'Beautiful' Bobby Eaton has passed away at age of 62.
News of his passing was announced by his sister Deborah on her Facebook page. "I never wanted to have to post this, but my Little Brother Beautiful Bobby Eaton passed away last night. When I find out all the details I will post them. Bobby was the kindest, loving person you would ever meet. I loved him so much and going to miss him, Please say a prayer for my Niece Taryn she found him. And she just lost her Mom a little over a month ago," she wrote.
Eaton made his in-ring debut in 1977 and wrestled for multiple companies and territories during his time in wrestling, including Mid-Atlantic, Memphis, Smoky Mountain, NWA, AWA, and WCW.
Eaton was one-half of the Midnight Express and widely considered one of the greatest tag team wrestlers of all time. He first teamed with Dennis Condrey in the Midnight Express and was managed by Jim Cornette. The team famously feuded with The Rock N' Roll Express (Ricky Morton & Robert Gibson) in the Mid-South territory. He would later team with Stan Lane to carry on the legacy of the Midnight Express.
In WCW, Eaton teamed with Arn Anderson and was part of the Dangerous Alliance.
He was a multi-time NWA Mid-America Heavyweight Champion, Mid-South Tag Team Champion, NWA World Tag Team Champion, WCW Television Champion, and WCW Tag Team Champion.
Eaton last wrestled in 2016 at RWC Seek 2 Destroy Cancer. In 2011, he and Condrey worked a handful of matches against The Rock N Roll Express to carry on their decades-long feud.
WWE issued the following statement:
WWE is saddened to learn that Bobby Eaton passed away at the age of 62.
A Huntsville, Alabama native, Eaton built a reputation as one of the greatest tag team wrestlers of all time during his nearly 40-year career. Eaton broke in at the age of 17 with NWA Mid-America and in just two years captured his first championship by teaming with Leapin’ Lanny Poffo to claim the NWA Mid-America Tag Team Titles.
After a stint with the Continental Wrestling Association, Eaton joined forces with Dennis Condrey to carry the torch for the memorable Midnight Express. “Beautiful” Bobby & “Lover Boy” Dennis quickly rose to prominence in Jim Crockett Promotions and won the NWA World Tag Team Titles from The Rock ‘n’ Roll Express. Following Condrey’s departure, Midnight Express carried on with “Sweet” Stan Lane teaming with Eaton for memorable rivalries against The Samoan S.W.A.T. Team, The Fabulous Freebirds, The Steiner Brothers and more on their way to a United States Tag Team Title reign.
Eaton would make a strong singles run following the departure of Lane and defeated Arn Anderson to win the World Television Championship at SuperBrawl I. An ensuing run with Rick Rude, Larry Zbyszko, Steve Austin and Anderson of The Dangerous Alliance culminated with a legendary double-ring War Games Match at WrestleWar 1992 against Sting’s Squadron. After stops with Smoky Mountain Wrestling and New Japan Pro-Wrestling, Eaton would return to WCW before competing on the independent circuit up until 2015.
Eaton amassed countless accolades during his career but perhaps none more meaningful than the impact he left on his peers with Mick Foley, Steve Austin and others having praised Eaton as one of the most underrated and nicest Superstars in the business.
WWE extends its condolences to Eaton’s family, friends and fans.
On behalf of Fightful, we would like to extend our condolences to family, friends, and fans of Bobby Eaton.
