Mr. Wonderful, as professional wrestler Paul Orndorff was known to WWE (NYSE: WWE) fans, died on Monday at the age of 71.
A Wrestler’s Life: Paul Parlette Orndorff Jr. was born in Brandon, Florida, on October 29, 1949, and rose to notoriety as a running back at the University of Tampa, where he scored 21 touchdowns in his career. The New Orleans Saints selected him in the 12th round of the 1973 NFL Draft, but he failed the NFL physical. In 1975, he was a member of the World Football League’s Jacksonville Sharks for one season before converting to professional wrestling.
Orndorff competed in a variety of leagues, including the Mid-Southern Wrestling Association and the National Wrestling Alliance, where he faced Jerry Lawler and teamed up with Jimmy Snuka. He also crossed the Pacific to compete in the New Japan Pro Wrestling league with Big John Studd.
In late 1983, Orndorff joined with the World Wrestling Federation, which ultimately became the WWE. His timing was fortunate, as the firm was rapidly becoming a pop culture phenomenon, with its wrestlers swiftly becoming celebrities. Orndorff rapidly became a fan favorite, most notably teaming with Rowdy Roddy Piper in the first Wrestlemania versus Hulk Hogan and Mr. T.
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Final Thoughts on My Career: Orndorff injured his arm during weight training in the lead-up to a 1986 match against Hogan, but he chose not to have surgery. His injury prompted him to quit in 1988, and his absence from wrestling sparked rumors that he had died.
In 1990, Orndorff was able to return to the ring through the World Class Wrestling competitions. He then went on to work in regional leagues before returning to WCW in 1992 and retiring in 1995.
Orndorff was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2005 despite never winning a singles championship in WWE or WCW. He would occasionally appear at wrestling events, but in 2016, he was named in a class-action lawsuit against WWE, alleging that the corporation was responsible for athletes’ neurological problems. The case was dismissed twice by the courts.
Troy Orndorff said his father had been diagnosed with dementia, which he believes was caused by chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a degenerative brain illness caused by repetitive head trauma.
“With his awe-inspiring in-ring technique and unmatched swagger, ‘Mr. Wonderful’ turned his talent into a prototype for the modern-day Superstar,” WWE stated in a statement.
Troy Orndorff has set up a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for his father’s burial expenses.
WWE provided this image.
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