Paul Bykow, a former professional wrestler best known as "The Equalizer" from his time in Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW), has died at the age of 58. His passing was reported by PWInsider.
No cause of death has been publicly disclosed. Bykow was a presence in the original ECW, often serving as a bodyguard for Lance Wright. He was introduced to ECW by wrestling personalities Chris Candido and Tammy Sytch. Earlier in his career, Bykow was also part of Danny Doring's entourage.
Independent wrestler Tony Chini paid tribute to Bykow on Instagram, recalling a recent meeting and their shared passion for wrestling. Chini mentioned Bykow's enjoyment of recounting stories, including one about a particularly hard slap from his match with "Fran." Chini also noted his efforts to help Bykow transfer some of his past matches from CDs to a YouTube channel.
Bykow remained active in independent wrestling even after his ECW tenure, competing for various promotions in New Jersey and recently attending events in the state's independent wrestling scene.
Bykow's daughter, Victoria Bykow, also shared a tribute on Instagram, expressing her love and gratitude for her father. She stated, "Everything I am is because of you. Thank you for everything, Dad. Thank you for being YOU. This one hurts, but you raised strong girls. I love you for the rest of my life."