Known to wrestling fans as “Cousin Eddie,” pro wrestler Eddie Osbourne has passed away.
A veteran of the independent wrestling circuit in his native Canada, Osbourne was 43 years old.
At the time the news of his passing went out, Osbourne’s cause of death was not known.
Founder of 365 Pro Wrestling
As the Fightful website reported, Osbourne made his ring debut as a wrestler in 2001.
He remained active in the years since, with his last match having taken place on September 26.
“He was mainly active in Canada, working for promotions like Pure Wrestling Association, 365 Pro Wrestling, Elite Canadian Championship Wrestling, and more,” noted Fightful, reporting that he was also the owner and promoter of 365 Pro Wrestling, which he launched in 2005.
A 2023 CBC profile on Osbourne detailed how 365 had revitalized a former nightclub on Vancouver Island and transformed it into a popular pro wrestling venue.
“While mainly working in his home province of British Columbia, Osbourne would also frequent the Ontario wrestling circuit as well,” the outlet added. “Osbourne’s last match occurred on Saturday, as part of a 365 Wrestling event in Victoria, British Columbia.”
‘Great Friend and Leader’
Osbourne’s 365 Pro Wrestling announced the sad news in a Facebook post.
‘With many heavy hearts and a tremendous amount of sorrow, we are sad to announce the passing of our great friend and leader Eddie Osbourne,” the post announced. “For over two decades he entertained a continent, not only in the ring, but by bringing quality pro wrestling events to both B.C and Ontario. His passion, dedication and respect for this business will never be forgotten and will live on in his students, peers and the fans that he gave his all to in… the past 25 years.”
“MAPLE LEAF PRO joins the entire Canadian wrestling community in mourning the loss of Eddie Osbourne. A veteran inside the ring, trainer, and a longtime promoter, MLP sends our condolences to his family, friends and fans,” read a Facebook post from Maple Leaf Pro Wrestling.
Tributes Poured In
While Osbourne may not have been widely known to the casual pro wrestling fan, he was a beloved and influential figure within the wrestling community.
Among the many to pay tribute was WWE star Ethan Page, who credited Osbourne for launching his pro wrestling career.
“The seed of ‘Ethan Page’ was planted by me, but Eddie was one of the first promoters to water it & watch it grow,” Page wrote in an X post. “Opportunity is all we look for in wrestling. Eddie provided it to so many wrestlers & most of the time, it was the wrestlers nobody wanted to give a chance. An extremely unorthodox talent with a very old school point of view, Eddie truly loved professional wrestling & gave everything he had to put on events for fans across all of Canada.”
TNA’s Cody Deaner also praised Osbourne in a lengthy tribute he shared via Facebook.
“He gave people a chance that others would never give,” Deaner wrote. “There are people right now on this earth who always dreamt of being a professional wrestler. They live in the middle of nowhere and were told their entire life that their dream was impossible. Eddie gave those people hope. And a place to belong. And a chance to live out their dream and build confidence in their daily lives when others wanted to tear them down and say their dreams were stupid.”
Also paying tribute as Adrian Butler, a current WWE referee, who revealed he and Osbourne had been friends since he was 17.
“Knowing you were working with ‘Besh,’ as we called him (short for Mike Becherer), meant you were going to get to try whatever ideas you had, get some great ideas from him, have fun, see what happens, and get better,” he shared via Instagram.
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Veteran Pro Wrestler Has Passed Away at 43, Tributes Pour In