Hawke's Bay wrestling legend Steve Rickard has died at the age of 85.
His son Tony, who lived with his father on the Gold Coast since Mr Rickard shifted over there in 2010 after the passing of his wife Lorraine, said he died on Sunday night.
Before moving to Australiahe had lived in Greenmeadows, Napier.
Mr Rickard, who was born Sydney Mervin Batt, was a professional wrestler who went on to become a trainer, promotor and a local television celebrity.
He fought bouts around the world, taking on high-profile wrestlers such as King Kong and Andre the Giant, and at various stages held the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) New Zealand, Australasian, and Commonwealth titles.
But he is perhaps best known to New Zealanders for On the Mat, a television series he created and presented that ran on local screens from 1975 to 1984.
The popular show featured Kiwi and international wrestlers facing off against each other.
Mr Rickard was able to regularly draw top-level talent to the programme, including stars from America's WWF.
It was in Napier at a Herschell St gym where he first became hooked on wrestling in the 1940s. His busy wrestling career was built alongside a professional career as a policeman in Wellington. He also opened a hotel in the Hutt Valley and a gym in Wellington.
