Stars from all over the pro wrestling world have paid tribute to Jay Briscoe after he died in a car crash at the age of 38. The American, whose real name was Jamin Pugh, died in the crash in Delaware, US, on Tuesday.
Briscoe was best known for his time with Ring of Honour where, at the time of his death, he was one-half of the ROH World Tag Team Champions with his brother Mark. The sibling pair were in the middle of their 13th reign as champs, reports the Mirror.
Pro Wrestling Illustrated ranked Briscoe seventh in its top 500 wrestlers of 2015, and he was inducted into ROH's Hall of Fame last year. WWE legend and Chief Content Officer Triple H led the tributes, saying: “An incredible performer who created a deep connection with wrestling fans across the globe. My condolences to the family and friends of Jay Briscoe.”
Tony Khan, CEO of All Elite Wrestling and owner of ROH, announced the tragic news on Twitter. He wrote: “Sadly, Jamin Pugh has passed away. Known to fans as Jay Briscoe, he was a star in ROH for over 20 years, from the first show until today. Jay and his brother Mark dominated ROH, reigning as champions to this day. We’ll do whatever we can to support his family. “Rest In Peace Jamin.”
WWE and former ROH star Sami Zayn also posted: "I don’t have the words right now to properly convey my sorrow. I love Jay & Mark Briscoe. Always have. I wouldn’t be here without them. I’m very lucky to have shared the ring & shared so many laughs with Jay Briscoe and I’m so sad to know neither will happen again. RIP my friend.”
WWE legend Matt Hardy, now with All Elite Wrestling, added: “Heard this tragic news while flying. I’m DEVASTATED that Jay Briscoe (Jamin Pugh) tragically died today. I was honoured to work with him many times. I loved Jay. Jay was SO real. Jay loved his wife & kids more than anything & we shared that bond. I’m heartbroken for his family.”
Briscoe had posted on social media just hours before his passing. He posted the picture to commemorate the brothers’ historic 13th reign as ROH Tag Team Champions. “New hat,” read the caption of the post, featuring Jay donning a hat with “13 X” in a bold font.
