Lanny Poffo, fondly remembered as “Leaping Lanny” and “The Genius” during his time in the World Wrestling Federation, has passed away at the age of 68. The news was first announced by wrestler “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan on his Instagram page. The cause of death is currently unknown.
Lanny Poffo’s extensive career in wrestling began in the 1970s and spanned multiple promotions. He started in the National Wrestling Alliance and then moved on to International Championship Wrestling, owned by his father Angelo Poffo. He also had stints in Continental Wrestling Association and Mid-South Wrestling before joining the World Wrestling Federation from 1985 to 1992. During this time, he earned a reputation as a heel wrestler and was known for his recitation of poetry.
After his departure from the WWF, Lanny Poffo joined the rival promotion, World Championship Wrestling, from 1995 to 1999. According to Cagematch, his final wrestling match took place in January 2020 for Survival Championship Wrestling in Rensselaer, New York. In 2015, Poffo inducted his brother, “Macho Man” Randy Savage, into the WWE Hall of Fame. He also made an appearance on an episode of “AEW Dynamite” in 2020, as part of a tribute to the legends of Memphis Wrestling.
