gold star for USAHOF
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103. Bill Dundee

Although “Superstar” Bill Dundee was undersized and was rarely used in a National promotion, he was a huge star in the Memphis area and a great ally and foil of Jerry Lawler there.  The Superstar could be flashy, arrogant or modest depending on what character was needed in the area at the time.  His biggest taste on the big stage was a largely unremarkable performance as “Sir William”, Steven Regal’s manager in WCW where he barely spoke, and it is a shame that he was essentially muted in that role as he was a decent speaker.  If there was a Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame of Memphis, Dundee would be elected on the first or second ballot.

181. Manny Fernandez

Prior to his career in the squared circle, the “Raging Bull” Manny Fernandez played football at West Texas and was a legitimate tough guy.  He took this manly resume into the world of pro wrestling where he proved to be a natural for the business.  He looked tough, acted tough and could cut a mean promo when needed.  Fernandez became a star in Mid Atlantic and parlayed that into a NWA World Tag Team run with Rick Rude.  Had Fernandez ever had a WWE run, it is possible that he could have done something special there, but those who saw him perform knew they were seeing a star.

101. Masa Saito

Masa Saito was not your typical Japanese wrestler.  Many of them will never compete outside of Japan, and those that do may do so only for a run or two in the United States.  Saito competed often in the U.S. for various promotions often competing in tag teams with other foreign born heels.  Saito was a compact powerhouse with a legitimate amateur background (he competed for Japan in the 1964 Olympics).  This allowed him to wrestle virtually any American style.  As a former co-holder of the WWE tag belts with Mr. Fuji, Saito does have WWE experience under his belt and a large amount of American exposure with other promotions.  This could make him a dark horse candidate to become the next Japanese wrestler for the Hall.

148. The Barbarian

When the Barbarian received a WCW World Heavyweight Title shot at 1992’s Halloween Havoc Pay Per View, a lot of wrestling fans wondered aloud how a life long mid carder could be on the semi main event of a major PPV.  Looking back, Sionne Vailahi (The Barbarian) had every physical gift imaginable and the skills and if booked differently could have been the top card monster that many of his co-workers thought of him as.  As a member of Paul Jones’ Army, one half of the Powers of Pain, a Headshrinker, a member of the Dungeon of Doom and a Face of Fear, the Barbarian may not have been a main eventer, but he was a dependable heel and a valuable asset on any roster.