Andy ‘The Butcher’ Williams, Musician and Wrestler, Dies at 48 After Collapse During Match

Andy “The Butcher” Williams, a musician and professional wrestler known for his tenure with the bands Every Time I Die and Atomic Rule, died on Saturday night after collapsing at the conclusion of a match in Millvale, Pennsylvania. He was 48.

Williams was transported to a hospital but succumbed to his condition. Following the medical emergency, organizers canceled the remainder of the event.

All Elite Wrestling (AEW) released a statement expressing their sorrow: “All Elite Wrestling is saddened to learn of the passing of Andy Williams, aka The Butcher. A trailblazing musician with ETID and Atomic Rule, Williams made a successful transition into the world of professional wrestling and was incredibly respected by his peers both in and out of the ring. Our condolences go out to Williams’ family, friends and fans.”

Williams had been scheduled to team with Jesse Guilmette, known as “The Blade,” at Enjoy Wrestling’s Five Years event. He had started his wrestling career on the independent circuit in 2015 at age 37 and joined AEW in 2019. Their AEW contracts expired in June, prompting their return to indie promotions.

A native of New York, Williams co-founded the Buffalo-based metalcore group Every Time I Die in 1998. The band released nine albums before disbanding in 2022. He was also preparing for an upcoming West Coast tour with GWAR alongside his new band, Atomic Rule. Just hours before his death, he posted on social media about the group’s recent progress, stating, “Update of the work we’ve been putting in! So stoked to share all this with you! We feel like we’ve finally found our feet planted to this beautiful earth and now we’re running full speed!”