Taking off the gloves: Ali belongs in WWE Hall of Fame

Some of the stars of WrestleMania

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter
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Full disclaimer, I have no idea if Ali was opposed to going in or if there's some other reason for him not being inducted.

I'm not complaining for the sake of complaining with this post. It's something I've felt strongly about for a long time, even documenting here on the blog. Muhammad Ali should have been one of the first inductees into the celebrity wing of the WWE Hall of Fame. 

For years, some fans have complained about the celebrity wing arguing that Donald Trump got in before "Ravishing" Rick Rude. A long time ago I accepted the fact that the celebrity wing and the wrestling wing are separate. And when you consider WWE is a sports entertainment company, it makes sense why they have celebrities involved.

Back to my original point... In 2004 when WWE really reintroduced fans to the Hall of Fame and inducted Pete Rose, the reasoning made sense. Rose's exclusion from the Baseball Hall of Fame was hot news at the time and his WWE HOF induction made headlines in main stream media outlets. The next year the principles from the first WrestleMania were inducted. Hulk Hogan, Roddy Piper, Paul Orndorff and Bob Orton were all a part of that original main event. Since Mr. T wasn't in that class, it would have been the perfect time to add Ali (or Cyndi Lauper).

Hogan and Ali
Courtesy: WWE

Every year WWE inducts at least one wrestler, manager or announcer posthumously. They've never done that with a celebrity. I can't imagine that they would either because the point of the celebrity has always been the appeal of someone fans don't normally see at these events being a part of the show. I could be (and I hope I am) wrong about that. Ali's daughter Laila has plenty of crossover appeal and could accept on behalf of her father.

Inoki vs. Ali

Ali's history with WWE and wrestling is quite rich. He was in a boxer vs. wrestler match in Tokyo against Antonio Inoki in 1976. The buildup to that included a confrontation with Gorilla Monsoon and in ring promos with manager "Classy" Freddie Blassie. Ali was the guest enforcer referee during the main event of WrestleMania. He worked as a second for The Snowman in Mid-South as he battled Jake "The Snake" Roberts. He also appeared at WCW's Halloween Havoc in 1994.

Ali and Andre, what a pair

So obviously he has been involved enough with the business and has a high profile stature that should have put him in ahead of the likes of Drew Carey and Snoop Dog. But maybe I'm sounding like the fans who gripe that the Bushwhackers are in but not the Midnight Express...

Ladies Night: Please Add These Women to the Hall of Fame

Three Hall of Fame worthy women
Elizabeth, Cyndi Lauper and Luna Vachon

By Kevin Hunsperger
@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter
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Before I get too far into this post, I'm going to start off by saying I know that there are likely circumstances that we don't know about that are keeping some of these women out of the WWE Hall of Fame.  I'm not posting this as a criticism to the WWE, these are just a few of the names I'd like to see enshrined sooner rather than later. 

Randy Savage & Elizabeth at Wrestlemania IV
Photo courtesy: WWE

Miss Elizabeth was often referred to as "The First Lady of Wrestling."  I remember when she burst onto the scene in WWF back in 1985.  All of the managers in the company had been trying hard to sign newcomer "Macho Man" Randy Savage.  The Macho Man turned down the likes of Bobby Heenan, Jimmy Hart and Freddie Blassie.  Finally, Savage introduced his manager/valet, a beautiful brunette simply named Elizabeth.  She made history in the WWE and paved the way for the likes of Sunny, Sable and Marlena.

Liz saves the day
Photo courtesy: WWE

Savage and Liz were made a great pairing.  I'm sure it had a lot to do with the fact that they were married in real life.  The couple had its ups and downs and finally split during the Mega Powers explosion in 1989.  Liz faded out of the spotlight, showing up briefly a year later at Wrestlemania 6 to "manage" Dusty Rhodes and Sapphire against Savage and Sensational Sherri.  Then a year after that, the "first couple of wrestling" reunited when Liz jumped the barricade and charged the ring to save Savage from Sherri's beating.  I along with many others cheered in front of the TV as these two embraced and rekindled their romance.  Randy and Liz were "Ross and Rachel" long before Friends ever premiered.

Elizabeth confronts Ric Flair
Photo courtesy: WWE

Liz stuck by Macho Man after their TV wedding and the couple survived Ric Flair's allegations of a previous romance with Elizabeth.  The couple divorced behind the scenes a short time later, but Elizabeth stayed involved in the business after Savage appeared in WCW.  She played a role in several story lines there including one of the worst handcuff jobs I've ever seen.  Sadly Elizabeth died in 2003 at the age of 42.  I've read that surviving family members are the ones keeping her out of the Hall of Fame.  I remain optimistic that an agreement will eventually be reached and she'll take her rightful place in wrestling history.

Lauper with Wendi Richter
Photo courtesy: WWE

I've blogged before about Cyndi Lauper and why I think she belongs in the WWE Hall of Fame.  Simply stated: Cyndi was a major factor behind the Rock n Wrestling Connection in 1984.  She showed up on Piper's Pit after Capt. Lou Albano took credit for her success (Albano had appeared in her Girls Just Wanna Have Fun video).  Eventually Piper got involved, which brought in Hulk Hogan and Mr. T and leading to Wrestlemania.  In the meantime, Lauper managed Richter to her two WWF Women's Title reigns.  I was a huge fan of Cyndi's at the time and seeing her on WWF programming sealed the deal for me.  Her work in those early days have more than earned her the right to be the first female inductee into the Celebrity Wing of the Hall of Fame.  

Luna at Monday Night Raw
Photo courtesy: WWE

Luna Vachon is one of the first true bad ass women of wrestling. My first memories of her are from my Apter magazines, when they'd written up something about her and the tag team she managed The Blackhearts.  She looked just as scary and tough as the men she managed.  Later, she surfaced in WWF and joined the likes of Shawn Michaels and Bam Bam Bigelow.  She and Bigelow feuded with Doink and Dink the Clown at a time when women's wrestling frankly sucked in WWF.  She'd later return and join Goldust during a period when Goldie had gone rogue.  Luna feuded with Sable in the ring and in real life.  Despite her talent, Luna never won the women's title.  Even with her ups and downs behind the scenes, I think she too has earned her a chance at immortality in the Hall of Fame.  May she rest in peace as well.

Don't Pity Him, Fools

Mr. T vs. Roddy Piper
Photo courtesy: WWE

By Kevin Hunsperger
@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

WWE has announced Mr. T will be going into the Celebrity Wing of the Hall of Fame.  Obviously, this is a good choice in terms of celebrity inductions.  Mr. T was one of the big draws for Wrestlemania as his star power from the A-Team helped bring wrestling into the main stream or the main stream to wrestling.

Boxing at Wrestlemania II
Photo courtesy: WWE

At that first Wrestlemania, Mr. T and Hulk Hogan teamed up to beat Roddy Piper and Paul Orndorff.  According to Piper, there is legit hard feelings between he and the actor, as Piper feels T didn't respect the business.  When the two met a year later in a boxing match at Wrestlemania II, the heat was still there.  

Mr. T made a few more appearances with the WWF in the late 80's.  I remember him serving as an enforcer referee during the Honky Tonk Man-Jake Roberts feud.  I believe he was even doing that on the house show circuit at a match in St. Louis.  He also went on to support Hogan when he moved to WCW and beat Ric Flair for the heavyweight title.

Hogan, Snuka, & Mr. T
Photo courtesy: WWE

Mr. T then faded away not just from wrestling, but it seemed the main stream too.  I know he had some health issues at one point.  There's also the rumor that he refused to be inducted in the Hall of Fame earlier because he wasn't happy with the payday.  I'm glad those issues (if they exist) have been resolved.

I've talked about it before, I'm not a huge fan of the celebrity wing, but it obviously serves a purpose.  The WWE is about sports entertainment, and the men so far inducted have proven they're not making a mockery of wrestling.  I do think that Cyndi Lauper needs to be the next (and first woman) inducted into that celebrity wing.  But for now, props to Mr. T, a well deserved honor for the 80's icon.