Bobby Heenan was a wrestler, manager, and broadcaster for various wrestling organizations like WWA, AWA, WWF, and WCW. Bobby Heenan began his wrestling career in 1967 as a wrestler and manager for the World Wrestling Association. There, he managed The Blackjacks, The Valiant Brothers, and Angelo Poffo, who is the father of the late Macho Man Randy Savage and Lanny “The Genius” Poffo. Heenan would leave the WWA to join the Verne Gagne AWA promotion where he would announce that he would be known as “The Brain”.
He would go on to managed Nick Bockwinkel and “The Crippler” Ray Stevens. Dick Bruiser would give him a nickname when he called him a weasel. That name would be used to call Heenan by all the faces (or good guys) for the rest of his career. This would lead to the first of many feuds with Hulk Hogan starting in 1983 when Heenan managed Bockwinkel during Nick’s AWA championship run. Heenan would leave the AWA in 1984 to join the World Wrestling Federation.
During his time in the WWF, Heenan was originally set to manage Jesse “The Body” Ventura, but Ventura wrestling career was overdue to injury. Heenan would instead manage Big John Studd in a feud against Andre The Giant that lead to a bodyslam challenge at Wrestlemania 1 where Andre would body slam Studd to win $15,000. Andre would later join Heenan to feud with Hogan that would turn out to be the main event at Wrestlemania 3.
Heenan would go on to manage a variety of wrestlers during his time in the WWF like Rick Rude, Mr. Perfect, Ric Flair, Red Rooster, Ken Patera, Buddy Rose, “Mr. Wonderful” Paul Orndorff, The Brain Busters (Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard), King Kong Bundy, Harley Race, The Islanders (Haku and Tama), High Chief Sivi Afi, The Brooklyn Brawler, Lex Luger, and The Barbarian.
While he managed those wrestlers, he was also a broadcaster with Gorilla Monsoon, who would go on to form one of the best broadcasters in wrestling history. Together, Monsoon and Heenan would host Prime Time Wrestling and pay per views. Monsoon developed catchphrases in response to Heenan praising the heels (or bad guys) like “Will You Stop” “Please” or “Give Me A Break”. Bobby Heenan could get a crowd of over 20,000 fans to boo him and the wrestlers he managed. Heenan was one of those guys you loved to hate.
Bobby Heenan would leave the WWF and join WCW in 1994 to continue his broadcasting career with WCW Saturday Night, WCW Monday Nitro, WCW Thunder, WCW Worldwide along with WCW pay per views. Heenan would commentate with various announcers like Eric Bischoff, Lee Marshal, Larry Zbyszko, Tony Schiavone, Mike Tenay and Scott Hudson. Heenan was famous for the formation of the NWO at the 1996 Bash At The Beach pay per view when Hulk Hogan came down the aisle with Heenan saying “Yea, but who side is he on” and “Hulk Hogan has betrayed WCW, he’s the third man”.
In 1999, Heenan gave one of the best tributes to his friend Gorilla Monsoon on an episode of Monday Nitro before the in-ring action started. Heenan would go to say “Now he was one big tough man. He was a decent honest man. And we’re all gonna miss him very much” ” And. you know the pearly gates in heaven, It’s now gonna be called the Gorilla position, goodbye my friend”. Monsoon died in October of 1999 of heart failure caused by diabetes. I remember being so sad to see Heenan nearly in tears giving this wonderful tribute to Monsoon knowing that the only closet broadcasters to come near Heenan and Monsoon were Jim Ross and Jerry “The King” Lawler.
Heenan would leave WCW in 2000, Heenan called various wrestling matches like returning to the WWE to commentate a Gimmick battle royal at Wrestlemania 17 along with “Mean” Gene Okerlund. He would also appear in TNA Wrestling to lend his voice for a match when Chris Sabin, Dale Torborg, Sonjay Dutt battled Diamonds In The Rough. He would again appear for TNA with trying to managed Bobby Roode. Bobby Heenan would go on to be inducted into the WWE Hall Of Fame in 2004. His speech was incredible to listen to and his comedy was awesome. The crowd was laughing hysterically.
All that there is left to say is thank you, Bobby Heenan, for the wonderful memories that will last a lifetime. His work was incredible, he will go down as one of the best managers and commentators in wrestling history.
How will you remember Bobby “The Brain” Heenan? Leave a comment below.
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