WWE Hall of Famer Nick Bockwinkel Passes Away

The Cauliflower Alley Club is reporting that WWE Hall of Famer Nick Bockwinkel has passed away at the age of 80. The non-profit organization released the following statement earlier this morning:

It is with a heavy heart the Cauliflower Alley Club announces that The Greatest AWA World Champion of all time and former CAC President and WWE Hall Of Famer, Nicholas “Nick” Bockwinkel passed away Saturday night at approx. 8:40 pm due to health issues. We will have more on this later Sunday afternoon. The Cauliflower Alley Club, it’s members, and all of Nicks fans & friends send their condolences to Darlene & the Bockwinkel family at this time.

The Bockwinkel family ask for everyone to respect their privacy at this time.

WWE.com has released the following statement in response to the news:

WWE is saddened to learn that Nick Bockwinkel, a WWE Hall of Famer and former four time AWA World Heavyweight Champion, has passed away at age 80.

Bockwinkel, known for his great in-ring skill and intelligent interviews, began his sports entertainment career in the mid-1950s after concluding his time on the University of Oklahoma football team. Bockwinkel was trained by his famous father, Warren Bockwinkel, and wrestling legend, Lou Thesz. Nick teamed with his father on many occassions, competing in Georgia, Texas and the Pacific Northwest before moving on to the where he would find the most success: the American Wrestling Association.

Bockwinkel was famously managed by WWE Hall of Famer Bobby “The Brain” Heenan during his AWA tenure, with the two drawing the ire of crowds everywhere. The self-proclaimed “Smartest Wrestler Alive” did it all during his time in AWA, with his crowning accomplishment coming when he defeated fellow WWE Hall of Famer and AWA legend Verne Gagne to win the AWA World Heavyweight Championship, ending Gagne’s historic seven-year run with the title.

Bockwinkel would go on to accumulate many more accolades as his career went on. From his nationally televised rivalry with Larry Zbyszko on ESPN to guest starring on “Hawaii Five-O,” the legend truly did it all. It was only fitting that his great career be capped off by his 2007 induction into the WWE Hall of Fame, where he will forever be enshrined as one of sports entertainments’ all-time greats.

WWE extends its condolences to Bockwinkel’s family, friends and fans.

During his illustrious career, Bockwinkel won championships all around the world, including the prestigious AWA Heavyweight Championship 4 times. In addition to being a member of the WWE Hall of Fame, he was inducted into the Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2003.

Tweets from current and former WWE superstars have begun to surface in regards to the wrestling legend:

Saddened at the passing of one of the all time greats Nick Bockwinkle ……See you down the road sir. #ThankYouNick pic.twitter.com/gJZDKPaHqF

— Triple H (@TripleH) November 15, 2015

Nick Bockwinkle was one of the templates I built my ideas around. One of the forefathers & a truly classy man. My condolences to his family — Adam (Edge) Copeland (@EdgeRatedR) November 15, 2015

We here at WrestlingRumors.net will continue to update this story as more information becomes available. We send our thoughts and condolences to the family of Nick Bockwinkel during this difficult time.

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