An important man in professional wrestling.  “Mr. Wonderful” has been a major part in the
sport for more than 20-years.  He was a Brandon Eagle Football Star in Western Florida.  
He obtained nearly 200 yards rushing in a game against Blake at McLane Stadium on
October 19, 1968.  Orndorff also had two touchdowns including a 65-yard run.  He was the
first AWF World Champion and a top contender to both the NWA and WWF World
Championships during his career.

Orndorff made his professional debut in 1976.  He settled into the Mid-Atlantic Territory
and formed a tag team with Jimmy Snuka.  In December 1978, the two beat Greg Valentine
and Baron Von Raschke for the NWA World Tag Team Title.  Critics were amazed at the
firm stranglehold Orndorff and Snuka had on the belts in early 1979.  The popular duo
were upended in April 1979 and “Mr. Wonderful” left the region to tour the rest of the
world.  During the early 1980’s, he competed in the Georgia region where he captured the
NWA Georgia National Heavyweight Title on three occasions.

In 1984, Orndorff turned up in the World Wrestling Federation and was managed by
Roddy Piper for a short period of time.  In 1985, Orndorff went under the management of
Bobby Heenan and made a sincere run at the World Title held by Hulk Hogan.  He wrestled
Don Muraco to a double-countout in Uniondale on April 7, 1986 at WrestleMania II.  
Orndorff was a part of the main event that drew 70,000 fans to Exhibition Stadium in
Toronto on August 28, 1986.  He took on Hogan for the umpteenth time and lost by
disqualification.  The gate was $1.2 million, Canadian Dollars.  Hogan and Orndorff’s feud
was one of the biggest of late 1986.  The two wrestled 13-times in October alone.  His feud
with Hogan also gave him the title of “Most Hated Wrestler in the World.”

Orndorff turned fan favorite during the late 1990s and left the WWF.  He appeared
throughout the country on independent programs.  Orndorff became the AWF World
Champion.  He was indefinitely suspended by SMW Commissioner, Bob Armstrong in
February 1993 for using the piledriver, his finisher.  The maneuver was outlawed both in
Smoky Mountain and in the state of Tennessee.  He immediately began wrestling in World
Championship Wrestling, appearing at a television taping on February 9th in Gainesville,
Georgia.  Less than a month later, Orndorff was wearing a World Belt around his waist.  
On March 2nd in Macon, Orndorff beat Erik Watts in a tournament final to win the vacant
WCW World TV Title.  He teamed with Big Van Vader to defeat Cactus Jack and Sting by
disqualification when a shovel became a weapon.

On July 18, 1993 in Biloxi, Orndorff beat former WCW World Champion, Ron Simmons by
disqualification after being tossed over the top rope.  Former NWA Champion, Rick
Steamboat ended Orndorff’s reign on top of the television world on August 18th in Daytona
Beach, Florida.  He took the Assassin as his advisor.  Horsemen Member Paul Roma,
slowly made his turn from face to heel, first attacking partner Erik Watts and then teaming
with Orndorff to create a formidable tag team under the guidance of The Assassin.  The
two defeated Marcus Alexander Bagwell and 2 Cold Scorpio on December 7, 1993 in
Atlanta’s Center State Theater when Orndorff pinned Bagwell.  Together, Orndorff and
Roma became known as “Pretty Wonderful.”

At the 1994 Bash at the Beach in Orlando, Orndorff and Roma captured the WCW World
Tag Title from Cactus Jack and Kevin Sullivan before an estimated crowd of 14,000.  A
non-title tag bout was held in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on August 24, 1994 when Pretty
Wonderful took on the Nasty Boys.  Jerry Saggs pinned Orndorff at their Clash of the
Champions bout.  The popular tag team known as Stars and Stripes, Marcus Alexander
Bagwell and the Patriot, beat Pretty Wonderful in September for the straps in Atlanta, but
Orndorff and Roma remained one of the top contenders.  At Halloween Havoc, they
regained the belts in Detroit.  Bagwell and Patriot beat the champions in Jacksonville,
Florida during Clash XXIX and finally walked away with the title.  Orndorff suffered a
beating by members of the Four Horsemen during the December 11, 1995 edition of
Monday Nitro.  He was placed in a neck brace and carried away.  Brian Pillman helped
initiate the war, but Ric Flair and Arn Anderson were quick to jump in.  Orndorff retired
from wrestling and became a WCW Power Plant Trainer.  

During the fall of 2000, Orndorff was brought back into the limelight after being attacked by
members of the Natural Born Thrillers, most of whom he had helped train.  Officials signed
a huge twelve-man tag team elimination match for Fall Brawl in Buffalo on September
17th.  Orndorff was coming out of retirement to team with the Filthy Animals and Big Vito
versus the Thrillers.  After successfully eliminating Johnny the Bull, Orndorff attempted to
do a piledriver.  His back gave out and laid unmoving in the ring.  The match was ruled a
no contest.  Orndorff was carried from the ring and many fans worried about his condition.

TITLE HISTORY:
-Co-holder of the NWA World Tag Team Title (1978-’79) w/ Jimmy Snuka
-Mid-South North American Heavyweight Title (1981) defeated Jake Roberts
-A two-time NWA Georgia National Heavyweight Champion
       -Defeated Buzz Sawyer (1982)
       -Defeated The Super Destroyer (1982)
-AWF World Heavyweight Title (1991) defeated Stan Lane
-WCW World Television Title (1993) defeated Erik Watts, tournament final
-A two-time co-holder of the WCW World Tag Team Title
       w/ Paul Roma (1994) defeated Cactus Jack and Kevin Sullivan
       w/ Paul Roma (1994) defeated Marcus Alexander Bagwell and The Patriot


Research by Tim Hornbaker
Paul Orndorff Wrestling History
PPV Ring Record        TV Ring Record        Career Record
Legends of Pro Wrestling