The professional wrestling world is mourning the loss of Joe Doering, a former two-time AJPW Triple Crown Champion, who has died at the age of 44 following a long battle with brain cancer.
Doering’s passing was announced on Friday by Scott D’Amore’s Maple Leaf Pro Wrestling. The promotion shared that Doering died peacefully on the morning of June 26, surrounded by his family. In a heartfelt tribute, Maple Leaf Pro reflected on a life lived to the fullest despite being cut far too short.
“Joe packed a thousand years’ worth of living into every one of them,” the statement read. The promotion noted that Doering is survived by his wife, Lindsay, along with his family and countless friends and fans, before closing with a message that he would never be forgotten.
At 9:13 a.m. today, June 26, our brother Joe Doering passed away peacefully, surrounded by his family.
Though his time on this earth lasted only 44 years, Joe packed a thousand years’ worth of living into every one of them.
Joe is survived by his beloved wife, Lindsay, his… pic.twitter.com/qlzBVLUuM3
— MAPLE LEAF PRO Wrestling (@MapleLeafPW) June 26, 2026
Doering trained under D’Amore at the Can-Am Wrestling School before forging a successful international career across the United States, Canada, and Japan. A towering, cowboy-styled heavyweight in the mold of Stan Hansen, he found his greatest success in All Japan Pro Wrestling, where he captured the prestigious Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship twice and reigned as World Tag Team Champion on multiple occasions. He was also a two-time World Tag Team Champion in TNA as a member of Violent By Design, and earlier in his career spent a brief stint in WWE’s developmental system.
Doering’s final decade was defined by his courageous fight against brain cancer. First diagnosed in 2016, he underwent surgery and was able to return to the ring, continuing to compete through 2022. He battled the disease two more times in the years that followed, with friends, peers, and fans rallying to his support and raising tens of thousands of dollars through a GoFundMe campaign organized by his sister-in-law, Mandy Banh. Last week, Banh shared that Doering was entering hospice care.
Our thoughts are with Doering’s family, friends, and fans during this difficult time.
