BUFFALO, N.Y. — Legendary wrestler and Western New York Native, Dick "The Destroyer" Beyer, has passed away Thursday at the age of 88.
"The Destroyer" is known for his professional wrestling career in Japan.
Beyer owned a golf course in Akron called the Destroyer Park Golf.
The WWE shared its condolences on social media.
Beyer’s legacy will carry on forever both in and out of the ring. He graduated from Syracuse University where he played football and eventually took on the persona of “The Destroyer,” wrestling around the world and becoming very popular in Japan.
2 On Your Side had the rare opportunity to interview Beyer without the mask as we said goodbye to The Aud in 2008.
"The Destroyer never had an opportunity to wrestle here because in ‘59, ‘60, ‘61, they didn't let a masked man wrestle in New York State," explained Beyer in 2008.
Beyer is also being remembered as a pioneer by Ilio DiPaolo's son, Dennis.
"He was a very caring person, loving person, and always willing to share with others, and do that type of thing, but he was dedicated to his sport. He was dedicated to his community, and he had a way about just making everything, like, exciting. Like, let's do it," says DiPaolo.
Beyer has inspired generations of wrestlers - including the wrestlers who train at Grapplers Anonymous in Lackawanna.
"Everybody in Buffalo wrestling incorporates some part of “The Destroyer” into our being, our spirit of pro-wrestling," says wrestler Mikey Everynite.
The local wrestlers even showed us one of "The Destroyer's" signature moves.
"The Destroyer actually opened up a whole other world to me to the world of professional wrestling," said Jacob Szopinski, a wrestling referee.
2 On Your Side's Kevin O'Neill referred to Beyer as the "Hulk Hogan in Japan."