It is with a great deal of sadness that we announce the passing of Andy Williams. Williams passed away on Saturday night following a wrestling match. He had been wrestling at the Mr. Smalls Theatre in Millvale, Pennsylvania as part of a tag team match alongside his long-time partner Jesse Guilmette. At the end of the match, Williams collapsed, was attended to by venue medical staff, and then transported to a local hospital by emergency personnel. The Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office later confirmed that Williams had passed away. No official statement has as of yet been released by the Allegheny County Medical Examiner's Office, but cause of death is thought to be a sudden cardiac event.
Legacy in Music
Williams was a founding guitar player in legendary Buffalo metalcore band Every Time I Die. He co-founded the band in 1998 alongside lead guitarist Jordan Buckley and drummer Michael "Ratboy" Novak Jr., later adding Keith Buckley on vocals and John McCarthy on bass. Every Time I Die released nine studio albums before their break up in 2022.
The band's break out release was 'Hot Damn!', released July 1, 2003 on Ferret Music. The album featured the song 'Ebolorama', for which a music video was shot at Kiddy Skateland in Buffalo, NY. The music video went on to be nominated for MTV's 'Best Music Video of the New Millennium'. The success of the album landed the band high-profile slots on Ozzfest, and the Vans Warped Tour.
In t he mid-2000's, the band began playing annual hometown Christmas. These events eventually progressed into 'TID the Season, a massive, multi-day winter festival hosted at the Buffalo Riverworks. By the late 2010s, 'TID the Season drew thousands of fans from around the world to Buffalo every December. The event would feature live professional wrestling matches, where Williams would wrestle alongside top independent and AEW talent, local food vendors, and curling tournaments.
In 2018, the City of Buffalo officially proclaimed December 15th as "Every Time I Die Day", honoring the band's advocacy and economic contributions to their hometown. The final 'TID the Season was held in December 2021, and was the band's last live performances before their disbandment in early 2022.
In 2023, Williams founded Atomic Rule with Travis Bennington of Eternal Sleep and Kevin Boutot of The Acacia Strain. The band released their debut demo 'With Skull Crushing Force' in September 2025 through 288 Records. The band began playing shows with Jordan Buckley's 'Better Lovers', and was scheduled to open for GWAR this fall.
A New Beginning in Wrestling
While touring internationally as a founding guitarist for Every Time I Die, Williams began training to wrestle in the mid-2010s—often honing his skills during downtime on festival tours like Warped Tour. Williams made his full match debut in 2015 on the independent circuit, adopting the ring name "The Butcher".
In 2017, he paired up with veteran wrestler "The Blade" Jesse Guilmette. Together with their manager Allie, "The Butcher and The Blade" hit independent promotions such as Smash Wrestling, Progress Wrestling, and Beyond Wrestling.
In 2019, Williams moved to AEW, making his high-profile national television debut on November 27, 2019 during an episode of AEW Dynamite on TNT. His run on AEW went for nearly five years, and included feuds with top AEW stars (including Cody Rhodes, The Young Bucks, Jon Moxley, and Darby Allin), and a memorable AEW World Tag Team Championship match against Dustin Rhodes and QT Marshall in 2020.
Following the expiration of his AEW contract in June 2026, Williams continued to compete on the independent wrestling circuit. He remained a deeply respected mentor and beloved peer to the next generation of talent.
Remembering Andy Williams
After a spending a lifetime making an impact both on the live music stage and in the ring, Williams has left a legacy felt by many the world over. The last few days has seen touching tributes from the musicians and athletes that worked with him over the last few decades.
Williams will be remembered always through a life well lived, with a long legacy of music, showmanship, and kindness to look back on.
