Fame or Shame: Pro Wrestling Discussion Thread

[HappyGilmore]

Mitchell is vastly underappreciated and it kinda bothers me that we're seeing less and less of managers of his ilk entirely phased out.  There's some wrestlers out there who really should get a manager as they can't really 'talk' or anything like that.

[JaseSF]

Eric Bischoff joins the Hosts/Announcers Hall of Shame. Bischoff no doubt today is best remembered for his role as the General Manager of Raw as well as his time running things in WCW President including playing an on-screen role with the nWo. Nowadays Bischoff along with Hulk Hogan is playing a major on-screen role in TNA. But Bischoff got his start as an host and announcer for Verne Gagne's AWA. Later he'd continue his announcing in WCW after being turned down by the WWF.

As an announcer and host, Bischoff left something to be desired always coming across like a smug, arrogant, weaselly used cars salesman with a constant phony smile. In the AWA, he never truly seemed like someone who was in reality a fan of the wrestling action unlike previous wrestling announcers. He continued as an announcer and interviewer in WCW but again never truly seemed genuine. Naturally this made him a surprisingly good fit for his eventual heel turn that saw him join and become a core member of the nWo. Bischoff would eventually win the WCW Hardcore title on one occasion surprisingly enough and would eventually compete in ring in WCW against Larry Zbyszko and later in WWE against his "nephew" Eugene. Technically Bischoff spent some time in what was in essence a managerial role alongside the nWo, the New Blood and later in WWE 3 Minute Warning, Chris Jericho and Kurt Angle. As an heel authority figure and manager, Bischoff was much much more effective and has had a lot of success in that role.

[HappyGilmore]

Eric Bischoff

As an announcer and host, Bischoff left something to be desired always coming across like a smug, arrogant, weaselly used cars salesman with a constant phony smile. 

I'm pretty sure that's his ACTUAL personality, and not a put-on.

[JaseSF]

Yeah no kidding eh?

Anyways, Big Van Vader joins the Singles Hall of Fame. Leon "Baby Bull" White, after playing football, including a stint with the L.A. Rams, made his wrestling debut in the AWA after being trained by Brad Rheingans. In the AWA, White helped mold his in-ring skills and even got an AWA World title shot at Stan Hansen at one point although he was still too young and green to win the title at that point. In 1987, White moved to Japan where he first started to truly make his mark in wrestling adopting a new masked persona as Big Van Vader, based on a character from Japanese folklore. Vader went on to shock Japanese audiences in New Japan Wrestling by defeating (an already worn down) Japanese legend named Antonio Inoki. Vader won his first IWGP Heavyweight title in a tournament. He eventually lost the title a month later to Russian Salman Hashimikov who dropped the title to Riki Choshu whom Vader then defeated to hold the IWGP Heavyweight title a second time. While still IWGP Heavyweight champ, Vader travelled to Europe and defeated Otto Wanz for the CWA World Heavyweight title (Europe's version of a World title). Next Vader travelled to Mexico where he defeated Mexican legend El Canek for the UWA World Heavyweight title and Vader became one of the first men who could claim world championships on three continents (Asia, Europe and North America). This gained him the attention of WCW who brought him in while he was still IWGP Heavyweight champ.

Vader destroyed Tom Zenk in his Great American Bash 1990 debut. In the early 90s, Vader continued to rack up title wins over seas and in total captured 3 IWGP Heavyweight titles, 3 CWA World Heavyweight titles, a CWA Intercontinental Heavyweight title and an IWGP Tag Team title reign with Bam Bam Bigelow as his partner. Vader finally signed full-time with WCW in 1992. Finally Vader began to focus on the WCW World Heavyweight title adding manager legend Harley Race, whom had won a record 8 NWA World titles. After a bit of a prolonged chase that saw Vader seriously injure Sting's ribs, Vader finally defeated Sting for the WCW World Heavyweight title at the 1992 Great American Bash but injured his knee which led to him dropping the title unexpectedly to Ron Simmons three weeks later. Vader also feuded with Nikita Koloff around this time eventually sending Koloff into retirement and breaking the back (legit) of enhancement worker Joe Thurman. Vader would go on to lose the finals of the King of Cable tournament to Sting but would defeat an injured Simmons shortly thereafter to win his second WCW World Heavyweight title. Vader held the title successfully for several months before losing it to Sting for about a week in March 1993 only to regain it for a third time. He went on to successfully fend off challenges from Dustin Rhodes, Davey Boy Smith and Sting.

In 1993, Vader went on to also compete in Japan's UWFI where he competed as Super Vader due to legal issues surrounding the Big Van Vader name with New Japan. He went on to refer to himself as just Vader in the U.S.. While in the UWFI, Vader would capture the UWFI World Heavyweight title in a tournament but eventually left the promotion (which was often billed as a shoot style promotion even though it was in actuality worked) in 1994 due to a financial dispute.

In April 1993, Vader would start a memorable feud with Cactus Jack (Mick Foley) breaking his nose and leaving his face with wounds that required 27 stitches. Later Vader would take Cactus out by powerbombing him on the concrete floor leading to a concussion and temporary loss of feeling in his left hand and leg. While Cactus was out injured, Vader feuded with Davey Boy Smith and fended of his challenges for the WCW World title. Later Vader would form a partnership with Sid Vicious known as  "The Masters of the Powerbomb" to feud with Sting & Davey Boy. Cactus returned in October to face Vader in a Texas Death match. Vader eventually defeated Cactus only when Race interfered and used a cattle prod on Cactus. Foley would go on to lose a part of his ear in a match with Vader in Munich, Germany when his head got caught in the ring ropes. The original plan was for Vader to face Sid Vicious at Starrcacde 1993 until Vicious was involved in a stabbing incident in England against Arn Anderson and was dismissed understandably from WCW. This led to Ric Flair being chosen as a replacement opponent and Flair would actually put his career on the line in the match. Flair would upset Vader and end Vader's third WCW World title reign. Flair and Vader continued to feud with Flair defeating Vader in a Thundercage rematch. Vader next feuded with the Boss (Formerly Big Bossman) defeating him at Spring Stampede 1994. He lost a match to Sting over the vacant WCW International World title but would go on to defeat Hacksaw Jim Duggan for the WCW United States title at Starrcade '94. In early 1995, he soon started targeting then WCW World Heavyweight champion Hulk Hogan. During most of the initial match-ups, a clear conclusion was never achieved as Ric Flair constantly interfered. Finally Hogan would go on to defeat Vader decisively in a steel cage match at Bash at the Beach 1995 and many say Hogan's no-selling of Vader's powerbomb led to him never again being taken as seriously as he'd been before. Vader did manage to defeat Flair and Arn Anderson in a 2 on 1 handicap match and seemed poised for a face turn and team with Hogan and Savage until he got into a backstage locker room brawl with Paul Orndorff ( a legit tough guy he probably should have never messed with) that led to his eventual dismissal from WCW. The Hogan no-selling and the Orndorff cleaning his clock incidents did Vader few favors. In 1996 Vader also made a brief return to New Japan only to lose this time to legend Antonio Inoki despite Inoki being over 50 years old at the time.

In early 1996, Vader made his WWF debut as "The Man They Call Vader", an entrant in the 1996 Royal Rumble. After eliminating many men and impressing in the match, he was eliminated by Shawn Michaels whom Vader returned to the ring and attacked afterwards. He went on to defeat Savio Vega but soon proved an out of control bully when he assaulted WWF President Gorilla Monsoon leading to him being suspended (actually Vader needed time off for shoulder surgery). Jim Cornette campaigned as manager for Vader's return leading to Yokozuna eventually leaving Camp Cornette and feuding with the returning Vader. At Wrestlemania XII, Vader teamed with Owen Hart and Davey Boy Smith to defeat Yokozuna, Jake Roberts and Ahmed Johnson. Vader next targeted WWF World Heavyweight Champion Shawn Michaels and seemed poised to defeat HBK for the title but it was not to be as the crafty Michaels managed to defeat the big man at Summerslam 1996 in what actually seemed like an upset win. Vader next started feuding with the Undertaker. During their Royal Rumble 1997 match, Paul Bearer actually turned on Undertaker to side with Vader. Later both men competed in the Royal Rumble match that ended controversially as Steve Austin managed to re-enter the ring after being eliminated at eliminated Bret Hart, Undertaker and Vader. Later the four men would do battle over the then vacant WWF World Heavyweight title at In Your House 13: Final Four for the WWF Championship. Vader was eliminated in the match by the Undertaker. Next Bearer paired Vader with Mankind (Formerly Cactus Jack) to go after the WWF World Tag Team titles but the two men could not get along and frequently battled one another and thus didn't capture the tag titles. Somewhere around this time Vader was basically jobbed out to Sycho Sid (Vicious) to help establish Sid as a top star.

In mid-1997, Vader unexpectedly turned face when he objected to Bret Hart draping the Canadian flag over the Patriot. Vader suddenly was on the USA side in the feud between U.S. stars and Canada's Hart Foundation stable. At Survivor Series 1997, Vader's Team USA of himself, Marc Mero, Steve Blackman and Goldust lost to Team Canada (British Bullog, Jim Neidhart, Phil Lafon & Doug Furnas) when Goldust bailed on Vader in the match and Davey Boy Smith used a ring bell to take out Vader. Vader next feuded with Goldust for several months culminating in a match at Royal Rumble 1998 where Vader defeated Goldust but Goldust later than night eliminated him from the Royal Rumble match. Next Vader entered into a feud with Kane but was basically jobbed out to the big man and was basically used to put over guys until he finally left WWF in 1998.

He returned to Japan, this time signing with All-Japan Pro Wrestling. There he formed a team with old rival Stan Hansen and made it to the finals of 1998 Real World Tag League before losing to Kenta Kobashi and Jun Akiyama. Vader would go on to become number one contender to All-Japan's most prized Triple Crown when he defeated Kobashi. Vader would win the then vacant Triple Crown by defeated Akira Taue. He won the 1999 Champion's Carnival. Vader went on to lose the Triple Crown to Mitsuhara Misawa on May 2, 1998 but regained it on October 31st. He next lost it to Kenta Kobashi. Vader then took some time off. When he returned, he joined Pro Wrestling NOAH and won the GHC Tag Team titles with 2 Cold Scorpio. That would be the last of his real success.

An out of shape and overweight Vader appeared in TNA in 2003 but didn't make much of an impression. He next appeared in WWE at a Taboo Tuesday event in the corner of Jonathan Coachman or his match with Batista and interfered on Coach's behalf only to receive a spinebuster for his trouble. Vader then returned to Japan for a few more years and briefly competed on the independent circuit before retiring. Vader might well be remembered by some for his appearances on "Boy Meets World" and "Baywatch". He actually also appeared in the 1995 film Fist of the North Star as Goliath.

[JaseSF]

Too Cool joins the Tag Teams Hall of Shame. Too Cool in the late 1990s WWF was originally a tag team named Too Much, an heel pairing of "Too Sexy" Brian Christopher and Scott "Too Hot" Taylor that mostly competed in the Light Heavyweight division and battled the likes of Taka Michinoku and Kaientai. They also aided Christopher's dad Jerry "The King" Lawler in his feud with Al Snow. In June 1999, Too Much reinvented themselves as Too Cool as Christopher changed his name to Grandmaster Sexay and Taylor changed his name to Scotty Too Hotty. They initially remained heels until late 1999 when they added Rikishi Phatu to the team and start doing a popular in-ring hip hop style dance performance together, made all the more entertaining because of Rikshi's unusual size and attire, the fans just loved. This would make all 3 men very popular.

At the 2000 Royal Rumble however Rikishi would eliminate both his partners yet all 3 men would remain friends nevertheless. Shortly thereafter Christopher had an injury leading to Scotty winning the WWF Light Heavyweight title. Too Cool would however reach the heights of their success later in 2000 when Scotty and Christopher upset Edge and Christian for the WWF World Tag Team titles on a May 29, 2000 episode of Raw. Rikishi would also taste success defeating Chris Benoit for the WWF Intercontinental title on June 20, 2000. In late 2000, Rikishi left the group after turning heel. In 2001, Too Cool themselves disbanded when Scotty was injured and Christopher was detained for trying to cross the U.S.-Canada border with illegal drugs in his possession.  Next Scotty formed a tag team with Albert named the Zoo Crew that lasted until 2002. In 2003, Rikishi would once again turn face and reunite with Scotty on the Smackdown brand in October 2003. Together they'd defeat the Basham Brothers for the WWE Tag Team titles on February 5, 2004. Around this time, Christopher would re-sign with WWE but would not long after be released again. Scotty & Rikishi held the titles for about 2 months until dropping them to Charlie Haas and Rico on April 22, 2004. Rikishi would be released not long after the loss while Scotty would continue on with WWE until 2007 mostly as an high level enhancement talent.

In 2007, Too Cool  (Taylor & Christopher) reunited on the independent circuit in the United Wrestling Federation to compete in their Rock 'n' Express Tag Team tournament. They'd defeat the Extreme Horsemen of C.W. Anderson and Steve Corino in the tournament's second round but would lose to the Steiners in the semifinals. They'd also do battle with the Naturals in a losing effort.

In 2009, Rikishi and Christopher reunited on Hulk Hogan's Hulkamania Australian tour but were unable to use the Too Cool name due to copyright issues. During the tour, they defeated Orlando Jordan and Umaga, an independent team named Rock of Love, Black Pearl and Vampire Warrior.

The Minnesota Wrecking Crew of Ole and Gene Anderson join the Tag Teams Hall of Fame. This tag team has long been remembered for the way they "wrecked" opponents targeting and constantly attacking specific body parts to wear down their opponents in-ring. It's a method later versions of the team would also adopt. Originally the Minnesota Wrecking Crew consisted on Gene and Lars Anderson (they weren't really related even though they pretended to be family) in 1965. They teamed together until 1969 when Lars left to live in Hawaii. Gene brought in replacement partner Alan Rogowski and renamed him Ole Anderson (another kayfabe brother). This version of the tandem would have the most success capturing the NWA World Tag Team titles 8 times in total. On occasion, Lars too would be brought back in as a member of the team. They dominated the NWA territories throughout the 1970s and are considered by many to be truly one of the greatest tag teams in professional wrestling history. They defeated the best of the best including teams such as Greg Valentine and Ric Flair, Paul Jones and Wahoo McDaniel, Mr. Wrestling and Dino Bravo, Dusty Rhodes and Dick Slater, Paul Jones and the Masked Superstar and many more. Later after Gene retired, the team was disbanded until in 1985 Ole reformed the Crew with kayfabe nephew Arn Anderson and went on to win the NWA National Tag Team titles and were original members of the Four Horsemen as the Wrecking Crew. They disbanded in 1987 after Ole was booted out of the Horsemen but briefly reunited in 1990 as members of the Horsemen yet again until Ole finally retired. Ole managed a team named The Minnesota Wrecking Crew 2 in the NWA in 1990, actually the former AWA Destruction Crew of Mike Enos and Wayne Bloom under masks, in a losing effort against NWA World Tag Team champions the Steiners. In 2001, Brock Lesnar and Shelton Benjamin named their team the Minnesota Stretching Crew in honor of the Andersons classic tandem.

Together Gene and Ole captured the NWA Georgia Tag Team titles 7 times, the NWA Columbus Tag Team titles 11 times, the NWA Macon Tag Team titles 1 time, the NWA Atlantic Coast tag team titles 3 times, the NWA Mid-Atlantic tag team titles twice and as mentioned the NWA World Tag Team titles an amazing 8 times. Lars & Ole also held the NWA Georgia Tag Team titles twice and the NWA World Tag Team titles once. Ole & Arn held just the NWA National tag team titles.

Stacy Keibler joins the Managers/Valets Hall of Shame. Keibler got her start in WCW winning a contest to find a new member of the Nitro Girls dance troupe. In November 1999, she defeated 300 other girls to win her spot in the dance troupe and $10,000. She went on to perform as Nitro Girl Skye in 2000 while also attending school full-time and cheering for the Baltimore Ravens. She eventually accepted a larger role in WCW and transformed herself into manager Miss Hancock, the manager for Standards and Practices tag team of Lenny Lane and Lodi, who were doing a gay tag team gimmick. Hancock became know for her business suits but even more so for dancing sensually on the announcers table. It was around this time Keibler added her trademark stepping/bending over the ropes giving fans a wow look at her legs and a brief glimpse of her underwear. At 5 foot 11 inches, Keibler was tall enough to actually step over the ropes and it definitely gave her a unique look unlike any of the other women at the time. Keibler dated and briefly managed David Flair leading to a match with Daffney who was on-screen involved with Flair at the time. During the Wedding Gown match, Keibler removed her own dress to lose. She next feuded with Kimberly Page but the feud was discarded when Page left the company. Next Keibler along with David Flair started feuding with Misfits in Action and had a mud wrestling match against Major Gunns at New Blood Rising. During the match she revealed herself to be pregnant as part of a new angle but later the angle which originally planned for Ric Flair or Vince Russo to be the father was scrapped and it was later revealed she faked the pregnancy, she broke up with David Flair and disappeared from TV for a while.

She next appeared in WWE during the Invasion storyline as a member of the WCW/ECW Alliance faction. Together with Torrie Wilson, she feuded with Trish Stratus and Lita but they were on the losing end of said feud. Later she started managed the Dudley Boyz and became known as the Duchess of Dudleyville. When Wilson turned face and started feuding with Keibler, Keibler eventually helped the Dudleys put Wilson through a table. Keibler though lost her matches against Wilson including a lingerie match. Later she would be dumped by the Dudleys too and also powerbombed through a table after accidentally costing them a match. Keibler next targeted Trish Stratus's Women's title but never did manage to defeat her.

In 2002, she was drafted to the Smackdown! brand and became Mr. McMahon's on-screen assistant and was as portraying his on-screen mistress until Stephanie McMahon became General Manager of Smackdown! Later Dawn Marie also became her rival for McMahon's affections. In mid-2002, she left Smackdown! and went back to Raw where she was turned faced after being attacked by Victoria. Keibler then started managing Scott Steiner and Test. Eventually Test would become jealous of Keibler also wanting to manage Steiner and would start verbally abusing Keibler eventually leading to a match between Steiner and Test that would see Steiner win Keibler as his manager. Test however petitioned for an InterGender rematch and eventually teamed with Chris Jericho to defeat Steiner and Keibler for Test to regain Keibler's services. Test would also eventually win Steiner's services when Keibler's interference in his match backfired. This led to Steiner also turning heel and both men abusing Keibler until General Manager Mick Foley finally released Keibler from her obligations by temporarily firing and rehiring both Test and Steiner.

Keibler would next become involved in a feud of jealousy teaming with Miss Jackie against Sable and Torrie Wilson when those women were chosen over them for Playboy magazine. They lost a Tag Team Evening Gown match at Wrestlemania XX to Sable & Wilson. Keibler also hosted the 2004 Raw Diva Search which led to several tag bouts against the likes of Gail Kim, Trish Stratus and Molly Holly as she teamed with Nidia and Victoria. She scored several upset victories at this time and was awarded a Women's title match but again failed to defeat Stratus. She also competed in the first ever Fulfill Your Fantasy Divas Battle Royal for the WWE Women's championship and was eliminated second last. Keibler next seemed to become involved with Randy Orton until he suddenly RKOed her in the ring to show how ruthless he was. Keibler finally joined forces with the superhero tandem of Rosey and the Hurricane as Super Stacy, even wearing a superheroine outfit. She was with them when they captured the WWF World tag team titles while also feuding with Victoria, now an heel again. Keibler was traded back to Smackdown! in 2006 where she briefly feuded with Jillian Hall leading to a match on WWE Velocity. This would be Keibler's last WWE match as she moved on to become an actress following her stint on "Dancing With the Stars".

Gordon Solie joins the Hosts/Announcers Hall of Fame. Solie is a true legend in terms of wrestling announcers. Most announcers themselves would refer to Solie as the greatest in the history of pro wrestling play by play. Solie mostly is remembered as the key voice of Florida and Georgia Wrestling as well as Continental Championship Wrestling. He later also worked with WCW. He called wrestling with a decided dedication and seriousness, always playing up the sport element of the performance and making you feel like you were watching a true sporting art-form being painted on canvas before your very eyes. He is known as the "Dean of Wrestling Announcers" and is without a doubt the most immediately recognizable voice from wrestling classic kayfabe era. He's also been called the "Walter Cronkite of Wrestling" and the "Howard Cosell of Wrestling". He's still remembered for his laconic, intelligent commentary adding wit and seriousness to the wrestling performance as well I'd argue as believability instead of the loud, bombastic style much more commonplace nowadays. He always referred to suplexes as "su-plays". He's also remembered for phrases such as "His face is becoming a crimson mask", "He'd fight a buzzsaw and give it the first two rounds", "They're going at it Hammer and Tongs" and "This is a Peir 6 Brawl". He's been inducted into the NWA Hall of Fame, the WCW Hall of Fame, the WWE Hall of Fame and the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum as well as the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame. Basically he's been inducted into pretty much every pro wrestling Hall of Fame.

Marc Lowrance joins the Hosts/Announcers Hall of Shame. Lowrance was a lead play by play announcer in WCCW and later the USWA. Actually I didn't dislike Lowrance. He just always seemed a little out of place, a little too much like he was searching for words.  He also seemed a bit too restrained with his most excited phrase typically being "Holy cow!" He actually started out as a ring announcer in WCCW replacing long-time announcer Boyd Pierce. Lowrance certainly possessed a loud, clear voice. Originally Lowrance was one of the original WCCW announcers when the show became syndicated in 1982 but he would be replaced by the more famous Bill Mercer while Lowrance began hosting the local weekly show. In 1987, Lowrance returned to hosting the syndicated shows and was paired with former wrestler Frank Dusek, then later Terrence Garvin and later again Percy Pringle (Paul Bearer). Lowrance did announce some famous matches including Kerry Von Erich defeating Ric Flair for the NWA World title on May 6, 1984, Gino Hernandez "blinding" Chris Adams. the infamous Christmas Day Massacre in 1987 and Eric Embry defeating P.Y. Chu-Hi to change World Class officially to USWA. While a commentator, Lowrance usually ended his shows with "Attend the Church of your choice tomorrow" which might well have been a foreshadowing as he's become an United Methodist minister.

[JaseSF]

Yoshihiro Tajiri joins the Singles Hall of Shame. Tajiri was actually an highly entertaining cruiserweight who specialized in competing in the ECW extreme style. He was also surprisingly capable at entertaining comedy skits particularly when paired with WWF Commissioner William Regal. His nickname was "The Japanese Buzzsaw" for his rapid, high impact swift kicks to the body. He is also well known for his green mist and his illegal Tarantula hold in the ring ropes.

Following some training in ballet, Tajiri decided he wanted instead to try his hand at pro wrestling after watching many matches from Mexico. He enrolled in Animal Hamaguchi's school and debuted in IWA Japan in 1989. In the mid-90s, he decided to expand his repertoire and experience by travelling to Mexico to compete in CMLL. In 1997, he left the Mexican promotion and went to a Japanese Hardcore promotion named Big Japan Pro Wrestling. In July 1997, Tajiri made an appearance in the WWF as part of its fledging Light Heavyweight division taking on Taka Michinoku and Brian Chistopher before returning to Mexico.

While there, he was noticed by Paul Heyman who invited him to compete in ECW. His ECW debut in December 1998 was against Antifaz Del Norte whom he defeated. Around this time, Tajiri started to copy the Great Muta, an hero of his, by adding the green mist. While in ECW, Tajiri feuded with Super Crazy, Little Guido and Jerry Lynn. He would form an alliance with Steve Corino and Jack Victory. Later he teamed with Mikey Whipwreck as the Unholy Alliance managed by the Sinister Minister to win the ECW World Tag Team titles in a tournament for the then vacant titles. Tajiri also defeated Super Crazy for the ECW World Television title. Tajiri would stay with ECW right up till its end.

Following the closure of ECW, Tajiri would be signed by WWF/WWE in 2001 where he initially played a babyface and soon became the sidekick of WWF Commissioner William Regal. When Regal turned heel and joined the ECW/WCW Alliance, Tajiri opted to stay with the WWF side and remained face feuding with Regal. Soon he developed an on-screen unlikely relationship with Torrie Wilson and would go on to defeat Chris Kanyon for the WCW United States title around this time only to lose it to Rhyno shortly thereafter. During the brand split, Tajiri and Wilson were sent to Smackdown! and Tajiri eventually turned heel becoming jealous of and abusive towards Wilson. This would eventually lead to Wilson turning on Tajiri while he battled Maven. It wouldn't be long though until Tajiri would become a face again following an attack by Jamie Noble when Tajiri touched Noble's girlfriend Nidia. Tajiri would go on to capture the WWE Tag Team titles alongside Eddie Guerrero. Tajiri would once again turn heel when he targeted WWE Cruiserweight champion Rey Mysterio Jr. but would not be able to defeat him. Tajiri would go on to capture the WWE Cruiserweight title on 2 separate occasions in 2002 and 2003 and would be briefly paired up in a stable with Akio and Sakoda.

In 2004, Tajiri would be drafted to Raw where he quickly turned face again to feud with Eric Bischoff, Jonathan Coachman and Lance Cade. Later he feuded with the Evolution stable. Later in the year he formed a tag team with Rhyno that were unsuccessful in their challenge of World Tag Team champs La Resistance. On February 4, 2005, Tajiri teaming with old pal/former rival William Regal did successfully defeat La Resistance for the World Tag Team titles on a Raw aired from Japan. The pair would eventually lose the titles back to La Resistance. At ECW One Night Stand 2005, Tajiri lost a Three Way Dance to Super Crazy in a bout also involving Little Guido. Following this he formed a new tag team with Eugene. In December 2005, Tajiri left WWE to return to Japan to try and become a journalist and to spend more time with his family. Tajiri put over Gregory Helms on his way out and received a standing ovation for his efforts. He would return for one night at ECW One Night Stand 2006 to team with Super Crazy in a losing effort vs. the F.B.I..

In 2007, Tajiri begin wrestling in Japan again working for Hustle and All-Japan Pro Wrestling as TAJIRI. In 2007, he had a major feud with Triple Crown champion Minoru Suzuki but ultimately failed to defeat him for the titles even though he did steal them at one point. In 2008, Tajiri made some overseas cross promotion appearances for WWE. in 2009, he invaded New Japan Pro Wrestling and started a feud with IWGP Heavyweight champion Hiroshi Tanahashi after attacking him and spraying the green mist in his face. Tajiri gave Tanahashi some problems but ultimately Tanahashi defeated him. Tajiri next started feuding with Yuji Nagata, whom ultimately also seemed to get the best of him in the end. In 2010, Tajiri returned to New Japan and suddenly became a face when he saved Hiroshi Tanahashi from rivals Toru Yano and Takashi Iizuka, even helping Tanahashi shave Yano's head following an Hair vs. Hair match.

Tajiri has earned quite a number of championships including the BJW Junior Heavyweight title and the BJW Tag Team titles on 2 occasions while paired with Ryuji Yamakawa, the CZW World Heavyweight title, CMLL World Light Heavyweight title, the ECW World tag titles (with Whipwreck), ECW World Television title,  FCF Finnish Heavyweight championship, IWA Hardcore title, WWF World Tag Team titles (with Regal), WCW Cruiserweight title (in WWE), WCW United States title (in WWE), WWE Tag Team titles (with Eddie Guerrero), WWF/WWE Cruiserweight title 3 times in total and one WWF Light Heavyweight title reign.

The Pitbulls join the Tag Teams Hall of Fame. The team consisted of Pitbull # 1 (Gary Wolfe) and Pitbull # 2 (Anthony Durante), a pair of imposing muscle men wearing leather outfits who wrestled well kind of like Pitbulls. They actually briefly competed in the WWF and were used to put over the Brain Busters and the Hart Foundation. Before forming the Pitbulls in ECW, Pitbull # 1 Gary Wolfe won the ECW World Television title in 1994. In 1995, he reformed his tag team with Durante and the Pitbulls not long after defeated Raven and Stevie Richards for the ECW World Tag Team titles on September 16, 1995. The team were soon joined by Francine who dubbed herself the Beastmaster and reinvented her look to match theirs (now sporting a leather dominatrix look). About a month later, they lost the tag titles back to Raven and Richards. Shortly thereafter they moved into an intense feud with the Eliminators that saw Francine take more than her share of shots too. The feud culminated at Cyberslam 1996 in a three on three dog collar match which saw Francine team with the Pitbulls to defeat the Eliminators and Stevie Richards with Francine getting a measure of revenge against Richards when she got to pin Richards after the Pitbulls superbombed him. However after the match the Eliminators got their revenge hitting the Total Elimination on all 3 after the match. Pitbull # 2 would go on to win the ECW World Television title at the June 1 Fight the Power event but would lose it just 21 days later at Hardcore Heaven to Chris Jericho. On July 13, 1996, Francine turned on the Pitbulls to become Shane Douglas' manager leading to a feud between the Pitbulls and Douglas. The feud culminated at Barely Legal 1997 where Shane Douglas defeated Pitbull # 2 in a bout for the ECW World Television title.

After leaving ECW, the Pitbulls did well on the independent circuit. Pitbull # 2 had singles title runs as MEWF Heavyweight champion and JAPW Heavyweight champion. As a team, they won the NWA United States tag team titles in the New Jersey territory. They also won tag championships in APWF (Allied Powers Wrestling Federation), HRCW (High Risk Championship Wrestling) and the GWA Tag Team titles. Following the split of the team in 2002, Pitbull # 1 won the 3PW Heavyweight title 2 times and the 3PW Tag Team titles with Mike Kruel once in Pro-Pain Pro Wrestling. Pitbull # 2 also had previous success overseas in Europe's Catch Wrestling Association (Germany) winning the CWA World Tag Team titles twice with Larry Cameron.

[JaseSF]

Arnold Skaaland joins the Managers/Valets Hall of Shame. After a lenghty career in wrestling during which he held the WWF United States tag team titles with Spiros Arion and under the name Bobby Weaver challenged Buddy Rogers and Pat O' Connor for the NWA World Heavyweight title, Skaaland moved into a managerial role as well as being a shareholder in Capitol Wrestling Corporation, the parent company of WWWF. He was also a business partner of promoter Vince McMahon Sr.. Skaaland, also known as "The Golden Boy" during his wrestling career, may have been given the manager role as a reward perhaps for his involvement behind the scenes. Also at times, it still allowed for him to be used as a replacement wrestler. Skaaland mainly managed fellow fan favourites most notably Bruno Sammartino and Bob Backlund who both won the WWWF World Heavyweight title under his tutelage. Skaaland would win Pro Wrestling Illustrated Manager of the Year for 1978 and 1979 but honestly he rarely got involved in the in-ring action and mainly cheered on his men from ringside or behind the scenes. Skaaland is likely best remembered nowadays for throwing in the towel during Bob Backlund's match leading to him losing the WWF World title to the Iron Sheik who in turn would lose it to Hulk Hogan. Many years later when Backlund returned to the WWF in the 1990s, he would snap and turn heel and at one point would put former manager Skaaland into the Crossface Chickenwing as a form of revenge for Skaaland's having thrown in the towel on him which Skaaland did at the time to save Backlund from further injury from the Sheik's Camel Clutch finisher. Skaaland also managed Tony Parisi and Rick McGraw. He was inducted into the WWF Hall of Fame in 1994 and won a Lifetime Achievement Slammy Award in 1997.

[JaseSF]

Matt Striker joins the Hosts/Announcers Hall of Fame. Striker is best known these days for his color commentary work on ECW and then WWE Smackdown! and for hosting WWE NXT. Striker is an intelligent, well-spoken, articulate, well-educated man and it shows. He also really knows wrestling and has a great knowledge of its history not to mention a good knack of comedic timing adding something funny to the broadcasts when things get dull and something interesting to offer more oft than not. Striker has a master's degree in educational psychology. For a time, Striker worked as a substitute and eventually a full-time social studies teacher when not moonlighting in his vacation and sick time as a pro wrestler (Kind of like the basic plot of Learning the Ropes believe it or not albeit without a mask). After being trained by Johnny Rodz, Striker had a lot of success on the independent circuit winning 10 different titles in his first year. He impressed with his in-ring mat skills and also for his ability to impersonate other wrestlers. He first appeared in WWE as a challenger to Kurt Angle's Gold Medal Invitational under the name Matt Martel. After defeating him several times, Angle exposed Striker and his past with him getting basically removed from the teaching system for using his sick days in order to wrestle. Shortly thereafter Striker started using his heel teacher gimmick and started a segment called Matt Striker's Classroom which would lead to forgettable feuds with Lance Cade, Carlito and Eugene and would eventually see him ran afoul of legend Hacksaw Jim Duggan. Striker would make a bit more of an impact in ECW continuing his Classroom segments and feuding with the Sandman and Balls Mahoney before joining Vince McMahon's New Breed faction alongside Elijah Burke, Marcus Cor Von and Kevin Thorn. In the end, the New Breed would lose their feuds with the ECW Originals (Tommy Dreamer, Sandman, Sabu and Rob Van Dam) and C.M. Punk. Striker next briefly feuded with the Boogeyman who spit worms into his mouth. Striker would gain a measure of revenge by guiding the monster Big Daddy V in attacking Boogeyman. Eventually Striker would become manager to Big Daddy V and briefly Mark Henry in ECW. When Big Daddy V faded from the scene, Striker was moved into a color commentator position when Mick Foley left Smackdown! leading to Tazz returning to Smackdown! and an open spot in ECW. Striker and his partner Todd Grisham would go on to become a surprisingly popular announcing team and would even pick up the 2008 Slammy Award for best announce team. When Grisham was eventually moved to Smackdown!, Striker continued on ECW alongside Josh Matthews before himself getting brought aboard the Smackdown! team and being paired up once more with Todd Grisham. Unfortunately recently they've also been joined by the ever-annoying Michael Cole. (Of possible interest to folks here, Striker actually worked as a child actor in the films Wise Guys and Child Savers).

The Bushwhackers join the Tag Teams Hall of Shame. Initially known as the brawling New Zealand wildmen The Sheepherders, Butch Miller and Luke Williams would eventually reinvent themselves in the WWF as the fun-loving, tongue-licking, crazy as heck but still loved by kids - the Bushwhackers. In their Sheepherder days, Williams and Miller were a much feared tag team for their bloody and wildly out of control brawls. They had bloody memorable wars against the Fabulous Ones, Fantastics and the Lightning Express in particular. The Sheepherders, initially known as the Kiwi Sheepherders first competed in 1964 for the NWA in New Zealand. They moved to North America in 1965 and initially competed in Canada's Calgary Stampede promotion. There they'd win the Stampede International Tag Team titles twice. They then moved to Puerto Rico's WWC under the name Los Pastores and won the WWC North American Tag Team titles defeating Puerto Rican legends Carlos Colon and Invader I before losing them to and regaining them from Los Medicos before finally dropping the titles to Jack and Jerry Brisco.

For a time, Miller moved to Australia to compete and Williams continued the Sheepherders team with new partner "Lord" Jonathan Boyd. This pair quickly became known for their violent, hard-hitting bouts and soon became embroiled in a feud between Robert Fuller in the NWA territory South Eastern Championship Wrestling. In December 1981, the Sheepherders would capture the vacant NWA Southeast tag team titles and feuding with Fuller & brother Ron Fuller and cousin Jimmy Golden. The Sheepherders would become hated heels after attacking Jimmy's father Billy Golden. Eventually after a long feud, Fuller & Golden would defeat the Sheepherders and run them out of the territory. The Sheepherders moved on to Memphis's Continental Wrestling Association who quickly started another brutal and memorable feud this time with Jacques Rougeau and Terry Taylor leading to a Coal Miner's Glove Match to settle the score in which Rougeau and Taylor finally redeemed themselves but Boyd and Williams still managed to get a victory over Jerry Lawler and Bill Dundee later that same night.

Next they would start one of their most memorable feuds ever against the Fabulous Ones (Stan Lane and Steve Keirn) as the pretty boy more technical good guy Fabulous Ones battled the ugly, savage brawling brutality of the Sheepherders. Boyd and Williams would eventually defeat the Fabulous Ones for the AWA Southern Tag Team titles which only intensified their feud. They'd trade the belts back and forth four times with the Fabs finally coming out on top in the end. Boyd and Williams moved on to Southwest Championship Wrestling where they'd defeat the Grapplers for the Southwest tag team titles convincing the Grapplers' manager Don Carson to turn on them in favor of the Sheepherders. Their reign would prove short-lived as Boyd legit broke his leg in a car accident and Williams turned on replacement partner Bobby Jaggers. Williams would shortly thereafter be reunited with Butch Miller.

Miller & Williams would go to feud with the Fabulous Ones once again, this time in Southwest Championship Wrestling over the SWCW tag team titles held by the Fabs. The Sheepherders dethroned the Fabs in March 1984 and held the titles until they were retired in September 1984. Following this, Miller & Williams returned to Puerto Rico this time as the Sheepherders and would feud with Invader I and Invader III over the WWC North American Tag Team titles with them trading the titles back and forth twice.

While Miller & Williams were competing in Puerto Rico, Boyd formed another Kiwi Sheepherders team with Sheepherders flag bearer Rip Morgan in Memphis where Boyd and Morgan continued the feud with the Fabulous Ones defeating them for the AWA Southern Tag Team titles before the Fabs convincingly took them back in a series of brutal matches. Boyd & Morgan soon found themselves feuding with a new team of pretty boys in the Fantastics (Bobby Fulton & Tommy Rogers) with the Fantastics eventually defeating them in a tournament final to crown new AWA Southern Tag Team champs and thereafter defeating Boyd & Morgan in a No DQ Loser Leaves Town match that caused the Fantastics to become more popular than ever before.

Williams & Miller returned to the U.S. and Bill Watt's UWF where they defeated Ted DiBiase and Steve Williams for the UWF Tag Team titles in March 1986 to to fall to new enemies The Fantastics a couple of weeks later. The Sheepherders competed in the first ever Jim Crockett Sr. Memorial Cup Tag Team tournament and impressed defeating Hector & Chavo Guerrero and the Rock 'n' Roll Express before having a wild brawl with the Fantastics ending in a DDQ and eliminating both teams. They continued their feud in the UWF at the Mid-South Superdome Show with the Fantastics defeating Miller & Williams in a New Zealand Boot Camp match. After failing to defeat the Fantastics, the Sheepherders returned to Puerto Rico and defeated the Rock 'n' Roll RPMs (Mike Davis and Tommy Lane) for the WWC World Tag Team titles. Eventually they'd drop the titles back to the RPMs and would move to Florida where they rekindled their old feud with the Fabulous Ones with Williams and Miller defeating the Fabs for the NWA Florida United States Tag Team titles which in time the Fabs would regain.

Meanwhile Boyd & Morgan returned and impressed once again in CWA winning the Southern Tag Team titles once again in a tournament final over Jeff Jarrett and Billy Joe Travis. Travis & Jarrett regained the titles a week later and would go on to defeat Boyd & Morgan in a Loser Leaves Town match. Shortly thereafter, Miller & Williams entered the territory and defeated Badd Company (Pat Tanaka & Paul Diamond) for the AWA/CWA International Tag Team titles but quickly lost the titles back to Badd Company. Shortly thereafter they once more became embroiled in a feud with the Fabulous Ones who dominated the feud this time and seemingly ran Miller & Williams out of the area.

The Sheepherders briefly competed in New Japan's IWGP before returning to Puerto Rico to feud with Chris and Mark Youngblood over the WWC World Tag Team titles with them trading the titles back and forth before the Herders returned to Florida where they challenged Florida Tag Team champs Mike Graham and former Fabulous One Steve Keirn eventually cheating their way to yet another tag title reign. They successfully fended off the challenge of Ronnie and Jimmy Garvin but eventually lost the titles back to Graham & Keirn. Following this, they returned to the UWF and defeated the Lightning Express (Brad Armstrong & Tim Horner) for the UWF Tag Team titles. The Sheepherders participated in the third Crockett Cup and defeated Cruel Connection and the Lightning Express but somehow still got eliminated by the Midnight Express (Bobby Eaton and former Fabulous One Stan Lane) in the second round. They next seemed poised to battle old enemies the Fantastics over the NWA United States tag team titles although they lost to them as Clash of the Champions II but Miller & Williams signed with the WWF and soon were reinvented as the fan-friendly Bushwhackers and suddenly the violent Sheepherders became the comedic Bushwhackers.

Sure they were entertaining and the fans love their shtick including exaggerated arm movements, licking and loud shouts of "Eeeh!" but they never again were taken as seriously as they were in their Sheepherder days although I suspect the matches were less brutal and the injuries were probably less. Still the titles which the Sheepherders collected pretty much everywhere they went before this seemed rather elusive. The Bushwhackers mostly feuded with different heel teams whom the fans wanted to see get shown up such as the Fabulous Rougeau Brothers, Rhythm and Blues and the Orient Express. The Bushwhackers finally pursued WWF tag gold held by the Nasty Boys but fell short in their challenge. Eventually the Bushwhackers would fall victim to the newly formed heel Natural Disasters tag team and would be their first victims. The Bushwhackers then continued their traditional WWF role by feuding with and trying to show up the arrogant Beverly Brothers. At this point, the Bushwhackers added a nerdy manager named Jamison to counteract Beverly Brother manager The Genius. Ultimately (and perhaps thankfully when it came to Jamison), the Beverly Brothers pretty much won the feud. By 1993, the Bushwhackers were basically reduced to putting over other teams including the Headshrinkers, Well Dunn, the Blu Twins and the Body Donnas. Since leaving the WWF, the Bushwhackers have made special sporadic return appearances. In WWC, they took on old rivals Invaders I and III. On a Heroes of Wrestling show, they defeated the Iron Sheik and Nikolai Volkoff. They also appeared in the Wrestlemania X-7 Gimmick Battle Royal and took on the Moondogs in a Legends of Memphis Reunion show.

[HappyGilmore]

Matt Striker is a pretty decent announcer, much better than some guys in WWE nowadays. 

[JaseSF]

"The Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase joins the Singles Hall of Fame. DiBiase may be more remembered nowadays for his Million Dollar Man gimmick which saw him use his money to control, manipulate and humiliate others in public fashion but really DiBiase was a world class wrestler. DiBiase was without any doubt one of the truly most talented wrestlers to ever step between the ropes. He had all the skills necessary to be a top star, great wrestling skills, charisma, terrific mic skills, and in his past had worked well in both fan favourite and heel roles. As the Million Dollar Man, DiBiase reached new heights of fame while feuding with Hulk Hogan and Randy "Macho Man' Savage over the WWF World Heavyweight title with him trying to purchase the title and eventually succeeding in doing so during the Twin Referee debacle Main Event match between Hulk Hogan and Andre the Giant where DiBiase employed evil twin referee Earl Hebner to screw over Hogan while posing as his brother Dave Hebner. Unfortunately for the Million Dollar Man, he would quickly be stripped of the championship which would eventually be won in a tournament by Randy Savage at Wrestlemania IV with Hogan helping Savage defeat DiBiase, who had employed Andre the Giant to be in his corner, in the tournament finals. Savage held off the challenge of DiBiase and the Megapowers of Hogan & Savage would go on to defeat Andre & DiBiase at Summerslam '88 thanks to a timely distraction from their manager Miss Elizabeth. When DiBiase couldn't buy the World title, he decided to create his own and invented the splendid looking, jewel encrested Million Dollar Championship.

DiBiase was the adopted son of Iron Mike DiBiase and the son of lady wrestler Helen Hild. His biological father was a backup country singer named Ted Wills. Iron Mike would die of an heart attack in the ring when Ted was just 15. He went to West Texas State University on a football scholarship but eventually dropped out to pursue a career in pro wrestling. After being trained by Dory Funk Jr. and Terry Funk, DiBiase debuted in Mid-South Wrestling where he competed for four years before moving to the WWF in 1979 and was awarded the short-lived North American championship before losing it to Pat Patterson who later reinvented it into the Intercontinental championship. As a babyface, he was heel Hulk Hogan's first opponent at Madison Square Garden. In 1980, DiBiase returned to the NWA and Mid-South Wrestling. In Georgia, he teamed with and then feuded with Tommy "Wildfire" Rich eventually defeating Rich in a loser leaves town match that saw Rich don a mask and wrestle as Mister R. DiBiase would go on to have memorable feuds and angles in various territories against the likes of Dick Murdoch, Ric Flair, the Fabulous Freebirds, Hacksaw Jim Duggan, the One Man Gang and Junkyard Dog (which would make him the most hated wrestler of the year in 1982) which eventually saw him turn heel and start wearing a loaded black glove during his bouts. When the UWF where DiBiase was wrestling in the mid-80s was purchased by Jim Crockett Promotions, DiBiase opted to go to the WWF where he was promised a great gimmick that would be well-pushed despite him being a possible candidate for a future run with the NWA World Heavyweight championship.

From 1983 to 1987, DiBiase also competed in All-Japan Pro Wrestling where he won the NWA United National championship before losing it a couple of months later to Michael Hayes. DiBiase would be a replacement partner for Bruiser Brody chosen by Stan Hansen in Japan and they'd hold the PWF Tag Team titles and would be quite impressive winning the 1985 World's Strongest Tag League. They'd hold the titles until July 3, 1987 when they'd lose the belts to Jumbo Tsuruta and Tiger Mask ending their two year reign. DiBiase and Hansen would regain the titles but would be stripped of title recognition when DiBiase left for the WWF.

DiBiase had an impressive pre-WWF title history that included runs with the AJPW Unified World Tag Team titles with Stan Hansen, the NWA United National title, PWF World Tag Team champions twice with Stan Hansen, NWA Central States Heavyweight championship twice, the NWA National Heavyweight (Georgia) championship twice, the NWA National (Georgia) Tag Team titles twice once with Stan Frazier and once with Steve Olsonski, the Mid-South North American Heavyweight championship four times, Mid-South Tag Team champions four time once each with Matt Borne, Jerry Stubbs, Hercules Hernandez and Steve Williams, NWA North American (Tri-State) Heavyweight championship, the NWA United States (Tri-State) tag team titles with Dick Murdoch, the NWA Western States Tag Team titles with Tito Santana, NWA Missouri Heavyweight Championship twice and the Texas All-Star Heavyweight championship.

DiBiase debuted in WWF and was introduced through a series of vignettes that showed off his vast wealth, introduced his manservant Virgil and usually ended with DiBiase's trademark evil laugh and repeating that "Everybody had a price". Later he'd demonstrate this philosophy in-ring where he'd offer fans $100 bills to perform humiliating tasks on national television such as kissing his feet (one such fan was actually a young Rob Van Dam?!). DiBiase would use a sleeperhold finisher dubbed the Million Dollar Dream and would stuff a $100 bill in his opponents mouth after the match. Next came DiBiase's biggest angle where he tried to buy the WWF World Heavyweight title from Hogan who of course refused. This led to the February 5, 1988 Main Event angle where DiBiase used an evil twin referee to help Andre the Giant defeat Hogan for the belt with Andre immediately selling the title to DiBiase shortly after but the title would be held up, stripped from DiBiase and Andre (although DiBiase did briefly make appearances as champion) and a tournament was held at Wrestlemania IV which saw Randy Savage defeat DiBiase in the finals with the help of Hogan. Savage won his feud over DiBiase for the title with the Megapowers also defeating the Megabucks at Summerslam '88. At the 1988 King of the Ring tournament, DiBiase would impress winning the tournament and defeating the likes of Brutus Beefcake, Ken Patera, Ron Bass and Savage. DiBiase next purchased Hercules' contract from Bobby Heenan and declared Hercules his slave leading Hercules to rebel, turn face and feud with DiBiase. At the 1989 Royal Rumble, DiBiase purchased the # 30 slot from Akeem but was still eliminated by Big John Studd who won the Rumble match. DiBiase eventually won his feud with Hercules, defeated the Blue Blazer and introduced his brand new Million Dollar championship. DiBiase briefly feuded with Brutus Beefcake with the two battling to a double countout at Wrestlemania V. Next DiBiase feuded with Jake "The Snake" Roberts eventually leaving Roberts with a neck injury after attacking him following a match against Virgil. DiBiase returned to challenging Hulk Hogan for the WWF World championship but again fell short. At Survivor Series 1989, DiBiase captained his Million Dollar Team of the Powers of Pain and Zeus in a losing effort against Hulk Hogan's Hulkamaniacs team of Jake Roberts and Demolition. DiBiase did manage to eliminate Roberts during the match with help from Virgil but was shortly thereafter eliminated by Hogan.

At Royal Rumble 1990, DiBiase broke previous records for lasting the longest time in-ring lasting 45 minutes before being eliminated by the Ultimate Warrior. He continued his feud with Roberts which saw Roberts at one point steal DiBiase's Million Dollar title. DiBiase would win their Wrestlemania VI match by countout but Roberts would still manage to take out Virgil.  DiBiase next feuded briefly with Big Bossman before moving on to a long feud with Dusty Rhodes over the services of Sapphire which DiBiase eventually acquired with his funds. DiBiase at one point would attack Dusty's son Dustin during Dusty's match against Randy Savage. They continued their feud until Survivor Series 1990 during which DiBiase led a team against one captained by Dusty. A mystery man on DiBiase's team was eventually revealed to be the debuting Undertaker. DiBiase would go on to become sole survivor in the match and even eliminated both members of the Hart Foundation. At Royal Rumble 1991, DiBiase and Virgil defeated Dusty and Dustin Rhodes in a tag team bout. After the match, DiBiase ordered Virgil to put the Million Dollar belt around his waist but Virgil finally fed up with the years of abuse lashed out nailing DiBiase with the belt igniting a new feud. At Wrestlemania VII, Virgil defeated DiBiase by countout thanks to a bit of help from Rowdy Roddy Piper. Sensational Sherri, who had lost her position as manager to Randy Savage earlier that night, would become DiBiase's valet. Virgil defeated DiBiase for the Million Dollar championship at Summerslam '91. DiBiase would finally regain the championship with the help of the Repo Man on November 11, 1991.

DiBiase next formed Money Inc. with Irwin R. Schyster (the former Mike Rotundo) and they went on to win the WWF World Tag Team titles three times, twice while being managed by Jimmy "Mouth of the South" Hart. They initially won the titles from the Legion of Doom, lost and regained the titles from the Natural Disasters. They'd fend off the challenges of the Nasty Boys and the Ultimate Maniacs (Ultimate Warrior and Randy Savage who did defeat them by countout) as well as Hulk Hogan and a returning Brutus Beefcake whom Money Inc. had tried to attack the surgically repaired face of following his parasailing accident. This led to Jimmy Hart switching sides to manage Hogan and Beefcake being disgusted by Money Inc's actions. They'd next feud with the Steiner Brothers whom finally defeat them for the belts. Money Inc. would briefly regain the titles but lost them back to the Steiners just three days later. DiBiase next mocked Razor Ramon for losing to the 1-2-3 Kid only for he himself to suffer the same defeat. This led to Ramon defeating DiBiase at Summerslam 1993. Following this, DiBiase retired from pro wrestling and moved into a commentator and then managerial role.

He formed his Million Dollar Corporation stable which included such grapplers as I.R.S., Bam Bam Bigelow, Nikolai Volkoff, Kama, King Kong Bundy, Sycho Sid, 1-2-3 Kid and Tatanka. DiBiase also managed the Fake Undertaker played by Brian Lee leading up to a match between the real and fake Undertakers at Summerslam 1994. DiBiase also managed Bigelow during his losing Wrestlemania XI effort against Lawrence Taylor leading to DiBiase's declaring Bigelow an embarrassment. This turned Bigelow face and saw him feud with DiBiase's Corporation. Next DiBiase managed the debuting Ringmaster Steve Austin, giving him the Million Dollar title at one point. Eventually DiBiase would leave the WWF for WCW. In WCW, DiBiase became the fourth member of the nWo following Hall, Nash and Hogan. DiBiase played himself off as the finances of the group and was nicknamed Trillionaire Ted. Eventually DiBiase would turn on the nWo and would start managing the Steiner Brothers and briefly Ray Traylor against them until Scott Steiner turned heel and joined the group. DiBiase retired from involvement from wrestling after this although he has made sporadic special appearances as a WWE Legend in WWE. He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2010.

General Skandor Akbar joins the Managers/Valets Hall of Fame. Akbar is likely best remembered for managing many monster wrestlers in World Class Championship Wrestling, the UWF and GWF where he lead his Devastation Inc. stable. Akbar's name which translates to Alexander the Great was also more than capable of mixing it up in the ring and wasn't afraid to get in on the action. Akbar had a lenghty career as a wrestler from 1963-1977 eventually choosing the name Skandor Akbar, at the suggestion of Fritz Von Erich, because it sounded more Arabic and served him better in a heel role. Akbar has a brief run in 1970s WWWF with Freddie Blassie as his manager. As a grappler, Akbar held the NWA Georgia Tag Team titles with Ox Baker, the NWA Macon Tag Team titles twice once with Buddy Colt and once with Rocket Monroe. He also held the NWA Tri-State North American Heavyweight championship, the NWA United States Tri-State Tag Team titles with Danny Hodge, the NWA Austra-Asian Heavyweight championship and the NWA Asutra-Asian Tag Team championships with George Gouliovos. Akbar became a manager thereafter and confidentally managed his stable of monsters and talented grapplers dubbed by him Devastation Inc.. Akbar was known for smoking cigars at ringside, harassing fans during his men's matches and occasionally throwing a timely fireball to try and help his men win their matches. Akbar's stable over the years included many impressive grapplers including Abdullah the Butcher, Al Perez, Big Bubba Rogers, Bill Irwin, Black Bart, Brickhouse Brown, Buddy Landell, Butch Reed, Cactus Jack, Chris Youngblood, Dan Spivey, Dick Murdoch, Dr. Death (Steve Williams), Eli the Eliminator, Eric Embry, Kamala, The Missing Link, Goldust, The Great Kabuki, Greg Valentine, Hercules Hernandez, Iceman Parsons, Jesse Barr, Johnny Hawk, John Tatum, Kendo Nagasaki, Killer Khan, Killer Tim Brooks, King Kong Bundy, Leroy Brown, Manny Fernandez, Mark Lewin, Maniac Matt Borne, Mike Davis, The Mongol, Moadib, Mr. Olympia, Nord the Barbarian, One Man Gang, The Punisher (Undertaker), Scott Irwin, Steve Austin, Super Black Ninja, Ted DiBiase and the Terminator. Akbar also briefly had a run as a face manager and managed Kevin Von Erich before eventually turning on him. He also later briefly managed Toni Adams in a face role. Amongst the most impressive were One Man Gang who reigned as UWF Heavyweight champion and Iceman Parson who held the World Class Heavyweight title.

Lance Russell joins the Hosts/Announcers Hall of Fame. Russell is best known as the voice of Memphis wrestling as is every bit as much a legend there as arguably is Jerry "The King" Lawler. Russell called matches in Memphis from 1959 to 1997. Russell was every bit as big a part of making the wrestling shows he appeared on entertaining as were the wrestlers themselves. His banter with the likes of Jerry Lawler, Bill Dundee, Jimmy Hart and Dutch Mantell in particular have stood out over the years as the wrestlers/managers went through the many changes, twists and turns in their careers. Russell used the microphone to either commend babyfaces for their good actions or to chastise heels for their underhanded and dastardly actions. Really brutal attacks tended to get a lot of sympathy from Russell for the person being attacked with particular dismay in his voice and a call for locker room reinforcements to come help out while he looked at the attackers and their actions with a great amount of clear disgust. Russell would get up out of his commentating chair to actually conduct interviews with the wrestlers coming around his desk to stand shoulder to shoulder with the grapplers - his interviews with his terrific facial reactions sometimes being the highlight of the wrestling shows. The 1989 documentary I'm From Hollywood shows off Russell's play by play work as well as his interviews with Andy Kaufman during his feud with Lawler. Russell went to WCW in 1989 to call WCW World Wide Wrestling alongside Jim Ross. He left in 1992 and returned to Memphis calling matches alongside Dave Brown and Corey Maclin for six more years before going into semi-retirement. The Wrestling Observer Newsletter selected Russell as best television announcer from 1984 to 1987. He was placed into the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame in 1996.

Marc Lloyd joins the Hosts/Announcers Hall of Shame. Lloyd was a pretty forgettable interviewer on WWE Jakked, WWE Metal, WWE Smackdown! WWE Excess, WWE Velocity in 2002. Honestly I cannot even remember too much about him aside from a few funny interviews with the Rock. Just another in a long line of interchangeable WWE/WWF Backstage interviewers rather like Sean Mooney and Todd Pettengill.

[JaseSF]

Ernie Ladd joins the Singles Hall of Shame. There's no doubt that "The Big Cat" is something of a legend making a more successful transition from pro football to pro wrestling than most and being one of the most successful black wrestlers of his era. Whether playing the role or heel or face, Ladd was always entertaining although I personally feel he did a bit better as an heel. Following a successful football career playing in the AFL mainly with the San Diego Chargers from 1961-1965. In 1966, he moved to the Houston Oilers for a season and then finished his career with the Kansas City Chiefs in 1968. He was a 4-time AFL All-Star, a part of the AFL championship Chargers team in 1963, an All-Pro from 63-65 and was inducted into the Chargers Hall of Fame. Ladd actually started wrestling in the off season while still playing football as far back as 1961 and was one of the first truly successful black heels particularly during the 1970s as he was frequently able to rile up the crowds with his colorful and arrogant demeanor and the way he used very politically incorrect nicknames to refer to his main rivals such as calling Wahoo McDaniel "The Drunken Indian" or calling Andre the Giant "The Big French Fry". He also insisted rival Mr. Wrestling II was in reality a masked criminal. Ladd riled up fans more when he started using a taped thumb against his opponents in matches claiming it was an old football injury. Ladd was also known for up and bailing out of the ring if he got in serious trouble repeatedly getting counted out. In the WWWF, Ladd was managed by the Grand Wizard. Ladd is remembered for feuding with other big men most notably Andre. For a part of his career, Ladd proclaimed himself to be a King arrogantly wearing a crown down to the ringside while in other territories he was simply known as "The Big Cat" and wore a cowboy hat down to ringside. Ladd had title matches against three WWWF World champions in Bruno Sammartino, Pedro Morales and Bob Backlund but failed to capture the title. He also unsuccessfully challenged for Mil Mascaras' IWA Heavyweight championship. After departing the WWWF, Ladd competed mainly in the Mid-South territory run by Bill Watts feuding with the likes of Paul Orndorff, Ray Candy and Junkyard Dog. He also briefly managed the Wild Samoans of Afa and Sika. In the 80s, he formed a successful tag team with Bad Leroy Brown but would retire in 1986. He actually did a bit of announcing for the WWF usually providing color commentary when paired with Gorilla Monsoon. He was inducted into the WWF Hall of Fame in 1995. He was previously inducted into the WCW Hall of Fame in 1994 and was inducted into the Wrestling Observer Hall of Fame in 1996.

Ladd won a number of impressive titles throughout his career including the NWA Central States tag team titles with Bruiser Brody, the NWA Florida Heavyweight championship, the NWA Southern Heavyweight championship (Florida version), the NWA Georgia Tag Team titles with Ole Anderson, the NWA American Heavyweight championship, the NWA Brass Knuckles championship (Texas version), the NWA Texas Heavyweight championship, the NWA Americas Heavyweight championship, Mid-South Louisiana Heavyweight championship twice, Mid-South North American Heavyweight championship, Mid-South Tag Team titles twice with Bad Leroy Brown, NWA Arkansas Heavyweight championship, the NWA North American Heavyweight championship (Tri-State version) four times, the NWA United States tag team titles (Tri-State version) with The Assassin, the NWF Brass Knuckles championship, the NWF Heavyweight championship, the NWF North American Heavyweight championship twice, the WWA World Heavyweight championship, the WWA World tag team titles with Baron Von Raschke and the WWC North American Heavyweight championship.

Luna Vachon joins the Managers/Valets Hall of Fame. The daughter of Paul "Butcher" Vachon and niece of Mad Dog Vachon, Luna really seemed to have wrestling in her blood. Despite her family (godfather Andre the Giant too) actually trying to dissuade her because they thought the wrestling lifestyle too difficult for a woman, Luna- real name Gertrude- Vachon persisted and eventually would go on to study under her aunt Vivian Vachon and the Fabulous Moolah. Luna became as part of Moolah's all-woman federation but eventually moved on to Florida Championship Wrestling in 1985. She initially played a soft-spoken reporter named Trudy Herd who was presenting Kendall Windham with an award when a melee ensued and she was knocked unconscious by Kevin Sullivan. The angle eventually saw her driven mad by Sullivan's treatment and influence as she eventually joined his satanic Army of Darkness stable. As part of her gimmick, she shaved one half of her head, covered her face in bodypaint and continuously sneered - Luna Vachon was born although years later Luna expressed some uneasiness about the Satanic gimmick. While in Florida, Luna wrestled Madusa Miceli starting a rivalry that would last for years. She formed a tag team with the Lock as the Daughters of Darkness, a part of Sullivan's army. The duo also provided background vocals for the thrash metal band Nasty Savage. Over the next three years, Luna made trips overseas to Japan with her father Butcher Vachon as her manager. She also took part in POWW (Powerful Women of Wrestling) and during an association with the AWA took part in a lingerie battle royal at Superclash III. In the early 1990s, she took over management of the Blackharts, a masked tag team that performed in Stampede wrestling and Herb Abrams UWF - the team consisted of Tom Nash, Luna's then husband, and partner David Heath, who would become Luna's future husband (he's better known as Gangrel and Vampire Warrior). The Blackharts used the names Apocalypse and Destruction and were an impressive tandem and Luna did quite well as their manager. She also managed them in Tri-State Wrestling and All-Japan Wrestling until the pair eventually broke up. Luna went on to work for Wild Women of Wrestling as a performer, commentator and booker.

In 1993, she'd move to the WWF. At Wrestlemania IX, she accompanied Shawn Michaels to the ring as he took on Tatanka who was accompanied by HBK's old manager Sensational Sherri. Luna attacked Sherri and started a brutal feud with her. Eventually Bam Bam Bigelow would get involved and would declare Luna his main squeeze (fans took to calling her Lunatic) and Luna started managing him. Initially plans were to have Luna & Bigelow take on Sherri & Tatanka at Summerslam but Luna legit injured her arm and Sherri left the WWF. Eventually this led to a rather silly feud with Doink the Clown and a laughable Survivor Series match pitting Bam Bam, Bastion Booger and the Headshrinkers against four Doinks (actually Men on a Mission and the Bushwhackers in Doink makeup). Eventually Bam Bam's part-time tag team with Booger would see dissension between the two when Booger would also become infatuated with Luna. At Wrestlemania X, Bam Bam and Luna would finally get their revenge on Doink and his midget sidekick Dink beating them in a mixed tag team match. Trouble with Bam Bam came when his interference backfired in a ladies match and she sold his contract to Ted DiBiase's Million Dollar Corporation. When Madusa under the name Alundra Blayze arrived in the WWF and revived the women's title division, Luna pursued the championship but failed to defeat her old rival. Luna next picked Japanese lady wrestler Bull Nakano, whom she managed, to defeat Blayze for the title which Nakano eventually did but Luna left the WWF shortly thereafter. Luna would however become the first woman to appear in a WWF video game namely WWF Raw.

Luna returned to the independent circuit in 1994 but eventually ended up joining ECW being brought in as Tommy Dreamer's new valet during his lengthy feud with Raven, whom Luna had actually shared an apartment with early in her career. Luna would become physically involved and even defeated Stevie Richards in a steel cage match. Her husband Vampire Warrior would even feud with her at this time as part of Raven's stable pretending to be jealous of all the time being spent with Dreamer. During this year, she would become only the second woman ranked in the PWI 500 list. In 1996-1997, she competed in the American Wrestling Federation and IWA Mid-South under the name Angel Baby. In 1997, Luna had a brief WCW run where she again clashed with old rival Madusa and interfered in Madusa's matches with then WCW Women's champion Akira Hokkuto. Luna would dominate the matches but Madusa always won in the end.

In late 1997, she returned to the WWF first managing the bizarre one Goldust who was re-inventing himself at the time as "The Artist Formerly Known as Goldust". They wore a number of bizarre costumes during this period including a dominatrix and a slave and a New Year's Baby and his Nurse. Initially they feuded with Vader. Things got very weird when Goldust dressed as a Christmas tree reciting poems in the ring was attacked by Santa Claus, actually Vader in disguise. Vader would eventually defeat Goldust at the Royal Rumble 1998. Goldust and Luna also took to imitating Goldust's opponents. At one point, Goldust and Luna dressed as Triple H and Chyna for a European title match against Owen Hart. Triple H thought it was a joke until Commissioner Sgt. Slaughter recognized Goldust as a legit replacement and declared Owen Hart's title victory to be valid.

Goldust and Luna would begin teaming with Marc Mero leading to an eventual feud between Goldust & Luna and Mero & his manager Sable as Luna and Sable eventually wound up fighting each other outside of the ring. The two couples battled at Wrestlemania XIV in a mixed tag match and Luna would go on to defeat Sable in an Evening Gown match at Unforgiven 1998. The Wrestlemania match which was designed to make Sable look good, despite her bad backstage attitude, was mainly successful because of Luna's hard efforts. In August 1998, Luna seemed to have patched things up with Sable as she was managing the Oddities stable and started a new feud with Mero's new valet Jacqueline and the two traded wins. When Sable was given a run with the reinstated women's championship which had eluded Luna, Luna under a mask as "The Spider Lady" attacked her and pursued the title and seemed poised to win it when an obsessed fan who turned out to be newcomer Tori interfered and cost her the Leather Strap match at Royal Rumble 1999. Luna also defeated Gillberg around this time. Luna was scheduled for another title shot at St. Valentine's Day Massacre until she was suspended for fighting with Sable backstage.

Luna returned six months later to challenge then women's champion Ivory eventually losing to Ivory in a Hardcore Rules match despite a previous non-title match victory. Luna around this time would also challenge WWF Intercontinental champion Jeff Jarrett and would actually defeat Jarrett by DQ thanks to Ivory's interference. Luna then returned to a managerial role this time managing husband Gangrel. At Survivor Series 1999, she joined forces with Ivory, Jacqueline and Terri Runnels in a losing effort against Tori, Debra, The Fabulous Moolah and Mae Young when Moolah pinned Ivory. At Royal Rumble 2000, she participated in the Swin Suit contest but simply in protest of how the WWF had sexualized the women's division refusing to remove her gown at the event. Luna again would pursue the women''s championship held this time by Jacqueline but again would fall short. After the match, Gangrel would attack Jacqueline leading to a mixed tag between Gangrel & Luna and Jacqueline and Prince Albert which was won by Luna's team but Luna would soon see herself sent packing from the WWF following yet another backstage outburst.

Luna returned to the independent circuit where she continued to manage her husband Gangrel/Vampire Warrior in both the U.S. and overseas be it Puerto Rico, Australia, Germany and/or Britain. On June 9, 2007, Luna became the first Great Lakes Championship Wrestling's Ladies champion defeating Traci Brooks. On December 5, 2007, Luna announced her retirement and in her retirement match on December 7, 2007 she successfully defended her GLCW Ladies title against Brooks and retired as champion. Aside from this title, Luna held the AWF Women's championship in 1996, the Ladies Major League Wrestling Women's championship, the POWW tag team titles twice with Hot Rod Andie, the Sunshine Wrestling Federation Ladies championship, the USWA Women's championship in 1993, and the Wild Women of Wrestling Television championship.

Despite the character she played in the past, Luna would become a born again Christian in 2004. She had previously been diagnosed with bipolar disorder. In 2009, Luna was honored at the 44th aanual Cauliflower Alley Club reunion given the "Ladies Wrestling Award" in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Taken from Wikipedia:

"On the morning of August 27, 2010, she was found dead at her Florida home, when her mother called on her. According to the District Six Medical Examiner's Office in Florida, she died from a "accidental overdose of oxycodone and benzodiazepine". Investigators previously found crushed pill residue and snorting straws at multiple locations inside Luna's house. Luna became addicted to medication at some point and underwent rehabilition, paid for by WWE, which she completed in June 2009.

She was buried in a ceremony open to immediate family only, at the ranch formerly owned by her close friend and godfather Andre the Giant."

[JaseSF]

Jason Knight joins the Managers/Valets Hall of Shame. Knight spent time both competing as an in-ring performer as well as working as a manager/second at ringside. Knight debuted in 1984 and mainly competed on the independent circuit before being used as an enhancement talent by the WWF in 1993. He moved to Eastern Championship Wrestling in late 1993 teaming with Ian Rotten in a losing effort against Public Enemy. Knight would go on to defeat the Canadian Wolfman before leaving the promotion. When he returned, it was renamed Extreme Championship Wrestling and Knight would go on to defeat Mikey Whipwreck for the ECW World Television title at Hardcore Heaven 1994. Jason would successfully fend off challenges from Whipwreck, Rockin' Rebel, Hack Myers and J.T. Smith. On the same night Jason and Dean Malenko failed to win the ECW Tag Team titles from Cactus Jack and Mikey Whipwreck, he would also lose his TV title to Too Cold Scorpio. Jason briefly continued his feud with Whipwreck before becoming the manager of the Eliminators tag team of Saturn and Kronus. Jason would fail in his feud with Whipwreck to defeat him for the ECW World Heavyweight title and would go on to be embarrassed by Konnan who defeated him in 14 seconds.

Jason moved on to a stint in Big Japan Pro Wrestling before returning to ECW in August 1997 unsuccessfully feuding with Chris Chetti and the Blue Meanie. Eventually Jason, nicknamed "The World's Sexiest Man", formed a tag team with Justin Credible to continue his feud with Whipwreck who enlisted Tommy Dreamer to help him in the feud. Whipwreck & Dreamer dominated the feud and soon Jason would be moved into the role of manager and second for the Impact Players tag team of Lance Storm and Justin Credible along with Dawn Marie. Credible & Jason would finally win a match together when they defeated Jerry Lynn and Prodigy but would lose their final match as a team in an handicap bout against the Sandman. Jason left ECW shortly after this before returning for one final match in 1999 when he lost to Jazz at Heat Wave.

In 2000, Jason returned to Jersey All-Pro Wrestling where he captured its Heavyweight championship by winning a 30-Man Battle Royal. Jason fended off challenges from Don Montoya and Ace Darling but would be stripped off the belt when he left the area. Knight went on to work for several independent promotions but typically lost more than he won in big matches. In 2005, Knight would appear on ECW Hardcore Homecoming and WWE's ECW One Night Stand before returning to the independents where Knight won the Defiant Pro Wrestling TV title on November 17, 2007. He held the title until February 10, 2008 when he lost it to William King.

As a manager, Jason always seemed more like an active wrestling second than a full-fledged manager and as a competitor, he sure seemed to lose more than he won although he did have that run with the ECW World Television title.

[JaseSF]

The U.S. Express of Barry Windham and Mike Rotundo join the Tag Teams Hall of Shame. Actually Windham & Rotundo were quite a capable tag team tandem who managed to capture two WWF World Tag Team titles under manager Captain Lou Albano as well as having some success in Florida. They used their patriotism to make them a popular team coming to the ring to Bruce Sprinsteen's "Born in the USA" and battling the foreign heel tandem of Nikolai Volkoff and the Iron Sheik, managed by Freddie Classie with whom they traded the tag titles back and forth before they lost them to the Dream Team of Brutus Beefcake and Greg "The Hammer" Valentine who used a lit cigar given them by their manager Johnny V to win. They initially defeated Adrian Adonis and Dick Murdoch to win the gold. After losing the titles to the Dream Team, Windham & Rotundo would briefly reteam in the AWA in the mid-1980s to defeat the Fabulous Ones at Wrestlerock '86. Upon Rotundo's return and Windham's leaving the WWF, Windham would be replaced briefly by Dan Spivey who then teamed with Rotundo but the team was never again as successful. After Windham & Rotundo split, Windham sought glory and singles gold in the NWA challenging Ric Flair for the NWA World Heavyweight title in some very close bouts and eventually capturing the NWA United States title. Rotundo as a singles star became the champion in Florida and would go on to win the NWA World Television title. Teaming with Steve Williams, he also captured NWA World Tag Team gold as part of the Varsity Club. Later Rotundo would reinvent himself as Michael Wall Street and eventually in the WWF became Irwin R. Schyster and achieved even more WWF World tag gold teaming with Ted DiBiase as part of Money Inc..

Steve Williams & Terry Gordy join the Tag Teams Hall of Fame. "Dr. Death" and "Bamm Bamm" first achieved tag success together in Japan as The Miracle Violence Connection. Eventually when Bill Watts was brought in to run WCW, he would bring in his two former UWF World champions to battle with the Steiners in an impressive series of quality tag team matches over both the NWA and WCW World Tag Team titles. Williams and Gordy were quite an imposing powerhouse tag tandem that was legit tough and could wrestle and outwrestle the best the world had to offer. Together they captured tag team gold and dominated practically wherever they teamed. Their titles include All-Japan Pro Wrestling Unified World Tag Team titles which they won five times, WCW World Tag Team titles, the NWA World Tag Team titles which they won in a WCW tournament, and Williams and Gordy won the World's Strongest Tag League twice in 1990 and 1991. Eventually Williams and Gordy would leave WCW and fade from fame out of loyalty to Giant Baba and All-Japan Pro Wrestling after WCW forged a deal with rival company New Japan Pro Wrestling.

Scott Hall (also known as Razor Ramon) joins the Singles Hall of Fame. Throughout his career, Hall always seemed on the cusp of greatness but just seemed a little shy of winning that elusive World title becoming more of a secondary and tag team champion throughout his career. Had he not had so many issues with substance abuse and personal problems, it does seem likely Hall might well have added a World title or two to his title history. Hall started out in Florida wrestling where he feuded with Dusty Rhodes. Eventually the young Hall formed a masked tag team with workout partner Dan Spivey as American Starship wrestling under the name Starship Coyote while Spivey used the name Starrship Eagle. They wore furry boots, bright masks and did an Hulk Hogan style T-shirt ripping routine. While colorful, they really weren't used that much by the less gimmick oriented NWA although they did challenge Ole and Arn Anderson for the NWA National Tag Team titles at one point. They also challenged Marty Jannetty and Bulldog Bob Brown for the NWA Central States Tag titles but they never captured them. Eventually Spivey left Kansas but Hall stayed. Hall eventually earned respect of the crew he worked with there and was later brought into the AWA.

In the AWA, he was billed as "Magnum" Scott Hall due to his similar appearance to Tom Selleck's Magnum P.I. and Magnum T.A. in the NWA. Eventually the name would be changed to simply "Big" Scott Hall and he formed a tag team with a young Curt Hennig. Hall was told to imitate Hulk Hogan by promoter Verne Gagne and eventually he and Hennig became a very popular young tag team. They captured the AWA World Tag Team titles from "Gorgeous" Jimmy Garvin and "Mr. Electricity" Steve Regal. As champions they fended off challenges from "Playboy" Buddy Rose and "Pretty Boy" Doug Somers, Konga the Barbarian and Boris Zhukov and the Long Riders of Bill and Scott Irwin. Eventually they lost the AWA World Tag Team titles to Rose and Somers in controversial fashion by countout (which apparently allowed for title changes in the AWA) due to outside interference from Colonel DeBeers. This led to an Hall feud with DeBeers and eventually AWA World Title bouts with Rick Martel and Stan Hansen. Gagne apparently wanted to put the World title on Hall but Hall saw the AWA was dying and hated the cold Minnesota weather and soon moved back to the NWA in 1989. Hall was basically used to put over talent in the NWA until he was reinvented as the Diamond Studd in 1991. In 1991, Hall also defeated Miguel Perez Jr. for the WWC Carribean Heavyweight Championship which he lost a month later to Super Medic III.

As the Diamond Studd, Hall was reinvented as an arrogant "Ravishing" Rick Rude type suave heel managed by "Diamond" Dallas Page. He'd impress in WCW defeating Tom Zenk and Tommy Rich but soon found his push fade away as he was eventually jobbed to Ron Simmons and eventually even to Zenk himself. In 1992, he formed a short-lived tag team with Vinnie Vegas (Kevin Nash) and Scotty Flamingo (Raven) also part of Page's stable. Eventually he seemed poised to become part of the Dangerous Alliance but it never happened and he left WCW.

Hall signed with the WWF and was again reinvented this time as the suave but shady Cuban American bully from Miami who oozed machismo - "The Bad Guy" Razor Ramon. Ramon was based loosely on Tony Montana and Manny Ray from Scarface. Ramon impressed early on wearing his gold chains and flicking his toothpick while threatening ring attendants that if anything happened to his gold, "something's gonna happen to you". He was soon embroiled in a notable feud with WWF World champion "Macho Man" Randy Savage which Ramon would eventually gain the upper hand in even helping Ric Flair recapture the title from Savage. Eventually this led to Savage and the Ultimate Warrior teaming up to feud with Ramon and Flair but when Warrior left the WWF, he would be replaced by Flair's former manager and executive consultant "Mr. Perfect" Curt Hennig. Bret Hart would go on to successfully defend the WWF World title against Ramon at Royal Rumble 1993. After failing to win the World title, Ramon started to build himself up in pursuit of the King of the Ring defeating Bob Backlund and Tito Santana before again falling to Hart. Eventually Ramon would be upset by the upstart 1-2-3 Kid (Sean Waltman) with the Kid eventually earning his respect while Ted DiBiase made fun of Ramon for losing. This eventually led to a Ramon face turn as he came to feud with DiBiase.

Ramon would go on to win a battle royal for the then vacant WWF Intercontinental title last eliminating Rick Martel. He would then successfully fend off challenges from Martel and I.R.S.. In 1994, former Intercontinental champion Shawn Michaels resurfaced and laid claim to the gold leading to a feud with Ramon and their famous ladder match which stole the show at Wrestlemania X, a match won by Ramon. Ramon continued to feud with Michaels and his bodyguard Diesel (Kevin Nash) with Diesel eventually upsetting Ramon for the Intercontinental title. Ramon went far in the 1994 King of the Ring defeating Kwang and Bam Bam Bigelow before finally losing to Owen Hart in the finals. At Summerslam 1994, Ramon went on to defeat Diesel and regain the Intercontinental title after Shawn Michaels' attempt at outside interference backfired. At Survivor Series 1994, Ramon's Bad Guys team defeated Shawn Michaels' Teamsters (who pretty much split up) with Ramon being the sole survivor. Ramon next entered into a feud with "Double J" Jeff Jarrett who would go on to defeat Ramon for the Intercontinental title at Royal Rumble 1995. On May 19, 1995, Ramon defeated Jarrett to regain the Intercontinental title for a then record third time but dropped it back to Jarrett three days later. When Ramon suffered a rib injury battling Jarrett in a ladder match, he was replaced in the King of the Ring tournament by Savio Vega whom Ramon seconded throughout the tournament which Vega eventually lost in the finals to Mabel. Ramon and Vega formed a brief tag team but lost to Men on a Mission and tag champs Owen Hart and Yokozuna. Ramon received an Intercontinental title ladder rematch with Shawn Michaels at Summerslam 1995 but lost. At In Your House 4, after Michaels was forced to forfeit the Intercontinental title to Dean Douglas, Razor Ramon received a title shot and captured the Intercontinental title for a record fourth time. Hall would also win the USWA Unified World Heavyweight championship in 1995 defeating Bill Dundee but eventually dropping the title to perennial USWA favourite Jerry "The King" Lawler. In early 1996, Ramon entered into a feud with the bizarre and controversial Goldust with Ramon losing the I-C title to Goldust thanks to help from a now heel 1-2-3 Kid. In 1996, Hall had become a member of the WWF's offstage Klique with HBK, Kevin Nash and Triple H leading to an MSG Incident where they broke kayfabe and embraced as Hall and Nash were now heading to WCW.

Hall first appeared in WCW in 1996 and suggested an "hostile takeover" hinting at a possible WWF Invasion. Eventually he was joined by Kevin Nash as the two "Outsiders" challenged WCW's best Sting, Lex Luger and Randy Savage to a 3 on 3 match against them and a mystery partner. The mystery partner was a true shock as it was revealed to be a newly heel Hulk Hogan who transformed himself into "Hollywood" Hulk Hogan and now along with Hall & Nash, the nWo was born. Eventually the group added Syxx and the Giant. After defeating Sting & Luger, Hall and Nash went on to defeat Harlem Heat for the WCW World Tag Team titles. Together they successfully fended off challenges from the Nasty Boys, the Faces of Fear, the Steiner Brothers, Lex Luger and the Giant and the Four Horsemen. Eventually the Outsiders started using the Freebird rule to allow for Syxx to also defend the titles. Whenever they briefly lost the titles, newest nWo member Commissioner Eric Bischoff usually returned the titles to them. Eventually Hall & Nash would lose the WCW World Tag Team titles to the Steiners and Hall would focus briefly on singles wrestling feuding briefly with Lex Luger and going on to win the 60 Man Battle Royal at 1997's World War 3 earning a World title match. In January 1998, Hall and Nash defeated the Steiners for their second WCW World Tag Team title while Hall also continued feuding with WCW Broadcaster Larry Zbyszko whom he would actually lose to by DQ in a match at Souled Out. Hall and Nash would lose and regain the tag titles from the Steiners for a third time. At Uncensored, Hall finally got his World Heavyweight title match against Sting but lost the match despite interference from a newly heel and newly nWo Dusty Rhodes.

In 1998, while still tag champs with Nash, the nWo split into separate factions with Nash leading nWo Wolfpac while Hall remained in nWo Hollywood with Hall costing Hall & Nash the tag titles in a bout with Sting & The Giant. On the July 6, 1998 episode of Monday Nitro, Hall was handpicked by Hogan to wrestle United States champion Bill Goldberg but Hall lost and Goldberg went on to defeat Hogan for the WCW World Heavyweight title. Hogan would blame Hall for the loss and he would soon be seen as the weak link in nWo Hollywood. Hall seemed poised for a face turn but when Nash came to his aid later, Hall viciously attacked him and in a swerve stayed with nWo Hollywood, he and the Giant eventually forming a tag team and capturing the WCW World Tag Team titles. Hall & the Giant  (with Hall replaced by Scott Steiner) eventually dropped the titles in an Halloween Havoc match against Rick Steiner & Buff Bagwell despite Bagwell turning on his partner.

Hall's in-ring character began to mimic his real life troubled persona as he began bringing alcohol to the ring with him and became more and more out of control. His on-screen character became closer to his real life problems with alcohol and drug abuse. Hall and Nash would finally face off at Halloween Havoc 1995 and after two jackknife powerbombs, Nash would leave the ring and lose the match by countout in what was portrayed as "an act of mercy". Hall was shortly after booted out of nWo Hollywood now led by Scott Steiner and Hall started calling himself the Lone Wolf. Hall eventually needed a partner to battle Steiner and Horace Hogan and eventually former Outsiders partner Kevin Nash came to his aid to defeat the pair. Later at Starrcade' 98, Hall in essence returned the favor using a stun gun on Goldberg causing him to lose the WCW World Heavyweight title to Kevin Nash ending Goldberg's undefeated streak. Hall feuded with Goldberg and was defeated when Goldberg used a stun gun on him.

At Superbrawl IX, Hall defeated "Rowdy" Roddy Piper for the WCW United States Heavyweight title but a foot injury eventually lead to him forfeiting the title. Hall, still battling substance abuse problems would not be seen on TV again until October 1999. On a November 8, 1998 edition of Nitro, Hall defeated Goldberg, Bret Hart and Sid Vicious in a Texas Tornado Ladder Match for his second United States title. Two weeks later at WCW Mayhem, he defeated Rick Steiner for the WCW World Television title to become a double champion and successfully defended both titles against Booker T. later the same night. Hall would go on to vacate the TV title after throwing it in the thrash on Nitro 8 days later and would be stripped off the U.S. title due to a knee injury with the title then awarded to Chris Benoit. Hall & Nash would reteam on the December 13, 1999 edition of Nitro to defeat Bret Hart & Bill Goldberg for their sixth WCW World Tag Team championship as a team but Hall's personal problems soon meant they would be stripped of that title. With the return of the nWo in December 1999, Hall joined up with Nash, Bret Hart, Jeff Jarrett and Scott Steiner as nWo 2000.  In 2000, Hall got involved in a feud with WCW World Heavyweight champion Sid Vicious that soon also involved teammate Jeff Jarrett with Sid pinning Hall in a match between the three at Superbrawl 2000. This would be Hall's last match in WCW and the end of his stint there.

Hall briefly wrestled in ECW in non televised appearances before moving on to briefly compete in New Japan Pro Wrestling where he mostly teamed with former WCW/nWo alumni nWo Sting and Scott Norton. Mostly Hall lost in Japan and to the likes of the Great Muta and Hiroshi Tanahashi.

Hall returned to the WWE in February 2002 as part of the newly repackaged nWo with Nash and Hogan in WWE. Mainly he aided Hogan early on in his feud with the Rock and himself briefly feuded with "Stone Cold" Steve Austin losing to him at Wrestlemania X-8. He would be drafted to Raw where he would feud with Bradshaw and come out on top and continue feuding with Austin. Hall affected by personal issues was in the process of asking for his leave from WWE but during an overseas tour, he was alleged to have relapsed into alcoholism when inappropriate actions during an alleged "plane ride from Hell" led to him being fired. Hall next turned up working sporadically in TNA between 2002 and 2005. He also teamed with Syxx-Pac there. In 2003, Hall made several appearances in Puerto Rico's IWA and he and Nash would reunite for one night in Ultimate Pro Wrestling to lose to Tom Howard and Christopher Daniels. They also had a reunion match in Japan where they lost to Naoya Ogawa and Shinya Hashimoto. In 2004, he signed a contract with TNA and reformed a team with Nash and Jeff Jarrett this time dubbed the Kings of Wrestling. They lost to Randy Savage, A.J. Styles and Jeff Hardy at Turning Point in December 2004. Hall would go on to lose to Jeff Hardy in January 2005's Final Resolution ending his initial stint with TNA.

Hall next traveled to WWC in Puerto Rico as Razor Ramon to battle Carlito who defeated Hall when Apollo interfered. The next night, Hall defeated Carlito and then champion Apollo in a three way dance for the WWC Universal Heavyweight championship. He successfully fended off challenges from Eddie and Orlando Colon. Hall then went on to no-show several events due to personal issues.

He made a brief return to TNA to confront Nash and eventually the two embraced in the ring. Initially plans were made to team the Outsiders with Samoa Joe to battle the Angle Alliance but again Hall no-showed the match that was supposed to happen at Turning Point.

In August 2007, Hall debuted in Juggalo Championship Wrestling and lost to JCW Heavyweight champion Corporal Robinson. Eventually Hall, Corporal Robinson and Violent J (of the Insane Clown Posse) formed the jWo (Juggalo World Order) with Shaggy2Dope (Insane Clown Posse), Kevin Nash, Nosawa and 2 Tuff Tony eventually being revealed as further members of the group. The jWo would go on to invade TNA's Turning Point PPV by buying front row tickets and flashing their jWo jerseys. They also planned to invade WWE's 2009 Royal Rumble but couldn't due to filming commitments for Big Money Rustlas They also considered invading Ring of Honor and UFC. Hall would team with Nash in Great Lakes Championship Wrestling against the New Age Outlaws in what was supposed to be a battle of nWo and DX but Nash walked out on Hall during the match setting up a grudge feud that never happened. Hall and Nash were supposed to team with the ICP as the jWo at JCW's Bloodymania but Nash was replaced by Sid Justice as result of the Outsider split. Hall later defeated Sid in a match and wrestled him in several other independent promotions in 2009. In 2010, Hall made his return to TNA on the January 4, 2010 show on which Hulk Hogan made his debut. Hall, Nash and Sean Waltman started teaming together again this time as "The Band" eventually leading to Hall & Waltman turning on Nash and beating him down. This led to Nash teaming up with Eric Young against Hall & Waltman in a match that saw Nash turn on Young and help Hall and Waltman secure contracts with TNA. The Band went on to lose a six-man match to Jeff Hardy, Eric Young and Rob Van Dam, a St. Louis Street Fight to Team 3D. Eventually though Eric Young turned on Team 3D and joined the Band. Hall teamed with Nash and defeated Matt Morgan cashing in his Feast or Fired contract to win the TNA World Tag Team titles naming Young a third member of the group. Eventually The Band would be stripped off the tag team titles due to Hall's legal problems and Hall would be released from his contract with TNA that same day.

David Crockett joins the Hosts/Announcers Hall of Shame. Crockett worked as a color commentator in the NWA during the years it was run by his family's Jim Crockett Promotions. He was the son of Jim Crockett Sr. and the brother of Jim Crockett Jr.. He was typically paired in announcing duties alongside Tony Schiavone. From 1985 to 1988, he and Schiavone were the announcing team for NWA World Championship Wrestling. Crockett also worked with Bob Caudle in Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling. He also worked behind the scenes as an executive and later an executive producer. It was fairly obvious that while Crockett had a love for professional wrestling that he likely wouldn't have been a color commentator at all if not for family connections. Most people generally considered him awful and he was voted the Worst Television Announcer by the Wrestling Observer Newsletter from 1986 to 1988. Crockett is likely best remembered for his part in the Nikita Koloff/Ric Flair feud in 1985 when Koloff clotheslined Crockett and Ric Flair came to his aid. Crockett had earlier been on the airplane that crashed injuring Johnny Valentine and Ric Flair with Crockett being the least injured of the men on the plane.

[HappyGilmore]

Scott Hall is a pretty decent in ring competitor with a huge fanbase.

Shame his personal problems get the best of him, really.

[JaseSF]

Barry Darsow joins the Singles Hall of Shame. This guy's had more identities in wrestling than most. He was Krusher Krushchev, Demolition Smash, The Repo Man, The Blacktop Bully and "Mr. Hole-In-One" Barry Darsow. Darsow actually attended high school with several future wrestling stars in Minneapolis including Curt Hennig, Rick Rude, Brady Boone, Tom Zenk, John Nord and Nikita Koloff. He'd later work as a bouncer alongside the future Road Warriors Hawk and Animal.

Darsow would debut in Hawaii, would briefly compete in New Zealand, return to Hawaii and then move to Georgia where he first adopted his "Krusher" Darsow gimmick playing a turncoat American and Soviet sympathizer. While in Georgia, he'd form a tag team with Nikolai Volkoff. Eventually the name would be changed to Krusher Krushchev and he'd go on to win the Mid-South Television title in a tournament final win over Terry Taylor. Eventually he'd drop the title back to Taylor. He'd move on to compete in Florida where he'd team with Jim Neidhart. Along with Neidhart, he'd win the Florida United States tag team titles from Hector Guerrero and Coco Samoa. They'd hold the titles for two months before dropping them to Mark and Jay Youngblood.

In December 1984, he'd move to Jim Crockett Promotions and would be awarded a third of the NWA World Tag Team titles along with partners Ivan and Nikita Koloff. While champions, the fearful Soviet threesome would dominate and feuded with the likes of the Rock 'n' Roll Express and the Road Warriors. The Rock 'n' Roll Express would eventually defeat Krushchev and Ivan to win the tag belts. At Starrcade 1985, Krushchev would win the vacant NWA Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight championship beating Sam Houston. Krushchev would go on to severely injure his knee in a TV bout with Houston and would eventually drop the title to him. After six months, Krushchev returned and helped Nikita Koloff defeat Magnum T.A. in their famous Best of 7 Series for the NWA United States Heavyweight championship. Krusher and Ivan also targeted the newly created NWA United States Tag Team titles around this time and would eventually defeat the Kansas City Jayhawks, with help from Nikita, in a tournament final.

When Magnum T.A. had the car accident that ended his career, it unexpectedly led to Nikita Koloff turning face and teaming with Magnum's friend Dusty Rhodes briefly feuding with Krushchev and Ivan Koloff. Mainly though the Russians feuded with the Jayhawks. After they lost the U.S. Tag titles to Ron Garvin and Barry Windham, Darsow's contract with JCP ran out and he left the promotion.

Darsow next showed up in the WWF where he transformed himself into arguably his most successful identity of them all --- Demolition Smash when he replaced Randy Colley alongside Demolition Ax (Bill Eadie). Initially they were managed by Johnny V but they soon got traded to Mr. Fuji under whom they reached new heights of success feuding with Ken Patera and Billy Jack Haynes and Strike Force. At Wrestlemania IV, they defeated Strike Force for their first WWF World Tag Team championship thanks to some timely interference from Mr. Fuji. Demolition went on to become arguably the most dominant tag team in WWF wrestling history defeating practically every team thrown at them in an era where the WWF was filled with talented tag teams. Eventually they ended up feuding with the Powers of Pain but as it soon became evident that Demolition were in reality the more popular of the two teams, a double turn would happen at Survivor Series 1988 with Mr. Fuji turning on Demolition and helping the POP win the Survivor Series tag elimination match. Demolition however would win the feud ultimately defeating both the POP and exacting their revenge on turncoat Fuji at Wrestlemania V. Demolition's record breaking tag title reign finally came to an end at the hands of the Brain Busters managed by Bobby Heenan. Demolition would regain the titles a few months later but would go on to lose them to the imposing Colossal Connection of Andre the Giant and Haku. They'd eventually upset the seemingly invincible champs at Wrestlemania VI to win the WWF World Tag Team titles for the third time. Later in 1990, the team would be joined by Crush as Ax was having health issues and they moved back to being heels as they feuded with the Hart Foundation, to whom they'd drop the titles, and the Legion of Doom: the Road Warriors. LOD would thoroughly dominate the feud and the team of Smash and Crush just never proved as successful as Ax and Smash. Eventually Crush would leave the WWF and Smash would be reduced to basically putting over other talent.

In late 1991, he would once again recreate himself -- this time he became the Repo Man, a sneaky, clever heel who seemed to take unusual delight in repossessing the possessions of others. He wore a Lone Ranger style mask, brought a towrope to the ring with him and wore a costume with tire tracks on it. Really he looked like he might have been a villain from the campy 60s "Batman" TV series. He'd go on to help "The Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase regain the Million Dollar championship from Virgil leading to a feud with Virgil. Repo Man's most notable feud though was against The British Bulldog Davey Boy Smith with him coming out on the losing end. He also had brief albeit forgettable feuds with former partner Crush and Randy Savage. Mostly at this point, he was a glorified enhancement talent given a ridiculous gimmick who was surprisingly entertaining at pulling off said gimmick.

In March 1993, Darsow would leave the WWF and would compete in the Independent Association of Wrestling winning IAW Tag Team titles with Paul Roma and holding said titles for several months before dropping them to Brian Costello and the Iron Sheik.

Darsow turned up in WCW in 1994 coming to ringside with a blowhorn and harassing the babyface wrestlers. He'd eventually wind up feuding with Dustin Rhodes. As the Blacktop Bully managed by Col. Robert Parker, Darsow had some surprisingly bloody and intense bouts with Rhodes. He'd move on to compete in independents like Pro Wrestling America, where he feuded with Wahoo McDaniel and Tom Zenk, and the AWF before he returned to WCW in 1997 and started competing under his own name before briefly adopting a heel golfer gimmick and the name Stewart Pain. Eventually the name would be dropped and he'd become simply "Mr. Hole-In-One" Barry Darsow or "Putting" Barry Darsow, pretty much a consistent presence on WCW Saturday Night feuding with the likes of Hacksaw Jim Duggan and Chris Adams and mostly working as an enhancement talent to build others. He stayed there until 1999.

Darsow returned to the independents in 2000 in the WXO where he feuded with Mike Enos. Eventually he'd reunite with fellow legendary Demolition member Ax on the independent circuit where they still sometimes compete together to this day. In fact, they are the current GLCW and USXW Tag Team champions. Darsow has also made special appearances in the WWF/WWE under his old Repo Man persona.

Jerry "The King" Lawler joins the Hosts/Announcers Hall of Fame. After a legendary career where he mostly dominated in Southern territories of the CWA, USWA, AWA Southern and WCCW (Lawler would also win the AWA World Heavyweight title), Lawler would finally join the WWF at the end of his career in the early 1990s where he'd go on to have feuds with the likes of Bret Hart, Jake Roberts and Doink the Clown but in the WWF/WWE, he'd eventually become more well-known for his color commentary alongside play by play man Jim Ross in the WWF during the heights of the WWF Monday Night Wars with WCW and even on to this modern era. Lawler has always tried his best to entertain fans and add insight whether playing a villainous or more heroic role. While at times, his commentary has seemed to get stale and his use of "Puppies" became well overdone, Lawler today is one of the most consistently entertaining elements on WWE Monday Night Raw and without him, I doubt Michael Cole would be tolerable at all.