Legendary professional wrestler Kevin Sullivan has died at the age of 74.
His long-time friend Barry Rose confirmed the news of his passing in a statement issued to Slam Wrestling:
"With the heaviest of hearts, we are devastated to have to report the passing of the legendary Kevin Sullivan. May he RIP and his family, friends and fans find comfort in how much he was loved."
The WWE soon followed with their confirmation and offered condolences to Sullivan's friends and family.
The cause of death has yet to be revealed.
Sullivan had been dealing with health problems over the past several months after an accident suffered during an autograph signing on May 12. A GoFundMe page was established on July 5 to cover expenses for emergency surgery, which came with complications including sepsis and encephalitis. Although the campaign successfully met its goal, Sullivan passed away just over a month later.
Hailing from Boston, Sullivan's in-ring career began in the early 1970s. He was best known for his time in World Championship Wrestling and frequently portrayed the heel with memorable feuds against Hulk Hogan, Dusty Rhodes and Chris Benoit.
His creative mind was lauded in the industry, creating memorable personas such as The Taskmaster and leading stables including Army of Darkness and Varsity Club. By 1997, Sullivan began to take on booking responsibilities for WCW and was elevated to head booker until the company was sold to WWE in 2000. He remained in the business behind the scenes and worked with TNA Wrestling, Ring of Honor and independent promotions.
"Kevin 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," former wrestler Triple H, now an executive with WWE, wrote on X. "He had an unwavering passion for what we do. My thoughts are with his family, friends & fans."