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2002 Inductions
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Lou Thesz: The greatest World Heavyweight champion of all time. Without Lou Thesz, there is NO Hall of Fame. He is the only wrestler to ever compete in 7 different decades. Thesz held the World’s Heavyweight championship a number of times, and took on hundreds of challengers during his reigns. Thesz’ background as a shooter made him a great champion, able to hold his own if a wrestler decided to go into business for himself. Thesz is the measuring stick in the world of pro-wrestling. |
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Harley Race: A real Man’s Man. Harley Race held the World Heavyweight title an amazing eight times. He held the championship with pride, honor and dignity, like no one else has ever done. Race took on all challengers everywhere he went and stood up for what he beleived every time. His ability to transform himself at the end of his career, and adapt to the changes effecting the wrestling industry were nothing short of admirable. Long live the King! |
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Andre The Giant: The eighth wonder of the World. Andre probably sold more tickets to wrestling events than anybody in the history of wrestling. When the “Giant” was on the card, he WAS the show. His dedication to wrestling surpassed all others, even though he was in constant pain due to his Acromegaly. Andre never complained. And lived each day like it was his last. Everyone, in and out of the business, has an Andre-story they love to tell. Andre, the Hall of Fame Giant. |
2003 Inductions
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“The Nature Boy” Ric Flair: Whhoooooooooooo! To be the man, you got to beat the man! Sometimes that’s true. Lots of people have beaten Ric Flair in the last 10 years, but Ric is still “The Man”. The debate will live on forever as to who is the greatest, and Ric Flair is always in the discussion. Flair’s dominance is only proven by his 20 World title reigns over his career. A charisma that has never been matched, and a passion for the business AND the people involved make this Legend stand out among Legends. |
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Jake “The Snake” Roberts: Trust me…… was Jake Roberts’ words of wisdom. But can you ever really trust a snake? That makes Jake “The Snake” the master of psychology. He is arguably the greatest ring psychologist to ever step between the ropes. Not many wrestlers could pull off a Blindfold match with Rick Martel and make it believable. Roberts’ understood the crowd, and could feel their pulse from bell-to-bell. Dispite Roberts’ battles with demons, he is still a valuable part of wrestling past. Trust us……. |
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“Classy” Freddie Blassie: Listen you pencil-neck Geek! was Fred Blassie’s most famous catch phrase. His greatness is most often misunderstood because fans who tuned into wrestling for the first time in the 80s only saw a shell of Blassie’s former self. Blassie’s legacy extends all the way back to the 60s and 70s when he was the top babyface in Los Angeles. His feud with John Tolos ranks as one of the most barbaric ever experienced. To get a feel for Blassie’s greatness, READ HIS BOOK.. |
2004 Inductions
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Bruno Sammartino: The Living Legend. This is one Hall of Fame induction Bruno cannot decline. Yes, Bruno, wrestling has gone down the pooper since your day. But that doesn’t diminish your greatness. In the 1960s and 70s, Sammartino dominated the WWWF, selling out Madison Square Garden an unfathomable number of times. Holding the WWWF title on two different occassions, once for 8 years, and once for 3 years. Mr. Sammartino you are a Hall of Famer, whether you want to be, or not. |
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Randy Savage: OOOhhhhhh yeeaaaaaahhh, can ya dig it? Randy Savage was so talanted. He was Hulk Hogan with talent. Wrestling was literally in Savage’s blood from the day is was born. He was one of two people who could actually get multiple good matches out of the Ultimate Warrior. His storylines with his then-wife Miss Elizabeth, Steele, Steamboat, Hogan, Warrior, Roberts, Rhodes, Flair and countless others was always the show stealer. Macho Madness will forever run wild in the OWW Hall of Fame. |
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Ted DiBiase: Everyone’s got a price for this Million Dallar Man, even Ted DiBiase himself. That was a hot topic in DiBiase’s book, published a few years back. DiBiase went up and down the road and submitted to just about every tempation available to him, but he eventually saw the light and changed his life for the better. However, it is DiBiase’s ring work as a heel that has earned his spot in the Hall of Fame. When gimmicks were taking over the world of pro-wrestling, the Million Dollar Man perfected the art of gimmicks. |
2005 Inductions
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Hulk Hogan: Watchha gonna do, when Hulkamania runs wild on YOU? I’ll tell ya what we’re gonna do… Induct you into the Hall of Fame. Hulk Hogan helped changed the face of professional wrestling in the 80s. As wrestling was transformed from a sport into sports-entertainement, Hogan was the main attraction. As a contibuting factor in the first nine Wrestlemanias, The Hulkster is believed by many to be the greatest of all time. The debate rages on. So say your prayers, and take your vitamins. |
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The Freebirds: The first team/faction to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. Michael Hayes, Terry Gordy & Buddy Roberts were inseperable — but can you blame them? The sum of their parts was incredibly great. They left their home state of Georgia and travelled to Dallas, Texas, where they engaged in an historic feud with the von Erich Brothers. Every time the Freebirds showed up in a territory, they would be thrust into the spotlight. The Freebird trio single handedly made six man tag team wrestling a major part of the show. |
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Dick The Bruiser: The Bruiser was the original beer guzzling, cigar smoking, toughguy in the wrestling industry — long before Steve Austin ever came along. Dick The Bruiser was a character everywhere he went. The fans cheered and cheered until they couldn’t cheer no more. Dick’s Indianapolis-based promotion was a hotbed of wrestling and started many careers such as Bobby Heenan. The Bruiser’s partnership with The Crusher is legendary, dominating the tag team circuit whereever they went. |
2006 Inductions
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Dusty Rhodes: Virgil Runnels lived out the American Dream for 30+ years battling wrestlings top villians in rings all over the world. Early in his career, a young Dusty Rhodes joined forces with the legendary Dick Murdoch as “The Outlaws” and kicked a whole lot of butt all over the country. Rhodes learned his craft and eventually broke off on his own and became a major player in Florida and in the Carolina’s both wrestling and booking for both territories during some of the hottest years of pro wrestling. It is with pride that we welcome Dusty Rhodes into the HOF. |
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Jerry Lawler: It’s good to be the King, sometimes. That was the name of Jerry Lawler book which he put out several years ago. The King enjoyed a long and successful career which put him on top of the Tennesse territory for an unusually long period of time. Lawler’s most famous match happened when Hollywood star Andy Kauffman got involved in wrestling, and led to Lawler & Kauffman doing an angle on NBC’s David Letterman show. Lawler has been successful in all aspects of the wrestling business and is a perfect fit for the OWW Hall of Fame. |
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The Sheik: The Sheik was a pioneer of the hardcore style of wrestling. He was the promoter and top heel in the Detroit territory for several decades and made a habit of drawing blood out of his opponents on a nightly basis. Not only that but he went out of his way to maintain the secrets of the business, a philosophy carried on by his nephew Sabu. The Sheik was a major influence on careers of many wrestlers even after his death back in January 2003. We are honored to induct Ed “The Sheik” Farhat. |
2007 Inductions
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Bret Hart: Bret “The Hitman” Hart is a hero to thousands upon thousands of wrestling fans, and an icon in the sport of professional wrestling. With the wrestling business literally flowing through his veins, Bret Hart stepped into the wrestling ring in an attempt to make his father proud of him, and ended up becoming one of the biggest legends in the entire industry. Bret’s career was marred by a series of tragedies, but through it all, remained loyal to himself, to his fans, and to his country. No Hall of Fame would be complete without The Hitman. |
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Bruiser Brody: Frank Goodish was known all over the world by the name Bruiser Brody; a forerunner of hardcore wrestling who had a believable gimmick during a time where legitimacy was on its way out the window. Brody jumped from territory to territory, but achieved his biggest success working for Giant Baba’s All Japan Pro Wrestling promotion. His career and life was cut short when he was murdered in the dressing room by a fellow wrestler in Puerto Rico. Who knows what level of stardom this man might have earned, if he was not taken so early. |
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Penny Banner: The very first female to be inducted into the OnlineWorldofWrestling.com Hall of Fame – and it very is deserved. Penny Banner had a unique mixture of extraordinary beauty outside of the ring and unmatched ruthlessness inside of the ring that made her one of the top female wrestlers for over two decades. Banner held several different Women’s Tag Team titles as well as the AWA Women’s title during her illustrious career. It is with tremendous honor that we include the wonderfully talented Penny Banner in the OWW Hall of Fame class of 2007. |
2008 Inductions
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Bob Backlund: That’s MR. Bob Backlund to you, plebians! Over five years as WWWF World Heavyweight champion is more than enough to earn Bob Backlund a special place in any wrestling Hall of Fame. In additition to that, Backlund was an NCAA amature champion, as well as Heavyweight champion in Missouri, and Tag Team champion in both Florida and Georgia. Most fans will remember Backlund for his whacky Mid-90s WWF gimmick and running (not really) for President of the United States! Welcome to the OWW Hall of Fame! |
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Owen Hart: On May 23rd, 1999, Owen Hart became wrestling’s most heart-breaking tragedy. He was a man equally respected for skills in the ring as he was for the kind of man he was in – what we call – real life. Owen’s potential was never quite reached during his career as a professional wrestler, but he still provided us with some of the memorable moments in WWF history. Growing up as the runt of the Hart family litter, Owen was arguably as good, or better, than his famous older brother Bret – even though he was not as decorated. Owen Hart was a diamond in the rough, and belongs in the Online World of Wrestling Hall of Fame. Bless you Owen, we miss you! |
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Jack Brisco: Jack Brisco, the older of the two famous Brisco brothers, captured two World Heavyweight championship during his long 20+ year career in professional wrestling, along with numerous other singles and tag team titles in Missouri, Florida, Georgia, Puerto Rico, and the Mid-Atlantic territory. Jack was a key player in every region of the world that he wrestled in, before he retired in 1984 to run the Brisco Brother’s Bodyshop in Tampa, Florida. In 2008, Jack was inducted along side his brother, Jerry, into the WWE Hall of Fame. If you. Jack has one of the most informative wrestling books out there with his autobiography, “BRISCO.” |
2009 Inductions
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(April 15) Rowdy Roddy Piper: The “Hot Rod” entered the world of professional wrestling to kick ass and chew bubble gum, but he quickly ran out of bubble gum. Piper paid his dues in various territories across the nation before making a name for himself as Hulkamania’s number one nemesis in the WWF. The Rowdy One made a distinct impression every where he went. But how could someone so hated, become so loved during the later stages of his career? It’s professional wrestling, and Roddy Piper is one of the greatest of all time. |
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