Mike Halac, who wrestled in WWE in the 1990s under the ring name Mantaur, has died.
He was 55.
Halac’s daughter, Demi, announced the news on Facebook, according to TMZ.
“He went peacefully in his sleep. He’s no longer in pain,” she wrote.
“This really hit home to lose my father, he will forever be in my heart and many others. I love you dad. Make the skies beautiful for me.”
Halac wrestled in Catch Wrestling Association in Germany in the early 1990s, before making his WWE (then WWF) debut in 1994.
He was initially managed by Jim Cornette, and had a gimmick where he was billed as a 400-pound half-man, half-beast; he would trample his opponents and moo at them.
He competed against Razor Ramon (Scott Hall) in a WWF Intercontinental title match, but lost by disqualification when Jeff Jarrett, who was feuding with Razor at the time, interfered.
Halac also had a run in ECW under the ring name Bruiser Martino, and defeated Jerry “the King” Lawler in the UWSA for the promotion’s world heavyweight championship under the ring name Tank.
Halac continued to wrestle on the independent circuit through 2019.
“This is a bitter pill to swallow. RIP Michael Halac my tag partner, great friend and brother in all sense of the word except blood,” wrote Paul Neu, who wrestled under the name P.N. News.
“We fought like family, but always made up. You will be missed. God bless your soul. Until we meet again. Love you brother.”
Halac spoke publicly about his battle with Diabetes.
