He was known and beloved by multiple generations of WWE fans, and for different reasons. For one generation he was a massive, rampaging monster, who tore through their favorite heroes until becoming one of them himself. For a later generation, he was the friendly voice of the company, narrating some of their most cherished memories.
He spent his career working for the McMahons, becoming a trusted member of the inner circle, and even owning a piece of the company at one time. His presence behind the scenes was so valued, and so powerful, that the area right behind the curtain, where he would see wrestlers off to the ring and greet them when they returned, is literally named after him—and not just in WWE, but in all of wrestling.
To his friends, he would always be “Gino”. But to the rest of us, he was Gorilla Monsoon.
IRRESISTIBLE FORCE: THE LIFE AND TIMES OF GORILLA MONSOON will tell the story of one of the industry’s most adored figures—remembered fondly by fans of the ‘60s and ‘70s as much as by fans of the ‘80s and ‘90s, remembered fondly by everyone who worked with him, remembered fondly by Vince McMahon himself.
From his days battling arch-rival Bruno Sammartino to epic time limit draws in Madison Square Garden as the fearsome All-Asiatic Champion; to his ascension to part owner and close advisor of WWE founder Vince McMahon Sr.; to his years behind the mic, forming classic commentary teams with Jesse Ventura and Bobby Heenan and coining some of wrestling’s most recognized vernacular; to his final years as a Hall of Famer and even WWE President, it’s a story unlike any other in wrestling history.
And beyond the Gorilla, IRRESISTIBLE FORCE will explore the man, Bob Marella—born and raised in Rochester, New York; All-American wrestler for Ithaca College; proud Italian-American; beloved husband and father of three children, forced to endure the tragic loss of his son, referee Joey Marella, in 1994. As part of my writing, I intend to reach out to family and friends, to those he worked with, in order to do justice to a man whose legacy looms large over the biggest pro wrestling company in history, yet whose story has never been told until now.
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