Those with a passion for the world of the squared circle may take a moment of pause for wrestling great Kevin Sullivan today, who has passed away at the age of 77, the WWE reports.
Sullivan started his wrestling career in the ’70s, joining WWE (then known as the World Wide Wrestling Federation) in ’74 and eventually becoming a famed villain. He was known for his “Prince of Darkness” persona, taking a nod from the “Satanic Panic” of the era to create an occultist character who would summon dark spirits during matches. Sullivan wrestled many other high-profile athletes, notably Chris Benoit, Bruiser Brody, the Road Warriors, and Dusty Rhodes.
Sullivan was also known for his work behind the scenes as part of the WCW creative team in the ’90s and 2000s, also playing booker and recruiting new talent.
Many wrestling greats took to social media to share memories of Sullivan, including Triple H, Diamond Dallas Page, Ric Flair, and Jake the Snake.
Triple H, Famed wrestler as well as Chief Content Officer of the WWE, shared some thoughts about Sullivan’s creative vision.
Flair had some words to share too, showing off his “flair” for capitalizing ever word in a sentence (which, really, fits the man’s personality perfectly).
Diamond Dallas Page, known to many fans as DDP, also joined the conversation. Page is famously known for rehabbing many wrestlers struggling in their later years with the help of his DDP fitness program.
When great wrestlers leave this mortal coil, many fans turn to the best way to soothe their hearts they know: reliving the matches and moments that made them love the athlete in the first place. Here are a few of the matches that made Sullivan a household name.
Kevin Sullivan vs. Chris Benoit
Sullivan was not only known for wrestling the controversial Benoit, but also for a yearlong feud that started as a storyline and, some believe, found its way into reality. Sullivan was married to wrestling manager model Nancy Toffoloni, who left him in 1997 and married Benoit in 2000 after Sullivan wrote a romantic storyline involving Benoit and Toffoloni.
Kevin Sullivan vs. Hulk Hogan
In a theatrical setting inside a cave lit by dancing torches, Sullivan (as The Taskmaster) gets into a heated conversation with Hulk Hogan and The Giant. While not an actual match, it is amusing to see the two face to face in a scene (not to mention seeing Hogan strangled on the floor).
Kevin Sullivan vs. Bruiser Brody
In a 1976 match held in Madison Square Garden, Bruiser Brody comes out triumphant in the end — but it’s worth watching to see Sullivan put up a good fight.
Kevin Sullivan vs. Dusty Rhodes
Rhodes and Sullivan also enjoyed a feud during the WCW days in Miami in the ’80s, during which his occultist persona first comes out. The feud was long and complex enough to merit entire Reddit threads and explainer videos to keep track.