Butch Reed sadly passed away earlier today, aged 66, due to heart complications. He had suffered two heart attacks in recent weeks and had been doing poorly since. The former college footballer played for Central Missouri and tried out for the Kansas City Chiefs before training to wrestle. During the early years of his wrestling career, he wrestled all over the United States, including Florida Championship Wrestling, Georgia Championship Wrestling, and Mid-South Wrestling.
Vince McMahon would give him his big break in 1986 when he was brought in alongside Slick. At one point, he was set to become Intercontinental Champion but skipped the taping due to burnout. Instead, The Honky Tonk man took his spot. Somewhat ironically, he appeared in the Honky Tonk Man’s lockerroom celebration as it was taped at the next set of tapings.
After departing WWE in 1988, he joined NWA/WCW and formed a tag team with Ron Simmons called Doom, managed by Nancy “Woman” Sullivan. The team was pushed heavily and defeated the Steiner Brothers at the 1990 Capital Combat pay-per-view for the WCW World Tag Team Championships. They’d hold the titles for an impressive 281 days, setting a new record that stood until WCW’s closure in 2001.
After departing WCW in 1992, he only wrestled sporadically, often going years between matches. However, between 2000-2002, he did have mini-comeback wrestling over 30 times for Harley Race’s World League Wrestling. He’d hold the promotions Championship during this run and defended it against wrestlers such as Curt Hennig and Ron Harris. He officially retired in 2013, with his final match being him teaming with Bob Orton against Flash Flanagan and Ron Powers. Away from wrestling, he was part of the rodeo circuit as a rodeo cowboy in Kansas City.
