Aleister Black has also addressed The Butcher following his unfortunate passing earlier today. He did so right after his blockbuster return to the ring, as he took time to honor his former AEW colleague.
Black is currently a free agent following his release from WWE a few months ago. He is no longer subject to the 90-day no-compete clause and thus has been taking bookings on the independent circuit. Earlier today, he competed in PROGRESS Wrestling and became the new world champion after dethroning Cara Noir.
Post-match, Aleister Black took time to talk to the crowd as he addressed the heartbreaking news of The Butcher’s passing. He mentioned that after hearing the news regarding one of his dearest friends, he had a hard time keeping it together backstage.
“About an hour ago, I was informed that one of my best friends, Andy Williams, had passed away. So, The Butcher from AEW was one of my best friends, so I had to hold it together. I couldn’t for the first five minutes. I was hysterical backstage. I had to put it in a box.
Black, along with the fans, paid tribute to the late ex-AEW star with cheers. As this was happening, he was overwhelmed with emotion, and his wife, Zelina Vega, joined him in the ring for this emotional moment.
There’s no good thing that I can say that makes your heart hurt less, or mind hurt less. But that’s also why we are family, because we share that grief. So instead of cheering for me, I want you, as loud as you humanly can, cheer for Andy one final time.”
A clip of the moment can be found below.
AEW has issued a statement following The Butcher’s passing
The Butcher had a tenure of seven years with the Jacksonville-based promotion, as he, The Blade, and The Bunny all broke onto the scene in 2019. They have not been a mainstay on-screen but have sporadically appeared in matches in the years that followed.
AEW has honored him by posting about the impact he had both as a wrestler and as a musician, and how he was someone well respected by all.
“All Elite Wrestling is saddened to learn of the passing of Andy Williams, aka The Butcher. A trailblazing musician with ETID and Atomic Rule, Williams made a successful transition into the world of professional wrestling and was incredibly respected by his peers both in and out of the ring. Our condolences go out to Williams’ family, friends and fans,” he wrote.
Today is a sad day for the wrestling world, following the passing of both the former AEW star and wrestling legend Bill Dundee. Our hearts at Sportskeeda go out to all the bereaved.
Get all the hottest wrestling news FIRST by clicking here
Edited by Enzo Curabo
