Don West, former TNA and IMPACT wrestling commentator, dead at 59

Legendary wrestling broadcaster Don West has died following his battle with cancer. He was 59 years old.

IMPACT Wrestling, where West’s voice became synonymous with the promotion — known at the time as Total Nonstop Action (TNA) — for more than a decade, announced West’s death on Friday afternoon.

« You can’t think of TNA/IMPACT without thinking of Don West, » IMPACT Wrestling Executive Vice President Scott D’Amore said in a statement. “Don and Mike Tenay provided the soundtrack to so many iconic moments in company history. There was no longer a cherished member of the TNA/IMPACT family.

“Don was truly one of a kind and lit up every room he walked in. He brought out the best in people and was an inspiration to everyone who came across him.

The Illinois native was diagnosed with cerebral lymphoma, a rare and highly aggressive non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma cancer in 2021. West announced he was in remission in September 2021.

West’s cancer, however, returned in January which prompted the broadcaster to undergo chemotherapy and radiation therapy. He updated wrestling fans throughout the treatments, revealing the tumor had doubled in size in May.

West joined IMPACT/TNA in 2002, where he served as the promotion’s color commentator. He became an on-screen staple for wrestling fans in the early 2000s before leaving the company in 2012.

After his stint in wrestling, he joined the BC Hockey League’s Wenatchee Wild as the team’s sales and marketing manager and started his own sports radio show.

West’s former broadcast partner Mike Tenay mourned West’s death in a moving post on Twitter.

« We bonded as soon as we met, both as broadcast partners and friends, » Tanay said. « Years of great moments both on and off camera. »

West leaves behind his wife Terri.

“Sorry to learn of the passing of Impact Wrestling commentator Don West,” wrestler Kurt Angle tweeted. « Don was an amazing man with so much energy. My prayers go out to his family.

Wrestler Matt Hardy said« I had great experiences every time I interacted with him. Don was one of the good guys, who was overflowing with passion and enthusiasm.