UPDATED: WWE Legend King Kong Bundy Passes Away, WWE Releases Statement

UPDATE: WWE has released a statement on the passing of King Kong Bundy through WWE.com. You can read the full statement below:

WWE is saddened to learn that WWE Legend King Kong Bundy has passed away.

Bundy was appropriately called the “walking condominium,” standing at an impressive 6-foot-4 and weighing 458 pounds. The sight of Bundy stepping between the ropes was intimidating enough, but his crushing offense proved that he was every bit as destructive as advertised. In fact, Bundy was so dominant that he demanded referees count to five when he pinned his opponents to show that there was no way they were getting up.

The Atlantic City, N.J., native broke into WWE in the 1980s, dominating at the first WrestleMania and memorably challenging Hulk Hogan for the WWE Championship inside a Steel Cage at WrestleMania 2.

Although Bundy left WWE in the late ’80s, he returned in 1994 as part of The Million Dollar Corporation, once again destroying rivals with the Avalanche Splash and proving that he was one of the greatest and most eye-catching big men to lace up a set of boots.

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

ORIGINAL: King Kong Bundy, who was an icon of WWE during the Hulkamania era, has passed away. PWInsider has confirmed that Bundy passed way on Monday at the age of sixty-one. Bundy’s longtime friend David Herro first announced the news, posting to his Facebook, “Today we lost a Legend and a man I consider family. Rest in Peace Chris. We love you. Thank you for believing in me. #KingKongBundy”

Bundy, real name Chris Pallies, was a main event heel during the early days of Hulkamania and the rise of WWE. He is perhaps best known as the man who faced Hulk Hogan in a steel cage match at WrestleMania II in 1986. This was built to with an angle where Bundy attacked Hogan with the help of Don Muraco and “severely bruised” Hogan’s ribs due to a series of avalanches in the corner. Hogan won the match at WrestleMania.

Before his run on the top of WWF’s card, Bundy began his wrestling career in the early 1980s, debuting on March 1st, 1981 after being trained by Larry Sharpe. He began his career with the name “Chris Canyon” and didn’t take on the Bundy name until going to WCCW, where he became a project for Von Erich family. He worked with and then against the Von Erichs, facing Fritz Von Erich in the latter’s retirement match in 1982, and moved onto the AWA and NWA for stints before arriving in WWE.

His first major run in WWE lasted until 1988 as a member of the Heenan Family, where he feuded with Andre the Giant and then Hogan before moving onto other rivalries. He left the companmy in 1998 and went into semi-retirement before returning in the mid-1990s for a brief run in Ted DiBiase’s Million Dollar Corporation. He worked for several indy promotions after that before finally retiring in 2007.

Bundy parlayed his wrestling success into some acting work as well, notably on Married…With Children and in ads for Vendex computers.

On behalf of 411, our condolences to the family, friends and fans of Bundy. He will be missed.