One of professional wrestling’s top villains of the 1990s has died.
WWE confirmed on Friday morning that Kevin Sullivan has died at the age of 74.
Sullivan, known during his run with the Dungeon of Doom as the Taskmaster, was a major foil for the likes of Hulk Hogan, Dusty Rhodes and the Road Warriors during his lengthy career.
“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,” WWE said in its statement.
In early July, Sullivan’s family revealed that he wasn’t doing well after a “devastating accident” and set up a GoFundMe page for the former wrestler.
“Kevin suffered a devastating accident,” an update said. “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.
“Despite these challenges, Kevin has shown incredible resilience. Months later, he is still fighting to regain his independence.”
Tributes poured in over social media for Sullivan from some of the biggest names in the business.
Ric Flair wrote: “I Am So Saddened To Hear About Kevin Sullivan’s Passing. Rest In Peace Kevin! You Were An All Time Great Athlete & Friend!”
Diamond Dallas Page posted that Sullivan’s death “really hurts my heart,” and thanked him for the influence he had on his own career.
“You did so many great things and I’m so proud to have been a part of some of them,” DDP wrote.
Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque, a retired wrestler and now chief content officer of WWE, wrote that Sullivan “had one of the most unique minds in the history of our industry, pushing creative boundaries and developing some of the most intriguing characters to step into the ring.”
Some of the factions he led during his career included the Army of Darkness, The Varsity Club and the Dungeon of Doom, which introduced the wrestling world to ‘The Big Show’ Paul Wight, who wrestled under the Giant moniker.
Sullivan also was a creative force behind the scenes during his time in WCW, taking on booking responsibility. This ultimately led to one of his most famous interactions – when during a match that got very heated, Brian Pillman grabbed the mic and broke kayfabe (the portrayal of staged events as real) bysaying, “I respect you, booker man.”
Sullivan was born Oct. 26, 1949, in Cambridge, Mass.
He began his career as an amateur in the 1970s and made a name for himself across the U.S. when he entered Championship Wrestling from Florida in the ’80s.
Despite being only 5-foot-9, Sullivan was solidly built at around 250 pounds and able to work well against bigger opponents.