2020 will go down as a horrific year for countless reasons. Tonight, we are shocked and saddened to see the Kafkaesque twelve months become even more nightmarish. This involved the sudden passing of Jon Huber at the age of forty-one. At the time of his passing, Jon Huber was starting his career’s best run, portraying the sinister and manipulative Brodie Lee. The leader of the cult-like faction known as the Dark Order. As is the case in so many of these situations, Huber is said to have been the utter antithesis of the feared character he portrayed.
Huber was a devoted family man. He was a father who wrestles instead of a wrestler who’s a father using a term coined by none other than Kevin Owens. Owens traveled many roads with Huber in the indies as well as the WWE. Huber became known to the mainstream wrestling world through his Luke Harper role as part of the Wyatt family. He had a menacing look, tremendous size, and amazing agility as well. One’s initial thought was that if used properly, Huber could become the twenty-first century’s equivalent to the iconic Bruiser Brody.
Sadly, Huber was underused in the WWE and languished there for months and years as their creative department couldn’t really develop interesting angles to use him for. It is almost criminal to hold such talent back without justification. Upon founding AEW, Cody Rhodes stressed that it would become the Ellis Island for those previously neglected. That phrase could not ring any truer than in the case of the Brodie Lee character.
Jon Huber (Brodie Lee) Passes Away At The Age of 41
The company had a burgeoning faction that was causing havoc but needed a charismatic leader, a draw if you will. After teasing the likes of Christopher Daniels or Jake Roberts as the leader, Huber emerged as Brodie Lee and certainly ran with the ball he was handed. Prior to his in-ring debut, he appeared in some very humorous vignettes where he pulled no punches in mocking his previous employer and describing him as an out of touch old man. Chalk one up for that time-honored saying, more truth is said in jest.
Brodie Lee was a beast in the AEW ring. How ironic that in his initial squash match appearances, he would tease using Bray Wyatt’s trademark Sister Abigail finisher before striking with a thunderous clothesline lariat. One could see that Huber truly took care of his opponents. Devastating looking superkicks were performed by merely paint brushing his opponent’s face.
When Cody Rhodes temporarily left the scene to pursue another endeavor, AEW chose to award its coveted TNT championship to Lee, who was even further built up by squashing Rhodes swiftly and decisively. Upon his return, Cody won back his belt from Lee in early October.
https://twitter.com/AEW/status/1343006487988342786
It is reported that Huber passed from a non-COVID lung ailment and that he was hospitalized in the Mayo clinic. He hadn’t been on television nor discussed much in the last several weeks.
By all accounts, Huber was a first-rate colleague in a field where altruists are not easy to come across. Anybody can be a decent co-worker, nodding acquaintance only very few though take the time to mold and mentor younger talent. Huber was exceptional in a world where there is a surfeit of performers but very finite air time to fill.
We at Prowrestlingpost.com extend our sympathies to Huber’s wife and family. Of course, we also send our condolences to all who knew him from AEW and other federations. My father had a great expression, “you’re not really true friends until you’ve shed tears together. On this Boxing Day night, we have become just that much closer. Rest In Peace, good man.
