When did Paul Orndorff turn on Hulk Hogan?
The wrestling world has gone into a state of grief since news of "Mr Wonderful" Paul Orndorff's passing broke out earlier today. Many pro wrestling legends, including Hulk Hogan, Ted Dibiase, Kane, and Jim Ross, have extended their deepest condolences to Orndorff's family.
Paul Orndorff was amongst the most popular superstars of the 80s. During his illustrious career, Paul became a part of several wrestling promotions, including NWA, WWE(earlier known as WWF), and WCW.
His feuds against names like Roddy Piper, Rick Rude, and most famously Hulk Hogan are still cherished by the WWE Universe for their top-notch storytelling.
Paul Orndorff's passing away is a big blow for every person that has seen him do wonders in the ring. The wrestling world has truly lost one of its most precious gems today.
Although Mr. Wonderful is no longer with us, he has left an immortal legacy that true wrestling fans can cherish forever. So let's celebrate Paul Orndorff's iconic wrestling journey by looking back at one of the most monumental moments of his career.
A look back at Paul Orndorff's initial rivalry with Hulk Hogan.
Paul Orndorff made his official WWE debut on January 23, 1984, against Salvatore Bellomo. It was the very same night on which Hulk Hogan defeated Iron Sheik to kick off his legendary "Hulkamania" movement.
At that point, none of these superstars knew that they would go on to indulge in one of the most action-packed rivalries in pro wrestling history.
Paul Orndorff found himself in the main-event scene in less than a month of his debut when he challenged Hogan for his World title. Although he lost the match, Orndorff continued to be a dominant force on the roster.
Orndorff, along with his wicked manager "Rowdy" Roddy Piper, kept running through different opponents throughout 1984. By the end of the year, Orndorff and Piper found themselves against The World Champion once again.
In the first-ever edition of WWE WrestleMania, Piper and Orndorff teamed up to take on the team of Hulk Hogan and famous American celebrity Mr. T. It was a high-stakes main event, which saw the babyfaces picking up the victory.
Following the loss, Roddy Piper and his manager, Bob Orton, became furious with Orndorff. Ultimately, they attacked their partner at Saturday Night Main Event I, kickstarting a brand new rivalry. Later that same night, Orndorff solidified his face turn by saving The Hulkster from the assault of his former companions.
After this point, both Hogan and Paul Orndorff started teaming up together quite often. Mr. Wonderful had an intense rivalry with Roddy and Orton, where he also enjoyed the support of Hulk Hogan on a few occasions.
Later, the duo also crossed paths with Bobby "The Brain" Heenan, who did everything in his power to destroy the two.
When did Paul Orndorff turn heel on Hulk Hogan?
Paul Orndorff earned a lot of popularity during his time as a babyface. He started looking like someone who could dominate the main-event picture, just like Hulk Hogan. People really liked his partnership with The Hulkster.
However, good things always come to an end one day, which happened to be the case with the Hogan-Orndorff's team.
Several heel superstars, including Adrian Adonis and Bobby Heenan, tried to create a rift between Hogan and Orndorff. They called the latter "Hulk Jr." while trying to create jealousy between the two men. Eventually, they succeeded in their intentions.
On July 19th, 1986, Hogan and Orndorff joined hands against a destructive tag team of King Kong Bundy and Big John Studd. During the contest, the pair had several miscommunications. Tensions were slowly becoming visible between the two superstars.
After the match ended, Mr. Wonderful raised Hulk Hogan's hand and started celebrating with the Hulkster. But he soon showed his true colors by laying down his partner with a vicious clothesline. He didn't stop there and proceeded to hit a Pile driver on Hogan.
This heel turn eventually led to a reunion between Paul Orndorff and Bobby Heenan.
This moment is still considered by the wrestling community to be one of the best heel turns of all time. The duo went on to have a series of historical matches, including their bout at "The Big Event" in Toronto.
The rivalry concluded at the IX edition of the Saturday Night Main Event, where the duo finally settled their scores in a Steel Cage Match. Hogan's World Heavyweight title was also on the line during this high-stakes encounter.
In the end, Hulk Hogan succeeded in escaping the cage and therefore retained his title. The bout marked the end of this legendary feud.
Hulk Hogan also shared a heartfelt post about his relationship with Paul Orndorff.
Hulk Hogan had a very close relationship with Paul Orndorff. Earlier today, Hulk Hogan posted a tributing tweet about his late friend.
We at Sportskeeda are extremely saddened upon hearing this news and would like to extend our sincerest condolences to Paul Orndorff's family and friends.