The WWE will induct eight more names into their Hall of Fame during a ceremony in Orlando tonight.
The Hall of Fame ceremonies take place on the eve of WrestleMania each year. For the last three years, I have done write-ups on each inductee.
I haven't got a great knowledge of some of this year's list of people as most of them are names from the Florida territory and were around long before I became a fan. I will hope to be as accurate in their histories as I have been in previous 'Class Of' posts.
Eddie Graham
Eddie Graham was a legendary wrestler who became an even legendary promoter in Florida. His success in the State led to him becoming the head of the NWA (National Wrestling Alliance) which was the ruling board of all wrestling territories during the territory days of professional wrestling.
I recall a comment made on the Vince McMahon DVD where McMahon claimed that Graham was one of his favourite wrestlers and that the future owner of the WWF had even bleached his hair blonde just to look like him.
Graham passed away in 1985 which ironically was the year that the WWF expanded and started to work outside of their territorial restrictions.
The Brisco Brothers
Gerald and Jack Brisco were a popular tag-team during the 70's and 80's. They became NWA tag team champions in 1983 and 1984.
Jack reached a greater height as a solo wrestler when he won the NWA world championship. His brother became a well-known face on WWF TV during the latest boom period when he was seen as one of Mr. McMahon's stooges. The stooge character was a play on his real-life job as being one of Vince McMahon's right hand men.
'High Chief' Peter Maivia
Maivia is the Grandfather of Dwayne Johnson (The Rock). He was a popular wrestler during the 1970's and had even toured on the British circuit. He won NWA tag team titles before he died at the age of forty-five in 1982.
Rocky Johnson
Johnson is the son-in-law of Peter Maivia and Father of The Rock. One of his major accomplishments during his career was that he and his tag team partner, Tony Atlas, became the first black tag team to become world champions. This all happened in 1983 which shows how behind the times wrestling was in promoting black stars.
Mae Young
Current fans of professional wrestler will know Mae Young as the old woman who was always beside the Fabulous Moolah in countless skits on WWE television. There is more to this lady than meets the eye, though.
Mae has been in the business since 1939 and has wrestled in eight separate decades.
She will be the third woman to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. Her long-time friend, Moolah and Sensational Sherri Martel are already in the Hall although both passed away last year. I wouldn't be surprised if Mae's acceptance speech mentions Moolah, it seems to me that the WWE have included Young in this year's ceremony as a way to celebrate Moolah's life as well as Mae's career.
Gordon Solie
Gordon Solie was the 'Dean of Professional Wrestling'. He is the commentator that a lot of current play-by-play announcers have attempted to emulate. Jim Ross is one of Solie's biggest fans and he has apparently been lobbying for his former mentor to be honoured.
Solie's career started in Championship Wrestling Florida and when the CWF closed down he moved on to the NWA which later became WCW.
One of his most popular terms was the 'chrimson mask' which he used to describe a wrestler whose face was bloodied. Jim Ross has been known to say it from time to time thus proving how the commentators of today have learnt from those of yesteryear.
He passed away in 2000 after losing his battle with throat cancer.
Ric Flair
Ric Flair has had a thirty-six year career and has held countless world championships. I call them 'countless' because there has been arguments from wrestling historians that the 'sixteen-time world champion' moniker is inaccurate and that there are far more title reigns unaccounted for.
Ric will be retiring this year. The story is the next time he loses he must end his career was started late last year and it's looking highly likely that tomorrow night will be the last time we see Ric Flair in the ring. I know he will be going out in style as he will be facing Shawn Michaels - a man who grew up idolising Flair.
It wasn't just Shawn Michaels who grew up wanting to be like Flair. There are many people in the business today who claim that the Nature Boy was their influence to get into wrestling.
I believe Ric Flair deserves a spot in the Hall of Fame more than any wrestler in the history of pro wrestling. He is one of the sport's living legends.
Woooooooooooooooo!
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