US wrestler Jay Briscoe dies at the age of 38

Jay Briscoe, a 38-year-old US professional wrestler, whose real name was Jamin Pugh, died in a car accident.

In a statement, the Delaware State Police revealed Jay was pronounced dead on the scene following a head-on collision. Pugh's two daughters were also in the vehicle, and later admitted to a hospital in critical condition.

Jay Briscoe has been confirmed dead by Ring of Honor CEO Tony Khan. Both Jay and his younger brother Mark were professional wrestlers for the promotion.

Eddie Kingston honoring Jay Briscoe. #JayBriscoeRIP #aew #roh pic.twitter.com/X9yG4YCQLq

— Alex (@anamelessrage) January 19, 2023

"James Pugh has died," Khan said using Jay's given name. "He was a star of ROH for over 20 years, from the first show until today."

"Jay and his brother Mark dominated ROH, reigning as champions to this day."

Jay's death came almost a year after the Briscoe Brothers were admitted to the Ring of Honor Hall of Fame as the inaugural class. Jay and his brother had been wrestling members of the organization since they were teenagers, and Jay described the ceremony as a "humbled" experience.

For Jay Briscoe ❤️@youngbucks @TopFlight612
Watch #AEWDynamite LIVE on TBS! pic.twitter.com/IfC5RSaWfN

— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) January 19, 2023

"All we ever wanted were big-time fights," he wrote on Twitter in January of 2022. We've been blessed to work for a company that has given us that opportunity for two decades."

Adam Cole on his relationship with Jay Briscoe. What a heartfelt promo. pic.twitter.com/nBI4MDqvO7

— Drainmaker 🌧️ 💵 (@DrainBamager) January 19, 2023

Jay and Mark have won a total of 13 Ring of Honor tag team championships, including the current one, throughout their wrestling careers. He also won the ROH singles championship twice.

Several prominent wrestling professionals flocked to Twitter to express their sorrow after hearing about his passing. "I didn't much work with him, but upon seeing Jay, I immediately understood something about him...

Cody Rhodes, a WWE wrestler, wrote: "His family was his everything, all of the love in the world to them this evening."

Frankie Kazarian, a former Impact Wrestling star, expressed his sadness at the news of Jay's death, saying, "I'm sick to my stomach." "I can't even begin to comprehend this right now."

Danhausen of All Elite Wrestling described his encounter with Jay as a "absolute joy." He's always so kind and helpful to everyone, making him "one of the best wrestlers to ever do it."