Another beloved legend of the professional wrestling community has passed away. Lanny Poffo, known to many as a “Genius” since his days in WWE and as the real-life younger brother of Macho Man Randy Savage, has died at the age of 68. The nature and cause of his death are currently unknown.
The news of Lanny Poffo’s death first came from another wrestling legend, Hacksaw Jim Duggan. Duggan took to Twitter and other social media to announce to the public the news that Poffo had passed:
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 pic.twitter.com/4ve4J2HSHT
— Hacksaw Jim Duggan (@RealHacksawJim) February 2, 2023
Although Lanny Poffo’s connection to his iconic brother Randy Savage cannot be denied, the wrestler made a name for himself when he first entered WWE in the mid-1980s under the catchphrase “Jumping Lanny”. In 1989, Poffo’s popularity in the line-up grew thanks to a trick known as “Genius”.
Poffo has never had major titles in WWE, but wrestling fans will undoubtedly remember him for his character work. Poffo often composed poems to scold and ridicule his rivals, and performed mathematical equations in the middle of matches to figure out how to beat an opponent. Fans of classic wrestling may especially remember his alliance with Mr. Perfect, Kurt Hennig and the various feuds they had with Hulk Hogan and other stars of the company.
In addition to his wrestling career, Lanny Poffo has published a collection of poems for children called “Limericks from the Heart and Lungs!”. When WWE finally decided to induct Randy Savage into the WWE Hall of Fame, Poffo was ready to officially induct his older brother, who died in a car accident a few years ago:
The poem that Lanny Poffo performed in honor of his brother was a touching tribute to his brother and Poffo’s past in WWE. This touched on Savage’s memorable role as a Bone Saw in Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man, as well as the fact that, although this induction occurred much later than other famous stars of that era, it was a time to heal and forgive.
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Lanny Poffo’s death may serve as another reminder to wrestling fans that the beloved wrestling stars of the late 80s and early 90s are getting old. There seem to be increasing reports of alleged health problems of famous former superstars or the battles they face with certain diseases.
CinemaBlend expresses its condolences to Lanny Poffo’s family and friends and wishes them all the best during this difficult time. Poffo was an unforgettable part of his era in WWE, and there will probably be many fans who remember some of his greatest moments in the ring in the company.
That’s not all…
