Professional wrestling star Jonathan Echevarria, known by his ring name Jaka, died September 8, 2025, at age 39 after suffering a heart attack following his final wrestling match. The wrestler made his last public appearance at a Boca Raton Pro Wrestling event on August 31 before experiencing the fatal cardiac episode less than a week later.
Echevarria was best known for his work with the EVOLVE promotion, which was affiliated with WWE. Alongside his longtime tag-team partner Chris Dickinson, he captured the EVOLVE Tag Team Championships twice, performing as part of the duo known as Doom Patrol.
The wrestling community mourned the loss of the performer, with tributes pouring in from across the industry. Dickinson, who described himself as Echevarria’s best friend of 30 years, shared an emotional tribute on Instagram indicating that his partner had been healthy until the fatal health incident. Dickinson stated, “If you don’t know him just know he is beloved.”
Echevarria began his wrestling career in 2007 and became a staple of the northeast independent wrestling scene. He was particularly prominent in Beyond Wrestling, a New England-based promotion where he earned the nickname “The Original Ace.” At Beyond Wrestling, he was part of Team Pazuzu, a faction that included current All Elite Wrestling member Angel Ortiz and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling’s Mike Santana.
During WWE and EVOLVE’s affiliation in 2018, Echevarria and Dickinson made a notable appearance at WrestleMania 34 Axxess with their manager Stokely Hathaway. The duo defended their EVOLVE titles at the event, defeating WWE-contracted wrestlers Biff Busick and Danny Burch. Former EVOLVE announcer Lenny Leonard noted the significance of this crossover appearance, describing it as remarkable given how uncommon such promotional partnerships were at the time.
Echevarria also made appearances in other major promotions, including a match in All Elite Wrestling on Dark: Elevation in 2021. Teaming with Sean Maluta as The Island Kings, they faced Santana and Ortiz, who were then part of The Inner Circle stable. Over his career, he competed in more than 320 matches across various independent promotions including Game Changer Wrestling and National Wrestling Alliance.
The wrestler’s career had slowed significantly in recent years, with him averaging only five to six matches per year since 2019, compared to approximately 40 matches annually throughout most of his career since 2008. His final match took place in March 2025 for Boca Raton Championship Wrestling, where he teamed with Maluta and Neil the Heel in a losing effort against Jonny Fairplay and Oddyssey.
Fellow wrestlers expressed their grief through social media tributes. Ortiz posted a highlight video of Echevarria on social media, expressing his love for his former teammate. Santana simply posted “Gutted” on his Instagram story. John Silver shared memories of working with Echevarria, describing him as always being a pleasure to share a locker room with and noting their humorous interactions.
Former EVOLVE booker Gabe Sapolsky paid tribute to the wrestler, describing his death as a true tragedy and noting that no one would speak poorly of him. Current NXT wrestler Jordynne Grace and AEW’s Penelope Ford also shared their condolences, with Ford describing Echevarria as one of the funniest and kindest people she had known.
Following Echevarria’s hospitalization, his family established a GoFundMe campaign to help cover medical expenses. The fundraiser attracted significant support from the wrestling community, with notable donations including $5,000 from All Elite Wrestling CEO Tony Khan and approximately $1,000 from AEW star Jack Perry.
AEW issued an official statement mourning Echevarria’s passing, joining the broader wrestling community in expressing condolences to his family, friends, and fans. Beyond Wrestling announced that Monday’s episode of Wrestling Open would be dedicated to their former performer’s memory.
