Why These 5 Wrestlers Deserve to Be in the Hall of Fame
Wrestling fans, get ready to rumble! The WWE Hall of Fame honors the most prestigious wrestlers for their remarkable accomplishments and contributions to the wrestling world. Year after year, we eagerly anticipate the announcement of the newest members of this exclusive group. It's time to make a case for five wrestlers who merit inclusion in the illustrious Hall of Fame.
Before delving into our top selections, let's take a moment to appreciate the unique connection wrestling has with its audience. Fans find solace and inspiration in the sport, relating to wrestlers' struggles and drawing motivation from their journeys. Adding to the excitement, bookmakers featured in some of the best online sportsbook reviews offer competitive odds and intriguing prop bets, like predicting the next Hall of Fame inductee.
There are countless talented wrestlers with remarkable careers, but here, we will focus on our top five picks and why we believe they should join the WWE Hall of Fame.
1. Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson: The Charismatic Sportsman
The Rock's enthralling charisma and hypnotic orations seized the WWE Universe throughout the Attitude Era and beyond. As a leading Hollywood luminary, his seamless transition to the silver screen extended the WWE's mainstream prominence. Boasting a 10-time world champion status, The Rock's unforgettable clashes with Stone Cold Steve Austin, Triple H, and John Cena solidify his legendary status.
The reasons listed below clearly show his claim to a place in the Hall of Fame.
- Entrancing charisma and hypnotic orations
- Stellar silver screen success and crossover prowess
Transitioning into a flourishing Hollywood career, he rose to become one of the top-grossing actors.
- Illustrious championship pedigree
He accomplished a lot in the ring, being a 10-time world champion and having memorable rivalries with Stone Cold.
2. Big Show: The Colossal Ring Conqueror
Big Show's enormous stature and versatility across wrestling styles rendered him an unbeatable opponent. With a career spanning over two decades, his accolades include numerous championships and memorable moments. As a guiding light for emerging wrestlers, his seasoned expertise continues to mold future superstars.
The following points make a strong case for his rightful inclusion in the Hall of Fame.
- Titanic's presence
Big Show is a wrestler with an imposing 7ft stature and 400lb weight who has been in the industry for over two decades.
- Longevity and respect
He has held multiple championships, was highly agile and versatile, and earned his peers' respect.
- Role model and mentorship
He mentored many young wrestlers, providing knowledge and invaluable experience.
3. Vince McMahon: The Ingenious Orchestrator
As WWE's Chairman, McMahon transformed wrestling into a global entertainment juggernaut. Moreover, his enthralling on-screen identities and conflicts with industry titans made him an unforgettable wrestling figure as he pioneered concepts that have indelibly influenced the sport.
Vince's work ethic and relentless commitment to the sport have enabled him to reach the highest levels of management excellence, and the following reasons make him a Hall of Fame-worthy candidate.
- Visionary promoter and industry pioneer
His visionary ideas, promotional insight, and drive for success have transformed WWE into a global entertainment powerhouse.
- His on-screen characters
He has also made an impact playing the villainous character "Mr McMahon" and has been the driving force behind events such as WrestleMania.
4. Sable: Women's Wrestling Vanguard
A cherished icon during the Attitude Era, Sable revolutionized women's wrestling through her pioneering matches and bewitching charm. Gracing Playboy magazine's cover twice, her widespread appeal underscored her significance. As a Women's Champion, Sable's imprint has elevated generations of female wrestlers who have emulated her path.
These reasons support Sable's deserving status as a Hall of Fame inductee.
- A trailblazer in women's wrestling and her immense popularity
- Women's Champion and impact on future generations
She broke barriers by competing in match types previously reserved for men, and her reign as WWE Women's Champion raised the championship profile.
5. Owen Hart: An Unforgettable Heritage
Renowned for his prowess and skill, Owen Hart's matches against wrestling greats like Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels, and Triple H remain timeless classics. His character and sibling rivalry with Bret Hart forged some of the most interesting narratives. Despite his untimely demise in 1999, Owen Hart's imprint on the wrestling world perseveres, with many advocating for his WWE Hall of Fame inclusion.
Here are the compelling reasons that validate his Hall of Fame worthiness.
- Striking technique
Owen Hart was a famous wrestler known for his technical and in-ring prowess and innovative high-flying moves.
- Memorable conflicts
He exhibited a funny and naughty demeanor and was involved in unforgettable rivalries, notably with his sibling, Bret Hart.
- Abiding legacy
His tragic death in 1999 shocked the wrestling world, but his legacy lives on through those he inspired.
Stars You Didn't Know Played Pro Football
Pro Football Players.
No one can deny that Football is probably the most loved sport in the US. We all love watching it, betting on it, and keeping up to date on how our favorite pro football players are doing. However, some superstars and much loved celebs have had a career in Pro Football at one time or another, and who can blame them, who doesn’t want to have a chance on the field.
As much as it is a very loved sport, this sport is also probably the heaviest bet on sport in America, which means it is a big buck game, with fantastic sites like www.fanduel.com giving you all you need to win some cash on the next big game. You can place bets on who will win, by how much, and you can even bet on more player specific factors.
The real question is, how many of today’s stars had a football career?
Phil Robertson.
You may know this man from the popular reality television series ‘Duck Dynasty’. However, while he was in high school, he had the opportunity to attend Louisiana Tech in Ruston as a quarterback on a Football scholarship in the late 60s. He played the first-string quarterback for the Bulldogs, ahead of Pro Football Hall of Famer Terry Bradshaw. He was considered to be a top prospect for the NFL, but instead he chose to follow his true passion, hunting.
Mark Harmon.
You may know his man for his famous performance as Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs in NCIS. However, he is also the son of the former Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Tom Harmon. His father was the first overall selection by the Chicago Bears in the 41 draft. He declined their offer and instead played for the New York Americans in the American Football League.
Mark followed in the footsteps of his father when he was in college, where he played the same position for UCLA for about two years. In 73, he received the National Football Foundation's Award for All-Around Excellence. However, when graduated, he pursued a career in law and then became a very successful actor.
Ed O’Neill.
Ed is best known for his role as the main character on ‘Married… with Children’. He earned two Golden Globe nominations for this sitcom alone, and many fans will also remember his role as Jay Pritchett in ‘Modern Family’.
However, before he became an actor, he attended Ursuline High School and earned a football scholarship at Ohio University, he then earned an invitation to the Pittsburgh Steelers training camp in 69. Yet, he didn’t make the cut.
Terry Crews.
Terry is well known for his role in ‘Everybody Hates Chris’ as well as some commercials. He earned an Art Excellence scholarship, followed by a full-ride athletic scholarship as a footballer at Western Michigan University. He played a major role in his team, WMU Broncos, Mid-American Conference Championship victory in 88. Furthermore, he also signed with the NFL’s Los Angeles Rams in 91.
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.
Before Dwayne made his title as a real Hollywood superstar, he was crushing on the gridiron for the Miami Hurricanes. He played on the defensive line and was part of the 91 squad that won the national title- a team that also included the future Pro Football Hall of Fame player Warren Sapp.
He did not get drafted into the NFL, and he spent some time with the Calgary Stampeders in the Canadian Football League. He leveraged the experience in his HBO series ‘Ballers’ in which he portrayed a star NFL player transitioning into a financial management career.
Of course, ‘The Rock’ was also known for being one of WWE’s biggest starts. Football was not his only sporting stardom prior to his acting career.
Burt Reynolds.
Burt Reynolds became a big movie star, however, things would be very different if he stuck to his first career- football. He was first team all-state at Palm Beach high school, and he went on to play running back at Florida State. He was injured during his freshman year and was then later in a car accident that aggravated this injury, which ended any chance for him to have a football future. He finished his time with the Seminoles with just 146 rushing yards and two touchdowns, however, he still has a spot in the Florida State Hall of Fame. He later got a chance to combine his acting passions with his football passions in ‘The Longest Yard’.
Review – Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (2017)
Main Cast
Spencer Dwayne Johnson/Alex Wolff
Fridge Kevin Hart/Ser”Darius Blain
Bethany Jack Black/Madison Iseman
Martha Karen Gillan/Morgan Turner
Nigel Rhys Darby
Van Pelt Bobby Cannavale
Alex Nick Jonas
Our WWE List has been updated
First off, our apologies as this took longer than anticipated, but we are finally ready to unveil our new WWE list of those to consider for their Hall of Fame. With the exception of our Rock and Roll list, the 375 wrestling performers we have ranked are the largest that we have here at Notinhalloffame.com.
While the 2018 WWE Hall of Fame saw twelve of our ranked wrestlers (28. Bill Goldberg, 36. Stan Stasiak, 40. El Santo, 43. Jim Londos, 45. Jeff Jarrett, 65. Mark Henry, 84. Lord Alfred Hayes, 104. Hillbilly Jim, 180. Ivory, 182. Sputinik Monroe, 188. Hiro Matsuda and 191. Boris Malenko) selected however nobody from our top 25 was chosen. As such there is not much of a difference between last year’s list and this one.
Still, we always adapt and we have made some changes that we are excited to tell you about!
Here is the new top ten:
1. Vince McMahon. Love him or hate him, he is the WWE and the reason why many of us watch professional wrestling. McMahon was ranked #1 last year and will likely hold this spot until he is
dead. Triple H said that the only reason he isn’t in is because Vince wouldn’t let him! Literally this is the case of “over his dead body”.
2. The Undertaker. Speaking of the dead, The Undertaker returns at #2. The “Deadman” is certainly on the last leg of his career though we don’t know how many matches he has left in him. This
is only a matter of time as he will likely go in as soon as the WWE feels that he is finished.
- The Rock. From one of the most popular professional wrestlers to one of the most successful movie stars, Dwayne Johnson likely has a standing invitation for the WWE Hall of Fame. The only question is if he can fit it into his busy schedule!
- Triple H. Because of his position as COO, it would be hard for it not to be considered shady if he gets into the Hall of Fame, but his body of work in the ring is worthy and just on his work in the re-creation of NXT alone he has won over many of his harsh critics. We think he is likely to take the Vince McMahon approach in that he won’t let himself get inducted…at least for now.
- Ivan Koloff. Born in Quebec but representing the Soviet Union, Ivan Koloff wrestled for decades and was the man who ended Bruno Sammartino’s eight year run as the WWWF World Heavyweight Champion. Koloff wrestled everywhere in the U.S. and Canada and was a bona fide headliner everywhere. Sadly any induction for him now would be posthumous, as he died a couple of years ago.
- Chris Jericho. Jericho may be very much active (he just recently won the IWGP Intercontinental Title) but we have a rule on our Notinhalloffame.com wrestling list that once you reach the age of 46 you automatically move from the futures to the main list. Jericho likely still has many more small runs in him in the WWE but will be a main event inductee when he is ready.
- Bruiser Brody. Brody famously died when he was stabbed by a fellow wrestler in Puerto Rico, which ended the career of the best brawler in professional wrestling history. Brody was a true rebel of the industry and while he was not associated with the WWE his legend fits in that institution.
- Kane. Notably the above seven have the same ranking as last year. Kane however has moved up from #11 to #8. Like Jericho, Kane is still somewhat active in the WWE, though the man named Glenn Jacobs is focusing more on his political career. Like Chris Jericho, Kane’s age places him on our main list as opposed to the Futures.
- Batista. Batista dropped one spot from #8. While his last run was not a career highlight the former multi-time WWE Champion has been vocal about wanting one more run followed by an official retirement. Hopefully he succeeds in obtaining that wish.
- Owen Hart. Hart moved up from #12 but as long as there is Martha Hart the odds of Owen making the WWE Hall of Fame seems slim. Owen remains one of the locks that the WWE is afraid to pull the trigger on. Honestly, who can blame them?
While there were no additions in our top 100 there are certainly new names on our Notinhalloffame.com WWE list.
The highest new entry is R-Truth, who based on our mandatory age limit (discussed above with Chris Jericho) is now on our main list. Truth debuts at #189.
As always we here at Notinhalloffame.com continue to look at others who we may have missed. As such we have some new entries on our now Notinhallofame.com WWE 375.
Former AWA World Heavyweight Champion, The Mighty Igor debuts at #244. Former regional faux Japanese headliner Kenji Shibuya makes his first appearance at #271. Former Cleveland legend Johnny Powers debuts at #313. The final three entries, which are new are Count Billy Varga #373, Neff Maivia #374 and Akira Taue at #375.
Notably Daniel Bryan who was ranked #9 has been put back into our futures.
You know what we want you do to!
Take a look at our new list and cast your votes and offer us your opinions.
As always, we here at Notinhalloffame.com thanks you for all of your support!
We have updated our WWE List!
Approximately seven weeks ago, the WWE Hall of Fame inducted the Class of 2017, which took many off of our list. This included:
Kurt Angle (Ranked #6)
Toots Mondt (Ranked #17)
“Ravishing” Rick Rude (Ranked #20)
Haystacks Calhoun (Ranked #32)
The Rock and Roll Express (Ranked #41)
Diamond Dallas Page (Ranked #47)
Rikidozan (#68)
Dr. Jerry Graham (#80)
Teddy Long (#134)
June Byers (#199)
Beth Phoenix (#240)
With the removal of these wrestlers, we have moved one wrestler from the future candidates section (The Big Show), and have added more additional performers who we may have forgotten before. Rankings have changed based on your votes and comments and continuing career analysis.
Let’s get right to it, shall we?
While it is a controversial choice for some of you, we just can’t move the owner of the WWE, Vince McMahon out of the top spot. Love him or hate him, most of you who started watching professional wrestling did so because of the marketing brilliance of McMahon.
The Undertaker returns at #2. With his recent retirement at Wrestlemania it is widely speculated that he will be inducted next year. Frankly, we are hoping that is the case.
The Rock also returns at the same position, #3. Like the Undertaker, when the Rock gets in, he will without question be the headliner.
Triple H returns at #4. While the resume of Triple H is certainly Hall of Fame worthy, though with him being a high ranking executive, it is actually a lot harder to induct him. Maybe this is “Vince 2.0”, and he will be on this list for years to come.
The late Ivan Koloff moved up two spots from #7 to #5. There was talk about inducting him two years ago, but now any induction for the former WWWF World Heavyweight Champion would be posthumous.
Chris Jericho had a huge jump from #8 to #6. While he is coming off of one of his most entertaining years in the ring, Y2J is 46 years old and older than the mandatory age of 45, which we placed to move Futures to the main list, even if they are active competitors.
Bruiser Brody took a bit of a tumble as he dropped from #5 to #7.
Dave Batista, whose Hollywood run tells us he won’t be returning to the WWE anytime soon climbed one spot to #8.
Recently retired Daniel Bryan went up one spot to #10. Bryan currently serves as the Smackdown General Manager.
Rounding out the top ten is The Big Show, our lone transfer from the Future Candidates Section to our main list. While Show is in the best shape of his career, he will be 46 in February and is clearly on a reduced schedule. He has been hinting retirement for years.
Here are the other new entries:
Seiji Sakaguchi at #153.
Alfonso Dantes at #186.
The Von Brauners at #197.
Jun Akiyama at #216.
Angelo Poffo at #292.
The Missouri Mauler at #314.
Bill DeMott at #338.
Dan Severn at #343.
Justin Credible at #353.
Pak Song at #355.
Stevie Richards at #359.
Duke Keomuka at #361.
Earl Hebner at #363.
Judy Martin at #367.
Ray Mendoza at #369.
Balls Mahoney at #370.
Hayabusa at #372.
Perro Aguayo Jr. at #373.
Al Madril at #374.
Bill Alfonso at #375.
Tony Anthony at #376.
Jamie Noble at #377.
The Disco Inferno at #378.
Velvet McIntyre at #379.
Sweet Daddy Siki at #380.
We have also increased our list from 365 to 380, and will likely add 20 more by the year’s end to bring it to an even 400.
You know what we want you to do!
Take a look and cast your votes and offer your opinions as those help us shape our future Notinhalloffame.com WWE List.
Our WWE List has been revised. Daniel Bryan and Chris Jericho added
Our Notinhalloffame.com WWE list has finally been updated and as has happened every year has expanded. This year we have gone from 333 to 365.
Why the 10 percent increase in entries? Simply put, the creation of the WWE Legends Wing has opened up a large amount of pre-WWE wrestlers who were not previously considered to be recognized on our list.
First off, let’s get to the new Top Ten, which has showcases some new entries.
#1. Vince McMahon
McMahon returns to the top spot and love him or hate him nobody can deny that he belongs.
#2. The Undertaker
This is about as close to a lock as it gets.
#3. The Rock
See above. How can he not get in?
#4. Triple H
The only thing keeping Triple H out of the HOF is Triple H. As an existing executive, it is his whenever he wants.
#5. Bruiser Brody
Every year, Brody climbs in the rankings. This is his first year in our top five.
#6. Kurt Angle
Angle may never work for the WWE again as an in ring worker, but he has done more than enough to be a Hall of Famer for the WWE.
#7. Ivan Koloff
The former WWWF World Heavyweight Champion is at his highest rank.
#8. Chris Jericho
While Jericho is as of this writing an active WWE competitor, his age (45) brings him to our automatic threshold for the active WWE Notinhalloffame.com list.
#9. Dave Batista
The former World Champion and climbing actor comes in at number 9.
#10. Daniel Bryan
The former three-time World Champion breaks through to the top-ten with the surprising retirement. This is his debut on the Notinhalloffame.com WWE list.
There are a plethora of other new entries into our WWE Hall of Fame countdown.
They are:
22. Rob Van Dam
“RVD” is a former World Champion and a major star of both the 90’s and 00’s.
46. Jim Londos
Londos is a former World Champion from the 1930’s.
59. Joe Stecher
Stecher is a former World Champion from the 1910’s and 20’s.
77. Wild Bill Longson
Longson is a former World Champion from the World War II era.
85. Stanislaus Zbyszko
Zbyszko is a former World Heavyweight Champion and major star from the 1920’s.
94. Whipper Billy Watson
Watson was an icon in Toronto and a former World Heavyweight Champion from the 1950’s.
114. Bronko Nagurski
Nagurski is a former NFL Champion and a former World Heavyweight Champion from the 1930’s and 40’s.
127. Ray Steele
Steele is another former World Champion from the 1930’s.
152. Yvon Robert
Robert was the World Champion in the 40’s and was a large star from Quebec.
174. The Great Gama
Gama was a legend in India and popularized the business there.
185. Santino Marella
The former Intercontinental Champion recently retired and was one of the best “comedic” wrestlers of all-time.
199. June Byers
Byers is a former Women’s Champion who took over the mantle from Mildred Burke in the 1950’s.
212. Bob Orton Sr.
The patriarch of the Orton family won a plethora of regional titles throughout his career.
227. The Great Khali
Khali is a former World Heavyweight Champion and remains a major star in India.
240. Beth Phoenix
Phoenix is a former WWE Women’s Champion
246. John Pesek
Pesek was a former World Champion from the 1910’s and 20’s.
257. Orville Brown
Brown was a former multi-time champion from the 1940’s.
283. Everett Marshall
Marshall was a former champion from the 1930’s and 40’s.
294. Bert Assirati
Assirati was a British strongman who was a star in the U.K. for decades.
296. Dick Shikat
Shikat won the world title twice in the 1930’s.
301. Steve Casey
Casey was a major force in the business in the Boston area in the late 1930’s.
305. Missy Hyatt
Hyatt was the “First Lady of WCW” at one time and a top heel in the UWF.
309. Gus Sonnenberg
Sonnenberg was the World Champion in the 1930’s.
314. Baron Michele Leone
Leone was a major star in Southern California for years.
322. Michelle McCool
McCool is a former Diva’s Champion.
326. Steve Blackman
“The Lethal Weapon” is a former six-time WWE Hardcore Champion.
327. Ed Don George
Ed Don George was a champion in the 1930’s.
330. New Jack
The ECW veteran was a three time Tag Team Champion.
331. Terri Runnels
Terri was a WWE Diva for nearly seven years.
335. Layla
Layla was a former WWE Diva’s Champion
340. Danny McShain
McShain was a multi-time former Light Heavyweight Champion.
342. Earl McCready
McCready was a solid performer in the British Commonwealth throughout the 30’s, 40’s and 50’s.
344. Bill Apter
Apter was the owner of a series of magazines that took pictures that are still used today.
346. Candice Michelle
The former Godaddy spokesgirl was WWE Women’s Champion.
349. Danno O’Mahoney
O’Mahoney was a fixture in wrestling in the 1930’s.
351. Sandor Szabo
Szabo was a star in California for well over a decade.
354. Lillian Garcia
Garcia is one of the longest tenured employees in WWE history.
363. Rockin’ Robin
Robin was a former WWF Women’s Champion.
In the Fall of this year we intend to expand this to an even 400.
We think you all know what we want you to do!
Take a look at this list, the new entries and cast your votes and opinions!
As always, we here at Notinhalloffame.com thank you for your time and your support.
2. The Rock
