George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame

George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame

TNTHOF housed inside of the Dan Gable Museum
Established	1999
Location	Waterloo, Iowa, U.S.
Director	Jim Miller
Public transit access	6    7   MET Transit
Website	nwhof.org/pro-class/

The George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame (TNTHOF) ^[1] is a professional wrestling hall of fame and museum located within the National Wrestling Hall of Fame's Dan Gable Museum. The hall of fame is named after Lou Thesz, who helped create it, ^[2] and his trainer George Tragos. ^[3] Inductees are professional wrestlers with a strong amateur wrestling or shootfighting background who have made an impact on professional wrestling. ^[4] Additionally, it issues several more awards to recognize individuals who have influenced the industry in various capacities. ^[1]

The hall of fame was founded in 1999 in Newton, Iowa, but moved to Waterloo, Iowa in 2007. ^[5] The museum suffered severe flooding in the Iowa flood of 2008, ^[6] but reopened in June 2009. ^[7] Wrestling historian and journalist Mike Chapman served as executive director of the museum until Kyle Klingman succeeded him in November 2009. ^[8] On July 1, 2019, Jim Miller began work as director of the Hall of Fame succeeding Kyle Klingman. ^[9]

Inductions take place at a hall of fame induction ceremony. Other activities are held throughout the weekend in conjunction with the event, such as local independent promotion Impact Pro Wrestling's Hall of Fame Classic tournament in 2017 and 2018. ^{[10] [11]}

Honorees

Inductees

Year	Image	Ring name (Birth name)	Notes
1999		Lou Thesz (Aloysius Thesz)	One-time holder of the AWA World Heavyweight Championship (Boston version), two-time World Heavyweight Wrestling Champion, three-time NWA World Heavyweight Champion [12]
1999		Ed "Strangler" Lewis (Robert Friedrich)	Posthumous inductee: Four-time World Heavyweight Champion, two-time holder of the AWA World Heavyweight Championship (Boston version) and one-time NWA Florida Heavyweight Champion [12]
1999		Frank Gotch	Posthumous inductee: One-time World Heavyweight Wrestling Champion and three-time American Heavyweight Champion [12]
1999		George Tragos	Posthumous inductee: Won many amateur titles in Greece and competed for two Olympic teams there, trained Lou Thesz. [12] [3]
1999		Verne Gagne	Two-time NCAA champion, member of the U.S. wrestling team at the 1948 Summer Olympics. Co-founder of the American Wrestling Association, 10-time AWA World Heavyweight Champion [12]
2000		Dick Hutton	Three-time NCAA champion, one-time NWA World Heavyweight Champion [12]
2000		Danny Hodge	Seven-time NWA World Junior Heavyweight Champion, three-time NCAA champion, Olympic silver medalist [12]
2000		Joe Stecher	Posthumous inductee: Three-time World Heavyweight Wrestling Championship (original version) [12]
2000		Earl Caddock	Posthumous inductee: One-time World Heavyweight Wrestling Championship (original version) [12]
2001		William Muldoon	Posthumous inductee: First chairman of the New York State Athletic Commission, one-time World Greco-Roman Heavyweight Champion [12]
2001		Martin "Farmer" Burns	Posthumous inductee: One-time American Heavyweight Champion [12]
2001		Jack Brisco	Two-time NWA World Heavyweight Champion, three-time NWA World Tag Team Champion, NCAA champion [12]
2001		Tim Woods (George Woodin)	Won two Big Ten Conference Championships in 1958 and 1959. Two-time NWA Florida Heavyweight Champion and one-time NWA Texas Heavyweight Champion [12]
2002		Dick "The Destroyer" Beyer	Three-time WWA World Heavyweight Champion and one-time AWA World Heavyweight Champion [12]
2002		Bob Geigel	Three-time AWA World Tag Team Champion [12]
2002		Baron von Raschke (James Raschke)	Three time WWA World Heavyweight Champion, one-time NWA American Heavyweight Champion, one-time NWA Brass Knuckles Champion (Texas version), one-time NWA Georgia Heavyweight Champion [12]
2002		Ed Don George	Posthumous inductee: Two-time World Heavyweight Wrestling Champion and one-time AWA World Heavyweight Champion (Boston version) [12]
2002	—	Peter Sauer	Posthumous inductee: One-time NWA/NBA World Heavyweight Champion [12]
2003		Billy Robinson	One-time PWF World Heavyweight Champion, two-time AWA World Tag Team Champion, and three-time AWA British Empire Heavyweight Champion [12]
2003		Maurice "Mad Dog" Vachon	Five-time AWA World Heavyweight Champion [12]
2003	—	Joe Scarpello	Posthumous inductee: Won several amateur titles before wrestling professionally for the American Wrestling Association [12]
2003		George Hackenschmidt (Georg Hackenschmidt)	Posthumous inductee: One-time European Greco-Roman Heavyweight Champion and first ever World Heavyweight Wrestling Champion [12]
2004		Gene Kiniski	Held the AWA World Heavyweight Championship, NWA World Heavyweight Championship, and WWA World Heavyweight Championship once each. [13] [14]
2004	—	Leroy McGuirk	Posthumous inductee: Three-time NWA World Light Heavyweight Champion, one-time NWA World Junior Heavyweight Champion, one-time NWA World Junior Heavyweight Champion. [13] [14]
2004		Pat O'Connor	Posthumous inductee: One-time NWA World Heavyweight Champion, three-time NWA Central States United States Heavyweight Champion, One-time (and inaugural) AWA World Heavyweight Champion, and one-time AWA World Tag Team Champion. [13] [14]
2004		Brad Rheingans	Member of the U.S. 1976 and 1980 Summer Olympic teams, won two gold medals in the 1975 and 1979 Pan American Games and a bronze medal in the 1979 World Wrestling Championships. Later wrestled professionally for NJPW, WWF, WCW, and AWA [13] [14]
2005		Antonio Inoki	Founder of New Japan Pro-Wrestling, two-time WWWF/WWF World Martial Arts Heavyweight Champion, and one-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion [15]
2005		Harley Race	Eight-time NWA World Heavyweight Champion, one-time and first NWA United States Heavyweight Champion, three-time AWA World Tag Team Champion and WWF King of the Ring winner in 1986 [15]
2005		Gerald Brisco	Three-time NWA World Tag Team Champion, one-time NWA World Junior Heavyweight Champion [15]
2005		Earl McCready	Posthumous inductee: Competed for Canada in the 1928 Summer Olympics before becoming a professional wrestler [15]
2005	—	Dr. Bill Miller	Posthumous inductee: One-time AWA World Heavyweight Champion [15]
2005	—	John Pesek	Posthumous inductee: One-time NWA World Heavyweight Champion, one-time MWA World Heavyweight Champion [15]
2006		Bret "Hitman" Hart	Five-time WWF World Heavyweight Champion, two-time WCW World Heavyweight Champion, was a Triple Crown winner in WWF and WCW. [16]
2006		Larry "The Axe" Hennig	Four-time AWA World Tag Team Champion, one-time IWA World Tag Team Champion [16]
2006	—	Bob Roop	1967 NCCA Champion. Four-time NWA Florida Heavyweight Champion [16]
2006		Dory Funk	Posthumous inductee: Won the NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship and various NWA regional titles. [16]
2006	—	"Iron" Mike DiBiase	Posthumous inductee: One-time NWA World Junior Heavyweight Champion. [16]
2006		Tom Jenkins	Posthumous inductee: Three-time American Heavyweight Champion [16]
2007		Red Bastien (Roland Bastien)	One-time NWA Texas Tag Team Champion [17]
2007		"Dr. Death" Steve Williams	One-time Triple Crown Heavyweight Champion, one-time UWF World Heavyweight Champion, four-time NCAA All-American [17]
2007		The Great Gama (Ghulam Mohammad Baksh)	Posthumous inductee: Won the Indian version of the World Heavyweight Championship [17]
2007		"Mr. Perfect" Curt Hennig	Posthumous inductee: One-time AWA World Heavyweight Champion, two-time WWF Intercontinental Heavyweight Champion, one-time WCW United States Heavyweight Champion, one-time WCW World Tag Team Champion [17]
2007		Dale Lewis	Posthumous inductee: Wrestled in the 1956 and 1960 Olympics. Later held the NWA Florida Heavyweight Championship once. [17]
2007		"The Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase	Four-time Mid-South North American Heavyweight Champion and three-time WWF World Tag Team Champion. [17]
2008		Masa Saito	One-time AWA World Heavyweight Champion, two-time IWGP Tag Team Champion [6]
2008		Abe Jacobs	Won several regional championships [6]
2008	—	Stu Hart	Posthumous inductee: Established Stampede Wrestling in Calgary 1948, and ran it until 1984. Ran "The Dungeon" wrestling school and trained numerous wrestlers. Patriarch of the Hart family [6]
2008		"Rowdy" Roddy Piper (Roderick Toombs)	One-time WWF Intercontinental Heavyweight Champion and three-time NWA/WCW United States Heavyweight Champion [6]
2008	—	Ray Gunkel	Posthumous inductee: One-time NWA Georgia Heavyweight Champion and three-time NWA Texas Heavyweight Champion [6]
2008	—	Leo Nomellini	Posthumous inductee: One-time AWA World Tag Team Champion [6]
2009		Nick Bockwinkel	Four-time AWA World Heavyweight Champion and three-time AWA World Tag Team Champion [7]
2009	—	Karl Gotch (Karl Istaz)	Posthumous inductee: Won the IWA World Heavyweight Championship and WWWF World Tag Team Championship once each [7]
2009	—	Luther Lindsay	Posthumous inductee: Won the NWA Hawaii Heavyweight Championship, NWA Pacific Northwest Heavyweight Championship, and the NWA Canadian Heavyweight Championship (Calgary version) once each [7]
2009		Bronko Nagurski	Posthumous inductee: Two-time NWA/NBA World Heavyweight Championship, one-time New York State Athletic Commission World Heavyweight Champion [7]
2009		Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat (Richard Blood)	One-time NWA World Heavyweight Champion, three-time NWA United States Heavyweight Champion, and one-time WWF Intercontinental Heavyweight Champion [7]
2009		Fritz Von Goering (John Gabor)	One-time NWA Pacific Northwest Heavyweight Champion [18]
2010		Stanislaus Zbyszko (Jan Stanisław Cyganiewicz)	Posthumous inductee: Two-time World Heavyweight Wrestling Champion [19]
2010	—	Warren Bockwinkel	Had high-profile feuds in the National Wrestling Alliance [19]
2010	—	George Gordienko	Posthumous inductee: One-time NWA Pacific Coast Heavyweight Champion (Vancouver version), one-time British Commonwealth Heavyweight Champion (New Zealand version), three-time NWA Canadian Heavyweight Champion (Calgary version). [19]
2010		Paul "Butcher" Vachon	Two-time AWA World Tag Team Champion and three-time NWA International Tag Team Champion (Calgary version) [19]
2010		Terry Funk	One-time NWA World Heavyweight Champion, two-time ECW World Heavyweight Champion and one-time WWF Tag Team Champion [19]
2011		Dory Funk Jr.	One-time NWA World Heavyweight Champion [20]
2011		Gorilla Monsoon (Robert "Gino" Marella)	Posthumous inductee: One-time IWA World Heavyweight Champion, and two-time WWC North American Heavyweight Champion [20]
2012	—	Don "The Buffalo Bomber" Curtis	Posthumous inductee: Won various NWA tag team championships [21]
2012		Kurt Angle	Named the greatest shoot wrestler by USA Wrestling; won the freestyle wrestling gold medal at the 1996 Summer Olympics. Four-time WWF/WWE Champion, one-time World Heavyweight Champion (WWE), one-time WCW Champion, one-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion (IGF), six-time TNA World Heavyweight Champion [21]
2013		Chris Taylor	Posthumous inductee: Bronze winner in freestyle wrestling at the 1972 Summer Olympics, becoming the heaviest Olympian ever at that point. Later wrestled for the American Wrestling Association [22]
2013		"Nature Boy" Ric Flair (Richard Fliehr)	Two-time WWF World Heavyweight Champion, inaugural and six-time WCW World Heavyweight Champion, and eight-time NWA World Heavyweight Champion [22]
2013		"Cowboy" Bill Watts	Former wrestling promoter in the mid-south United States, one-time WWWF United States Tag Team Champion and held over 20 NWA regional championships [22]
2014		Scott Steiner (Scott Rechsteiner)	One-time WCW World Heavyweight Champion, two-time WCW United States Heavyweight Champion, two-time WWF Tag Team Champion, two-time TNA Tag Team Champion, two-time IWGP Tag Team Champion and seven-time NWA (Mid-Atlantic version)/WCW Tag Team Champion [23]
2014		Rick Steiner (Robert Rechsteiner)	One-time WCW United States Heavyweight Champion, two-time WWF Tag Team Champion, two-time IWGP Tag Team Champion and eight-time NWA (Mid-Atlantic version)/WCW Tag Team Champion [23]
2014		Wilbur Snyder	Posthumous inductee: Two-time World Heavyweight Champion (Omaha version), two-time AWA World Tag Team Champion [23]
2015	—	The Great Wojo (Gregory Wojciechowski)	Three-time WWA World Heavyweight Champion (Indianapolis version) [24]
2015		Jim Londos (Christos Theofilou)	Posthumous inductee: One-time World Heavyweight Wrestling Champion [24]
2016		Bob Backlund	Two-time WWWF/WWF (World) Heavyweight Champion and one-time WWF Tag Team Champion [25]
2016		The Iron Sheik (Khosrow Vaziri)	1971 Amateur Athletic Union Greco-Roman wrestling champion and gold medalist. One-time WWF World Heavyweight Champion and one-time WWF Tag Team Champion [25]
2016	—	Joe Blanchard	Posthumous inductee: One-time NWA Texas Heavyweight Champion. Later founded Southwest Championship Wrestling and served as a figurehead in the American Wrestling Association [25]
2017		"Mr. Wonderful" Paul Orndorff	One-time Memphis Wrestling Southern Heavyweight Champion, three-time NWA (Mid-Atlantic)/WCW World Tag Team Champion, one-time WCW World Television Champion [11]
2017		"The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes (Virgil Runnels Jr.)	Posthumous inductee: Three-time NWA World Heavyweight Champion, ten-time NWA Florida Heavyweight Champion, seven-time NWA Southern Heavyweight Champion (Florida version), one-time NWA United States Heavyweight Champion [11]
2018		Owen Hart	Posthumous inductee: one-time USWA Unified World Heavyweight Champion, two-time WWF Intercontinental Champion, four-time WWF World Tag Team Champion, one-time Stampede British Commonwealth Mid-Heavyweight Champion, one-time IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion [26]
2018		Dan Severn	First three-time honoree: previously received the Frank Gotch Award in 2002 and the George Tragos Award in 2012. [26] One-time UFC Superfight Champion and UFC Hall of Famer. Two-time NWA World Heavyweight Champion [12]
2019		Beth Phoenix (Elizabeth Kociański)	Second time honored, previously received the Frank Gotch Award in 2015. First woman inducted in the Hall of Fame. One-time WWE Divas Champion, three-time WWE Women's Champion [27]
2019		Bruno Sammartino	Posthumous inductee: two-time WWWF/WWF (World) Heavyweight Champion and one-time WWF Tag Team Champion [27]
2021 [lower-alpha 1]		Adnan Al-Kaissie	One time WWWF World Tag Team Champion, one time NWA Pacific Northwest Heavyweight Champion and one time IWA World Heavyweight Champion (Australian version). [28]
2021 [lower-alpha 1]	—	Earl Wampler	Posthumous inductee: An influence on Lou Thesz, Wampler wrestled for 40 years. He held the NWA Iowa Heavyweight Title and was the inaugural holder of the NWA Southern Tag Team Championship (Mid-Atlantic version) with Jack O'Brien. [28]
2021	—	Don Kernodle	Posthumous inductee:Three-time NWA World Tag Team Champion (Mid-Atlantic version) [29]
2022		Mike Rotunda	One time NWA World Tag Team Champion, three times NWA Florida Heavyweight Champion, three times NWA Television Champion and five times WWF Tag Team Champion. [30]
2023		Gary Albright	Posthumous inductee: Two time AJPW World Tag Team Champion and one time Stampede Wrestling International Tag Team Champion [1]
2024		Greg Gagne	Two time AWA World Tag Team Champion, two time AWA International Television Champion

Frank Gotch Award recipients

Named after hall of fame inductee Frank Gotch, this award honors people in professional wrestling who brought positive recognition to the industry through work outside of it. ^{[11] [12]}

Year	Image	Ring name (Birth name)	Notes
2000	—	Bobby Managoff	One-time World Heavyweight Championship (National Wrestling Association) [12]
2001	—	Tom Drake	Also inducted into the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum [12]
2002		Dan Severn	Later received the George Tragos Award in 2012 and inducted into the hall of fame in 2018 [12]
2003		Jesse Ventura (James Janos)	One-time AWA World Tag Team Champion. Former commentator in WWF and WCW. 38th Governor of Minnesota. [12]
2004	—	George Scott	Won several tag team championships with his brother, Sandy. Later served as an executive in WWF and Jim Crockett Promotions [13] [14]
2005	—	Gene LeBell	Martial artist who later promoted NWA Hollywood Wrestling [15]
2006		Nikita Koloff (Nelson Simpson)	One-time NWA National Heavyweight Champion, one-time NWA United States Heavyweight Champion, two-time NWA World Tag Team Champion (Mid-Atlantic Version) [16]
2008		Penny Banner (Mary Ann Kostecki)	One-time AWA World Women's Champion, Commissioner of the Professional Girl Wrestling Association (PGWA) from 1992 to 2008 [6]
2009		Ivan Koloff (Oreal Donald Perras)	One-time WWWF World Heavyweight Champion [7]
2010		Mick Foley	Three-time WWF Champion, one-time TNA World Heavyweight Champion, eight-time WWF Tag Team Champion, two-time ECW World Tag Team Champion, one-time WCW World Tag Team Champion [19]
2011		"Hacksaw" Jim Duggan	Winner of the first Royal Rumble match in 1988, one-time WCW United States Champion [20]
2012		Road Warrior Animal (Joe Laurinaitis)	Along with his longtime tag team partner, Road Warrior Hawk, they were two-time WWF Tag Team Champions, one-time AWA World Tag Team Champions, and one-time NWA World Tag Team Champions (Mid-Atlantic) [31]
2013		Jim Brunzell	Two-time AWA World Tag Team Champion [22]
2014		"Diamond" Dallas Page	Three-time WCW World Heavyweight Champion, two-time WCW United States Heavyweight Champion, one-time WWF Tag Team Champion, one time WWE European Champion and four-time WCW World Tag Team Champion [32]
2015		Beth Phoenix (Elizabeth Kociański)	Later became the first woman inducted into the hall of fame in 2019 [24]
2016		Lex Luger (Lawrence Pfohl)	Two-time WCW World Heavyweight Champion, five-time NWA/WCW United States Heavyweight Champion [25]
2017		Stan "The Lariat" Hansen	Four-time Triple Crown Heavyweight Champion, four-time PWF World Heavyweight Champion, one-time AWA World Heavyweight Champion, one-time WCW United States Champion [11]
2018		Bruiser Brody (Frank Goodish)	Posthumous honoree: three-time NWA International Heavyweight Champion, four-time NWA American Heavyweight Champion, one-time NWA Central States Heavyweight Champion, one-time NWA Florida Heavyweight Champion, one-time WWA World Heavyweight Champion (Indianapolis version) [26]
2019		Sgt. Slaughter (Robert Rudolph Remus)	One-time WWF World Heavyweight Champion and two-time NWA United States Heavyweight Champion [27]
2021 [lower-alpha 1]		Mark Henry	One-time World Heavyweight Champion (WWE), one-time ECW World Heavyweight Champion, one-time WWE European Champion [28]
2022		Dan Spivey	One-time World Tag Team Champion (AJPW), one-time Florida Heavyweight Champion, one time UWF Americas Champion
2023		Haku (Tonga Fifita)	Former WWF and WCW and is a former WWF World Tag Team Champion [1]
2024		Arn Anderson (Martin Lunde)	Member of the "Four Horsemen", a five-time NWA/WCW World Tag Team Champion and four-time NWA/WCW World Television Champion

James C. Melby Award recipients

James C. Melby was the first recipient of this award and it was subsequently named after him. It recognizes excellence in professional wrestling writing or historical preservation. ^{[11] [33]}

Year	Ring name (Birth name)	Notes
2006	James C. Melby	Longtime professional wrestling journalist [16]
2007	Mike Chapman	Executive director of the Dan Gable Museum [17]
2008	Greg Oliver	Honored with Steven Johnson. Canadian author and journalist, founded SLAM! Wrestling [6]
2008	Steven Johnson	Honored with Greg Oliver. Has written several books on professional wrestling [6]
2009	Mike Mooneyham	Author and columnist for The Post and Courier [7]
2010	J Michael Kenyon	Wrestling historian and director of the Cauliflower Alley Club [19]
2011	Scott Teal	Owner of Crowbar Press [20]
2012	Bill Apter	Photographer and journalist for several magazines, including Pro Wrestling Illustrated [21]
2013	George Napolitano	Professional wrestling photographer [22]
2014	Larry Matysik	Announcer for Wrestling at the Chase [32]
2015	Wade Keller	Journalist and founder of the Pro Wrestling Torch newsletter [24]
2016	Dave Meltzer	Editor and publisher of Wrestling Observer Newsletter [25]
2017	Scott Williams	Posthumous honoree: Wrestling historian and author [11]
2018	Koji Miyamoto	Japanese wrestling historian and author of 16 books [26]
2019	Brian Shields	Authored several WWE books [27]
2021	Mark James	Historian and author of several books about territorial professional wrestling [34]
2022	Dick Bourne	Written or co-written a number of books, including: Crown Jewel: The NWA Championship 1959–1973. [35]
2023	Tom Burke	Historian and journalist for numerous publications [1]
2024	Al Getz	Host of the Charting the Territories podcast

Lou Thesz Award recipients

This award recognizes those in the professional wrestling industry who have used their skills in the realm of public service. ^[11]

Year	Image	Ring name (Birth name)	Notes
2007	—	Bill Murdock	Head of Eblen Charities [17] [lower-alpha 2]
2008	—	Father Jason Sanderson	Cauliflower Alley Club board member and promoter who held regional championships [6] [38]
2009	—	Bill Kersten	Announcer for Kansas City Wrestling [7]
2010		Rene Goulet (Robert Bédard)	One-time WWWF World Tag Team Champion [19]
2011		Jim Ross	Longtime lead announcer for WWF/E, WCW and other regional promotions; Head of WWF Talent Relations during the Attitude Era, signing many well known wrestlers [20]
2012		John "Bradshaw" Layfield	One-time WWE Champion, three-time WWF Tag Team Champion [21]
2013		Edge (Adam Copeland)	Four-time WWE Champion, a record seven-time World Heavyweight Champion (WWE). He held the WWF/World and WWE Tag Team Championships a combined 14 times, more than any other wrestler [22]
2014		Larry "The Axe" Hennig	Second time honored, previously inducted in 2006 [32]
2015		Brian Blair	Two-time NWA Florida Heavyweight Champion [24]
2016		J. J. Dillon (James Morrison)	Long-time manager in the NWA, former WCW onscreen commissioner [25]
2017		Magnum T. A. (Terry Allen)	Two-time Mid-South North American Champion, two-time NWA United States Heavyweight Champion [11]
2018		Booker T (Robert Huffman)	Five-time WCW World Heavyweight Champion, one-time World Heavyweight Champion (WWE), a record six-time WCW World Television Champion, a record 11-time WCW World Tag Team Champion (10 of which came with his brother Stevie Ray as Harlem Heat) [26]
2019	—	Thunderbolt Patterson (Claude Patterson)	One-time CWA World Heavyweight Champion and one-time NWA Florida Heavyweight Champion [27]
2021 [lower-alpha 1]		Trish Stratus (Patricia Stratigias)	A record seven-time WWF/E Women's Champion [39]
2023		Bill DeMott (William Charles DeMott II)	Two-times WCW United States Heavyweight Champion and one-time W*ING World Heavyweight Champion [1]
2024		Tito Santana (Merced Solis)	Two-time WWE Intercontinental Champion, two-time WWF Tag Team Champion, 1989 winner of King of the Ring

George Tragos Award recipients

This award recognizes wrestlers who have excelled in mixed martial arts. ^[11]

Year	Image	Ring name (Birth name)	Notes
2011		Pat Miletich	Inaugural UFC Welterweight Champion and UFC 16 Welterweight Tournament Winner [20]
2012		Dan Severn	Second time honored, previously received the Frank Gotch Award in 2002 [31]
2013		Matt Hughes	Two-time UFC Welterweight Champion, UFC Hall of Fame inductee, and NJCAA Hall of Fame inductee [22]
2014		Randy Couture	Three-time UFC Heavyweight Champion, two-time UFC Light Heavyweight Champion [32]
2015		Matt Lindland	Won a silver medal in wrestling at the 2000 Summer Olympics and later competed in mixed martial arts for several promotions [24]
2016		Chael Sonnen	Amateur wrestler, mixed martial artist and noted Steroid Abuser who has competed in UFC, WEC and Pancrase [25]
2017		Mike van Arsdale	Mixed martial artist who has competed in the UFC, World Fighting Alliance, and the IVC [11]
2018		Ben Askren	One-time ONE Welterweight Champion, one-time Bellator Welterweight Champion [26]
2019		Daniel Cormier	One-time UFC Heavyweight Champion and one-time UFC Light Heavyweight Champion [27]
2021 [lower-alpha 1]		Ken Shamrock	Inaugural UFC Superfight Champion. In professional wrestling, he held the NWA World Heavyweight Championship, WWF Intercontinental Championship and WWF Tag Team Championship once each. [28]
2024	—	Don Frye	Fought for UFC in 1996 – winning the UFC 8 and Ultimate Ultimate 1996 tournaments – and Pride Fighting Championships between 2001 and 2003. Also wrestled in New Japan Pro-Wrestling between 1997 and 2002.

Gordon Solie Award recipients

This award recognizes excellence in professional wrestling broadcasting. ^[40]

Year	Image	Ring name (Birth name)	Notes
2021		Gordon Solie (Francis Labiak)	Posthumous honoree: commentator, announcer and promoter for Championship Wrestling from Florida, later worked for World Championship Wrestling [40]
2022		Jim Ross	Second time honored, previously received the Lou Thesz Award in 2011 [40]
2023	—	Conrad Thompson	Professional wrestling promoter, and podcast host and promotes the Starrcast wrestling convention [40]
2024		Tony Schiavone	Lead commentator for Jim Crockett Promotions between 1985 and 1989, the World Wrestling Federation between 1989 and 1990, World Championship Wrestling between 1990 and 2001, and All Elite Wrestling since 2019.

Jack Brisco Spotlight Award recipients

Year	Image	Ring name (Birth name)	Notes
2023		Les Thatcher (Leslie Malady)	Has performed various roles in the wrestling industry, including as a wrestler, trainer, promoter and announcer [1]
2024		Tony Garea (Anthony Gareljich)	Five time WWWF/WWF World Tag Team Champion

Verne Gagne Trainer Award recipients

Introduced in 2023, this award recognizes excellence in the training of others for professional wrestling. ^[1] In the December 2023 newsletter published by the hall, it was announced this award would be renamed in honor of Verne Gagne.

Year	Image	Ring name (Birth name)	Notes
2023		Boris Malenko (Lawrence J. Simon)	Posthumous honoree: Held various regional championships [1]
2024		Tom Prichard	One-time WWF Tag Team Champion, eight-time SMW Tag Team Champion; trainer of Kurt Angle, The Rock, Randy Orton and many others.

Notes

1. These honorees were originally announced as being part of the 2020 ceremony but the event was postponed until 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. ^[28]
2. In 2019, it was reported that Murdock had been convicted of taking indecent liberties with a child in 1988 and he has since been removed from the Hall of Fame's website. ^{[36] [37]}

References

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External links

• Bibliography of reports by Slam Wrestling
• Official website Archived 2018-08-20 at the Wayback Machine