“Mr. Wonderful” Paul Orndorff has seen and done it all in the wrestling business. He was in the first Wrestlemania main event, he has worked everywhere from the old-school territories to WWF during its first big boom period to WCW during its demise. He has worked with all the big names past and present and this veteran talks about it all here. Orndorff holds nothing back in discussing his entire career in and out of the ring when he visited the RF Video offices for this exclusive shoot interview.
Here is what Orndorff talked about:
-His start in the business. -Body building. -Going to work for Bill Watts.
-What was Watts like?
-His matches with Ernie Ladd, Andre The Giant, Bruiser Brody and Dusty Rhodes in that time period.
-Working the Superdome.
-Going to Mid-Atlantic.
-How did he leave things with Watts?
-Orndorff compares the Mid-South and Mid-Atlantic locker rooms.
-Working Ric Flair, Ricky Steamboat and Jimmy Snuka.
-Going back to Mid-South and Bill Watts.
-How were things different?
-His first matches vs. Hulk Hogan.
-Working in Alabama with Ron Fuller, Dick Slater and David Schultz.
-His series of matches vs. Jake Roberts in Mid-South.
-What was Jake like?
-Paul tells some road stories from back in the day.
-Early matches with Ted Dibiase, Dusty Rhodes and Dick Murdoch.
-Going to work in Georgia.
-What happened with Tony Atlas?
-Orndorff compares Bill Watts and Ole Anderson as bosses.
-Working Larry Zbysko, Masked Superstar and Buzz Sawyer.
-Going to Japan.
-Did he like Japan or the United States better?
-Going to WWF.
-First impressions of Vince McMahon.
-How did he end up in a group with Roddy Piper and David Schultz.
-Traveling in WWF.
-Did he and Piper ever fight about who would be the top heel?
-His WWF program with Hulk Hogan.
-How was Hogan different than earlier in his career?
-How did Jimmy Snuka change from before?
-Orndorff talks about when WWF exploded in popularity.
-How did things change during this period?
-Who did he like and not like to work in WWF?
-Memories of Terry Funk, Lou Albano, Big John Studd, JYD, Tonga Kid, Rocky Johnson, Jay Strongbow, Adrian Adonis and Jesse Ventura.
-Thoughts on the TNT show.
-The involvement of MTV.
-All the details on wrestling Mr. T and working in the main event of the first Wrestlemania.
-His babyface turn.
-Traveling with Bob Orton and Roddy Piper.
-Working on Saturday Night Live.
-The insane schedule.
-His matches teaming with Hogan vs. Piper and Orton.
-What was Andre The Giant like in WWF?
-What were politics like in WWF?
-The drug scene at the time.
-Working Don Muraco at the second Wrestlemania.
-Turning heel and feuding with Hogan again.
-Wrestling Hogan in front of one of the largest crowds ever in Toronto.
-Teaming with Harley Race.
-What was it like when Iron Sheik and Jim Duggan were busted together when they were feuding?
-Turning babyface again.
-Why wasnt he on Wrestlemania III?
-Angle where he fired Heenan and took Oliver Humperdink as his manager.
-His feud with Rick Rude.
-How did things change during the WWF boom?
-Orndorff tells why he left WWF.
-Why was an obituary printed for him?
-Was he financially set after WWF?
-Leaving the wrestling business.
-Coming back and wrestling Kerry Von Erich.
-Did he try to go back to WWF?
-Going to WCW.
-Orndorff compares WCW to WWF.
-Paul talks about Sting, Lex Luger, Steiners, Arn Anderson, El Gigante and Sid Vicious.
-Why did he fade out of WCW.
-Going to UWF and Smoky Mountain Wrestling.
-Working Ronnie Garvin and Brian Lee in SMW.
-Going back to WCW.
-What was Bill Watts like in WCW?
-Memories of Too Cold Scorpio, Dustin Rhodes and Ricky Steamboat.
-Teaming with Shockmaster.
-Thoughts on Eric Bischoff as boss.
-Teaming with Steve Austin.
-Did he think Austin would be as successful as he became?
-What were the plans for him and Paul Roma as a team?
-Thoughts on when Hogan came into WCW.
-How was their relationship?
-Orndorff gives him opinion on Renegade and Randy Savage.
-The locker room fight with Vader.
-What did he think of ECW?
-How was the business changing?
-Paul discusses WCWs attempt at shoot angles.
-How did Bischoff change with success?
-The success of Bill Goldberg.
-Did the new generation of talent respect him?
-Paul goes into detail about working at the Power Plant?
-He talks about using rough techniques during training.
-Who were his favorite and least favorite students at the Power Plant?
-Thoughts on when Vince Russo replaced Bischoff.
-Orndorff compares Russo and Bischoff.
-Working with Terry Funk again.
-Did he resent the top guys who were making lots of money?
-Lots more on all the inside happenings of WCW.
-Did he think he would be back to WWF?
-Paul discusses ribs and rats.
-How does he rate himself as a worker?
-Could he still draw money today?
-Does he miss teaching?