Professional wrestling star Jonathan Echevarria, known by his ring name Jaka, died on September 7, 2025, at age 39 after suffering a heart attack in the days following his final in-ring appearance on August 31, 2025.
Echevarria wrestled for the final time at the Boca Raton Pro Wrestling event on August 31, 2025, before suffering the fatal heart attack less than a week later. He was hospitalized in intensive care over the weekend but was unable to recover from the medical emergency.
The wrestler was best known for his time with the EVOLVE promotion, which was affiliated with WWE. Alongside his longtime tag-team partner Chris Dickinson, Echevarria held the EVOLVE Tag Team Championships twice. The duo even defended their titles at WWE’s WrestleMania 34 Axxess event in 2018, defeating WWE contracted wrestlers Biff Busick and Danny Burch.
Chris Dickinson, who described himself as Echevarria’s best friend of 30 years, posted an emotional tribute on Instagram after the heart attack occurred. Dickinson noted that his partner had been healthy until the fatal health incident and emphasized that Echevarria was beloved in the wrestling community.
Echevarria began his wrestling career in 2007 and competed for numerous independent promotions including Beyond Wrestling, Game Changer Wrestling, Combat Zone Wrestling, Chikara, and Full Impact Pro. In Beyond Wrestling, he was dubbed “The Original Ace” and was part of Team Pazuzu alongside Mike Santana and Angel Ortiz.
The wrestler also made appearances in All Elite Wrestling, competing on Dark: Elevation in 2021 with Sean Maluta as The Island Kings in a match against Santana and Ortiz. Over his career, Echevarria shared the ring with notable wrestlers including MJF, Tommaso Ciampa, and Keith Lee, accumulating more than 320 matches.
Following news of his death, tributes poured in from across the wrestling world. Angel Ortiz of AEW expressed his love for his former stablemate, calling him “tio” and posting a highlight video. Mike Santana simply posted “GUTTED” to his Instagram story.
AEW issued an official statement mourning Echevarria’s passing, expressing that the company and wrestling world were saddened by the loss. The Jacksonville-based promotion sent condolences to his family, friends, and fans. Current NXT wrestler Jordynne Grace described him as one of the good ones, while wrestler John Silver shared memories of joking around with Echevarria in locker rooms.
Former EVOLVE booker Gabe Sapolsky paid tribute, stating that no one would say a bad word about Echevarria and calling his death a true tragedy. Beyond Wrestling confirmed his death on social media with a simple message: “The original Ace. RIP Jaka.”
Echevarria’s family had launched a GoFundMe campaign to help cover medical expenses during his hospitalization. The fundraising page described him as someone who brings laughter and energy wherever he goes. His sister Annette had written that seeing him in intensive care was incredibly difficult but that the family was staying strong.
Several prominent figures in professional wrestling donated to the fundraiser, including a five thousand dollar contribution from All Elite Wrestling CEO and President Tony Khan. AEW star Jack Perry also donated approximately one thousand dollars to support the family during their difficult time.
In his later career years, Echevarria had scaled back his wrestling schedule significantly. After averaging around 40 matches per year from 2008 through 2019, he participated in only five or six matches annually since the pandemic began. His final match in March 2025 saw him team with Sean Maluta and Neil the Heel in a losing effort against Jonny Fairplay and Oddyssey for Boca Raton Championship Wrestling.
The GoFundMe remains active to support Echevarria’s family during this time. The wrestling community continues to remember him as a beloved figure who made a lasting impact on independent wrestling, particularly in the New England region where he was a mainstay for Beyond Wrestling.