Former ECW star New Jack, who last year was the subject of an episode of Dark Side of the Ring, passed away yesterday at the age of 58 due to a heart attack.
Born Jerome Young in Greensboro, North Carolina, in 1963, he started his wrestling career in 1992 and wrestled for the USWA and SMW before he joined ECW in 1995 where he gained most of his following.
New Jack was a tough individual in real life and showcased that in the ring as well. He often “shot” on opponents and took high-risks bumps. The most notorious incident came in November 1996 when he cut open 17-year-old Mass Transit during a match, causing an enormous amount of bleeding. Mass Transit, whose real name was Eric Kulas, needed to be transported to a hospital and received 50 stitches. New Jack was then charged with aggravated assault but was later acquitted.
New Jack also wrestled in XPW where he had another horrific incident with an opponent. During a scaffold match, he legit tased his opponent Vic Grimes and then threw him from the 40-foot scaffold where Grimes missed 10 of the tables and nearly missed the ring too. New Jack admitted in a documentary that he intended to kill Grimes with the fall as payback for an incident between the two 18 months before.
Despite his often dangerous and violent conduct in the ring, New Jack always escaped punishment and he talked freely about his shenanigans in the ring on an episode of Dark Side of the Ring.
He is survived by his wife Jennifer.
