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This morning, WWE, and the wrestling world in general, lost a legend of the sport in Hall of Famer Pat Patterson. The first-ever Intercontinental Champion and the man who helped create and book countless Royal Rumbles over the last several decades has sadly passed away at age 79.
The first openly gay wrestler in WWE history, Pat Patterson was a trailblazer for future generations of talent to be proud and unashamed of who they are. Without Patterson's courage, some wrestlers would have probably never embraced their sexuality.
Since his passing, the wrestling world has taken to social media to share their fond memories and tributes to the WWE Hall of Famer.
Bret Hart remembers Pat Patterson
This afternoon, Bret "The Hitman" Hart directed his fans to his Instagram where he shared a heartfelt message for his long-time friend in Pat Patterson saying he and Shawn's match at WrestleMania 12 was a dedication to him:
"I’m very sad to learn of the passing of wrestling legend Pat Patterson. Few minds in the profession had the depth that he did. He will stand as being one of the greatest visionaries and for having an incredible imagination that paved wrestling’s greatest memories. I can count on one hand the people who had the deepest understanding of great psychology in pro wrestling, and perhaps Pat was the greatest ever. His ultimate contribution can never be properly measured, but to those who know, Pat will always stand the tallest. Pat had so much to do with my success I don’t know where to start in thanking him. He had everything to do with the finish of my ‘96 Wrestlemania 12 Ironman Match with Shawn Michaels. In fact, I’d say it’s fair to say that both Shawn and I dedicated that match inspirationally to Pat. That match was our appreciation and gratitude from both of us."
Everyone here at SK Wrestling is extremely saddened by the passing of Pat Patterson, as his family and friends are in our thoughts during this trying time.
What are your favorite Pat Patterson memories? What moments in his career can you reflect upon today that make you smile? Let us know in the comments section below and share your feelings on the legend that is Pat Patterson.
