Former professional wrestler and booker Kevin Sullivan has died at the age of 74, WWE announced in a tribute shared on its website Friday (August 9).
"WWE is saddened to learn Kevin Sullivan has passed away at age 74," the company said. "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 extends its condolences to Sullivan’s family, friends and fans," the company added.
Sullivan, best known for his tenure with World Championship Wrestling, famously took on the gimmick of 'The Taskmaster' in 1995, leading the villainous group known as 'The Dungeon of Doom' during a main event feud with Hulk Hogan that included the debut of 'The Giant' -- later known as 'The Big Show' during his tenure with WWE -- as well as 'The Varsity Club' in the late 1980s.
Sullivan later became WCW's booker following his retirement in 1997, at which point the company was achieving its greatest success, with its flagship show, Nitro, defeating WWE's RAW, in a head-to-head Monday night ratings battle for 83 consecutive weeks between 1996 and 1998.
Sullivan was reported to have been involved in "a devastating accident" in May and "facing a critical emergency and financial crisis," his daughter, Nicole, wrote on a GoFundMe page launched in June, which disabled new donations after raising $54,709.
"Despite these challenges, Kevin has shown incredible resilience. Months later, he is still fighting to regain his independence," Nicole wrote. "Even with an excellent insurance plan, the coverage is nearly exhausted due to the length of stay."