Unfortunate information today for us battling followers, we’& rsquo; ve shed one of the perpetuity greats.
WWE Hall of Famer and former eight-time NWA Globe Heavyweight Champion Harley Race has actually died at 76 due to difficulties from lung cancer cells.
WWE posted the following on their internet site:
WWE is distressed to learn that WWE Hall of Famer Harley Race passed away today at age 76 because of difficulties from lung cancer.
Harley Race captured the NWA Globe Heavyweight Championship 7 times, which stood as a record till Ric Panache broke it in 1991.
To this day, only a handful of Superstars can claim to have actually won more World Heavyweight Championships than Race.
Throughout the 1970s and also very early 1980s, Race was the National Wrestling Alliance’& rsquo; s most leading champion, winning the sporting activity’& rsquo; s oldest World Heavyweight Champion from the similarity Dory Funk Jr., Giant Baba, Terry Funk, Dusty Rhodes and also Flair.
The tough-as-nails Race was so universally appreciated that WWE, in spite of having seceded from the NWA and having its own World Heavyweight Champion, chose to recognize Race’& rsquo; s title condition also. Because of this, Race was the initial NWA Champion to engage in title marriage matches against WWE Champions like “& ldquo; Super star & rdquo; Billy Graham and also Bob Backlund.
In what appeared unimaginable at the time, Race, one of the NWA’& rsquo; s most influential figures of perpetuity, joined WWE in 1986 throughout the firm’& rsquo; s national development. After winning the King of the Ring tournament, Race was the very first to put on royal robes and a crown. “& ldquo; King & rdquo; Harley Race was taken care of by Bobby “& ldquo; The Mind & rdquo; Heenan as well as was presented to a brand-new generation of followers. Race battled every one of WWE’& rsquo; s top heroes and also pinned Junkyard Canine at WrestleMania III before a record-setting attendance of 93,000 followers.
WWE prolongs its condolences to Race’& rsquo; s family members, friends and also followers.
In behalf of everyone here at Vortainment, our ideas as well as petitions are with the family and friends of the late great Harley Race.