gold star for USAHOF

10 Names added to the WWE Legacy Wing

10 Names added to the WWE Legacy Wing
05 Apr
2019
Not in Hall of Fame

According to the very reputable website, pwinsider.com, there will be 10 new entrants in the WWE Hall of Fame via the Legacy Wing.  As per previous years, this came with no fanfare and is a group of names that run the gamut of wrestling history with carrying levels of importance.

The new inductees will be:

Jim Barnett:  Barnett was one of the most successful promoters in wrestling history beginning with Indianapolis and Detroit and in the 1960s would take over the Australian territory and take it to new heights.  He would buy into Georgia Championship Wrestling and raise its profile until he sold his interest to the WWF where he would become a Vice President from 1984 to 1987.  He would later serve as a consultant in WCW and again in the WWE.  Barnett was ranked #127 on our Notinhalloffame.com list.

Bruiser Brody:  If there was anyone who had more of a free and independent spirit in Professional Wrestling we don’t who it is!  Brody was trained by Fritz Von Erich and would be a freelancer throughout the world and an international legend.  The pioneer of the modern brawling style was killed in Puerto Rico by a fellow wrestler (and booker) when he was stabbed over a business dispute in 1988.  Through Brody’s widow, a Legends Contract is in place for Brody and has been for a while so there is little surprise.  Brody was ranked #7 by us on Notinhalloffame.com.

Primo Carnera:  Carnera is actually better known for being the Heavyweight Boxing Champion in 1933 but he would wrestle after his boxing career ended and he would receive world title shots against Lou Thesz.  We did not have Carnera ranked.

Joseph Cohen:  Cohen was the creator of the Madison Square Garden Network, which had a relationship with the WWE as they aired their shows at MSG on that channel.

Wahoo McDaniel:  A former member of the American Football League over nine seasons, Wahoo McDaniel would be a stalwart in the National Wrestling Alliance, mostly in the Mid-Atlantic Territory where he was multi-time champion.  He would also hold multiple championships in Texas, Florida and Georgia and among his peers was one of the most respected wrestlers in the business. McDaniel was ranked #44 by us on Notinhalloffame.com.  He passed away n 2002.

S.D. Jones:  Jones cut his teeth in the Mid-Atlantic and California territories and he would join the WWF in the early ’80s.  Jones was originally in the mid-card but as the organization exploded in popularity he would be used as enhancement talent, most notably putting over King Kong Bundy in 24 seconds at the first Wrestlemania.  While he lost the majority of his matches he would be a very popular figure.  Jones was ranked #185 on our Notinhalloffame.com list.

“Playboy” Buddy Rose:  Many remember Rose in his last run with the company where his weight was a punchline with the “blow away diet” but he was a top contender for the WWWF title in 1982 against Bob Backlund and under a hood was the Executioner, the first man to walk down the aisle at a Wrestlemania.  Rose was a major star in Portland where he held their version of the Heavyweight Championship many times.  Rose is ranked #153 on Notinhalloffame.com.

Hisashi Shinma:  Shinma was the figurehead President of the WWF from 1978 to 1984 but he was also a top executive and booker for New Japan and integral to their relationship to the WWE, which would see a lot of talent exchanges between the two.  He was ranked #356 on our Notinhalloffame.com list.

Professor Toru Tanaka:  From Hawaii, but portraying an evil Japanese villain, Professor Toru Tanaka would challenge Bruno Sammartino for the WWWF World Heavyweight Championship and along with Mr. Fuji would be a three time WWWF World Tag Team Champion.  Tanaka would also appear in multiple films.  He was ranked #82 on Notinhalloffame.com

Luna Vachon:  This was a little controversial for some as many would think that the induction of Vachon (albeit posthumous) should have taken place on the main stage especially considering her main run in the WWE took place in the Attitude Era.  In an era of Divas, Vachon was a wrestler and she should have entered the WWE Hall of Fame before other women who entered ahead of her.  She was ranked #126 on Notinhalloffame.com.

While we again reiterate that this is a strange group, we are happy for the families of this group and we congratulate them.  

We will now begin work on revising our list and hope to have that up next month.

Last modified on Saturday, 06 April 2019 09:41
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