Mystery surrounds why a “gifted, charismatic” professional wrestler took his own life just days after spending Christmas with his family, an inquest has heard. Kurtis Chapman, 26, was found dead by staff at the Ibis hotel in Portsmouth, Hampshire, on December 28 2023.
A post mortem carried out by pathologist Dr Adnan Al-Badri gave the cause of death as hanging. The inquest held in Mr Chapman’s home city of Portsmouth heard that he had small amounts of alcohol and ketamine in his system but these would not have contributed to his death.
The hearing was told that Mr Chapman, known as Mad Kurt, had paused his work as a wrestler but had organised a contest in the near future. It also heard that Mr Chapman enjoyed gambling but had saved some of his winnings and was not in debt. He had also recently rekindled his relationship with his childhood sweetheart.
Coroner Rosamund Rhodes-Kemp recorded a conclusion that Mr Chapman took his own life. She said: “He was living in a flat share with others, he got back with his long term friend after a separation, his wrestling, which he has had a break from, seemed to be back in place.
“He didn’t seem to have any financial concerns, he had spent a nice Christmas with family and appeared to be behaving normally without concern. “For whatever reason, he didn’t go to friends or his girlfriend’s on Boxing Day, he went from his family to the Ibis, booked himself in and he killed himself.
