WWE legend, Road Warrior Animal, dies at age 60

On Wednesday morning, WWE confirmed the news that Road Warrior Animal passed away.

It is with great sadness to report that a member of one of professional wrestling’s most well-known tag teams has died. Joseph Laurinaitis, better known to fans around the world as Road Warrior Animal, died on Wednesday at the age of 60.

Laurinaitis competed for years with Road Warrior Hawk (Michael Hegstrand), and were known either as the Road Warriors or the Legion of Doom. They were one of the most feared and decorated tag teams in the history of the industry. WWE confirmed the news via their Twitter page, with a memorial graphic.

Within the first hour of the news, fans and members of the wrestling community sounded off social media. The outpouring of love and support came in from everywhere for the WWE legend. He was a Hall of Fame inductee in 2011, alongside Hawk and their manager Paul Ellering. The family of Laurinaitis also posted on his official Twitter that an announcement from them would be coming.

The duo of Hawk and Animal wrestled together for two decades and won the WWF tag team championship twice. The Road Warriors (also known later as the Legion of Doom) began their career in Georgia Championship Wrestling in 1983 and made an appearance in the American Wrestling Association, All Japan Pro Wrestling and World Championship Wrestling before making their WWF debut in 1990.

After Hawk’s passing in 2003, Animal resurrected the Legion of Doom. He teamed with Jon Heidenreich in WWE a few years later, but the duo only stuck together for about six months. Animal insisted he wasn’t looking for a “replacement” for Hawk, rather a partner that had talent he could work with.

His passing leaves a mark on the legacy of tag team wrestling, from an era that was dominated by big men. Their feuds with the likes of The Nasty Boys, The Hart Foundation, and the Four Horsemen will live on forever.