Darker Side Of The Ring - The Awful End Of Mike Awesome #MikeAwesome #WCW #ECW #WWF #FMW #NJPW One of the most under utilized under appreciated wrestler to ever lace up the boots.
It's 😔 you try sometimes and just feels like no matter what, you get the sh*t end of the stick. You just have to be thankful for what you have and what you can do. Suicide always makes me feel dirty and sad someone would go that far to give up life. You only have 1, make the best and don't let the negative sh*t hold you back from what you are capable of. I pray for his family, loved ones and fans, Amen.
His wife😢 if life wasn’t hard enough, she destroyed his stuff after getting him arrested, robbing him blind and taking the kids 😮 What a piece of work, this woman 😢 no pity for cruel and unusual punishment, shud be ashamed😢 ❤ I knew big Mike suiticited😮 but not tht brutal point 😞 he choked her, okay, call cops, just leave, DO NOT twist the knife…duh…wht u think wud happen? Either her or him were dead after that Shiite, anyone cud see tht coming 💭 It happens all the time, check statistics, ask a divorce😢 there evermore growing nowadays for more trivial reasonings😅
Rest In Power, Mike Awesome. I can't comment on him as a husband and father. As I never knew him personally, but to this day he is my favourite wrestler.
He was the best. A Gladiator, A Killer, a real man bad ass. And you know what I comment on it and hope bis bitch "wife" will rot in hell for leaving him alone like a piece of shit.
One of the biggest loses to the Wrestling Business. Imagine? A passing of the torch match between Mike Awesome and Walter (Gunther)! Thank you for this tribute to a truly Awesome man.
His matches against Masato Tanaka were pure Awesome pun intended. His high flying moves made him perfect for wrestling. Too bad WCW messed things up with him.
Heartbreaking vid to watch. Test, Sean O’Haire, Kanyon (all mentioned in video) also passed along with Mike Awesome. Similar circumstances. Rip to all these wrestlers.
Man thank you for doing this. He is my favorite wrestler and doesn't get the love he deserves. I can't believe he was 42 when he passed, I'm 36 now and it blows my mind
Nearly had me in tears at the end. I remember seeing Awesome at “The Night The Line Was Crossed” when I got it from a tape trader in England in 94, I was 18. He was such a monster and did things no other big guys did. It was great following his career but he never did seem to get a lengthy run with the level of success he deserved. He should have been up there with Bam Bam Bigelow and Vader. RIP.
It truly was a sad ending to Mike's life because more often than not, we hear of some form of drugs being involved in a wrestler's premature death, but as Mike was clean, to end his life due to his marriage breakdown is heart-breaking to his children who were both young at that time. If only Mike could have reached out to a close friend about his marriage breakdown for some comfort and to be told he is much loved, this could have been the catalyst for him to rebuild his life and continue to see his children grow and possibly find love again, but the option of suicide always seems to be the one taken.
It's always a saddening tragedy, Mr. Bernebeu😒 1 of my late cousins hanged herself bc her now ex-husband left her for her college BFF who she was still close to post- graduation. She was depressed snd decided to end her life, which she did. They didn't have kids together, although she was close to his daughter by a prior relationship
I will forever be mesmerised by his match with Tanaka at Heatwave 98. 300 lbs but he could move like a cat. He was a such a great wrestler for his size. I would've loved to see Awesome vs. Lesnar around 2003, that match would've been fantastic without a doubt. R.I.P. Mike Awesome!
I agree! Awesome vs Lesnar would have been a dream match. I don't blame him for not signing a contract with ECW. He definitely could have been used better that's for sure. R.I.P. M.A.!🙏
I watched Mike in Japan before he made it in the United states. When I first saw him I couldn't believe my eyes. When he made it in America I knew fan's weren't ready for what he could do. In my damn near 40 year's of studying the sport of Professional Wrestling there are only a few wrestler's that shocked me with their pure talent Mike was one of those people.
A sad tale indeed. This guy is one of my favorite wrestlers of all time, and I'll always remember the enjoyment I had watching his matches with my friends when I was a kid.
Mike Awesome was really loved by all Australian audiences !!! We stopped chanting Goldberg, instead we chanted Awesome Melbourne, Australia ::: Oct 18, 2000 :::: wCw Thunder (taping) Countdown To Armageddon Match : Winner : Mike Awesome Seen many live shows but this stood out as TRULY AWESOME
Damn. I had never heard the full story of what happened to him before. That's so sad. He was so great, but he just just got stuck in a lot of bad situations, and never really got the opportunities that he should have.
Im sure its already been said in the comments below me . Most underrated big guy in wrestling history !!! Fuck WCW for doing that to him . Could you imagine Mike with an ECW size push in WWE then build that up for 6 months to a year to eventually meet against Taker at mania ??? Masato as ref lol ! Or 3 way !!!!
Really HQ video….. Mike Awesome lived up to his name he’s work in FMW was light years ahead of everyone in North America it’s a real shame he got sucked into the Paul Heyman long con the amount of abuse he took in ECW and got little to no money (As much as i loved ECW as a promotion they were a Mickey mouse territory being lead by a delusional narcissist) In the internet age Paul Heyman is seen as this god of Pro Wrestling which is far from true he’s a typical shady promoter that screwed over countless people! Mike actually outsmarted him and Paul tried to painted this narrative that Mike Awesome screwed over ECW/Fans (i swear that company was more like a cult than anything else) Mike Awesome deserves more attention/respect he brought a new style very few people seen in North America in 1998
What always pissed me off was how everybody treated Mike when he left for greener pastures who would actually pay him. During that ECW reunion match Joey styles trashed him the entire time and actually told him to go “Forever sleep“ himself. Sorry, I had to make that RU-vid friendly. Now I will continue:: When every other wrestler out there had done The exact same thing, but apparently it wasn’t OK for Mike to do it because he wasn’t in any cliques. .
The whole wrestling atmosphere just brings out The worst in these guys. It's high school antics if not much worse. Guys kissing ass,backstabbing each other,people lying to each other. It's not for the weak of heart or even even the good. The rabbit hole of behind the scenes of just the wwf/wcw would probably shock us.
If the stats were correct, Mike was 1-2" shorter (6' 7" vs. 6' 8") and roughly 10lbs. lighter 300# vs. 310#) than Hogan. Ever see Hogan move like Mike? Hogan struggled sometimes just to get his leg up for the Big Boot. lol The reason Hogan was so successful isn't because of his in-ring athletic, physical, or wrestling abilities. He knew how to work a crowd, how to work the mike, and knew what the audience wanted. He is truly a larger-than-life character. Mike was just the opposite...all physical traits, few talking abilities. Mike was *SEVERELY* underrated, underappreciated, underpaid, and underutilized. Mike's whole situation was a total and complete train wreck and tragedy that could have and should have been avoided. With the right gimmick and some mike skills, he could have been a huge success in the ring. It just wasn't to be. Outside of the ring, Mike sounded like he was a genuinely good guy as well as a great father. Great husband? Who knows. But from the sound of it, it sounded like she (the wife) just wanted to bail on him for another dude (or another girl??) because he thought the marriage was in good standing. That doesn't make a whole lot of sense. Guess we'll never know. RIP Mr. Alfonso.
I understand why he hung himself. Losing his kids, facing lengthy domestic violence battle, having to pay child support for 10 years. Knowing he was approaching 50, his body broken down by years of abuse, And most likely fighting a painkiller addiction. He couldn't do it anymore
Later on misused by WCW, but misused from the start at WWE. McMahon was just compiling talent, just to bury them. )IMO-He never had a plan, and never knew how to use him. Ironic lol.
His wife comes out in a real bad light given her actions and the timing of her actions. Maybe in an alternate reality WWE cuts him a big check and he wrestles through the housing crisis in the revivied ECW.
There are lots of cunts that destroy the careers and lives of their men, yet our cucked out society gives this behavior a pass. Steve McNair and Lorenzen Wright come to mind, as more egregious, but equally resulting examples.
Not really. She wanted to leave the relationship they argue, and a 6ft6 muscled guy grabs you by the throat and shoves you against the wall. If the relationship isn't over then, it should be. He was on the road for ages and was constantly getting stiffed with the money by bookers. That's years of absent father and husband time. Marriage was too far gone.
Not only Mike Awesome won big matches over most main event opponents in WWF, WCW, ECW and FMW, He had some unexpected losses in ECW against J.T. Smith, Steve Dr. Death Williams and Louie Spicolli .
His ECW match with Tanaka is still one of the best matches I've ever seen in my life. Awesome got dropped on his next, THROUGH A TABLE, and still made the comeback to win. Unreal.
Yeh he never got the push he had so much potential. It’s very sad how it end for him. Money, women and drugs usually be the downfall of many men. The wrestling business is a cruel business
My jaw hit the floor countless times from his incredible ring work. What a shame that he ended up another story of a man being shattered by a woman who took his children and drove him to suicide.
It’s almost always much deeper than that. It wasn’t just the divorce I’m sure. He was already suffering from depression and his career was floundering which caused money problems as well. The divorce was just the straw that broke the camels back. Rarely is suicide because of just one thing. It’s usually a cumulative effect of some kind. Either way, it’s sad. He came across like a good dude who didn’t get the big money contract he deserved. If he got that nice long contract then he might still be alive today.
It's crazy. All these people seem to be victims of other people's evil. The most evil live forever and forgiven for lives they ruined. No sins even falling on their children. No justice or illusion of justice. Shame.
To me, Mike Awesome lived up to his name and a Hall of Fame career, but If it wasn't for the politics in the backstage area, his career would of been better than his actual career as It stands today. He had it all from looks, wrestling skills, high flying big man, e.t.c....R.I.P. and thank you for the memories Mike!!
watched him in FMW way way before he came in the only and original ecw signed him . i remember watching him vs a guy that was named Leatherface. he was a true big athletic big man. wish wwe would have made him a star. he had so much potential. sadly missed . great 👍video
Absolute tragedy the way his life ended he was an absolute star in wrestling and was never utilized properly by WWE WCW or ECW and that fat p.o.s Paul Heyman not paying him was just disgusting r.i.p Mikey you truly were a legend in many of our eyes
Mike Awesome is the power trip heavyweight hardcore legend of wrestling forever. His FMW and ECW matches were totally awesome. Mike Awesome vs rival Hayabusa one my favorite FMW matches of all time WCW that 70s Guy vs insane clown posse hardcore handicap match was hilarious. Never Trust WWE owner and company they screwed over alot of Talent wrestlers back in the day's wwe still sucks forever. R I P Mike Awesome his moveset and the top rope Super Awesome Bomb still best finisher of the best also when I listened to 1987 Lost Boys soundtrack I Still Believe theme song it was for this Guy Mike Awesome cause he's Awesome.
The fact that certain people take issue with him leaving ecw because he wasn't paid r fucking idiots!!! The dude had a family n bills to pay!!! Anybody else in any other industry would have done the same thing!
Once during the invasion storyline of wwf/e somebody bought a sign to a live event and during Mike Aqesomes match the camera picked it up. It said "business has picked up The fat chick thriller is here."
Phenomenal documentary. Loved Mike. Had no clue his wife had did that to him and was the catalyst to his demise. Wish he got some therapy when his marriage was falling apart. He had a lot more left in that mind of his to give to the business imo and his kids deserved him to fight hard to stay a part of their lives. Hopefully they grow up happy and healthy. Rest well big man.
Mike awesome was the most badass wrestler I had ever seen and ECW and WCW WWF/E made him look like a fool if he was still alive to this day I'm pretty sure he will be fit to face Roman Reigns that will be an interesting match
Agreed 😊. If it’s true about what WCW had in-store for him. Then unfortunately Paul Heyman AKA “Mr. Mismanagement of money”. Cause that man at a wrestling push. But oh well. R.I.P✌🏿
Wait a minute.....when he injured his knee in WWE and came back in 2002 he "became the ECW Champion"? That never happened. There was no "ECW Champion" in WWE until 2006.
Truly one of the greats. Mike will always be Awesome in my book. Under appreciated in every aspect the wrestling world threw at him but Big Mike is the one casting the shadow now. Hats off to you big man. You set the bar that few will ever reach
Mike Awesome was a personal favourite back then. I mean, look at his matches! The guy was a beast that we could only dream about seeing these days. The same could be said about guys like Chuck Palumbo. Both men were great talent that never got used at all. A disgrace to the industry.
So fucking sad. Loved mike awesome. The fact that he overcame his lisp and was amazing on a mic even as a heel which is incredibly hard because no one is intimidated by some one with a lisp. Unless you are mike tyson
Mike Awesome: the high flying big man with a mullet that could kill gods who was vaguely related to Hulk Hogan that looked like Rowdy Roddy Piper's big cousin who just got outta prison.
I never really watched his matches extensively growing up. I just thought he was another big man then...now he checking out his stuff...dude really was awesome. Heartbreaking end. R.I.P
the fact we have never heard of mike children kinda scares me, his ex wife sound like the kind of woman that blames everything on the husband and probaby poisoned the minds of her children to hate him and his job even after his death to this day
Why would you need to hear of them? Like they should have been in the wrestling business? Why? Also that his final two acts were to physically assault their mother and kill himself? Maybe they witnessed him assaulting their mother. Or acknowledge that from wrestling all they gained was a pain addicted beaten down dad with no pension, and who was stiffed from being paid. Why the hell would they want anything from wrestling?
Unfortunately, many women, not all, are attracted only to who are, like in a fairytale. Quitting wrestling probably hurt his marriage very badly. Great video.
More like reality was you have two lives, dealing by yourself with kids and life when they are on the road, and when they are there. Add into that financial issues for when he (didnt) get paid, medical bills, no pension, pain issues from battered body and possibly depression, that's a lot to now deal with on a full time basis. Bit like how people really got to know their partner during lockdown when stuck with them. Fact is, for all the perfect marriage on his side, she wanted to leave, he couldn't take it and physically assaulted her. No way back for either of them after that
I never gave Awesome a chance in the late 90s/early 00s. Couldn't get past the name and mullet. In 2010 my roommate showed me his FMW/ECW matches. Gained mad respect for him. Then found out he had already passed.
WWE not knowing how to properly book guys like Mike Awesome and Sean O'Haire was mind blowing to me. Two giants with the ability to move like Cruiserweights. You don't come across that type of talent often...let alone twice in the same year. They should have been the easiest stars to build up from that whole Invasion storyline.
Very underrated. Had the history,the size,the moves. Should have been pushed to the moon but in typical WCW mismanaged fashion made out to be a joke. RiP
Mike Awesome should have been better pushed in WCW maybe having Kevin Nash put over Mike Awesome by having a brutal feud with Nash.Awesome and Nash would have a match at Spring Stampede with Awesome and Nash pushing each other to the limit and Awesome defeating Nash after exploiting his injured quad and defeating Nash shocking the WCW fans.Nash and Awesome would have a rematch at Slamboree with it being a No Holds Barred bout and Hogan would be the Special Guest Referee not wanting to see his nephew end the career of his friend Kevin Nash,Mike Awesome would brutally beat Nash and this would lead to Hogan begging Awesome to stop leading to Awesome pinning Nash but delivering an Awesome Bomb to his Uncle Hogan with the crowd booing Mike out of the ring.Mike would challenge for the WCW World Title with Awesome coming close to defeating Booker T for the World Title but this would lead to interference from Hogan who would cost Awesome the title and lead to Hogan using his trusty strap to wear down on Mike.Awesome and Hogan would have a match at Hogan which would occur at Bash At The Beach with Awesome defeating Hulk and would try to end the career of his beloved Uncle.Mike Awesome and Kevin Nash would have a rematch at Fall Brawl with both men having a complete Steel Cage match with Awesome managing to escape the cage and win the match.Awesome would once again challenge for the WCW World Title with Mike defeating Booker T to win the World Title after some mistaken interference from Kevin Nash who would deliver an accidental Big Boot to Booker T and allow Mike to hit an Awesome Bomb on Booker T to pin Booker.Mike Awesome and Booker T would have a rematch at Millennium Final with Nash being added to the match being made into a Triple Threat bout with Nash scoring a JackKnife Powerbomb on Booker T but would be intercepted by Mike who would pin Booker T to retain his World Title.Mike Awesome and Hogan would have a match at StarCade for the WCW World Title with Awesome defeating Hogan to retain the belt and prove his dominance over World Championship Wrestling.
I remember a wrestling magazine ranking him as the best wrestler at the time. Just tragic that to too many big time promotors, he just became a tool. Wrestling is sometimes like an army that shoots their wounded instead of being there for them when they need support.
Watching Awesome come flying over the top rope was always amazing to me. One of my favorites in ecw. So sad some other federations didn't see his potential
An interesting fact that I've never discovered the answer to is, Mike was born and raised in Tampa, Florida. He lived there his entire life and died there. Despite this, he is buried in Great Falls, Montana.
