NWA Hall of Fame

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The NWA Hall of Fame logo (2008–)

The National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) Hall of Fame is an American professional wrestling hall of fame maintained by the NWA. It was established in 2005 to honor select wrestling personalities, mostly alumni of the NWA.[1] Inductees receive commemorative medals that have their names inscribed on it with the logo of the NWA.[2] The Class of 2005, the inaugural inductees into the Hall of Fame did not have a formal induction ceremony; as a result, they received their medals at a later time. A private gathering was conducted for the Class of 2006, in which inductees received their medal. Beginning with the Class of 2008 on June 7, 2008, a ceremony has been conducted to formally induct the inductees. There were no inductees in 2007 due to the planning of an international expansion to the NWA.[3] On June 7, 2008, the Class of 2008 was inducted into the Hall of Fame. Ric Flair, a member of the Class of 2008 and a World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) employee at the time of the ceremony, was inducted on October 4, 2008 after his WWE contract had expired; his WWE contract prevented him from appearing in other organizations.[2][4] Similarly to the World Championship Wrestling's Hall of Fame, the 2008 ceremony was held during a wrestling event.[5][6][7] Inductees for the Class of 2009 were announced during the summer of 2009 for an induction ceremony on September 26; however, that ceremony never took place and the announced wrestling personalities were never inducted formally, evident by the NWA's official website for the NWA Hall of Fame.[8][9]

The inaugural Class of 2005 was inducted throughout 2005. Wrestler Lou Thesz's posthumous induction led the class, which included wrestler Harley Race, commentator Gordon Solie, and promoters Jim Cornette, Jim Barnett, and Sam Muchnick. Commentator Lance Russell's induction led the Class of 2006 on October 13, 2006, which also consisted of wrestlers Dory Funk, Jr., Eddie Graham, Robert Gibson and Ricky Morton (Rock 'n' Roll Express), Leilani Kai, and Saul Weingeroff. On June 7, 2008, wrestler Tommy Rich's induction led the Class of 2008, which consisted of wrestlers Joe and Jean Corsica (Corsica Brothers), Dennis Condrey and Bobby Eaton (The Midnight Express), Nikita Koloff, Iron Sheik, and Ric Flair. Six inductees were inducted posthumously. Overall, there were twenty-one inductees; two managers, commentators, and promoters, and fifteen wrestlers.

Contents

Inductees

Iron Sheik, inducted in 2008
Ric Flair, inducted in 2008
# Year Ring name
(Real name)[a]		 Inducted for Notes[b][c]
1 2005 Thesz, LouLou Thesz
(Aloysius Martin Thesz)		 Wrestling Posthumous inductee: Won the NWA World Heavyweight Championship (3 times), NWA International Heavyweight Championship (All-Japan Version) (1 time), NWA Southern Junior Heavyweight Championship (1 time),[10]
2 2005 Race, HarleyHarley Race Wrestling Held the NWA World Heavyweight Championship (List of NWA World Heavyweight Champions). Won the NWA Central States Heavyweight Championship (9 times) and NWA Missouri Heavyweight Championship (7 times),[11]
3 2005 Muchnick, SamSam Muchnick Promoting Posthumous inductee: Founded the NWA and served as president from 1950 to 1960 and 1963 to 1975[12]
4 2005 Barnett, JimJim Barnett Promoting Posthumous inductee: Owned Georgia Championship Wrestling during the mid-1900s.[13] Also promoted in the Detroit Territory, Indianapolis Territory and Australia.
5 2005 Solie, GordonGordon Solie Commentating Posthumous inductee: Commentator for Championship Wrestling from Florida and World Championship Wrestling promotions.[14]
6 2005 Cornette, JimJim Cornette Managing Managed various wrestlers during the 1980s and 1990s.[15]
7 2006 Russell, LanceLance Russell Commentating Commentated in the Continental Wrestling Association and Memphis Championship Wrestling companies[16]
8 2006 Funk, Jr., DoryDory Funk, Jr. Wrestling Held the NWA World Heavyweight Championship (1 time) for over four years, the second longest reign in the title's history,[17]
9 2006 Weingeroff, SaulSaul Weingeroff
(Solomon Weingeroff)		 Managing Posthumous inductee: Managed various wrestlers in the NWA during the 1960s and 1970s[18]
10 2006 Graham, EddieEddie Graham Wrestling Posthumous inductee: He won over 20 NWA championships.[19]
11 2006 Kai, LeilaniLeilani Kai Wrestling Won the NWA World Women's Championship (1 time)[20]
12 2006 Morton, RickyRicky Morton Wrestling Won the NWA Mid-Atlantic World Tag Team Championship (4 times) and the NWA World Tag Team Championship (4 times),[21][22]
13 2006 Gibson, RobertRobert Gibson
(Ruben Cain)		 Wrestling Won the NWA Mid-Atlantic World Tag Team Championship (4 times) and the NWA World Tag Team Championship (4 times),[21][22]
14 2008 Rich, TommyTommy Rich
(Thomas Richardson)		 Wrestling Won the NWA World Heavyweight Championship (1 time), NWA Georgia Tag Team Championship (6 times),[23][24]
15 2008 Sheik, IronIron Sheik
(Hossein Vaziri)		 Wrestling Won the NWA Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Championship (1 time) and NWA World Television Championship (1 time),[25]
16 2008 Condrey, DennisDennis Condrey Wrestling Won the NWA Southeastern Tag Team Championship (15 times) and NWA Mid-Atlantic World Tag Team Championship (1 time).[26]
17 2008 Eaton, BobbyBobby Eaton Wrestling Won the NWA Mid-Atlantic World Tag Team Championship.[21][27]
18 2008 Jean Corsica Wrestling Won the NWA World Tag Team Championship (Mid-America version),[28] NWA Southern Tag Team Championship (Mid-America version) (6 times)
19 2008 Joe Corsica Wrestling Won the NWA World Tag Team Championship (Mid-America version)),[28] NWA Southern Tag Team Championship (Mid-America version) (6 times)
20 2008 Koloff, NikitaNikita Koloff Wrestling Won the NWA National Heavyweight Championship (1 time) and NWA United States Heavyweight Championship (1 time),[29] NWA World Six-Man Tag Team Championship (Mid-Atlantic), NWA World Tag Team Championship (Mid-Atlantic Version), NWA World Television Championship
21 2008 Flair, RicRic Flair
(Richard Fliehr)		 Wrestling Won the NWA World Heavyweight Championship (10 times), NWA Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Championship (4 times),[30] NWA World Tag Team Championship (Mid-Atlantic Version) (3 times), NWA United States Heavyweight Championship (Mid-Atlantic/Georgia/WCW Version) (5 times), NWA Mid-Atlantic Tag Team Championship, NWA Mid-Atlantic Television Championship.
22 2009 Orndorff , PaulPaul Orndorff Wrestling Won the NWA World Tag Team Championship and NWA National Heavyweight Championship (3 times).
23 2009 Coralluzzo, DennisDennis Coralluzzo Promoting Posthumous inductee: Longtime NWA New Jersey promoter and served as NWA President with Howard Brody and Steve Rickard from 1993 to 1995. The official induction ceremony was held at the Dennis Coralluzzo Invitational.
24 2009 Jarrett, JerryJerry Jarrett Promoting Operated Mid-Southern Wrestling, Continental Wrestling Association, United States Wrestling Association, World Class Championship Wrestling and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. Won the NWA World Tag Team Championship (Mid-America version) NWA Southern Tag Team Championship (Mid-America version).
25 2009 Mascaras, MilMil Mascaras Wrestling Won the NWA Americas Heavyweight Championship (5 times), NWA Americas Tag Team Championship, NWA Texas Tag Team Championship (2 times), NWA American Tag Team Championship.
26 2009 Kiniski, GeneGene Kiniski Wrestling Held the NWA World Heavyweight Championship (1 time).
27 2009 Blanchard, TullyTully Blanchard Wrestling Won the NWA Mid-Atlantic World Tag Team Championship, NWA World Television Championship (2 times), NWA United States Heavyweight Championship (Mid-Atlantic/Georgia/WCW Version), NWA National Heavyweight Championship. Was a member of the original legendary NWA stable The Four Horsemen.
28 2009 Funk, TerryTerry Funk Wrestling Won the NWA World Heavyweight Championship.
29 2010 Chuman, EdEd Chuman Promoting Promoter of NWA Midwest
30 2010 Rogers, BuddyBuddy Rogers wrestling Posthumous inductee, Won the NWA World Heavyweight Championship.
31 2010 Hodge, DannyDanny Hodge Wrestling Won the NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship (8 times).
32 2010 Severn, DanDan Severn Wrestling Held the NWA World Heavyweight Championship (2 times)
33 2010 Hashimoto, ShinyaShinya Hashimoto Wrestling Won the NWA World Heavyweight Championship, NWA Intercontinental Tag Team Championship.
34 2010 Brisco, JackJack Brisco Wrestling Won the NWA World Heavyweight Championship (2 times) and the NWA Mid-Atlantic World Tag Team Championship (3 times with his brother Jerry).
35 2010 Gulas, NickNick Gulas Promoting Promoter of the NWA Mid-American territory in Tennessee.
36 2010 Sheik, The OriginalThe Original Sheik Wrestling Promoter of the Detroit Territory, won over 10 NWA championships.
37 2010 Anderson, GeneGene Anderson Wrestling Won the NWA Mid-Atlantic World Tag Team Championship (8x w/ Ole Anderson), NWA World Tag Team Championship (Georgia version).
38 2010 Anderson, LarsLars Anderson Wrestling Won over 20 NWA championships.
39 2010 Anderson, OleOle Anderson Wrestling Won the NWA Mid-Atlantic World Tag Team Championship (9 times), NWA National Tag Team Championship (2 times)
40 2011 O'Connor, PatPat O'Connor Wrestling Posthumous inductee; won the NWA World Heavyweight Championship (1 time)),[31]
41 2011 Dusty Rhodes
(Virgil Runnels)		 Wrestling Won the NWA World Heavyweight Championship (3 times).NWA Florida Heavyweight Championship (12 times), NWA Southern Heavyweight Championship (Florida version) (10 times)[31]
42 2011 Angelo Savoldi Wrestling NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship (5 times)[31]
43 2011 Rikidōzan
(Mitsuhiro Momota)		 Wrestling Posthumous inductee,[31] Won over 10 NWA championships.
44 2011 Sue Green Wrestling [31]
45 2011 Freddie Blassie
(Frederick Blassman)		 Wrestling Posthumous inductee, NWA World Tag Team Championship (Georgia version), NWA World Tag Team Championship (Florida version).
46 2011 Wahoo McDaniel
(Edward McDaniel)		 Wrestling Posthumous inductee,[31] Won the NWA Mid-Atlantic World Tag Team Championship (4 times), NWA Florida World Tag Team Championship (2 times)
47 2011 Johnny Valentine
(John Wisniski)		 Wrestling Posthumous inductee,[31] won over 30 NWA championships.
48 2011 Aileen Eaton Promoting Posthumous inductee[31]
49 2011 Gene LeBell Promoting [31] Promoter of NWA Hollywood from 1968-1982. Won the NWA Americas Tag Team Championship, NWA Hawaii Heavyweight Championship, NWA North American Heavyweight Championship (Amarillo version).
50 2011 Mike Lebell Promoting [31] Promoter of NWA Hollywood from 1968-1982.
51 2011 Bill Apter Contributor[31] Editor of Pro Wrestling Illustrated
52 2012 Paul Boesch Promoting[32] Posthumous inductee. Promoter of the NWA in Houston, TX.
53 2012 John Tolos Wrestling[32] Posthumous inductee, Won over 30 NWA championships.
54 2012 Ricky Steamboat
(Richard Blood)		 Wrestling[32] Won the NWA World Heavyweight Championship, NWA World Tag Team Championship (Mid-Atlantic Version), NWA World Television Championship (2 times), NWA United States Heavyweight Championship (Mid-Atlantic/Georgia/WCW Version) (3 times).
55 2012 Mr. Wrestling II
(John Walker)		 Wrestling[32] NWA World Tag Team Championship (Mid-America version), NWA World Tag Team Championship (Mid-Atlantic Version).
56 2012 The Fabulous Moolah
(Mary Ellison)		 Wrestling[32] Posthumous inductee: Won the NWA World Women's Championship (5 times) and the NWA Women's World Tag Team Championship (2 times).
57 2012 Judy Grable
(Nellya Baughman)		 Wrestling[32] Posthumous inductee
58 2012 Misty Blue Simmes
(Diane Syms)		 Wrestling[32]
59 2012 Road Warrior Animal
(Joseph Laurinaitis)		 Wrestling,[32] NWA World Tag Team Championship (Mid-Atlantic Version), NWA World Six-Man Tag Team Championship (Mid-Atlantic).
60 2012 Road Warrior Hawk
(Michael Hegstrand)		 Wrestling[32] Posthumous inductee, NWA World Tag Team Championship (Mid-Atlantic Version), NWA World Six-Man Tag Team Championship (Mid-Atlantic).
61 2012 Little Beaver
(Lionel Giroux)		 Wrestling[32] Posthumous inductee
62 2012 Theodore Long Refereeing[32]
63 2012 Sputnik Monroe NWA Humanitarian Award[32] Won the NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship, NWA World Tag Team Championship (Mid-America version).

See also

Footnotes

  • a  – Entries without a birth name indicates that the indcutee did not perform under a ring name.
  • b – Before the 1990s, the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) distributed many of its titles among its numerous subsidiaries. Other promotions listed in this column were, or are currently, subsidiaries of the NWA.[33][34]
  • c – This section mainly lists the major accomplishments of each inductee in the NWA.

References

General
Specific
  1. ^ "NWA Hall of Fame Inductees". National Wrestling Alliance. http://www.nwawrestling.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=156&Itemid=405. Retrieved 2009-01-19.
  2. ^ a b "Ric Flair To Accept His NWA Award". National Wrestling Alliance. http://www.nwawrestling.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=758&Itemid=403. Retrieved 2009-01-19.
  3. ^ "2008 Class of the NWA Hall of Fame.". National Wrestling Alliance. 2008-09-21. http://www.nwawrestling.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=452&Itemid=403. Retrieved 2009-01-19.
  4. ^ Heyman, Paul (2006-06-06). "The Paul Heyman Hustle: The right to deny Flair fame". The Sun. http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/sun-fc/1256166/Paul-Heyman-on-the-NWA-and-WWEs-battle-over-Ric-Flair.html?iPadApp=true. Retrieved 2009-01-19.
  5. ^ "WCW Slamboree 1993". Slamboree. 1993-05-23. In Demand pay-per-view.
  6. ^ "WCW Slamboree 1994". Slamboree. 1994-05-22. In Demand pay-per-view.
  7. ^ "WCW Slamboree 1995". Slamboree. 1995-05-21. In Demand pay-per-view.
  8. ^ "Dennis Coralluzzo Invitational" (JPG). NWA New Jersey. National Wrestling Alliance. 2009. http://nwanj.com/Shows/DennisCPoster.jpg. Retrieved 2010-05-08. ""Mr. NWA" Dennis Coralluzzo is placed in the NWA Hall of Fame"
  9. ^ "NWA Announces 2 NWA Hall of Fame Inductees for 2009". National Wrestling Alliance. WrestleZone.com. 2009-07-16. http://www.wrestlezone.com/news/article/nwa-announces-2-nwa-hall-of-fame-inductees-for-2009-80923. Retrieved 2010-05-08.
  10. ^ "Lou Thesz". Professional Wrestling Online Museum. http://www.wrestlingmuseum.com/pages/bios/halloffame/theszbio.html. Retrieved 2009-01-14.
  11. ^ "Harley Race". World Wrestling Entertainment. http://www.wwe.com/superstars/halloffame/inductees/harleyrace/. Retrieved 2009-01-14.
  12. ^ "Sam Muchnick". Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum. http://www.pwhf.org/halloffamers/bios/muchnick.asp. Retrieved 2009-01-19.
  13. ^ Oliver, Greg. "Jim Barnett was TV innovator". SLAM! Sports - Wrestling. Canadian Online Explorer. http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Wrestling/2004/09/19/635779.html. Retrieved 2009-01-19.
  14. ^ "Gordon Solie". World Wrestling Entertainment. http://www.wwe.com/superstars/halloffame/inductees/gordonsolie/. Retrieved 2009-01-14.
  15. ^ "Jim Cornette". Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. Archived from the original on January 30, 2009. http://web.archive.org/web/20090130144924/http://www.tnawrestling.com/content/view/364/37/. Retrieved 2009-01-19.
  16. ^ Oliver, Greg. "Legends PPV tapes Sunday with a new/old voice". SLAM! Sports - Wrestling. Canadian Online Explorer. http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Wrestling/2006/02/27/1464871.html. Retrieved 2009-01-19.
  17. ^ "Dory Funk, Jr.". Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum. http://www.pwhf.org/halloffamers/bios/funk_dory.asp. Retrieved 2009-01-19.
  18. ^ Saul Weingeroff. WWE Presents: The World's Greatest Wrestling Managers (DVD). Stamford, Connecticut: World Wrestling Entertainment.
  19. ^ "Eddie Graham". Professional Wrestling Online Museum. http://www.wrestlingmuseum.com/pages/wrestlers/eddiegraham2.html. Retrieved 2009-01-14.
  20. ^ "NWA World Women's Championship reign history". Wrestling Title Histories by Royal Duncan and Gary Will. Solie.org. http://solie.org/titlehistories/wwtnwa.html. Retrieved 2009-01-19.
  21. ^ a b c "WCW World Tag Team Championship Title History (1991–2001)". Wrestling Title Histories by Royal Duncan & Gary Will. Solie.org. http://www.solie.org/titlehistories/ttwcw.html. Retrieved 2008-11-15.
  22. ^ a b "NWA World Tag Team Championship Title History". Wrestling Title Histories by Royal Duncan and Gary Will. Solie's Title History. http://www.solie.org/titlehistories/ttnwa.html. Retrieved 2008-11-15.
  23. ^ "NWA World Heavyweight Championship reign history". Wrestling Title Histories by Royal Duncan and Gary Will. Solie.org. http://solie.org/titlehistories/whtnwa.html. Retrieved 2009-01-19.
  24. ^ "NWA Georgia Tag Team Championship reign history". Wrestling Title Histories by Royal Duncan and Gary Will. Solie.org. http://solie.org/titlehistories/gttgcw.html. Retrieved 2009-01-19.
  25. ^ "Iron Sheik". World Wrestling Entertainment. http://www.wwe.com/superstars/halloffame/inductees/theironsheik/. Retrieved 2009-01-19.
  26. ^ "NWA Southeastern Tag Team Championship reign history". Wrestling Title Histories by Royal Duncan and Gary Will. Solie.org. http://solie.org/titlehistories/settnwa.html. Retrieved 2009-01-19.
  27. ^ "NWA Georgia Television Championship reign history". Wrestling Title Histories by Royal Duncan and Gary Will. Solie.org. http://solie.org/titlehistories/gtvgcw.html. Retrieved 2009-01-19.
  28. ^ a b "The Corsica Brothers to be Inducted into the NWA Hall of Fame". National Wrestling Alliance. 411Mania.com. 2008-05-28. http://www.411mania.com/MMA/reports/76663/The-Corsica-Brothers-to-be-Inducted-into-the-NWA-Hall-of-Fame.htm. Retrieved 2009-01-19.
  29. ^ "Nikita Koloff NWA Hall of Fame press release". National Wrestling Alliance. Nikitakoloff.com. 2008-05-29. http://www.nikitakoloff.com/Career/pressrelease.htm. Retrieved 2009-01-19.
  30. ^ "Ric Flair". SLAM! Sports - Wrestling. Canadian Online Explorer. http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Wrestling/Bios/flair.html. Retrieved 2009-01-19.
  31. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Gerweck, Steve (2011-11-14). "NWA Hall of Fame Class for 2011 announced". WrestleView. http://www.wrestleview.com/viewnews.php?id=1321297139. Retrieved 2011-11-14.
  32. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Meltzer, Dave (2012-11-17). "Sat. update: Great TV show, WWE multiple releases, Austin talks WWE Hall of Fame, Best night for Bellator, PPV predictions, NWA Hall of Fame, James Storm headlines benefit show, Devitt takes another title". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. http://www.f4wonline.com/more/more-top-stories/118-daily-updates/28434-sat-update-great-tv-show-wwe-multiple-releases-austin-talks-wwe-hall-of-fame-best-night-for-bellator-ppv-predictions-nwa-hall-of-fame-james-storm-headlines-benefit-show-devitt-takes-another-title. Retrieved 2012-11-17.
  33. ^ "Classics On Demand: Video Library". World Wrestling Entertainment. http://www.wwe.com/subscriptions/wweclassics. Retrieved 2009-01-14.
  34. ^ "The NWA Roll Call of Champions". National Wrestling Alliance. http://www.nwawrestling.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=20&Itemid=74. Retrieved 2009-01-14.

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