The world of professional wrestling mourns the loss of Vince Steele, a formidable figure known as "The Jurassic Juggernaut." Steele, who tragically passed away at the age of 39, left an indelible mark on the wrestling community. This article explores his career, his impact, and the circumstances surrounding his untimely death.
A Giant in the Ring
Vince Steele was huge! Not just in the world of professional wrestling, but he was, very literally, a huge man! Standing six foot six inches and weighing over 465 pounds, Steele was a throw-back to the big men of yester-year. Steele was a native of New York City, stood at 6-foot-5 and was reported to have reached 449 pounds during his career. For the last twenty-one years, he has worked to maintain the super heavy weight division that has been diminished over the previous decades.
Training and Early Career
Steele was originally trained in the legendary Doghouse of New York City. He is one of the few remaining wrestlers in that long line of accomplished graduates. A veteran wrestler, Steele had also worked for promotions such as VxS, CCW, American Championship Entertainment and more.
The King of Sports and the Super Heavy Weight Division
When King of Sports President, Joe Briscoe, announced the creation of a true Super Heavy Weight Division last month, it took the wrestling community by storm. His press release, and the subsequent issuing of the title belt design, quickly became the most shared posts online in KOS history. This news even reached up to South Boogie, New York where Vince Steele was intrigued. Steele has long been the self-proclaimed “best big man in the business today!” The idea of having a title specifically to prove this statement quickly caught his attention and he reached out to Briscoe with a challenge.
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Texas Wrestling Debut
Vince Steele makes his Texas wrestling debut. This is not a small one off, nothing with Vince Steele is ever done small. This is the return of the Super Heavy Weights, the return to the King Kong Bundy’s and the One Man Gang’s. This is the return of real giants battling it out for the winner’s purse!
Tragic Passing During a Match
A professional wrestler suffered a medical emergency and died while performing at an event in Ridgefield Park on Sunday. Vince Steele, 39, died in a wrestling match at the Knights of Columbus. The event was hosted by Brii Combination Wrestling, an independent pro wrestling organization. Steele, an independent wrestler known as the 'Jurassic Juggernaut,' was competing at a Brii Combination Wrestling event in Ridgefield Park, New Jersey on Sunday when the emergency occurred, as reported by PWInsider.com.
Details of the Incident
According to PWInsider, Steele was participating in a four-way bout at a Brii Combination Wrestling (BCW) event in Ridgefield Park, N.J, the New York Post reports. That is when the New York City native suffered a “cardiac event,” Fightful reported. BCW later confirmed on Monday that Steele, who was booked for a four-way bout at the event, had passed away. While BCW did not specify a cause of death for Steele, Fightful reported that his death came after he 'sustained a cardiac event.'
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Immediate Response and Condolences
“During yesterday’s event, Vince suffered a medical emergency in the ring. “We want to express our deepest gratitude to the Ridgefield Park Police Department, who were on the scene within minutes and immediately provided emergency medical assistance,” BCW posted on X on Monday. “Despite their rapid response and the best efforts of first responders, we tragically lost Vince.” “This is an unimaginable loss, and we ask for patience and respect as we process this tragedy,” BCW added. “We will share more details in the coming days on how we plan to honour Vince’s incredible legacy.”
Fellow wrestler Vincent Michaels, meanwhile, called Steele's passing 'the worst day of my career.' 'Vince Steele gave everything to pro wrestling & today he gave his life for it,' he wrote on X. 'Every single wrestler/referee/crew on hand did everything they could to keep him going & they should be proud of that. I know I am.
Reactions from the Wrestling Community
"His passion, dedication, and larger-than-life presence left an unforgettable mark on everyone who knew him," Brii Combination Wrestling said on its social media accounts. The wrestler, also known as Jurassic Juggernaut, had competed with other wrestling organizations such as Coastal Championship Wrestling, which expressed its condolences on social media. “We are heartbroken to learn about the passing of ‘The Jurassic Juggernaut’ Vince Steele. Our thoughts are with his family, his friends, and his fans,” CCW posted on X. “Rest In Peace, big man. You will forever be missed.” The entire pro wrestling community is now grieving the loss of “The Jurassic Juggernaut.”
“We want to express our deepest gratitude to the Ridgefield Park Police Department, who were on the scene within minutes and immediately provided emergency medical assistance. Despite their rapid response and the best efforts of first responders, we tragically lost Vince," BCW said.
“[Sunday] was the worst day of my career. Vince Steele gave everything to pro wrestling & today he gave his life for it,” said fellow pro wrestler Vincent Michaels. “Every single wrestler/referee/crew on hand did everything they could to keep him going & they should be proud of that.
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Tributes and Remembrance
Steele was called a 'beloved member of the BCW family' by the promotion. "A beloved father, a kind soul and a true NYC indie trailblazer. Star independent wrestler Vince Steele, known as “The Jurassic Juggernaut,” has died after suffering a medical emergency during a match on Sunday. He was 39.
| Promotion | Notable Feuds/Partnerships |
|---|---|
| Coastal Championship Wrestling (CCW) | Feud and partnership with Cha Cha Charlie, Battles with The South American Alliance and Vinicious |
| Brii Combination Wrestling (BCW) | Participated in "Madness at the Mecca" event |
| ACE Pro Wrestling | |
| VxS |