Pat Patterson, a legendary professional wrestler and World Wrestling Entertainment producer, died Wednesday morning at age 79, according to WWE.
Patterson was billed as WWE’s first Intercontinental champion, long considered to be the second-most prominent championship behind the promotion’s world championship. Patterson was also the creator of WWE’s “Royal Rumble” battle royale match, which the promotion turned into an annual pay-per-view television event. The WWE inducted him into its Hall of Fame in 1996.
Patterson, a native of Montreal, was also known as one of the most visible openly gay performers in the industry, despite not coming out until after his career ended in the early 1980s. Patterson discussed it in his 2016 book “Accepted: How the First Gay Superstar Changed WWE,” as well as a 2014 episode of the WWE program “Legends’ House.”
“For once in my life, I’m gonna be me,” Patterson told a table full of fellow former WWE performers. “I survived all of this being gay. … I gave my life to the business. I don’t regret nothing. And for the rest of my life, I want to be happy.”
Many performers who worked with Patterson, both in and outside of the ring, during his career offered their condolences on social media.
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, who worked with Patterson during the WWE’s “Attitude Era” of the 1990s, called Patterson a “TRUE trailblazer and one of the most brilliantly creative wrestling minds the industry has ever known.”
“My heart is broken,” tweeted legendary 1970s/’80s performer The Iron Sheik. “God bless you and your family. Thank you for your friendship #rip”
"He taught me 90% of what I know about putting together a wrestling match," longtime performer and fellow Canadian Chris Jericho wrote on Twitter. "He was a confidant, a mentor, a collaborator, a comedian, a singer and most importantly... a friend."
