Independent wrestler and musician “Cauliflower” Chase Brown has died at the age of 41. Brown died on October 13. His passing has prompted tributes from fellow wrestlers and friends who remembered him as a distinctive personality, a devoted performer, and a valued presence around Ring of Honor during the middle of the 2010s.
Brown began his professional wrestling career in 2012 and worked for a variety of independent promotions. He also made several appearances in Ring of Honor between 2015 and 2017, a period during which he became familiar to many wrestlers, crew members, and fans through ROH tryouts, ring crew work, and his eventual matches with the company.
Beyond the ring, Brown was a musician. That part of his creative identity was closely tied to the character that made him memorable on wrestling shows. He would perform with a guitar and incorporate a giant cauliflower into his entrance, taking a bite from it as part of the presentation. The unusual combination gave Brown an instantly recognizable act, but the remembrances following his death have emphasized that his personality and work ethic left an even deeper impression on those who knew him.
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Cheeseburger recalls Brown’s ROH journey
Former ROH wrestler Cheeseburger shared a lengthy tribute to Brown, reflecting on knowing him through the company’s tryouts and ring crew. His remembrance described Brown as someone who consistently put in the work while trying to create an opportunity for himself in professional wrestling.
For more background on this topic, read Deonna Purrazzo Frames Potential Athena Match as a Fight for ROH’s ‘Kingdom’.
“Truly a one of a kind professional wrestler and a legitimate genuinely good person in this crazy business,” Cheeseburger wrote.
Cheeseburger recalled that many people around ROH first encountered Brown as a wrestler working hard at tryouts and assisting with the ring crew. In an industry where long production days and behind-the-scenes labor are often essential but rarely celebrated, Brown’s presence stood out. Cheeseburger said Brown’s humor helped make ROH television crew days—which could stretch to 12 hours—more manageable for the people working them.
The tribute also looked back on Brown’s decision to reinvent his presentation. Rather than blending into the crowded independent wrestling landscape, Brown incorporated his music, guitar, and the now-famous cauliflower into his entrance. Cheeseburger recalled that Brown’s nickname came from Terry Funk, apparently in reference to Brown’s ear. He also described Brown as “a legit shooter and tough dude.”
For those around ROH at the time, Brown getting a match for the promotion represented a meaningful moment. Cheeseburger wrote that the ring crew was especially excited when Brown finally received his first ROH bout, having seen the effort he put in behind the scenes before reaching that point. Brown also brought his musical side into the locker-room environment, with Cheeseburger remembering him serenading people backstage with songs on his guitar.
Those details speak to the range of roles Brown played in wrestling. He was not merely a performer who arrived for a match and left after it was over. His path included the difficult work of tryouts, crew responsibilities, character development, and the persistence required to earn opportunities with a nationally recognized promotion such as ROH.
A performer who committed fully to his passions
JCW’s Caleb Konley also paid tribute to Brown, focusing on the intensity with which he approached his interests and the relationships in his life. Konley described Brown as a uniquely driven person whose commitment extended well beyond wrestling.
“Chase was unapologetically himself, one of the weirdest, most unique, most driven people I’ve ever had the privilege of calling my friend,” Konley wrote.
Konley’s message highlighted the fact that Brown did not treat wrestling or music as casual pursuits. He wrote that Brown did not do anything “half a**ed,” and that if he chose to pursue something, he gave it his whole heart. Konley specifically named wrestling, music, and Brown’s family as the central places where that devotion was evident.
The tribute captured why losses within the independent wrestling community can resonate so deeply. The scene is built not only around matches in front of crowds, but also around long drives, ring setup, training, creative experimentation, shared shows, and friendships developed over years. Wrestlers who make themselves unmistakably individual, especially while investing in the people around them, leave a substantial absence when they are gone.
Konley closed his remembrance with a personal image of Brown’s interests and humor, writing, “I hope you’re somewhere talking about philosophy and singing about dolphins.” The line reflected the traits that friends repeatedly associated with Brown: his music, his distinctive perspective, and a personality that was impossible to mistake for anyone else’s.
Tributes from across Brown’s wrestling connections
WWE’s Saquon Shugars also remembered Brown publicly. Shugars reflected on Brown allowing him to help set up ROH shows when he was 13 years old, illustrating the generosity Brown showed to younger people looking to be part of wrestling. For many aspiring wrestlers and fans, access to the backstage and production side of an event can be a formative experience, and Shugars credited Brown with giving him that chance.
Brown’s impact therefore reached across several generations and different positions within wrestling. Some knew him as a fellow independent wrestler. Others knew him through ROH’s crew and tryout system. Still others remembered him as a musician, a friend, or someone willing to welcome a young person into an environment that can otherwise be difficult to enter.
His ROH appearances between 2015 and 2017 remain part of a career that began in 2012 and was shaped by determination as much as by his memorable gimmick. The giant cauliflower, guitar, and unconventional entrance made an immediate visual statement, but the memories shared after his death have centered on the person behind them: a wrestler who worked hard for his opportunities, entertained those around him, and pursued the things he loved with full commitment.
Remembering ‘Cauliflower’ Chase Brown
Professional wrestling has long been home to performers who find inventive ways to stand apart. Brown’s persona did exactly that. Yet the tributes from Cheeseburger, Konley, and Shugars make clear that the “Cauliflower” name was only one part of how he will be remembered. He was regarded as a hardworking member of the ROH environment, an original performer, a musician, and a loyal friend.
Brown is survived by his wife and his one-year-old daughter. Thoughts are with his family, friends, colleagues, and fans during this difficult time.
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Darryl Polo
Darryl Polo is a passionate wrestling fan covering WWE, AEW, TNA and beyond. He loves great rivalries, breakout stars and the moments that keep fans talking long after the bell. How we work.