AWA, UWF Legend ‘Wildman’ Jack Armstrong Passes Away

“Wildman” Jack Armstrong, a pro wrestling legend known for his runs in the AWA, UWF and more, has passed away. Laura Creavalle posted to Facebook on Saturday to announce that Armstrong had passed away. She had posted on October 20th that his health was failing and that he was on dialysis. He was 79 years old.

Armstrong, real name Leonard Ornstein, was born in 1947 in Los Angeles. He began his professional wrestling career early, making his professional debut in March of 1963 at just 16 years old with a win over George Bell for Georgia Championship Wrestling. He began working for the Gene LaBell’s World Wrestling Alliance (later known as NWA Hollywood Wrestling) in 1964.

Armstrong had a run in the WWWF as Lenny Solomon in the late 1960s, where he feuded with Lou Albano and Tony Altomare while also having matches with the likes of Ernie Ladd, Johnny Rodz, and Carlos Colon. He left the promotion in 1969 but returned in the early ’80s as a preliminary card wrestler under the Jack Armstrong name.

Between those runs, Armstrong worked in a variety of different territories including Pacific Northwest Wrestling, the Japan Wrestling Association, Big Time Wrestling in Michigan and Ohio, and the ASWA. He also had a run in the AWA that lasted from 1969 through 1971.

He held titles in All-California Championship Wrestling, California Pro Wrestling, and the International Wrestling Federation. He also briefly held a title in Herb Abrams’ ill-fated UWF promotion, where he defeated Mando Guerrero to become the first and only UWF Junior Heavyweight Championship on the company’s final show, UWF Blackjack Brawl, in September of 1994.

On behalf of 411, our condolences to the family, friends, and fans of Mr. Armstrong.