One of the competitors who shared the ring with former Every Time I Die guitarist Andy Williams during his final wrestling match has announced he is stepping away from the professional wrestling business. Williams, 48, passed away on September 5 following a medical incident during an event in Pennsylvania.
The match, held in Millvale, Pennsylvania, featured Williams—known in the ring as “The Butcher”—and his longtime tag team partner, The Blade, facing off against Ganon Jones Jr. and Duke Davis, collectively known as TME. Following the match, Williams collapsed and was transported to a local hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
The Emotional Impact of a Tragic Night
In a recent statement shared via Instagram, Ganon Jones Jr. reflected on the harrowing experience, describing it as “one of the worst nights of my life.” Jones noted that the events of that evening have remained at the forefront of his mind, making it difficult to move forward in his career.
“Not an hour has gone by since then that I haven’t thought about Andy and his family,” Jones wrote. “Thinking about the match and everything that transpired afterward just keeps replaying in my mind.”
The decision to step away was solidified by the reaction of his young daughter, who witnessed the tragedy while watching the match as a fan in the crowd. Jones shared that the experience left her deeply shaken. “The events from that night scared her more than anything I can remember,” he explained. “When I was finally able to look at my phone after everything that had happened, I had a text from my daughter that said, ‘I am not letting u do wrestling anymore. I am crying.'”
For Jones, known as “The All Star,” the priority has shifted entirely to his family. “I cannot, in good conscience, leave the house to be The All Star when I have a little girl at home wondering if I’ll ever come back. She doesn’t deserve to have those thoughts and I refuse to put her through that.”
Remembering Andy Williams
While Williams had transitioned into a successful wrestling career following his tenure with Every Time I Die, his impact on both the music and wrestling worlds remains profound. Although he and The Blade had departed All Elite Wrestling earlier this year, the organization held a tribute show on September 12 to honor his legacy.
During the broadcast, a statement from The Blade was read, marking his first public comments since the tragedy:
“He was the most talented person that I ever met. But I think we can all agree that he was an even better friend. And he loved pro wrestling. And he loved the fans. Thank you to everybody for the support.”
A public “celebration of life” for Williams is scheduled for September 27 at Buffalo RiverWorks in his hometown of Buffalo, New York, featuring acoustic performances from various musicians.
