Honky Tonk Man is now HOF Bound!

[RaginRonic]

https://www.wwe.com/f/styles/talent_champion_xl/public/all/2019/02/20190225_HOF_HonkyTonk--856504062bec5aa71a04baffc6339b05.jpg

https://www.wwe.com/shows/wwe-hall-of-fame/wwe-hall-of-fame-2019/article/honky-tonk-man-wwe-hall-of-fame-2019-inductee

He’s cool, he’s cocky, he’s bad, and now, he’s a WWE Hall of Famer.

The Honky Tonk Man, the longest-reigning Intercontinental Champion in WWE history, is the latest inductee in the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2019. The news was first reported by CBS Sports. The 2019 WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony takes place on Saturday, April 6, the eve of WrestleMania 35, at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. Tickets for the ceremony are available now.

With slicked-back hair and long sideburns reminiscent of a certain rock ‘n’ roll icon, The Honky Tonk Man first arrived on the scene in WWE in 1986 with a wide-eyed smile on his face, trying to earn the adulation of the WWE Universe. But WWE fans didn’t quite take to the Elvis lookalike, despite the stamp of approval from Hulk Hogan, as they jeered the newcomer relentlessly. A frustrated Honky Tonk Man called for a vote of confidence from the WWE Universe, and when the results came back overwhelmingly negative, the rockabilly wrestler snapped.

Enlisting the managerial services of fellow WWE Hall of Famer Jimmy Hart, The Honky Tonk Man unleashed his evil side, setting out to make his opponents twist and shout in agony. And if the damage he inflicted on his opponents wasn’t enough, he subjected the WWE Universe to his unique talents as a singer, facetiously thanking fans and telling them they were “a wonderful audience” as he belted out his own entrance music.

The new attitude was apparently just what the crooner needed, as he racked up victory after victory on his way to becoming Intercontinental Champion in June 1987 with a shocking victory over Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat. Following his big win, The Honky Tonk Man went on to claim that he was the greatest Intercontinental Champion of all time. At first, that boast may have rang a little hollow, but his claims began to hold a little more water as his reign continued.

By hook or by crook, The Honky Tonk Man held onto the Intercontinental Championship for nearly 13 months before his reign ended in lightning-quick fashion at the hands of Ultimate Warrior at SummerSlam 1988. His record-breaking 454 days as Intercontinental Champion is a feat that has stood the test of time, as no Superstar has come close to eclipsing his unprecedented championship reign.

The Honky Tonk Man was, surprisingly, also willing to share the spotlight later in his WWE career, whether it was as one half of the tag team/band Rhythm & Blues with Greg “The Hammer” Valentine, or as the manager of Rockabilly (fellow 2019 inductee Billy Gunn of D-Generation X).

But once again, the spotlight will be on The Honky Tonk Man as he takes his place in sports-entertainment history. Don’t miss The Honky Tonk Man’s enshrinement during the 2019 WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Saturday, April 6, at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., during WrestleMania 35 Week. Tickets for this historic evening are available now!

[Innovator]

Better watch that catering spread or it'll come out of your paycheck you fucking mark

[Volare]

THIS should be great!!

[Black Widow]

Always hated this guy!

[Evil Vito]

Fuck yeah!

[SlickyTrickyDamon]

YES!!!!!!

[Bad News Gertner]

Lol he's such a giant piece of shit. Good for Honky

[Blue Demon]

Pretty decent heel in his day, well deserved.

[xrodmuc316]

About time!

[johnsmagic]

I always thought he was in already there you go

[SlickyTrickyDamon]

Lol he's such a giant piece of shit. Good for Honky

He gave Jerry Grey money a few months back. He's a good dude.

[Tom Guycott]

Better watch that catering spread or it'll come out of your paycheck you fucking mark

Don't take your eyes off a motherfucker.

[Stickman]

Surprised he wasn't already in

[Bad News Gertner]

He had turned them down before

[Mr. Nerfect]

This will be an extremely entertaining speech.

[Tom Guycott]

So, who's inducting him? I say Gallows & Anderson.

[Mr. Nerfect]

Ricky Steamboat

[SlickyTrickyDamon]

The Mouth of the South Jimmy Hart. Nobody else will do except the owner of the Jimmy Hart Hall of Fame Tiki Deck and Bar BABY!

[DaveWadding]

Why are they inducting the prison guard from Lucha Underground? :?: :?: :?:

[WinterDecay]

Excellent. Hated him growing up ....

[Bad News Gertner]

Do you guys think they will ever induct Lex Luger? He deserves to be in, but the whole thing with Liz and stuff.

[Seanny One Ball]

I like Honky more everytime I hear him tell brazen lies in shoot interviews. He's good value because he'll lie looking right into the camera.

He just doesn't care.

[Seanny One Ball]

Do you guys think they will ever induct Lex Luger? He deserves to be in, but the whole thing with Liz and stuff.

If he had been a better bullshitter(utterly soulless) like Honky then his book wouldn't have been so sketchy over the Liz stuff and he'd be in there now.

[DAMN iNATOR]

Always hated this guy!

So much for you always being pro-honky, huh? :-\

[Evil Vito]

Do you guys think they will ever induct Lex Luger? He deserves to be in, but the whole thing with Liz and stuff.

The weird thing he's in the video game pretty much every year now too, so the company isn't averse to giving him royalties and using his image.

[Seanny One Ball]

The benefits of using Luger in a video game are all WWE's. The same could not be said for putting him in the HoF.

One can be ignored, the other comes far too close to acceptance and encouragement.

[Bad News Gertner]

He's also done alot of work with the WWE with their Wellness Policy. I can see an uproar is today's society if he gets in.

[#1-norm-fan]

I imagine he’ll go in soon enough. If they were worried about a backlash, they wouldn’t have been working with him at all in recent years.

[Phenomenal 1]

More deserving individuals than him still not in the hall of fame

[Bad News Gertner]

Such as?

[Seanny One Ball]

Stevie Richards

[Seanny One Ball]

Steve Blackman

[Seanny One Ball]

Mosh

[Evil Vito]

Al Snow

[Evil Vito]

Actually in all seriousness Al's done a shitload for the business in terms of training and development, so I could totally see him going in to pad out a class one year even though his video package will focus mostly on his Attitude Era run.

[Seanny One Ball]

Only Mosh was a joke.

Stevie and Steve absolutely should be in there. Val Venis too just for keeping a gimmick that actually made sense when he joined Right To Censor.

RTC was ahead of it's time, itwould have been perfect just now but maybe a little obvious.

[Seanny One Ball]

Anyone who was in WWE for a decade or so and who kept a recognisable gimmick that drew fans should be considered potential HoF material.

Even if their stints just add up to a decade, as long as they had a few good runs.

The turnover in WWE was mental in my time. I think if you get ten years in a WWE ring you are of the elite.

Has The Brooklyn Brawler ever been considered or is he already in?

[Bad News Gertner]

I've never understood the uproar for a fake Hall of Fame for a fake sport

[Bad News Gertner]

Anyone who was in WWE for a decade or so and who kept a recognisable gimmick that drew fans should be considered potential HoF material.

Even if their stints just add up to a decade, as long as they had a few good runs.

The turnover in WWE was mental in my time. I think if you get ten years in a WWE ring you are of the elite.

Has The Brooklyn Brawler ever been considered or is he already in?

I doubt Brawler will ever get in.

[Evil Vito]

I've never understood the uproar for a fake Hall of Fame for a fake sport

Yeah, it's effectively just the equivalent of giving a long-time employee a gold watch. It's harmless.

People wigging out now will be even more mad when Kofi Kingston and Dolph Ziggler are going into the HOF in a decade.

[Bad News Gertner]

Like it's cool and all and I know it means a lot to some people, but at the end of the day they are trying to draw an audience. No different than an episode of Raw.

[Seanny One Ball]

I've never understood the uproar for a fake Hall of Fame for a fake sport

I doubt Brawler will ever get in.

If it really is just a metaphorical gold watch then give one to Steve Lombardi for fuck's sake.

[Bad News Gertner]

No arguments here.

[Ol Dirty Dastard]

I imagine it can help certain guys get more money for bookings and even get more bookings.

[Bad News Gertner]

Oh yes definitely! It's a nice payday too. Plus I'm sure they are treated like royalty all weekend

[DAMN iNATOR]

If it really is just a metaphorical gold watch then give one to Steve Lombardi for fuck's sake.

Then you might as well give one to Shockmaster and David Arquette too.

[Bad News Gertner]

Johnny Rodz is in the Hall of Fame and he was never more than a T.V job guy/opening match house show guy. Maybe slightly above Brawler.

[Seanny One Ball]

Then you might as well give one to Shockmaster and David Arquette too.


You think that two of the most notable failed gimmicks in WCW history, one of which can be directly linked to it's downfall are on the same level as a man who happily jobbed and played various side characters in the WWE for longer than anybody can reasonably remember?

I suppose it stands to reason that you have a skewed perspective on the value of a working man's career.

[owenbrown]

Hasn't Brawler been with WWE practically forever? Put him in the HoF.

[Seanny One Ball]

This is what happens when you quietly do your job as well as if not better than most of your colleagues over the years and allow your consistency to disguise your value.

At least guys like Bob Holly became heroes. Brawler is the unknown soldier of WWE.

[Bad News Gertner]

Hasn't Brawler been with WWE practically forever? Put him in the HoF.

He's been gone for about 2-3 years

[Bad News Gertner]

Thank God for that gimmick because Brawler sucked ass in the ring. I've watched him open up 1980's House Shows far too often.

[Seanny One Ball]

Fuck him then the quitter

[Seanny One Ball]

Thank God for that gimmick because Brawler sucked ass in the ring. I've watched him open up 1980's House Shows far too often.


Sucking ass in the ring only matters when you're smaller or there would never have been a WWF Champion

[Seanny One Ball]

Gertner you ruined this for me. Coming in here with your wrestling knowledge and facts. Jerk...

I was this close to starting a movement.

[Bad News Gertner]

Sucking ass in the ring only matters when you're smaller or there would never have been a WWF Champion

From what I've heard he was sucking ass literally and figuratively

[Blonde Moment]

I think the Brawler should be in the HOF, he was on pretty much all the non Pay per View programing they had at one point.

[#1-norm-fan]

Brawler’s an odd case. If we forget the whole idea of our personal idea of what makes a HOFer and just focus on the guidelines WWE has implied by who they’ve put in, I don’t know that he belongs. I feel like simply being a memorable character decades later, even if you were a jobber, is enough. And he is. But he still feels like the exception to that rule for reasons I can’t quite put my finger on.

[#1-norm-fan]

Can’t imagine the WWE HOF video for him. Like... what do you say about him? Can’t think of any positive spin you put on his career. He’s not like Koko or the Bushwhackers where you can ignore the lack of accomplishments and just talk about how crazy over and beloved he was.

[#1-norm-fan]

I wonder if Jim Carrey would be down to induct or accept for Andy Kaufman. WWE would jump at the opportunity to induct him if he were. And given Jim’s love for Andy, I don’t see why he’d turn down the opportunity and the shitload of money WWE would no doubt throw his way.

[Bad News Gertner]

Can’t imagine the WWE HOF video for him. Like... what do you say about him? Can’t think of any positive spin you put on his career. He’s not like Koko or the Bushwhackers where you can ignore the lack of accomplishments and just talk about how crazy over and beloved he was.

Koko and the Bushwhackers were also very successful in other territories . Lombardi went from doing jobs as Steve Lombardi for 5 years to becoming the Brawler.

[Seanny One Ball]

Make Brawler induct them all

[Seanny One Ball]

From what I've heard he was sucking ass literally and figuratively


Where's the beef?

[owenbrown]

I wonder if Jim Carrey would be down to induct or accept for Andy Kaufman. WWE would jump at the opportunity to induct him if he were. And given Jim’s love for Andy, I don’t see why he’d turn down the opportunity and the shitload of money WWE would no doubt throw his way.

Should honestly be either Jerry Lawler and/or Jimmy Hart inducting Kaufman

[Bad News Gertner]

Just heard two more potential inductees. Same person that broke the Honky Tonk Man induction.

Brutus Beefcake and Torrie Wilson

[Seanny One Ball]

Nobody wants that ludicrous metal-head in the HoF.
Not even Hulk.

[SlickyTrickyDamon]

Just heard two more potential inductees. Same person that broke the Honky Tonk Man induction.

Brutus Beefcake and Torrie Wilson

LET'S GO SAILING!

[Seanny One Ball]

If he gets in he'll have a hell of a shindig, a real knees up.

[SlickyTrickyDamon]

Sid said he was going to re-arrange his face on the Barbershop. He should have said re-re-arrange.

[DAMN iNATOR]

Should honestly be either Jerry Lawler and/or Jimmy Hart inducting Kaufman

Or David Letterman.

[DAMN iNATOR]

You think that two of the most notable failed gimmicks in WCW history, one of which can be directly linked to it's downfall are on the same level as a man who happily jobbed and played various side characters in the WWE for longer than anybody can reasonably remember?

I suppose it stands to reason that you have a skewed perspective on the value of a working man's career.

It's called sarcasm. I didn't feel like I would need to point that out.

[Seanny One Ball]

Your sarcasm was enveloped by mine.

Better luck next time guy.

[Fignuts]

Just heard two more potential inductees. Same person that broke the Honky Tonk Man induction.

Brutus Beefcake and Torrie Wilson

Which of his 18 gimmicks is going in?

[Black Widow]

Just heard two more potential inductees. Same person that broke the Honky Tonk Man induction.

Brutus Beefcake and Torrie Wilson
Torrie Wilson hasn't done nothing relevant besides having the Playboy issue Ha

[Bad News Gertner]

Pretty much

[Bad News Gertner]

Which of his 18 gimmicks is going in?

Maybe Zodiac? Yes? No? Yes? No?

[Blonde Moment]

Brutus the barber was the only one that even remotely worked for him

[Bad News Gertner]

He was pretty great as just Brutus Beefcake in the Dream Team

[Ol Dirty Dastard]

yeah the Brutus Beefcake name, in general, worked for him. People loved the outfits.

Despite his in-ring limitations, Ed Leslie had a good career. The problem is, like with most wrestlers, he hung on far too long. By the time it was said and done, he had a million gimmicks that didn't work, wheres if he just retired in 93-95 like he should have nobody would have these hard feelings.

[Volare]

I liked his music as a kid.

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[Seanny One Ball]

Face it, Ed Leslie sucked.

[#1-norm-fan]

Where's the beef?

Speaking of which, the “Where’s the Beef?” lady appeared at a WrestleMania once. Induct her.

[Emperor Smeat]

Baring a mega star like the Rock or Undertaker getting inducted, this year's class already feels like its the weakest or oddest mix of names ever.

There was a rumor a while ago about WWE not putting any priority towards this year's class and its somewhat shown soo far.

[Fignuts]

So generic.

Seems bleak...

[SlickyTrickyDamon]

Baring a mega star like the Rock or Undertaker getting inducted, this year's class already feels like its the weakest or oddest mix of names ever.

There was a rumor a while ago about WWE not putting any priority towards this year's class and its somewhat shown soo far.

They are counting on DX being the big draw to it.

[Emperor Smeat]

DX was a very popular group but them being headliner or main draw status is solely due to the amount of revisionist history WWE has done over the years to really exaggerate their overall importance.

Had WWE not chickened out and just induct Chyna on her own as the women's rep, that would have been a huge improvement in terms of name power than the rumored one being inducted.

[Tom Guycott]

I doubt Brawler will ever get in.

If it really is just a metaphorical gold watch then give one to Steve Lombardi for fuck's sake.

Hasn't Brawler been with WWE practically forever? Put him in the HoF.

I legit had to go look it up, because I thought he was already in. I was totally wrong, and I feel that me being wrong here is wrong. We should do a write-in campaign for Brawler.

[Ol Dirty Dastard]

Face it, Ed Leslie sucked.

I'm not a fan of his in-ring work -- which was limited to stomps and a high knee. But he was over in the 80s. Not a bad promo in his prime either.

I've re-watched a lot of old stuff and the Dream Team was great. Largely due to Greg Valentine but Brutus was fun at that point. When he was a singles act after cutting Adonis's hair it worked as well.

Did being Hulk Hogan's best pal help some? Of course. Would they have trotted him out week-after-week in prominent angles if there wasn't SOMETHING there? No.

[Bad News Gertner]

Lol nothing beats stripper gimmick Brutus Beefcake and Johnny V being a strip club dj.

VtIrv0LwHmk

[Bad News Gertner]

Beefcake in Portland 1982 as Hulk's brother Dizzy Hogan

X2-KOnqNGAs

[Seanny One Ball]

I'm not a fan of his in-ring work -- which was limited to stomps and a high knee. But he was over in the 80s. Not a bad promo in his prime either.

I've re-watched a lot of old stuff and the Dream Team was great. Largely due to Greg Valentine but Brutus was fun at that point. When he was a singles act after cutting Adonis's hair it worked as well.

Did being Hulk Hogan's best pal help some? Of course. Would they have trotted him out week-after-week in prominent angles if there wasn't SOMETHING there? No.

Very disappointed.

All of my Ed Leslie posts were face related and only STD noticed and joined in.

[Seanny One Ball]

Nobody wants that ludicrous metal-head in the HoF.
Not even Hulk.

LET'S GO SAILING!

Face it, Ed Leslie sucked.

If he gets in he'll have a hell of a shindig, a real knees up.

Sid said he was going to re-arrange his face on the Barbershop. He should have said re-re-arrange.


I guess me and STD are just a couple of wild and crazy guys

[Bad News Gertner]

Oh I got them

[Seanny One Ball]

His face is so metallic his name should be Lead Leslie

[Seanny One Ball]

He had unparalleled magnetism

[Seanny One Ball]

He always had those shears, shoulda renamed him Iron Sheep

[Ol Dirty Dastard]

lol we all got them.

[Seanny One Ball]

Nobody suggested otherwise.
The joining in was a key part of that sentence.

You know how I feel about Ed Leslie jokes.

[johnsmagic]

Torrie Wilson out of all the Women they could of put in.

can someone explain to me her achievements that deserve this. HOF is going down hill real quick in my opinion. Why don't they just limit the spots for a couple of years

[Ol Dirty Dastard]

Face it, Ed Leslie sucked.

i get it now lol

[Evil Vito]

Torrie Wilson is in my Masturbation Hall of Fame so I’m fine with her being inducted into the WWE one.

[Black Widow]

Torrie Wilson out of all the Women they could of put in.

can someone explain to me her achievements that deserve this. HOF is going down hill real quick in my opinion. Why don't they just limit the spots for a couple of yearsStop crying! Life will go on.

[johnsmagic]

Stop crying! Life will go on.

nah I'll be right thanks

[Seanny One Ball]

i get it now lol


I was dangerously bored, I can't be expected to hit any high spots in such a dearth of activity.

I might give sounding a go. If I get to the spatula handle you know the boredom got the best of me.

[Ol Dirty Dastard]

"Face it" was just hard to pick up on. Then i realized under any other context, you wouldn't have said "face it".

[Seanny One Ball]

Well you will pay the price for trying to steal a paraglider's shoes

[Gerard]

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[Evil Vito]

Money talks