UNLIKE their American counterparts, British professional wrestlers seem to have escaped the curse of the ring.

In fact, the only known case of premature death of a fighter in England occurred in Great Yarmouth in 1987.

Mal “King Kong” Kirk suffered a heart attack in the ring when 26 stone of Big Daddy “splashed down” on him. It was yet another reason why TV producers decided to bring an end to Saturday afternoon wrestling.

READ MORE: Bolton Olympic Wrestling Club, still thriving after decades

Wigan-born Davey Boy Smith was one of only a handful of British wrestlers who found stardom in America.

However, In order to add bulk to his 256-pound, 5-foot, 11-inch frame, he relied on anabolic steroids, and also became addicted to painkillers in the late 1990s.

He died of a heart attack in 2002, aged just 39. The coroner concluded that prior drug use and stress played a role in his death.

READ MORE: Bolton wrestlers who achieved television fame

Fellow Brit wrestler, Chris Adams, also hit the wrestling big time in America. But, with a history of drug abuse, he was shot dead in 2001.

Sadly, premature death, often brought on by steroid use and drug abuse, is something of an epidemic in the world of American wrestling where the death toll is truly shocking (see below).

READ MORE: British wrestlers versus the Americans

For once, it was an advantage being a Brit Pro wrestler. Less concerned about developing their physiques, the only thing our grapplers overdosed on seemed to be meat and potato pies.

• 1998: Louie Spicolli, 27, drug overdose

• 1999: The Renegade, 33, suicide by gunshot

• 1999: Rick Rude, 40, heart failure, history of drug and steroid abuse

• 1999: Owen Hart, 34, fell to his death in the ring when a stunt went wrong

• 2000: Bobby Duncum Jr, 34, drug overdose

• 2000: Yokozuna, 34, pulmonary edema, his 54 stone weight was a contributing factor

• 2000: Chris Duffy, 33, brain aneurysm

• 2001: Terry Gordy, 40, heart attack

• 2001: Chris Adams, 46, shot dead (had previously overdosed on drugs)

• 2002: Rocco Rock, 49, heart attack

• 2002: Big Dick Dudley, 34, kidney failure due to painkiller use

• 2003: Crash Holly, 32, suicide by overdose

• 2003: Anthony Durante, 36, drug overdose

• 2003: Road Warrior Hawk, 46, heart attack

• 2003: Curt Henning, 44, drug overdose

• 2003: Jerry Tuite, 36, heart attack

• 2004, Hercules, 47, heart disease

• 2004: Big Boss man, 41, heart attack

• 2005: Eddie Guerrero, 38, death blamed on his history of drug abuse

• 2007: John Kronus, 38, heart failure

• 2007: Bam Bigelow, 45, drug overdose

• 2007: Chris Benoit, 40, murdered his wife and son and then hanged himself

• 2007: Crush, 43, drug overdose

• 2007: Mike Awesome, 42, suicide by hanging

• 2008: Mike Bell, 37, drug overdose

• 2008: Chase Tatum, 34, drug overdose

• 2009: Andrew Martin, 33, drug overdose

• 2010: Trent Acid, 29, drug overdose

• 2010: Chris Kanyon, 40, suicide by overdose

• 2010: Lance Cade, 29, drug overdose

• 2010: Ludvig Borga, 47, suicide by gunshot

• 2014: Big Daddy V, 43, heart attack

• 2014: Sean O’Haire, 43, suicide by hanging

• 2016: Axel Rotten, 44, drug overdose

• 2016: Balls Mohoney,44, heart attack

• 2014: Sean O’Haire, 43, suicide by hanging

• 2018: Brian Christopher, 46, suicide by hanging