Mike Alfonso, better known as Mike Awesome, was found dead on Saturday evening in the Tampa area according to those close to the family. He was 42.

Friends were coming to his home in Tampa to pick him up and go out Saturday night at about 10:30 p.m. and he never answered the door and found him hanging in the home. It is believed the death was due to suicide pending results of the autopsy.

Mike Awesome was one of the top foreign stars in FMW in Japan, who as a high-flying big man was made ECW champion on two occasions in 1999 and 2000. As champion, he signed with WCW, creating a situation that many feel ended up killing the title as Tazz from WWF was brought back to ECW to win the title, yet at the same time the title was jobbed in WWF.

He worked for a few months with WWF after the collapse of WCW, as well as with All Japan, but had not wrestled in some time. He was working as a realtor at Coldwell Banker at the time of his death.


On a personal note : It's a very sad day in my life. Mike was a father figure for me in wrestling business. We talked few times via email and he always was so happy. I cannot describe the pain i'm going through right now, i admired him since the mid 90's and he was a role model for me. He was an Awesome wrestler and also he was an Awesome human being. Today the wrestling world suffered one of the biggest loses ever.

I wanna personally thank Mike for giving his heart and soul in the ring every time. For the matches he had that will never ever forget.

But now Heaven's gates are open for The Gladiator.................