R.I.P. BOBBY "THE BRAIN" HEENAN

Bobby Heenan

Bobby Heenan, one of the greatest performers in wrestling both inside and outside of the ring has died. He was 72 years old. Bobby Heenan came to worldwide fame as a wrestling manager in the WWE during the 1980's as he managed some of the biggest stars in the industry such as Andre The Giant, King Kong Bundy, Ric Flair, Rick Rude,  "Mr. Perfect " Curt Hennig, Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard among others.


Bobby Heenan, Nick Bockwinkel, and Harley Race

Bobby Heenan first came to prominence in the AWA (American Wrestling Association) as the manager of Nick Bockwinkel. Bockwinkel and Heenan were a great pair as two arrogant bad guys. Bockwinkel playing his role as the star athlete and Heenan as his cocky manager. They would have great success working against Verne Gagne who was the promoter and main event star of the promotion with Bockwinkel becoming World Champion four times. It was in the AWA where Bobby Heenan would meet Hulk Hogan. Hogan became a main event star in the AWA and would challenge Bockwinkel for the championship on numerous occasions.



Andre The Giant, Haku, and Bobby Heenan

By the 1980's Vince McMahon and the WWE were taking over the wrestling business and grabbing all the talent from different areas promising more money and a global stage. Bobby Heenan left the AWA and joined the WWE in 1985. Heenan would manage "The Heenan Family" a rotating group of bad guys that included Andre The Giant, King Kong Bundy, Ric Flair,  Rick Rude,  "Mr. Perfect " Curt Hennig, Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard and others. The Heenan Family would work against heroes like Hogan and The Junkyard Dog.


Hulk Hogan vs Andre The Giant at Wrestlemania 3

Bobby Heenan's greatest moment may have been in 1987 at Wrestlemania 3 when he managed Andre The Giant against Hulk Hogan for the World title. Andre was billed as being unbeaten and over 90,000 fans packed the Pontiac Silverdome to see if Hulk Hogan could do the impossible. Andre would lose that night but the spectacle of that match would put all three men in the history books forever. 


Bobby Heenan and "Mr. Perfect" Curt Hennig

In later years Bobby Heenan retired from managing and became a color commentator or as he once called it a "broadcast journalist" working for the WWE until 1993 and then moving onto WCW (World Championship Wrestling) until they closed in 2001. Bobby was inducted into the WWE Hall Of Fame in 2004.

Thank you Mr. Heenan. The memories you've given fans will endure forever. 

THE PROFESSOR