WWE

WWE Hall of Famer George "The Animal" Steele died Thursday night in Florida from kidney failure ... George's wife, Patricia, tells TMZ Sports.

Patricia tells us George had been in and out of hospice care since April.

George had some legendary bouts with Randy Savage back in the day -- and other wrestling greats are reacting to the sad news. Hulk Hogan said, "My brother, only love, only grateful."

George was 79.

Vince McMahon took Donald Trump all the way back to 2007 Tuesday ... when the WWE honcho's family posed with the prez -- and busted out a pic of their famous "Hair Vs. Hair" match!

WWE wrestler Chavo Guerrero Sr. has died after a battle with liver cancer.

Guerrero's son, Chavo Jr. -- who also wrestled -- announced his father's death Saturday, saying, "Today the world lost a true rebel. He did things "HIS" way. Not always right, not always wrong, but He always followed what he believed in." Junior says Chavo was diagnosed with liver cancer last month.

Chavo Sr. was a staple in the legendary Guerrero wrestling family and the brother of WWE wrestler Eddie Guerrero, who died in 2005 of heart failure.

Guerrero Sr. was 68.

RIP

WWE superstar Big Show has a message for Shaq -- a big, giant sweaty message -- GET READY TO GET YOUR ASS KICKED AT WRESTLEMANIA!!

Big Show has been training for their big showdown at WrestleMania 33 in April -- after months of smack talk.

Now, Big Show is showing off his progress with a gym pic and a message mocking Shaq who's been spotted at an Oreo cookie event recently and lip-synching on Instagram.

"@Shaq! Karaoke? Doughnuts? You better get serious. All roads lead to @WrestleMania. The only giant!"

You know what this means? SHAQ'S GOTTA SELFIE BACK!

Holy god ... this might be the most realistic, mind-blowing Ultimate Warrior tattoo we've ever seen.

The snarl! The facepaint! The hair ... ARE YOU SHAKING THE ROPES AND GORILLA PRESSING SOMEONE YET?!!

The genius behind the ink is Steve Butcher -- the New Zealand-based tattoo artist who's become famous for his super lifelike body art.

Butcher has tatted images of stars like Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan and more ... even Sylvester Stallone has shouted him out for his Rambo image.

His newest Warrior piece might be his best ever.

WWE superstar Paige could go from sports entertainment to REAL DEAL FIGHTING ... telling TMZ Sports she's seriously considering a move to MMA.

WWE legend Tammy Sytch says she has "tremendous guilt feelings" about the death of her good friend, Chyna ... admitting she failed to get her the help she needed when she saw Chyna struggling.

Sytch -- aka Sunny -- was on her way to court-ordered rehab this week when she told us Chyna's death has been on her mind for months. The two were very close and would FaceTime every night.

The Hall of Famer says she recognized Chyna was going down a bad path and tried to convince her to go to rehab -- but she refused, and died while Sytch was seeking treatment for herself.

Obviously, Chyna's death isn't Tammy's fault ... but Sytch says she wishes she could've gotten her friend to see the light. Chyna passed away in April after overdosing on Rx pills and booze.

As for Tammy ... her next stop is another stint in rehab to combat her ongoing alcohol issues -- and she says she's receiving the full support of the WWE.

WWE Hall of Famer Tammy Sytch -- aka "Sunny" -- has been released from prison and is currently on her way back to a rehab center ... TMZ Sports has learned.

The 44-year-old wrestling legend was locked up back in September for violating her probation stemming from a DUI case.

She was released Friday and paroled to go to a rehab center. We spoke with Sytch via text messages and she confirmed she's on the way.

Sytch has struggled with substance abuse over the years -- and was arrested for DUI 3 times in 2015.

She insists she wants to get and stay clean and turn her life around.

John Cena has a warning for his buddy, Shaq, before WrestleMania 33: better take Big Show seriously, 'cause he's ready to prove that he's got gas left in the tank!!

Cena says Big Show is taking the match as seriously as ever ... and warns Shaq that he's in great shape, so he better be ready.

WWE Hall of Fame inductee Kurt Angle says he ain't ruling out a return to wrestling -- but he's adamant the rumors of a surprise appearance at this weekend's Royal Rumble are simply not true.

Angle recently pulled out of a Jan 28 wrestling event in Scotland -- the same weekend as the Rumble -- and some people thought it was a clue that Angle was clearing the deck for a Royal surprise.

But TMZ Sports spoke with the former WWE World Heavyweight champ who put it bluntly -- "Royal Rumble is not gonna happen."

"A lot of people are assuming it, a lot of writers are writing about it ... I haven't talked to WWE about anything after WWE Hall of Fame."

Angle is set to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in March -- and says he's excited about his future with Vince McMahon's company ... which could definitely involve a return to action.

WWE legend John Cena says he's a HUGE New England Patriots fan ... not just because he loves to root for the team everyone hates ... but 'cause he's kinda like the Tom Brady of wrestling!

A sleeveless Cena was leaving Tapout Fitness in NYC Monday morning (it's 40 degrees, btw!) when we asked who he's got in the Super Bowl.

"I gravitate towards New England," Cena said ... "I like the fact that year after year, no matter what adversity they face, they always do well. And everyone hates that."

"So, I'm drawn to that ... I run kind of like a parallel life with Tom Brady."

Cena says he's got a lot in common with the guy -- especially the way they approach their jobs.

Diamond Dallas Page tried doing a diamond cutter on Justin Moore during a concert ... and failed.

DDP was a guest at Justin's show in Atlanta Saturday night, when he went into full-on wrestling mode on the country singer and tried doing his signature move on the guy.

There will be no comeback for The Heartbreak Kid ... Shawn Michaels tells TMZ Sports he's definitely not wrestling ever again.

There's been some rumblings about Michaels possibly coming back to wrestle at the Royal Rumble later this month in Shawn's hometown of San Antonio ... especially after he made an appearance on this week's 'Monday Night Raw.'

But, when we saw Shawn in NYC Thursday morning ... he pretty much crushed all hope.

DEEP BURN ALERT ...

Stephanie McMahon let CM Punk have it Sunday night ... dissing the WWE star about the infamous ass-kicking he got in his UFC debut.

It happened in Chicago -- CM's hometown -- when the crowd started chanting Punk's name ... something that happens a lot when the WWE rolls into the Windy City.

WWE legend Chyna had traces of multiple prescription drugs in her system -- including oxycodone and Valium -- along with alcohol when she died ... this according to the autopsy report obtained by TMZ Sports.

The L.A. County Coroner report shows Chyna had the following in her system when she was found on April 20:

-- Oxycodone, Oxymorphone (painkillers)

-- Valium (anti-anxiety)

-- Nordiazepam (muscle relaxer)

-- Temazepam (sleeping pill)

The coroner says there was also ethanol in her system.

When officials found Chyna, she was lying on the right side of her bed in her Redondo Beach apartment ... and there was a "bloody purge on the pillow underneath her face."

Officials say the also found multiple loose pills in Chyna's home -- along with a couple of pipes and a grinder.

A family member told the coroner that Chyna was an alcoholic and "drank cheap wine" and was addicted to Rx pills.

Chyna was 46.

One of the greatest African-American wrestlers of all time says Hulk Hogan's time in WWE exile needs to end ... and that wrestling fans and Vince McMahon -- should give Hogan another chance.