RIP Jimmy Del Ray

[soup23]

Sad news as Jimmy Del Ray has passed away. The Heavenly Bodies are a damn great team IMO and really anchored SMW for large portions of its existence.

[KrisZ]

He just turned 52 as well.....Dr. Tom tweeted a while ago that he & Jimmy made up after they had some beef at the Wrestlecade deal in Charlotte a couple of weeks ago....very sad news.....

 

The Bodies were just as much the heart and soul of SMW as the RnR were.....sure Lane was the first partner but Gigolo was just as important if not more to the component.

 

RIP Gigolo.

[BillThompson]

Really underrated talent, always enjoyed watching him wrestle, and the Bodies are one of my favorite tag teams.

[WingedEagle]

Man that sucks. Best wishes to his family and loved ones. I really thought he was the best part of the Bodies' act. Sleaze personified, and I say that with much respect and admiration.

[cheapshot]

Jimmy had such a random career, worked Florida in the dying days, had tours in FMW, had a good little run in WWF and worked WCW inc. WW3 1996

 

A great worker who stood out as someone not as aesthetically pleasing on the eye as other contemporaries.

[El-P]

Terrific little worker. I loved the Bodies, the last true great southern tag-team, always wanted them to get the belt in WWF. Del Ray was at the same time hideously sleazy (that belly dance… ugh… couldn't be better for his character) and such a gracious and fluid worker. Had a few really good TV matches on Nitro against Dean and Rey, and that's the last I've seen of him. Sad news indeed, another one dying way too young.

[iamthedoctor]

Sad news as Jimmy Del Ray has passed away. The Heavenly Bodies are a damn great team IMO and really anchored SMW for large portions of its existence.

 

That is sad news. Never really understood why they never won the tag titles as they were built up big when they came in, Jimmy had a fantastic match against HBK on Raw in 95 & I remember them for that massive brawl they had with the Smoking Gunns on the Action Zone because fists went flying.

[artDDP]

 

RIP

[shoe]

A guy who had been around for a good bit. Saw him when he popped up in Continental in the 80's.

A real good worker.

[Moonsault Marvin]

Sad to hear this. I was watching some Heavenly Bodies matches last week, and it was great to revisit what a fun wrestler Del Ray was.

[JaymeFuture]

This really sucks to hear. As a kid I loved the Heavenly Bodies, and Del Rey in particular with his moonsault and great bumps. Hated even as a youngster that they became an underneath team...

[C.S.]

Heavenly Bodies were one of my favorite teams as a kid, and no one brought the sleaze better than "The Gigolo." The SMW Tag Team Titles being defended at the Survivor Series - Rock 'n Roll Express vs. Heavenly Bodies - was really groundbreaking in an era where no other territory ever acknowledged. The Bodies' SummerSlam match a few months earlier vs. The Steiners was also great (except for the result). WCW wasted him as Jimmy Graffiti, but what else is new? I remember thinking the outfit was really cool though.

[southofheavy]

I honestly had no idea until reading the above post that Jimmy Del Ray was Jimmy Graffiti.

 

Now I know why I was like "Man, this Jimmy Graffiti guy ain't no slouch" when I was burning through Nitros on the Network.

 

RIP.

[MartelFan38]

Agree with the sentiments above. The Heavenly Bodies were a good team and should have had more success.

 

Does anyone else think Jimmy Del Ray was underutilized in his ECW run in late 95/early 96? I think he could have been a better long term fit against the likes of Sabu. RVD or in tag work against the Eliminators.