Gorilla Monsoon

Gorilla Monsoon was an American professional wrestler, commentator, and on-screen authority figure best known for his long association with the WWWF and WWF. Born Robert Marella, he first wrestled as Gino Marella before becoming Gorilla Monsoon, a large heavyweight villain billed from Manchuria.

Before his professional wrestling career, Marella was an amateur wrestler at Ithaca College. He placed second at heavyweight in the 1959 NCAA tournament, then entered professional wrestling soon after.

As Gorilla Monsoon, he became one of the WWWF’s key heavyweight names during the 1960s and 1970s. He challenged Bruno Sammartino, worked major matches at Madison Square Garden, and held the WWWF United States Tag Team Championship with Killer Kowalski and later with “Cowboy” Bill Watts.

Monsoon’s in-ring style used his size, strength, and character presentation. His signature moves included the Airplane Spin and the Manchurian Splash. He first gained attention as a monster-style villain, then later became a fan favorite after years as one of the promotion’s top heels.

After his wrestling career slowed down, Monsoon became one of the most familiar voices in WWF history. He worked as a play-by-play commentator during the 1980s and 1990s, calling major television shows and pay-per-view events. His commentary partnerships with Jesse Ventura and Bobby Heenan became a major part of WWF programming, especially during the Rock ’n’ Wrestling and early pay-per-view years.

Monsoon later appeared on WWF television as the company’s on-screen president from 1995 to 1997. He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 1994 and remained connected to the company behind the scenes. The backstage production area near the entrance curtain became known as the “Gorilla Position” in his honor, reflecting his long-term role in WWF history both in front of the camera and behind it.