The Poffo Wrestling Family

The Poffo Wrestling Family, often known as the Poffo Dynasty, is a well-known wrestling family whose tremendous influence on professional wrestling is widely acknowledged. This family, headed by Angelo Poffo, has produced a number of legendary wrestlers recognized for their extraordinary talent and charisma, including his two sons, Randy and Lanny.

They have made a huge contribution to the history of wrestling during their career, winning a special place in the hearts of fans all over the world. Unfortunately, the legends of the Poffo family—Angelo, Randy, and Lanny—are no more.

The Poffos Family

Angelo Poffo (1949 - 1991)

American professional wrestler and promoter Angelo John Poffo passed away on March 4, 2010. He was born on April 10, 1925. For many years, he oversaw International Championship wrestling, hosting events in Tennessee, Kentucky, and Arkansas. He was the father of "The Genius" Lanny Poffo and "Macho Man" Randy Savage.

Poffo enlisted in the Navy during World War II, and in 1945 he set a sit-up world record. In four hours and ten minutes, he finished 6,033 sit-ups. After 6,000 sit-ups, he performed 33 more, one for each year of Jesus' life, according to his son Lanny.

In 1948, Poffo began wrestling in the Illinois gym owned by Karl Pojello. In 1949, he faced Ruffy Silverstein in his debut match. In-jokes regarding Poffo's actual extreme affordable spending habits inspired him to sometimes wrestle as "the Masked Miser."

In 1950, he was introduced as a villain for the first time. He was managed by Bronco Lubich in the middle of the 1950s. In 1958, he won the Chicago-based NWA United States Heavyweight Championship.

Vince McMahon allegedly rejected including Poffo in a 1987 World Wrestling Federation event that featured legends, according to Poffo's son, Lanny. In 1991, Luis Martinez was the opponent in the final match of his career.

Poffo, 84, passed away peacefully in his sleep on March 4, 2010. His son Randy told the Tampa Bay Times, “I have always been proud to call Angelo Poffo my father; he is a great example of a self-sacrificing, hard-working man who always put his family first. He has always been my hero and my mentor, and the priceless gifts he gave I will have and cherish forever.”

Randy Poffo (1985 - 2004)

The American professional wrestler Randy Mario Poffo, better known by his ring name "Macho Man" Randy Savage, is most well-known for his time competing in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) and World Championship Wrestling (WCW). Randy was born on November 15, 1952, and died on May 20, 2011.

Bill Simmons, a columnist, referred to Savage as "one of the greatest pro wrestlers who ever lived"; this opinion was shared by several professionals in the field. Savage's real-life wife, Miss Elizabeth Hulette, handled his management for the majority of his time in the WWF and WCW.

Randy’s distinctively flashy ring costume, raspy voice, intensity both in and out of the ring, usage of Elgar's "Pomp and Circumstance March No. 1" climax as his entrance music, and catchphrase "Oooh yeah!" made him instantly known to wrestling fans. Savage held six world championships during his 32-year career, including two as the WWF heavyweight champion and four as the WCW heavyweight champion.

Having held the WWF Intercontinental Heavyweight Championship once, he was hailed by WWE as the greatest titleholder of all time and given praise for “bringing a higher level of credibility to the title through his amazing in-ring performances."

Savage won the 1995 WCW World War 3 and the 1987 WWF King of the Ring. Throughout his career, he was the main attraction at numerous pay-per-view events, including the 1995 Starrcade, WrestleMania IV, V, and VIII (when he competed in a double main event), and two of the first five SummerSlam events.

In the early hours of May 20, 2011, Savage was driving his Jeep Wrangler close to his Seminole, Florida-home with his wife in the backseat when he lost consciousness and collided with a tree. He died at the age of 58. In 2015, the WWE Hall of Fame inducted him posthumously.

Lanny Poffo (1979 - 2020)

Lanny Mark Poffo, born on December 28, 1954, was a Canadian-American professional wrestler, motivational speaker, and poet, better known by his ring titles "Leaping” Lanny Poffo and “The Genius.”

Poffo, a professional wrestler from his second generation, made his debut in 1974 at an All-South Wrestling Alliance event in Atlanta, Georgia, losing to Wayne Cowan in the opening match.

For a while, Poffo was still in the promotion and triumphed over The Great Fuji and Cowan in rematches. He collaborated with his father, Angelo Poffo, for the first time on July 9, 1974, in Atlanta, and they defeated the seasoned team, the Royal Kangaroos.

International Championship Wrestling (ICW), an "outlaw" rival to NWA affiliates Southeastern Championship Wrestling and NWA Mid-America, was established in 1978 by Lanny's father, Angelo.

Later, Angelo continued to grow and recruited wrestlers from Jerry Jarrett's Continental Wrestling Association (CWA) and the World Wrestling Association, creating a fierce rivalry with the other territories. In the summer of 1979, Lanny Poffo jumped at his father's promotion, which sent him into a whirlwind. He rose to fame in the ICW, where he finally rose to the position of champion and engaged in combat with Randy Savage.

Over the course of the following six years, only Paul Christy held the ICW Heavyweight Championship as a result of the dominance of the two brothers. Lanny stayed a constant in the promotion until it was terminated in 1984. Poffo made a triumphant comeback to WWE on March 28, 2015, when he inducted his late brother, Randy Savage, at the 2015 Hall of Fame event.

Along with wrestlers Papa Shango, Virgil, Brooklyn Brawler, and local stars The Megan Boys, Buck Gunderson, and Mysterion the Mind Reader, Poffo competed in his final match at The Reena Rumble in Toronto on March 5, 2020.

The Poffo family's longtime friend Jim Duggan disclosed on February 2, 2023, that Poffo had passed away in New York City at the age of 68. Heart failure was found to be the cause of death, according to Dave Meltzer.

The Poffo Family Championship and Accomplishments