Bodyslam is sad to report the passing of “The Natural” Butch Reed.
Reed, 66, passed away due to heart complications. It was recently revealed on his official Instagram page that he had suffered two massive heart attacks already in 2021, but “he was fighting like the champion.”
Reed played professional football for the Kansas City Chiefs before getting into professional wrestling, getting his first major exposure as “Hacksaw” Butch Reed in Mid-South, Bill Watts’ territory. He was paired with the territory’s main babyface, the Junkyard Dog and feuded with a then-heel Jim Duggan over the Hacksaw nickname. Duggan’s face turn resulted in Reed turning heel in the territory, garnering a massive push.
Reed eventually moved to the WWF in 1986 and arrived with his manager Slick. At that point, Reed bleached his hair and became “The Natural” Butch Reed. A popular legend in wrestling during this time says that Reed was about to enter a feud with Ricky Steamboat following WrestleMania III which would have led to him defeating Steamboat for the Intercontinental Title, only for him to miss a series of tapings where he was booked to win. Due to his absence, the title run was given to the Honky Tonk Man. Reed has denied the story and yet contradicted that years later. He confirmed no showing the tapings due to burnout from being on the road.
Reed also holds the distinction of being the first wrestler ever eliminated in a Royal Rumble match as he competed in the first one in 1988.
One of Reed’s biggest successes in his career came when he was paired with Ron Simmons and became the tag team Doom. The duo eventually captured the WCW Tag Team Titles from the Steiner Brothers and were part of one of the most talented tag team divisions in pro wrestling history with the Steiners, the Road Warriors, the Samoan Swat Team, The Fabulous Freebirds, and others. Eventually Reed turned on Simmons and had a brief feud with his former partner before leaving the company in 1992.
We at Bodyslam send our thoughts and prayers to Butch Reed’s friends and family at this time.
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