Andy Williams, the wrestler known as The Butcher and the longtime guitarist for Every Time I Die, died Saturday after collapsing at an Enjoy Wrestling event in Millvale, Pennsylvania. He was 48.
Williams had just finished a tag team match with The Blade against TME at Enjoy Wrestling’s fifth anniversary show at Mr. Smalls Theatre when he collapsed at ringside.
Enjoy Wrestling said Williams hit his head when he went down. Two doctors working at the event treated him. His condition worsened, CPR was started, and an automated external defibrillator was used before an ambulance arrived.
He was taken to Allegheny General Hospital. Enjoy Wrestling said The Blade later informed the promotion that Williams had died.
Medics at the scene said his symptoms were consistent with a cardiac event. An official cause of death has not been announced and is pending an autopsy.
Williams was born December 12, 1977, in Buffalo, New York. He began wrestling in 2016 and later formed The Butcher and The Blade with Jesse Guilmette.
The team debuted in All Elite Wrestling in November 2019 when they attacked Cody Rhodes on Dynamite. Williams and The Blade remained with AEW until their contracts expired in June 2026.
Williams also worked for Ring of Honor and independent promotions. After leaving AEW, he and The Blade returned to the independent scene.
Many wrestlers posted tributes after his death.
Josh Alexander called Williams “one of the best people I ever met.”
John Skyler wrote that Williams was “kind hearted” and “always made you laugh.”
Royce Isaacs called his death a “huge loss to the community.”
Rohit Raju said he had recently seen Williams again at an XICW event after several years.
“He was such a genuine guy,” Raju wrote.
Matt Hardy called Williams “a joy to work with.”
QT Marshall said Williams was “genuinely one of the nicest people you could ever meet.”
Willow Nightingale also remembered Williams encouraging her during AEW’s Jacksonville era and helping her feel welcome before she was officially part of the company.
Will Ospreay, Swerve Strickland, Dustin Rhodes, Lance Archer, Matt Cardona, and Athena were among the other wrestlers who posted about Williams after his death.
Williams was already well known outside wrestling before he entered the ring. He co-founded Every Time I Die in Buffalo in 1998 and played guitar with the band until it broke up in 2022.
Every Time I Die released nine studio albums during its run.
Williams later played with Atomic Rule.
Enjoy Wrestling canceled the rest of Saturday’s show after Williams collapsed. The promotion had already announced plans to close after its final event on October 5.