Former wXw Unified World Wrestling Champion Karsten Beck Passes Away

Karsten Beck, best known for his time in Germany’s Westside Xtreme Wrestling, has passed away following a long fight with brain cancer.

The promotion broke the news on social media this morning:

Karsten Pitann aka Karsten Beck has passed away this morning after battling brain cancer for years. We say farewell to a Hall of Famer wrestler, a Unified World Wrestling champion, a World Triangle League winner, our director of sports, our colleague, our companion, our friend. pic.twitter.com/c0F2FjN2de

— wXw Germany (@wXwGermany) October 15, 2020

Beck, who was a two-time wXw Unified World Wrestling Champion, was forced to retire in 2016, after winning the promotion’s Shortcut to the Top match. He’d previously held the promotion’s top title in 2015, beating Big Daddy Walter (WALTER) for it in January 2015, before losing it to, then regaining it from John Klinger in the space of 24 hours in August 2015.

Beck had walked away from wXw after failing to win back the wXw title from Jurn Simmons at 16 Carat Gold in 2016 – only to make his return at that Shortcut to the Top match, which led to this memorable moment in Oberhausen:

Following successful surgery to remove a brain tumour in 2016, Beck returned to the company in an on-screen role, as the “Director of Sports” authority figure. In 2017, Beck was in a storyline with then-Managing Director of wXw, Christian Michael Jakobi, which was to have led to him returning in a wrestling role – however, that comeback was shelved after it was determined that he would have to undergo further surgery.

After taking time off, Beck returned to the same on-screen role with wXw, but was replaced  in the role earlier this year due to the worldwide pandemic.

On behalf of 411, our condolences go to the family, friends and fans of Mr. Pitann.