‘Unique and influential figure’: WWE mourning death of Massachusetts wrestling legend

World Wrestling Entertainment on Friday announced the death of a pro wrestling legend from Massachusetts.

Kevin Sullivan, born in Cambridge in 1949, has passed away at the age of 74, according to the WWE.

“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 WWE wrote in an online post.

Sullivan was known for being a major rival for the ring’s most legendary heroes, including Dusty Rhodes, Hulk Hogan, and The Road Warriors. He also led factions including the Army of Darkness, The Varsity Club, and the Dungeon of Doom.

The WWE also noted that Sullivan helped introduce the Big Show to the wrestling world.

At one point during his career, Sullivan held the World Championship Wrestling tag team championship with WWE Hall of Famer Mick Foley, Inside the Ropes noted .

Known as the “Taskmaster,” Sullivan also spent time working as the lead booker for the WCW.

In his early days, Sullivan had success at the high school level, representing the Cambridge YMCA at the New England Championship tournaments, Pro Wrestling Stories reported .

Sullivan suffered a “devastating accident” while in Florida for autograph signings in May and had to undergo emergency surgery to save his leg, but faced complications including sepsis and encephalitis, his family said in a GoFundMe post .

Sullivan’s lengthy stay in the intensive care unit exhausted his family’s finances, prompting the launch of the fundraiser, which has raised more than $50,000.

“Even with an excellent insurance plan, the coverage is nearly exhausted due to the length of stay,” his family wrote in the post.

The WWE extended its condolences to Sullivan’s family, friends, and fans.

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