WWE Hall of Fame (2016)

Last updated
WWE Hall of Fame (2016)
2016 Hall of Fame 2016-04-02 17-35-02 ILCE-6000 7882 DxO (27485357476).jpg
The 2016 WWE Hall of Fame set
Promotion WWE
DateApril 2, 2016
City Dallas, Texas
Venue American Airlines Center
WWE Hall of Fame chronology
 Previous
2015
Next 
2017

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. [1] 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 . [2]

Contents

Event

Due to the launch of the WWE Network shortly before WrestleMania XXX, this event featured the third 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 and Maria Menounos.

The Godfather was inducted by his long-term friend whom he often traveled the road with, the members of The Acolytes Protection Agency, John "Bradshaw" Layfield and Ron Simmons.

Stan Hansen was inducted by his overseas partner and rival Vader.

Jacqueline was inducted by The Dudley Boyz (Bubba Ray Dudley and D-Von Dudley).

In 2016, WWE introduced a new category for the Hall of Fame called the "Legacy" wing. Inductees under this new category feature wrestlers from the early years of professional wrestling, primarily during the early part of the 20th century. [3] All inductees in 2016 are inducted posthumously and were recognized with a video package at the ceremony. [4] Those inducted in the 2016 legacy category were Mildred Burke, Frank Gotch, George Hackenschmidt, Ed "Strangler" Lewis, Pat O'Connor, Lou Thesz and "Sailor" Art Thomas.

The Fabulous Freebirds were the group inductee into the Hall of Fame. Representing them were Michael Hayes, Terry Gordy (represented by his son, Ray Gordy), Buddy Roberts (represented by his son Buddy Roberts Jr.), Jimmy Garvin. The Freebirds were inducted by The New Day members Big E, Kofi Kingston, and Xavier Woods. Following their induction Hayes sang their song Badstreet U.S.A.

Big Boss Man was inducted by Slick. Due to his death in 2004, his induction was accepted by his wife Angela and his daughters Lacy and Megan.

Snoop Dogg was inducted by John Cena. Snoop Dogg spoke about what it was like growing up a fan of professional wrestling, and gave what an honor it is to see his cousin Sasha Banks now wrestling for WWE.

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] Joan Lunden became the second recipient of The Warrior Award. The Ultimate Warrior's wife Dana inducted Lunden and spoke of her recent return to the public eye and openly discussing her breast cancer diagnosis in addition to becoming a spokeswoman for Susan G. Komen.

Sting was the final inductee and was inducted by Ric Flair. Sting spoke about what a long journey it was to come to WWE, and how proud he was to finally be in WWE. Sting then announced that he wanted to retire in WWE and used the opportunity to officially announce his retirement. [7] Despite this, Sting later debuted in rival promotion All Elite Wrestling (AEW) in late 2020, coming out of retirement, and competed in his first match in over five years at AEW's Revolution pay-per-view on March 7, 2021. [8] [9]

Inductees

Individual

ImageRing name
(Birth Name)
Inducted byWWE recognized accolades
Sting HOF 2016.jpg Sting [10]
(Steve Borden)
Ric Flair Six-time WCW World Heavyweight Champion
Two-time WCW International World Heavyweight Champion
Two-time NWA World Heavyweight Champion
Two-time WCW United States Champion
Three-time WCW World Tag Team Champion
The Godfather HOF 2016.jpg The Godfather [11] [12]
(Charles Wright)
The Acolytes Protection Agency
(John "Bradshaw" Layfield and Ron Simmons)
One-time WWF Intercontinental Champion
One-time WWF Tag Team Champion [13]
WWE Bossman.png Big Boss Man [14] [15]
(Ray Traylor Jr.)
Slick Posthumous inductee: represented by his widow Angela and his daughters Lacy and Megan
Four-time WWF Hardcore Champion
One-time WWF Tag Team Champion [16]
Jacqueline Moore Hall of Fame 2016 induction.jpg Jacqueline [17] [18]
(Jacqueline Moore)
The Dudley Boyz
(Bubba Ray Dudley and D-Von Dudley)
Two-time WWF Women's Champion and the first African American WWF Women's Champion
One-time WWE Cruiserweight Champion (the only woman to win the title in WWE)
The first African American woman to be inducted
One-time UWF Women's World Champion
14-time USWA Women's Champion
Stan Hansen HOF 2016.jpg Stan Hansen [19] [20]
(John Hansen II)
Vader One-time AWA World Heavyweight Champion
One-time NWA United States Heavyweight Champion [21]

Group

ImageGroupInducted byWWE recognized accolades
2016 Hall of Fame 2016-04-02 20-26-56 DSC-HX90V 2326 DxO (26951438304).jpg The Fabulous Freebirds [22] [23] The New Day
(Big E, Kofi Kingston, and Xavier Woods)
Six-time WCCW World Six-Man Tag Team Champions
Two-time WCW World Tag Team Champions
Two-time WCW United States Tag Team Champions
One-time WCW World Six-Man Tag Team Champions
Credited for creating the "Freebird Rule"
Michael Hayes (Michael Seitz) – One-time NWA United States Heavyweight Champion.
Terry Gordy – Posthumous inductee: represented by his son Ray Gordy. One time NWA Americas Heavyweight Champion, one-time WCW World Tag Team Champion, one-time NWA World Tag Team Champion. Two-time Triple Crown Heavyweight Champion and seven-time World Tag Team Champion in All Japan Pro Wrestling.
Buddy Roberts (Dale Hey) – Posthumous inductee: represented by his son Buddy Roberts Jr. One-time NWA Texas Heavyweight Champion, one-time WCCW Television Champion.
Jimmy Garvin (James Williams) – Four-time NWA American Heavyweight Champion, one-time AWA World Tag Team Champion

Celebrity

ImageRecipient
(Birth name)
OccupationInducted byAppearances
2016 Hall of Fame 2016-04-02 21-30-06 DSC-HX90V 2513 DxO (27526973776).jpg Snoop Dogg [24]
(Calvin Broadus Jr.)
Rapper John Cena Master of Ceremonies for the Playboy BunnyMania Lumberjill match at WrestleMania XXIV and accompanied Sasha Banks to the ring for her match at WrestleMania 32.
Raw guest host in 2009 and guest star in 2015
[25]

Warrior Award

ImageRecipient
(Birth name)
Presented ByNotes
2016 Hall of Fame 2016-04-02 21-52-03 ILCE-6000 8409 DxO (26951439824).jpg Joan Lunden [26] [27]
(Joan Blunden)
Dana Warrior Long-time former co-host of Good Morning America .
Returned to the public eye in recent years for openly discussing her breast cancer diagnosis.
Spokeswoman for Susan G. Komen for the Cure
[28]

Legacy

ImageRing name
(Birth name)
WWE recognized accolades
Mildredburke.jpg Mildred Burke One-time and first NWA World Women's Champion for almost twenty years from 1930 to 1950
Two-time Women's World Champion
Frank-gotch.jpg Frank Gotch One-time World Heavyweight Wrestling Champion
Three-time American Heavyweight Champion [3]
Georg Hackenschmidt ca. 1905.jpg George Hackenschmidt
(Georg Hackenschmidt)
One-time European Greco-Roman Heavyweight Champion and first ever World Heavyweight Wrestling Champion [3]
Ed'strangler'lewis.png Ed "Strangler" Lewis
(Robert Friedrich)
Four-time World Heavyweight Champion
One-time holder of the Boston version of the AWA World Heavyweight Championship
One-time NWA Florida Heavyweight Champion [3]
PatOConnor.jpg Pat O'Connor One-time NWA World Heavyweight Champion
Three-time NWA Central States United States Heavyweight Champion
One-time (and inaugural) AWA World Heavyweight Champion
One-time AWA World Tag Team Champion [3]
LouThesz.jpg Lou Thesz
(Aloysius Thesz)
One-time holder of the Boston version of the AWA World Heavyweight Championship
Two-time World Heavyweight Wrestling Champion
Three-time NWA World Heavyweight Champion [3]
Sailorartthoms.jpg "Sailor" Art Thomas Billed by WWE as "one of sports-entertainment's first African-American stars", a frequent challenger for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship [3]

Related Research Articles

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

Steve Borden, better known by the ring name Sting, is an American retired professional wrestler. Borden is best known for his time spent as the face of two American professional wrestling promotions: World Championship Wrestling (WCW) from 1988 to 2001 and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) from 2006 to 2014, as well as his retirement run in All Elite Wrestling (AEW) from 2020 to 2024. Although the World Wrestling Federation purchased WCW in 2001, Borden did not sign with them at the time; he would later sign with WWE from 2014 to 2020. Prior to WCW, he wrestled for the National Wrestling Alliance's (NWA) Jim Crockett Promotions (JCP)—which became WCW in 1988—the Universal Wrestling Federation (UWF), and the Continental Wrestling Association (CWA). Borden wore face-paint throughout his career, and in 1996, changed from the multi-colored paint of his "Surfer" persona to the monochromatic paint of the "Crow" gimmick; he also incorporated elements of The Joker in the later part of his time in TNA.

<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">Fabulous Freebirds</span> Professional wrestling stable

The Fabulous Freebirds were a professional wrestling tag team who attained fame in the 1980s, performing into the 1990s. The team usually consisted of three wrestlers, although in different situations and points in its history, just two performed under the Freebirds name. The Freebird lineup of Hayes, Roberts, and Gordy was inducted into the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2015, and members Hayes, Roberts, Gordy, and Garvin were inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Terry Gordy</span> American professional wrestler

Terry Ray Gordy Sr. was an American professional wrestler. Gordy appeared in the United States with promotions such as Mid-South Wrestling, Georgia Championship Wrestling, World Class Championship Wrestling, Jim Crockett Promotions/World Championship Wrestling and the Universal Wrestling Federation as a member of The Fabulous Freebirds. He also appeared in Japan with All Japan Pro Wrestling as one-half of The Miracle Violence Connection.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NWA Hall of Fame</span> Professional wrestling hall of fame

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. Inductees receive commemorative medals that have their names inscribed on it with the logo of the NWA.

The Southern Wrestling Hall of Fame is a professional wrestling hall of fame maintained by Iconic Heroes of Wrestling Excellence (IHWE). Established in 2009 to honor select wrestling personalities, inductees were initially limited to alumni of the Global Wrestling Federation, National Wrestling Alliance, USWA Texas, and World Class Championship Wrestling, but also included independent stars after 2011. In 2015, the hall of fame expanded to include wrestling personalities from all of the Southern United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame</span> Professional wrestling hall of fame

The George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame (TNTHOF) 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, and his trainer George Tragos. Inductees are professional wrestlers with a strong amateur wrestling or shootfighting background who have made an impact on professional wrestling. Additionally, it issues several more awards to recognize individuals who have influenced the industry in various capacities.

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 (2015)</span> WWE Hall of Fame induction ceremony

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. The event took place the same weekend as WrestleMania 31. 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 (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.

WWE Hall of Fame (2011) was the event which featured the introduction of the 12th class to the WWE Hall of Fame. The event was produced by WWE on April 2, 2011, from the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. The event took place the same weekend as WrestleMania XXVII. 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, Originally The Fabulous Freebirds were supposed to be inducted at this event but got moved to the 2016 event In March 2015 the ceremony was added to the WWE Network.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WWE Hall of Fame (2019)</span> WWE Hall of Fame induction ceremony

The 2019 WWE Hall of Fame was a professional wrestling event produced by WWE that featured the introduction of the twentieth class into the WWE Hall of Fame. It took place on April 6, 2019, from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, as part of WrestleMania 35 weekend. The event aired live on the WWE Network.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WWE Hall of Fame (2021)</span> WWE Hall of Fame induction ceremony

The 2020-2021 WWE Hall of Fame was a professional wrestling event produced by WWE that featured the induction of the 21st and 22nd classes to the WWE Hall of Fame. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 Hall of Fame ceremony did not occur—as a result, the originally announced Class of 2020 was inducted alongside the Class of 2021 at the 2021 induction ceremony. The event was taped on March 30 and April 1, 2021, at the WWE ThunderDome, hosted at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida, and aired on April 6 on Peacock in the United States and the WWE Network internationally. Jerry Lawler served as the host for the Class of 2020 portion of the show while Corey Graves and Kayla Braxton were the hosts for the Class of 2021 portion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WWE Hall of Fame (2022)</span> Professional wrestling induction event

The 2022 WWE Hall of Fame was a professional wrestling event produced by WWE that featured the induction of the 23rd class into the WWE Hall of Fame. The ceremony took place on April 1, 2022, at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas, the night preceding WrestleMania 38. It aired live at 10pm Eastern Time on Peacock in the United States and the WWE Network internationally, immediately after the airing of WWE's regular Friday night program, SmackDown. The event was headlined by the induction of The Undertaker into the WWE Hall of Fame.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WWE Hall of Fame (2023)</span> Professional wrestling induction event

The 2023 WWE Hall of Fame was a professional wrestling event produced by WWE that featured the induction of the 24th class into the WWE Hall of Fame. The ceremony took place on March 31, 2023, at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California, the night preceding WrestleMania 39. It aired live at 10pm Eastern Time on Peacock in the United States and the WWE Network internationally, immediately after the airing of WWE's regular Friday night program, SmackDown.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WWE Hall of Fame (2024)</span> Professional wrestling induction event

The 2024 WWE Hall of Fame was a professional wrestling event produced by WWE that featured the induction of the 25th class into the WWE Hall of Fame. The ceremony took place on April 5, 2024, at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the night preceding WrestleMania XL. It was livestreamed at 10 pm Eastern Time on Peacock in the United States and the WWE Network internationally, immediately after the airing of WWE's regular Friday night program, SmackDown. Paul Heyman, Bull Nakano, The U.S. Express, Lia Maivia, Muhammad Ali, and Thunderbolt Patterson were among the inductees.

References

  1. "WWE Hall of Fame Show Preview". 1 April 2016. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
  2. "How to watch the WWE Hall of Fame 2016 ceremony" . Retrieved 11 April 2018.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Congratulations to the 2016 WWE Hall of Fame Legacy inductees". WWE. April 2, 2016. Archived from the original on April 21, 2016. Retrieved April 2, 2016.
  4. Caldwell, James (April 2, 2016). "4/2 WWE Hall of Fame Report – Complete Live Coverage of Sting, Freebirds, more inducted, plus Red Carpet Report". PWTorch.com. Archived from the original on April 3, 2016. Retrieved April 3, 2016.
  5. "Ultimate Warrior passes away". WWE. Archived from the original on November 9, 2014.
  6. "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. Martin, Damon (April 3, 2016). "Sting announces his retirement during WWE Hall of Fame induction". Fox Sports. Archived from the original on April 10, 2016. Retrieved April 3, 2016.
  8. Lambert, Jeremy (January 21, 2021). "Sting Set To Compete At AEW Revolution, Teams With Darby Allin Against Team Taz". Fightful. Retrieved January 21, 2021.
  9. Powell, Jason (March 7, 2021). "AEW Revolution results: Powell's live review of Kenny Omega vs. Jon Moxley in an Exploding Barbed Wire Death Match for the AEW Championship, Young Bucks vs. Chris Jericho and MJF for the AEW Tag Titles, surprise debut, Face of the Revolution ladder match for a TNT Title shot". Pro Wrestling Dot Net. Retrieved March 7, 2021.
  10. "WWE's Sting on the Hall of Fame, Seth Rollins and life after wrestling". 1 April 2016. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
  11. "The Godfather Is The Latest Inductee To The WWE Hall Of Fame Class Of 2016". 22 February 2016. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
  12. "WWE adds 'The Godfather' to Hall of Fame class of 2016". 22 February 2016. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
  13. "The Godfather to be inducted into WWE Hall of Fame's Class of 2016". WWE. Archived from the original on February 25, 2016. Retrieved February 29, 2016.
  14. "Big Boss Man's greatest WWE rivalries: From Nailz to Hulk Hogan" . Retrieved 3 April 2018.
  15. "Big Bossman to be inducted into WWE Hall of Fame". 7 March 2016. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
  16. Pappolla, Ryan. "Big Boss Man to be inducted into WWE Hall of Fame's Class of 2016". WWE. Archived from the original on March 8, 2016. Retrieved March 7, 2016.
  17. "Jacqueline joins WWE Hall of Fame class of 2016". 14 March 2016. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
  18. "Jacqueline Moore Added to WWE Hall of Fame - InvestorPlace". 14 March 2016. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
  19. "Stan 'The Lariat' Hansen joins WWE Hall of Fame class of 2016". 21 March 2016. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
  20. "Stan Hansen And His Bullrope To Be Inducted Into WWE Hall Of Fame With Class Of 2016". 21 March 2016. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
  21. Melok, Bobby. "Stan Hansen to be inducted into WWE Hall of Fame's Class of 2016". WWE. Archived from the original on March 23, 2016. Retrieved March 21, 2016.
  22. "Fabulous Freebirds to Enter WWE Hall of Fame – Finally" . Retrieved 3 April 2018.
  23. "The Fabulous Freebirds to Be Inducted in WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2016". 1 March 2016. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
  24. "Snoop Dogg Channeled Hulk Hogan And Ric Flair To Celebrate His WWE Hall Of Fame Induction". 1 April 2016. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
  25. Melok, Bobby. "Snoop Dogg to be Celebrity Inductee in WWE Hall of Fame's Class of 2016". WWE. Archived from the original on March 29, 2016. Retrieved March 28, 2016.
  26. "Joan Lunden To Receive 'Warrior Award' From The WWE At Hall Of Fame Ceremony In Texas!". 28 March 2016. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
  27. "WrestleMania Fever Hits North Texas" . Retrieved 3 April 2018.
  28. "Joan Lunden to receive 2016 Warrior Award at 2016 WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony". WWE. Archived from the original on March 31, 2016. Retrieved March 28, 2016.