5 Things You Didn't Know About Gorilla Monsoon 

#3 Monsoon Was Once Part Owner Of WWE

The late great Gorilla Monsoon

Vince McMahon Sr., had one request to make of his son when he took over the WWE and that was that Vince Jr. would take care of Gorilla Monsoon and Arnold Skaaland.

Both men were employed with the WWE, in one form or another, until the time of their passing. Even if they had no actual duties, Vince Jr. kept the promise he made to his father, and the two were still paid.

Monsoon had once owned 20% of the WWE, a move orchestrated by Vince McMahon, Sr, after the passing of former WWE co-owner Joe 'Toots' Mondt. Monsoon's part ownership allowed him to become one of the main decision makers in the professional wrestling business.

Monsoon developed an unflattering nickname for the young McMahon. When 'Little Vinny' took over the company in 1984, Monsoon enjoyed a massive payoff and regular quarterly payments that lasted until his death in 1999.

If McMahon didn't make those 'exorbitant' payments, control of the company would revert back to the company's previous owners, including Gorilla Monsoon.

Prichard describes Monsoon as 'shocked' that he received every single penny that was ever promised to him, including huge balloon payments after the very first WrestleMania.