The Gambler Proclaims He’s Not Dead After Chris Jericho Spread Rumor Of His Passing

Pro wrestling news works really fast sometimes, and it’s always possible for lines to get crossed, especially when two people use the same name. That has happened once again in the world of pro wrestling, but sadly, it happened in a tragic way.

Jeff Gann, also known as The Gambler, responded to rumors of his death that circulated last month. He also appeared on Chris Jericho’s Talk Is Jericho podcast to clarify the situation. Gann, who wrestled in WCW from 1990 to 1999, explained that the confusion arose from the passing of another wrestler.

“To my knowledge, there was a gentleman by the name of Russell Stallings that was using the name Gambler. He’s the one that passed away. Condolences to his family. It’s a sad thing, but I’m glad it wasn’t me.”

During the podcast, The Gambler reminisced about his match against Chris Jericho in WCW, which took place on August 23rd, 1996. Jericho shared that he had received negative feedback after a previous match, which had affected his confidence, but The Gambler’s support helped him regain faith in his abilities.

In a tweet after Chris Jericho heard the news of The Gambler’s passing, before he realized who really passed away, The Wizard sent out a tribute tweet that gave flowers to the Gambler for his help.

Heard The Gambler #JeffGann passed away. I want to thank him for saving my career. In 1996 early in my #WCW tenure, I had no confidence that I could make it in the big leagues. Then Jeff guided me through a basic but good match & got me on track. THX JEFF!

Thankfully, The Gambler, Jeff Gann, did not pass away, so he heard that nice tribute in his honor from Chris Jericho. That had to feel good, knowing that he influenced such a great Superstar, but the circumstances surrounding the tweet were still a bit weird.

Chris Jericho has influenced a lot of people along the way, but who is the most influential pro wrestler of all time? Sound off in the comments!