What happened to wrestling legend Buff Bagwell? Health updates explored as WCW star undergoes leg amputation

Marcus Bagwell, best known as Buff Bagwell from his WCW days, had part of his leg amputated above the knee on Thursday morning, July 17. The update was shared by his longtime friend Steve Stasiak in a Facebook post on Friday.

For a long time, Bagwell dealt with health problems that led to this hard pick, making it even more rough for those who love him. His need for surgery came from health woes that showed up after a car crash in 2020.

A new battle begins for Buff Bagwell as longtime friend shares emotional update

Stasiak said that despite multiple surgeries, serious infections, and a difficult recovery, the situation took a turn for the worse. 

He shared an image of Buff and captioned it:

"I've known Buff a long time. I’ve seen him in the spotlight, I’ve seen him behind the scenes, and I’ve seen him fight through things most people never even hear about. This one… this is hard. For him. For everyone who knows and loves him. The injuries from his 2020 accident never fully healed. He gave it everything he had to avoid this outcome—but that fight led him here. And now begins a whole new kind of battle."

He continued:

"Buff was one of the brightest stars of a wild era in wrestling. He made you look. He made you care. But it's who he is as a person—past the lights, past the persona—that I hope people think about today. If you’re reading this, I just ask that you send a little love out into the world for Buff. No grand gestures. Just something real. A thought, a prayer, a moment."

The tragic car accident in 2020

Just hours before a big surgery that would change his life, Bagwell shared his story on his YouTube channel. With his fiancée, Stacy, by his side, he told viewers this wasn't a quick choice but the end of a tough five-year fight to save his leg. The video was both an update and a look back on a long battle with many treatments, setbacks, and hard decisions that led to this final move.

He also shared about the tragic road accident. In August 2020, Marcus "Buff" Bagwell suffered a car wreck after he lost hold of his Chevrolet Tahoe in Georgia. The car went off the middle line, tore down a fence, and hit a restroom building at a Cobb County Transit place. Bagwell was recovering from foot and knee procedures at the time when the accident left him seriously injured.

The smash meant he had to undergo 21 surgeries over the course of seven weeks.