Legendary wrestler King Kong Bundy has passed away at the age of 61. Few superstars today could compete with the size and strength of Bundy while he was active in the WWE during the 1980s and 1990s, with the imposing heel standing at 6-foot-4 and weighing 458 pounds. He terrorized the landscape of the wrestling industry through several notable eras, and constantly demanded that the referees involved in his matches forego a three-count and instead count to five as he pinned his opponents.

This show of strength was only matched by his nickname as the “walking condominium,” during his time in the proverbial squared circle. King Kong Bundy had several memorable matches with Hulk Hogan - including a steel cage match - and even graced WrestleMania with multipple appearances. During the first ever showcase of the immortals, WrestleMania I, Bundy dismantled his opponent S.D. Jones in nine seconds - hitting the other wrestler with his signature move, the Avalanche, before slamming and pinning Jones for the win.

Tragically, WWE has announced that King Kong Bundy, real name Christopher Alan Pallies, passed away on March 4, 2019 at the age of 61. The larger than life personality first walked away from wrestling in 1988 before jumping back into the ring with WWE (then the WWF) in 1994 as part of the Million Dollar Corporation - a stable built up of the company's dastardly villains. His run would eventually lead to a showdown against the legendary Undertaker at WrestleMania XI the very next year. That same year, 1995, would be the year he retired from wrestling for good - as Pallies opted to pursue acting and standup comedy.


Pallies was still currently making active appearances at various conventions, with a date set for New York's WrestleCon in April. Long-time friend David Herro spoke about the passing of Pallies in a recent Facebook post, where he stated "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."

As a true icon of the wrestling industry, King Kong Bundy will never be forgotten. His size, tenacity, and passion for the business has managed to stand the test of time and cement the superstar's legacy as a legend within the world of sports entertainment. His Avalanche fishing move and pure strength combined with his ability to work a crowd are Hall of Fame-worthy qualities that are hard traits to come by for anyone that's stepped foot into wrestling.

R.I.P. CHRISTOPHER ALAN PALLIES: NOVEMBER 7, 1957 – MARCH 4, 2019