Former WWE Star "Outlaw" Ron Bass Passes Away

03/07/2017 08:41 pm EST

Former 1980s WWE Star, "Outlaw" Ron Bass, has reportedly passed away at age 68. Bass was hospitalized last week with an apparent burst appendix, and died on Tuesday.

Another former WWE star, The Iron Shiek, commented on Bass' death on Twitter.

Ron Herd went into pro wrestling in 1971. Herd started wrestling as Ron Bass in 1975. Throughout the 1970s, he became a staple of the National Wrestling Alliance territories as "Cowboy" Ron Bass, Sam Oliver Bass, and "Outlaw" Ron Bass.

He also had a lengthy run in Florida Championship Wrestling and Jim Crockett Promotions, frequently teaming with Black Bart as The Long Riders.

He became a star in 1987 as the "Outlaw" Ron Bass when he went to the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), where he voiced challenges to the likes of WWF champion Hulk Hogan and Brutus Beefcake.

At that point Bass quickly settled into a role in the midcard position, wrestling against Hillbilly Jim, Lanny Poffo and Sam Houston on many house show events. Later on he was part of the five-man team captained by The Honky Tonk Man at the inaugural Survivor Series pay-per-view on Thanksgiving Day 1987.

He also participated in the very first Royal Rumble and the 20-man battle royal at WrestleMania IV and co-captained a Survivor Series team with The Honky Tonk Man. Bass was one of the few heel wrestlers of the time who didn't use a manager, but the Texan was never without his trusty bullwhip, "Miss Bessy."

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the former WWE star's family.

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