Fame or Shame: Pro Wrestling Discussion Thread

[JaseSF]

Ron Trongard joins the Hosts/Announcers Hall of Fame. Trongard is best remembered today as the main voice of the AWA in the early to mid-1980s. He added a sense of professionalism, class and believability to his presentation in that kayfabe era of wrestling. Growing up watching the AWA in the 1980s, I saw him call matches featuring such great talents as Nick Bockwinkel, Hulk Hogan, The Road Warriors, Verne Gagne, Curt Hennig and numerous others. He always seemed to be excited and very much into the action, adding very much to the presentation and helping put over the in-ring talent although sometimes perhaps his choice of words rung a little inappropriate such as when he one time referred to Scott Hall as "an hunk of man". His most recognizable catch phrase was "From coast to coast, continent to continent, and border to border". In the AWA, his main broadcasting partner was Lord James Blears and later Lee Marshall. Trongard briefly called matches in the WWF in the late 1980s alongside Superstar Billy Graham, Lord Alfred Hayes and Sean Mooney before retiring from wrestling in 1989.

Before wrestling, Trongard spent many years as a sports broadcaster in Minnesota calling basketball for the Minnesota Muskies and the Minnesota Lakers. He also called University of Minnesota basketball and football games. In 1968, he broadcasted Minnesota Pipers basketball games, produced Minnesota Vikings football and Minnesota North Stars hockey broadcasts where he did player and coach interviews. He was also the public address announcer for the Minnesota Fighting Saints WHA Hockey team and the Minnesota Kicks soccer team.Trongard also spent many years as a radio sports broadcaster and was an important part of the community in southern Minnesota until he died after a long battle with liver cancer in 2005.

[JaseSF]

Hector Guerrero joins the Hosts/Announcers Hall of Shame. After a long career as  professional wrestling star and a member of the famed Guerrero family, Guerrero has become a color commentator for TNA, specifically during Spanish telecasts. Guerrero's biggest in-ring success I'd argue was forming a successful tag team with his brother Chavo Guerrero Sr.. Aside from that, he performed under silly gimmicks including a Lazer tag inspired masked wrestler named Lazer-Tron. As Lazer-Tron, Guerrero won the NWA Jr. Heavyweight title and teamed mainly with "Boogie Woogie Man" Jimmy Valiant during his feud with Paul Jones and his men and the New Breed. While teaming with Manny Fernandez, he'd eventually be betrayed and dumped and replaced by Rick Rude. In the AWA in the late 1980s, he teamed with Dr. D to win the AWA World Tag Team titles. In 1990, he debuted as arguably the most ridiculous gimmick in history - the Gobbledly Gooker! He'd later briefly compete in ECW in the mid-1990s and later in WCW in the late 90s memorably tangling with his younger brother Eddie. He debuted in TNA in 2007 as a color commentator for the Spanish announce team and would soon thereafter become the leader/adviser/mentor for the tag team of LAX (Homicide and Hernandez). When LAX starting falling apart, Guerrero returned to color commentating.

Bill Alfonso joins the Managers/Valets Hall of Fame. After a lengthy career as a referee in multiple federations (NWA, Florida, WWF, WCW), Bill Alfonso would turn to managing in ECW after a stint as a "troubleshooting" referee introduced by Shane Douglas who would end up feuding with Tod Gordon. In ECW he, with annoying whistle he'd frequently blow during matches around his neck, successfully lead the revamped Taz (the former Tazmaniac) to new heights of success during a long winning streak that lasted over a year. However during Taz's feud with Sabu, Alfonso shocked many by switching sides to become the manager of Sabu. Eventually "Mr. Monday Night" Rob Van Dam would add him as manager as well teaming with Sabu. He lead RVD to his record breaking longest ECW World Television title reign. In 1997, he won PWI's Manager of the Year award. He is also well remembered for his brutal match vs. Beulah McGillicutty that saw him shed a bucketload of blood. He recently appeared managing Sabu & RVD in TNA.

The Quebecers of Jacques and Pierre join the Tag Teams Hall of Shame. The team was formed in the WWF in mid-1993 following Jacques Rougeau's stint as The Mountie with Pierre basically becoming a second unofficial "Mountie" as Vince McMahon had legal problems using the Mountie gimmick. They added the theme music "We're Not the Mounties". They were managed by Johnny Polo (the future Raven) and had a surprising amount of success in the WWF using "Province of Quebec" rules where you could win titles on a DQ to defeat the Steiner Brothers for their first of three WWF World Tag Team title reigns.  Somehow they fended off the challenge of the Steiners but fell victim to the unlikely team of The 1-2-3 Kid and Marty Jannetty who upset them on January 10, 1994. However the Quebecers quickly regained their titles a week later. The Quebecers next fended off the challenge of Owen & Bret Hart, who were on shaky ground as a tag team and eventually split during a match vs. The Quebecers at Royal Rumble 1994. Next they fended off the challenge of Men on a Mission at Wrestlemania X but lost the title unexpectedly to M.O.M. on a London house show on a U.K. tour only to regain the titles two days later in Sheffield. Finally the Quebecers, who looked surprisingly strong in the WWF lost to the newly face Headshrinkers managed by Captain Lou Albano and Afa. Following the loss, the Quebecers would split up and actually feud with Jacques defeating Pierre during a retirement show in Montreal. Jacques didn't stay retired for long however as he and Pierre reunited in WCW as The Amazing French Canadians in 1996. The tandem never had the same level of success in WCW they'd previously enjoyed in the WWF here being on the losing side of a feud managed by Colonel Robert Parker vs. Harlem Heat managed by Sensational Sherri, and losing to Arn Anderson & Steve McMichael and finally losing to old rivals the Steiner Brothers at Clash of the Champions XXXIV, finally giving the Steiners a measure of revenge. They'd shortly return to the WWF again in 1998 but were quickly jobbed out to the Godwinns and eventually faded from the WWF scene. They'd make another brief WCW appearance as members o Lance Storm's Team Canada faction but would soon disappear from the scene after that.

[JaseSF]

Missy Hyatt joins the Managers/Valets Hall of Shame. Missy Hyatt was definitely eye candy at ringside, a definite distraction for her men's opponents at least in her heyday in the 1980s. It actually seemed a lot sadder and more desperate in the 90s and beyond. She could certainly draw a lot of heat and I'm sure some would argue she took away too much attention perhaps from her talent as fans loved to hate her in her early days. Later she'd actually become the poster girl of choice as a fan favorite in her late 80s, early 90s period spent in WCW.

Missy Hyatt actually started out in World Class Championship Wrestling as the manager of her then boyfriend "Hollywood" John Tatum. She'd soon wind-up in a feud with Sunshine and some of wrestling first catfights got their start. Their feud culminated in a mud-pit match at Texas Stadium in 1986. She move on to the UWF/Mid-South shortly thereafter and would become the manager of "Hot Stuff" Eddie Gilbert and his group that included a young Sting and Rick Steiner. Eventually the group was named "Hyatt and Hot Stuff International" (the team would dominate UWF and have an hold over the TV and Tag Team titles) as Hyatt would soon have a real-life affair with Gilbert causing problems and a nasty split with Tatum. Hyatt and Gilbert were married in 1988. Missy was briefly offered an interview show entitled "Missy's Manor" in the WWF in 1987, meant as a "Piper's Pit" replacement, but the show proved so terrible it was soon scrapped and Missy was offered a Federette role instead which she considered beneath her so she returned to the UWF.

While Jim Crockett Promotions purchased the UWF in late 1987, Gilbert & Hyatt soon moved to the NWA soon to become WCW. Missy worked both as a commentator and a manager for Gilbert and the Steiners leading her men in a team now named "The First Family" and now referring to herself as "The First Lady of Wrestling". She'd eventually become a commentator working WCW Main Event and soon ended up feuding with Paul E. Dangerously (Paul Heyman) where she typically used her feminine wiles to best, embarrass and upset Dangerously. In 1993, Hyatt returned to managing guiding the Nasty Boys to WCW World Tag Team gold. She also briefly managed the Barbarian. She'd eventually file a sexual harassment lawsuit against WCW when she found blown -ups picture of her popping out of her top on WCW office walls the next day after it happened. She'd be released by Eric Bischoff shortly thereafter.

In 1996, Hyatt moved to ECW and was part of a sexual harassment lawsuit angle where she kissed Stevie Richards against his will. She became the manager of the Sandman during his feud with Raven and had many catfights with Sandman's ex-wife Lori, who was now aligned with Raven. Rumor has it Paul Varelans agreed to job to Taz because he was promised oral sex from Missy but Missy reportedly blew him off after the loss saying she has no time for jobbers. Missy actually continues to work on the independent scene scaring many with her blatant oversexed sexuality (at her current age and state, she's certainly nowhere near the catch she once was). Missy has won the !BANG Women's title twice and has held the AWF heavyweight title (a title usually held by men).

[HappyGilmore]

Wasn't Missy with Jason Hervey of The Wonder Years for a while?

And she doesn't 'get with jobbers'? The hell? But she goes with the older brother from The Wonder Years?

[JaseSF]

Yes, Missy did date Hervey at one point. Nowadays Missy comes across as something like pro wrestling's version of Mae West  

A.J. Styles joins the Singles Hall of Shame. Styles is actually a very talented wrestler and the first who's held practically every major title in TNA and dominated in both the X Division and World Heavyweight division in the past. He by all rights should have a very bright future ahead of him although his current alignment with Ric Flair just doesn't feel quite right. In time though, I suspect Styles will return to his fan favourite roots and will likely come to dominate again.

His high-flying and technical abilities can match just about anybody else's in the business. He's had "phenomenal" performances in the ring and fantastic matches with the likes of Samoa Joe, Christopher Daniels, Kurt Angle, Jeff Jarrett, Raven, Abyss, Sting, Jerry Lynn and numerous others.

He debuted in 1998 in NWA Wildside under a mask as Mr. Olympia. There he won the NWA Wildside TV title and eventually would capture it twice more under his new ring name A.J. Styles. A dying WCW signed A.J. Styles and Air Paris, his old rival in NWA Wildside, to contracts and paired them up in a tag team called "Air Raid". They competed in a tournament to crown new WCW Cruiserweight Tag Team champions but lost in the first round to eventual winners Elix Skipper and Kid Romeo. When WCW was purchased by WWF in 2001, that left Styles without a job. He returned to NWA Wildside and captured its Heavyweight title and competed in several matches that aired on WWF Jakked. WWF offered Styles a developmental deal but he turned it down as it would have meant moving which would have interfered with his wife's college plans. Styles also toured Australia for the short-lived WWA and captured the WWA International Cruiserweight title which he would later vacate.

In 2002, Styles signed a contract with NWA-TNA which would limit his involvement with NWA Wildside but he would also compete in ROH from 2002-2004. In ROH, Styles captured the ROH Tag Team titles with Amazing Red and also held the ROH Pure wrestling championship. Styles would defeat Low-Ki, Jerry Lynn and Psicosis in a double elimination match to be crowned the first ever NWA X-Division champion. Shortly thereafter, he and Lynn won the NWA World Tag Team titles. However a rivalry and growing tension was building between Lynn and Styles. Styles would go on to lose the X-Division title to Low-Ki in a 3 way match also involving Lynn. Lynn and Styles would go on to fight Jeff Jarrett and Ron Killings to a no-contest which saw the tag titles get held up. Lynn and Styles' rivalry continued with them competing in three matches on one PPV show with Lynn beating Styles in a Falls Count Anywhere match, Styles beating Lynn in a No DQ match and both men battling to a draw during a 10 minute Iron Man match. Lynn shortly thereafter would defeat Low-Ki for the X Division title in a ladder match also involving Styles. A couple of months later, Styles would recapture the X Division title from Syxx-Pac only to lose it back to Lynn a few weeks later. In 2003, while a member of the S.E.X. faction lead by Vince Russo, Styles began to pursue the NWA World Heavyweight title and would eventually face Jarrett for the title but later refused the interference of S.E.X. members in the match refusing the win the title that way making him once again a fan favourite. Styles shortly thereafter would form a new tag team with D-Lo Brown from whom Styles would learn the frog splash. Styles and Brown would eventually amicably disband as both men wanted to pursue the NWA World title. Styles would go on to successfully win it in a three way match with Raven and Jeff Jarrett with help from Vince Russo becoming TNA's first Triple Crown Champion and an heel yet again on June 11, 2003. As an heel champion, he'd successfully defend the title against Brown and several other challengers before finally losing it back to Jarrett in October in a match that saw Jarrett turn heel and Styles turn face yet again. Styles continued to pursue the NWA World title and even participated in a special attraction November 12th tag match that saw Styles team with Sting to defeat Jarrett and Lex Luger. Styles would however be unsuccessful in his next title match vs. Jarrett due to outside interference from Kid Kash. Styles would next become embroiled in a feud with Abyss despite winning the NWA World tag team titles with him. Eventually the feud would lead to Abyss succeeding Styles as Number One contender. On April 21, 2004, the scheduled opponent for Jeff Jarrett in a title match Chris Harris would be attacked by Raven leading to Styles getting the title match and capturing his second NWA World Heavyweight title in a steel cage match. He then successfully fended off challenges from Harris, Raven and Ron Killings and on May 19, 2004 defended against all 3 men only for interference from Jarrett to allow Killings to  defeat him for the title.

Next Styles returned to the X Division and on June 9, 2004 defeated Frankie Kazarian to become a three time X Division champ. He'd go on to feud with Kid Kash and Dallas as well as defending the title against challengers Kazarian and Mr. Aguila. A title defense against Jeff Hardy would see interference from Kash. Eventually Styles would lose the title to both Michael Shane and Kazarian in an Ultimate X match that saw both men become co-champions. Styles continued his feud with Kash eventually defeating him in a tables match. Next he focused on new X Division champ Petey Williams. After a long pursuit, Styles finally captured the title for the fourth time in an Ultimate X match that also included Williams and Chris Sabin. Next Christopher Daniels accused Styles of ducking him and soon became a top rival for the X Division title battling Styles to several draws in terrific bouts. Eventually Daniels would defeat Styles for the X Division title in an Ultimate X match in controversial fashion as Daniels was the first man seen with the title despite Styles having retrieved it while the ref was knocked out. Next Styles began feuding with Abyss and eventually defeated him in a steel cage match to become number one contender for the NWA World title. He'd go on to defeat Jarrett for his third NWA World Heavyweight title at Hard Justice 2005. However he'd lose the title to Raven at Slammiversary 2005 in a King of the Mountain match. Next Styles began pursuing the X Division title again and would capture it for the fifth time in a three way match against Samoa Joe and Daniels, a match of the year candidate.

Samoa Joe would eventually capture the X Division title from Styles and then drop it to and regain it from Daniels. Shortly thereafter Styles and Daniels formed a tag team to pursue the NWA World Tag Team championships held by America's Most Wanted Chris Harris and James Storm. After failing in a couple of attempts, Styles and Daniels finally captured the tag titles from America's Most Wanted at Slammiversary 2006. Soon they found themselves the targets of LAX (Homicide and Hernandez) who defeated them in a Border Brawl on an episode of Impact! for the tag titles. At No Surrender, Daniels & Styles would regain the tag titles for a second time in an Ultimate X match but they'd lose them back to LAX again in a Six Sides of Steel match at Bound For Glory 2006. On the November 2nd edition of Impact!, Styles would defeat Chris Sabin to begin his sixth reign as NWA X Division champion. A couple of weeks later, Styles would drop the X Division title to Daniels in a 3 way dance with Daniels and Sabin. Next Styles briefly feuded with Christian Cage in a losing effort before turning on Daniels and becoming an heel again and began a feud with Rhino in which he came out on the losing end. He next joined a team with Cage and Tomko. While teaming with Tomko, they captured the NWA World Tag Team titles from Team Pacman (Ron Killings and Pacman Jones). They successfully fended off challengers LAX and the Steiner Brothers. Eventually the pair would betray Cage and team up with Kurt Angle. Eventually though Angle's wife Karen would come between the group as Angle began to suspect Styles of having an affair with Karen. Tomko & Styles dropped the tag titles to Kaz and Super Eric. Eventually and understandably, Styles would quite the Angle Alliance and Angle would join forces with Team 3D to deliver beatdowns to Styles. The Styles-Angle bitter feud dragged on with both men trading wins. Eventually the night after Hard Justice, Styles defeated Angle for his gold medal and in a subsequent ladder rematch thus ending the feud. Later on, he was asked to give Kurt back his gold medal in an effort to mend things by Jeff Jarrett.

Next Styles found himself a target of the newly formed Main Event Mafia of Angle, Booker T., Sting, Kevin Nash and Scott Steiner. Styles would team with Samoa Joe to try and fend off the group but freqeuntly suffered losses and beatdowns due to the numbers game. Eventually they'd form the TNA Frontline that included many young wrestlers yet the beatdowns continued. Eventually with the help of the Mafia, Angle would take Styles out following a tables match (kayfabe). Upon his return, Styles targeted Booker T. and his new Legends title. At Destination X 2009, Styles defeated Booker for the Legends title becoming TNA's first Grand Slam champion. At a King of the Mountain match for the NWA World title, Styles would be unsuccessful when Joe surprisingly turned heel and joined the Mafia helping Angle win the match. Styles would go on to lose the Legends title to Kevin Nash at Victory Road 2009. Styles would go on to win the TNA World Heavyweight title in a five man match at No Surrender against Sting, Matt Morgan, Hernandez and defending champ Angle. One month later at Bound For Glory 2009, he successfully defended his title against Sting. Next he'd fend off challenges from old adversaries Samoa Joe and Daniels and then would fend off the challenge of Desmond Wolfe. At Genesis 2010, Styles turned heel during a Last Chance match vs. Kurt Angle and used outside interference from new ally Ric Flair to win the match. This would lead to Hulk Hogan joining forces with Abyss to battle Flair & Styles. Eventually Desmond Wolfe would join forces with Styles & Flair and Jeff Hardy would come to the aid of Hogan and Abyss. Styles fended off challenges from Abyss and D'Angelo Dinero to become TNA longest reigning World champ but would eventually drop the title to Rob Van Dam. Since then Styles has become part of Ric Flair's Fortune group also including Wolfe, Kazarian, James Storm and Robert Roode. While in the group, Styles defeated Rob Terry for the Global title, formerly the Legends title, and renamed it the Television title. Since then Fortune has also added Doug Williams and Matt Morgan to he group as they feud with the new EV 2.0 of former ECW wrestlers with Styles defeating Tommy Dreamer in a non-title "I Quit" match.

William Regal joins the Singles Hall of Fame. Regal is certainly a fantastic wrestler who can deliver in the ring in any fashion asked of him. He can perform a great down and out mat classic, a brawl or even a comedy skit.

Regal is a British wrestler who actually started out on the carnival circuit taking on any and all comers. He'd eventually compete professionally across the U.K. teaming sometimes with famed British wrestler Robbie Brookside. Following a forgettable face run in 1992, he debuted in WCW as "Lord" Steven Regal claiming he was a descendant of William the Conqueror, an aristocratic snob of a wrestler who acted like actually touching the other wrestlers was something beneath him and contemptable. He was quite good in the role and fans quickly took a disliking to him. Bill Dundee, as Sir William, became his manager in WCW. Under the Lord Steven Regal guise, he captured the WCW World Television title four times. He briefly teamed with Jean-Paul Levesque before he'd move on to the WWF as Triple H and then formed an unlikely team with Bobby Eaton called the Blue Bloods where he tried to turn the Alabama born Eaton into a refined and dignified man. Eventually the team would also be joined by a third member "Squire" Dave Taylor. They came very close to winning the WCW World Tag Team titles but always feel short.

Regal while competing in WCW had a memorable match vs. Antonio Inoki at a Clash of the Champions in 1994, challenged Shinya Hashimoto for the IWGP Heavyweight title and had a memorable bout vs. Bill Goldberg where he gave Goldberg more trouble that most. Also most memorable was Regal's matches against Ric Flair and Fit Findley. Regal moved to WWF in 1998 but this run proved rather forgettable as Regal was using a real man's man lumberjack style gimmick that really didn't fit him well at all. Battling drug problems, Regal would be released in 1999 and would return to WCW. There he reformed a new Blue Blood faction including Fit Findley and Dave Taylor. They'd briefly feud with Jimmy Hart's First Family and the Filthy Animals but both feuds proved forgettable. In 2000, Regal would face Hacksaw Duggan in a Career vs. Career match that would see Duggan win and Regal again released by WCW.

He returned to the WWF in 2000 where he debuted as Steven William Regal, a throwback to his old classic WCW gimmick of Lord Steven Regal. Regal had much more success in this role capturing the WWF European title. Eventually he'd become WWF Commissioner and have a memorable run in the role with Tajiri as an unlikely sidekick. Eventually during the ECW/WCW Invasion angle, he turn on the WWF and join the Alliance. He'd later pay for this by becoming the first man into Vince McMahon's "Kiss My Ass" club so he could keep his job.

In 2002 at the Royal Rumble, Regal would defeat Edge for the Intercontinental title. He'd drop the title to Rob Van Dam at Wrestlemania X8 but would shortly thereafter win the European title from Diamond Dallas Page. During the brand split, he was drafted to Raw and lost the European title to Spike Dudley only to regain it two weeks later becoming a four time European champ. He'd eventually drop the title to Jeff Hardy but would go on to win the WWF Hardcore title on five occasions. Eventually he'd join forces with Test, Lance Storm and Christian as The Un-Americans. Storm & Regal would win the WWF World Tag Team titles from Booker T. and Goldust thanks to Regal's brass knucks he'd frequently use to win his matches. They'd drop the titles to the Dudleys at the Royal Rumble but quickly regained the titles with the aid of Chief Morley. Eventually due to an heart condition, Regal would vacate the titles and Storm & Morley would become tag champs. Upon his return to WWE, Eric Bischoff charged Regal with the care of "mentally challenged" nephew Eugene. While initially reluctant, Regal and Eugene would eventually become close friends and allies making Regal a fan favourite. Regal & Eugene would upset La Resistance for the WWF World Tag Team titles on a November 15, 2004 edition of Raw. Regal & Eugene would lose the titles back to La Resistance following an injury to Eugene. Regal next would team with old ally Tajiri to win another WWF World tag team title reign from La Resistance on an episode of Raw broadcast from Japan. Eventually Regal & Tajiri would lose the tag team titles in a Tag Team Turmoil match at Backlash 2005 to Hurricane & Rosey. Regal would next invade the ECW One Night Stand show as a member of Bischoff's Anti-ECW faction effectively ending his team with the pro-ECW Tajiri. Regal would be drafted to Smackdown! in 2005 and would have a memorable WWE Velocity match against Chris Benoit. Next after refusing to team with Scotty2Hotty and briefly feuding with him, Regal formed a partnership with the debuting Paul Burchill. This would eventually lead to Burchill's unfortunate pirate gimmick and to Regal being forced to dress like a "buxom wench". Regal's next memorable moment came when during a tour of England he unexpectedly turned face for one night only to challenge JBL for the U.S. title. After Booker T. won the King of the Ring tournament, William Regal joined his faction playing the role of a town crier at one point. The group also included Findley. Eventually pursuit of the U.S. title would come between Regal and Findley leading to the two having some terrific matches (as they'd done in the past in WCW over the Television title). Regal would eventually leave the King's Court following a loss to Chris Benoit. Next Regal focused on teaming with Dave Taylor but despite coming close, the pair failed to capture the WWE tag team titles from Paul London and Brian Kendrick or later Deuce and Domino. During June 2007, Regal was drafted back to the Raw brand.

Regal soon became the General Manager of Raw. In September, Regal was attacked by WWE Champion John Cena in retaliation for rewarding Randy Orton with a title shot after he kicked Cena's father in the head. This put Regal to the sidelines for nearly a month. He returned alongside Vince McMahon. However when forced to wrestle Hornswoggle, Regal began to show signs of a face turn refusing to use brass knucks on the midget and later interfering in a match between Triple H and Ric Flair allowing Flair to escape retirement and effectively taking Triple H out of the Royal Rumble match. Understandably Triple H didn't take too kindly to this and defeated Regal in a First Blood match on Raw Roulette. The following week, during an European tour, he turned face for one week only to teach Randy Orton some respect. The following week, Regal won a King of the Ring tournament where he defeated Hornswoggle, Finlay and C.M. Punk all by submission. Regal's coronation ceremony was interrupted by Mr. Kennedy and Regal lost a Loser Gets Fired match the following week as in reality Regal had failed a Wellness drug policy test and was suspended for sixty days. Regal returned as a free agent during a July 28, 2008 Raw where he was defeated by then World Champion C.M. Punk. Regal next had a short-lived feud with Jamie Noble over potential love interest Layla who eventually sided with winner Regal calling him a "Real man". On a November 3rd, edition of Raw, Regal won a battle royal for a championship match against Santino Marella and squashed him the following week for the Intercontinental title. Next he found himself feuding with number one contender to the I-C title C.M. Punk who finally defeated him after several weeks of trying. Regal failed to regain the title or to capture the U.S. title when given an opportunity at Extreme Rules. Regal was drafted to ECW in June 2009 where he formed a group with Vladimir Kozlov and Ezekial Jackson called The Ruthless Roundtable designed to help Regal win the ECW Title from Christian. Finally Kozlov was ousted as a weak link in the group and Regal helped Jackson win the ECW title during the last episode of ECW on ScyFy.

Regal next turned up on NXT mentoring Skip Sheffield. On one episode, he defeated Daniel Bryan. In February, Regal signed with the Raw brand where he's mostly used these days to put over or build new talents like Evan Bourne and Yoshi Tatsu. Regal briefly reformed his tag team with Kozlov on Raw to challenge the Hart Dynasty but fell short of winning the World Tag team titles. Soon Kozlov dumped Regal in favour of Santino Marella. Recently Regal has begun feuding with Goldust.

Bob Caudle joins the Hosts/Announcers Hall of Fame. Caudle was a likable, agreeable fellow who appeared on many 1980s-1990s NWA/WCW broadcasts often offering color commentary to matches. Caudle actually started for the NWA as far back as the 1950s when he was the voice of NWA Atlantic Coast Wrestling. He is remembered for his trademark "Hello wrestling fans!" greeting and for the ending "Fans, that's all the time we have for now, see you next week and so long for now..." sign-off. Caudle continued to host the show into the 1970s when it was renamed NWA Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling. Bob had many sidekicks over the years including David Crockett and Johnny Weaver. In 1986, the show's name was changed to NWA Pro Wrestling. In 1988, Jim Ross joined and worked surprisingly well alongside Caudle. He worked several Clash of the Champions shows and some PPV events before leaving in late 1991. Following WCW, Caudle joined South Atlantic Pr Wrestling as lead announcer. The promotion attempted to bring back the spirit of old Mid-Atlantic wrestling but was short-lived. Caudle would go to work for Jim Cornette's Smoky Mountain Wrestling, at one point briefly joined by Jim Ross when he left the WWF. The promotion was shut down by Cornette in 1995. Caudle continued to make special appearances at NWA and independent shows. Caudle's voice is likely instantly familiar to old-school NWA fans.

Caudle worked as a weatherman and anchorman for Raleigh, North Carolina as well as being a wrestling announcer for many years during his career. Caudle hosted the syndicated All-Star Wrestling, Wide World Wrestling, Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling and World Wide Wrestling for Jim Crockett Promotions and WCW World Wide Wrestling after JCP was pruchased by Ted Turner. Aside from Crockett, Ross and Weaver, Caudle also worked alongside Bill Ward, Gordon Solie, Les Thatcher, Tony Schiavone and Dutch Mantel.

Caudle, an avowed Republican, contributed to the campaigns of Senator Jesse Helms. He became a legislative assistant for Helms in 1980 working in Helms' Raleigh office. He remained in that position until 1996. Caudle and Helms worked together for WRAL before Helms ran for the senate. He's remained close friends with Helms.

[HappyGilmore]

I gotta give Styles some credit.  He turned down a WWE contract and went his own way.  Don't know how well that'll look in the future if TNA ever goes out of business.  I'm sure he'd be content to go back to the indies, but eh.  Hell of a wrestler though.

Regal is a great competitor, and I loved seeing him live twice last year.

[JaseSF]

Rick & Scott Steiner join the Tag Teams Hall of Fame. The Steiner Brothers were definitely one of those special tag teams that helped changed and revolutionize tag team wrestling. They added numerous double-team and specialty team moves adding a ground and pound style mixed with high-flying suplexes and quick action. After accompanying his brother Rick to the ring for many matches in late 1988, the two brothers started teaming up in May 1989 under Missy Hyatt as part of her First Family group in the NWA. Eventually Rick would become smitten with "fan" Robin Green who turned out to be the devious Woman in disguise. Eventually the Steiners would earn a shot at the Freebirds for a tag team title match at September 19, 1989's Clash of the Champions but Green would betray the team and reveal her true colors as Woman. She'd then go on to manage a new masked team named Doom against them and who successfully defeated the Steiners at Halloween Havoc 1989. Undaunted however the Steiners would defeat the Freebirds for the NWA World Tag Team titles. They'd hold them until May 1990 when Doom would defeat them for the belts. On August 1990, the Steiners defeated the Midnight Express for the NWA United States tag team titles. Upon winning the WCW World Tag Team titles in 1991, they'd vacate the U.S. tag titles. The Steiners also captured the IWGP tag team titles in March 1991 and were certainly one of wrestling's most decorated tag teams by that point also winning the Pat O' Connor Memorial Tag Team Tournament in 1990. By 1992, WCW seemed determined to turn Scott into a singles star giving him an high profile bout with Ric Flair that ended in a draw and Scott also capturing the WCW World Television title from Ricky Steamboat on September 29, 1992.

The Steiners jumped to the WWF in November 1992. They quickly worked their way up the rankings defeating the Beverly Brothers and the Headshrinkers. Soon they were targeting Money Inc. for the WWF World Tag Team titles. They finally defeated Money Inc. for the titles on a June 14, 1993 TV taping only to drop the titles back to them again just two days later. The Steiners however then defeated them again just three days later to begin their second WWF World Tag Team title reign. The Steiners successfully fended off the Heavenly Bodies but then were upset by the Quebecers under special Province of Quebec rules that allowed the Quebecers to win the titles on a DQ which they did when Scott got caught holding an hockey stick. Scott gained a measure of revenge defeating Pierre on Raw the next week. The Steiners were also part of the All-American Survivor Series team with Lex Luger and the Undertaker who defeated the Foreign Fanatics of Crush, Yokozuna, Ludvig Borga and Quebecer Jacques at the 1993 Survivor Series. The Steiners kept pursuing the tag titles but failed to regain them and were used surprisingly sparingly after Royal Rumble 1994. In 1995, the Steiners debuted in ECW where they were actually used to build up new teams like the Eliminators although they did score some wins over Raven & Stevie Richards, Chris Benoit and 2 Cold Scorpio, Dudley Dudley and Vampire Warrior.

In 1996, they returned to WCW where they were soon entangled in dream matches against the Road Warriors and Sting & Lex Luger - then WCW World Tag champs. They'd finally capture another WCW World Tag Team title on July 24, 1996 from Harlem Heat. However Harlem Heat quickly regained the titles. Eventually after the Outsiders of the NWO captured the tag titles, the Steiners would become embroiled in a long war with them. Eventually they'd capture the WCW World Tag Team titles from them but Scott was changing into an arrogant, steroid-fueled freak. Sure enough, Scott eventually turned on Rick and joined the NWO even helping Hall and Nash regain the WCW World Tag Team titles in the process. This seemed the end of the Steiners as a tag team, ending arguably one of the greatest tag teams in wrestling history. However in 2006, the pair reunited in the independents (United Wrestling Federation) defeating Matt Bentley and Frankie Kazarian and shortly thereafter Team 3D. Eventually they captured the NWA Mid-Atlantic tag titles on December 9, 2006. The brothers would also reunite in TNA in 2007 and were set to face Team 3D for the TNA World Tag titles at Slammiversary 2007 however an injury to Scott's trachea would put him out of action. Team 3D turned into arrogant heels who mocked Scott's injury but the Steiners gained their revenge costing Team 3D their tag titles and defeating them at Hard Justice and Bound For Glory until Rick was released by TNA.

Francine joins the Managers/Valets Hall of Fame. The Queen of Extreme in ECW certainly was never afraid to back down from any challenge and certainly was never afraid to get into the action to insure the her success and that of her men. She initially debuted as the "girlfriend"/manager of Stevie Richards much to the dismay of partner Raven and his manager Beulah McGillicutty. Eventually the influence o Raven turned Richards against Francine and she started to manage the Pitbulls tag team, adopting a leather clad dominatrix persona similar to the Pitbulls who left Raven's Nest and under Francine defeated Raven & Richards for the ECW World Tag Team titles on September 16, 1995. She also teamed with the Pitbulls to defeat the Eliminators & Richards in a six person tag match after Richards was superbombed by the Pitbulls. She also guided Pitbull II to an upset win over Shane Douglas for the ECW Television title after Douglas made the mistake of insulting her. Shockingly on July 13, 1996, Francine turned on the Pitbulls in order to manage Shane Douglas. Referred to as his "head cheerleader" she twice helped him win the ECW World Heavyweight title. She also helped guide fellow Triple Threat members Chris Candido and Bam Bam Bigelow. Eventually though she would be injured by Bigelow who turned on his partners. In November 1998, she led Douglas to defeat Bigelow for the ECW Television title. She remained Douglas' manager until he finally left ECW in 1999. She then turned to managing Tommy Dreamer eventually betraying Dreamer for Raven and then Raven for Justin Credible.

After ECW, Francine briefly competed in TNA brawling with Elektra, battling "Miss TNA" Taylor Vaughn who she defeated by DQ in one bout and finally had a match with Jasmine St. Claire that saw both women stripped to their underwear before St. Claire was DQed due to outside interference from the Blue Meanie. She made appearances in Major League Wrestling as Michael Shane's manager and was later involved with Women's Extreme Wrestling and Hottest Ladies of Wrestling in 2005. She also appeared in Delaware Championship Wrestling where she feuded with Talia Madison and Noel Harlow. On June 10, 2005, she appeared on an ECW reunion show called Hardcore Homecoming where she again managed Shane Douglas. Two days later she made a surprise appearance at ECW One Night Stand for the WWE interfering in the tag match between Tommy Dreamer and The Sandman and the Dudley Boyz attacking Dreamer who was then rescued by wife Beulah McGillicutty. Francine eventually signed a contract to appear in the new WWE version of ECW. There she typically competed in bikini contests but did manage Ball Mahoney during his feud with Kevin Thorn who was managed by Ariel as well as briefly managing the FBI. She had a catfight with Ariel but would be released just weeks later in October 2006. She retired not long after but has made appearance in WEW managing Amber O' Neill.

Sean Mooney joins the Host/Announcers Hall of Shame. Mooney was one of those WWF style guys who had the looks and enthusiasm but really didn't seem to understand or even really like pro wrestling an it typically showed. Mooney debuted on a May 18, 1988 edition of WWF Wrestling Challenge replacing Craig DeGeorge whom one could easily mix him up with they were so similar not to mention Todd Pettengill, who eventually replaced him. Mostly Mooney worked backstage as an interviewer talking to the wrestlers before their matches and being involved in numerous comedy style skits on Coliseum Home Video releases most of which were horrendously bad yet surprisingly entertaining in some bizarre fashion. He worked in WWF from 1988 until 1993 and was involved as in a backstage role Summerslam '88 until Survivor Series '92. He was involved in the first few Monday Night Raws but would be released after Wrestlemania IX in 1993. In the WWF, Mooney also played identical twin sister "Betty Mooney" on WWF Prime Time Wrestling sharing hosting duties with Sensational Sherri amongst others and twin brother "Ian Mooney" on WWF Spotlight. There have been reports of him possibly being considered for a new announcing role in WWE.

[JaseSF]

The Natural Disasters (Earthquake & Typhoon) join the Tag Teams Hall of Shame. After finishing his feud with Jake "The Snake" Roberts in 1991, Earthquake seemed set to engage in a rehash feud from 1990 with old adversary Tugboat. However when the two squared off in a six man tag match that saw Earthquake team with the Nasty Boys and Tugboat team with the Bushwhackers, people were shocked when Tugboat turned on his partners and joined forces with Earthquake in laying them to waste. Tugboat soon changed his name to Typhoon and also betrayed and turned on Hulk Hogan around this time. Typhoon & Earthquake managed by Jimmy Hart made a formidable tag team with both men in or around the 400+ pound range. They soon squashed the Bushwhackers in a subsequent Summerslam match. Next they targeted the legendary Andre the Giant although the Legion of Doom would come to his rescue igniting a feud between the LOD and the Natural Disasters.

When LOD defeated the Nasty Boys for the WWF World Tag Team titles later that night at Summerslam '91, the Disasters were immediately in top contention. The Disasters joined forces with I.R.S at the Survivor Series PPV in a losing effort against the LOD and Big Bossman. At the 1992 Royal Rumble, the Disasters defeated the LOD by countout which means they won the match but not the belts. In February Jimmy Hart led another team, namely Money Inc. (I.R.S. and "The Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase), to the WWF World Tag Team titles with a win over the LOD. This action of getting Money Inc. a title shot the Disasters felt should have been theirs infuriated the pair of giants and they soon turned on manager Jimmy Hart hearing cheers from the fans for the first time as a team. During April 1992, the Disasters won capture the SWS Tag Team titles during a tour of Japan from George and Shunji Takano but would lose them the very next night to King Haku and Yoshiaki Yatsu. At Wrestlemania VIII, the Disasters would defeat Money Inc. but again it would be by countout which meant the titles still eluded them. The Disasters did not let this setback stop them however and they continued to pursue the titles finally defeating Money Inc. for the WWF World Tag Team titles on July 20, 1992.

As champions, the Disasters had to fend off challenges from the LOD, the Beverly Brothers, the Nasty Boys and Money Inc. who would finally, managed by Hart, defeat the Disasters to regain the WWF World Tag Team titles in October 1992. Around this time, Hart actually also managed to turn the Nasty Boys against him too with his continued favoritism shown towards Money Inc. - Suddenly the focus shifted to the Nasty Boys who became top contenders to the WWF World Tag Team titles after winning a Survivor Series 1992 match while paired up with the Natural Disasters who were eliminated by Money Inc. during the same bout. In 1993, at the Royal Rumble there were hints of dissension and a future feud between Earthquake and Typhoon as Earthquake immediately went after his tag team partner and made sure he was eliminated. Still a full blown feud never materialized as Earthquake soon left the WWF shortly thereafter and Typhoon left a bit later that same year. Of course Earthquake would go on to re-invent himself in WCW as The Avalanche and later the Shark while Typhoon made an unintentionally hilarious bumbling debut as the Shockmaster. Eventually both men returned to WWF with Earthquake briefly challenging Yokozuna in a sumo challenge and later reinvented himself as the smaller Golga, a member of the Oddities, and Typhoon having a forgettable mid-card run.

[HappyGilmore]

I liked the Disasters as a kid, but in retrospect, they weren't too spectacular.

[JaseSF]

Eddie Guerrero joins the Singles Hall of Fame. "Latino Heat" as he was affectionately called by his many fans managed to eventually charm and win over a large number of fans despite a lengthy career as an heel. He had the charisma to actually make "lying, cheating and stealing" somehow seem cool and fun during his most popularly remembered WWE run. Eddie of course was a member of the famous Guerrero wrestling family, the son of famed Mexican wrestler Gory Guerrero. Eddie was the youngest son to get into wrestling following also into the footsteps of his brothers Chavo, Mando and Hector Guerrero. Chavo's son Chavo Jr., actually closer to Eddie's age, would also become a successful wrestler and was a frequent tag team partner of his Uncle Eddie. Eddie was arguably the greatest and most accomplished Guerrero of them all. Eddie however was plagued by substance abuse problems battling both alcoholism and pain killers. He seemed to eventually rise above and chose life over death but sadly it might have been too late as Eddie died much too young and really just when his career should have been reaching new heights.

Eddie started out in his native Mexico competing in EMLL and the WWA in Mexico. He'd later move to AAA in Mexico where he'd team with El Hijo Del Santo, a pairing of sons patterned after their famous fathers previous partnership. When Guerrero turned on El Hijo Del Santo to team up with Art Barr as The Pair of Terror, it made him a hated heel on a previously unknown level as they became arguably the most hated tag team in Mexican history. Guerrero would first get national attention appearing on AAA's PPV When Worlds Collide. After being noticed by Paul Heyman, he was brought to ECW. Guerrero also had a stint in New Japan Pro Wrestling as the masked Black Tiger. Upon his debut in ECW, Guerrero won the ECW World Television title from 2 Cold Scorpio. The battles and terrific matches that soon followed with Dean Malenko would eventually get both noticed by WCW which would sign both men in 1995. In ECW, Guerrero lost and regained the TV title from Malenko before finally losing it back to 2 Cold Scorpio in August 1995. After Eddie dropped the title, he and Malenko had their last match in ECW, a best two out three falls wrestling classic that ended in a draw with fans chanting "Please Don't Go" as the locker room emptied and both men were carried around the ring by their fellow wrestlers.

Eddie, who'd briefly appeared in WCW back in 1992, returned there in late 1995. In 1996, he'd start feuding with the Four Horsemen after Arn turned on him during a tag match. After that, he got involved in a feud with Diamond Dallas Page finally defeating DDP in a tournament final for the vacant United States title at Starrcade' 96. Eddie successfully fended off challenges from Scott Norton, Syxx and Chris Jericho but would lose the title to old rival Dean Malenko. Following this, Eddie started pursuing Chris Jericho's WCW Cruiserweight title and eventually defeated him at Fall Brawl 1997. At Halloween Havoc 97, he lost the title to Rey Mysterio Jr. in a Mask vs. Title match. On a November edition of WCW Monday Nitro, Eddie regained the WCW Cruiserweight title from Mysterio.  Guerrero successfully defended the title against Mysterio at World War 3 1997 but lost the title on a December 29th, 1997 episode of WCW Monday Nitro to Ultimo Dragon. In 1998, while feuding with Booker T., Eddie actually shifted the focus to his nephew Chavo Guerrero Jr. whom he started a "tough love" feud with. Eventually Eddie won a match that make Chavo his "slave". Actually the feud was the first time Chavo really got noticed in WCW and he even got a major win over his Uncle Eddie at the 1998 Great American Bash. Chavo's behaviour would get crazier and crazier around this time to the point Eddie actually started coming to his nephew's aid on occasion.

As Eddie started having off-screen troubles and frustrations with Eric Bischoff as he and many of his fellow wrestlers were going unnoticed by WCW, Eddie would eventually form a group patterned after the NWO which featured Bischoff and his buddies. Guerrero's group was the LWO or Latino World Order. The LWO included practically every Latino wrestler in WCW except Rey Mysterio and mainly the focus was on the group trying to get Mysterio to join. Mysterio refused and aligned himself with Billy Kidman against the LWO. Unfortunately however Eddie was involved in a serious car accident on New Year's Day 1999 that effectively ended the LWO angle.

After returning arguably much too early in summer 1999, Eddie was a founding member of a new stable in WCW called the Filthy Animals with Konnan and Rey Mysterio Jr. Eventually the group grew to include Juventud Guerrera, Billy Kidman and even Disco Inferno. The group feuded with the Dead Pool of Vampiro and the Insane Clown Posse getting convincing wins over them. Next they feuded with Shane Douglas's Revolution group of Shane Douglas, Perry Saturn, Dean Malenko & Chris Benoit. The Revolution seemed to gain the edge in the feud however Guerrero would ask for and be given his release from WCW on January 19, 2000. After this he'd join up in WWF with former Revolultion members Benoit, Saturn and Malenko as the Radicalz. Eddie first got noticed in WWF by pursuing the affections of Chyna in March 2000. Chyna initially rejected his advances but eventually aligned with him following Wrestlemania 2000 claiming she could not resist his "Latino Heat". Guerrero won his first WWF title, the European championship, from Chris Jericho with the aid of Chyna. Soon Chyna and Eddie were feuding with newcomers Essa Rios and Lita. However eventually Guerrero would face his toughest challenge from former Radicalz allies Saturn and Malenko. Eventually Saturn would defeat him for the European title. Chyna and Eddie's partnership began to unravel when Eddie defeated her in a King of the Ring qualifying match and later "accidentally" pinned her to win her WWF Intercontinental title for himself.

Following Eddie's heel turn, he joined a newly reformed Radicalz who feuded with the reformed DeGeneration X, a team that included Chyna. Guerrero would eventually be defeated by Billy Gunn with help from Chyna for the Intercontinental title. The Radicalz, following Benoit leaving the group to pursue a singles career, next started feuding with the Hardy Boyz and Lita, a feud that saw the Hardys come out on top. Guerrero next focused on the WWF European title held by Test and defeated him for his second European title at Wrestlemania X-Seven with help from Saturn & Malenko. Guerrero would eventually turn face and team with the Hardys but would develop a pain killer addiction. This combined with a drunk driving incident lead to his WWF release in 2001. He moved to the independent circuit in 2001 competing in Ring of Honor, the Australian WWA where he won their version of the Cruiserweight title. He also won the IWA Mid-South Heavyweight title in a match with C.M. Punk and Rey Mysterio. He lost the title back to Punk one day later.

Eddie finally returned to the WWF, now WWE, in 2002 where he immediately ignited a feud with Rob Van Dam defeating him for the WWF Intercontinental title but eventually lost the title back to RVD in a ladder match. Still the feud between frog splash masters was quite entertaining. Guerrero next formed a new partnership with old ally Chris Benoit and briefly feuded with Ric Flair actually losing to Flair at King of the Ring. Next he lost to the Rock when he challenged him to a World title match. Next when Guerrero was traded to Smackdown!, he started feuding with Edge and eventually formed a new tag team with his nephew Chavo Jr. called Los Guerreros. The team would adopt the motto of "We Lie! We Cheat! We Steal!" and it would surprisingly wind up proving quite popular. Los Guerreros had tremendous tag bouts against Kurt Angle & Chris Benoit and Edge & Rey Mysterio and eventually won the WWE Tag Team titles in a triple threat match. They'd be upended by Team Angle members Shelton Benjamin and Charlie Haas who managed to hold them off as challengers in repeated rematches. Finally when Chavo tore his biceps, Eddie had to find a replacement partner. He choose Tajiri. Eddie & Tajiri surprisingly enough defeated Team Angle in a ladder match to win the WWE Tag Team titles. Finally Team Angle defeated Eddie & Tajiri for the WWE Tag Team titles in July and Eddie blamed Tajiri turning on him and slamming him through the windshield of a Low Rider truck.

In July 2003, Eddie competed in a United States title tournament finally defeating Chris Benoit in the tournament final with help from Rhyno who had turned on Benoit. Eddie actually turned face by engaging in a rivalry with then heel John Cena defeating Cena in a parking lot brawl with help from his returning nephew Chavo. Los Guerreros reformed and again captured the WWE Tag Team titles from Benjamin & Haas making Eddie a double champion. Next Eddie ended up feuding with the Big Show and even gave him laxatives at one point and at another sprayed him with sewage. The Big Show however defeated Eddie for the United States title at No Mercy. Just four days later, Los Guerreros lost the tag titles to the Basham Brothers. Frustrated by their inability to regain the tag titles from the Bashams, Chavo eventually turned on his Uncle Eddie. Eddie finally defeated Chavo at the Royal Rumble to settle their feud. After Chris Benoit defected to Raw after winning the 2004 Royal Rumble, Eddie Guerrero won a 15 man version on Smackdown! to earn a shot at the WWE Champion. Soon he was feuding with WWE Champion Brock Lesnar eventually upsetting Lesnar for the WWE Championship at No Way Out 2004. He successfully defended his title against Kurt Angle at Wrestlemania XX and he and Benoit, won just won the World Heavyweight title celebrated in the ring together at the end of Wrestlemania XX. Soon he was targeted by John Bradshaw Layfield. JBL defeated Guerrero for his WWE Championship in a Texas Bullrope match at the 2004 Great American Bash. When Guerrero battled JBL in a steel cage match on Smackdown! and seemed on the brunt of regaining his WWE Championship, interference from Kurt Angle would cost Eddie the match reigniting Guerrero's feud with Angle. Soon Eddie would form a partnership with Big Show while Angle formed a partnership with Mark Jindrak and Luther Reigns. At Survivor Series, Guerrero's team (Eddie, Big Show, John Cena & RVD) defeated Angle's team. After failing to regain the WWE title from JBL, Eddie formed a brief tag team wth Booker T. but they failed to capture the tag titles. At No Way Out, Eddie would team with longtime rival Rey Mysterio Jr. to defeat the Basham Brothers for the WWE Tag Team titles. At the suggestion of Chavo, Eddie actually chose to wrestle his tag team partner Rey Mysterio at Wrestlemania 21. After losing the match to Mysterio, the tension between Eddie and Rey started to gradually grow eventually leading to the pair losing their tag titles to the debuting MNM on Smackdown!. Eddie started to abandon Rey in several matches and eventually flat out attacked him becoming a full fledged heel eventually leading to Eddie and Rey battling over Rey's son Dominick (in what was a questionable storyline). Finally after defeating Rey in a steel cage match, Eddie emerged as number one contender to Batista's World Heavyweight title. Guerrero then attempted to forge a partnership with Batista who was understandably hesitant. Finally at No Mercy, Batista defeated Guerrero in a World title match when Eddie actually choose not to cheat when he had the chance. Following the match, the two grapplers shared a mutual respect and shook hands and became friends. Eddie wrestled his final match on a November 11th edition of WWE Smackdown defeating Mr. Kennedy for a place on the Smackdown! team but unfortunately died before he could compete in the match.

WWE held two tribute shows in Guerrero's honor - the November 14th, 2005 Raw and November 18th, 2005 Smackdown! Eddie was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2006. Even years after his death, it wasn't uncommon to see fans chant "Eddie! Eddie!" in tribute to their fallen hero.

[HappyGilmore]

Eddie was a personal favorite of mine.  I was really quite sad when he died, which is highly unusual for me.

[JaseSF]

King Kong Bundy joins the Singles Hall of Shame. Mostly I remember Bundy as being the bigger than life monster wrestler who actually took out Hulk Hogan prior to Wrestlemania 2. The bald-headed nearly 500 pound Bundy joined together with Magnificent Muraco and Mr. Fuji to attack Hogan after his bout with Muraco with Bundy repeatedly splashing Hogan and injuring his ribs. Hogan would however get his revenge in a WWF World title steel cage match at Wrestlemania 2 soundly defeating Bundy and even getting his hands on manager Bobby "The Brain" Heenan to boot. Prior to this, I recall Bundy squishing numerous opponents in matches most notably S. D. Jones at Wrestlemania whom Bundy defeated in a record nine second squash. Of course I also recall Bundy teaming up with Big John Studd to feud with Andre the Giant and later the Machines. When Andre turned heel in 1987, Bundy would actually team with Andre and be on his winning team at Survivor Series 1987. Bundy was undeniably entertaining, a real monster in the ring. Bundy is also remembered for shockingly attacking, bodyslamming and elbowsmashing midget wrestler Little Beaver during Wrestlemania III showing just how big a bully he really was. I loved when he'd destroy his opponents and then demand the referee actually count the pin to five to show his dominance.

Bundy actually started out in an enhancement role believe it or not under the name Chris Canyon, even jobbing to WWF stars in those days. Bundy got his first big break in WCCW where he first appeared as a fan favourite and friend of the Von Erichs named Big Daddy Bundy. Eventually Bundy would turn on the Von Erichs and add manager Gary Hart redubbing himself King Kong Bundy. Bundy would also lose his hair in a grudge match against the Von Erichs actually adding to his distinctive look. Bundy was Fritz Von Erich's 1982 opponent during his retirement match in WCCW. Bundy started travelling to several territories taking his monster heel and five count gimmick with him competing in Mid-South, the AWA Southern territories, and Georgia where he was actually a member of Paul Ellering's Legion of Doom stable. Bundy of course would have his most notable WWF run in the mid-1980s eventually leaving the WWF in late 1987 after losing his feud to Hulk Hogan. In September 1994, Bundy made a surprise return to the WWF as a member of Ted DiBiase's Million Dollar Corporation and feuded with the Undertaker losing a match to 'Taker at Wrestlemania XI. He'd again leave WWF in November 1995. Bundy competed for several more years on the independent circuit making use of his memorable cartoonish monster heel gimmick. Outside of wrestling, Bundy will likely be remembered for his many guest appearances on "Married: With Children" where he was said to be an extended member of the Bundy family. He also starred in the movie Moving which might will be remembered by many on this site.

Tazz joins the Hosts/Announcers Hall of Fame. Tazz of course has worked as a color commentator for the WWF/WWE (most notably on Smackdown!, Sunday Night Heat and their version of ECW) and TNA. Tazz is one of the best in the business currently. He was so good in fact he almost made the horrendous Michael Cole seem passable and soon replaced Don West in TNA. Tazz's commentary sometimes could well prove the most entertaining thing on any given show.

"Luscious" Johnny V joins the Managers/Valets Hall of Shame. Johnny V, formerly known as Johnny Valiant, one of the famed Valiant Brothers, turned to managing late in his career. He had rather limited success in the role but did prove a surprisingly good match managing The Dream Team of Greg "The Hammer" Valentine and Brutus Beefcake to the WWF World Tag Team titles giving his men his lit cigar to use as a weapon. Prior to this, Valiant actually managed Hulk Hogan in the AWA. When the Dream Team dumped Beefcake in favor of Dino Bravo, Beefcake took a measure of revenge on Valiant cutting and ruining his former manager's hair. He also briefly managed Demolition before turning them over to Mr. Fuji. In the AWA, he also managed the Destruction Crew of Wayne Bloom and Mike Enos to the AWA World Tag Team titles in 1989. He also contibuted some color commentary in WWF most notably on Coliseum Home Videos. His commentary was usually rather terrible but Johnny V was always a memorable character.

[JaseSF]

The Brothers of Destruction of Kane & The Undertaker join the Tag Teams Hall of Fame. These two grapplers, at least in their most famous gimmicks, have been tied together throughout their careers Kane debuting in 1997 as The Undertaker's long lost brother (kayfabe). Initially Kane feuded with the Undertaker apparently holding on to some long unknown grudge. Eventually it was revealed (kayfabe again) that The Undertaker was responsible for burning down his parents home scarring and burning Kane and leading to him desperately wanting to take out his pent up aggression towards his older brother. Initially the Undertaker refused to wrestle Kane saying he would not battle his own flesh and blood. Surprisingly Kane would after attempting to embarrass and attack Undertaker on numerous previous occasions would come to his "brother's" rescue when he was attacked by DeGeneration X.  They briefly paired up first around this time however this partnership would be short-lived as Kane would betray his brother during a 1998 casket match against Shawn Michaels at the 1998 Royal Rumble costing Undertaker his WWF World title match. Following the match, Kane and manager Paul Bearer locked Undertaker in a casket and seemingly set it ablaze. Finally the Undertaker agreed to fight Kane and the match would take place at Wrestlemania XIV with Undertaker coming out on top. Undertaker next defeated Kane in an Inferno match when he set Kane on fire. On a June 1, 1998 Raw they battled over the number one's contendership with Kane gaining the victory thanks to help from Mankind. At the 1998 King of the Ring, Kane would defeat WWF World Champion "Stone Cold" Steve Austin for the WWF World title in a First Blood match in which the Undertaker interfered. A stipulation in the match was that if Kane lost, he vowed to set himself on fire. Undertaker later revealed he interfered to stop his "brother" from doing so. Kane lost the WWF title back to Austin the very next night on Raw but he and Undertaker would briefly team up again. However this would ignite a war between Stone Cold and the Undertaker while Kane would go on to team with Mankind to win the WWF World Tag Team titles. Eventually Kane would wind up breaking up Mankind and also getting involved in Undertaker's feud with Austin this time siding with his "brother" and they were first dubbed "The Brothers of Destruction" eventually leading to a Triple Threat match in which both Kane and Undertaker pinned Austin leading to the WWF World title being held up. Mr. McMahon determined to get the title off of Austin set up a match between Kane and Undertaker for the vacant title with Austin as guest referee. Undertaker turned heel during the match and sided with Paul Bearer but Austin eventually attacked both men the match ending in a no-contest. During a Buried Alive match between Undertaker and Austin, Kane interfered helping Austin win the match. Eventually in 1999, the two went their separate ways with Undertaker leading his evil Ministry of Darkness while Kane joined the Corporation. Around this time, they'd face each other in another Inferno match with Undertaker again getting the win. Kane would go on to team with X-Pac to twice win the WWF World Tag Team titles now in a face role while Undertaker eventually tried to recruit his younger "brother" yet again but Kane rejected the offer and choose to stay partners with X-Pac. The Undertaker then started teaming with the Big Show and feuded with Kane & X-Pac over the tag titles with Taker & Show winning them twice as well. During Fall 1999 Undertaker would be injured and Kane would go on his own way. In summer 2000, Undertaker would return and team with Kane to challenge Edge & Christian for the tag titles but would be disqualified during the match. By August however Kane and Undertaker were feuding with one another yet again. This time the feud culminated with a match at Summerslam 2000 in which Undertaker unmasked Kane and he fled the ring ending the match in a no-contest.

At the 2001 Royal Rumble, Kane & Undertaker were impressive eliminating numerous men. By February they were teaming together again beating Rikishi and Haku in a First Blood match. They got a tag title shot at No Way Out 2001 in a tables triple threat match with the Dudley Boyz and Edge & Christian and were on the verge of winning until Rikishi and Haku interfered and attacked them. At Wrestlemania x-7, Kane beat Raven and the Big Show to win the WWF Hardcore title while Undertaker defeated Triple H. Taker and Kane began feuding with Triple H who surprisingly teamed up with "Stone Cold" Steve Austin as the Two Man Power Trip. On an April 2001 edition o Smackdown!, Kane and Undertaker defeated Edge & Christian in a no-DQ match to win their first WWF World Tag Team titles together despite interference from Austin and Triple H. At Backlash 2001, all major titles were on the line as Kane & Undertaker faced Triple H & Austin. In the match, Triple H used a sledgehammer to get the win over Kane making him and Austin Tag Team champs as well as Intercontinental (Triple H) and World (Austin) champs. The Undertaker starting pursuing Austin while Kane pursued Triple H. Kane defeated Triple H  in a chain match for the Intercontinental title at Judgment Day 2001. Triple H and his sledgehammer however helped Austin fend off the Undertaker's challenge for his World title. Diamond Dallas Page next involved himself in a feud with Undertaker while then pursuing then-wife Sara.  Undertaker & Kane defeated Chuck Palumbo and Sean O' Haire for the WCW World Tag Team titles (now in WWF) around this time. At Summerslam 2001, Kane & Undertaker next defeated Chris Kanyon & Diamond Dallas Page to win the WWF World Tag Team titles as well becoming the first ever Unified World Tag Team champions. The Brothers of Destruction next feuded with Kronik who eventually cost them their WWF World tag titles in a match against the Dudley Boyz. They successfully defended their WCW Tag titles against Kronik before losing them to Booker T. and Test. The Brothers of Destruction represented the WWF throughout the Invasion storyline and battled the ECW/WCW Alliance right up to Survivor Series 2001 when the WWF finally won the war. After this however the Undertaker turned heel and the two didn't team again for some time.

After making brief appearances together at 2002's Draft, No Mercy 2002 and teaming up unofficially at Royal Rumble 2003, Undertaker would betray Kane during the match. Kane would finally gain a measure of revenge at Survivor Series 2003 when he interfered in a Buried Alive Match between Undertaker and Mr. McMahon helping McMahon win. This would lead to the two feuding yet again with the Undertaker defeating Kane at Wrestlemania XX and returning once more to his "Deadman" character. During 2005 on the house show circuit the two would actually team up once again to battle rivals Gene Snitsky and Heidenreich. During October 2006, the return of the Brothers of Destruction was announced as the two "brothers" teamed up once more this time to take on rivals Mr. Kennedy and MVP. Later they'd team up to defeat King Booker and Finlay. They'd part ways again with Undertaker becoming World champion at Wrestlemania 23.

In October 2007, the Brothers of Destruction would be reunited yet again this time defeating MVP and Matt Hardy. They wouldn't team again until February 2008 when they defeated Big Daddy V and Mark Henry. At Wrestlemania XXIV Undertaker would win the World title and Kane would win the ECW title. They would be matched against one another and would reluctantly battle until being attacked by La Familia (Edge, Zack Ryder, Curt Hawkins, Chavo Guerrero). On April 2008, they made a special ECW appearance battling then champions The Miz and John Morrison. On a late April edition of Raw the Brothers of Destruction teamed with John Cena and Triple H in a losing effort against JBL, Edge, Randy Orton & Chavo Guerrero. On a November 2009 edition of Smackdown The Brothers of Destruction would battled then Unified tag team champs Chris Jericho and the Big Show the match ending in a no-contest. Most recently Kane was revealed as the man who assaulted the Undertaker and left him in a vegetative state leading to their current feud over the World Heavyweight championship currently held by Kane that also recently saw the return of Paul Bearer on Undertaker's side.

When on the same page as a tag team, I doubt there has ever been a more dominant tag team of two seemingly unstoppable forces in the entire history of pro wrestling.

[JaseSF]

Strike Force of Tito Santana & Rick Martel join the Tag Teams Hall of Shame. Actually Santana & Martel were a very good tag team in many respects. Having previously successfully tagged and delivered spectacular matches against the High Flyers of Greg Gagne & Jim Brunzell in the AWA, Martel and Santana would reunite their tag team in mid-1987 after Tom Zenk left the WWF and ended his Can-Am Connection partnership with Martel. The tag team was formed when Santana, doing commentary in the Spanish language booth, came to Martel's rescue when he was attacked by the Islanders (Haku & Tama). The pair were played up as good looking young guys and even came to the ring to a theme called "Girls in Cars". After successfully feuding with the Islanders, Strike Force earned themselves a title match against then WWF World Tag Team champions The Hart Foundation. In late 1987, they would defeat the Hart Foundation for their first and only WWF World Tag Team title reign successfully defending their titles until Wrestlemania IV in March 1988 when they lost their titles to the upstart power pounding monsters Demolition (Ax & Smash) managed by the devious Mr. Fuji. Fuji would distract Santana during the match and Santana's temper getting the better of him would fall for the distraction allowing Demolition to use Fuji's cane against Martel and get the win. Shortly thereafter Martel would be kayfabe injured by Demolition and would take an extended leave of absence (actually it was to tend to his ill wife). Santana brought in the Powers of Pain as mercenaries to get revenge on Demolition. In early 1989, Martel returned to the WWF and reformed his tag team with Santana but something just wasn't quite right. At Wrestlemania V, while Strike Force battled The Brain Busters (Tully Blanchard & Arn Anderson), Santana mistakenly hit his partner with a flying forearm smash leading to Martel just abandoning Santana to the wolves as the Brain Busters double-teamed and made short work of Santana on his own. It soon became clear Martel blamed Santana for the team's ills (and in fact he may have had a valid argument given Santana's temper) and considered himself superior. The two would have a long-lasting feud that basically continued over the next two years with both men getting wins and neither man truly dominating. 

My reasoning for voting them in the Shame category is simply because their team was too short-lived and really wasn't very dominant even when on-top. They actually did provide quite a few quality matches as a team.

[JaseSF]

Debra joins the Managers/Valets Hall of Shame. Let's face it, the main reason for Debra's success soon became evident to anyone who watched her for very long - it was no doubt largely due to her looks and in particular her particularly well-endowed chest. She also had a shapely, good-looking older woman look that was kind of unique and different but definitely appealed to a lot of fans, particularly male fans. She started her managing career in WCW managing then husband Steve "Mongo" McMichael who would eventually become a member of the famed "Four Horsemen" group along with Ric Flair, Arn Anderson & Chris Benoit. In WCW, she played up her beauty queen background and dubbed herself "The Queen of WCW". Debra would later betray her husband for Jeff Jarrett turning on him and helping Jeff Jarrett win the United States title. She also briefly managed Goldberg and Alex Wright while in WCW. After divorcing Mongo, she moved to the WWF in 1998.

She debuted in WWF as Jarrett's manager again first presented in a very professional look wearing business suits. Eventually as the Attitude era continued on, Debra's outfits would get shorter and shorter and skimpier and skimpier and eventually she would be portrayed more as Jarrett's girlfriend than his business manager. Eventually Debra would use her ample assets to distract Jarrett's opponents and lead to him getting wins. Her willingness to remove her blouse eventually lead to Road Dogg and shortly thereafter Jerry Lawler first referring to her assets as "puppies", something Lawler would come to love to say. Debra used her assets to help Jeff Jarrett and Owen Hart win the WWF World Tag Team titles from Ken Shamrock and the Big Bossman. Next as Debra feuded with newcomer Ivory, her men defeated Ivory's men Mark Henry & D-Lo Brown. In March 1999, Hart & Jarrett lose their tag titles to Kane & X-Pac. There were more plans for Jarrett & Hart's tag team but sadly Hart died before they could ever be fully realized. Next Debra & Jarrett lost a mixed tag team match to Val Venis & Nicole Bass. On May 10, 1999, Debra won the WWF Women's Title in an Evening Gown match after she had her gown forcibly removed by Sable. Usually the winner is the woman left dressed but Commissioner Shawn Michaels decreed the winner of this match was the woman who had her clothes removed decreeing Debra the new champion. Debra lost her Women's title shortly thereafter to Ivory thanks to outside interference from Nicole Bass on June 14, 1999. At Summerslam 1999, with help from Debra and Mark Henry, Jarrett defeated D-Lo Brown to win both the European and Intercontinental titles. Jarrett shortly thereafter rewarded Henry by just giving him the European title while he assigned Debra an assistant named Miss Kitty (The Kat). Following much mistreatment from Jarrett who had adopted a very sexist attitude leading into his feud with Chyna, Debra turned on Jarrett at Unforgiven 1999 and helped Chyna defeat him for the WWF Intercontinental title. However the referee would reverse the decision due to Debra's interference. Debra appeared only sporadically following this taking part in a Survivor Series 1999 8 woman sudden death match teamed with the Fabulous Moolah, Mae Young and Tori. Debra then stayed off TV for quite a while as new husband "Stone Cold" Steve Austin was recovering from neck surgery. She appeared as a guest announcer for Backlash 2000 and later than Fall as a Lieutenant Commissioner to Mick Foley. Eventually her marriage to Austin became incorporated to storylines on Raw and she more or less became his manager teaming with Austin to defeat Matt Hardy & Lita. She appeared sporadically during this period making mostly brief background appearances alongside Austin. She and Austin would later divorce following domestic abuse allegations.