Instead of taking the move appropriately and landing flat on his belly, Austin decided to imitate a lawn dart and jump as high as he could and land on the very top of his head. WCW promised to provide a full update on Orndorffs condition on tonights edition of Nitro from Kitchener, Ontario. A neck injury suffered during a match at the 2000 Fall Brawl pay-per-view led to his retirement, with the lasting effects of the injury causing significant muscle loss in his arm. Orndorff was selected in the 12th round (289th overall) of the 1973 NFL Draft by the New Orleans Saints after finishing his college career with 376 rushes for 1,671 yards. Paul Orndorff was married to Ronda Maxwell. 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. "You have to remember; it was back in the mid-1970s when the mystique and uncertainty about the predetermined nature of professional wrestling was still a closely guarded secret. While playing at Brandon High, Orndorff developed a close relationship with his football coach Charlie Livingstone, who became a father figure to him. Could Hacksaw really be a spy infiltrating Storms Canadian Alliance? Jeff Jarrett attacks Sting disputing his claim. MY BROTHER. Later on in the broadcast, the announce team imparted the news that Orndorff has suffered a stinger, a sharp blow to the back or neck which can cause temporary of permanent paralysis to the body. The reason was that his entire right side was beginning to atrophy (causing his arm and leg muscles to shrink). Former WWE superstar CM Punk wrote: "Damn. The condition happens when someone suffers repeated head trauma, however, it can only be diagnosed once someone has passed away. That lawsuit. Good call. Rest in power Mr. 1 overall pick in the 1973 draft), Leon McQuay, Freddie Solomon, and Noah Jackson, and still six years before the NFLs arrival in Tampa, the Spartans were the big game in town. The referee, Charles Robinson stopped . R.I.P. They agree. Essentially, the head and neck were no longer connected and had Misawa survived, he likely would have been a quadriplegic. Changed my life. "When youre tired, theres not a whole lot you can do about it," Orndorff said in a shoot interview with Boston Wrestling. "Him and Sherri were the best on that show with working the crowd. Paul Orndorff was in his mid-30s when he suffered his arm injury. In what should have been a great debut for a future WWE Hall of Famer like Edge instead came to be rather bittersweet. And as much as many of you hated him as a wrestler, he absolutely loved you for it. One of the greatest of all time! Changed my life. While Orndorff trained with Matsuda, he also wrestled a day or two a week in the Florida territory. The pair became thick as thieves, which isnt surprising when you consider Smiths athletic background, which, with the benefit of hindsight, mirrors much of how Orndorffs athletic and professional career played out. In the video, the WWE Hall of Famer was unrecognizable and appeared to be confused while eating the contents of condiment packets.Travis Orndorff intended to make fans aware of his father's condition, but he received a lot of backlash from those in the . Paul Orndorff was born in Winchester, Virginia, but raised near Brandon, Florida, a bedroom community in the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater metropolitan area. "Typically, Id take (students) outside into the Florida heat and humidity and work out with them for an hour doing four or five hundred squats, pushups, sit-ups, burpees, and jumping jacks," Backlund said in his biography Backlund: From All-American Boy to Professional Wrestlings World Champion. Updated: 13th July 2021, 12:58 pm. The financially strapped league folded in October, 14 games into its 20-game second season. Orndorff was just as confident about earning a roster spot with New Orleans as he was with the University of Tampa four years earlier. "Paul Orndorff was the first wrestler I hated & feared as a child. Ronda and Paul have two grown sons, Paul III and Travis. His career highlights included competing alongside the likes of Hulk Hogan and Mr T. Paul Orndorff's son Travis confirmed in a statement that his father suffered from dementia. Paige is still hopeful for an in-ring return, but WWE is taking no chances and keeping Paige out of action indefinitely. To inquire about a licence to reproduce material, visit our Syndication site. Elixs Overdrive demolishes Kwee-wee. One of my fondest memories. Unfortunately, his career came to an end the same night as his life after receiving a routine belly to back suplex. Paul Orndorff defeated Flyin' Brian to win the tournament and to become #1 contender for the TV title. Orndorff shows Johnny The Bull to the showers at 12:52. Please share and retweet! While he was here, he was given the name of Mr Wonderful by his then-manager, "Rowdy" Roddy Piper. I was at the Big Event in Toronto. Paul Orndorff, 71, suffered an arm and neck injury during a wrestling match with Hulk Hogan. Despite his successful WWE career, Orndorff never won the WWE Championship. In April 2016, Paul Orndorff was honored by the Cauliflower Alley Club, and he noted how much he cared about professional wrestling: His son Travis revealed that Mr Wonderful passed away in an Instagram post on Monday. Graham recorded one 15-minute match they had and was so impressed by what he saw that he sent that match to all the area high schools for promoting his shows. "Travis wants to give everyone, including fans, the opportunity to Donate to Paul's final expenses. ", Paul Orndorff was the first wrestler I hated & feared as a child. "Tight end wasnt a bad position, but it didnt help me at all as an NFL prospect to be suddenly switched to tight end.". In 2003, at the age of 38, Austin decided to hang it up, lest he risk permanent damage. Mean Gene calls Jarrett a crazy bastard. ", My heart is saddened again. Winner: Mike Awesome at 9 minutes and 3 seconds. The Tangerine Bowl was a mid-major showcase pitting the Mid-American Conference champion vs. a random foe. Paul Parlette Orndorff Jr. (born October 29, 1949 - July 12, 2021) was an American professional wrestler, best known for his appearances . It was working now. After the WFL folded, Orndorff returned to Brandon and worked in construction. He dropped out of sight until he used his spare time to enter an arm-wrestling competition in Lake Wales, Florida. Rest in power Mr. Strangely enough, Kidman and Madusa dont win. He was 71. WWE's officialTwitteraccount posted a tribute to the fallen star, tweeting: "WWE is saddened to learn that WWE Hall of Famer 'Mr. Lance Storm invites the Americans in the crowd to drive to Kitchener with him so they can experience Canada. One tweet read, "RIP, "Mr Wonderful" Paul Orndorff. Wonderful ," one of the greats from the World Wrestling Federation's 1980s heyday, has died. And he had the confidence to have fun with his character.". Thank you for all of them Paul. The questionable change was not only a blow to Orndorffs draft appeal but his ego as well. He is an award-winning writer and filmmaker for Turnbuckle Magazine (@TurnbuckleMag on Twitter / @turnbucklemagazine on Facebook), curator of Old Wrestling Pics (@OldWrestlingPic), and has covered MLB and NHL for ESPN.com. His career ended when he suffered a neck injury at Fall Brawl 2000 and went on to help run the WCW Power Plant. "It was Eddie Graham," Orndorff said. Snuka was a veteran and passed along a lot of his knowledge to Orndorff, who had less than two years in the business when they began teaming. 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. Hulk Hogan led tributes online to the legendary wrestler and said that he was "slammed" by the news of Orndoff's death on Monday. While that should have opened a lot of possibilities for dream matches, Stings tenure in WWE came to a crashing end in a match against Seth Rollins. You can check out the video below. Jan 28: WWE Royal Rumble On July 12,Travis Orndorff, Mr Wonderful's son, confirmed his father's deathafter battling dementia and head trauma. pic.twitter.com/RiOY6Rdj7w, PAUL ORNDORFF'S DAUGHTER-IN-LAW RELEASES STATEMENT ON GOFUNDME. Orndorff incurred a serious arm injury during a weightlifting accident that forced him . "He (Lambert) was my responsibility, and I was his in that game," Orndorff recalled in a February 1979 interview with The Tampa Tribune. Legendary WWE Hall of Famer "Mr. Wonderful" Paul Orndorff has passed away aged 71. Everyone is grounded and guarded by the gimmick match. His first spark was lit one day when he was lying on the floor of his in-laws home, watching TV, and Championship Wrestling from Florida came on. Thanks for all the laughs and great matches. His skills led to multiple scholarships offers from prestigious football programs such as the University of Tennessee and Clemson. WWE Hall of Famer Paul Orndorff, who once fought in Wrestlemania, has died at the age of 71. Orndorff nearly earned the Most Valuable Player Award, but he played both tight end and fullback in the game and received votes at each position, which likely hurt him as the media awarded an MVP to both the top lineman (the tight end is part of the offensive line) and top back. As much as many of you hated him as a wrestler, he absolutely loved you for it.. Troy Orndorff, Pauls son, uploaded a video of his father on YouTube that showed his father in a bad state. > Gaming If you would like to contribute help for funeral expenses, a donation page has been set up by his family here. As the match was wrapping up, Marty Jannetty prepared to hit his finishing maneuver, The Rocker Dropper, a leg drop bulldog move that even Kelly Kelly could perform. Orndorff was wrestling draws in the opening or second matches with Jim Dalton, Leon Ogle, and King Cobra. 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. #RIPMrWonderful, ORNDORFF WAS ALL-STAR FOOTBALL PLAYER IN HIGH SCHOOL. The move sounds ridiculous enough, but it was made even worse coming from a large guy who normallydidn't perform moves off the turnbuckle. "He was an amazing father that showed me more love than I ever deserved. May God rest his soul! For more #1derful Paul Orndorff content & to learn more about the Some Kind of #1derful with Travis Orndorff podcast, click: https://linktr.ee/PaulOrndorff. Slow, boring and a waste of time. ", 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. "It looked like he was chiseled out of marble. He was in Fayetteville, Georgia, and was with his family. I was extremely lucky to have had him on so many Southeastern cards. Since Goldberg is out, the ref drops his hand three times and Goldberg doesnt answer the count. Think I have his autograph on a patriot mask somewhere. and Los Boricuas?) Paul Orndorff joined WWE in 1983 and was given his "Mr. Wonderful". He was inducted into the WWE . During their match Owen would nail a reverse piledriver, arguably an even more dangerous variation of the move. Doctors have said, Tyson is lucky to be alive and that most people that do survive such an injury end up quadriplegics. "Mr Wonderful Paul Orndorff was an inspiration to me breaking into the business," he wrote. Even at 14, Orndorff already exhibited the athletic gifts that defined his pro wrestling career. Orndorff never watched wrestling before because it looked fake to him. Published July 12, 2021 Updated July 14, 2021. Even worse, Estrada would suffer a broken neck from the senton maneuver which would ultimately cause him to retire from wrestling about a year later. Sadly, at the age of 71, he now appears to be in ill health at a medical facility as his son Travis has shared a heartbreaking video of the WWE Hall of Famer where he is unrecognizable and appears to be confused. Years later the morning before WrestleMania 21, I trained with him and Hulk. David claims to see the father walking up his front lawn. Boxing legend Ali helped promote the event, featuring as a guest referee. Kwee-wee (challenger) Vs Elix Skipper (champion) (WCW Cruiserweight Title Match), Kronik Vs The Harris Brothers (chain match), Lance Storm (champion) Vs General Rection (challenger) (WCW U.S. Canadian Heavyweight Title Match), The Natural Born Killers Vs The Filthy Animals (Tag Team Elimination Match), Billy Kidman, Madusa Vs Shane Douglas, Torrie (Scaffold Match), Jeff Jarrett Vs Mike Awesome (Bunkhouse Brawl Match), Booker T. (challenger) Vs Kevin Nash (champion) (WCW World Heavyweight Title Steel Cage Match). The Genius Cast with Lanny Poffo (2018-19), HOMAGE.com Our favorite in retro wrestling attire! Despite his successes and strongman physique, Orndorff battled many injuries during his career. Canadian wrestler Edge, real name Adam Copeland, tweeted out a tribute to Paul Orndorff. > Career Records These two things drive me. Chuck Austin, no relation to Steve Austin, was a star football player in college and decided to train to be a pro wrestler. Despite a student body of only 1,300, the Spartans notched wins over established programs such as Ole Miss, Miami, and fourth-ranked Michigan. Type above and press Enter to search. Wonderful Orndorff. Your email address will not be published. Paul Orndorff, a bronzed, brawny star of professional wrestling during its boom period of the 1980s and '90s who became known for athleticism in . "Man, I had so many matches and learned a ton with #PaulOrndorff," he wrote. He calls one of them a prick and tells another to blow it out his ass. Editors update: It is with great sadness that we learned of the passing of Paul Orndorff on July 12th, 2021. Finn Balor was injured by Seth Rollins turnbuckle powerbomb as well, and as a result many fans blamed Rollins for injuring Sting and dubbed the move unsafe. Mean Gene is getting feisty as he interviews The Natural Born Killers. After landing, Misawa lost consciousness and was unable to be revived as medical staff performed CPR in the ring. "Walston asked what Orndorffs plans were," Dorfman said. Eventually, a trainer and EMTs were called to the ring and the match was declared a No Contest. Juvie is given the heave-ho by OHaire at 11:31. Ha. In 1969, Orndorff finished second on the team in rushing as a freshman and carried over his high-school reputation as a punishing runner to the collegiate level. He had lost almost all of his muscle mass and was regulated to jobbing in WCW. 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. 13th July 2021, 12:58 pm. 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. 7 WWE Hall of Fame Stories WWE Doesnt Want You To Know! For other inquiries, Contact Us. And he had the confidence to have fun with his character.". FANS 'SADDENED' AT NEWS OF PAUL ORNDORFF'S DEATH. Eager to learn from the best, he regularly made the 140-mile ride from the Naval Base in San Diego to Santa Monicas famed Muscle Beach. Most people probably dont remember Jose Estrada Jr., but they definitely should rememberEdge. "It is with great sadness that I announce the passing of my father, Paul Parlette Orndorff Jr," Travis Orndorff wrote. Sid jumped and all his weight landed on his one leg snapping it in two. Despite his successful WWE career, Orndorff never won the WWE Championship. CM Punk Over his near fifteen years in wrestling, CM Punk went from an indie darling to one of the most beloved and longest reigning champions in WWE history. The opportunity came about when a mutual friend, Ted Dorfman, ran into Walston at the Tampa Airport as Walston was en route to the NFL meetings in Miami. He was 71. Even Kevin Nash, not known for having the best work rate in the business, bladed in his WCW World Heavyweight Title cage match against challenger Booker T. Will wonders never cease? Maybe 95ish. That went on for seven months. After their breakup, Paul lived with his dad in a 22-foot trailer. The news of his death was announced by his son Travis, who. Former WWE star Paul Orndroff recalls the night he punched out Vader, comments on his hot feud with Hulk Hogan, working with Mr. T at the original WrestleMania May 22, 2010 - 11:27 AM In Your. Goldberg bleeds. Paul Orndorff had suffered from numerous issues in recent years, including throat cancer in 2011 and memory loss. While. Rey hit Aguayo with a dropkick which sent him to the middle rope as planned, but Aguayo lost consciousness. Bitten by the bug, Smith began entering bodybuilding competitions. Despite Earles explanation, Orndorff thought the position change was punishment for his two fumbles in the prior game against Louisville. 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