Wrestling legend Kevin Sullivan, who faced off against Hulk Hogan, Dusty Rhodes, and more, has died at the age of 74.
It was announced today that Kevin Sullivan, a pro-wrestling legend who faced off against the likes of Dusty Rhodes, Randy Savage, Barry Windham, and Hulk Hogan, has died at the age of 74.
In a statement, World Wrestling Entertainment said, “WWE is saddened to learn Kevin Sullivan has passed away at age 74. A unique and influential figure in sports-entertainment history, Sullivan found success both in the ring and behind the scenes with his penchant for far out ideas that pushed creative boundaries.“
The statement continues: “As a villain, Sullivan was a major rival for the ring’s most legendary heroes, including Dusty Rhodes, Hulk Hogan and The Road Warriors. He specialized in leading dangerous factions, which included his wicked Army of Darkness, collegiate bullies The Varsity Club, and the wild Dungeon of Doom, which introduced Big Show to the wrestling world. The onetime ‘Taskmaster’ also became a creative force behind the scenes for WCW.“
The cause of death isn’t clear at this time, but Sullivan did suffer a “devastating accident” early last month that was said to have had a major impact on his health. “Kevin suffered a devastating accident,” Sullivan’s family said in a GoFundMe for the wrestler. “He underwent emergency surgery that saved his leg and life but faced severe complications, including sepsis and encephalitis. This unforeseen catastrophe has placed an immense financial burden on his family, as Kevin has been in and out of consciousness in the ICU, far from home.” The last update on July 15th indicated that Sullivan was regaining his strength and had been doing physical and occupational therapy every day.
Sullivan started out as an amateur wrestler in Bostin during the 1970s and worked for a variety of wrestling organizations throughout his career, including the National Wrestling Alliance, the World Wide Wrestling Federation (now known as the WWE), World Championship Wrestling, and more. He took advantage of the “satanic panic” of the ’80s and branded himself the Prince of Darkness. He was joined by a female valet known as Woman, who was portrayed by Sullivan’s wife, Nancy Toffoloni. After the pair divorced in 1997, Toffolini married fellow wrestler Chris Benoit, who sadly murdered her and their seven-year-old son in 2007 before committing suicide.
Our thoughts go out to Kevin Sullivan’s family and friends during this sad time.