The wrestling world was rocked by the tragic death of Jay Briscoe, real name Jamin Pugh, on January 17th.
The Ring of Honor star sadly passed away due to injuries sustained in a car accident. Police have since confirmed that the driver of the other vehicle involved in the incident also lost their life.
Briscoe’s daughters were also travelling with the star at the time and have both sustained a number of serious injuries. A recent update on their condition stated that after a number of surgeries both children remain in a great deal of pain. Briscoe and his wife also have a son named Gannon who wasn’t involved in the incident.
In a testament to the wide-reaching influence of Jay Briscoe, stars from wrestling promotions around the world have been paying tribute since his death was announced.
On the latest episode of SmackDown, Michael Cole sent condolences to Briscoe’s family while multiple stars, including the Viking Raiders and Kevin Owens, wore black armbands during their matches.
NJPW and Pro Wrestling NOAH honour Jay Briscoe
On the second night of Wrestle Kingdom 17, two of the top promotions in Japan, NJPW and Pro Wrestling NOAH honoured Briscoe.
Before the show began in Yokohama Arena, members of each roster made their way to the ring led by Hiroshi Tanahashi and Naomichi Marufuji who both held portraits of Jay.
The stars stood silently by the ring as a ten-bell salute rang out before Briscoe was announced one last time and “Reach for the sky, boy” played in the arena.
Jay Briscoe has held gold in both promotions alongside his brother, Mark. The pair made a mark in Japan when they defeated NOAH’s Takashi Sugiura and Yoshinobu Kanemaru to become the GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champions in January 2007 for a brief two-week reign.
In 2016, they also held New Japan’s IWGP Tag Team Championships for 113 days, defending them around Japan during this time.
In the days after Briscoe’s death a fundraising effort began to offer help and support to his family. The page went live on January 19th and less than two days later has already raised a staggering $248,134 at time of writing.
Top donations have come in from the likes of Kevin Owens, the Young Bucks, Jim Cornette, Dax Harwood, Adam Cole and Chris Jericho.
For more information or to make a donation click here.