Kemo
12-23-2021, 07:52 PM
Michael Penzel, better known to wrestling fans as Corporal Kirchner has passed away. He was 64. The cause of death is listed as a heart attack.
As a teenager, Kirchner enlisted in the United States Army and eventually became a paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne Division. He left the Army in his early twenties and began working as a mechanic and a bouncer in Minnesota.
He met Hulk Hogan in a gym who introduced him to Verne Gagne. Penzel then went to Gagne’s wrestling school.
In 1984, Kirchner worked as enhancement talent in WWF until Vince McMahon found out he had been in the 82nd Airborne Division. McMahon then gave him the name Corporal Kirchner and incorporated his military background into his character.
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He left WWE in 1987 and had a brief run in Calgary for Stampede Wrestling. In 1989, he ended up with New Japan Pro Wrestling and adopted the Leatherface gimmick. He would work for various Japanese promotions until landing with FMW in 1995.
After FMW closed, he worked a few years for various Japanese promotions before retiring from full-time in-ring work in 2004. He’d later make some appearances for the Insane Clown Posse’s promotion in the years after.
As a teenager, Kirchner enlisted in the United States Army and eventually became a paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne Division. He left the Army in his early twenties and began working as a mechanic and a bouncer in Minnesota.
He met Hulk Hogan in a gym who introduced him to Verne Gagne. Penzel then went to Gagne’s wrestling school.
In 1984, Kirchner worked as enhancement talent in WWF until Vince McMahon found out he had been in the 82nd Airborne Division. McMahon then gave him the name Corporal Kirchner and incorporated his military background into his character.
H8N3Y4HeVKY
He left WWE in 1987 and had a brief run in Calgary for Stampede Wrestling. In 1989, he ended up with New Japan Pro Wrestling and adopted the Leatherface gimmick. He would work for various Japanese promotions until landing with FMW in 1995.
After FMW closed, he worked a few years for various Japanese promotions before retiring from full-time in-ring work in 2004. He’d later make some appearances for the Insane Clown Posse’s promotion in the years after.