TheWWE Hall of Fame is ahall of fame which honorsprofessional wrestlers and professional wrestling personalities maintained byWWE. Originally known as the "WWF Hall of Fame", it was created in 1993 whenAndré the Giant was posthumously inducted with a video package as the sole inductee that year. The 1994 and 1995 ceremonies were held in conjunction with the annualKing of the Ringpay-per-view events and the 1996 ceremony was held with theSurvivor Series event. Since 2004, the promotion has held the ceremonies in conjunction withWrestleMania. Since 2005, portions of the induction ceremonies have aired on television and since 2014, the entire ceremony has aired on the WWE'slivestreaming platforms.
TheWorld Wrestling Federation (WWF) established the WWF Hall of Fame in 1993. It was first announced on the March 22, 1993, episode ofMonday Night Raw whereAndré the Giant, who had died nearly two months prior, was announced as the sole inductee.[1][2][3] In the proceeding two years, induction ceremonies were held in conjunction with the annualKing of the Ring pay-per-view events. The 1996 ceremony was held with theSurvivor Series event, for the first time in front of a paying audience as well as the wrestlers, after which, the Hall of Fame went on hiatus.[4]
After an eight-year hiatus the promotion — renamed World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) in 2002 — scheduled the 2004 ceremony to coincide with WrestleMania,[5] establishing the traditional date for all following ceremonies. Highlights of the 2004 ceremony were shown atWrestleMania XX, followed by the inductees appearing on the entrance stage in a condensed ceremony, which would become a Hall of Fame tradition from that point forward. The full version was released onDVD on June 1, 2004.[6] Beginning with the 2005 ceremony, an edited version of the Hall of Fame was broadcast onSpike TV (2005)[7] and on theUSA Network (2006[8]–present[9]); these were aired ontape delay. Since 2005, the entire Hall of Fame ceremony has been packaged as part of the annual WrestleMania DVD release,[10] and from 2014, has been broadcast live on theWWE Network streaming service.[11] The2021 ceremony was pretaped on March 30 and April 1 and aired on April 6. In addition to the WWE Network in international markets, the event also aired onPeacock in the United States after the American version of the WWE Network had merged under Peacock in March that year.[12]
Although a building has never been built to represent the Hall of Fame, WWE has looked into constructing a facility. In 2008,Shane McMahon, then-Executive Vice President of Global Media of WWE, stated that WWE had been storing wrestling memorabilia in a warehouse for years, with all items categorized and dated in case a facility is created.[13]Ric Flair stated in 2020 that WWE was in the process of creating a building for the Hall of Fame and that it would be inFlorida in theOrlando area,[14] but plans had been delayed due to theCOVID-19 pandemic.[15] The current WWE president has expressed interest about creating a hall of fame building in 2021.[16]
Specialty inductees
Celebrity wing
The "celebrity wing" of the Hall of Fame is dedicated to celebrities who have made memorable appearances on WWE programming, and/or have had longtime associations with WWE (or professional wrestling in general), who have been very successful in other fields.
Warrior Award
Dana Warrior presents the inaugural Warrior Award at the 2015 Hall of Fame ceremony
In 2015, WWE introduced the Warrior Award for those who had "exhibited unwavering strength and perseverance, and who live life with the courage and compassion that embodies the indomitable spirit ofthe Ultimate Warrior".[17]
While WWE promoted Warrior Award recipients as Hall of Fame inductees,[18][19] they were not included in the Hall of Fame section at WWE.com[20] and an image gallery which shows "every WWE Hall of Famer ever" does not contain any recipient.[21]
The award was created following the Ultimate Warrior's death. During his April 2014 Hall of Fame speech shortly before his death, he proposed that there be a special category called the "Jimmy Miranda Award" for WWE's behind-the-scenes employees.[22][23] Miranda, who died in 2002, was part of the WWE merchandise department for more than 20 years.[24] Former WWE ring announcerJustin Roberts expressed disappointment at how WWE used portions of Warrior's Hall of Fame speech to promote the award but left out Warrior's intentions of honoring WWE's off-screen employees.[25][26] WWE responded, "It is offensive to suggest that WWE and its executives had anything, but altruistic intentions in honoringConnor and his legacy with The Warrior Award", adding that "moving forward the award will be given annually to acknowledge other unsung heroes among WWE's employees and fans".[27] From 2019 until its discontinuation in 2024, all recipients had been either current or former WWE employees.[28]
Traditionally, Dana Warrior, the widow of the Ultimate Warrior, presented the award. Dana Warrior was released from the company in 2023, and the Warrior Award was discontinued.
Legacy inductees
In 2016, WWE introduced a new category for the Hall of Fame called the "Legacy" wing. Inductees in this category are from several eras of wrestling history, going back to the early 20th century.[29] All but two inductees,Hisashi Shinma andMSG Network creator Joseph Cohen, have been inducted posthumously. Legacy inductees are recognized with a video package at the ceremonies.[30][31]
The Legacy wing has received criticism, specifically regarding the abbreviated way of the inductions. JournalistDave Meltzer said "this is the category they (WWE) use to honor people who, for whatever reason, they don't feel are marketable names to the modern audience to put in their actual Hall of Fame".[32] Promoter and managerJim Cornette criticized the fact that recognizable names likeJim Londos orEl Santo were part of a video package.[33] Previously, Legacy inductees were not announced before the ceremonies and families of posthumous inductees were not notified of their inductions. This practice was criticized by family members of Legacy inducteesBruiser Brody andEthel Johnson.[34][35] The Legacy wing was discontinued in 2021, but was reinstated in 2025, now with inductees announced beforehand as well as having their families present and acknowledged at the ceremony.[36]
WWF Hall of Fame (1993) was the inaugural class of the WWE Hall of Fame. During the March 22, 1993, episode ofMonday Night Raw a video package announcing André the Giant's induction was shown.[3] No ceremony took place, and André was inducted posthumously. In March 2015 a condensed version of the1994 ceremony was added to theWWE Network.[38] Due to no original ceremony, the 1993 induction of André was discussed byGene Okerlund andRenee Young as part of the 1994 commentary.
WWF Hall of Fame (1994) was the event that featured the introduction of the second class to the WWE Hall of Fame. The event was produced by theWWF on June 9, 1994, from theOmni Inner Harbor International Hotel inBaltimore, Maryland.
In March 2015 a condensed version of the ceremony was added to theWWE Network.[38] Due to the original ceremony only being partially recorded and not originally intended to air,Gene Okerlund andRenee Young host the program with added commentary.
WWF Hall of Fame (1995) was the event that featured the introduction of the third class to the WWE Hall of Fame. The event was produced by theWWF on June 24, 1995, from theMarriott Hotel inPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania. The event took place the same weekend asKing of the Ring.
In March 2015 a condensed version of the ceremony was added to theWWE Network.[38] Due to the original ceremony only being partially recorded and not originally intended to air,Gene Okerlund andRenee Young host the program with added commentary. It has been discovered that the full ceremony has been recorded (albeit with low quality) and has been uploaded on YouTube
The 1995 class featured two posthumous inductees.Antonino Rocca was presented by his wife, andThe Grand Wizard was represented by Bobby Harmon.
A three-timeWWF Women's Champion. Her first reign is recognized as lasting a record 28 years[51] The first woman to be inducted. In 1999 she won the Women's Championship one more time.
WWF Hall of Fame (1996) was the event which featured the introduction of the fourth class to the WWE Hall of Fame. The event was produced by theWWF on November 16, 1996, from theMarriott Marquis inNew York City,New York. The event took place the same weekend asSurvivor Series.
In March 2015 a condensed version of the ceremony was added to theWWE Network.[38] Due to the original ceremony only being partially recorded and not originally intended to air,Gene Okerlund andRenee Young host the program with added commentary.
One-timeWWWF United States Tag Team Champion As a manager, he led 13 different tag teams to a record 17 tag team titles,[58] and four singles wrestlers to various championships His association withCyndi Lauper was pivotal in turning professional wrestling into a mainstream phenomenon[59]
Due to theCOVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 Hall of Fame ceremony did not take place. As such, the Class of 2020 was inducted alongside the Class of 2021 at the 2021 ceremony.
2013 headlinerBruno Sammartino previously refused to accept an induction
In 2012,The Post and Courier columnist Mike Mooneyham noted that the Hall has garnered criticism due to the inductions of questionable performers, and the omissions of major names within the industry.[267] Bob Backlund declined induction multiple times,[268] and The Ultimate Warrior wrote that he refused the honor in 2010;[269] they were eventually inducted in 2013 and 2014, respectively. Randy Savage was long recognized as being noticeably absent;[270]Chris Jericho said that the Hall achieved a level of legitimacy by inducting Savage in 2015.[271] Mick Foley long described Vader as "the most glaring and obvious omission from the #WWEHOF";[272][273] this was later corrected when he was posthumously inducted as part of the Class of 2022.[226]Chyna is also a topic of conversation of whether or not she should be inducted due to the nature of her post-WWE career. Ultimately, she was posthumously inducted as a member ofD-Generation-X in 2019, although fans, family and fellow wrestlers have since started petitioning for her solo posthumous induction. The most recent discussion amongst fans about a potential induction to the Hall of Fame is about the potential posthumous induction ofBray Wyatt in the near future. Fans started petitioning for his induction, whether it be solo or as part ofThe Wyatt Family, after his death in August 2023.
Bruno Sammartino, the longest-reigning WWWF World Heavyweight Champion, was once critical of the Hall of Fame. Sammartino disapproved of celebrity inductees such as Pete Rose and William Perry, and said of the ceremony: "What's the point to a Hall of Fame? Is it a building I can actually go to? No. Give me a break".[274] Sammartino declined previous induction offers, before accepting in 2013. Paul Levesque (Triple H) said that it was important for Sammartino to be inducted from a "legitimacy standpoint" andESPN said that his induction was an opportunity to legitimize the Hall of Fame.[275] After being announced as an inductee, Sammartino said he considered the Hall to be legitimate.[276]
In December 2021,Jeff Hardy was released from WWE. On March 8, 2022, the day that Hardy's no-compete clause expired, WWE reached out to Hardy and offered him an inductee spot to theWWE Hall of Fame (2022) ceremony. Jeff Hardy declined the offer because he was offended, felt like it wasn't time yet and he wantedMatt Hardy to be inductedalongside him.[277]
The Chris Benoit question
In June 2007, adouble-murder suicide occurred involvingChris Benoit, who murderedhis wife and youngest son before committing suicide. Benoit, who held numerous major championships, had a stellar career in the WWF/E, WCW and ECW, and was widely renowned as one of the greatesttechnical wrestlers of his generation. He was widely thought of during his later career and life as a guaranteed future WWE Hall of Famer. However, once his actions at the end of his life were discovered, that thought quickly dissipated. Despite this, in the years following, a posthumous WWE Hall of Fame induction of Benoit became a regular topic of debate and discussion. While arguments have been made by a number of pro-wrestling fans and industry alumni for Benoit to one day be inducted on account of his in-ring work, the overwhelming opinion from the majority of industry veterans is that the nature of Benoit's demise disqualifies him from ever entering. Benoit is a member of two professional wrestling Hall of Fames outside WWE, namely theStampede Wrestling Hall of Fame and theWrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame; both inductions took place in the years prior to his murders (1995 and 2003 respectively).[278]
Quality of inductees
Koko B. Ware's 2009 induction remains controversial
Ric Flair has stated there are several wrestlers in the Hall of Fame that didn't deserve it, but he didn't name names.[279] Koko B. Ware, who worked as anundercard wrestler in WWF, is often billed as a controversial inductee since he was selected before wrestlers such as Randy Savage or Bruno Sammartino.[280][281][282] Caleb Smith ofSlam Wrestling questioned how Ware was inducted, but former WWWF World Heavyweight ChampionIvan Koloff never was before his 2017 death.[283]411Mania writer Steve Cook defended his Hall of Fame status since he was very popular with fans and some of his losses were historic, while Kevin Pantoja described him as "the floor for inductees".[284]
Superstar Billy Graham publicly slammed the hall and demanded that WWE remove him from it, due to the 2011 induction of Abdullah the Butcher. Graham wrote: "It is a shameless organization to induct a bloodthirsty animal such as Abdullah the Butcher into their worthless and embarrassing Hall of Fame and I want the name of Superstar Billy Graham to be no part of it".[285] In 2018, Bret Hart, who headlined the 2006 ceremony, criticized the omissions of several wrestlers, primarilyDynamite Kid and his brotherOwen, as well as the inductions of the likes of The Rock 'n' Roll Express and The Fabulous Freebirds, who experienced little success in WWE. Hart said he would not go to another ceremony until WWE inducts "proper, deserving candidates".[286] Hart attended the 2019 ceremony to be inducted for a second time as part of The Hart Foundation.[31] Hart also asked WWE to removeGoldberg from the Hall of Fame, stating that "he got in there for hurting everybody he worked with" (which included himself in1999).[287] In 2021, after theJanuary 6 United States Capitol attack,Mick Foley asked Vince McMahon to remove Donald Trump,who was then President of the United States, from the Hall of Fame, though it ultimately did not occur.[288]
Dave Scherer ofPWInsider has questioned how WWE can sustain the 2004–present Hall of Fame model, due to legends being rapidly inducted. He wrote: "There are only so many people that they can have headline a class. They really need to make more new stars to ensure that they can keep filling arenas for the ceremony".[289] 411Mania's Ryan Byers said WWE standards are "weird" since several inductees have Hall of Fame careers, but others "made it in for political reasons, longstanding loyalty to the promotion".[290]
Praise and criticism
Owen Hart's widow,Martha Hart, responded to calls for him to be inducted by stating: "Their Hall of Fame? They don't even have a Hallway of Fame. It doesn't exist. There's nothing. It's a fake entity. There's nothing real or tangible. It's just an event they have to make money. They put it on TV and have a celebration, and it's just so ridiculous. I would never even entertain it. It's garbage."[291]Sabu also criticized the Hall of Fame, saying "I'd only do it because I need the money... I don't consider it a real Hall of Fame".[292]
Others have offered praise for the Hall of Fame.World Wrestling Council promoter and 26-timeWWC Universal Heavyweight ChampionCarlos Colón Sr. said that his 2014 induction was a "realization of a dream".[293] Arn Anderson, who was inducted in 2012 as part of The Four Horsemen, said that the induction was the "pinnacle of [his] wrestling life".[294] 2015 Hall of Fame headliner Kevin Nash stated that two things in the professional wrestling business are real: "When you win your first championship and when you get inducted into the Hall of Fame". Nash claimed this is a sentiment to which colleague Ric Flair also subscribes.[295] During his 2013 induction, Donald Trump said that the honor meant more than "having the highest ratings in TV, being a best-selling author or getting a spot on theHollywood Walk of Fame".[296]
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