Former WWE star Lanny Poffo has passed away at the age of 68. The legendary wrestler was the younger brother of another legend, ‘Macho Man’ Randy Savage. He was famously known by his ring names ‘Leaping’ and ‘The Genius’.
The official cause of his death has not been announced yet. Poffo entered the wrestling scene in the 1970s and took part in a number of promotions, including International Championship Wrestling, Mid-South Wrestling, and National Wrestling Alliance, before venturing into WWF in 1985. Read on to know more about his life and career.
WWE Star Lanny Poffo Dies at 68
Pro wrestler and Hall of Famer Hacksaw Jim Duggan announced the news of Poffo’s demise with a tweet. He wrote, “With a very, very heavy heart, I’ve been asked to let everyone know about the passing of our friend and colleague Lanny Poffo, The Genius. RIP Lanny.”
Lanny made his wrestling debut in 1974 with All-South Wrestling Alliance. He lost to Wayne Cowan in his opening match. After a few months with the promotion, he first moved to National Wrestling Alliance and then to International Championship Wrestling, owned by his father, Angelo Poffo. He also had several bouts with the Continental Wrestling Association.
Poffo Joined the WWF in 1985
The wrestler made his WWF debut in July 1985. He spent seven years with the promotion and became famous for bringing frisbees to the ring with a poem targeting the heel written on them. He would throw the frisbees into the audience after reading the poem.
Poffo left the WWF in 1992 and joined its rival promotion, World Championship Wrestling, in 1995. He had his final match for Survival Championship Wrestling in January 2020. The same year, he appeared on AEW Dynamite to pay homage to the legends of Memphis Wrestling.
The wrestler had his brother Randy Savage inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2015. He was also a published author who wrote the anti-smoking book Limericks from the Heart and Lungs! And the biographical comic, The Genius of Lanny Poffo.
Tributes Pour in for the Wrestler
Poffo’s death has sent shockwaves across the wrestling industry, and many veterans and fans are now expressing their grief on social media. Iranian pro wrestler The Iron Sheik tweeted, “LANNY POFFO MY BROTHER. I LOVE YOU FOREVER. GIVE NIKOLAI RANDY AND ELIZABETH HUG FOR ME.”
“Sad to hear of Lanny Poffo’s passing. Lanny was a joy to have in the ROH locker room and at the broadcast table in 2019. He was amazed by the athleticism & charisma of today’s athletes & complimentary of today’s product. We kept up via text over the years – may he rest in peace,” wrote sports commentator Ian Riccaboni.
YouTuber Steve Shives also tweeted, “Saddened to hear of the death of Lanny Poffo, a.k.a. The Genius to us ’80s/’90s WWF marks. He was usually mentioned in conjunction with his brother, but he deserves to be celebrated in his own right as one of the most distinctive workers and talkers of his era.”
Our condolences to Lanny Poffo’s family and friends. May his soul rest in peace!
