Andy Williams, the professional wrestler known as The Butcher who performed in All Elite Wrestling and other promotions, died after suffering a medical emergency during a match in Millvale, Pennsylvania, on Friday night. Williams, 48, collapsed at the end of his match with tag team partner Jesse Guilmette at Enjoy Wrestling at Mr. Smalls Theater. The Allegheny County Medical Examiner's Office confirmed his death on Sunday.
The promotion said doctors on staff administered CPR immediately after Williams collapsed and continued until an ambulance arrived. The show was stopped and attendees were sent home. All Elite Wrestling released a statement calling Williams a trailblazing musician who made a successful transition into professional wrestling and was respected by his peers both in and out of the ring.
Williams began training as a wrestler in the early 2010s and made his debut in 2015. He and Guilmette formed their tag team in 2017, calling themselves The Butcher and The Blade. The pair appeared in multiple promotions including AEW, Ring of Honor, Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, and others.
Before his wrestling career, Williams was a guitarist for the band Every Time I Die from 1998 until the band broke up in 2022. He was also a musician with Atomic Rule.