Jonathan Huber, an AEW wrestler who previously starred in WWE, died of a non-coronavirus-related lung problem, his wife, Amanda, wrote on Instagram on Saturday. He was 41.
Lee wrestled under the names Luke Harper in WWE and Brodie Lee in AEW. He hadn’t been on AEW television since the beginning of October.
“There are no words that can express the love I feel or how broken I am now,” wrote Amanda Huber. “He passed by surrounded by loved ones after a hard-fought battle with a non-Covid-related lung problem. The @mayoclinic is literally the best team of doctors and nurses in the world who have surrounded me with constant love.
In a statement, AEW wrote that Huber was “exceptionally respected and loved in every way – a fierce and engaging talent, a thoughtful mentor and just a very kind soul.”
Born in Rochester, New York, Huber wrestled for WWE from 2012 to 2019. He was a regular on WWE television, most notably as a member of the Wyatt Family and on a long-term tag team with wrestler Erick Rowan. WWE granted him his release last December, which he requested. Huber signed with AEW and made his debut there in March.
Huber was immediately pushed to a prominent position at AEW. He became the leader of a faction called The Dark Order and battled Jon Moxley for the AEW title at the Double or Nothing pay-per-view event in May. Huber’s last match was a Dog Collar match for the AEW TNT title against Cody Rhodes on October 7. The fight was rated 4.5 (out of 5) stars by the Wrestling Observer newsletter, equaling the highest star rating in Lee’s career.
Huber is survived by his wife, Amanda, and children, Brodie and Nolan.