Bushwhacker Butch, one of the most charismatic and entertaining wrestlers of all time, passed away on April 2, 2023, at the age of 78. He was best known for his tag team partnership with Bushwhacker Luke as The Bushwhackers, a duo that delighted fans with their wild antics and signature walk in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) in the late 1980s and early 1990s. But what was the cause of death of this beloved wrestling icon? Here is what we know so far.
A Situation with Medication
According to TMZ, Bushwhacker Butch’s cause of death was related to a “situation with medication” that occurred after he flew in from New Zealand to Los Angeles for WrestleMania weekend. He was hospitalized in the ICU on Friday, March 31, 2023, following a brief illness, and passed away two days later. His longtime friend and tag team partner, Bushwhacker Luke, confirmed the news on his Instagram account, where he posted a heartfelt tribute to his “brother” and “friend”.
Luke wrote: “Late last night, I lost my friend, brother, and tag team partner of over 50 years with the passing of Bob ‘Butch’ Miller … From the early-1970s when we were young mates wrestling for John da Silva in New Zealand, my first impression of Bob ‘The Chest’ Miller (as he was called in those days) was that he was a first-class redneck, and what bloody redneck he was! But he was also an all-around good guy and a great friend. We did it all, we saw it all, and we accomplished it all together. This past weekend in Los Angeles, Bob flew in from New Zealand to join me for Wrestlemania weekend and the related festivities, neither of us knowing it would be our last days together and his last days of life. If you were to read the story of my life it would say that I am an only child, but it would be wrong. In life, I had a brother and his name was Bob Miller. I love you, Bob.”
It is not clear what kind of medication Butch was taking or what illness he was suffering from before his hospitalization. However, he had been dealing with health issues since his retirement from wrestling in 2001. He had a neck injury that required surgery and led to a case of sepsis that nearly killed him. He also had a GoFundMe account set up to raise money for his medication expenses, which suggests that he may have been struggling financially as well.
A Legendary Career
Bushwhacker Butch’s death is a huge loss for the wrestling world, as he was one of the most popular and influential wrestlers of his generation. He started his career in 1964 in his native New Zealand, where he teamed up with Luke Williams as The Kiwis. They traveled around the world, working for various promotions such as Stampede Wrestling in Canada, International Wrestling Enterprise in Japan, NWA Pacific Northwest in the US, and All-Star Pro Wrestling in New Zealand.
They adopted the name The Sheepherders in 1979 and became one of the most vicious and violent heel teams in wrestling history. They feuded with some of the biggest names in the business, such as The Fabulous Ones, The Fantastics, The Rock ‘n’ Roll Express, The Midnight Express, and The Road Warriors. They won several tag team championships along the way, including the NWA Florida Tag Team Championship, NWA Mid-Atlantic Tag Team Championship, NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team Championship, and UWF World Tag Team Championship.
In 1988, they joined the WWF and underwent a drastic change in their gimmick and style. They became The Bushwhackers, a pair of fun-loving and goofy babyfaces who licked each other’s heads and marched to the ring while swinging their arms. They quickly became fan favorites and entertained audiences with their comedy skits and matches. They never won any titles in the WWF, but they had memorable feuds with teams such as The Rougeau Brothers, The Fabulous Rougeaus, The Natural Disasters, The Beverly Brothers, and The Nasty Boys.
They left the WWF in 1996 and continued to wrestle on the independent circuit until 2001 when Butch retired due to his neck injury. They made occasional appearances for WWE after their retirement, such as at WrestleMania X-Seven in 2001 where they participated in the Gimmick Battle Royal. In 2015, they were inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame by John Laurinaitis (who had been their manager as Johnny Ace in UWF). In 2020, they were also inducted into the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum.
A Legacy of Love and Laughter
Bushwhacker Butch will always be remembered as one of the most entertaining and beloved wrestlers of all time. He brought joy and laughter to millions of fans around the world with his unique personality and charisma. He was also a loyal and loving friend, brother, and partner to Luke, who shared his passion and vision for wrestling. He was a true legend in the business and a pioneer of tag team wrestling.
He is survived by his wife, Helen Miller, and his extended family and friends. He will be greatly missed by all who knew him and admired him. Rest in peace, Bushwhacker Butch. You will always be in our hearts.
