'Rowdy' Roddy Piper: Wrestler Dies Aged 61

Wrestler "Rowdy" Roddy Piper, who trash talked his way to the main event at the first Wrestlemania, has died at the age of 61.

World Wrestling Entertainment said Piper died on Friday, although it revealed no more details.

Piper, who was born Roderick Toombs, is the second WWE Hall of Famer to die this summer, following the death in June of Dusty Rhodes.

His death also comes days after Hulk Hogan, his great rival, had his contract terminated by WWE.

Hogan had used racial slurs in a conversation captured on a sex tape.

Piper and Hogan feuded for years and headlined some of the biggest matches of the 1980s.

Hogan and Mr T beat Piper and Paul Orndorff in 1985 at the first Wrestlemania at Madison Square Garden in New York.

WWE chairman Vince McMahon said Piper was "one of the most entertaining, controversial and bombastic performers ever in WWE".

Figures from the wrestling world have also paid tribute.

"Stone Cold" Steve Austin wrote on Twitter: "I am shocked and saddened to hear of Roddy Piper's passing. He was one of a kind and one of the all time greats."

Paul "Triple H" Levesque said: "Saddened about the passing of "Rowdy" Roddy Piper. He was truly a legend and icon, and will never be forgotten..."