Professional wrestler Lanny Poffo dies at age of 68

Professional wrestling icon Lanny Mark Poffo has passed away at the age of 68. He was widely recognized by his ring names "Leaping" Lanny Poffo and The Genius. For those unfamiliar, he was the younger brother of the legendary wrestler "Macho Man" Randy Savage.

Before appearing in WWE (previously known as WWF) in 1985, Lanny had performed in various other wrestling promotions, such as NWA, International Championship Wrestling, Mid-South Wrestling, and others.

WWE Hall of Famer Hacksaw Jim Duggan shared on Twitter that he was asked to announce the passing of Lanny Poffo on February 2, 2023. He writes, “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.”


Although he never achieved the level of fame as his older brother Randy Savage, Lanny Poffo initially established a unique persona in WWE as a fan favorite. He would bring frisbees to the ring and perform a short poem that he wrote to mock the heel, before tossing the frisbee into the crowd.

In his initial run with WWE, Lanny was mostly utilized as an enhancement talent. Despite this, he stood out from his peers in the same category due to the amount of offense he was given and the support he received from the crowd, especially during house shows.

By 1990, Lanny had established himself as a full-fledged main roster player and was involved in high-profile feuds with top names, such as Hulk Hogan and Ultimate Warrior.

In late 1992, Lanny left WWE but made occasional appearances. His most recent appearance was at the 2015 WWE Hall of Fame ceremony where he inducted his late brother Randy Savage.

FAQs:

1. Did Lanny Poffo have other hobbies, aside from wrestling?
   Aside from wrestling, Lanny also made a name for himself as a motivational speaker, poet, and actor.
2. Where was Lanny Poffo born?
   Alberta, Canada