WWE Hall of Fame member Eric Bischoff tweeted out his condolences after announcements of Paul Orndorff's death. Orndorffs play led to numerous scholarship offers from prestigious football programs such as the University of Tennessee and Clemson. > Movies & TV "He will never be forgotten. Many will remember his intensity. In 1969, he earned Brandon High Schools first state championship in the discus with a throw of 165 -7". Orndorff left the WWF in 1988 with an untreated neck injury, yet continued to wrestle in the WCW and won the World Television Championship and the WCW World Tag Team Championship. For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click this link: thesun.co.uk/editorial-complaints/, Travis Orndorff, Mr Wonderful's son, confirmed his father's death, Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). Paul Orndorff had more class, talent, athletic ability than almost anyone I ever knew. ", My heart is saddened again. Arm atrophy from a nagging injury led him to retire in 2000 and he was treated for cancer in 2011. World Championship Wrestling still has some kinks to work out like maintaining uniform angles and breaking out of the put-everyone-in-a-gang mentality that led to the WWFs downfall in the nineties (Anyone remember The Nation, D.O.A. Orndorff had dealt with health issues in recent years, including cancer and dementia. . Consider Mr. Wonderful Orndorff. We've spent a lot of time talking about the impact Hulk Hogan had on Paul Orndorff's . As a youngster, Orndorff was a star high school football player. Feb 18: WWE Elimination Chamber Hopefully, things can turn around in this situation. Eventually, a trainer and EMTs were called to the ring and the match was declared a No Contest. Five days a week. "Tight end wasnt a bad position, but it didnt help me at all as an NFL prospect to be suddenly switched to tight end.". Disqo is dazed and accidentally hits the Last Dance on Konnan booting him at 5:23. Orndorff exploded on theWWEscene in the 1980s, paired with manager Bobby Heenan. Orndorff was stretchered out of the ring to the back and appeared to be in great pain. Throughout the 80s, Orndorff became a star, often going head-to-head with the ImmortalHulk Hoganin the main event of the firstWrestlemaniaand Survivors Series. Check out his Binge News site for all of your streaming, binge-watching news. And he had the confidence to have fun with his character.". If you would like to contribute help for funeral expenses, a donation page has been set up by his family here. "Paul Orndorff was a true, mans man. I was extremely lucky to have had him on so many Southeastern cards. After sending Bret Hart to the ropes, Goldberg hit Hart with a sidekick to the head, and Bret Hart received a severe concussion as a result of it. I was at the Big Event in Toronto. Now, WWE uses only contracted wrestlers who have more than six weeks of training. Corporal Cajun hits the Whiplash in the confusion. For more #1derful Paul Orndorff content & to learn more about the Some Kind of #1derful with Travis Orndorff podcast, click: https://linktr.ee/PaulOrndorff. "Travis wants to give everyone, including fans, the opportunity to Donate to Paul's final expenses. It is set to occur later this week in Fayetteville, Georgia. In Feb. 1972, Orndorff confirmed he would finish his college career at Tampa despite rumors he might leave a year early to play pro football in Canada. 0 comments. Sadly, it's the nature of the wrestlingbusiness in that even a routine move executed perfectly can still cause a career ending injury that nobody could see coming. Particularly by modern standards, that's not all that old for a top-tier wrestler. Thats the way I was. That lawsuit has later dismissed in 2018. I love you, Daddy," he concluded the tribute. His career ended when he suffered a neck injury at Fall Brawl 2000 and went on to help run the WCW Power Plant. Think I have his autograph on a patriot mask somewhere. Fellow WWE wrestler Bobby Roode took to Twitter to express the inspiration that Paul Orndorff was to him following Orndorff's death. If we didnt think he did, we wouldnt be here.". The two miscues led to Droz being dropped on his head and breaking two discs in his neck. With his sights set on eventually getting a college education, Orndorff saw sports as his only way to escape the streets and achieve that goal, so he turned to football at Dowdell Junior High School. . Ushered in with a towel over his head to conceal his identity, Orndorff was the perfect choice based on the beat-down the Killers gave him in the Power Plant on WCW television. Booker T delivered a hip toss to Martel, but his leg hit the ropes and Martel tore his knee ligament. Thanks for all the laughs and great matches. Years later the morning before WrestleMania 21, I trained with him and Hulk. A Scorpion Death Drop on Muta ends the match. > Sporting Connection Pro beachballs at pro wrestling shows, pro dives if someone catches, anti bullies, olives, and pineapples on pizza. Three weeks later, Orndorff met with Graham, who said hed give Orndorff a tryout. Wonderful aka The Brandon Bull. Paul performed at the first WrestleMania in 1985, where he and "Rowdy" Roddy Piper fought against Mr. T and Hogan. An amusing, absurd skit. Tampa was a regular stop in the Florida territory, and Smith fell in love with the area. N.C. A&T Aggies headed to the Tokyo Olympics:Aggie Track and Field team to be well-represented Perfect excelling at various sports, Mr. Also known as Mr. Changed my life. Douglas hurls Kidman off the scaffold. Though he initially retired due a neck injury suffered at the Fall Brawl event in 2000, he did manage to wrestle one last match in 2017 at the age of 67. His son Travis made the announcement Monday on Instagram, where. WCW Legend Sting originally retired from in-ring competition in 2015, after suffering a neck injury during his match against Seth Rollins. During his senior year, Orndorff served as team captain and led the Western Conference with 1,377 rushing yards. #RIPMrWonderful, ORNDORFF WAS ALL-STAR FOOTBALL PLAYER IN HIGH SCHOOL. In April 2016, Paul Orndorff was honored by the Cauliflower Alley Club, and he noted how much he cared about professional wrestling: While Rick Rude had memorable matches in both WCW and WWE, Rude is probably most remembered as for his time as an insurance policy for D-Generation X and manager in the New World Order. He finally got the surgery but was never back in the main event picture. During their match Owen would nail a reverse piledriver, arguably an even more dangerous variation of the move. ", Orndorff would come clean in a Sept. 2, 1976 story in The Tampa Tribune where he admitted he withdrew from football because he "just got homesick, to tell you the truth. Orndorff experienced a difficult childhood, growing up in the tough Clair-Mel City neighborhood, and his parents divorced when he was young. WWE's officialTwitteraccount posted a tribute to the fallen star, tweeting: "WWE is saddened to learn that WWE Hall of Famer 'Mr. 7 WWE Hall of Fame Stories WWE Doesnt Want You To Know! > Canadian Hall of Fame Hart at first was critical of Goldbergs careless kick but has eventually forgiven him. Fourth is an Orndorff vs. Akira Maeda match from . I wanted it bad, and I wasnt going to be denied.". One of the most bizarre injuries ever witnessed happened to Paul Orndorff, and it also involved a piledriver. Tyson Kidd really wasnt going anywhere as a singles star in WWE. Quote Tweet. Ronda and Paul have two grown sons, Paul III and Travis. Mean Gene calls Jarrett a crazy bastard. The only way to keep that from happening was to impose the "proving ground" between the outside world and those of us on the inside.". The Aug. 14, 1974 edition of The Tampa Tribune quoted his wife Rhonda as saying, "Paul has no intention of talking to the press at this time. > Books > Obituary Archive Im glad for the chance. The match went on with the wrestlers side-stepping Orndorff not realizing he was legitimately hurt. When Paul Orndorff turned face and fired Bobby Heenan for a second time, Did the WWF have plans for him long term beyond the feud with Rick Rude? Orndorff initially retired due to a neck injury at the 'Fall Brawl' event in 2000, but he managed to wrestle one last match in 2017 at the age of 67. . Bitten by the bug, Smith began entering bodybuilding competitions. WE RIDE TOGETHER. That lawsuit. In the same meet, he won a trophy with a discus throw of 154 -9". Most people wouldnt survive that first workout with me, or if they did, they would never come back. "Travis wants to give everyone, including fans, the opportunity to Donate to Paul's final expenses. 679215 Registered office: 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF. She falls on the stage (air bag) below. May God rest his soul! On the second he did but either his back gave out or Jindraks weight was more than he could handle as Orndorff dropped to the mat hard finishing the move. A star fullback, he was known as the "Brandon Bull" because of a punishing ball-carrying style that oftentimes saw him run over outmatched defenders. After signing, Orndorff said, "I cant get it out of my system. WE RIDE TOGETHER. Former WWE superstar CM Punk wrote: "Damn. Some of the other guardians of the business actually made it their business to seriously hurt these people. And as much as many of you hated him as a wrestler, he absolutely loved you for it. #1derful Paul Orndorff. Wonderful used his skills as a veteran to foul up the Killers planned moves and put away Johnny The Bull with his trademark Piledriver maneuver. > Video Great tag team action as the underrated Three Count (WCWs answer to the Hardy Boyz) showcase some really innovative moves. Initially believed to be a stinger, Paige became injured after she turned her back to Sasha who was against the corner. I could be a main event and draw money.". While playing at Brandon High, Orndorff developed a close relationship with his football coach Charlie Livingstone, who became a father figure to him. Everyone is grounded and guarded by the gimmick match. The community experienced rapid growth during Orndorffs childhood in the mid-1960s, with a population that topped 30,000 around the time he reached high school. Just when she made her return to the company after dealing with a neck injury, a WWE wellness violation and a tumultuous relationship with Alberto Del Rio, Paige would suffer another injury at the hands, or rather the feet, of Sasha Banks. "He did nothing to help my football career. DUSTIN RHODES POSTS IN MEMORY OF PAUL ORNDORFF. "Hes an excellent blocker, has good hands, and runs well once he catches the ball.". Elixs Overdrive demolishes Kwee-wee. On the Golden Flashes depth chart was future Missouri wins leader Gary Pinkel, and a heady safety named Nick Saban, now the legendary Alabama head coach. "Man, I had so many matches and learned a ton with #PaulOrndorff," he wrote. "He will always be Pop, Paw Paw, and Daddy at home. Wonderful aka The Brandon Bull. After only six weeks of training, he was offered a role in WWE as a jobber to put over The Rockers. "He (Orndorff) has all the natural attributes of a tight end," Earle said at the time. The reason was that his entire right side was beginning to atrophy (causing his arm and leg muscles to shrink). In June 1973, the Saints training camp opened. R.I.P. Ushered in with a towel over his head to conceal his identity, Orndorff was the perfect choice based on the beat-down the Killers gave him in the Power Plant on WCW television. You can even see Rey Mysterio unmasked in th. "He was an amazing father that showed me more love than I ever deserved. and Los Boricuas?) "He was an amazing father that showed me more love than I ever deserved. His career was ended abruptly after a neck injury that . Standing at a muscular 6-feet, 195-pounds, Orndorff thrived at Brandon High School, where he lettered three times in football and track and field. Worked in finance before realizing pro wrestling journalism made much less sense. Perro Aguayo Jr. was wrestling a tag team match involving Rey Mysterio. While he was fortunate to still get several years of wrestling out of his neck, other superstars havent been so lucky. Mr T - real name Laurence Tureaud - debuted for the WWE in 1985 as Hulk Hogans tag-team partner at the very first WrestleMania, beating Roddy Piper and Paul Orndorff. Furthermore, it happened after "Mr. Wonderful" applied his own finisher, the. Lance Storm invites the Americans in the crowd to drive to Kitchener with him so they can experience Canada. Austins head wasnt protected, and he landed on the top of his head. Read our Paul Orndorff live blog for all the latest news and updates "He was so much more than a wrestler," Paul Orndorffs son, Travis, captioned an Instagram post. Required fields are marked *. "I had to block him all night. I went to a wcw house show at the uic pavilion once. Ric Flair, a retired professional wrestler, took toTwitterafter learning of Paul Orndorff's passing. Because of this, his head and neck suffered whiplash both times, with the second powerbomb being worse. Paul Orndorff Jr., better known as WWE Hall of Famer "Mr. Wonderful," has died. He was inducted into theWWE Hall of Fame in 2005and theNational Wrestling AllianceHall of Famein 2009. The injury, which resulted from a simple kick, didnt look devastating, but the whiplash to an already fragile neck might have put Paiges promising WWE return to an abrupt end. 3 min read. The news of his death was announced by his son Travis, who. he wrote. It is a hard-hitting, stiff contest as most would have thought. "But Paul also was one funny son-of-a-bitch. WE TRAIN TOGETHER. > The Artist Canvas Professional wrestler the Iron Sheik, real name Hossein Khosrow Ali Vaziri, tweeted a heartfelt message in his classic all caps style following Paul Orndorff's death. DUSTIN RHODES POSTS IN MEMORY OF PAUL ORNDORFF. The Saints just didnt suit. Paul Orndorff passed away on July 12, 2021, at age 71. . Paul Orndorff defeated Flyin' Brian to win the tournament and to become #1 contender for the TV title. The powerful Orndorff won the state championship as a rookie, defeating a former champion along the way, and that was after Orndorff was hospitalized for several days with pneumonia. "He was an amazing father that showed me more love than I ever deserved. ", RIC FLAIR REMEMBERS ORNDORFF AS A 'GREAT GUY, LEGIT TOUGH!'. PWSTees.com Your favorite Pro Wrestling Stories, on a tee! After taking several months off to heal, Martel would return and face Booker Ts brother, Stevie Ray. I love you Daddy. Orndorff left in great shape after working as an ironworker during the summer. "I can do that," Orndorff told his father-in-law Ross Maxwell, "Ill see what I can do," Maxwell said. He injured his arm during the biggest run of his career, but failed to get it repaired. A bad neck injury left to arm atrophy and later forced him to retire in 200.
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