Hold onto your folding chairs, folks, because Gorilla Monsoon is stepping back into the spotlight—this time, on the printed page. The legendary WWE Hall of Famer and verbal sparring partner of Bobby “The Brain” Heenan is the subject of an upcoming biography, Irresistible Force: The Life & Times of Gorilla Monsoon, set to hit shelves September 30, 2025. Wrestling enthusiasts and fans of colorful commentary alike can mark their calendars for what promises to be a suplex of storytelling.
Penned by wrestling historian Brian R. Solomon—who previously body-slammed the literary world with his book on The Sheik—this new tome is being published by ECW Press. Despite the name, ECW Press has no connection to the kendo stick-wielding chaos of Extreme Championship Wrestling, though a hardcore approach to storytelling isn’t off the table.
Monsoon’s legacy is nothing short of monumental. From his early days as a hulking grappler to his unparalleled run as WWE’s resident commentator, Marella was a Renaissance man of the squared circle. He served as a trusted consigliere to Vince McMahon Sr. before becoming an integral part of Vince Jr.’s WWE empire. His influence is immortalized in the Gorilla Position, the backstage hub where dreams are made, crushed, and memed in real-time.
Inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 1994, Gorilla Monsoon’s impact is still felt today. Broadcasters like Jim Ross credit Monsoon for their careers, with JR once gushing that he owed it all to the big man. And let’s not forget Monsoon’s penchant for colorful phrases—how many of us have used “The irresistible force meets the immovable object” to describe something other than WrestleMania III? (Just me?)
Monsoon passed away in 1999 at 62, but his legacy continues to tower over the industry like a top-rope splash. With this biography, fans will finally get an intimate look behind the curtain—or should we say, the Gorilla Position.