Legendary hardcore wrestler New Jack has passed away.
PWInsider shared the news on Friday that Jerome Young, who rose to fame as New Jack, passed away at the age of 58.
“PWInsider.com is extremely sad to report that Jerome “New Jack” Young passed away earlier this afternoon following a heart attack in North Carolina, where he had lived in recent years,” Mike Johnson wrote. “PWInsider.com was informed by Young’s wife Jennifer of his passing.”
New Jack was an infamous wrestler, as his hardcore methods make him a controversial figure. One of the best examples is the Mass Transit Incident, in which New Jack significantly cut a fellow wrestler and severed two of his arteries during a match in ECW.
Given his controversial career, New Jack was a subject on an episode of Dark Side of the Ring, in which he personally reflected on his life.
Our condolences are with Young’s friends and family.
RELATED: Watch The New Trailer For Dark Side Of The Ring’s ‘The Life and Crimes of New Jack’
Update: WWE has issued a statement on Young’s passing. The post, available on WWE’s official website, is as follows:
“WWE is saddened to learn that Jerome Young, known in ECW as New Jack, passed away today at the age of 58.
With his fierce, competitive style, New Jack was well-known for pushing the limits of hardcore wrestling to their furthest extremes. Young broke into the sports-entertainment circuit with the Memphis-based United States Wrestling Association in 1992. Upon arrival in the Smoky Mountain Wrestling promotion, New Jack teamed to with Mustafa Saed to form The Gangstas tag team.
The Gangstas shook up ECW with their debut in 1995, immediately battling Public Enemy in one of the promotion’s most storied rivalries. New Jack teamed with Mustafa and Eliminator John Kronus for multiple ECW Tag Team Title reigns. With a trash can filled with makeshift weapons and his signature staple gun in tow, New Jack became one of ECW’s most popular antiheroes and a sports-entertainment firebrand who courted controversy and chaos with equal measure.
New Jack left a cultural imprint with the use of “Natural Born Killaz” by Ice Cube and Dr. Dre as his theme music that would play throughout matches. He was also mentioned in the Weezer single “El Scorcho” and appeared on the television shows “Early Edition” and “Daily Show.”
WWE extends its condolences to Young’s family and friends.”
