With the level of physicality, athleticism, and outright risk that professional wrestlers take every time they take the ring, inherent and irreversible danger is ever-present. Unfortunately, on a handful of occasions, wrestlers have paid the ultimate price performing their craft in the name of entertaining the fans. Such was the case on March 20, 2015, when, while working for The Clash, Perro Aguayo Jr. lost his life as a result of a spot that went wrong in a tag team match that also featured Manik (former WWE superstar TJ Perkins) as his partner, and Rey Mysterio Jr. and Xtreme Tiger as opponents.

Setting up for Mysterio’s signature 619 finish, Aguayo, also known as El Hijo del Perro Aguayo in tribute to his father and frequent tag team partner, took a dropkick from Mysterio but instead of landing prone in the ropes as is the normal position for the finishing move, he slouched over the ropes, motionless, clearly indicating that something was terribly amiss. At ringside, Konnan attempted to alert Aguayo, who was now unresponsive, and Mysterio appeared to intentionally miss the 619, identifying that something was wrong. As he was attended to, Aguayo flopped to the canvas, and in a scene that seemed to go on forever, was eventually stretchered away to a waiting ambulance but died at Del Prado hospital. An autopsy revealed that Aguayo broke his C1, C2, and C3 vertebrae, which triggered a cervical stroke and cardiac arrest, resulting in his near-instant death.

Aguayo’s death was a terrible accident, for which Mysterio was placed no blame, and the WWE Hall of Famer paid tribute to him, likening Aguayo to another fallen friend, Eddie Guerrero, in an interview with Sports Illustrated. “We lost the biggest superstar that Mexico has ever seen,” he said at the time.. “There were so many plans moving forward that would have been incredible. When I meet great people in this industry, I like to let them know they are great human beings. Perro was definitely one of them. He was so warm-hearted, kind, and respectful. Just like there will never be another Eddie, there will never be another Perro.”