Jay Briscoe Dead At Age 38

Veteran wrestler Jay Briscoe (real name Jamin Pugh) has passed away at the age of 38.

AEW and ROH owner Tony Khan shared the heartbreaking news via Twitter on Tuesday evening.

"Sadly, Jamin Pugh has passed away," Khan wrote. "Known to fans as Jay Briscoe, he was a star in ROH for over 20 years, from the first show until today. Jay and his brother Mark dominated ROH, reigning as champions to this day. We'll do whatever we can to support his family. Rest In Peace Jamin."

Jay and his brother, Mark, were the reigning ROH World Tag Team Champions, following their victory over FTR at ROH Final Battle on December 10. The Briscoes have been widely regarded as one of the best tag teams of the 21st century, having held tag team gold for promotions such as NJPW, Impact Wrestling, GCW and CZW, besides their 13 stints as ROH World Tag Team Champions.

During the course of his illustrious career, Jay also found success as a singles wrestler, holding the ROH World Championship on two separate occasions.  

The Briscoes were enshrined in the ROH Hall of Fame as part of the inaugural class in 2022. 

UPDATE: As of Tuesday night, there was no official word on the exact cause of Jay's death. However, Laurel School District in Sussex County — where Jay went to school — released the following statement in acknowledgment of the hometown hero's passing.

"Due to an unthinkable tragedy in our community this evening, The Laurel School District will be closed tomorrow, Wednesday January 18, 2023. Schools will reopen on Thursday. Please keep the Pugh Family in your thoughts and prayers."

Stay tuned for updates on this developing story.

Wrestling Inc. sends our condolences to the family, friends and fans of Jamin Pugh.