Jay Briscoe Passes Away
The longtime Ring of Honor star was 38
Jamin Pugh, known for his two-decade wrestling career under the name Jay Briscoe, most specifically in Ring of Honor, passed away Tuesday from injuries sustained in an auto accident, per Dave Meltzer.
AEW and ROH owner Tony Khan first reported the news, writing, "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."
Pugh was one week shy of his 39th birthday.
A pro since age 16, Pugh and brother Mark began making their names in the northeastern independent scene at the turn of the century. Awareness of the brothers increased after they faced off as part of CZW's 2001 Best of the Best tournament, in what was a critically-acclaimed match.
From 2002 onward, the Briscoes were a fixture in Ring of Honor, where they reigned 13 times as ROH's World Tag Team champions, after first winning the belts in 2003. They are also the most recent champions, after defeating FTR in a thrilling Double Dog Collar match at ROH Final Battle this past December 10.
Pugh was also a former two-time ROH World champion, first winning the title from Kevin Steen (Owens) in April 2013.
Outside of ROH, Pugh and his brother reigned as Tag Team champions in New Japan, Impact, Game Changer Wrestling, and CZW, and the two also won the 2022 Crockett Cup.
Cultaholic offers its condolences to Mr. Pugh's family and friends.
Written by Justin Henry
In addition to writing lists and commentaries for Cultaholic, Justin is also a features writer and interviewer for Fighting Spirit Magazine, and is co-author of the WWE-related book Titan Screwed: Lost Smiles, Stunners, and Screwjobs.