Buff Bagwell might not be the most well-known name in professional wrestling at the moment, but there was a time through the mid-90s and into the early 2000s when he was pretty popular.
Unfortunately, Bagwell’s career was derailed, in part, by addiction, and so his star faded in the ring, and he began to make headlines for all the wrong reasons. But, in recent years, the 55-year-old seemed to have gotten his act together.
Which is one reason why the wrestling world was heartbroken to see the news Friday that Bagwell had to have his right leg amputated. It turns out, a car crash all the way back in 2020, ultimately led to the procedure.
“Yesterday morning, Marcus Bagwell — Buff Bagwell — had his leg amputated above the knee,”
his friend, Steve Stasiak, shared to Facebook along with a photo of Buff in a hospital bed revealing his amputation.
“I’ve known Buff a long time. I’ve seen him in the spotlight, I’ve seen him behind the scenes, and I’ve seen him fight through things most people never even hear about. This one … this is hard. For him. For everybody who knows and loves him.
“The injuries from his 2020 accident never fully healed,” he continued. “He gave it everything he had to avoid this outcome, but that fight led him here. And now begins a whole new kind of battle. Buff was one of the brightest stars of a wild era in wrestling. He made you look. He made you care. But it’s who he is as a person — past the lights, past the persona — that I hope people think about today.
“If you’re reading this, I just ask that you send a little love out into the world for Buff. No grand gestures. Just something real. A thought, a prayer, a moment.”
Fans and former wrestlers shared the post and sent out prayers across social media.
“Buff gave everything to this business, and right now he needs all the love and support we can send his way,” wrestling legend Leilani Kai wrote. He’s strong. He’s still here. And I hope he knows how many people love him, respect him, and are pulling for him.
“I’m one of them. We love you, Marcus.”
Bagwell got his first big break in the wrestling business when he joined WCW in 1991.
He wrestled for the company through 2001 and was the World Tag Team Champion there five times.
He was known as Marcus Alexander Bagwell through the early part of his career but took on the Buff name when he joined the nWo led by Hulk Hogan, Kevin Nash and Scott Hall in 1996.
