Paul Bykow, a former professional wrestler and ECW star known as “The Equalizer,” has died, PWInsider reported.
He was 58, according to the Barnegat Funeral Home.
No details on the cause of his death have been revealed.
Independent wrestler Tony Chini paid tribute to Bykow on Instagram.
“Paul. I just saw you one week ago,” Chini wrote. “Seeing this news really hurts today. Pauly was a one-of-a-kind individual. He had amazing stories and he loved to share them. I’m so happy Noah got to formally introduce us.”
“Last month, I got to have a great conversation with you where I told you how much it meant to have gotten to grow up watching you and then becoming your friend and even share the ring with you. He always wanted to help, he would always tell me about how @housekatcalledfran slapped him so hard in their match and he was so happy about it lol R.I.P. to The Equalizer.”
“You will be so missed. I wish we got to watch those tapes together. Spend more time with people. Also, a few years back I helped Pauly take some matches he had on CD’s and put them on a YouTube channel. Watch a match or promo for him today.”
Bykow wrestled for the original ECW and was often the bodyguard for Lance Wright. He was brought into ECW via Chris Candido and Tammy Sytch.
During his early career, Bykow also joined Danny Doring’s entourage, as noted by PWInsider.
Even after leaving ECW, Bykow was still active independently, as he competed for several New Jersey wrestling promotions and attended the New Jersey independent scene recently.
Bykow’s daughter, Victoria Bykow, also posted a tribute for her father on Instagram.
“Everything I am is because of you,” Victoria wrote. “Thank you for everything, Dad. Thank you for being YOU. This one hurts, but you raised strong girls. I love you for the rest of my life.”
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
