Devil Bhudakahn

**James Patrick Fawcett** (March 17, 1975 – July 15, 2007) was an American professional wrestler, best known for competing on the Pittsburgh independent circuit under the ring name **Devil Bhudakahn**.

## Professional wrestling career

Fawcett idolized the likes of Jushin "Thunder" Liger, Psicosis, Chris Jericho and Chris Benoit. He started his wrestling career in 1998, working early on as Vince Viper. He had a red belt in Taekwondo and honed his craft while working for independent promotions in his native Pennsylvania.

He formed a tag team during this time with Super Hentai, who was once his rival. Fawcett was said to have brought lucha libre style action to cards around Western Pennsylvania, which was uncommon during that period and influenced by his trainer Shirley Doe. On October 7, 2000, he and Hentai defeated Orion and Scotty Venom in a ladder match for the vacant CWF Tag Team Championship. They held onto the belts for the next few months until February 10, 2001, when they lost it to Venom and Dirk Ciglar.

That same year, Fawcett began working for the International Wrestling Cartel (IWC), another Pennsylvania-based promotion. He would become known as Devil Bhudakahn, adopting his signature devil-shaped mask and forming a heel stable with Glenn Spectre and Jake Garrett known as the Devil's Advocates.

They defeated Eric Extasy and JT Rodgers on December 27, 2002 for the IWC Tag Team Championship. On February 22, 2003, they dropped the titles back to Extasy and Rodgers, until Bhudakahn and Spectre regained the titles on April 12. Rodgers and Troy Lords beat them for the championships on May 10, but on June 22, Bhudakahn and Spectre regained them for a third time. They lost the titles for a final time on November 1 to Josh Prohibition and Matt Cross.

On October 15, 2005, Bhudakahn started a 120-day reign with the NWA East Brass Knuckles Championship by defeating Nikita Allanov, until dropping it on February 12, 2006, to Sam Slej. He also returned to the CWF and won their Keystone title on December 13, 2005 from Darth Venom. Bhudakhan held that title for 224 days until dropping it on July 15 to Aaron Gibbs. He was also a frequent challenger for the world championship.

Bhudakahn had his final championship reign on February 3, 2007, winning the vacant Three Rivers Championship by defeating Scottie Gash in a two out of three falls match. He retained the title against various challengers as his reign progressed. On June 1, 2007, Bhudakahn lost the championship to Blue Dragon. His final documented match took place on July 6, where he unsuccessfully challenged Chris Taylor for the AWC Heavyweight Championship.

## Death and legacy

Near the end of his life, Fawcett became depressed after his wife left him and took their three young daughters. On July 15, 2007, Fawcett was found dead in his home in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, allegedly committing suicide by hanging himself. It had been rumored that he passed in the same fashion Chris Benoit, one of his longtime idols, did, being unable to fully cope with his death. He was 32 years old.

In March 2008, the independent circuit honored the life of Fawcett by hosting The Devil Bhudakahn Memorial Show. They had a working relationship with SPRITES (Survivors Partnership for Research, Information, Truth, and Education on Suicide), a charitable organization that aids families who lost loved ones due to suicide.