WWE Hall of Fame
In professional wrestling, the WWE Hall of Fame (formerly WWF Hall of Fame) is a institution that honors selected former employees of World Wrestling Entertainment (formerly the World Wrestling Federation). The Hall of Fame was created in 1993 with the induction of WWF alumnus André the Giant, who had died earlier that year, and was enlarged between 1993 and 1996. After eight years of obscurity, the Hall of Fame was revived in 2004 to commemorate the company's twentieth WrestleMania event.
Since living inductees appear at a Hall of Fame acceptance event, induction is contingent upon the candidate being on good terms with WWE. As a result, several notable alumni have not been inducted, including Bruno Sammartino, Randy Savage and the Ultimate Warrior. Sammartino, the longest reigning WWF Champion, has refused induction because he disapproves of the current product, and because he feels the honor has been cheapened by many lesser inductees such as Johnny Rodz, James Dudley and Pete Rose. Savage has apparently not been seriously considered due to his bad blood with various wrestling bigwigs including the McMahon family. The Ultimate Warrior has been involved in multiple lawsuits with the WWE, and the company released a negative DVD on his career in 2005; he now claims it would sully his reputation to accept.
Bret Hart was long opposed to being inducted to the Hall due to his highly publicized break with the company, and the death of his brother Owen Hart during a WWE event. But after a thaw in the relations between himself and the WWE due to a joint DVD project and other discussions, Hart accepted.
The process by which inductees are selected is not transparent; the criteria for induction have never been disclosed. Although the Hall in theory honors those with important WWE careers, some inductees, such as Harley Race, Ernie Ladd and Verne Gagne, achieved most or all of their success outside of WWE.
In February 2006, the class of 2006 began to be announced, beginning with Bret Hart. Over the course of the following two months, Eddie Guerrero, Gene Okerlund, Sherri Martel, Verne Gagne, The Blackjacks, and Tony Atlas were also announced. William "The Refrigerator" Perry was named the second member of the Hall's "Celebrity Wing".
Dusty Rhodes was reported to have declined induction, not wanting to be overshadowed by Hart and Guerrero. Other potential candidates include Arn Anderson, Ricky Steamboat, Terry Funk, the original Four Horsemen, the Road Warriors, Owen Hart, Jake "The Snake" Roberts and the entire Von Erich wrestling family. Ted DiBiase was also rumored as a possible inductee, but has instead been selected to induct Sherri Martel.
Vince McMahon stated on the DVD "Pick Your Poison" that WWE alumnus Jake "The Snake" Roberts belongs in the Hall of Fame. On an episode of RAW in March 2006, Shane McMahon described play-by-play announcer Jim Ross as a future Hall of Famer. Several active WWE performers have been decribed as future Hall of Famers.
As of 2006, Harley Race, "Big Cat" Ernie Ladd, Big John Studd and Verne Gagne are the only four wrestlers to be inducted into both the WCW Hall of Fame and the WWE Hall of Fame.
Inductees
1993
- André the Giant was inducted. There was no ceremony, only a video package that was played on an episode of WWF Superstars in 1993 that announced his induction.
1994
June 9, 1994, Omni Inner Harbor International Hotel, Baltimore, Maryland
- "Golden Boy" Arnold Skaaland inducted by Bob Backlund
- Bobo Brazil inducted by Ernie Ladd
- "Nature Boy" Buddy Rogers inducted by Bret Hart
- Chief Jay Strongbow inducted by Tatanka
- "Classie" Freddie Blassie inducted by Shane McMahon
- Gorilla Monsoon inducted by Jim Ross
- James Dudley inducted by Vince McMahon (his induction came as a surprise that night; not even James Dudley himself knew about it.)
1995
June 24, 1995, Marriott Hotel, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Antonino Rocca
- "The Big Cat" Ernie Ladd
- George "The Animal" Steele
- Ivan Putski
- The Fabulous Moolah inducted by Alundra Blayze
- The Grand Wizard
- Pedro Morales inducted by Savio Vega
1996
November 16, 1996, Marriott Marquis, New York City, New York
- Baron Mikel Scicluna
- "Captain" Lou Albano
- "Superfly" Jimmy Snuka inducted by Don Muraco
- Jimmy Valiant inducted with Johnny Valiant inducted by either The British Bulldog or Owen Hart
- Johnny Valiant inducted wih Jimmy Valiant inducted by either Owen Hart or The British Bulldog
- "The Unpredictable" Johnny Rodz inducted by The Brooklyn Brawler
- Killer Kowalski
- Pat Patterson
- Vincent J. McMahon inducted by Shane McMahon
2004
March 13, 2004, The Hilton, New York City, New York
- Big John Studd, represented by his son John Minton, Jr. inducted by The Big Show
- Bobby "The Brain" inducted by Blackjack Lanza
- "The Magnificent" Don Muraco inducted by Mick Foley
- Greg "The Hammer" Valentine inducted by "The Mouth Of The South" Jimmy Hart
- "Handsome" Harley Race inducted by "Nature Boy" Ric Flair
- Jesse "The Body" Ventura inducted by his son Tyrell Janos
- Junkyard Dog, represented by his daughter LaToya Ritter inducted by "The Big Cat" Ernie Ladd
- Sgt. Slaughter inducted by Pat Patterson
- "Superstar" Billy Graham inducted by Triple H
- Tito Santana inducted by Shawn Michaels
- Pete Rose (celebrity inductee) inducted by Kane
2005
April 2, 2005, Universal Ampitheater, Los Angeles, California
- "Cowboy" Bob Orton inducted by "The Legend Killer" Randy Orton
- Hulk Hogan inducted by Sylvester Stallone
- "The Mouth Of The South" Jimmy Hart inducted by Jerry "The King" Lawler
- "Mr. Wonderful" Paul Orndorff inducted by Bobby "The Brain" Heenan
- Nikolai Volkoff inducted by Jim Ross
- "Rowdy" Roddy Piper inducted by "Nature Boy" Ric Flair
- The Iron Sheik inducted by Sgt. Slaughter
2006
April 1, 2006, Rosemont Theater, Rosemont, Illinois
The 2006 class has yet to be inducted; the induction ceremony will take place on April 1, one day prior to WrestleMania 22.
- Bret "The Hitman" Hart—to be inducted by "Stone Cold" Steve Austin
- "Latino Heat" Eddie Guerrero—to be inducted by Rey Mysterio, Chavo Guerrero and Chris Benoit
- "Mean" Gene Okerlund—to be inducted by Hulk Hogan
- "Sensational" Sherri—to be inducted by "The Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase
- Verne Gagne—to be inducted by Greg Gagne
- The Blackjacks (Blackjack Mulligan and Blackjack Lanza)—to be inducted by Bobby "The Brain" Heenan
- "Mr. USA" Tony Atlas—to be inducted by S.D. Jones
- William "The Refrigerator" Perry (celebrity inductee)—to be inducted by John Cena
Television broadcast
The first two hours of the 2006 show will be shown live on wwe.com from 9pm-11pm EST on Saturday, April 1 from Rosemont, Illinois. USA Network will then air the last hour of the 2006 WWE Hall of Fame Ceremony at 11pm EST. The last hour will show the inductions of "Latino Heat" Eddie Guerrero and Bret "Hitman" Hart. Jerry "The King" Lawler announced on the March 27 edition of WWE Raw that he will host the Hall of Fame ceremony.