"Stunned and saddened," says Bret 'The Hitman' Hart on Twitter; Natalya writes "my dad was an incredibly special person"; Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair among those to also send sympathies
Tuesday 14 August 2018 09:35, UK
Bret Hart has led the tributes to his former tag-team partner Jim 'The Anvil' Neidhart, who has died aged 63.
The duo won two WWF World tag-team championships during their run as the enormously popular Hart Foundation, and Hart posted on Twitter: "Stunned and saddened. I just don't have the words right now."
Neidhart's daughter Natalya, who is a current competitor on Raw, wrote: "I can't put into words how hard it is going to be for myself and our family to say goodbye to my dad. He meant the world to us, and nothing will ever replace the special times we shared together as a family.
"My dad was always a fighter and an incredibly special person. There was no one like him! I'm just gonna miss him so much. We are going to hold all the moments we had with him close to our hearts forever and never let them go.
"I promise to keep your memory alive."
Hulk Hogan: "I am overwhelmed with grief, love and sympathy by the passing of Jim Neidhart. Love and prayers to his family. He was always with me and a real friend through the good and bad. Love and miss you already, Jim. RIP my brother."
Ric Flair: "My Good Friend Jim Neidhart, A World Class Athlete And A Man Among Men. Rest In Peace."
Mick Foley: "So sorry to learn of the passing of Jim Neidhart. My deepest condolences to his family and all who loved him. I love hearing @NatbyNature tell amazing stories about her dad! #RIPAnvil"
Eric Bischoff: "Sad to hear about the passing of Jim Neidhart. Condolences to his family, friends and fans. Jim was an important part of the landscape during one of the most important periods in the industry. RIP Jim."
Sgt Slaughter: "Saddened To Hear Jim Neidhart Has Passed. My Prayers Are With His Families. Guess God Needed An "Anvil" Angel RIP Jim."
Jim Ross: "I'm heartbroken to hear of the sudden passing of my 30+ year friend, Jim Neidhart. We met in the 80's when Bill Watts booked 'The Anvil' in Mid South & Jim even coached Cowboy's son Micah on how to shot put. We lost a damn, good man."
On Monday night's Raw, Scott Dawson and Dash Wilder - The Revival - gave their own tribute to Neidhart, using the Hart Foundation's Hart Attack finisher in their triple threat match with The B Team and The Deleters of Worlds.
Ronda Rousey opened the show with a tribute to Neidhart and her friend Natalya as the crowd chanted "Anvil".
