Hall of Fame Update!

[Marc the Smark]

Source: Wrestling Observer Newsletter

As things stand now, the WWE Hall of Fame ceremony won't be airing on the USA Network because they don't want to clear time for it. A 'Law and Order' marathon is scheduled to be shown during the night of the WWE HOF ceremony. However, the show will likely be broadcast on WWE.com. You can also catch it on DVD when the WrestleMania DVD set is released in May.

Former WWE stars Samu and Rosey will be inducting Afa & Sika into the Hall of Fame. Afa & Sika will probably be announced for the Hall of Fame tonight on RAW. Samu is Afa's son and Rosey is Sika's son.

Jim Ross is expected to be announced on the 3/26 show in Chicago. Steve Austin will be inducting him. The Sheik (Ed Farhat) will also have to be announced sometime this week or next. That pretty much rounds at everyone for this year.

Bobby Heenan will be inducting Nick Bockwinkel.

It is not known as to who will be inducting Mr. Fuji, but Don Muraco is the name brought up the most.

Dustin & Cody Runnels will be inducting Dusty Rhodes. Also, there is some talk of calling Cody up to the main roster with this being his debut.

[Jeritron]

The question is, will this years inductions have a "main event" like Hogan and Bret were. I wish they'd induct Macho Man this year.

[ClockShot]

The question is, will this years inductions have a "main event" like Hogan and Bret were. I wish they'd induct Macho Man this year.

I'm hoping for the same thing, dude.

[Jeritron]

I mean, I'm happy about some of the picks, especially Mr. Perfect. But he likely won't be the final induction of the night and obviously won't be there to speak.

Are they really gonna "main event" the ceremony with Dusty Rhodes closing it out? I for one wouldn't be happy with this, I'm sorry.

[KingofOldSchool]

Dusty Rhodes is a legend, especially for the people who have followed the NWA.

Yes Cena marks won't care, but people like me will.

Big Dusty deserves his time in the limelight.

[KayfabeMan]

If that's the only field, Bock should close it out with Heenan.

[Jeritron]

I hate him, and I'm no new school Cena mark.

[ClockShot]

Yeah. Dusty is pretty much the big name there this year. Either him or Lawler is gonna close it out. Flip a coin.

[Jeritron]

Yeah. Dusty is pretty much the big name there this year. Either him or Lawler is gonna close it out. Flip the channel.

Oh wait, its not worthy of being on TV

[Jeritron]

Give me Savage. FFS, induct Flair or Austin. Anything but letting Dusty close this thing out. I just hate the guy, moreso for who he is off screen than on. I don't hate him for what he's done in the ring, I just couldn't care less.

[Chuck Jones]

I think it is good that we don't have a real "big" name going in this year (though I like Dusty, Perfect, Lawler and the others inducted).

Think about it, the last two years have been stacked in terms of inductions. Vince would have to induct GOD next year if he had Savage or another big name going in.

Though GOD no-showed his only match, so I don't understand why he would go in there.

[The One]

USA would rather air on old Law & Order than a new WWE show. I love it.

And I think JR and Lawler as an annoucer team will be the "Main Event" of the inducties.

[The One]

I think it is good that we don't have a real "big" name going in this year (though I like Dusty, Perfect, Lawler and the others inducted).

Think about it, the last two years have been stacked in terms of inductions. Vince would have to induct GOD next year if he had Savage or another big name going in.

Though GOD no-showed his only match, so I don't understand why he would go in there.
Nah, Flair trumps God.

[KayfabeMan]

I have to say, I myself, I hate Dusty Rhodes too.

I don't believe him to be anything special, and frankly, I find him very, very overrated. He's also rather annoying as both a personality and a person. I'd rather not see him at all on that side of the camera; at the most, as a color man, but that's that.

[Jeritron]

I wish Austin went in this year. Just for the fact that Dusty is going in too. And that way, Austin could close out the show over Dusty. And shove it right in his face. Maybe even allude to Dusty's booking in WCW.
Austin being honored as a bigger success right in front of Dusty Rhodes would be the greatest shit ever.

[The Show Off]

Dusty is the Main Event of the evening. Anyone that doesn't admit that or doesn't see that, quite frankly has either never seen Dusty Rhodes in the ring and or on the mic, or just doesn't know wrestling. Was Bockwinkle more important to his organization then Rhodes was to his, it's debatable, and I see your point. Was Curt Hennig a better wrestler and personality then Dusty, that is also true. Is Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler more recognizable to the average fan today then that of the American Dream, sure. However, there is not one man that is getting inducted to the Hall of Fame this year that had near the career that Dusty had.

I can understand how some of you may hate him for his booking in the past. I'm not really up on all the bullshit that he pulled, but knowing most of the guys of his generation, I wouldn't be surprised. Howeverm you cannot take away the fact that in the early 80's he was the most over babyface that wasn;t named Hulk Hogan, and in parts of the contry Dusty was much bigger Hogan; ie Florida. Dusty is the man this yearm he's the main event, and he deserves it for his work in the ring and on the mic. He's going in as a wrestler, not an announcer or a booker, or a beauty pagent winner, as a wrestler.

As much as I'd love to see Savage go into the Hall of Fame, he's certianly not going in this year. I'm a huge Savage mark when I was 7 years old I rooted for him over Hogan at Wrestlemania V and I've been a huge fan ever since. IO cried when the guy had to "retire" after losing to The Ultimate Warrior, and I do a better Macho Man impression then Jay Leathel. That all being said if Randy Savage and Dusty Rhodes were inducted the same year, Dusty would still be the main event. In my mind Savage is better then Dusty in every way, but Dusty meant more to the NWA then Savage ever meant to the WWF. With the WWE being the company that holds all the tapes, people's minds are WWE-centric, since Dusty's run in the WWF was shit, most people think that's what Dusty was. Dusty was a thousand times better then "The Comman Man" poke-a-dot tights that he was in the WWF.

Show some respect for what he did as a wrestler, admit to yourself that Dusty is the main event. Hate him while it's happening if you will, but don't deny how much that man meant to the buisness.

[Vastardikai]

Dusty Rhodes is just a Common man.... Working hard for his land.

[Jeritron]

Dusty Rhodes is a fat asshole with a lisp

[NeanderCarl]

Well this year's line-up is pretty much confirmed by most sources except WWE themselves as:

Dusty Rhodes
Jim Ross
Jerry Lawler
Curt Hennig
Mr. Fuji
Afa
Sika
The Sheik
Nick Bockwinkel

No celebrity wing inductee, and no "Big WWE Name" wrestler. This is the WWE Hall of Fame after all.

Yes, Rhodes was a star in the NWA, but he barely made a dent in the WWE. Lawler has always been treated like a jobber in the WWE rings. Did Bockwinkel ever work a match in the WWE? I know he has worked for them as an agent but I can't remember him having a run there. There aren't going to be many people watching who remember Fuji as anything other than a manager.

Seriously, Curt Hennig is the biggest name WWE star being inducted this year, and even he was mid card, save a brief run with Hogan. (Hey, I'm not knocking "Mr. Perfect"; he is my all-time favourite wrestler, but facts are facts).

They need a big name from WWE history to close out the ceremony, in my view. Last year, they had TWO "main events" in Guerrero and Bret Hart. This year they barely have one. Savage, Austin, Rock or even Flair would fill that void. Even Steamboat or DiBiase. But it doesn't look like it's going to happen.

[NeanderCarl]

And where are the names Stu Hart, Rick Martel, Rocky Johnson, Mike Rotundo, Brian Pillman and Barry Windham when discussing the Hall of Fame? These guys are very rarely mentioned as potential candidates.

[Jeritron]

It's a disgrace that Dusty Rhodes is going into the WWE hof and Dibiase, Savage, and others haven't.

[NeanderCarl]

Also, Jim Cornette, Paul Heyman and Eric Bischoff should be considered entry as promoters and on-screen talent.

[Jeritron]

What about L.O.D Road Warrior Hawk and Road Warrior Animal?

Tbh, I can't remember if they're in or not. They aren't yet right? Well I say they should be. They could close out the damn night. But seriously, Savage, Flair, Dibiase, Rocky Johnson, Pillman, Owen Hart, British Bulldog, Steamboat and Martel, and Rick Rude all need to go in ASAP.
Austin and Rock and others who are more recent can't wait til 5 or 6 years down the road.

[Goulet]

Backlund should be in IMO

[Jeritron]

Also, Jim Cornette, Paul Heyman and Eric Bischoff should be considered entry as promoters and on-screen talent.


absolutely. Gagne is in there.

[NeanderCarl]

It's a disgrace that Dusty Rhodes is going into the WWE hof and Dibiase, Savage, and others haven't.
I'm fine with Dusty going into the WWE Hall of Fame with his history in the business. Considering the companies WWE have absorbed over the years, they are the closest thing to a Wrestling Hall Of Fame.

But they will always have that WWE name attached, and therefore I think the ceremony should always be headlined by a big name from WWE history. Doesn't mean Dusty shouldn't go in, and I guess it isn't a race... if it was, it's a disgrace that Pete Rose went in before Dusty! But just because Dusty goes in this year doesn't mean that Savage and DiBiase never will. Jim Ross points to WrestleMania 25 as the BIG one for the Hall of Fame. Maybe Savage will make the Hall finally then.

[Jeritron]

as the years go on they're going to have A LOT of worthy entrants coming up for eligibility. So I think its important that they get all of those names I listed in asap.

[Goulet]

Terry Funk as well

[NeanderCarl]

Backlund should be in IMO
Backlund was offered entry in 2004 and 2005 and turned it down. He didn't want to be inducted while he still felt he could contribute to one final run in a company. I guess that's what he is doing in TNA right now.

One day he will be inducted.

[Goulet]

I think it would be cool for them to induct Bam Bam Bigelow and King Kong Bundy too

[Jeritron]

I'm fine with Dusty going into the WWE Hall of Fame with his history in the business. Considering the companies WWE have absorbed over the years, they are the closest thing to a Wrestling Hall Of Fame.

But they will always have that WWE name attached, and therefore I think the ceremony should always be headlined by a big name from WWE history. Doesn't mean Dusty shouldn't go in, and I guess it isn't a race... if it was, it's a disgrace that Pete Rose went in before Dusty! But just because Dusty goes in this year doesn't mean that Savage and DiBiase never will. Jim Ross points to WrestleMania 25 as the BIG one for the Hall of Fame. Maybe Savage will make the Hall finally then.

I don't consider it to be a disgrace that he's going in, I just don't like him. I agree he should go in and deserves the honor. But I think those others should have preference and should go in with or before him. Especially Savage and Steamboat who could close out the night. It'd be great to see Savage and Steamboat together during the induction announcments in Detroit.

It just angers me that he's going in because of how comfy he is with WWE and Savage and others aren't, when they've done more for the company. I realize it's become about the whole industry, but they should show some respect to those who've done more for their company.

[NeanderCarl]

Terry Funk as well

The whole Funk family should be inducted (Dory, Dory Jr and Terry) and the Von Erichs should be in too. Maybe the Harts should have been inducted as a family but now Bret has gone in on his own, it would be insulting to lump the rest of them in together. Stu and Owen will be in one day.

[NeanderCarl]

I don't consider it to be a disgrace that he's going in, I just don't like him. I agree he should go in and deserves the honor. But I think those others should have preference and should go in with or before him. Especially Savage and Steamboat who could close out the night. It'd be great to see Savage and Steamboat together during the induction announcments in Detroit.

It just angers me that he's going in because of how comfy he is with WWE and Savage and others aren't, when they've done more for the company. I realize it's become about the whole industry, but they should show some respect to those who've done more for their company.

I don't neccessarily disagree, but if you induct all the big WWE guys in just a couple of years, then the Hall of Fame will be less of a draw down the line. It's important, in my view, to have a good balance of older generation and newer generation, WWE and other companies, big stars and good hands who may not have been main eventers but had great careers none-the-less.

If you throw all the big WWE names in every year, eventually there will be none left. I'm confident DiBiase will be in one day, over the next couple of years. Savage is questionable though.

[NeanderCarl]

If WWE ever intends to induct Savage and Steamboat then they have missed a big opportunity, because when better to do it than on the 20th anniversary of their classic match, especially when they are back in Michigan.

I suppose next year makes just as much sense for 'The Macho Man' on the 20th anniversary of his WWE title win, but that leaves Steamboat lingering as just another inductee. Meh, maybe I'm reading too much into the significance of "anniversaries" in the Hall of Fame... it really doesn't matter THAT much as long as they go in.

[Jeritron]

Savage should go in. It's believed now that Steamboat has secured the rights to his name the WWE will work more with him and feature his name a legacy more, as well as merchandising.

List of wrestlers who HAVE to go in sooner or later, in my mind:
Flair
LOD
Rick Rude
Martel
Savage
Dibiase
Steamboat
Owen Hart
Stu Hart
Rocky Johnson
Terry Funk
Brian Pillman
Some day, Sanmartino
Jake Roberts
Eric Bischoff, Paul Heyman, Jim Cornette
Bruce Prichard
Is freebird Michael Hayes in?
British Bulldog for sure


Bottom line is they have plenty of names to work with. Not to mention I didn't even begin to include names from semi modern times (Austin, Rock, HHH, Michaels, Foley, Taker, Benoit, Jericho, Booker T, Angle and various others)
I didn't mention them because thats way down the road, but they surely are HOFers.
Sting's another one I hope is at least willingly do a HOF deal.

So they have plenty to work with before they come close to running out of names, and once they do the business will have probably produced dozens more. Hopefully...

[Jeritron]

Poor Earl Hebner. He would have been inducted just for being a referee had he not fucked up.
How about Howard Finkel?....I'm not kidding.

[Jeritron]

The true question is, at some point in time...Ultimate Warrior. Yes or No? I'd like to say No, but there's a side of me that says you can't deny Yes.

[Crossrine]

Originally posted by The Show off
Dusty is the Main Event of the evening. Anyone that doesn't admit that or doesn't see that, quite frankly has either never seen Dusty Rhodes in the ring and or on the mic, or just doesn't know wrestling. Was Bockwinkle more important to his organization then Rhodes was to his, it's debatable, and I see your point. Was Curt Hennig a better wrestler and personality then Dusty, that is also true. Is Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler more recognizable to the average fan today then that of the American Dream, sure. However, there is not one man that is getting inducted to the Hall of Fame this year that had near the career that Dusty had.

I can understand how some of you may hate him for his booking in the past. I'm not really up on all the bullshit that he pulled, but knowing most of the guys of his generation, I wouldn't be surprised. Howeverm you cannot take away the fact that in the early 80's he was the most over babyface that wasn;t named Hulk Hogan, and in parts of the contry Dusty was much bigger Hogan; ie Florida. Dusty is the man this yearm he's the main event, and he deserves it for his work in the ring and on the mic. He's going in as a wrestler, not an announcer or a booker, or a beauty pagent winner, as a wrestler.

As much as I'd love to see Savage go into the Hall of Fame, he's certianly not going in this year. I'm a huge Savage mark when I was 7 years old I rooted for him over Hogan at Wrestlemania V and I've been a huge fan ever since. IO cried when the guy had to "retire" after losing to The Ultimate Warrior, and I do a better Macho Man impression then Jay Leathel. That all being said if Randy Savage and Dusty Rhodes were inducted the same year, Dusty would still be the main event. In my mind Savage is better then Dusty in every way, but Dusty meant more to the NWA then Savage ever meant to the WWF. With the WWE being the company that holds all the tapes, people's minds are WWE-centric, since Dusty's run in the WWF was shit, most people think that's what Dusty was. Dusty was a thousand times better then "The Comman Man" poke-a-dot tights that he was in the WWF.

Show some respect for what he did as a wrestler, admit to yourself that Dusty is the main event. Hate him while it's happening if you will, but don't deny how much that man meant to the buisness.

That should sum up everything about Dusty.
Besides that I just want to point out that its about damn time The Sheik was inducted. He was like one of the founding fathers of hardcore.

[NeanderCarl]

Abdullah The Butcher? Gypsy Joe? Jos Le Duc?

How bout that crazy bastard Herb Abrams? Very doubtful, I guess.

[Crossrine]

Ya but the Sheik was so hardcore he was like ahead of his time. I would love to see abdullah the butcher there too, but I think Vince can barely tolerate 2 muslims in the HOF let alone 3....