Bushwhacker Butch, WWE Hall of Famer, dead at 78

Bushwhacker Butch, a member of one of pro wrestlings most beloved tag teams, has died. He was 78. His longtime friend and tag team partner Bushwhacker Luke Luke Williams confirmed the news in a social media post on Monday.

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Bushwhacker Butch, a member of one of pro wrestling’s most beloved tag teams, has died.

He was 78.

His longtime friend and tag team partner Bushwhacker Luke — Luke Williams — confirmed the news in a social media post on Monday.

Butch’s real name is Bob Miller.

No cause of death has been announced, but Butch was reportedly hospitalized in Los Angeles last week after arriving for public appearances around WrestleMania 39.

“This past weekend in Los Angeles, Bob flew in from New Zealand to join me for Wrestlemania weekend and the related festivities, neither of us knowing it would be our last days together and his last days of life,” Luke wrote in an Instagram post. “If you were to read the story of my life it would say that I am only child, but it would be wrong. In life I had a brother and his name was Bob Miller. I love you, Bob. Until I see you again, WOOOOAHH YEEEEAAHH!”

The two began wrestling together in New Zealander in 1964.

They became The Sheepherders from 1974-81 while working in numerous NWA-affiliated territories.

By 1988 the duo was repackaged in the WWE (WWF at the time) as the lovable and kooky Bushwhackers – changing their previous violent style to comedy.

They immediately became one of Vince McMahon’s most beloved acts with their signature entrance march as their arms moved back and forth over their heads, yelling “Whoooaaa!,” their camo hats, biting opponents, and licking each other and fans.

“Mean Gene” Okerlund became a popular foil for them in vignettes.

“As The Bushwhackers we appeared in the largest venues in the world, in front the biggest crowds professional wrestling had ever seen!” Luke wrote.

The Bushwhackers never did win the WWE tag team titles and Luke revealed in an interview with Sportskeeda in 2021 that his neck injury cost them a chance of beating The Brainbusters for the belts.

“One of the toughest son of a guns to put on tights,” Jake “The Snake” Roberts wrote of Butch in a social media post. “And one of the most entertaining. He will be sorely missed.”

Luke and Butch finished up in WWE in 1996 and retired in 2021 after Luke suffered another neck injury.

They were inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2015.     

“My heart goes out to his wife Helen, his lovely daughters Sharon and Kirsten and all of his grandchildren,” Luke wrote. “From the early-1970s when we were young mates wrestling for John da Silva in New Zealand, my first impression of Bob “The Chest” Miller (as he was called in those days) was that he was a first-class redneck, and what bloody redneck he was! But he was also an all-around good guy and a great friend.”

A GoFundMe page has been set up to help with Butch’s funeral expenses.

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