Giant Gonzalez

Jorge Gonzalaez - who had the recognition of being the tallest wrestler to ever compete in professional wrestling - died on Friday.

Gonzalez wrestled in WCW and WWF between 1990 and 1993 after leaving professional basketball.

At a height of nearly eight feet, the Argentinian represented his country's basketball team in the 1988 Olympic games.

He was then signed to a pro contract by the Atlanta NBA franchise owned by Ted Turner.

His career went nowhere as he was deemed too slow for the league. He ended up working for Turner's World Championship Wrestling company.

Repackaged as 'El Gigante', Gonzalez worked as a babyface in an attempt to become the WCW version of Andre the Giant.

In 1993, after leaving the Turner-owned company, Gonzalez signed with the World Wrestling Federation under the name 'Giant Gonzalez'.

He debuted at that year's Royal Rumble event attacking The Undertaker setting up a feud which reached its apex at WrestleMania IX.

It was downhill from there.

The feud continued to the SummerSlam event of 1993. He was rarely used after that point and was later released.

He had been ill for many years due to diabetes and complications stemming from his body breaking down. He was only forty-four years old.