Former WWE star Brian Lawler, the son of WWE Hall of Famer Jerry "The King" Lawler, died Sunday after being found Saturday hanging in a Tennessee county jail, the Memphis Commercial Appeal reported, citing the state bureau of investigation. He was 46.
Brian Christopher Lawler was being held in the Hardeman County Jail on DUI-related charges.
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"Corrections officers administered CPR until paramedics arrived," the Tennesse Bureau of Investigation said in a statement. "Lawler was transported to Regional One Medical Center in Memphis where he died Sunday afternoon."
Lawler's death — which is being investigated at the district attorney's request — comes less than a month after he was arrested and charged July 7 with DUI, evading arrest and driving on a revoked license in Hardeman County, about an hour east of Memphis.
Lawler's wrestling career began in the United States Wrestling Association. He also spent two years with TNA before becoming part of WWE's roster from 1997-2001. Known as “Grandmaster Sexay,” he was half of the "Too Cool" tag team with “Scotty 2 Hotty” that won the tag-team title in 2000.
Lawler's death was acknowledged by, among others, Hulk Hogan, who thanked him "for always stealing the show."
WWE released the following statement:
"WWE is saddened to learn that Brian Christopher Lawler, who is best known in WWE as Too Cool’s Grandmaster Sexay, has passed away. Lawler, who is the son of WWE Hall of Famer Jerry “The King” Lawler, competed during the height of the Attitude Era. WWE extends its condolences to Lawler’s family, friends and fans."
Lawler died the same day as news came of the deaths of two other popular professional wrestlers: Nikolai Volkoff (real name: Josip Nikolai Peruzovic), 70, and Brickhouse Brown, 57, whose real name was Frederick Seawright.
