NWA 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.[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] Similarly to the World Championship Wrestling's Hall of Fame, the 2008 ceremony was held during a wrestling event.[4][5][6]
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.[7][8]
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 (The 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, The Iron Sheik, and Ric Flair. Overall there are 87 inductees, 45 inductees were inducted posthumously.
Inductees[]
Year | Ring name (Birth name)[a] |
Inducted for | Accolades[b][c] |
---|---|---|---|
2005 | Lou Thesz (Aloysius Martin Thesz) |
Wrestling | Posthumous Inductee: Three-time NWA World Heavyweight Championship, one-time NWA International Heavyweight Championship (All-Japan Version), one-time NWA Southern Junior Heavyweight Championship[9] |
2005 | Harley Race | Wrestling | Eight-time NWA World Heavyweight Championship, NWA United States Heavyweight Championship (Mid-Atlantic/Georgia/WCW Version) (first champion) nine-time NWA Central States Heavyweight Championship and seven-time NWA Missouri Heavyweight Championship 3-times AWA World Tag Team Championship[10] |
2005 | Sam Muchnick | Promoting | Posthumous Inductee: Founded the NWA and served as president from 1950 to 1960 and 1963 to 1975[11] |
2005 | Jim Barnett (James Barnett) |
Promoting | Posthumous inductee: Owned Georgia Championship Wrestling during the mid-1970s.[12] Also promoted in the Detroit Territory, Indianapolis Territory and Australia. |
2005 | Gordon Solie (Francis Labiak) |
Commentating | Posthumous Inductee: Commentator for Championship Wrestling from Florida and World Championship Wrestling promotions.[13] |
2005 | Jim Cornette (James Cornette) |
Managing | Managed various wrestlers during the 1980s and 1990s.[14] |
2006 | Dory Funk Jr. (Dorrance Funk Jr.) |
Wrestling | Held the NWA World Heavyweight Championship (1 time) for over four years, the second longest reign in the title's history,[15] |
2006 | Saul Weingeroff (Solomon Weingeroff) |
Managing | Posthumous Inductee: Managed various wrestlers in the NWA during the 1960s and 1970s[16] |
2006 | Lance Russell | Commentating | Commentated in the Continental Wrestling Association and Memphis Championship Wrestling companies[17] |
2006 | Eddie Graham (Edward Gossett) |
Wrestling | Posthumous Inductee: He won over 20 NWA championships.[18] Promoter of Championship Wrestling from Florida. |
2006 | Leilani Kai (Patty Seymour) |
Wrestling | Won the NWA World Women's Championship (1 time)[19] |
2008 | The Iron Sheik (Khosrow Vaziri) |
Wrestling | Won the NWA Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Championship (1 time) and NWA World Television Championship (1 time),[20] |
2008 | Ric Flair (Richard Fliehr) |
Wrestling | Won the NWA World Heavyweight Championship (10 times), NWA Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Championship (4 times),[21] 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. |
2008 | Tommy Rich (Thomas Richardson) |
Wrestling | Won the NWA World Heavyweight Championship (1 time), NWA Georgia Tag Team Championship (6 times),[22][23] |
2008 | Nikita Koloff (Nelson Simpson) |
Wrestling | Won the NWA National Heavyweight Championship (1 time) and NWA United States Heavyweight Championship (1 time),[24] NWA World Six-Man Tag Team Championship (Mid-Atlantic), NWA World Tag Team Championship (Mid-Atlantic Version), NWA World Television Championship |
2009 | Gene Kiniski (Eugene Kiniski) |
Wrestling | Held the NWA World Heavyweight Championship (1 time). |
2009 | Terry Funk (Terrence Funk) |
Wrestling | Won the NWA World Heavyweight Championship, NWA United States Heavyweight Championship (Mid-Atlantic/Georgia/WCW Version). |
2009 | Paul Orndorff (Paul Orndorff, Jr.) |
Wrestling | Won the NWA World Tag Team Championship and NWA National Heavyweight Championship (3 times). |
2009 | Tully 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. |
2009 | Mil Máscaras (Aaron Rodríguez) |
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. |
2009 | Jerry Jarrett (Jerry Jarrett, Sr.) |
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). |
2009 | Dennis 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. |
2010 | Buddy Rogers (Herman Rohde, Jr.) |
wrestling | Posthumous Inductee, Won the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. |
2010 | Jack Brisco (Freddie Brisco) |
Wrestling | Posthumous Inductee. Won the NWA World Heavyweight Championship (2 times) and the NWA Mid-Atlantic World Tag Team Championship (3 times with his brother Jerry). |
2010 | Dan Severn (Daniel Severn) |
Wrestling | Two-time NWA World Heavyweight Championship |
2010 | Shinya Hashimoto | Wrestling | Posthumous Inductee. Won the NWA World Heavyweight Championship, NWA Intercontinental Tag Team Championship. |
2010 | Nick Gulas | Promoting | Posthumous Inductee. Promoter of the NWA Mid-American territory in Tennessee. |
2010 | The Shiek (Edward Farhat) |
Wrestling | Posthumous Inductee. Promoter of the Detroit Territory, won over 10 NWA championships. |
2010 | Danny Hodge (Daniel Hodge) |
Wrestling | Won the NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship (8 times). |
2010 | Ed Chuman (Edward Chuman) |
Promoting | Posthumous Inductee. Promoter of NWA Midwest |
2011 | Pat O'Connor (Patrick O'Connor) |
Wrestling | Posthumous Inductee; won the NWA World Heavyweight Championship (1 time)),[25] |
2011 | Dusty Rhodes (Virgil Runnels, Jr.) |
Wrestling | Won the NWA World Heavyweight Championship (3 times), NWA World Television Championship (3 times), NWA United States Heavyweight Championship (Mid-Atlantic/Georgia/WCW Version), NWA Florida Heavyweight Championship (12 times), NWA World Six-Man Tag Team Championship (2 times with Road Warroirs),[25] |
2011 | Wahoo McDaniel (Edward McDaniel) |
Wrestling | Posthumous Inductee,[25] Won the NWA Mid-Atlantic World Tag Team Championship (4 times), NWA Florida World Tag Team Championship (2 times) |
2011 | Angelo Savoldi (Mario Fornini, Sr.) |
Wrestling | NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship (5 times)[25] |
2011 | Freddie Blassie (Frederick Blassman) |
Wrestling | Posthumous Inductee, NWA Americas Heavyweight Championship (Hollywood/Los Angeles version) (6 Times), NWA World Tag Team Championship (Georgia version), NWA World Tag Team Championship (Florida version). |
2011 | Rikidōzan (Mitsuhiro Momota) |
Wrestling | Posthumous Inductee,[25] Won over 10 NWA championships. |
2011 | Johnny Valentine (John Wisniski) |
Wrestling | Posthumous Inductee,[25] won over 30 NWA championships. |
2011 | Bill Apter | Contributor[25] | Editor of Pro Wrestling Illustrated |
2011 | Sue Green (Susan Green) |
Wrestling | Won the NWA World Women's Championship[25] |
2012 | Ricky Steamboat (Richard Blood, Sr.) |
Wrestling[26] | 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). |
2012 | Paul Boesch | Promoting[26] | Posthumous Inductee. Promoter of the NWA in Houston, TX. |
2012 | Sputnik Monroe (Rosco Merrick) |
NWA Humanitarian Award[26] | Posthumous Inductee. Won the NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship, NWA World Tag Team Championship (Mid-America version). |
2012 | John Tolos | Wrestling[26] | Posthumous Inductee, Won over 30 NWA championships. |
2012 | Mr. Wrestling II (John Walker) |
Wrestling[26] | NWA World Tag Team Championship (Mid-America version), NWA World Tag Team Championship (Mid-Atlantic Version). |
2012 | Teddy Long (Theodore Long) |
Refereeing[26] | |
2012 | Little Beaver (Lionel Giroux) |
Wrestling[26] | Posthumous Inductee. NWA World Midget's Championship (2 times) |
2012 | The Fabulous Moolah (Mary Ellison) |
Wrestling[26] | Posthumous Inductee: Five-time NWA World Women's Championship and two-time NWA Women's World Tag Team Championship |
2012 | Joyce Grable (Betty Wade-Murphy) |
Wrestling[26] | Won the NWA Women's World Tag Team Championship (4 times), NWA United States Women's Championship |
2012 | Misty Blue (Diane Syms) |
Wrestling[26] | Won the NWA United States Women's Championship |
2013 | Ray Stevens (Carl Stevens) |
Wrestling | Posthumous Inductee. Won various NWA World Tag Team Championships (6 times), AWA World Tag Team Championship (4 times), the NWA United States Heavyweight Championship (San Francisco version) and various regional NWA titles |
2013 | Salvador Lutteroth (Salvador González) |
Promoting | Posthumous Inductee. Was a member of the NWA from 1952 to 1986. Promotion was called EMLL until leaving the NWA and became CMLL. |
2013 | Dory Funk, Sr. (Dorrance Funk, Sr.) |
Wrestling | Posthumous Inductee. Won the NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship and various NWA regional titles. |
2013 | Bobo Brazil (Houston Harris) |
Wrestling | Posthumous Inductee. Won various NWA regional titles. Had a legendary feud with The Original Sheik over the Detroit version of the NWA United States Heavyweight Title. |
2013 | Jackie Fargo (Henry Faggart) |
Wrestling | Posthumous Inductee. Won the NWA Southern Tag Team Championship (22 times), various versions of the NWA World Tag Team titles and was one third of the first ever NWA World Six-Man Tag Team Championship. |
2013 | Ernie Ladd (Ernest Ladd) |
Wrestling | Posthumous Inductee. Won various NWA regional titles. |
2014 | Giant Baba (Shohei Baba) |
Wrestling, Promoting | Posthumous Inductee. Was the founder of All-Japan Pro Wrestling, which was a NWA member until 1989. Won the NWA World Heavyweight Championship (3 times), NWA World Tag Team Championship (Detroit version), NWA International Heavyweight Championship (All-Japan Version) (3 times), NWA International Tag Team Championship (All-Japan Version) (12 times), PWF Heavyweight Championship (4 times) |
2014 | Kevin Sullivan | Wrestling | Won the NWA United States Tag Team Championship (Mid-Atlantic/Georgia/WCW Version), NWA United States Tag Team Championship (Gulf Coast Version), NWA United States Junior Heavyweight Championship (Southeast Version), NWA World Tag Team Championship (Central States version), NWA World Tag Team Championship (Mid-America version) |
2014 | Pinkie George (Paul George) |
Promoting | Posthumous Inductee. Was a founder of the NWA. Was the Original President of the NWA. |
2014 | Ox Baker (Douglas Baker) |
Wrestling | Posthumous Inductee. NWA World Tag Team Championship (Los Angeles version), NWA Austra-Asian Tag Team Championship (2 times), NWA North American Heavyweight Championship (Calgary Version), NWA United States Heavyweight Championship (Detroit version), NWA American Heavyweight Championship (2 times), NWA Atlantic Coast Tag Team Championship, NWA Florida Tag Team Championship, NWA Georgia Tag Team Championship, NWA Texas Heavyweight Championship |
2014 | Cowboy Bob Kelly (Robert Kelley) |
Wrestling | Posthumous Inductee. Won the (2 times), NWA Gulf Coast Heavyweight Championship (10 times), NWA Gulf Coast Brass Knuckles Championship (2 times) NWA Gulf Coast Tag Team Championship (5 times), NWA Mississippi Heavyweight Championship (18 times), NWA Mississippi Tag Team Championship (4 times), NWA Louisiana Heavyweight Championship, NWA City of Mobile Heavyweight Championship (4 times), NWA City of Pensacola Heavyweight Championship |
2014 | J.J. Dillon (James Morrison) |
Wrestling, manager | Manager of the Legendary 4 Horsemen, consisting of NWA Hall of Fame members Ric Flair; Ole Anderson; Tully Blanchard, and Arn Anderson.
Titles won as a wrestler: NWA Florida Heavyweight Championship, NWA Florida Tag Team Championship, NWA Florida Television Championship, NWA Central States Heavyweight Championship, NWA North American Heavyweight Championship (Maritimes Version), IW International Heavyweight Championship (2 times) |
2015 | Adam Pearce | Wrestling[27] | Five-time NWA World Heavyweight Championship, one-time NWA British Commonwealth Heavyweight Championship, two-time NWA Heritage Championship |
2015 | Leroy McGuirk | Wrestling, Promoting | Posthumous Inductee. Was promoter of the Tri-State area in the NWA. As promoter, he controlled the NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship. Won the NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship, National Wrestling Association World Junior Heavyweight Title. |
2015 | Mike Sircy | Promoting | Promoter of the NWA Top Rope promotion in Tennessee. |
2016 | Nick Bockwinkel (Nicholas Bockwinkel) |
Wrestling | Posthumous Inductee. AWA World Heavyweight Championship (4 times), AWA World Tag Team Championship (3 times) |
2016 | Boris Malenko (Lawrence Simon) |
Wrestling | Posthumous Inductee. AWA World Tag Team Championship, NWA American Heavyweight Championship |
2016 | Len Rossi (Len Rositano) |
Wrestling | NWA World Tag Team Championship (Mid-America version) (14 times) |
2016 | Gary Hart (Gary Williams) |
Promoting, | Posthumous Inductee. NWA American Tag Team Championship (3 times) |
2016 | Jim Ross (James Ross) |
Commentating | Colour commentator for Jim Crockett Promotions and Mid-South Wrestling. |
2017 | José Lothario (Guadalupe Robledo) |
Wrestling | NWA American Tag Team Champion (5 times), NWA Brass Knuckles Champion Texas version (5 times), NWA Texas Heavyweight Champion (7 times). |
2017 | Everett Marshall | Wrestling | Two time NWA Worlds heavyweight champion . |
Group inductions[]
Footnotes[]
- a – Entries without a birth name indicates that the inductee did not perform under a ring name.
- b – Before the 1990s, the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) distributed many of its titles among its numerous members. Other promotions listed in this column were, or are currently, members of the NWA.[30][31]
- c – This section mainly lists the major accomplishments of each inductee in the NWA.
References[]
- General
- "NWA Hall of Fame inductees". National Wrestling Alliance. Archived from the original on 2010-06-30. Retrieved 2009-01-20.
- Specific
- ^ "NWA Hall of Fame Inductees". National Wrestling Alliance. Archived from the original on 2008-05-30. Retrieved 2009-01-19.
- ^ a b "Ric Flair To Accept His NWA Award". National Wrestling Alliance. Archived from the original on 2008-12-23. Retrieved 2009-01-19.
- ^ "2008 Class of the NWA Hall of Fame". National Wrestling Alliance. 2008-09-21. Archived from the original on 2008-06-03. Retrieved 2009-01-19.
- ^ "WCW Slamboree 1993". Slamboree. 1993-05-23. In Demand pay-per-view.
- ^ "WCW Slamboree 1994". Slamboree. 1994-05-22. In Demand pay-per-view.
- ^ "WCW Slamboree 1995". Slamboree. 1995-05-21. In Demand pay-per-view.
- ^ "Dennis Coralluzzo Invitational". NWA New Jersey. National Wrestling Alliance. 2009. Archived from the original (JPG) on 2011-01-28. Retrieved 2010-05-08.
"Mr. NWA" Dennis Coralluzzo is placed in the NWA Hall of Fame
- ^ "NWA Announces 2 NWA Hall of Fame Inductees for 2009". National Wrestling Alliance. WrestleZone.com. 2009-07-16. Archived from the original on 2009-08-26. Retrieved 2010-05-08.
- ^ "Lou Thesz". Professional Wrestling Online Museum. Archived from the original on 2009-02-21. Retrieved 2009-01-14.
- ^ "Harley Race". World Wrestling Entertainment. Retrieved 2009-01-14.
- ^ "Sam Muchnick". Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum. Archived from the original on 2008-08-20. Retrieved 2009-01-19.
- ^ Oliver, Greg. "Jim Barnett was TV innovator". SLAM! Sports - Wrestling. Canadian Online Explorer. Retrieved 2009-01-19.
- ^ "Gordon Solie". World Wrestling Entertainment. Retrieved 2009-01-14.
- ^ "Jim Cornette". Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. Archived from the original on January 30, 2009. Retrieved 2009-01-19.
- ^ "Dory Funk, Jr". Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum. Archived from the original on 2009-02-01. Retrieved 2009-01-19.
- ^ Saul Weingeroff (2006-06-06). WWE Presents: The World's Greatest Wrestling Managers (DVD). Stamford, Connecticut: World Wrestling Entertainment.
- ^ Oliver, Greg. "Legends PPV tapes Sunday with a new/old voice". SLAM! Sports - Wrestling. Canadian Online Explorer. Retrieved 2009-01-19.
- ^ "Eddie Graham". Professional Wrestling Online Museum. Retrieved 2009-01-14.
- ^ "NWA World Women's Championship reign history". Wrestling Title Histories by Royal Duncan and Gary Will. Solie.org. Retrieved 2009-01-19.
- ^ "Iron Sheik". World Wrestling Entertainment. Retrieved 2009-01-19.
- ^ "Ric Flair". SLAM! Sports - Wrestling. Canadian Online Explorer. Retrieved 2009-01-19.
- ^ "NWA World Heavyweight Championship reign history". Wrestling Title Histories by Royal Duncan and Gary Will. Solie.org. Retrieved 2009-01-19.
- ^ "NWA Georgia Tag Team Championship reign history". Wrestling Title Histories by Royal Duncan and Gary Will. Solie.org. Retrieved 2009-01-19.
- ^ "Nikita Koloff NWA Hall of Fame press release". National Wrestling Alliance. Nikitakoloff.com. 2008-05-29. Retrieved 2009-01-19.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Gerweck, Steve (2011-11-14). "NWA Hall of Fame Class for 2011 announced". WrestleView. Archived from the original on 2011-11-17. Retrieved 2011-11-14.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j 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. Retrieved 2012-11-17.
- ^ "NWA Hall of Fame Class of 2015 1st Inductee: "Scrap Daddy" Adam Pearce". NWARingside.com. 2015-11-14. Archived from the original on 2015-02-06. Retrieved 2015-02-05.
- ^ "WCW World Tag Team Championship Title History (1991–2001)". Wrestling Title Histories by Royal Duncan & Gary Will. Solie.org. Retrieved 2008-11-15.
- ^ "NWA World Tag Team Championship Title History". Wrestling Title Histories by Royal Duncan and Gary Will. Solie's Title History. Retrieved 2008-11-15.
- ^ "Classics On Demand: Video Library". World Wrestling Entertainment. Archived from the original on 2009-05-28. Retrieved 2009-01-14.
- ^ "The NWA Roll Call of Champions". National Wrestling Alliance. Archived from the original on 2008-12-22. Retrieved 2009-01-14.
External links[]
- NWA Hall Of Fame official website
- National Wrestling Alliance
- Professional wrestling halls of fame
- Awards established in 2005
- Professional wrestling-related lists
- Halls of fame in Texas