{"id":3767,"date":"2017-04-10T20:40:58","date_gmt":"2017-04-11T00:40:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonprowrestling.com\/?p=3767"},"modified":"2017-04-10T20:40:58","modified_gmt":"2017-04-11T00:40:58","slug":"legendary-trainer-pretty-boy-larry-sharpe-passes-away","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/2017\/04\/10\/legendary-trainer-pretty-boy-larry-sharpe-passes-away\/","title":{"rendered":"Legendary trainer “Pretty Boy” Larry Sharpe Passes Away"},"content":{"rendered":"

The professional wrestling world was saddened today to learn of the passing of legendary wrestling trainer “Pretty Boy” Larry Sharpe<\/strong>, head of The Monster Factory<\/strong>, passed away today from liver disease. Larry Sharpe was 66.<\/p>\n

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Photo: Monster Factory’s Facebook Page<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A wrestler for nearly two decades, himself trained by WWE Hall of Famers Mr. Fuji, Gorilla Monsoon<\/strong> and Nikolai Volkoff<\/strong>, Sharpe worked various NWA territories and Japan before heading to Stu Hart<\/strong>‘s Stampede Wrestling<\/strong> in Calgary, where he won tag team gold with Ripper Collins<\/strong>. He would also find work in the WWWF<\/strong> in the mid-70’s in the original Hollywood Blondes<\/strong>, alongside Dynamite Jack Evans<\/strong> (not to be confused with the current Lucha Underground star<\/strong>). The Blondes also found tag team gold success in Carlos Colon<\/strong>‘s WWC<\/strong> before a final run in the WWF in 1979.<\/p>\n

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Alongside inaugural WWE Champion “Nature Boy” Buddy Rogers<\/strong>, Sharpe opened The Monster Factory in 1983 while in semi-retirement (he officially retired in 1991), the world’s first publicly available pro wrestling school.<\/p>\n

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During his run as the Monster Factory’s head trainer, Sharpe would mold the careers of many future wrestling stars and legends, including:<\/p>\n

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  • Tony Atlas<\/li>\n
  • Bam Bam Bigelow<\/li>\n
  • The Big Show<\/li>\n
  • D’Lo Brown<\/li>\n
  • Chris Candido<\/li>\n
  • Cliff Compton<\/li>\n
  • Sonjay Dutt<\/li>\n
  • “Wildcat” Chris Harris<\/li>\n
  • The Headbangers<\/li>\n
  • King Kong Bundy<\/li>\n
  • Balls Mahoney<\/li>\n
  • The Pitbulls<\/li>\n
  • Raven<\/li>\n
  • Rocco Rock<\/li>\n
  • Sheamus<\/li>\n
  • Tatanka<\/li>\n
  • Virgil<\/li>\n
  • Charles Wright (Godfather, Papa Shango)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    In 2011, indie wrestler Danny Cage<\/strong> became co-owner of the Monster Factory, and added former ECW wrestlers The Blue Meanie<\/strong> and Bill Wylie<\/strong> as trainers.<\/p>\n

    Larry Sharpe passed away today following battles with liver disease.<\/p>\n

    On behalf of the entire Last Word on Pro Wrestling staff, we wish our condolences to the entire Sharpe and Monster Factory family.<\/p>\n

    https:\/\/twitter.com\/TheDannyCage\/status\/851588487539290112<\/p>\n

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    Rest In Peace 'Pretty Boy" Larry Sharpe. Thank you and God speed!<\/p>\n

    — Brian Heffron aka The Blue Meanie (@BlueMeanieBWO) April 10, 2017<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n