We regret to inform you that we have some devastating news out of the world of professional wrestling.
It has been reported and then confirmed that former WWE champion Jim ‘The Anvil’ Neidhart, a member of one of the most famous wrestling dynasties in history, has passed away.
Neidhart was 63.
Jim Neidhart, on top of his own career, was also the father of Total Divas star Natalya Neidhart.
B Brian Blair took to Twitter to first share this heartbreaking news.
“So sad to announce the passing of my friend and longtime colleague, Jim ‘The Anvil’ Neidhart,” Blair wrote on Twitter in the morning on Monday, August 13.
Blair’s tweet continued: “Your thoughts and prayers for the family are deeply appreciated!”
The grim news has since been confirmed by multiple outlets.
Neidhart’s cause of death has not yet been reported.
Neidhart won his “The Anvil” moniker from throwing a literal anvil.
In high school, he had been a shot put shampion.
When he entered his professional wrestling career, Stu Hart prompted him to enter and win an anvil toss at the Calgary Stampede.
Neidhart did just that, tossing an anvil 11 feet and 2 inches.
Anvils, for the record, can weigh between 75 and 500 pounds, depending upon their purpose.
Neidhart’s wrestling career took off, under the tutelage of the legendary Stu Hart.
He joined the World Wrestling Federation in 1985.
He teamed up with Bret Hart, becoming one half of the Hart Foundation — and winning the Tag Team Championship twice.
Neidhart was then part of the Hart Foundation in the ’90s.
Also in the ’90s, Neidhart feuded with Stone Cold Steve Austin in what has been described as one of the formative feuds of the Attitude Era.
In the late ’90s, he spent time in WCW. He appeared on Impact Wrestling as recently as 2009.
Neidhart has not wrestled with WWE since 2007.
In February of 2010, he was inducted into the Legends Pro-Wrestling Hall of Fame.
He is survived by his wife, Ellie, and their three daughters: Jennifer, Natalie, and Kristen
Natalie is better known as Natalya, the wrestler with WWE who is also a star on Total Divas. Her father was a frequent guest star on the reality series.
Our hearts go out to his family and his loved ones after this sudden news.
At present, Bret Hart is the only surviving member of the ’90s Hart Foundation.
