Paul Martin (wrestler)

Paul Martin was a professional wrestler.

Profile

• Height: 5'11"
• Weight: 253 lbs
• Birthday: October 29, 1949
• Hometown: Brandon, Florida
• Trained by: Hiro Matsuda, Afa Anoia
• Professional debut: 1976
• Previous Identities: "Mr. Wonderful" Paul Orndorff (WWF/WCW)
• Finishing/Signature Move(s): Piledriver
• Managers: Bobby Heenan, Oliver Humperdink, Masked Assassin

Career

Paul Martin started wrestling in 1976 as "Mr. Wonderful" Paul Orndorff. He wrestled in Mid-Southern Wrestling where he feuded with Jerry Lawler. He next went to Mid-South Wrestling where he feuded with Ernie Ladd.

He made a name for himself in the early 1980's in the National Wrestling Alliance where he feuded with Masked Superstar and won the NWA National Heavyweight Title three times.

In 1985, he wrestled in the WWF where he teamed with Roddy Piper and Bob Orton, Jr. to feud with Hulk Hogan. He was part of the main event at Wrestlemania 1 on March 31, 1985 where he teamed with Piper and lost to Hogan and Mr. T.

He soon teamed with Manager Bobby Heenan to go after Hogan but still could not defeat him.

He left the WWF and wrestled on the independents and then injured his left arm. He retired to run his bowling alleys in Florida for a while but the "wrestling bug" bit him again.

He came back to World Championship Wrestling in 1993 and feuded with Dustin Rhodes and Ricky Steamboat. He also won the Television Title in a tournament final over Erik Watts.

In 1994, he teamed with Paul Roma and became "Pretty Wonderful". Pretty wonderful they were as they won the Tag Titles twice. They had a long feud with Marcus Bagwell and The Patriot (Stars N Stripes).

Orndorff eventually retired to run the WCW Power Plant, where he trained several wrestlers including the Natural Born Thrillers. He had a brief onscreen role during this time in the "Old Age Outlaws" with Terry Funk, Arn Anderson and Larry Zbysko to feud with the last WCW incarnation of the nWo.

On February 3, 2005, Paul Orndorff was announced as one of the inductees for the Class of 2005 into the WWE Hall of Fame along with Bob Orton, Jr., Iron Shiek, Nikolai Volkoff, Jimmy Hart, Hulk Hogan, and Roddy Piper. The induction ceremony took place on April 2, 2005 in the Universal Amphitheatre in Los Angeles, California.

Championships/Accomplishments

• 1-time NWA Southern Heavyweight Champion
• 3-time NWA North-American Heavyweight Champion
• 1-time NWA World Tag-Team Champion (with Jimmy Snuka)
• 2-time NWA Southeastern Tag Team Champion (with Dick Slater, with Norrell Austin)
• 3-time NWA National Heavyweight Champion
• 1-time AWF Heavyweight Champion
• 1-time NWA Tag-Team Champion (with Brian Blair)
• 1-time WCW World Television Champion
• 2-time WCW World Tag-Team Champion (with Paul Roma
• 1-time NWL Tag Team Champion (with Brian Blair)