Bollea, Hulk Hogan's nephew, yet there is no relation between Mike Awesome and Hulk Hogan

On the last WCW Monday Nitro, Mike Awesome teamed with Lance Storm against Chuck Palumbo and Sean O'Haire. Palumbo and O'Haire were victorious

Known in Japan as the Gladiator

In 1999, Mike Awesome got a lot of heat from fellow ECW wrestlers for defecting to WCW with the ECW Championship Belt. He feared for his safety when he returned to ECW Television to drop the title belt to Tazz.

After his release from WWE, he made appearances with NWA-TNA and wrestled steadily in Japan, until his retirement from the wrestling business, during which time he obtained his real estate license.

At the time of his death, was working as a real estate agent for Coldwell Banker in Tampa, Florida.

Had two children with wife Delisa, son Casey (born 1996) and daughter Carissa (born 2000).

Where are they now

(September 2002) Released from WWE.

(June 2005) Returned for one night only at the ECW One Night Stand PPV, to defeat Masato Tanaka.

 

[HellBoundPower]

I feel bad about this. I did like Mike Awesome. It's just hard for me to say good things about a guy who committed suicide. I think that's a cowards way out. Either way, Mike will be missed.

 

[Y 2 Jake]

It's not a coward's way out. That's your opinion and your entitled to it. But he commited suicide because he was deeply unhappy. And somebody who does'nt suffer from depression cant really grasp what it's like. I suffer from it and It's really hard. And people who are'nt heavily depressed dont get what it's like.

 

[Ultraviolent Icon]

RIP Hes one of my favorites and for me he'll be missed greatly.

 

[Shocky]

A shameless bump, but a much needed one. This is something I think everyone should read, considering everything we have gone through as fans this last week.

In light of the Chris Benoit tragedy that took the life of Chris (40), his wife Nancy (43), and their 7-year old son Daniel, news of Mike Awesome's suicide is now coming to light.

According to sources, Awesome was told by his wife that she was unhappy and wanted a divorce. Upon hearing the news, Awesome physically confronted his wife by grabbing her by the throat and throwing her against or into a wall.

Awesome's wife called police and had Mike arrested for domestic abuse. While in jail Awesome was told by his wife that she was leaving him, taking his money, and, again according to sources, told the former ECW Champion that she "hated" him. She then took what she could from their home, threw out certain things that belonged to Awesome, and left.

Sources claim that Awesome was beyond distraught and very depressed about the marriage, which he felt was stable and secure, all of a sudden being stripped out from under him. All of this transpiring while Awesome was still in jail, it should be noted.

Shortly after returning home from jail, with nothing left to come back to, Awesome hanged himself. Friends discovered the body shortly afterwards.

 

[Moon Knight]

That was a justified bump, another thread would have been made anyway. I don't condone what he did to his wife, but I don't condone what she did either, taking all his stuff and leaving with nothing after he got out of jail? She is responsible for his death, he wouldn't have killed himself if she didn't do that. I don't condone what he did and think her leaving was right, she should have waited until after he got out and made a smooth divorce instead of taking all his stuff and leaving.

 

[A.J.]

That was a justified bump, another thread would have been made anyway. I don't condone what he did to his wife, but I don't condone what she did either, taking all his stuff and leaving with nothing after he got out of jail? She is responsible for his death, he wouldn't have killed himself if she didn't do that. I don't condone what he did and think her leaving was right, she should have waited until after he got out and made a smooth divorce instead of taking all his stuff and leaving.

I agree with you Death. I mean you can see he had nothing left to live, thoiught i think he could have gone about it ina differnet light as fight for his stuff in a court of law. But his wife should have knew better then do what she did as she didnt help the situation. Truly sad thing and worst part is many married couples go through this when a divorce happens a sone wants it all leaving the other with nothing.