Former WWF Developmental - Dead!

Steve Bradley, a long-time WWF developmental talent in the late 1990s, was found dead earlier today in a parking lot across the street from a where he once operated a wrestling school in Manchester, NH. Bradley was only 32 years old.

Bradley, who had been wrestling independently since he was 15 or 16 years old, was signed to a WWE developmental deal in 1998 and was assigned to WWF developmental when it was based in Memphis, TN. He started about the same time as Kurt Angle, with the two feuding over the Power Pro Wrestling championship.

In 1999, Bradley won the third annual ECWA Super 8 tournament promoted by Jim Kettner, defeating current TNA star Christopher Daniels.

Bradley remained in the WWF developmental program through 2002 when he was released by the company. His work during his time in WWE developmental was largely similar to Rob Van Dam and in a way, he was lost in the shuffle when Van Dam signed with WWF in 2001. He was never brought up to the main roster beyond dark matches, but worked for the HWA, Ohio Valley Wrestling and other promotions affiliated with WWF at the time, including IWA Puerto Rico, where he held the promotion's Tag Team belts with Andy Anderson.

After he was released, Bradley returned to the New England area and opened a wrestling school, which he is believed to have shut down within the last six months.

Bradley was said to have had personal issues in recent years and I was told by one source that he was one of the former WWF contracted talents who took the company up on their offer of getting help over the past year.

There is no confirmation on Bradley's cause of death known as of this writing. Our deepest condolences to Bradley's friends and family during this sad time.

Source: PWI