WWE Hall of Fame (2015)

Last updated
WWE Hall of Fame (2015)
HoF 2015-03-28 15-44-07 ILCE-6000 4712 DxO (17550824631).jpg
The 2015 WWE Hall of Fame set
Promotion WWE
DateMarch 28, 2015
City San Jose, California
Venue SAP Center [1]
WWE Hall of Fame chronology
← Previous
2014 		Next →
2016

WWE Hall of Fame (2015) was the event which featured the introduction of the 16th class to the WWE Hall of Fame. The event was produced by WWE on March 28, 2015, from the SAP Center in San Jose, California. [2] The event took place the same weekend as WrestleMania 31. [3] The event aired live on the WWE Network, and was hosted by Jerry Lawler. A condensed one-hour version of the ceremony aired the following Monday after Raw , on the USA Network. [4]

Contents

Event

Due to the launch of the WWE Network shortly before WrestleMania XXX, this event featured the second ever "Red Carpet" event as a one-hour pre-show prior to the start of the event. The pre-show was hosted by Michael Cole, Maria Menounos, Byron Saxton and Renee Young.

Rikishi was inducted by his sons The Usos (Jimmy and Jey Uso). The Usos spoke about what it was like growing up with their father's rear end being the focus on TV. Following induction, the three recreated the Too Cool dance, including Jimmy doing The Worm on stage.

Larry Zbyszko was inducted by Bruno Sammartino.

Alundra Blayze was inducted by Natalya. Blayze's husband was in attendance, the first time she saw him in nearly a year due to his active role in the military. During Blayze's speech she asked Natalya to come back out so she could make an old wrong right. Natalya brought with her a metal trashcan which she places beside Blayze. Blayze then pulled several gags out before pulling the WWF Women's Championship belt out of the garbage, which she had throw in the garbage twenty years earlier on Monday Nitro .

Following The Ultimate Warrior's death in April 2014, [5] WWE introduced the Warrior Award, in 2015, for those who have "exhibited unwavering strength and perseverance, and who lives life with the courage and compassion that embodies the indomitable spirit of the Ultimate Warrior." [6] The first Warrior Award was given to Connor Michalek and presented by Warrior's wife Dana, as well as Daniel Bryan. The award was accepted by Connor's father Steve. [7]

The Bushwhackers were inducted by John Laurinaitis.

Tatsumi Fujinami was inducted by Ric Flair, during the induction speech Flair spoke about the matches the two had over the years in Japan.

Randy Savage was inducted by long time friend/foe from both WWE and WCW, Hulk Hogan. Due to Savage's death in 2011 he was inducted posthumously, and his award was accepted on his behalf by his brother Lanny Poffo.

Arnold Schwarzenegger was inducted by Triple H.

Kevin Nash was the final inductee, inducted by longtime friend Shawn Michaels. Following the induction they were joined on stage by fellow members of The Kliq, Scott Hall, Sean Waltman and Triple H.

Inductees

Individual

ImageRing name
(Birth Name)		Inducted byWWE recognized accolades
Randy Savage 1986.jpg "Macho Man" Randy Savage [8] [9] [10]
(Randall Poffo)		 Hulk Hogan Posthumous inductee: Represented by his brother Lanny
Two-time WWF World Heavyweight Champion
Four-time WCW World Heavyweight Champion
One-time WWF Intercontinental Heavyweight Champion
1987 King of the Ring
1995 World War 3 winner [11]
Rikishi Hall of Fame 2015.jpg Rikishi [12] [13] [14] [15]
(Solofa Fatu Jr.)		 Jimmy Uso and Jey Uso One-time WWF Intercontinental Champion
Two-time WWF/World Tag Team Champion
One-time WWE Tag Team Champion [16]
Madusa.jpg Alundra Blayze [17] [18] [19]
(Debrah Miceli)		 Natalya Three-time WWF Women's Champion
Known in other companies as Madusa, she became the first woman to win the WCW Cruiserweight Championship
One-time AWA World Women's Champion [20]
In 2019, Blayze won the WWE 24/7 Championship once.
Larry Zbyszko HOF.jpg Larry Zbyszko [21] [22] [23]
(Lawrence Whistler)		 Bruno Sammartino Two-time AWA World Heavyweight Champion
One-time WCW World Television Champion
One-time WCW World Tag Team Champion
One-time WWWF Tag Team Champion [24]
Tatsumi fujinami.jpg Tatsumi Fujinami [25] [26] Ric Flair Six-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion
One-time NWA World Heavyweight Champion
One-time WWF International Tag Team Champion
Two-time WWWF/WWF International Heavyweight Champion
Two-time WWF Junior Heavyweight Champion [27]
Kevin Nash Hall of Fame 2015.jpg Kevin Nash [28] [29] [30]
(Diesel)		 Shawn Michaels One-time WWF World Heavyweight Champion
Five-time WCW World Heavyweight Champion
One-time WWF Intercontinental Champion
Nine-time WCW World Tag Team Champion
Two-time WWF Tag Team Champion
1998 World War 3 winner [31]

Tag team

ImageGroupInducted byWWE recognized accolades
The Bushwhackers Hall Of Fame 2015.jpg The Bushwhackers [32] [33] [34] John Laurinaitis Known as the Sheepherders prior to joining WWE, they won over 20 regional tag team championships in the AWA, NWA, UWF, and Stampede Wrestling during their 40 year career [35]

Celebrity

ImageRecipient
(Birth name)		OccupationInducted byAppearances
Arnold Schwarzenegger February 2015.jpg Arnold Schwarzenegger [36] [37] [38] Actor,
38th Governor of California 		Triple H Has made numerous appearances on WWE programming [39]

Warrior Award

Recipient
(Birth name)		Presented ByNotes
Connor "The Crusher" Michalek [40] [41] [42] Dana Warrior
Daniel Bryan 		Posthumous recipient/inductee: Represented by his father Steve and brother Jackson.
Eight-year-old WWE fan who died of cancer. "Connor's Cure" cancer charity fund established in his honor by Triple H and Stephanie McMahon, run by Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh Foundation [6]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bruno Sammartino</span> American professional wrestler (1935–2018)

Bruno Leopoldo Francesco Sammartino was an Italian-American professional wrestler. He is best known for his time with the World Wide Wrestling Federation. Widely regarded as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time, Sammartino's 2,803-day reign as WWWF World Heavyweight Champion is the longest in the championship's history as well as the longest world title reign in WWE history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Women in WWE</span> History of women the WWE

Throughout its history, women have served in various onscreen roles in the American professional wrestling promotion WWE. In the 1990s, WWE introduced the term Diva to refer to its female performers, including wrestlers, managers or valets, backstage interviewers, or ring announcers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Molly Holly</span> American professional wrestler

Nora Kristina Benshoof is an American professional wrestler. She is currently signed to WWE as a producer and part-time wrestler, under the ring name Molly Holly. She is also known for her tenure in World Championship Wrestling (WCW) as Miss Madness and Mona from 1999 to 2000.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Ultimate Warrior</span> American professional wrestler and bodybuilder (1959–2014)

Warrior was an American professional wrestler and bodybuilder. Best known by his ring name The Ultimate Warrior, he wrestled for the World Wrestling Federation from 1987 to 1992, as well as a short stint in 1996. He also notably spent a few months in World Championship Wrestling (WCW) in 1998, in which he was known as The Warrior.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WWE Women's Championship (1956–2010)</span> Former womens professional wrestling championship

The WWE Women's Championship was a women's professional wrestling world championship in World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). The company claims a lineage that dates back to September 18, 1956, when The Fabulous Moolah became the third NWA World Women's Champion. WWE did not exist at that time, but they claim 1956 for the championship's establishment and do not recognize any title changes from when Moolah became champion until she lost it in 1984. Prior to Moolah losing the championship, she sold the rights to the title to the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) and it became the WWF Women's Championship, which would again be renamed in 2002 to WWE Women's Championship when the WWF was renamed to WWE. With the company claiming a lineage beginning in 1956, it made the Women's Championship the oldest active professional wrestling championship in WWE until its retirement in 2010 after it was unified with the WWE Divas Championship, which briefly became known as the Unified WWE Divas Championship. The final champion was Layla.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rikishi (wrestler)</span> American professional wrestler (born 1965)

Solofa Fatu Jr. is an American professional wrestler, best known under the ring names Rikishi and Fatu with World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), where he is a one-time Intercontinental Champion, two-time World Tag Team Champion, and one-time WWE Tag Team Champion. He is a member of the Anoaʻi family of Samoan wrestlers. He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame by his sons, wrestlers Jey and Jimmy Uso, in 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mae Young</span> American professional wrestler (1923–2014)

Johnnie Mae Young was an American professional wrestler, trainer and promoter. She wrestled throughout the United States and Canada and won multiple titles in the National Wrestling Alliance. Young is considered one of the pioneers in women's wrestling as she helped to increase the popularity of the sport throughout the 1940s and during World War II. In 1954, she and Mildred Burke were among the first female competitors to tour post-war Japan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bull Nakano</span> Japanese professional wrestler and golfer

Keiko Aoki is a Japanese retired professional wrestler and professional golfer better known as Bull Nakano. She began competing in All Japan Women's Pro-Wrestling (AJW) as a teenager under the ring name Bull Nakano. As a wrestler she was a villain, who often teamed with her mentor Dump Matsumoto. In Japan, she held several of AJW's singles and tag team championships. After being phased out by the company in the early 1990s, she traveled to North America, where she first competed in Mexico's Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL), becoming its first World Women's Champion. In 1994, she made her way to the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), where she had feuded with Alundra Blayze over the WWF Women's Championship. After holding the title once, she also competed in World Championship Wrestling (WCW). In 1998, Nakano began competing as a professional golfer, and in 2006, she joined a tour with the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA). She was inducted into the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame on 2001 and was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WWE Hall of Fame</span> Professional wrestling hall of fame and television series

The WWE Hall of Fame is a hall of fame which honors professional wrestlers and professional wrestling personalities maintained by WWE. Originally known as the "WWF Hall of Fame", it was created in 1993 when André the Giant was posthumously inducted with a video package as the sole inductee that year. The 1994 and 1995 ceremonies were held in conjunction with the annual King of the Ring pay-per-view events and the 1996 ceremony was held with the Survivor Series event. After an eight-year hiatus and after the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) had been renamed to World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) in 2002, the promotion relaunched the Hall of Fame in 2004 and has held the ceremonies in conjunction with WrestleMania ever since. Since 2005, portions of the induction ceremonies have aired on television and since 2014, the entire ceremonies have aired on the WWE Network, which was extended to Peacock in 2021 after the American version of the WWE Network merged under Peacock that year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Madusa</span> American professional wrestler and monster truck driver

Debrah Ann Miceli, better known as Madusa, is an American monster truck driver and retired professional wrestler. She is currently signed to National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) as a producer. In professional wrestling Miceli is also known by the ring name Alundra Blayze, which she used while in the WWF/WWE. Outside of the WWF, she wrestled under her professional name of Madusa, which was shortened from "Made in the USA". Her early career was spent in the American Wrestling Association, where she once held the AWA World Women's Championship. In 1988, she was the first woman to be awarded Pro Wrestling Illustrated's Rookie of the Year. The following year, she signed a contract with All Japan Women's Pro-Wrestling, making her the first foreign wrestler to do so.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Samu (wrestler)</span> American professional wrestler

Samula Fred Anoaʻi is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Samu. He is best known for his appearances with the World Wrestling Federation, World Championship Wrestling, Extreme Championship Wrestling, and New Japan Pro-Wrestling in the 1980s and 1990s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tatsumi Fujinami</span> Japanese professional wrestler

Tatsumi Fujinami is a Japanese professional wrestler currently signed to WWE on a legend's contract. Fujinami is most well known for his long tenure with New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he was a six-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion. He was famously nicknamed "The Dragon", and is credited for inventing the dragon sleeper and the dragon suplex.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Connor Michalek</span> American cancer victim (2005–2014)

Connor ‘The Crusher’ Michalek was an American WWE fan who received considerable media attention after a social media campaign for him to meet Daniel Bryan, his favorite professional wrestler. He later met Bryan and other WWE performers a number of times. Michalek, who had cancer of the spine and brain since he was three years old, died aged eight on April 25, 2014. WWE executives Triple H and Stephanie McMahon subsequently named the Connor's Cure charity in his honor, and he posthumously received the inaugural Warrior Award at the 2015 WWE Hall of Fame ceremony.

<i>WWE 2K16</i> 2015 video game

WWE 2K16 is a professional wrestling video game developed by Yuke's and published by 2K for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360 and Xbox One. It is the sequel to WWE 2K15, and was succeeded by WWE 2K17. It was released on October 27, 2015, in North America and on October 30, 2015, in Europe, while being released on PC on March 11, 2016.

WWE Hall of Fame (2014) was the event which featured the introduction of the 15th class to the WWE Hall of Fame. The event was produced by WWE on April 5, 2014, from the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. The event took place the same weekend as WrestleMania XXX. The event aired live on the WWE Network, and was hosted by Jerry Lawler. A condensed one-hour version of the ceremony aired the following Monday after Raw, on the USA Network.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WWE Hall of Fame (2016)</span> WWE Hall of Fame induction ceremony

WWE Hall of Fame (2016) was the event which featured the introduction of the 17th class to the WWE Hall of Fame. The event was produced by WWE on April 2, 2016, from the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. The event took place the same weekend as WrestleMania 32. The event aired live on the WWE Network, and was hosted by Jerry Lawler. A condensed one-hour version of the ceremony aired the following Thursday on USA Network, after SmackDown.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WWE Hall of Fame (2017)</span> WWE Hall of Fame induction ceremony

WWE Hall of Fame (2017) was the event which featured the introduction of the 18th class to the WWE Hall of Fame. The event was produced by WWE on March 31, 2017, from the Amway Center in Orlando, Florida. The event took place the same weekend as WrestleMania 33. This was the first time the Hall of Fame ceremony was not held the night before WrestleMania instead NXT TakeOver: Orlando was held the night before WrestleMania. The event aired live on the WWE Network, and was hosted by Jerry Lawler. A condensed one-hour version of the ceremony aired the following Monday after Raw on the USA Network.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WWE Hall of Fame (2018)</span> WWE Hall of Fame induction ceremony

WWE Hall of Fame (2018) was the event that featured the introduction of the 19th class to the WWE Hall of Fame. The event was produced by WWE on April 6, 2018, from the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. The event took place the same weekend as WrestleMania 34. The event aired live on the WWE Network, and was hosted by Jerry Lawler. The following night, a condensed one-hour version of the ceremony aired on USA Network.

WWE Hall of Fame (2013) was the event which featured the introduction of the 14th class to the WWE Hall of Fame. The event was produced by WWE on April 6, 2013, from Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. The event took place the same weekend as WrestleMania 29. The event was hosted by Jerry Lawler. A condensed one-hour version of the ceremony aired on the USA Network the following Tuesday. In March 2015 the ceremony was added to the WWE Network.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WWE Hall of Fame (2012)</span> WWE Hall of Fame induction ceremony

WWE Hall of Fame (2012) was the event which featured the introduction of the 13th class to the WWE Hall of Fame. The event was produced by WWE on March 31, 2012, from the American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida. The event took place the same weekend as WrestleMania XXVIII. The event was hosted by Jerry Lawler. A condensed one-hour version of the ceremony aired on the USA Network the following Monday, before Raw. In March 2015 the ceremony was added to the WWE Network.

References

  1. ↑ "Silicon Valley to host WrestleMania". World Wrestling Entertainment. December 10, 2013. Archived from the original on April 2, 2015. Retrieved March 17, 2014.
  2. ↑ "WrestleMania 31" . Retrieved 3 April 2018.
  3. ↑ "Wrestlemania 31 officially coming to town" . Retrieved 3 April 2018.
  4. ↑ "WWE Hall of Fame 2015 special to air on USA Network". 19 August 2017. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
  5. ↑ "Ultimate Warrior passes away". WWE. Archived from the original on November 9, 2014.
  6. 1 2 "WWE fan Connor Michalek to receive first-ever Warrior Award at 2015 WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony". WWE. March 9, 2015. Archived from the original on March 11, 2015. Retrieved March 9, 2015.
  7. ↑ "Connor Michalek's father and Daniel Bryan give touching, emotional WWE Hall of Fame speeches". 29 March 2015. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
  8. ↑ "Macho Man" Randy Savage announced for WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2015: Raw, January 12, 2015, archived from the original on September 29, 2017, retrieved 2018-04-03
  9. ↑ "'Macho Man' Randy Savage -- Makes WWE Hall of Fame ... Announcement Expected Tonight" . Retrieved 3 April 2018.
  10. ↑ "'Macho Man' Randy Savage truly lived the madness". 13 January 2015. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
  11. ↑ "Savage to be inducted into HOF". WWE. Archived from the original on January 12, 2015. Retrieved January 12, 2015.
  12. ↑ Rikishi is announced for the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2015: Raw, February 9, 2015, archived from the original on January 1, 2018, retrieved 2018-04-03
  13. ↑ "Rikishi set to enter the WWE Hall of Fame". 19 August 2017. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
  14. ↑ "Rikishi to be inducted into WWE Hall of Fame - Philly" . Retrieved 3 April 2018.
  15. ↑ "Rikishi to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame". 9 February 2015. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
  16. ↑ "WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2015 inductee to be announced tonight on Raw". WWE. Archived from the original on February 9, 2015. Retrieved February 9, 2015.
  17. ↑ Alundra Blayze is announced for the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2015: Raw, March 2, 2015, archived from the original on September 22, 2017, retrieved 2018-04-03
  18. ↑ "Madusa/Alundra Blayze Will Be The Next Inductee Into The WWE Hall Of Fame". 2 March 2015. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
  19. ↑ "Alundra Blayze Joins 2015 WWE Hall of Fame Class". www.scifighting.com. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
  20. ↑ "Alundra Blayze to be inducted into WWE Hall of Fame's Class of 2015". WWE. Archived from the original on 2015-03-03.
  21. ↑ Larry Zbyszko is announced for the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2015: Raw, March 16, 2015, archived from the original on September 29, 2017, retrieved 2018-04-03
  22. ↑ "'Living Legend' Larry Zbyszko to Enter WWE Hall of Fame". Rolling Stone . Retrieved 3 April 2018.
  23. ↑ "WWE Inducts Larry Zbyszko Into The Hall Of Fame". 16 March 2015. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
  24. ↑ "Larry Zbyszko to be inducted into WWE Hall of Fame's Class of 2015". WWE. Archived from the original on 2015-03-18.
  25. ↑ Tatsumi Fujinami is announced for the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2015, archived from the original on 2017-09-29, retrieved 2018-04-03
  26. ↑ "Japanese Legend 'The Dragon' Tatsumi Fujinami Will Be Inducted Into The WWE Hall Of Fame". 18 March 2015. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
  27. ↑ "Tatsumi Fujinami to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame's Class of 2015". WWE. Archived from the original on 2015-03-21.
  28. ↑ "Kevin Nash is announced for the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2015: Raw, March 23, 2015 | WWE". Archived from the original on 2017-09-29. Retrieved 2018-04-03.
  29. ↑ "Kevin Nash Enters WWE Hall of Fame, Like it or Not". Rolling Stone . Retrieved 3 April 2018.
  30. ↑ "Downriver native Kevin Nash entering WWE Hall of Fame" . Retrieved 3 April 2018.
  31. ↑ "Kevin Nash to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame's Class of 2015". WWE. Archived from the original on 2015-03-25.
  32. ↑ The Bushwhackers are announced for the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2015: Raw, February 23, 2015, archived from the original on September 29, 2017, retrieved 2018-04-03
  33. ↑ "Bushwhackers get spot in WWE Hall of Fame". Stuff. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
  34. ↑ "The Bushwackers to be inducted into WWE Hall of Fame - Philly" . Retrieved 3 April 2018.
  35. ↑ "The Bushwhackers announced for WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2015". Archived from the original on 2015-02-23.
  36. ↑ Arnold Schwarzenegger announced for WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2015: Raw, Jan. 26, 2015, archived from the original on 2017-09-29, retrieved 2018-04-03
  37. ↑ "Arnold Schwarzenegger to Join WWE's Hall of Fame". 26 January 2015. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
  38. ↑ "Arnold Schwarzenegger -- I'm Entering WWE Hall of Fame, Baby" . Retrieved 3 April 2018.
  39. ↑ "Arnold Schwarzenegger to be Celebrity Inductee in WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2015". Archived from the original on 2015-01-28.
  40. ↑ Connor Michalek to receive first-ever Warrior Award at 2015 WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony: Raw, March 9, 2015, archived from the original on September 29, 2017, retrieved 2018-04-03
  41. ↑ "WWE Hall of Fame to honor Pittsburgh wrestling fan who died at age 8". 10 March 2015. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
  42. ↑ "WWE to honor Connor Michalek with first-ever Warrior Award - Philly" . Retrieved 3 April 2018.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.