Despite not watching wrestling anymore, I am fascinated with the history. From the Andre the Giant heel turn (the oldest thing I can remember in terms of wrestling as a kid) to discovering the Four Horsemen and then finally Continental and Smoky Mountain in my back yard. I have started listening regularly to a podcast (605 The Super Podcast) to get my fix on weird quirky rasslin history) and they spark amazing memories. My twitter timeline is now blowing up with tweets about the WWF Hall of Fame. Who are the folks who are your favorites that you would like to see recognized?
Mine:
Ron Wright
Ronnie Garvin
Jimmy Golden
The Assassin Jody Hamilton
Ole Anderson
Dick Murdoch
Jim Cornette
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Comments
Lord Jonathan Boyd would be on that list. He scared the hell out of me as a kid.
And I can't believe I left Austin Idol off the list. "Shut up, Banana Nose!"
Buddy Landel is on the list too.
I liked rasslin' when I was really young, maybe late 50s, early 60s, but the only guys I remember well were Swede Hanson and Rip Hawk. Saw them once at the Norfolk Arena, I think it was, and got busted for throwing a balled up drink cup and hitting Hanson up side the head. If I hadn't been so young, they'd have thrown me out, and luckily I was with a friend and her dad...my daddy would have tanned me heinie for that trick.
Not especially. However, it is a fascinating study in psychology. As Jim Cornette said, there was an artform was pretending to have a fight and getting people to pay for it.
The 605 Podcast has been an awesome thing for me to listen to on flights and trying to get to sleep in hotel rooms. From weird stories from inside the business, to talking about youtube clips of some of the damn funniest (often because it is so terrible) clips of wrestling in the old days.
Magnum T.A. was a favorite of mine in the 80s, had he not been severely injured in a car accident he would have gone on to be a legend!
Let's also not forget the contribution to wrestling of the Mulkey Brothers! /s
Used to love watching the Von Erich family. Tragic family tale but they were great in the ring.
You go back and watch World Class, and jeez those guys were stiff. They would just beat the hell out of folks. There is a match floating around with Kamala against Kerry Von Erich and Kamala takes some brutally stiff shots.
On a sad note, RIP Superfly.
http://www.cnn.com/2017/01/15/us/jimmy-superfly-snuka-obit/
I know everyone talks about him in the WWF, but he was at his best as a scary heel teaming with Terry Gordy on TBS. He was also scary in Mid-Atlantic, but Gene Anderson was so bad as his talker/manager that it took some of the shine off.
All I know is... after we all finished watching Gordon Solie on TBS on Saturday evenings back in the day, we immediately played wrestling in the backyard. I was always Superfly. Always.
"Austin Idol" always got me with the figure 4 hold, though. Dang it.
So, I'll call three guys who were big 90's/00's talent that should absolutely be in the Hall. Ray Mysterio and the Hardy Brothers. Rey was everything that was cool to a young generation and got a lot of the Latino population of wrestling a good name (as he was a foil to Eddie Guerrero). The Hardy's were the New Age and heir apparent to the throne of counter culture. Both had tremendous WWE careers, but since leaving, Jeff struggled with substance abuse. Matt however has been on a meteoric rise with his "Broken Matt Hardy" character (an absolute gem in the world of character wrestling) and is poised to make a WWE return. WWE seems to be doing a greatest hits tour and bring a lot of talent back to WWE so the Boys could be soon up on the list.
Source: I watch too much wrestling.
True story... ran into the Hardy Brothers and Lita at RDU Airport about 15 years ago. They actually pulled up their car next to mine as I was getting my luggage out in the parking deck. Said hi and had a quick conversation with them about something I've long since forgotten but I remember them being incredibly nice people, and nothing like you'd expect from seeing them on TV.
The Hardy's started out as jobbers in Smoky Mountain when they were teens. I can remember seeing them getting beat up on the TV tapings.
They did get jobbed out and I believe they may have actually been too young to be a part of big promotion but did it anyway. Here's some old superstar footage of them under the name "The Jinx Bros"
Once there's no chance for the Hardy Boyz to come back to WWE's active roster, they'll be inducted.
There is very much a chance that they will be inducted or return. It seems like WWE doesn't induct people if they aren't retired or with the company due to Ric Flair and his stint outside WWE after he "retired." Kurt Angle was just announced for the HoF and he looks like he may return to WWE, probably wrestle 3 PPVs and call it quits.
The Hardys on the other hand are red hot in TNA right now and could easily return and make a huge splash. Matt is easily the single most creative wrestler in terms of story telling and promos out there today. Jeff has had age catch up to him and can't pull the same crazy suicide drops and swanton bombs so he's more of a support role which is strange to say considering their history.
I didn't get to see Ron Wright wrestle, but I saw him as a manager. Growing up in the mountains of Southwest Virginia, he came off as the guy in your school who was constantly running his yap and acting like he was some kind of a tough guy when you knew he was gutless. Ron as a wrestler was ten times the heatseeker based on what old timers told me when I was a kid. Finally, some video of him cutting a promo in Knoxville in the early 70's popped up, and oh my god... how much money would this guy draw if he was in the UFC or WWE now?
Your rasslin' knowledge is as impressive as your knowledge of X's and O's, good sir. Respect.
Loved when Killer Khan beat Andre the Giant over the head and body with his crutch in an interview with Vince McMahon. Though, I have to say that equal, if not more enjoyment was had when Andre knocked Freddie Blassie over right before Khan bum rushed him.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eoYQZt0fYIM
What I'd like to have right now is for all you fat, out of shape, TKP sweathogs to keep the noise down while I take my robe off and show all the ladies what a real man is supposed to look like.
Ravishing!
Check out Bobby Roode, kinda the spiritual successor.
Well done.
I do want to add one name in that I forgot earlier. I think he is a future Hall of Famer and may take the Rock status of returner for big events.
Batista.
This massive sumbich. The guy was incredibly entertaining for a big guy and really worked the crowds well. Could drop a promo, worked in Evolution, one of the more successful stables of all time with the Nature Boy, WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO, Ric Flair, has been decently successful in Hollywood as well being a lead actor in Guardians of the Galaxy. Guy is just a wonderful all around performance.
He's also a local boy. Grew up in DC. I wonder why we didn't recruit him.
Chris Benoit. Despite the tragic end (and I don't take it lightly), he's one of the best ever. Too bad WWE refuses to even admit he ever existed.
Chyna.
Owen Hart.
Christian.
Ivory.
You can kinda tell when I started watching. lol
I remember in middle school, halloween one year was full of Golddusts, Steve Austins, and Kanes. One kid brought a bat for his Golddust costume and was summarily suspended for 2 weeks.
Meanwhile my mom still has my sheets featuring HH, Jake the Snake, and the Bushwacker Brothers.
Folks who saw the Bushwackers had no idea that they were a nasty vicious heel team throughout the south called the Sheepherders. Butch and Luke, along with Lord Jonathan Boyd and Rip Morgan were scary as hell. Those guys against the Fabulous Ones were some of the goriest matches I ever saw.
Come on Sting never made it to WWF but damn I grew up on that man beating the shit out of everyone on WCW.
I believe Sting is in the HOF. And deservedly so.
Hate to break it to you BAG, Sting wrestled 2 matches in the WWE. He is HoF.
Chyna for sure. Not sure if it'll happen with Hunter and Stephanie but it should. Also agree with Jim Cornette. He's a massive d-bag but the business wouldn't have been the same without him.
Cornette's promo on Harrisonburg VA is still a classic.
I miss local promos.
That interviewer's mullet, though. Between it and the fact that he is Jimmy Falloning all during the promo it almost gets ruined!
Not Sure if any are in the Hall of Fame but..
Disco Inferno
Brooklyn Brawler
Rufus (Manager Entry)
Also cannot decide which is the best Wrassle'n video game growing up:
WCW vs NWO Revenge
or
Wrestlemania 2000
Who is Rufus? Do you mean Ralphus? The only Rufus I remember is Rufus R. Freight Train Jones, and he was terrible.
Yes Ralphus was it!
If you haven't yet, listen to the Talk is Jericho podcast with the Brooklyn Brawler. I'm a sucker for wrestling podcasts but that is by far my favorite one. Him talking about riding with Hogan back in the 80's as well as his friendship with the Ultimate Warrior is classic stuff. He's really appreciative of every thing the business gave him and is really proud of his place in the history of the WWE.
Sid Vicious
Sid would probably no-show the HOF ceremony if they tried. Guy burnt bridges every where he went.
Papa Shango scared the crap out of me
Especially when he made the goo come down Ultimate Warriors face
And the vomit
Charles Wright was inducted as The Godfather. Sadly, I think that means Papa Shango, Kama Mustafa, and the Goodfather will be left out.