WWE Hall of Fame (2016)
The 2016 WWE Hall of Fame set
PromotionWWE
DateApril 2, 2016
CityDallas, Texas
VenueAmerican Airlines Center
WWE Hall of Fame chronology
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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]

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 passing 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

Image Ring name
(Birth Name) 		Inducted by WWE recognized accolades
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[11]
The Godfather[12][13]
(Charles Wright) 		The Acolytes Protection Agency
(John "Bradshaw" Layfield and Ron Simmons) 		One-time WWF Intercontinental Champion
One-time WWF Tag Team Champion[14]
Big Boss Man[15][16]
(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[17]
Jacqueline[18][19]
(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 Championship
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[20][21]
(John Hansen II) 		Vader One-time AWA World Heavyweight Champion
One-time NWA United States Heavyweight Champion[22]

Group

Image Group Inducted by WWE recognized accolades
The Fabulous Freebirds[23][24] 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

Image Recipient
(Birth name) 		Occupation Inducted by Appearances
Snoop Dogg[25]
(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[26]

Warrior Award

Image Recipient
(Birth name) 		Presented By Notes
Joan Lunden[27][28]
(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[29]

Legacy

Image Ring name
(Birth name) 		WWE recognized accolades
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 One-time World Heavyweight Wrestling Champion
Three-time American Heavyweight Champion[3]
George Hackenschmidt
(Georg Hackenschmidt) 		One-time European Greco-Roman Heavyweight Champion and first ever World Heavyweight Wrestling Champion[3]
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]
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]
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]
"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]

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. ^ a b c d e f g "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. ^ "Sting 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.
  12. ^ "The Godfather Is The Latest Inductee To The WWE Hall Of Fame Class Of 2016". 22 February 2016. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
  13. ^ "WWE adds 'The Godfather' to Hall of Fame class of 2016". 22 February 2016. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
  14. ^ "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.
  15. ^ "Big Boss Man's greatest WWE rivalries: From Nailz to Hulk Hogan". Retrieved 3 April 2018.
  16. ^ "Big Bossman to be inducted into WWE Hall of Fame". 7 March 2016. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
  17. ^ 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.
  18. ^ "Jacqueline joins WWE Hall of Fame class of 2016". 14 March 2016. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
  19. ^ "Jacqueline Moore Added to WWE Hall of Fame - InvestorPlace". 14 March 2016. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
  20. ^ "Stan 'The Lariat' Hansen joins WWE Hall of Fame class of 2016". 21 March 2016. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
  21. ^ "Stan Hansen And His Bullrope To Be Inducted Into WWE Hall Of Fame With Class Of 2016". 21 March 2016. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
  22. ^ 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.
  23. ^ "Fabulous Freebirds to Enter WWE Hall of Fame – Finally". Retrieved 3 April 2018.
  24. ^ "The Fabulous Freebirds to Be Inducted in WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2016". 1 March 2016. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
  25. ^ "Snoop Dogg Channeled Hulk Hogan And Ric Flair To Celebrate His WWE Hall Of Fame Induction". 1 April 2016. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
  26. ^ 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.
  27. ^ "Joan Lunden To Receive 'Warrior Award' From The WWE At Hall Of Fame Ceremony In Texas!". 28 March 2016. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
  28. ^ "WrestleMania Fever Hits North Texas". Retrieved 3 April 2018.
  29. ^ "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.
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