US wrestler Jon Huber has been honoured by some of the biggest names in the industry, after dying from a non-COVID related lung illness.
Key points:
- Jon Huber was best known to wrestling fans as Luke Harper or Brodie Lee
- Huber wrestled for several years in World Wrestling Entertainment
- Colleagues and former stars of the business have flooded social media with tributes
Huber, 41, wrestled under the names Luke Harper and Brodie Lee, and performed for World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) as well as All Elite Wrestling (AEW).
His wife Amanda posted a tribute to her husband on social media after his death on Saturday.
She said he died surrounded by family and friends.
“He was my best friend, my husband, and the greatest father you would ever meet,” she wrote.
“No words can express the love I feel or how broken I am right now.”
Huber — under the name Luke Harper — wrestled in WWE for most of the last decade.
He was in the ring with some of the top stars in the company, including Kane, Daniel Bryan, Roman Reigns and John Cena.
While most often associated in tag-team wrestling, Huber did have a successful singles run which culminated when he won the Intercontinental Championship — one of the company’s most prestigious titles.
Huber started wresting for AEW in March 2020 and was immediately put into a main role.
He fought for the AEW World Title in May, before then feuding with Cody Rhodes — one of AEW’s most popular stars.
Rhodes — who was the last person to wrestle Huber — described him as “an extremely gifted athlete and storyteller”.
“Upon anybody’s first meeting with [Huber], it was even more apparent he was a family man and a first-class human being,” Rhodes wrote.
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Paul Levesque — better known in the wrestling business as Triple H — also highlighted Huber’s qualities as a person as well as a performer.
“Amazing talent … Better human being, husband and father,” he wrote.
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Several former WWE World Champions also paid tribute on social media.
Paul Wight — known as The Big Show —wrestled with Huber while he was in WWE.
“Jon Huber was an incredible father, husband, friend, and talent,” Wight wrote.
“I can honestly say I’ve never met anyone with his character.
“Jon made your life better by being in it. I will miss you, my friend.”
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Kurt Angle — a former champion and Olympic gold medallist — described Huber as quiet behind the scenes, but vicious in the ring.
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Legendary performer Hulk Hogan told his followers Huber was “a great talent and awesome human being”.
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