Friend of Former WWE Talent Ivan Warsaw Speaks Out After Ex-Wife Arrested for Wrestler’s Murder

The murder of former WWE developmental wrestler Kevin Nikel shocked the wrestling world back in July. Now, months later, the arrests of two suspects—one of them his ex-wife—have finally brought a small sense of peace to those closest to him.

Nikel, known to wrestling fans as Ivan Warsaw and Knuckles Madsen, died on July 11 after being found with a gunshot wound to the abdomen in Rogers, Arkansas. He was 41.

On November 17, 2025, U.S. Marshals arrested Michael Hogue for 1st Degree Murder and Amanda Penny, Nikel’s ex-wife, for Accomplice to Murder in the 1st Degree. Both also face additional weapons charges. But while the case grabbed headlines, a new interview with Nikel’s close friend Logan Pendergraf is bringing raw emotional depth to the tragedy.

Speaking with 40/29 News, Pendergraf called Nikel more than just a friend, “Yeah, he’s like my brother,” Logan said. He explained the deep bond they shared in and out of the wrestling world:

“We saw each other, talked to each other every day… He was the best guy I ever knew.”

Authorities say Nikel was shot and killed in the Beaver Shores area near Rogers, just days after his divorce from Penny was finalized. Prosecutors believe he may have been lured into a confrontation. Nikel’s mother, Susan Kinderman, said investigators told her it all started with an argument.

“There was some kind of an argument. Maybe there was texting going back and forth. I think they enticed Kevin to meet up with them… I was told by the detectives that there was some kind of altercation. Shots were fired, and Kevin was killed, and that’s all we really know.”

Pendergraf, who is now helping support Nikel’s surviving family—including his young son—said the arrests finally gave him a moment of peace after months of guilt and grief.

“Yesterday, I think, was the first time that I was able to rest… from the guilt, feeling guilty and the nightmares that came along with it.”

Pendergraf described how Nikel had mentored him both in wrestling and in life.

“Of course, seeing him wrestle, you know, I was a big fan and admired him. And then he took me under his wing and really built me up—built my confidence up… trained me just to be better. Not just physically, but a better man, better dad.”

Nikel signed a WWE developmental contract in 2012 and wrestled in NXT before continuing on the independent circuit through 2024, including matches in Texas and Memphis and headlining cards against Jerry Lawler. Despite being out of the WWE spotlight, Nikel remained a beloved and respected name in Southern wrestling.

As the legal process moves forward, Nikel’s family and friends are hoping for justice—but more than anything, they want to understand what really happened.

“I just hope that we have a lot of answers,” Kinderman said. “I want to make sure we know exactly what happened and why… I would like to hear it from them. I don’t know if I will, but we’ll just have to see how that comes out.”

This whole situation is heartbreaking from every angle—a beloved wrestler gone too soon, a family left with questions, and a friend still haunted by the loss. The arrests may bring some answers, but they’ll never bring Kevin Nikel back. What they might do is finally give those who loved him a shot at peace—and maybe, just maybe, some justice.

What are your thoughts on this tragic situation? Do you believe justice will be served, or is there still more to uncover? Share your thoughts in the comments below.