Andy Williams cause of death: 'The Butcher' dies at 48 during a match
Tributes have poured in for the popular wrestler and musician following his sudden death at age 48
Andy “The Butcher” Williams , the professional wrestler and former Every Time I Die guitarist, has died at the age of 48 after suffering a medical emergency during a match in Pennsylvania.
Williams collapsed near the conclusion of an Enjoy Wrestling event at Mr. Smalls Theatre in Millvale on Saturday night. He was teaming with his longtime partner Jesse Guilmette , better known as The Blade, against TME when he suddenly went down.
Medical personnel rushed to Williams ’ aid and began performing CPR. An automated external defibrillator was also used before an ambulance arrived and took him to hospital. The remainder of the wrestling event was canceled, with organizers sending attendees home.
The Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed Williams ’ death. However, his official cause of death hasn’t been announced, and authorities haven’t provided further details about the medical emergency.
Enjoy Wrestling later confirmed the tragic news, prompting an outpouring of tributes from across the wrestling and music communities. Numerous performers and colleagues remembered Williams online, highlighting the impact he had made during a career that crossed two very different forms of entertainment.
A career across wrestling and heavy metal
Born in the Buffalo area on December 12, 1977, Williams first established himself as a musician. He was a founding member and rhythm guitarist of the metalcore band Every Time I Die, which formed in 1998.
The group went on to release nine studio albums and built a substantial following before announcing its breakup in January 2022.
Professional wrestling eventually became Williams ’ second major career. A lifelong fan of the sport, he began pursuing wrestling seriously later in life and worked his first full singles match in 2016.
He started regularly teaming with Jesse Guilmette the following year, with their partnership eventually taking them from the independent scene to national television.
Williams and The Blade joined All Elite Wrestling in 2019, initially appearing alongside The Bunny. The trio debuted on Dynamite by attacking Cody Rhodes , and The Butcher and The Blade subsequently became regulars in AEW’s tag-team division.
They worked with several notable names during their time with the promotion, including The Young Bucks, Eddie Kingston and members of the Hardy Family Office.
Williams also continued wrestling singles matches while The Blade dealt with a serious back injury. His final AEW appearance came in February 2025, when he faced Gabe Kidd on Collision. Their AEW contracts expired in June 2026, after which Williams returned to regular independent competition.
Only last month, Williams wrestled Josh Barnett at PRODUCE Volume 3 in Brooklyn. He had also continued working in music following Every Time I Die’s breakup, joining Atomic Rule and contributing to new recordings.
Williams ’ death is particularly poignant because he remained active in both wrestling and music right up until his final days. He had even shared a video on social media on Saturday showing progress on Atomic Rule’s latest recordings.
At 48, Williams leaves behind a distinctive legacy as both a professional wrestler and accomplished musician. His unexpected death during a wrestling match has shocked fans and colleagues, while his official cause of death remains pending.
