Professional wrestler Joe Doering, who competed on circuits in the United States and Canada, has died at the age of 44 after battling brain cancer for a decade.
His passing was announced by Maple Leaf Pro Wrestling on Friday morning, stating that he ‘passed away peacefully, surrounded by his family’ at 9:13am.
‘Though his time on this earth lasted only 44 years, Joe packed a thousand years’ worth of living into every one of them,’ the statement read.
‘Joe is survived by his beloved wife, Lindsay, his family, and leaves behind countless friends and devoted fans around the world who will forever remember his strength, courage, and spirit. Rest in peace, Joe. You will never be forgotten.’
Born in 1982, Doering was trained in Windsor, Ontario and made his debut in 2004 before bursting on the independent scene in Canada and the US.
He made his first big break with All Japan Pro Wrestling in 2007. During his time in Japan, he won the Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship twice and the World Tag Team Championship four times.
Joe Doering, best remembered for his success as a wrestler in AJPW, has died at age 44
Doering (above in 2022) died after a decade-long battle with brain cancer
Doering’s career ended after his second brain tumor was discovered and he subsequently developed ataxia from the procedure to remove the growth
In addition to his time in Japan, Doering would compete in Impact/TNA – winning the Impact tag team championship twice.
He also briefly spent time in Florida Championship Wrestling – the developmental territory for the WWE. Doering was cut less than a year after signing his deal.
In February 2016, he was diagnosed with the first of what would be three brain tumors. After surgery to remove the tumor, he would miss a year of competition.
He would return in 2017, splitting time between TNA and AJPW before a second tumor was discovered in 2022.
The second tumor ended his career, requiring another surgery after which he suffered from ataxia – a neurological condition characterized by a lack of voluntary coordination of muscle movements. This affected his mobility and ruled out any further athletic pursuits.
A third tumor was discovered last November, which ultimately led to his passing.
