The Tragic Death Of Former Wrestling Star Lanny Poffo

Professional wrestler Lanny Poffo, known in the ring as "The Genius," died at 68 years old, as confirmed by friend and fellow colleague "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan. Details were scarce, and the cause of death was unknown at the time of this writing. "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," Duggan tweeted.

Poffo made his professional debut in the squared circle in the All-South Wrestling Alliance in 1974, and had nearly 50 years of ring experience, per TMZ. Although he paid his dues in lower-tier wrestling circuits, he became a household name among wrestling fans when he joined the WWE (then the WWF) in 1985, first as "Leaping Lanny Poffo" and then as his renowned character "The Genius," who would often read poems in the ring before squaring off against opponents. Poffo left the WWE in 1992, and joined the WCW for five years, per Caged Side Seats.

Once news of Poffo's death was announced, fans took to social media to mourn the former wrestling standout and praise his pro wrestling presence. "One of the most underrated gimmicks of all time," a Twitter user wrote. "'The Genius' was a brilliant gimmick, ahead of its time," another added. Poffo was wrestling royalty and the brother of another famed deceased wrestling icon.

Lanny "The Genius" Poffo was undoubtedly an incredible wrestler. It seemed that wrestling ran in his blood, and it turns out it does! Not only was Lanny a wrestler, but so were his father and older brother.

According to Slam Wrestle, Angelo Poffo, Lanny's father, was a professional wrestler for quite some time and even managed the careers of his two sons at one point. Growing up, Lanny was surrounded by wrestling as his entire family traveled from city to city to see his father compete. Lanny shared, "When your father's a wrestler, you just don't know any other way ... I was the youngest in the family, so I didn't know it was different." Lanny was "intrigued" by the sport and what his father did, and so was his brother.

According to WWE, Lanny's older brother, Randy Poffo a.k.a. Randy "Macho Man" Savage, joined the WWE around the same time as his brother in 1985. His career inspired many, including Lanny. Randy tragically passed away in 2011, and Lanny penned a tribute in January 2023 to his late brother showing his admiration, per Pro Wrestling Stories. "My brother and I grew up in the kayfabe era when people didn't know whether wrestling was real or not," Lanny wrote. "Randy was out there to prove that it was real." Lanny and the Poffo family were destined to shake up the world of wrestling, and that's precisely what they did.