WWE has a tradition of honoring wrestling greats, but Kevin Sullivan believes Paul Orndorff, known as Mr. Wonderful, deserves more acknowledgment for his contributions.
Orndorff rose to fame quickly in WWE (formerly WWF), earning main-event status shortly after his debut.
He famously teamed up with Roddy Piper to face Hulk Hogan and Mr. T in the first WrestleMania, putting on a memorable match, albeit with Hogan and Mr. T emerging victorious.
On his podcast, Tuesday with the Taskmaster, former WCW personality Kevin Sullivan spoke about Orndorff’s underappreciated talent. He highlighted Orndorff’s skills in the ring, especially his intensity during matches.
“Here’s another guy that doesn’t get his due. I want you to look at Paul Orndorff, go back and look at his tapes, and watch when he gets a guy down in the corner and starts kicking him. He goes first gear, second gear, third gear, fourth gear, overdrive, and then he goes berserk. He was a real athlete,”
Sullivan said.
Sullivan shared personal anecdotes, recalling witnessing Orndorff’s toughness firsthand, including a moment where he saw Orndorff knock out the formidable Vader.
“I knew Paul from the time he got in the business, I was only a couple of years ahead of him. He was the branded bull, he was the real deal, a tough guy. I was there when he KO’d Vader and almost kicked his head off,”
Sullivan reminisced.
Orndorff passed away in 2021 due to dementia at the age of 71, leaving behind a lasting legacy in the wrestling world.
In other news, boxing legend Muhammad Ali is set to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2024. Ali’s involvement in the main event of WrestleMania I solidified his place in WWE history.
Alongside Ali, legendary figures like Paul Heyman, Bull Nakano, Thunderbolt Patterson, and The U.S. Express will also be honored with Hall of Fame inductions this year.
