WWE Hall of Famer “Rowdy” Roddy Piper Has Died

01 Aug, 2015

“Rowdy” Roddy Piper, the kilt wearing trash-talker who headlined the first WrestleMania and later found movie stardom, died Friday. He was 61.

The WWE confirmed the death. The wrestling organization provided no additional details.

Piper, born Roderick Toombs in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, is the second WWE Hall of Famer to die this summer, following the June death of “The American Dream” Dusty Rhodes.

Piper and Hogan battled for years and headlined some of the biggest matches during the 1980s. Hogan and Mr. T beat Piper and Paul Orndorff on March 31, 1985, at the first WrestleMania at Madison Square Garden in a bout that featured Muhammad Ali as the guest referee.

Piper was a villain for the early portion of his career, once cracking a coconut over the skull of Jimmy “Superfly” Snuka in a segment for his popular WWF talk show called “Piper’s Pit.” He later starred in the movie “They Live” and continued acting for most of the next three decades.

WWE chairman Vince McMahon called Piper “one of the most entertaining, controversial and bombastic performers ever in WWE, beloved by millions of fans around the world.”

Piper’s son, Colt Toombs, posted to Twitter: “My father (at)R-Roddy-Piper was a great man and my best friend I will miss him forever and will always try to be the man he raised me to be.”

Piper also went by the nickname “Hot Rod” during his career. Although he was Canadian, he often appeared in a kilt and came to the ring blowing bagpipes in a nod to his Scottish heritage.

Piper inspired UFC fighter Ronda Rousey to take the “Rowdy” nickname. Piper was touched Rousey used the name and the MMA fighter paid tribute to him on her social media feeds before Saturday’s UFC card.

Piper was best known for his lengthy career with the World Wrestling Federation, now the WWE. He was a WWE Intercontinental and tag team champion and was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame 2005.

In addition to his celebrity in the ring, Piper appeared in John Carpenter’s 1988 cult classic “They Live.” In that film, he delivered the memorable line: “I have come here to chew bubblegum and kick ass – and I’m all out of bubblegum.”

More recently, Piper appeared in the show “Celebrity Wife Swap,” trading wives with fellow former wrestler Ric Flair.

Piper battled Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 2006, but later said he had beaten the cancer.

Piper is survived by wife Kitty and their four children.

AP

Image The Big lead twitter

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