TWO MORE WRESTLERS HAVE DIED ... Bill Apter reporting

[@patrickwall8517]

Thanks for sharing this, Bill. I hope all of these gentlemen rest in peace.

[@mtmnynj8071]

R.i.P. Sid Vicious R.i.P. Afa R.i.P. Sika R.i.P. Kevin Sullivan R.i.P. Villano V R.i.P. Sonny King

[@D.E.S-tc8uw]

DAMN!

[@stevenmclamb7851]

R.I.P. Sid Vicious

[@thechaz83]

God bless all you gladiators who filled my childhood with wonder and excitement. Everything you did, good and bad days, are appreciated and never forgotten. I love you And Bill thank you for being such a class act and continuing to be so professional and inspirational. I followed you since I was 12. 41 now your hallmark of my childhood too brother take care.

[@orlandoramos1878]

I heard Sid vicious passed away and I was just so deeply saddened😢 so many good wrestlers passed away all of them were part of my childhood and I heard it was cancer cancer is not a joke I just wish they'd do something and find a cure for it for people who are diagnosed with cancer get help for it go to the doctors get it removed

[@ernestcruz6316]

Thanks for doing what you do Bill, and for what you've done for so long. Sonny King was supposed to be on the very first live card I attended (a spot show at Brockton High School gym, Brockton MA, April 1973), but he was a no-show so El Olympico did double duty that night, wrestling Mr. Fuji to a 20-minute draw in the first match, then coming back in the curtain closer to beat Joe Turco. I found out recently that the reason he no-showed the Brockton match was that he had broken his wrist two nights before against Freddie Blassie at the Springfield Civic Center. Villano V and his four brothers all worked for WCW in the late '90s in their Cruiserweight division. Sadly, now only his older brother Villano IV is left.

[@DCMcNeilJr]

Great story - I'm a Brockton guy myself but never saw (or even knew) they had matches back then at BHS. Thanks for the info.

[@ernestcruz6316]

@@DCMcNeilJr The three shows I know of that happened there were in April '73 (Patriots Day), May '73, and September '73. I attended the April and May shows. The results (in case you're curious): April El Olympico vs Mr. Fuji (20-minute draw) Tony Garea vs Freddie Blassie (Blassie won by countout) Chief Jay Strongbow vs Prof. Toru Tanaka (Strongbow won by DQ when Tanaka used salt) "Midget" tag match - Little Brutus & Sonny Boy vs Farmer Jerome & Little Joey (Jerome & Joey won, 2 out of 3 falls) El Olympico vs Joe Turco (Olympico by pin) May Ricky Sexton vs Dean Ross (Sexton by pin) Two unknowns Moolah & Dottie Downs vs Peggy Patterson & Tippy Wells (Moolah & Downs won, 2 out of 3 falls) Tag title match: Tanaka & Fuji vs Monsoon & Garea (Gorilla & Garea won 2 out of 3 falls, but won fall 3 by DQ)

[@alexbaker2615]

I remember Sonny King as a manager in GCW, he was a great heel! RIP Sonny.

[@SoFlyBmOr3]

Thanks Bill you're appreciated RIP to both men

[@drackkor725]

Thank you Bill your are always a class act :)

[@HOWARDRIELL]

Bill -- you are the BEST! I started reading your articles in The Wrestler and Inside Wrestling waaaaaaaay back in 1973. God bless!

[@Worlds-Collide]

Ty for all you do

[@sulimansultan8593]

RIP to both 🙏

[@toma.4808]

I can't believe so many of these guys are getting older, passing way. Maybe it's the fan in me that doesn't wanna believe it, noone lives forever . May they rest in peace. Thank you bill for all youve done for the wrestling business

[@D.E.S-tc8uw]

It makes think of the fact we are all getting older and are number is getting closer to being called.

[@toma.4808]

@D.E.S-tc8uw yeah you're right.

[@terrelldiggs9590]

Bill Apter you did awesome job

[@PatBrooks-u6w]

Sad irony here; Sonny King managed Afa & Sika in Georgia in the summer & fall of '82.

[@lenwennerberg1631]

What a brutal month. R.I.P. to these gentlemen and thank you Bill for everything; so glad to see you still doing your thing after all these years. When I was a kid I used to stand in front of the magazine rack at my local Walgreens while flipping thru PWI, Inside Wrestling and The Wrestler and agonizing over which one I would buy (I only had enough $$ to buy one). Good times. Sid was one of my favorites- R.I.P. Big Man.

[@ScottKempf-er3bs]

Damn! Let's take a break ...r.i.p. Ray and sonny.Mr. Apter I have always loved your insight and knowledge. You are without a doubt thee best ever in wrestling. Keep up the great work !

[@stankormy5717]

Thanks for all the memories!

[@chadhoganlive]

Best wrestling journalist of all time right here.

[@Deepizzaguy]

I remember Villano V and Sonny King in his work in World Championship Wrestling. May he and those other wrestlers who passed away recently rest in peace.

[@RageyRage82]

We're losing so many. It's one of the things I hate, having grown up my whole life as a wrestling fan, 41 years. RIP to all these individuals.

[@JeffHulkHemp]

RIP both ,

[@chrissherlock4190]

Never saw the WWWF when Sonny King was there, but I do remember him from his time in both Memphis and Georgia. RIP!

[@stephenhanft1226]

I started watching wrestling in 1976 so I didn't see when Sonny King and Chief Jay Strongbow were WWWF Tag Team Champions (that was a few years before). What I remember watching Sonny King for was his work in Florida Championship Wrestling. In 1979, Sonny King was in Florida and playing a heel. In fact, he had a group of wrestlers that made up Sonny King's Stable, He was the leader. This was years before the Four Horseman and one of the first large heel faction/stables of wrestlers aligned together that I saw. Anyway, that's what I most remember about Sonny King.

[@ThaRiddler]

God Bless both their souls

[@dannycruz5446]

My mom used to watch wrestling in the 70s and would talk about Strongbow & Sonny King.

[@justinhuston6855]

I can't say that I have ever heard of Sonny King but still my sympathies go to his family and friends Villano V I remember from WCW in 97 or 98 with Villano IV

[@jasperscott5426]

RIP Sonny King...

[@robbymarton74]

Thank you Billy! 😔

[@unclebobconner1417]

More very Sad😭😢news sid passing away really broke me I'm still sad about it 😢he was part of my childhood growing up & when I started watching wrestling in 1996 😢love forever😢

[@Randy-ry9ss]

Legends live forever on You Tube!

[@kevinandre7064]

Forgot about Sid Justice

[@landismithCOJ]

RIP Sid and Sonny

[@licorice1237]

R.I.P. to all the wrestlers that have passed.

[@jojst1]

Prounounced: "Veeyawno" which means "villain". Double "ll" in Spanish is like a "y". Thanks Bill for all you do.

[@bigran_outbound2262]

Mann 🙏🏽

[@004752]

While I dread seeing these videos, I do appreciate knowing about these passings.

[@brandondavenport6147]

So sad for all of them

[@Loyster14]

Condolences to their families

[@tomsawyer5736]

RIP 🙏🙏🙏

[@Rockhound6165]

I did not know both Afa & Sika died. They were my favorite tag team as I was a heel mark in those days.

[@nunyabidness4220]

I remember Sonny King from Memphis wrestling. R. I. P.

[@carolinebrown8965]

Thanks

[@ladybfromnyc]

I'm so sorry for the losses big Bill. JEEZ I miss doing segments for 1WrestlingVideo my friend! We need to catch up.

[@phyllisgarber7997]

Hi there. Well I've been around a wrestling seen as long as if not more than you. Started watching at age 10 and I'm now 74. Back in the 70s I knew the guys personally and a couple of my girlfriends married a couple of them such as milenko And Joe Leduc. And I have to admit that the death that hit me the hardest was Bobby Shane because I was friends with him and Sherry. I remember one time when I was sick and didn't make it to the matches add Bobby sent me a little stuffed teddy bear in a little box that said get well soon. Over the years it kind of faded and ended up throwing it out. The sad sad sad part is I could have seen him that night of the crash but I didn't go to the matches because I was with my dad add my fiance picking out furniture. So you can imagine how it broke my heart the next morning when I wake up and start getting all these phone calls about the crash. But unfortunately we're not mind readers and there were times when they would stay over in Miami and I kept thinking what if I had of gone to the matches, maybe they would have stayed overnight or maybe just for a couple hours and took a different trip home. Oh well. What's meant to be

[@phyllisgarber7997]

I'm sorry but the previous comment made it sound like Sherry was with him that night but she wasn't thank God but unfortunately we know what happened to her later also.

[@fblassie]

RiP to all these great wrestlers.

[@KatraPlessure]

Cant believe both Wild Samoans died within a span of a month, tragic.

[@josephvitielo1693]

I remember them as The Islanders in IWA

[@noorayneladha470]

We just can’t catch a break now can we? wtf is happening bro?!

[@beneller6340]

WOW YOUR STILL ALIVE RIP BOTH WRESTLERS

[@Blacklist324]

I remember Sonny King when he came through Memphis.

[@hova912]

R.I.H Sid ,Alfa,Sika , Kevin Taskmaster Sullivan 😢😢

[@energyasylum997]

Rest In Peace Sid Vicious 🙏

[@sall4090roughcuts]

Bill you will always be my friend and glad you are alive and still well. I miss doing rough cuts for you. I wish we could do a zoom video together for all the fans and bring back rough cuts. You will always be a dear friend i miss talking to you. Bless your heart my dear friend. Sal rough cuts LaSardo

[@1WrestlingVideo]

Glad to hear from you Sal. I wish I had time to do a zoom "Rough Cuts" but due to my schedule with Sportskeeda podcasts, newsletter, and interviews, and family of course -- have no time to fit in anything else. I loved "Rough Cuts" and perhaps somewhere down the road we can bring it back -- who knows!

[@sall4090roughcuts]

@@1WrestlingVideo you have my phone number and email anytime. Sal

[@theCinemaHaus]

Lot of hand shaking going on in heaven's locker room the past 30 days.

[@danielfarmer9533]

Time marches on

[@derek-64]

Can't say i'm familiar with either of them since i personally don't watch wrestling prior to the 80's. Not saying it's bad, i'm just not into the stuff from the 70's 60's, etc. Anyway, rest in peace to both men, and rest in peace to Sid Vicious. One of my favorites.

[@txmetalhead82xk]

Vilano V fought Diamond Dallas Page on WCW, took the Diamond Cutter off the ropes. DDP got V and Vilano IV. It was cool! RIP V 5.

[@NumberOneGar]

Bill Apter is a legendary poon hound. The man has slayed more rats than an exterminator.

[@graymanmedia]

Was this the same Sonny King that Managed in both Memphis and Florida Territories?

[@PatBrooks-u6w]

Yes.

[@glenngarofano]

BAD YEAR.

[@fayezfawzi3255]

RIP :'(

[@shanecochran1969]

Rest in Peace Brotha's

[@ashleydubbeld9236]

😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😴😢 Kevin was a incredible mind for business I lived fl when he turned heal he was master at craft him Nancy purple haze mark lewin Luna vashawn bob roupe I know spelling is not correct but Mr Apapter remembers thanks updates even though sad because it’s part of my life my dad would watch every Saturday night on 44 in fl and Tuesday night in Tampa for $5.00 for a seat though the goo old days

[@SHurd-v9g]

Rip sonny

[@BlanketyBlank9050]

It’s once appointed unto man to die after that, judgement! When people die, they take none of their glory, fame or money with them! If you die lost, Hell is waiting at the gates to meet thee at thy coming!

[@charlottemarsh2202]

Bet you're just a ray of sunshine at parties, bruv... 🙄

[@BlanketyBlank9050]

@@charlottemarsh2202 what party’s?

[@charlottemarsh2202]

@@BlanketyBlank9050 I guess being a creepy christian doesn't leave any room for any knowledge of sarcasm or humor... But, in all honesty, you're correct. I don't see anyone inviting you anywhere.

[@jayrobinson4125]

Somebody check in on Bill Edie

[@MortonT1958]

The WWE better put him in the HOF (along with Barry Darsow) soon.

[@thehaunted8055]

R.I.P

[@rtk7233]

Showboat Sonny King RIP

[@TheRealDannAlexander]

Afa and Sika to me were so cool. Pete Sanchez could make anyone look like a million dollars.

[@AlphaProto]

Dang...

[@jackpresscot7043]

It’s not your job Bill. The internet has surpassed the magazine crap.

[@CarlosSanchez-bg4wf]

Rip sanchez

[@RichardMcDowell-m8c]

I would have liked to have seen Sid wrestle Brock Lesnar.

[@robertfaro9756]

RIP

[@RonaldBiggerstaff-v5e]

My gosh as a kid I remember watching mendoza. Getting old

[@dannystaton5386]

😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢

[@RhetroRP]

Add Sid

[@Farmerb1985]

Rip sid vicious and vilano five ,former WCW Stars

[@illusionxmuta]

Apter closing in on the urn himself. Yeesh.

[@woobie1429]

Great heel manager in Florida .He gave Ox Baker a bolo punch and knocked him out 1 2 3 pin.Always had a loli pop in his mouth.

[@Chickenwings378]

Apter Nosferatu

[@Ian0406]

Did you forget psycho Sid vicious

[@DerWutendeMetzger]

Wow! Pistol Pez Whatley! RIP

[@shawnedward1230]

Pez Whatley died in 2005, he is talking about Pistol Pete Sanchez

[@natureboy1313]

Thank you​@@shawnedward1230

[@richardmadrid866]

Too many steriles that why wrestlers die young

[@emilyanderson9559]

as long as Hulk Hogan is ok we're gonna be ok

[@CoOzEbOy1]

Is his camera off? He's not lookin good himself

[@wm5994]

Bill Apter looks like he has one foot in the grave and the other on a banana peel.

[@txmetalhead82xk]

He’ll keep truckin, he loves his work and the wrstling biz too much. Real Passion

[@D.E.S-tc8uw]

DAMN!!

[@Arkansasfestus]

I remember sonny king at midsouth wrestlin in the 70's