It was previously reported that All Elite Wrestling recently issued a statement that said that WWE Hall Of Famer Harley Race has passed away at the age of 76. Harley Race’s passing was recently confirmed by WWE and they said that Race passed away due to complications from lung cancer. Back in March, Harley Race reportedly confirmed that he was battling the disease.
People close to Harley Race recently took to Twitter and said that he passed away at 12 50 PM. This is what they wrote: “Today at 12:50, we lost the man that fought up until the very last of his existence. More information will be released soon, but just know that he loved pro-wrestling and the fans that loved him. Harley Race, we love you”
It was noted last month that Harley Race was hospitalized for more than a week due to health complications he had from travelling to Knoxville, Tennessee for a fan convention. All bookings moving forward would then be cancelled. At the end of last month, Harley Race was reportedly back in his home to undergo continued care and treatment.
Below are the full statements from WWE & Harley Race’s Twitter account:
WWE Hall Of Famer Harley Race Passes Away
WWE is saddened to learn that WWE Hall Of Famer Harley Race passed away today at age 76 due to complications from lung cancer.
Harley Race captured The NWA World Heavyweight Championship seven times, which stood as a record until Ric Flair broke it in 1991.
To this day, only a handful of Superstars can claim to have won more World Heavyweight Championships than Race.
During The 1970s and early 1980s, Race was The National Wrestling Alliance’s most dominant champion, winning the sport’s oldest World Heavyweight Championship from the likes of Dory Funk Jr., Giant Baba, Terry Funk, Dusty Rhodes & Flair.
The tough-as-nails Race was so universally respected that WWE, despite having seceded from The NWA and having its own World Heavyweight Champion, chose to recognize Race’s title status as well. As a result, Race was the first NWA Champion to engage in title unification matchups against WWE Champions like “Superstar” Billy Graham & Bob Backlund.
In what seemed unthinkable at the time, Race, one of The NWA’s most influential figures of all time, joined WWE in 1986 during the company’s national expansion. After winning The King Of The Ring Tournament, Race was the first to don regal robes and a crown. “King” Harley Race was managed by Bobby “The Brain” Heenan and was introduced to a new generation of fans. Race battled all of WWE’s top heroes and pinned Junkyard Dog at WrestleMania III in front of a record-setting attendance of 93,000 fans.
WWE extends its condolences to Race’s family, friends and fans.
Today at 12:50, we lost the man that fought up until the very last of his existence. More information will be released soon, but just know that he loved pro-wrestling and the fans that loved him.
Harley Race, we love you
— Harley Race (@8XNWAChampion) August 1, 2019
WWE is saddened to learn that WWE Hall of Famer Harley Race passed away today at age 76. WWE extends its condolences to Race’s family, friends and fans. https://t.co/lO4OimLsSd
— WWE (@WWE) August 1, 2019
