Tag: WWE Hall Of Fame

WWE Announces Stan Hansen To Be Inducted Into WWE Hall Of Fame’s Class Of 2016

WWE announced the following:

Stan Hansen to be inducted into WWE Hall of Fame’s Class of 2016

Stan Hansen, Borger, Texas’ nastiest resident, will take his place in sports-entertainment history on the eve of WrestleMania 32, when he is inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame’s Class of 2016. The news was reported by Tokyo Sports in Japan, the country where Hansen spent most of his storied career. They got exclusive comments from the man known as “The Lariat.”

Stan Hansen

Hansen’s journey to the ring began in an unusual place: On the gridiron at West Texas State University, a factory for future wrestlers. When his football days came to an end, Hansen stepped into the squared circle and quickly earned a reputation as one of the most vicious competitors in the sport. Hansen’s style of wrestling wasn’t technically proficient or beautiful by any stretch of the imagination. It was dirty, gritty and ferocious. And it worked.

With an ever-present scowl on his face and his bull rope in hand, The Bad Man from Borger made his way to WWE in 1976. Hansen immediately set his sights on then-WWE Champion Bruno Sammartino. The double-tough Texan stunned fans when he broke The Living Legend’s neck with a devastating clothesline that would become known as the Lariat.

After a rematch with Sammartino at Shea Stadium, Hansen traversed across the Pacific Ocean to Japan, where he became a legend. One of the most feared foreigners in Japanese wrestling history, Hansen was the first gaijin to earn victories over the country’s most revered grapplers, Giant Baba and WWE Hall of Famer Antonio Inoki. While in Japan, Hansen also formed one of the most devastating tag teams in wrestling history with an old college friend, the unhinged Bruiser Brody. The cowboy and the fur-clad wildman had Japanese fans running from them as they entered the ring, and their opponents begging for mercy.

In between trips to Japan, Hansen returned to the U.S. to unleash his brand of brutality on American soil. The Bad Man from Borger won the AWA World Championship by defeating Rick Martel in 1985. He never lost the title, choosing to vacate it by running it over with his truck. In 1990, he ended Lex Luger’s record-setting reign as United States Champion. By 1991, he exclusively competed in Japan for the next 10 years, retiring in 2001 as a decorated champion and a legend in The Land of the Rising Sun.

Now, the surly outlaw will receive sports-entertainment’s highest honor, when he takes his place in the WWE Hall of Fame.

WWE Hall Of Fame Warrior Award Recipient Revealed

Source: WrestlingINC

The Wrestling Observer Newsletter reports that WWE is looking at giving Joan Lunden the Warrior Award for this year’s WWE Hall of Fame Class. Lunden, a breast cancer survivor, hosted Good Morning America for years and recently partnered with WWE and Susan G. Komen for some of their their breast cancer awareness efforts.

Snoop Dogg Going Into The WWE Hall Of Fame?

Source: WrestlingINC

It’s been expected that TV host Regis Philbin would be inducted into the Celebrity Wing of the WWE Hall of Fame this year but Jim Ross noted on his “Ross Report” podcast yesterday that rapper Snoop Dogg is rumored to be inducted.

Snoop, a big pro wrestling fan, hosted RAW back in 2009 and most recently appeared in 2015 for a segment with Hulk Hogan. He’s also the cousin of Sasha Banks.

Snoop’s induction has not been confirmed and Ross mentioned that’s what he heard through the grapevine but doesn’t know if it’s true.

As noted, WWE is also expected to announce a Warrior Award recipient for this year’s Hall of Fame Class. Stan Hansen is the only wrestler left to announce as his induction was confirmed in a WrestleMania magazine that’s been published. They will join Sting, The Fabulous Freebirds, The Godfather, Jacqueline and Big Boss Man in this year’s Class.

2016 WWE Hall Of Fame Update

Source: WrestlingINC

No word yet on who will receive this year’s “Warrior Award” at the WWE Hall of Fame ceremony but word is that the honor will be given out for the second year in a row. A Celebrity Induction is also still expected for this year, believed to be Regis Philbin.

Jacqueline Joins WWE Hall Of Fame 2016 Inductees

WWE issued the following:

Jacqueline, a true trailblazer for women in the sports-entertainment industry, will take her well-deserved place in history in her hometown of Dallas, Texas, when she is enshrined in the WWE Hall of Fame’s Class of 2016. The news was broken by FoxSports.com, who got exclusive comments from the Hall’s latest inductee.

Jacqueline’s Hall of Fame profile | Photos | Watch her biggest moments

Her journey to sports-entertainment immortality began in the late 1980s in Dallas, where she trained under the nefarious Skandor Akbar. The lone female in Akbar’s academy, Jacqueline cut her teeth in the world-famous Sportatorium, where the Von Erich Family and Fabulous Freebirds engaged in one of the most heated rivalries ever.

She traveled to Memphis and Japan to further hone her craft before bursting onto the national scene with WCW in 1997. As the manager of the devilish Kevin Sullivan, Jacqueline showed she was just as tough as any man, clobbering Sullivan’s opponents with vicious blows and slamming them onto unforgiving arena floors.

Jacqueline jumped to WWE in 1998, aiding Marvelous Marc Mero in his quest to take back the spotlight from Sable. The hard-hitting competitor ended up taking some glory for herself, winning the reinstated WWE Women’s Championship with a victory over the blonde bombshell. She captured the championship once again in 2000.

In addition to her in-ring battles, Jacqueline took on a number of other jobs within WWE. She served as a trainer and mentor to hopeful Superstars and Divas on the first season of the reality show Tough Enough and donned stripes to enforce the rules as a WWE referee. She returned to the ring in 2004, answering the open challenge of Cruiserweight Champion Chavo Guerrero. Though Guerrero treated Jacqueline like a joke, the fierce Diva brought the fight to Guerrero and shocked the world by pinning him to capture the title. True to her groundbreaking nature, Jacqueline became the third woman ever to hold the Cruiserweight Championship and the first to do so in WWE.

Now, on the eve of WrestleMania 32, the trailblazing Diva will add another accolade to her incredible resume, as she is inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.

Here is some history on Jacqueline Moore before WCW & WWE:

She made her in-ring debut for World Class Championship Wrestling in 1988, under the name “Sweet Georgia Brown. As Sweet Georgia Brown, Jacqueline had wrestled in Japan for Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling, wrestling the likes of Megumi Kudo and Combat Toyoda. She also competed in all-women’s promotions Ladies Professional Wrestling Association and Women’s Pro Wrestling.

Jacqueline later moved on to the United States Wrestling Association in Memphis, where she was known as Miss Texas.She made her debut as a Heel Valet to Eric Embry and Tom Prichard as part of team Texas during the Texas vs Tennessee feud. She was later involved in a feud with the Dirty White Girl Kim Anthony and was involved in a Mudpit Match and a Hair vs Hair match which Anthony won and in the latter Jacqueline had her hair shaved off. She was the first ever USWA Women’s Champion, winning the newly created title in a tournament on March 2, 1992.. In 1993, Jacqueline became the first female to be included in the Pro Wrestling Illustrated 500, detailing the top 500 professional wrestlers in the world. Jacqueline was 14 time USWA Womens’ Champion.

Update On Possible WWE Restaurant & Physical WWE Hall of Fame

Source: WrestlingINC

We noted earlier this week that Attractions Management magazine was reporting that a WWE restaurant was on its way to Universal Studios in Orlando, FL, and would replace NBA City at Universal CityWalk. The Orlando Business Journal reports that the former NBA City location may actually host a Universal-themed concept, not a WWE restaurant. It was noted to “take any rumors on that location with a grain of salt, since Universal has yet to reveal its plans for NBA City’s replacement.”

Physical WWE Hall Of Fame, WWE Restaurant

Source: Attractions Management Magazine

Tom Anstey of Attractions Management Magazine reports that “a WWE-museum-cum-restaurant” is on its way to Universal Studios in Orlando, FL, and will be open by March 2017, in time for WrestleMania 33.

According to the report, the restaurant would include some sort of physical Hall of Fame, and would replace NBA City at Universal CityWalk. The facility will feature screens showing WWE programming, and would include a retail area.

WWE opened a restaurant in Times Square in 1999 called WWF New York, which was later renamed The World. The restaurant closed in 2003 and was taken over by The Hard Rock Cage in 2005.

Update On Two More 2016 WWE Hall Of Famers

Source: PWInsider

A new WrestleMania 32 magazine that comes out this week features a “Tribute” section with Jacqueline Moore and Stan Hansen confirmed for the 2016 WWE Hall of Fame. They will join Sting, The Fabulous Freebirds, The Godfather and The Big Bossman. No word yet if Regis Philbin will still be going in the Celebrity Wing.

Sting’s WWE Hall Of Fame Inductor Confirmed

Source: WrestlingINC

Ric Flair confirmed on his latest podcast that he will induct Sting into the WWE Hall of Fame during WrestleMania 32 weekend in Dallas next month.

We know that JBL and Ron Simmons will be inducting The Godfather into the Hall.

Regarding The Fabulous Freebirds’ induction, we noted earlier that Michael “PS” Hayes revealed that the son of Buddy Roberts and the son of Terry Gordy, Ray Gordy (former WWE star Jesse), will speak at the induction ceremony on behalf of their late fathers. Former rival Kevin Von Erich will also have some sort of involvement in their induction.

Sons Of Buddy Roberts & Terry Gordy To Speak At Freebirds WWE HOF Induction, Kevin Von Erich

Source: WrestlingINC

2016 WWE Hall of Famer Michael “PS” Hayes revealed on Ric Flair’s latest podcast that the son of Buddy Roberts and the son of Terry Gordy, Ray Gordy (former WWE star Jesse), will speak at the induction ceremony for The Fabulous Freebirds next month. The two will be speaking on behalf of their late fathers.

Hayes would not confirm that Kevin Von Erich will be inducting the group but did confirm he will be there, adding that people will be happy with Kevin’s involvement.