KawadaSmile Posted July 12, 2021 Report Share Posted July 12, 2021 It was confirmed by his family via instagram: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
funkdoc Posted July 12, 2021 Report Share Posted July 12, 2021 An underrated performer and personal favorite, managed to deliver even in some dire situations (e.g. Abrams UWF, mid-90s WCW). The height of his drawing power also tends to be overlooked in a lot of modern retrospectives since the Hogan feud was never featured on a PPV and that's all they cover. The man deserved better, RIP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricky Jackson Posted July 12, 2021 Report Share Posted July 12, 2021 I started watching WWF regularly in the summer of 1986, literally a week or two after his heel turn on Hogan (did get to see it shortly after it happened at a friend's house, his brothers taped all the shows). That was basically the first big feud that I followed in real time. Must've watched the SNME cage dozens of times. That was one of the biggest drawing feuds of Hogan's WWF run, if not the biggest. A great asshole heel who could go with the best of them in that 84-87 period RIP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilTLL Posted July 12, 2021 Report Share Posted July 12, 2021 Dementia at age 71. What a shame. He was a great blustery heel, the perfect Florida asshole, with an all-time great look, legit athleticism, and of course that incredible jumping piledriver. Not an "all-time classics" machine or a brilliant structure or psych guy, but a good solid hand in the ring, and a truly underrated draw. I ought to watch more of his pre-WWF runs. It's hard to imagine he didn't even have the Mr. Wonderful nickname until WWF. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NintendoLogic Posted July 12, 2021 Report Share Posted July 12, 2021 He had been in rough shape for a while due to dementia. His son posted a video of him a month ago where he looked 20 years older than he was and appeared to have no recollection of his wrestling career. At least his suffering is over. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mad Dog Posted July 12, 2021 Report Share Posted July 12, 2021 Him piledriving Hector Guerrero is one of my favorite angles from SMW. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ohtani's jacket Posted July 12, 2021 Report Share Posted July 12, 2021 Dude had a great career. His 90s WCW work is underrated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MoS Posted July 12, 2021 Report Share Posted July 12, 2021 The house that the Main Event drew in Toronto in 1986 might be even more impressive than WM 3 in Detroit. WM 3 was built for months and was genuinely a once-in-a-lifetime event. Hogan-Orndorff on the other hand was just a normal house show and they were hoping to sell some 15k-20k tickets, and ended up selling 55k cuz Hogan was arguably at his peak and Orndorff was the perfect opponent for him. A seriously underrated run. They destroyed box office records for every kind of house show run right there RIP to a legend. The fact that so many old wrestlers are suffering from and dying of dementia is terrifying and probably the scariest part of being a wrestling fan. I lost a close family friend to dementia after she suffered from it for 10 years. That shit is brutal to watch. It's like seeing someone die in front of you every single day. It shatters your heart Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MichaelZ Posted July 13, 2021 Report Share Posted July 13, 2021 My first exposure to Orndorff is similar to Ricky Jackson’s, tuning in week to week at that time helped lock in my fandom. I remember watching his match vs Hogan at the big event A few years back and thinking it was pretty good. He was always entertaining and did a good job in any role. RIP Mr Wonderful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tenese Sarwieh Posted July 13, 2021 Report Share Posted July 13, 2021 First gained knowledge of Paul was during his WCW run with the Pretty Wonderful tag team. That theme was so cheesy but entertaining at the same time. Sad he's passed on but the silver lining is there's no more pain for him to endure, R.I.P. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Outsider Posted July 13, 2021 Report Share Posted July 13, 2021 Who had a better physique than Mr. Wonderful in WWF? Nobody. He was awesome. My favorite memories are the Hogan cage match on SNME. And I loved everything he did in WCW. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Outsider Posted July 13, 2021 Report Share Posted July 13, 2021 Gary Spivey One of my last memories of Paul's career. I remember hearing Hogan talking about how Orndorff was a bad ass from Tampa and Hogan was threatened by these types including Dr. D. tumblr_qjq6idZqSd1sj4xr4.mp4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Memphis Mark Posted July 20, 2021 Report Share Posted July 20, 2021 Paul had a great career . I remember when Eddie Graham sent Paul to Memphis . Jerry Jarrett gave Paul a major baby face push and he beat Lawler for the Southern belt. Then he was half of the Crockett 's NWA tag Champs with Jimmy Snuka , the North America champion in Mid-South , half of Ron Fuller's Southeastern tag champions with Norvell Austin and the National Champion in Georgia. That is one hell of a resume before New York . Rest In Power Mister Wonderful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sek69 Posted July 20, 2021 Report Share Posted July 20, 2021 Yeah, he was one of those guys who you never really think about how great he was. All the pre-WWF stuff, being one of the biggest drawing opponents for Hogan, the great stuff in WCW where he couldn't work like he used to but the comedy chops were golden. Dave mentioned the other day that when he sat down to think about it Paul is pretty much a no doubt HOFer . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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