when did the wwe hall of fame start
March 22 , 1993
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2008, then as a member of The Four Horsemen in 2012. WWF Hall of Fame (1993) was the inaugural class of the WWE Hall of Fame. It was announced on the March 22, 1993 episode of "Monday Night Raw" where André the Giant, who had died nearly two months prior, was announced as the sole inductee. During the episode of "Monday Night Raw" a video package announcing his induction was shown. No ceremony took place, and André was inducted posthumously. In March 2015 a condensed version of the 1994 ceremony was added to the WWE Network. Due to no original
WWE Hall of Fame
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2008, then as a member of The Four Horsemen in 2012. WWF Hall of Fame (1993) was the inaugural class of the WWE Hall of Fame. It was announced on the March 22, 1993 episode of "Monday Night Raw" where André the Giant, who had died nearly two months prior, was announced as the sole inductee. During the episode of "Monday Night Raw" a video package announcing his induction was shown. No ceremony took place, and André was inducted posthumously. In March 2015 a condensed version of the 1994 ceremony was added to the WWE Network. Due to no original
WWE Hall of Fame
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on "Raw Talk" (which aired on the WWE Network after the "Raw" broadcast) to wish the fans farewell, but ultimately did not rule out a return in the future. On January 15, 2018, ESPN announced that Goldberg would be inducted as the headliner of the WWE Hall of Fame class of 2018. This was then confirmed on "Raw" when it was announced by WWE. On March 25, WWE announced that Paul Heyman would be inducting Goldberg into the Hall of Fame. During his speech accepting the award, he discussed the various wrestlers that helped him attain his public status and
Bill Goldberg
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WWE Hall of Fame was the most highly anticipated class yet. Due to the launch of the WWE Network shortly before WrestleMania XXX, this event featured the first ever "Red Carpet" event as a one-hour pre-show prior to the start of the event. The pre-show was hosted by Michael Cole, Maria Menounos, and Renee Young. After Lita was inducted by Trish Stratus she shared a number of stories about how she started in professional wrestling from Mexico until eventually winding up in the WWE. One story Lita told was how she first met Arn Anderson and her desire to meet
WWE Hall of Fame (2014)
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WWE Hall of Fame. Goldberg, after a successful run with World Championship Wrestling, signed a one-year contract with World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) in March 2003, debuting on the March 31 episode of "Raw". Goldberg would go on to face Lesnar at WrestleMania XX, however fans knew this would be the final WWE match for both Goldberg and Lesnar, and thus gave largely negative reactions throughout the performance. During the episode of "WWE 24" featuring Goldberg, he admitted that he did not have the right attitude while in the WWE, which caused him to leave on bad terms. After a twelve-year
WWE Hall of Fame (2018)
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to a point". However, no official statement about his removal had been made and he was still listed in the Hall of Fame entry of the official WWE encyclopedia released in October 2016. On July 15, 2018, Hogan was reinstated into the Hall of Fame, after his numerous public apologies over the past year, as well as volunteering work. WWE Hall of Fame (2005) WWE Hall of Fame (2005) was the event which featured introduction of the 6th class to the WWE Hall of Fame. The event was produced by World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) on April 2, 2005 from the
WWE Hall of Fame (2005)
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WWE Hall of Fame (2004) WWE Hall of Fame (2004) was the event which featured the introduction of the 5th class to the WWE Hall of Fame. The event was produced by World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) on March 13, 2004 from the Hilton Hotel in New York City, New York. The event was hosted by Gene Okerlund. In 2004, WWE relaunched the Hall of Fame to coincide with WrestleMania XX. This ceremony, like its predecessors, was not broadcast on television, however, it was released on DVD on June 1, 2004. In March 2015 the ceremony was added to the WWE
WWE Hall of Fame (2004)
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WWE Hall of Fame The WWE Hall of Fame is a hall of fame for professional wrestlers and professional wrestling personalities maintained by WWE. The 1994 and 1995 ceremonies were held in conjunction with the annual King of the Ring pay-per-view events. In 1996, the ceremony was held with the Survivor Series event, for the first time in front of a paying audience as well as the wrestlers, after which, the Hall of Fame went on hiatus. In 2004, WWE relaunched the Hall of Fame to coincide with WrestleMania XX. This ceremony, like its predecessors, was not broadcast on television.
WWE Hall of Fame
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WWE Hall of Fame (2017) WWE Hall of Fame (2017) was the event which featured the introduction of the 18th class to the WWE Hall of Fame. The event was produced by WWE on March 31, 2017 from the Amway Center in Orlando, Florida. The event took place the same weekend as WrestleMania 33. The event aired live on the WWE Network, and was hosted by Jerry Lawler. A condensed one-hour version of the ceremony aired the following Monday after "Raw" on the USA Network. On January 16, 2017, WWE announced that Angle would be inducted into the WWE Hall
WWE Hall of Fame (2017)
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was sweating profusely and breathing heavily backstage. Following his death, the WWE created the Warrior Award, with the first award given at the 2015 Hall of Fame ceremony. The Warrior Award for those who have "exhibited unwavering strength and perseverance, and who lives life with the courage and compassion that embodies the indomitable spirit of the Ultimate Warrior." WWE Hall of Fame (2014) WWE Hall of Fame (2014) was the event which featured the introduction of the 15th class to the WWE Hall of Fame. The event was produced by WWE on April 5, 2014 from the Smoothie King Center
WWE Hall of Fame (2014)
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Network. WWE Hall of Fame (2004) WWE Hall of Fame (2004) was the event which featured the introduction of the 5th class to the WWE Hall of Fame. The event was produced by World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) on March 13, 2004 from the Hilton Hotel in New York City, New York. The event was hosted by Gene Okerlund. In 2004, WWE relaunched the Hall of Fame to coincide with WrestleMania XX. This ceremony, like its predecessors, was not broadcast on television, however, it was released on DVD on June 1, 2004. In March 2015 the ceremony was added to the
WWE Hall of Fame (2004)
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to finally be in the WWE. Sting then announced that he wanted to retire in the WWE and used this opportunity to officially announce his retirement. WWE Hall of Fame (2016) WWE Hall of Fame (2016) was the event which featured the introduction of the 17th class to the WWE Hall of Fame. The event was produced by WWE on April 2, 2016 from the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. The event took place the same weekend as WrestleMania 32. The event aired live on the WWE Network, and was hosted by Jerry Lawler. A condensed one-hour version of
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Kid Rock was next inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame, Celebrity Wing, by Triple H. Triple H talked about how Kid Rock was the voice of the attitude era, and all he provided to the WWE over the years. Kid Rock started by saying Vince McMahon does not like getting thanked, so he wanted to send a big thank you to McMahon for all he did. Rock spoke briefly about his involvement in the WWE and finished by talking about his former bandmate Joe C. Lawler said the next inductee Jeff Jarrett, means a lot to him, as he
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inducted Larry Zbyszko into the Hall of Fame class of 2015. WWE Hall of Fame (2013) WWE Hall of Fame (2013) was the event which featured the introduction of the 14th class to the WWE Hall of Fame. The event was produced by WWE on April 6, 2013 from the Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. The event took place the same weekend as WrestleMania 29. The event was hosted by Jerry Lawler. A condensed one-hour version of the ceremony aired on the USA Network the following Tuesday. In March 2015 the ceremony was added to the
WWE Hall of Fame (2013)
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However, it was released on DVD on June 1, 2004. Beginning with the 2005 ceremony, an edited version of the Hall of Fame was broadcast on Spike TV (2005) and on the USA Network (2006–present); these were aired on tape delay. Since 2005, the entire Hall of Fame ceremony has been packaged as part of the annual WrestleMania DVD release, and from 2014, has been broadcast live on the WWE Network. In 2015, historical WWE Hall of Fame ceremonies became available on the WWE Network. Although a building has never been built to represent the Hall of Fame, WWE has
WWE Hall of Fame
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WWE Hall of Fame (2015) WWE Hall of Fame (2015) was the event which featured the introduction of the 16th class to the WWE Hall of Fame. The event was produced by WWE on March 28, 2015 from the SAP Center in San Jose, California. The event took place the same weekend as WrestleMania 31. The event aired live on the WWE Network, and was hosted by Jerry Lawler. A condensed one-hour version of the ceremony aired the following Monday after "Raw", on the USA Network. Due to the launch of the WWE Network shortly before WrestleMania XXX, this event
WWE Hall of Fame (2015)
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WWE Hall of Fame (2016) WWE Hall of Fame (2016) was the event which featured the introduction of the 17th class to the WWE Hall of Fame. The event was produced by WWE on April 2, 2016 from the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. The event took place the same weekend as WrestleMania 32. The event aired live on the WWE Network, and was hosted by Jerry Lawler. A condensed one-hour version of the ceremony aired the following Thursday on USA Network, after "SmackDown". Due to the launch of the WWE Network shortly before WrestleMania XXX, this event featured
WWE Hall of Fame (2016)
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WWE Hall of Fame (2005) WWE Hall of Fame (2005) was the event which featured introduction of the 6th class to the WWE Hall of Fame. The event was produced by World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) on April 2, 2005 from the Universal Amphitheatre in Los Angeles, California. The event took place the same weekend as WrestleMania 21. The event was hosted by Gene Okerlund. A condensed version of the ceremony aired that evening on Spike TV. In March 2015 the ceremony was added to the WWE Network. On July 24, 2015, WWE terminated their contract with Hogan, stating that they
WWE Hall of Fame (2005)
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sold to WWE. Ross helped design his niece Natalya's ring costume, he criticized how revealing the original version was and opted to change it. In 2014 Ross inducted long time wrestling photographer Bob Leonard into the High Impact Wrestling Hall of Fame. Hart appeared on WWE television on stage together with all his living siblings when his father Stu Hart was posthumously inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. Ross and his brother Smith were present for the induction of their father into the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2014. In 2017 Hart served together with his older brother
Ross Hart
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WWE Hall of Fame (2014) WWE Hall of Fame (2014) was the event which featured the introduction of the 15th class to the WWE Hall of Fame. The event was produced by WWE on April 5, 2014 from the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. The event took place the same weekend as WrestleMania XXX. The event aired live on the WWE Network, and was hosted by Jerry Lawler. A condensed one-hour version of the ceremony aired the following Monday after "Raw", on the USA Network. It was reported by some news outlets that the 2014 class of the
WWE Hall of Fame (2014)
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WWE Hall of Fame (2018) WWE Hall of Fame (2018) was the event that featured the introduction of the 19th class to the WWE Hall of Fame. The event was produced by WWE on April 6, 2018 from the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. The event took place the same weekend as WrestleMania 34. The event aired live on the WWE Network, and was hosted by Jerry Lawler. The following night, a condensed one-hour version of the ceremony aired on USA Network. On January 15, 2018, ESPN announced that Goldberg would be inducted as the headliner of the
WWE Hall of Fame (2018)
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WWE Hall of Fame (2018) WWE Hall of Fame (2018) was the event that featured the introduction of the 19th class to the WWE Hall of Fame. The event was produced by WWE on April 6, 2018 from the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. The event took place the same weekend as WrestleMania 34. The event aired live on the WWE Network, and was hosted by Jerry Lawler. The following night, a condensed one-hour version of the ceremony aired on USA Network. On January 15, 2018, ESPN announced that Goldberg would be inducted as the headliner of the
WWE Hall of Fame (2018)
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WWE Hall of Fame (2013) WWE Hall of Fame (2013) was the event which featured the introduction of the 14th class to the WWE Hall of Fame. The event was produced by WWE on April 6, 2013 from the Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. The event took place the same weekend as WrestleMania 29. The event was hosted by Jerry Lawler. A condensed one-hour version of the ceremony aired on the USA Network the following Tuesday. In March 2015 the ceremony was added to the WWE Network. After leaving the WWF, Sammartino became an outspoken critic
WWE Hall of Fame (2013)
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WWE Hall of Fame (2012) WWE Hall of Fame (2012) was the event which featured the introduction of the 13th class to the WWE Hall of Fame. The event was produced by WWE on March 31, 2012 from the American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida. The event took place the same weekend as WrestleMania XXVIII. The event was hosted by Jerry Lawler. A condensed one-hour version of the ceremony aired on the USA Network the following Monday, before "Raw". In March 2015 the ceremony was added to the WWE Network. Mil Máscaras was inducted by Alberto Del Rio. Ron Simmons
WWE Hall of Fame (2012)
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appearance in nearly 11 years after Mr. McMahon appointed Angle as the new general manager of Raw. On October 20, WWE announced Angle's in-ring return after 11 years, replacing Roman Reigns due to medical issues and teaming with Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins to face The Miz, Cesaro, Sheamus, Braun Strowman, and Kane in a 5-on-3 handicap Tables, Ladders, and Chairs match at . WWE Hall of Fame (2017) WWE Hall of Fame (2017) was the event which featured the introduction of the 18th class to the WWE Hall of Fame. The event was produced by WWE on March 31,
WWE Hall of Fame (2017)
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inducted posthumously, and his award was accepted on his behalf by his brother Lanny Poffo. Arnold Schwarzenegger was inducted by Triple H. Kevin Nash was the final inductee, inducted by longtime friend Shawn Michaels. Following the induction they were joined on stage by fellow members of The Kliq, Scott Hall, Sean Waltman and Triple H. WWE Hall of Fame (2015) WWE Hall of Fame (2015) was the event which featured the introduction of the 16th class to the WWE Hall of Fame. The event was produced by WWE on March 28, 2015 from the SAP Center in San Jose, California.
WWE Hall of Fame (2015)
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to the original ceremony only being partially recorded and not originally intended to air, Gene Okerlund and Renee Young host the program with added commentary. Due to Vincent J. McMahon's passing in 1984, he was posthumously inducted by the McMahon family. ! class="unsortable"| Image ! Ring name(Birth Name) ! Inducted by ! class="unsortable"| WWE recognized accolades WWE Hall of Fame The WWE Hall of Fame is a hall of fame for professional wrestlers and professional wrestling personalities maintained by WWE. The 1994 and 1995 ceremonies were held in conjunction with the annual King of the Ring pay-per-view events. In 1996,
WWE Hall of Fame
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WrestleMania XXX, this event featured the fourth "Red Carpet" event as a one-hour pre-show prior to the start of the event. The pre-show was hosted by Michael Cole, and Maria Menounos. In 2016, WWE introduced a new category for the Hall of Fame called the "Legacy" wing. Inductees under this new category feature wrestlers from the early years of professional wrestling, primarily during the early part of the 20th century. All inductees in 2017 were inducted posthumously and were recognized with a video package at the ceremony. Those inducted in the 2017 legacy category were Martin "Farmer" Burns, June Byers,
WWE Hall of Fame (2017)
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the third ever "Red Carpet" event as a one-hour pre-show prior to the start of the event. The pre-show was hosted by Michael Cole, and Maria Menounos. The Godfather was inducted by his long term friend whom he often traveled the road with, the members of The Acolytes Protection Agency, John "Bradshaw" Layfield and Ron Simmons. Stan Hansen was inducted by Vader. Jacqueline was inducted by The Dudley Boyz (Bubba Ray Dudley and D-Von Dudley). In 2016, WWE introduced a new category for the Hall of Fame called the "Legacy" wing. Inductees under this new category feature wrestlers from the
WWE Hall of Fame (2016)
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toward the industry was misguided and "stupid". Angle was signed to a five-year deal by August 1998, following a three day tryout. On August 25, 2006, Angle was granted an early release from his WWE contract because of health reasons. Angle stated in the "Kurt Angle: Champion" documentary DVD that he asked for his release from WWE because he could not take time off and was working hurt, severely on some occasions. He also stated that when he quit, WWE lost their top talent, as he was at the very top of the payroll. Following his release, Angle did not
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absence, Goldberg appeared on the October 3, 2016 episode of SportsCenter, where he contemplated a return to WWE, which eventually occurred on an episode of "Raw", two weeks later. Goldberg's return would include a run with the WWE Universal Championship, and ended after his match with Lesnar at WrestleMania 33. Goldberg appeared the following night on "Raw Talk" (which aired on the WWE Network after the "Raw" broadcast) to wish the fans farewell, but ultimately did not rule out a return in the future. On February 19, 2018, WWE announced that Jeff Jarrett would be inducted into the WWE Hall
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company he said: "I try to put them both out of my mind so I couldn’t tell you. No comment. I’m in the middle of a lawsuit with them so I can’t really comment." When asked about positive memories during his time with TNA he stated that he did not have any. In 2016, WWE released a DVD about Bischoff, with the documentary portions also airing on the WWE Network. On March 21, 2017, Bischoff was announced to induct Diamond Dallas Page into the WWE Hall of Fame on March 31. On the January 22, 2018, episode of "Raw 25",
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WCW Hall of Fame was the second hall of fame established to honor professional wrestlers, after the creation of the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) Hall of Fame in February 1993. After the 1995 Hall of Fame ceremony, WCW stopped the production of the Hall of Fame without a formal announcement. In 2001, after WCW filed for bankruptcy, the WWF acquired all of its assets; this led to the formal stoppage of the WCW Hall of Fame. The WWF, however, stopped producing its Hall of Fame ceremony after 1996. In 2004, World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), the WWF's successor, reinstated the WWE
WCW Hall of Fame
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Carlos Colón Sr. into the WWE Hall of Fame class of 2014. At the WrestleMania XXX pre-show, they received a WWE Tag Team Championship shot against The Usos, RybAxel and The Real Americans, in a Fatal Four-Way Elimination Tag Team match, but lost after being the first team eliminated when Fernando submitted to Jack Swagger's Patriot Lock. On the June 23, WWE.com reported that Fernando was injured at a live event that past weekend. Despite this, Diego and El Torito would then start a short feud with Fandango. After 3MB broke up, their former mascot Hornswoggle joined Los Matadores as
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had been his favorite wrestler when growing up) Dean Ambrose. He did not appear at the Royal Rumble event, but was announced as part of the 2014 Class of the WWE Hall of Fame. He was inducted by Diamond Dallas Page on April 5, 2014. Regarding his hall of fame induction, he later said "It wasn't at all what I expected"...it was more about healing between a man and his family." On April 7, 2018, the night before WrestleMania 34 in New Orleans, Louisiana, Davey Boy Smith Jr. threw a cup of coffee at Roberts's face during a verbal argument
Jake Roberts
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January 28, 2013, episode of "Raw", Stratus was announced as a WWE Hall of Fame inductee as part of the 2013 class, Stratus chose Stephanie McMahon to induct her into the Hall of Fame in April. The following year, Stratus inducted Lita into the WWE Hall of Fame. On August 16, 2016, Stratus appeared on WWE Network special "WWE 24: Women's Evolution", discussing the history of the women back in her era known as the Attitude Era and also her rivalry with Lita. On January 22, 2018, during the "Raw" 25 Years anniversary episode, Stratus was amongst a group of
Trish Stratus
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under his real name of Ron Simmons. Simmons and Brown, who had been released already from WWE in March 2003 and returned in 2008, were officially released (again, in Brown's case) in early January 2009 due to budget cuts. In 2012, Ron Simmons was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame while The Rock headlined WrestleMania XXVIII the following night and WrestleMania 29 one year later. In 2016, The Godfather was also inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame by Simmons and Layfield. Henry would also be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2018. Nation of Domination The
Nation of Domination
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Rikishi was announced as the newest member to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2015. His sons, who wrestle as Jimmy and Jey Uso, inducted him into the Hall of Fame on March 28, 2015. Rikishi is a playable DLC character in the Attitude Era-themed video game "WWE '13". He also appeared in "", "WWF SmackDown! Just Bring It", "WWE SmackDown! Shut Your Mouth", "WWE SmackDown! Here Comes the Pain", "WWE 2K16", "WWE 2K17" and "WWE 2K18". Outside of the main series, he is featured in "WWF No Mercy", "WWF Raw", "WWE Raw 2", "WWE Wrestlemania
Rikishi (wrestler)
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the draft changes were included in the video game. Another brand of wrestling included in the series is the legends program, which was first included with the release of "WWE SmackDown! Here Comes the Pain". Popular WWE alumni or members of the WWE Hall of Fame have been included since then under the legends program. This was featured up until the release of "WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2008", as alumni and Hall of Fame members were not featured in "WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2009" due to production of "WWE Legends of WrestleMania". "WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2009" was also the
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also attempted to use a chainsaw, which did not start). After Ambrose threw numerous chairs in the ring, Lesnar attempted an F5 but Ambrose countered and executed Dirty Deeds onto the pile of chairs for a near fall. Afterwards, Ambrose brought in a barbed wire wrapped baseball bat to finish Lesnar off, but Lesnar delivered a german suplex to Ambrose, and executed an F5 on the pile of chairs to win the match. Afterwards, Lesnar sprayed Ambrose with a Fire Extinguisher. After the 2016 WWE Hall of Fame class had been presented, Charlotte, Becky Lynch, and Sasha Banks (who had
WrestleMania 32
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to WWE to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. During his induction, he mentioned that WWE should create an award to honor those behind the scenes called the Jimmy Miranda Award, named after a long time WWE employee who died. Warrior died several days after being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. WWE decided to create the Warrior Award, an award for people "who embodied the spirit of the Ultimate Warrior." The award was later given to Connor Michalek (a child who died from cancer), Joan Lunden (a journalist who was diagnosed with cancer), and Eric LeGrand (a
WWE
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Classics", a weekly series, airing on the MSG Network, featuring classic WWE matches that took place at Madison Square Garden from the last four decades. He's also the host for the WWE Classics On Demand Hall of Fame section, which takes a look at a different WWE Hall of Famer each month. Okerlund was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame on April 1, 2006 by Hulk Hogan. During his acceptance speech, he quoted a Bobby Knight speech and requested to be buried face down upon his death so his critics can "Kiss my ass". In June 2008, Okerlund began
Gene Okerlund
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ceremony, the 1993 introduction of André was discussed by Gene Okerlund and Renee Young as part of the 1994 commentary. WWF Hall of Fame (1994) was the event which featured introduction of the 2nd class to the WWE Hall of Fame. The event was produced by the WWF on June 6, 1994 from the Omni Inner Harbor International Hotel in Baltimore, Maryland. The event took place the same weekend as King of the Ring. In March 2015 a condensed version of the ceremony was added to the WWE Network. Due to the original ceremony only being partially recorded and not
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originally intended to air, Gene Okerlund and Renee Young host the program with added commentary. WWF Hall of Fame (1995) was the event which featured the introduction of the 3rd class to the WWE Hall of Fame. The event was produced by the WWF on June 24, 1995 from the Marriott Hotel in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The event took place the same weekend as King of the Ring. In March 2015 a condensed version of the ceremony was added to the WWE Network. Due to the original ceremony only being partially recorded and not originally intended to air, Gene Okerlund and
WWE Hall of Fame
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Renee Young host the program with added commentary. The 1995 class featured two posthumous inductees. Antonino Rocca was presented by his wife, and The Grand Wizard was represented by Bobby Harmon. WWF Hall of Fame (1996) was the event which featured the introduction of the 4th class to the WWE Hall of Fame. The event was produced by the WWF on November 16, 1996 from the Marriott Marquis in New York City, New York. The event took place the same weekend as Survivor Series. In March 2015 a condensed version of the ceremony was added to the WWE Network. Due
WWE Hall of Fame
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from the first WrestleMania. Windham worked as a producer for WWE. In 2007, he appeared on the "Ric Flair and the Four Horsemen" DVD. Barry was also seen during the 2007 WWE Hall of Fame broadcast, sitting next to former partner John "Bradshaw" Layfield. In June 2007, Windham did the introduction of SuperBrawl III for WWE 24/7. On March 13, 2008, Windham teamed up with Rotundo, in a WrestleMania 1 match against the Iron Sheik and Nikolia Volkoff. On December 31, 2008, he was released by the WWE. In the evening of October 26, 2011, Barry was taken into intensive
Barry Windham
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Right to Censor, a storyline stable of characters with harshly conservative sociopolitical views. In her later years with WWE, she wrestled only sporadically. Moretti did, however, co-host "WWE Experience", and served as one of the trainers on "WWE Tough Enough". After Moretti left WWE in 2005, she wrestled for Women Superstars Uncensored, winning two other titles, and was also inducted into the WSU Hall of Fame. Moretti also began volunteering at her local animal shelter. In addition, Moretti opened an animal care and grooming facility named Downtown Dog, in her hometown in 2007. On April 6, 2018, Ivory was inducted
Ivory (wrestler)
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Tag-Team Titles. Where they were the first team to be eliminated after a slightly botched sunset flip from Necro Butcher. On January 29, 2011, Valentine was inducted into the Legends Pro Wrestling "Hall of Fame" by Jack Blaze in Wheeling, West Virginia, at their annual "LPW Over The Edge" event. On March 13, 2004, Valentine was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame class of 2004 by his former manager Jimmy Hart. The following night, at WrestleMania XX at Madison Square Garden, Valentine received loud applause when the class of 2004 was introduced. Shortly after being inducted into the WWE
Greg Valentine
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Phoenix credits Chyna with "breaking down doors" in the industry and independent wrestler Kimber Lee credits her as her influence to get into wrestling. Columnist Mike Mooneyham of "The Post and Courier" stated that it is "an oft-asked question" as to when Chyna will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. Jim Ross said that Chyna had an "overwhelming desire" to be inducted during her lifetime. On February 9, 2015, during a WWE Network podcast with Stone Cold Steve Austin, Triple H mentioned that Chyna deserved to be in the Hall of Fame but that problems with children Googling
Chyna
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ECW when he was angry that things were not going to happen in a good sense for him to WCW when he and Brian Pillman began to become a strong tag team leading to Austin suffering injury and going through a rub shot in WWE as Stone Cold, an anti-hero that was not going to be tame into a corporate man. Video Packages contain commentary that was remixed from "WWE '13" and "WWE 2K14" with the exception of some not documented before. Through DLC, the WWE Hall of Fame showcase contains what if matches and some from WCW; these matches
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match at WrestleMania 31 the following year. His last ever bout at Night of Champions in September 2015, marked his sole WWE pay-per-view main event and WWE World Heavyweight Championship contest for the organization. Sting headlined the WWE Hall of Fame class of 2016 on April 2, where he announced his retirement. His induction renders him the first performer to be inducted into both the WWE and TNA Hall of Fame, as well as the second man to be inducted while an active WWE wrestler, after Ric Flair. Sting held 25 total championships throughout his career, including 21 between WCW
Sting (wrestler)
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Taboo Tuesday. When Austin decided not to participate, he was replaced by Batista. Vader and Goldust interfered in the match on Coachman's behalf and received spinebusters for their efforts. On the June 11, 2012 episode of "Raw", Vader defeated Heath Slater in a singles match. On July 23 on the 1000th episode of "Raw", Vader and several other legends prevented Slater from leaving in his match against Lita, which she won. In April 2016, Vader made a one-night appearance at the 2016 WWE Hall of Fame ceremony to induct Stan Hansen into the WWE Hall of Fame. Vader returned to
Big Van Vader
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where he was defeated by Cody Rhodes in a steel cage match. This was his last match on the independent circuit. On January 16, 2017, WWE announced that Angle would be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. On March 16, WWE revealed that his long-time rival John Cena would induct Angle at the Hall of Fame ceremony. On the April 3 episode of "Raw" after WrestleMania 33, Angle made his first WWE appearance in nearly 11 years after Mr. McMahon appointed Angle as the new general manager of Raw. On the May 29 episode of "Raw", Angle was informed
Kurt Angle
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2013, after attending the WWE Hall of Fame ceremony, he announced he had signed a WWE Legends contract along with recording interviews for the WWE Network and future DVD releases. He is a regular at NXT TV tapings in Orlando and has appeared at WrestleMania Axxess in recent years. On March 16, 2015, it was announced he would be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame class of 2015. On March 28 he was inducted by his former mentor and rival Bruno Sammartino. He married Kathleen Gagne (Daughter of AWA Co-Founder Verne Gagne and Sister to Greg Gagne) in 1988,
Larry Zbyszko
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he would receive one World singles title shot a month. Since his retirement, Lanza has worked for the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) as a road agent and producer. In 2004, Lanza inducted his longtime manager Bobby Heenan into the WWE Hall of Fame class of 2004. On April 1, 2006, Lanza, along with his former partner, Blackjack Mulligan, were inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame by Heenan. His nephew is former WWE Champion John "Bradshaw" Layfield. Blackjack Lanza John Lanza (born October 14, 1935) is an American retired professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Blackjack Lanza. Lanza
Blackjack Lanza
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During the hiatus, he announced at house shows only. Chimel returned to WWE television on the December 28, 2015 edition of "Raw". He would return at Fastlane 2016 to introduce Edge and Christian. Chimel has since been reserved, only to introduce Edge whenever he appeared on television. Chimel once again returned to WWE television on November 15, 2016 during the 900th episode of SmackDown. At this appearance, he did his trademark introduction of Edge, before the Cutting Edge segment. Chimel returned during Beth Phoenix's induction in the 2017 WWE Hall of Fame to announce her husband Edge's name. Chimel now
Tony Chimel
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if WWE wanted to induct him into the WWE Hall of Fame they would have "to tell the right story" opposite of the one depicted in the 2005 DVD. WWE released "Ultimate Warrior: The Ultimate Collection", a 3-DVD, 540 minute-compilation of matches and stories, which portrayed Warrior far more positively, on April 1, 2014. Warrior was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame on April 5, 2014, the night before WrestleMania XXX.' Warrior had been largely alienated from his peers in professional wrestling in the decade before his death, and was sometimes described as a bitter man on bad terms
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were next inducted by Dusty Rhodes. Although through the years there were more members, the only ones inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame were "Nature Boy" Ric Flair, Barry Windham, "The Enforcer" Arn Anderson, Tully Blanchard and James J. Dillon. With this induction Ric Flair became the first and only person inducted twice. Mike Tyson was inducted by D-Generation X members Shawn Michaels and Triple H. The final inductee was Edge who was inducted by his childhood friend Christian. The two shared stories of coming up through the Canadian wrestling system and their time together in the WWE. WWE
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WWE Hall of Fame at the 2017 WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on March 31, 2017. On March 20, WWE officially announced that the team will be inducted by Jim Cornette. They recently captured the Viral Pro Wrestling Tag Team Championships at VPW's Holiday Havoc on December 9, 2017. They will be DLC for WWE 2K18. The Rock 'n' Roll Express The Rock 'n' Roll Express is a professional wrestling tag team consisting of professional wrestlers Robert Gibson and Ricky Morton. The duo began teaming together in Memphis in the early 1980s, followed by Universal Wrestling Federation (known as
The Rock 'n' Roll Express
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WWE Hall of Fame on April 1, 2006. Austin returned to WWE programming (appearing on "Raw", "ECW", and "SmackDown!") in March 2007, partially to promote his starring role in the release of WWE Films' production, "The Condemned". On March 31, 2007, Austin inducted Jim Ross into the WWE Hall of Fame. At WrestleMania 23, Austin, as a special guest referee, officiated the match between Bobby Lashley and Umaga. The stipulation for the match was that if Lashley lost, Donald Trump's head would be shaved, and if Umaga lost, Mr. McMahon's head would suffer that fate. During the match, Austin delivered
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recent actions and left him to fight in a losing effort to Orton. On the September 16, 2011 edition of Smackdown, entitled 'Edge Appreciation Night', the duo once again came face to face backstage. They made up but argued again after Christian tried asking Edge to get him for another title shot. After the tapings, a tribute for Edge aired and the two did a five-second pose in front of their hometown. In January 2012, it was announced that Edge will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. On March 31, 2012, Christian inducted Edge into the WWE Hall
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into the WWE Hall Of Fame by his son, Buddy "Jack" Roberts Jr. as part of The Fabulous Freebirds. Buddy Roberts Dale Hey (May 16, 1947 – November 26, 2012) was an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Buddy Roberts. Primarily a tag team wrestler, Roberts is known for his appearances as one of The Hollywood Blonds in the 1970s and as one of The Fabulous Freebirds in the 1980s. He was inducted into the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2015 and the WWE Hall of Fame in 2016. Hey was born in Oklahoma on May
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inductees for the Class of 2005 into the WWE Hall of Fame. He was inducted on April 2 at the Universal Amphitheatre in Los Angeles by Bobby Heenan. In 2009, Orndorff was elected by a committee of his peers to the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame, then located in Amsterdam New York, now located in Wichita Falls, Texas. On April 6, 2014, Orndorff made an appearance at WrestleMania XXX. Marking the first time being on WWE television since the 2005 Hall of Fame. He appeared with Rowdy Roddy Piper, Hulk Hogan, Mr. T, Pat Patterson who was part of the
Paul Orndorff
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Ring of Honor, Cornette decided to take an extended break from professional wrestling to focus on his health and work on personal projects. On March 31, 2017, Jim Cornette made his first appearance with WWE in 12 years when he inducted The Rock 'n' Roll Express into the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2017. Cornette was also featured in an episode of the WWE Network Original series "Table For 3" alongside Eric Bischoff and Michael Hayes. Since then Cornette made another appearance for WWE, starring in an episode of the WWE Network Original Series "Photo Shoot" in March 2018.
Jim Cornette
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WWC's anniversary show was dedicated to Abdullah the Butcher's contributions to WWC. On April 2, 2011, Abdullah the Butcher was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in Atlanta, Georgia. In early 2012, Abdullah the Butcher appeared on the "Wrestling Marks of Excellence" radio show and said that he had given away his Hall of Fame ring to his brother, saying that he had been in the business and drew people from all over the world and should have been inducted decades ago. Following his WWE Hall of Fame induction, Superstar Billy Graham requested his name be removed from the
Abdullah the Butcher
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Mildred Burke Mildred Bliss (August 5, 1915 – February 18, 1989), better known by the ring name Mildred Burke, was an American professional wrestler. Burke is a member of the WWE Hall of Fame as a Legacy inductee, Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame as well as the Wrestling Observer Hall of Fame. Her heyday lasted from the mid-1930s to the mid-1950s, when she held the NWA World Women's Championship for almost twenty years. Burke started out in 1935, wrestling men at carnivals. She was managed by her second husband, promoter Billy Wolfe. Mildred Burke, aged 15, began to work as
Mildred Burke
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Attitude Era, of which Benoit joined WWE at the tail end. This was finalized in mid 2008 in the WWE's switch from a TV-14 rating to its current TV-PG rating. There have been discussions in whether Benoit would ever be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. Steve Austin commented on Benoit, believing that while he was an important aspect of the business, he would never be inducted into the Hall of Fame due to his actions. Chris Jericho also stated that Benoit should never be in the Hall of Fame. Chris Benoit double-murder and suicide The Chris Benoit double-murder
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to the six of them together that they are where they are today. Their music then played signal it was time to wrap up, and they finished by putting the producer through a table. Lawler next introduced Hillbilly Jim by stating he was already in the Denim Overalls Hall of Fame and the Moonshine Hall of Fame. Jimmy Hart came out to induct Jim, stating they have been friends for 39 years, and he never would have worked for the WWE if it were not for him. Jim talked about the story of how he got involved in wrestling, and
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without the Dudleys. During the Dudleys speech, Bubba Ray told D-Von he is only supposed to say "testify", to which D-Von responded that he is now a producer and Bubba Ray needs to step back. They both thanked their families, including a reference to Mr. T's long speech at the WWE Hall of Fame ceremony. They continued by saying they are the first Extreme Championship Wrestling act to be inducted into the Hall of Fame, and thanked their fellow ECW wrestlers. They invited Edge, Christian and The Hardy Boyz on stage with them, as Bubba Ray said it was thanks
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Sr. into the WWE Hall of Fame. The Colóns (2002–2010) The Colóns were a professional wrestling tag team who consisted of real-life brothers, Carlito and Primo. The team worked for World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). They were the first-ever Unified WWE Tag Team Champions, being holders of both the WWE Tag Team Championship and World Tag Team Championship. Their father is former professional wrestler Carlos Colón Sr., and they initially began teaming together in his promotion, World Wrestling Council and held the WWC World Tag Team Championship. In 2008, they began teaming together in WWE, when Primo debuted on "SmackDown" alongside
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the WWF. Blayze, as Madusa, unexpectedly signed with World Championship Wrestling in 1995 and threw the championship belt, which was still in her possession, in a trash can on an episode of "WCW Monday Nitro" (in Blayze's 2015 WWE Hall of Fame speech, she "returned" the title). The Women's Championship was reactivated again in September 1998 when Jacqueline Moore defeated Sable to win the title. After the WWF/WWE name change in 2002, the championship was subsequently referred to as the WWE Women's Championship. With the WWE Brand Extension in March 2002, the Women's Championship at first was still defended on
WWE Women's Championship (1956–2010)
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with Hulk Hogan and Scott Hall as part of Hogan's birthday celebration. Nash was suspended by WWE on December 24, 2014, following his arrest, but was quickly reinstated when the charges were dropped. On the January 19, 2015 episode of "Raw", Nash appeared with X-Pac and Scott Hall to reunite the nWo, and along with The Acolytes Protection Agency and The New Age Outlaws, they beat down The Ascension, who had been insulting legends from past weeks. On March 23, 2015, it was announced that Nash would be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame class of 2015. On March
Kevin Nash
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city in Marion County, South Carolina. On July 17, 2010, Flair made a special appearance at Scotland Motors in Laurinburg, North Carolina and received the key to that city, as well. On the February 18, 2008 episode of "Raw", Shawn Michaels announced Flair as the first inductee into the WWE Hall of Fame class of 2008. The induction ceremony took place on March 29, 2008, with Triple H inducting him. This made him the first person to be inducted while still an active competitor. Flair was later inducted into the NWA Hall of Fame in Atlanta, Georgia, but he did
Ric Flair
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of twelve songs as well as users can use entrance theme song of superstar/Diva to be played in the menu. The 2K Showcase mode also returns, with the showcase detailing the career of the cover star "Stone Cold" Steve Austin. A second showcase becomes available only with purchase of the 'Hall Of Fame' DLC pack. It is a collection of classic matches featuring each of the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2015 entrants (excluding Arnold Schwarzenegger). However, one match with Alundra Blayze is a fantasy match featuring then current WWE women's wrestler Paige. This was the last video game
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an unlockable superstar in "WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2010" and "WWE 2K14". DiBiase was announced as the first inductee of the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2010 on the February 8 episode of "Raw". DiBiase appeared again on the November 2 edition of "NXT", where he was the minister for Aksana and Goldust's wedding. On February 21, 2011, it was announced DiBiase would induct Jim Duggan into the Hall of Fame. He appeared on the Slammy Awards episode of "Raw" on December 12 alongside fellow legend Mick Foley, and presented the "Holy %&@*# Move of the Year" award, which
Ted DiBiase
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removed due to throat cancer. In July 2000, he died due to throat cancer at the age of 71, leaving behind five children. In 2005, his posthumously released memoir "Gordon Solie ... Something Left Behind" became a best-seller. In 2008, he was inducted, by Jim Ross, into the WWE Hall of Fame, appearing on Solie's behalf were his five children; Pam, Danise, Jonard, Eric and Greg. On March 29, 2008, Jim Ross posthumously inducted Solie into the WWE Hall of Fame in the Class of 2008. Later the same year WWE's WWE Classics on Demand video service began offering "The
Gordon Solie
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various WWE events to interrupt awkward situations with his catchphrase. Occasions include episodes of "WWE Old School Raw" (November 15, 2010 and January 6, 2014) and "Raw" (May 2, 2011 and January 28, 2013), "Hell in a Cell 2012" and WrestleManias 30 and 31. Simmons was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. Simmons was also credited in the tribute as being the first African American world heavyweight champion in WCW. Simmons was acknowledged as a memorable character in WWE's "Attitude Era". on March 31 by his APA partner John "Bradshaw" Layfield. He ended his Hall of Fame speech with
Ron Simmons
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including the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum, Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame, NWA Hall of Fame, WCW Hall of Fame, and the George Tragos/Lou Thesz Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame which is subsequently named after both one of his trainers along with Thesz himself. On April 2, 2016, Thesz was posthumously inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame as an inaugural member of the "Legacy" wing. <br> <br> <br> Lou Thesz Aloysius Martin Thesz (April 24, 1916 – April 28, 2002) was an American professional wrestler. A fifteen-time world champion, he held the NWA World Heavyweight Championship
Lou Thesz
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their medal. Beginning with the Class of 2008 on June 7, 2008, a ceremony has been conducted to formally induct the inductees. There were no inductees in 2007 due to the planning of an international expansion to the NWA. On June 7, 2008, the Class of 2008 was inducted into the Hall of Fame. Ric Flair, a member of the Class of 2008 and a World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) employee at the time of the ceremony, was inducted on October 4, 2008 after his WWE contract had expired; his WWE contract prevented him from appearing in other organizations. Similarly to
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show, and went on to become a one-time WWF European Champion and one-time WWF World Tag Team Champion. Due to a series of injuries, he allowed his contract with the company to expire in 2002. He worked for TNA from 2004 to 2005, challenging for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship in the main event of Destination X 2005. On February 20, 2017, WWE announced that Page would be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame as part of the class of 2017, and on March 31, 2017, he was officially inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame by Eric Bischoff.
Diamond Dallas Page
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be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame class of 2018. At the ceremony on April 6, she was inducted by Molly Holly. On April 8 at WrestleMania 34, she appeared during transmission while she was introduced as part of the 2018 Hall of Fame class. Ivory made her in-ring return to WWE for the first ever all-women's pay per view, WWE Evolution to compete in a battle royale for a future title shot at the Women's Championship. She lasted longer than all of the returning female legends, only to be eliminated towards the end by Asuka. Ivory has appeared
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are "committed to embracing and celebrating individuals from all backgrounds", although Hogan's lawyer said Hogan chose to resign. A day prior, WWE removed virtually all references to Hogan from their website, including his entry from its WWE Hall of Fame page. The termination coincided with the publication by the "National Enquirer" and Radar Online of an anti-black rant made by Hogan on his controversial leaked sex tape in which he is heard expressing disgust with the notion of his daughter with any black man, referenced by repeated use of the racial slur "nigger". Hogan also admitted to being "a racist,
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all three of those accomplishments. He headlined multiple pay-per-view events for WWE (including WrestleMania XXIV) and was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame by Christian in 2012. His wife Beth Phoenix joined the Hall of Fame in 2017, making them the first real-life couple to be inducted. Aside from professional wrestling, Copeland appeared in the fantasy film "" and WWE Studios' "Bending the Rules". He has made guest appearances on television shows such as "Weakest Link", "Mind of Mencia", "Deal or No Deal", "MADtv" and "The Flash". He appeared on the SyFy series "Haven" as recurring character Dwight Hendrickson
Edge (wrestler)
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celebrate, with Kevin Nash and Triple H, their longtime friend Shawn Michaels' induction into the 2011 WWE Hall of Fame. He later worked backstage as a scout and evaluator in Florida Championship Wrestling, the WWE developmental territory. In 2012, Waltman attended the Hall of Fame again, with The Kliq. On July 23, he, Billy Gunn and Road Dogg returned to join Shawn Michaels and Triple H for a D-Generation X reunion on the 1000th episode of "Raw". In early 2013, The Kliq/DX reunited for an episode of "NXT". In early March 2013, Waltman signed a WWE Legends contract (a long-term
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reappear on any WWE programming until his Hall of Fame induction. On September 24, 2006, during the closing segment of No Surrender, Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) President Dixie Carter announced that TNA had signed Angle to a contract. Angle was arrested on September 4, 2011, by Virginia State Troopers for allegedly driving under the influence. Although the charges were eventually dropped, on August 2, 2013, Angle was again charged with driving while intoxicated in Decatur, Texas. Later that same day, Angle announced he was immediately entering a rehabilitation center. Due to the launch of the WWE Network shortly before
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APA inducted The Godfather into the WWE Hall of Fame. They returned the following year, on March 31, 2017, to induct Theodore Long into the WWE Hall of Fame. On January 22, 2018, the APA appeared backstage hosting a poker game during "WWE Raw 25 Years". The Acolytes Protection Agency The Acolytes Protection Agency (APA) was a professional wrestling tag team who consisted of Bradshaw (John Layfield) and Faarooq (Ron Simmons). They wrestled for the American promotion World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment (WWF/E) between October 1998 and March 2004. Before forming the APA, Faarooq and Bradshaw were known simply as The Acolytes
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Marella's escape from the ring. Upon Goldust's entry to the ring, Marella turned around to be smashed over the head by Honky's guitar. The Honky Tonk Man inducted Koko B. Ware into the WWE Hall of Fame on April 4, 2009. In 2010, WWE offered him a place in the WWE Hall of Fame, but he rejected it. The Honky Tonk Man made a brief appearance on "Old School Raw" on March 4, 2013. Following a match between the team of Brodus Clay and Tensai and 3MB, he smashed 3MB member Heath Slater over the head with a guitar. He
The Honky Tonk Man
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the win. On April 6, 2013, at Madison Square Garden, Menounos inducted Bob Backlund into the WWE Hall of Fame. On August 18, 2013 at SummerSlam Axxess, she teamed up with Natalya to defeat Brie Bella and Eva Marie. On August 17, 2014, Menounos was seen at the SummerSlam pay-per-view, appearing in the crowd and later in a backstage segment with Stephanie McMahon, who accepted Menounos's challenge for the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. Menounos was actually nominated in the first place by McMahon's father and chairman of WWE, Vince McMahon. She has hosted the WWE Hall of Fame red carpet
Maria Menounos
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(or "Hall of Famers" if they have been inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame). On February 24, 2014, WWE launched a 24/7 streaming network. The network includes past and present WWE shows, pay-per-views, and shows from the WWE Library. The network reached 1,000,000 subscribers on January 27, 2015 in less than one year of its launch, with WWE claiming that it was thus "the fastest-growing digital subscription service ever". In May 2014, WWE and NBCUniversal agreed to a new contract that would see both "Raw" and "SmackDown" continue on NBC owned networks the USA Network and Syfy. In January
WWE
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Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame The Wrestling Observer Newsletter (WON) Hall of Fame is a professional wrestling hall of fame that recognizes people who make significant contributions to the sport. It was founded in 1996 by Dave Meltzer, editor of the "Wrestling Observer Newsletter". Like other wrestling halls of fame, such as the WWE, TNA, and WCW hall of fames, the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame is not contained in a building, and there are no ceremonies for inductions other than a highly detailed biographical documentation of their career in the newsletter. Inductees include wrestlers, managers, promoters, trainers,
Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame
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Hall of Fame, which included inductees that were alumni of WWE, NWA, JCP, and WCW. The first Hall of Fame ceremony was held on May 23, 1993 at Slamboree 1993 at The Omni in Atlanta, Georgia. The first wrestler inducted into the Hall of Fame was Lou Thesz, along with Verne Gagne and Mr. Wrestling II. Eddie Graham was also inducted that year; he was the first posthumous inductee into the Hall of Fame. During the following Hall of Fame ceremony on May 22, 1994 at Slamboree 1994 at Civic Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Harley Race led the Class of
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a Ring of Honor event. He spoke to the crowd, reminiscing about some of his more memorable matches in New York. In mid-2005, Hart worked with the renamed World Wrestling Entertainment for the first time since 1997, contributing hours of interview footage and selecting matches for his WWE Home Video release, "". On April 1, 2006, Hart was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame class of 2006 by Stone Cold Steve Austin. He did not appear alongside his fellow inductees at WrestleMania 22 the following night. On June 11, 2007, Hart made his first appearance on "Raw" since October
Bret Hart
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at a Knoxville movie theater. Mr. Fuji was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame on March 31, 2007, by his former charge and "Fuji Vice" co-star Don Muraco. Mr. Fuji was in a wheelchair at the time of the induction, due to nine knee operations. Fujiwara died of natural causes, aged 82, on August 28, 2016, in Clarksville, Tennessee. Daughter Kelli Sloan, representing the estate, is part of a class action lawsuit against WWE in which it was claimed the promotion did not protect its employees from head trauma. After his death, attorney Konstantine Kyros claimed that Fujiwara had
Mr. Fuji
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sending them both smashing on the floor. Van Dam grabbed the briefcase and won the match. Howard Finkel introduced the WWE Hall of Fame class of 2006: "Mean" Gene Okerlund, "Sensational" Sherri Martel, Tony Atlas, Verne Gagne, William "The Refrigerator" Perry and The Blackjacks (Blackjack Mulligan and Blackjack Lanza) attended the event while Eddie Guerrero was represented by his wife Vickie Guerrero and Eddie's nephew Chavo Guerrero. Bret Hart did not attend the event as he was not comfortable. The third match was between John "Bradshaw" Layfield and Chris Benoit for the WWE United States Championship. During JBL's entrance, the
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the APA. Backlund was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame on April 6, 2013 by his friend Maria Menounos, and was acknowledged onstage with the year's other inductees at WrestleMania 29. Backlund made an appearance on the October 7, 2013 episode of "Raw", unsuccessfully attempting to canvass votes in order to become the special guest referee for the WWE Championship match at Hell in a Cell; Shawn Michaels later won a public vote and was named as the special guest referee. However, Backlund did appear in a segment at Hell in a Cell together with The Prime Time Players,
Bob Backlund
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show, they celebrated with the Balor Club, after attacking The Revival. James would later appear in the 2018 WWE Hall of Fame ceremony to induct Jeff Jarrett. James is a second generation wrestler; his father Bob wrestled, as did his brothers Scott, Brad, and Steve. Scott currently works at WWE as a referee. Like his father, James served in the United States Marine Corps. His tenure lasted from 1987 to 1993 and he fought in Operation Desert Storm in 1991, where he was a platoon sergeant in command of thirty-three Marines. James is married with three children & a grandchild.
Road Dogg
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Hall, saying: "It is a shameless organization to induct a bloodthirsty animal such as Abdullah the Butcher into their worthless and embarrassing Hall of Fame and I want the name of Superstar Billy Graham to be no part of it." Graham noted that Shreve had never wrestled a match with WWE. In February 2015, Shreve announced on his Facebook page that he would be selling his WWE Hall of Fame ring. Shreve has been accused of infecting other wrestlers with hepatitis C through sharing a blade and/or cutting wrestlers without their knowledge. Canadian wrestler Devon Nicholson, who said he contracted
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inducted into the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame. Hodge has made appearances in WWE on "Raw" in 2005 and 2012 in which he honored fellow Oklahoma wrestling native Jim Ross. WWE Hall of Famer and seven-time world champion Bret Hart has referred to Hodge as "one of the greatest wrestlers in pro wrestling or amateur wrestling there’s ever been", and described being in the same room as Hodge at the 2008 National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum's award ceremony as "a big, big honor for me". Danny won the 1958 Chicago Golden Gloves at Heavyweight, then won a Chicago-NY
Danny Hodge
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been on the road with Flair for six months, but told in his WWE Hall of Fame speech that he went to Vince McMahon after only a month and said he couldn't do it, that Vince had teamed him with Larry Flynt and that he simply couldn't keep up with Flair's party lifestyle, though he would continue to heavily support Flair in his commentating with his catch line being "That's not fair to Flair" when he was getting beat up in the ring. Heenan also introduced Lex Luger in January 1993 and was known as his advisor, though he did
The Heenan Family
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divisions ... Once every five years I break lots of records." Back in the 1990s, Krauser told the "New York Times" that for her swimming was "more interesting" than golfing with geriatric women. John Spannuth of the Amateur Athletic Union said that Krauser "literally wrote the book when it came to competitive swimming for adults and for the Special Olympics, and did more to kick-start those two programs than anyone will ever know." Krauser was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 1994. Likewise, she is in the Masters Swimming Hall of Fame and the Broward County Sports
June Krauser
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in 2002) by Blackjack Lanza. The following night, he appeared at WrestleMania XX in a skit with Gene Okerlund, Mae Young and The Fabulous Moolah. He inducted his protégés Paul Orndorff, The Blackjacks and Nick Bockwinkel into the WWE Hall of Fame class of 2005, class of 2006 and class of 2007 respectively. In his last WWE appearance, he was one of the speakers for "Mr McMahon appreciation night" on the June 11, 2007 episode of "Raw". Heenan made several appearances on the independent circuit. In February 2001, Heenan did color commentary for the "WOW Unleashed" pay-per-view. Also in 2001,
Bobby Heenan