The WWE 2007 Hall Of Fame Thread

[Hasbeen1 0]

If Bob Orton Jr, William Perry, Pete Rose, Tony Atlas, and "The Rock" Don Muraco are in then why not Dean, his career outshines ALL of them.

 

 

Doubtful Vince cares about Malenko's #1 ranking in PWI.

[Guest NateW]

No matter what Bruno did in his career and how badly WWE wants him in their HOF, I don't think the majority of WWE's fanbase is all that familiar with Bruno. I don't think they would care all that much about him going into the HOF, except maybe for an MSG crowd. I think the WWE fanbase would have more interest in Randy Savage or Ultimate Warrior going in. With Backlund it's pretty much the same thing. Most people probably remember him most for his goofball run in the mid 1990's.

[ChrisMWaters 0]

No matter what Bruno did in his career and how badly WWE wants him in their HOF, I don't think the majority of WWE's fanbase is all that familiar with Bruno. I don't think they would care all that much about him going into the HOF, except maybe for an MSG crowd. I think the WWE fanbase would have more interest in Randy Savage or Ultimate Warrior going in. With Backlund it's pretty much the same thing. Most people probably remember him most for his goofball run in the mid 1990's.

How many people in the WWE fanbase were familiar with Verne Gagne?

[Dobbs 3K 0]

Eh...Backlund and Sammartino would give some validation to the HoF, since it would make it clear this isn't just "the Hulkamania era and beyond" being honored. Vince doesn't need them, though. I mean, I doubt we've ever going to see a "Best of Bob Backlund" or "Bruno Sammartino's Greatest Matches" DVD.

 

Dean Malenko should be inducted. He at least had a somewhat decent WWF Light Heavyweight Title reign, and held numerous titles in WCW. He was also a member of the Horsemen, the original Triple Threat in ECW, and one of the Radicalz (pretty significant moment in the Monday Night Wars). That should be enough to get him inducted. Plus, being that he's an agent and clearly loyal to WWE doesn't hurt.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

You guys don't seem to know a thing about Vince McMahon or the way he operates. There is nobody, save Hulk (who's already in) that is more important for Vince to have in the hall than Bruno. You are forgetting the following:

 

-Despite what the product looks like today, Vince grew up on old school WWWF. He adores it. He's an admitted mark for Superstar, Bruno, Muraco, Morales, etc. If you can't see the parallels between the way Cena and Bruno were booked, you aren't paying close enough attention .

 

-Bruno is the guy who has criticized Vince ad nauseum and never come crawling back. Vince gets off on the idea of winning a war. There would be nothing more satisfactory to him than having his biggest oppponent cave in to his demands.

 

-Finally, it gives his stupid hall some credibility. Everyone in the business knows that the thing is a farce. If Bruno goes in, he's vindicated to some point for recognizing the past and inducting one of the company's biggest stars.

[Hasbeen1 0]

Eh...Backlund and Sammartino would give some validation to the HoF, since it would make it clear this isn't just "the Hulkamania era and beyond" being honored. Vince doesn't need them, though. I mean, I doubt we've ever going to see a "Best of Bob Backlund" or "Bruno Sammartino's Greatest Matches" DVD.

 

Dean Malenko should be inducted. He at least had a somewhat decent WWF Light Heavyweight Title reign, and held numerous titles in WCW. He was also a member of the Horsemen, the original Triple Threat in ECW, and one of the Radicalz (pretty significant moment in the Monday Night Wars). That should be enough to get him inducted. Plus, being that he's an agent and clearly loyal to WWE doesn't hurt.

 

 

It doesn't really matter what they accomplished, what matters to Vince in this is how each potential inductee will affect the product. Bob Orton got in likely, in part, to help establish Randy Orton. If it was legit, wrestlers who did very little or nothing in the WWE-WWF-WWWF would have no chance. But it's not.

[iliketurtles 0]

With Hennig and Rhodes, I'd say it will be Dibease, Steamboat, Anderson, Finkel and Mr. T would all be legitimate canadiates at this point.

[King Cucaracha 0]

Dean Malenko should be inducted. He at least had a somewhat decent WWF Light Heavyweight Title reign,

 

That belt meant nothing.

 

and held numerous titles in WCW.

So did plenty of workers.

 

He was also a member of the Horsemen,

 

So were Paul Roma and Steve McMichael.

 

the original Triple Threat in ECW,

Which means nothing to anybody in the WWE, for so many reasons.

 

and one of the Radicalz (pretty significant moment in the Monday Night Wars).

 

The fourth wheel, fifth when alligned with Foley.

 

That should be enough to get him inducted. Plus, being that he's an agent and clearly loyal to WWE doesn't hurt.

 

He achieved little to nothing in WWE though, great loyal worker or not.

[razazteca 0]

Its the WWE Hall of Fame not the Hall of legit-technical-ring-generals that being said Dean Malenko was never good at the interview/promos.

[foleyfanforever88 0]

I agree with the people who say Malenko doesn't belong in the HOF. He did almost nothing of note in the WWE. If he came back to RAW next week, majority of today's fans wouldn't even know who he was.

[Hasbeen1 0]

Like I said before, great wrestler but that's not what this is about. To make it a little legit they should have categories for those who competed primarily or completely outside the WWF (Von Erichs, etc).

[Kahran Ramsus 0]

I agree with the people who say Malenko doesn't belong in the HOF. He did almost nothing of note in the WWE. If he came back to RAW next week, majority of today's fans wouldn't even know who he was.

 

This isn't just WWE though. What did Harley Race ever do in the WWF? Verne Gagne was never even in the company to my knowledge. Both are still in the Hall.

[King Cucaracha 0]

I agree with the people who say Malenko doesn't belong in the HOF. He did almost nothing of note in the WWE. If he came back to RAW next week, majority of today's fans wouldn't even know who he was.

 

This isn't just WWE though. What did Harley Race ever do in the WWF? Verne Gagne was never even in the company to my knowledge. Both are still in the Hall.

 

They had at least some name value though. Not saying today's fans would neccessarily recognise who Harley Race or Verne Gagne is, but that's as much to do with society not caring about what came before it as much as their actual accomplishments.

 

They both enjoyed some level of 'fame'. Malenko I wouldn't class as 'famous'.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

I agree with the people who say Malenko doesn't belong in the HOF. He did almost nothing of note in the WWE. If he came back to RAW next week, majority of today's fans wouldn't even know who he was.

 

This isn't just WWE though. What did Harley Race ever do in the WWF? Verne Gagne was never even in the company to my knowledge. Both are still in the Hall.

Verne Gagne wrestled at least six times in Madison Square Garden in the '70s.

[Darthtiki 0]

Okay, this is a little off topic here, but how many people think Liz should get a nod to the HOF?

 

I'm for it but it won't happen at least right now because they probably will want to do a Savage/Liz package deal which means depending on what frame of mind both Vince and Hogan are in, could be when Randy keels over (which should be sooner or later).

[Lil' Bitch 0]

I don't think last year had a theme. Look at the group:

 

Bret Hart

Eddie Guerrero

Mean Gene Okerlund

Tony Atlas

Sensational Sherri

Verne Gagne

The Blackjacks

And celeb William Perry

 

Yeah, true for the most part. But in a way, it was somewhat of a nod to WM II. It was Bret Hart's first and William Perry was in the Battle Royale of the event since part of WM II was in Chi-town.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Three years ago WWE printed a magazine entitled "The Greatest 50 WWE Superstars of All Time." They provided their 50 choices in no particular order. I thought it would be interesting to see who has been inducted and who remains out.

 

Andre the Giant 1993

Chief Jay Strongbow 1994

Bobo Brazil 1994

Buddy Rogers 1994

Gorilla Monsoon 1994

Ivan Putski 1995

Antonio Rocca 1995

George Steele 1995

Fabulous Moolah 1995

Ernie Ladd 1995

Pedro Morales 1995

Killer Kowalski 1996

Jimmy Snuka 1996

Pat Patterson 1996

Sgt. Slaughter 2004

Don Muraco 2004

Billy Graham 2004

Jesse Ventura 2004

The Junkyard Dog 2004

Hulk Hogan 2005

Roddy Piper 2005

The Iron Sheik 2005

Paul Orndorff 2005

Bret Hart 2006

The Honky Tonk Man

The Ultimate Warrior

Bob Backlund

Kurt Angle

Chris Jericho

Bruno Sammartino

Mick Foley

Razor Ramon

Jake Roberts

Triple H

Steve Austin

Ted DiBiase

Wendi Richter

Yokozuna

King Kong Bundy

The Undertaker

Shawn Michaels

Ricky Steamboat

The Rock

Randy Savage

Brock Lesnar

Rick Rude

Ken Patera

Ric Flair

Kane

Haystacks Calhoun

 

Removing guys who are reasonably active, that gives us Honky, Warrior, Backlund, Sammartino, Roberts, Austin, DiBiase, Richter, Yokozuna, Bundy, Steamboat, Savage, Rude, Patera and Calhoun. Dibiase should go in soon. He's well liked among both fans and peers and on good terms with WWE. Yokozuna would not be an embarrasing entry, and would give Afa a chance to speak (I was going to suggest Jamal/Umaga, but that would blow the character). Rick Rude would make a good addition alongside Curt Hennig.

 

Oh yeah, they should throw Bob Uecker into the celebrity wing of the Hall.

[Hawk 34 0]

Isn't HTM holding out on this because he doesn't want to lose his namesake by signing to the legends deal knowing it'd kill his indy career? Or is it just a case of them being at odds again.

 

We can probably be assured that Bruno, Backlund, Savage, Angle, Warrior and Lesnar aren't going to touch the HOF either by their own decision or WWE's stance.

 

There's also a good deal of names not on that list are just as deserving if not more.

[DrVenkman PhD 0]

Isn't HTM holding out on this because he doesn't want to lose his namesake by signing to the legends deal knowing it'd kill his indy career? Or is it just a case of them being at odds again.

 

Well this is what he told WWE.com recently:

 

In regards to all the controversy that has followed him in recent years, Honky Tonk Man says it wasn’t about bitterness, but about business. He even told WWE.com that he agreed with Eric Bischoff on one thing.

 

“I don’t like to give Bischoff a lot of credit, but he was right when he said ‘controversy creates cash’,” said HTM. “It was about survival for me. I said a lot of things and created a lot of controversies to keep my name on people’s minds. Those days are gone now though. I’ve moved on with my life.”

[ChrisMWaters 0]

I don't think Richter will get in. She got hit with a screwjob years before Bret Hart ever did on her way out.

[ChrisMWaters 0]

Bumping this so the starter of the thread doesn't forget to update the list.

 

Jerry Lawler becomes the first Hall of Fame inductee to still be a regular fixture on TV.

 

Yeah, it's an announcing role, but still.

[Insanity 0]

Bumping this so the starter of the thread doesn't forget to update the list.

 

Jerry Lawler becomes the first Hall of Fame inductee to still be a regular fixture on TV.

 

Yeah, it's an announcing role, but still.

 

Does Vince count?

[Mike wanna be 0]

Bumping this so the starter of the thread doesn't forget to update the list.

 

Jerry Lawler becomes the first Hall of Fame inductee to still be a regular fixture on TV.

 

Yeah, it's an announcing role, but still.

This is most certainly fair to Flair.

[Enigma 0]

When does Vince McMahon get inducted into the Hall of Fame?

[Scroby 0]

I updated the thread and added Lawler to the list.

[ChrisMWaters 0]

When does Vince McMahon get inducted into the Hall of Fame?

They read it wrong.

 

It was Vince J McMahon, not Vince K. McMahon, that was inducted into the Hall of Fame.

 

In other words, the current Vince's father.

[daileyxplanet 0]

I believe he was using the present tense, for Kennedy McMahon...

[Hawk 34 0]

So who'll do inductions?

 

Dusty Rhodes-Ric Flair or Dustin Rhodes

Curt Henning-Bobby Heenan or Ric Flair (Larry Henning to accept)

Jerry Lawler-Bill Dundee or Jimmy Valiant

 

I'd like to see Flair, Heenan and Dustin do the speeches and since Heenan and Flair are connected to so many people, they can realistically do a speech for any of them.

[The Amazing Rando 0]

I still would love to see Lance Russell induct Lawler. That'd rule.

[Hawk 34 0]

Also, since Ross is in as well, can we safely assume that Austin will play that role?