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
.
[1]
The event took place the same weekend as
WrestleMania 33
.
[2]
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
,
[3]
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]
Background
[
edit
]
On January 16, 2017, WWE announced that Angle would be inducted into the
WWE Hall of Fame
.
[5]
As a celebrated amateur wrestler, Angle had an aversion to professional wrestling, considering it "beneath" him.
[6]
He was offered a 10-year contract with the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) following the 1996 Olympics,
[7]
but talks fell apart when he told company chairman
Vince McMahon
that he would be unwilling to
lose any matches
.
[8]
Angle's opinion of professional wrestling changed when he began watching the WWF's
Monday Night Raw
in 1998: he observed "world class athletes doing very athletic things", and developed an admiration for
Stone Cold Steve Austin
's talents as an entertainer.
[7]
Angle later conceded that his negative attitude toward the industry was misguided and "stupid".
[6]
Angle was signed to a five-year deal by August 1998, following a three-day tryout.
[9]
On August 25, 2006, Angle was granted an early release from his WWE contract because of health reasons.
[10]
[11]
Angle stated in the
Kurt Angle: Champion
documentary DVD that he asked for his release from WWE because he could not take time off and was working hurt, severely on some occasions. He also stated that when he quit, WWE lost their top talent, as he was at the very top of the payroll.
[12]
Following his release, Angle did not reappear on any WWE programming until his Hall of Fame induction.
Event
[
edit
]
Due to the launch of the
WWE Network
shortly before
WrestleMania XXX
, this event featured the fourth "Red Carpet" event as a one-hour pre-show prior to the start of the event.
Michael Cole
and
Maria Menounos
hosted the pre-show.
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.
[13]
All inductees in 2017 were inducted posthumously and were recognized with a video package at the ceremony.
[14]
Those inducted in the 2017 legacy category were
Martin "Farmer" Burns
,
June Byers
,
Haystacks Calhoun
,
Judy Grable
,
Dr. Jerry Graham
,
Luther Lindsay
,
Joseph "Toots" Mondt
,
Rikid?zan
, and
Bearcat Wright
.
Following
The Ultimate Warrior
's death in April 2014,
[15]
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."
[16]
As is the normal case, his widow Dana Hellweg presented the award. The 2017 inductee was
Eric LeGrand
. LaGrand was recognized for being a former
Rutgers University
football player. After LeGrand was paralyzed in 2010, rather than letting it defeat him, he became a motivational speaker.
Theodore Long
was inducted by his long time travel-mates
The APA
(
John "Bradshaw" Layfield
and
Ron Simmons
). During the induction ceremony Layfield and Simmons shared memories of Long on the road, how he never was willing to pay for anything, and how much money he owed them.
Diamond Dallas Page
was inducted by his former boss
Eric Bischoff
. During his induction speech, Page spoke about how much
Dusty Rhodes
, who had died two years prior, meant to him, and helped guide his career.
Natalya
inducted her best friend
Beth Phoenix
. The two shared stories of how their careers started and how much the other meant to them and how it got them both where they are too. Phoenix went to introduce her husband however she was interrupted by
Tony Chimel
who offered to help her, and then announced
Edge
.
[17]
Phoenix also shared stories about Edge and stories of them from before they retired.
"Ravishing" Rick Rude
was inducted by
Ricky Steamboat
. Due to Rude's passing in 1999, Rude's induction was posthumously accepted by his widow Michelle and his two surviving children, daughter Merissa and son Rick Rood Jr.
The Rock 'n' Roll Express
members
Ricky Morton
and
Robert Gibson
were inducted by
Jim Cornette
. Cornette shared stories of managing them during their early years. Gibson and Morton discussed what it was like to travel with each other for so many years, and discussed how they are as close as brothers.
Kurt Angle
was the final member to be inducted, with his induction being done by
John Cena
(who had debuted against Angle back in 2002). This event marked Angle's return to the WWE after an over 10-year absence (most of which he spent working with rival promotion TNA). Angle roasted himself during his speech, referencing many of his old bits, including singing "I'm Just a Sexy Kurt" (his version of Shawn Michaels' theme) and finished by chugging two bottles of milk (a Stone Cold Steve Austin-inspired taunt he had previously done once in 2001 as part of his milk-based re-enactment of Austin giving The Corporation a beer bath in 1999).
Aftermath
[
edit
]
On the April 3 episode of
Raw
after WrestleMania, Angle made his first WWE appearance in nearly 11 years after
Mr. McMahon
appointed Angle as the new general manager of
Raw
.
[18]
On October 20, WWE announced Angle's in-ring return after 11 years, replacing
Roman Reigns
due to medical issues and teaming with
Dean Ambrose
and
Seth Rollins
to face
The Miz
,
Cesaro
,
Sheamus
,
Braun Strowman
, and
Kane
in a
5-on-3 handicap
Tables, Ladders, and Chairs match
at
TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs
.
[19]
Inductees
[
edit
]
Individual
[
edit
]
- Class headliners appear in
boldface
Tag team
[
edit
]
Warrior Award
[
edit
]
Legacy
[
edit
]
References
[
edit
]
- ^
"WrestleMania Week Orlando: WWE Hall of Fame at Amway Center"
. Retrieved
3 April
2018
.
- ^
"WWE Hall of Fame 2017 list of inductees, start time, watch live stream"
. Retrieved
3 April
2018
.
- ^
"WWE Hall of Fame 2017 inductees and start time"
. Retrieved
3 April
2018
.
- ^
"WrestleMania 2017: How to watch WWE's Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony"
. Retrieved
11 April
2018
.
- ^
Melok, Bobby.
"Kurt Angle to be inducted into WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2017"
. WWE
. Retrieved
January 16,
2017
.
- ^
a
b
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Off the Record with Michael Landsberg
. April 29, 2004.
TSN
.
- ^
a
b
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WWE 24
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WWE Network
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- ^
Barnett, Josh (May 2, 2017).
"From mat to ring, WWE's amateur and pro wrestling connection"
.
USA Today
. Retrieved
November 27,
2017
.
- ^
The
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in association with the
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SummerSlam Fest (Day 2)
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Kurt Angle recently signed a five-year deal with the World Wrestling Federation.
- ^
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- ^
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.
- ^
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- ^
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Archived
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. Retrieved
April 2,
2016
.
- ^
Caldwell, James (April 2, 2016).
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.
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Archived
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- ^
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on November 9, 2014.
- ^
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Archived
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. Retrieved
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- ^
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- ^
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. PWTorch
. Retrieved
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.
- ^
Burdick, Michael.
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.
WWE
. Retrieved
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2017
.
- ^
"Kurt Angle returns to WWE for Hall of Fame induction"
. Retrieved
3 April
2018
.
- ^
"Kurt Angle reflects on his rise to the WWE Hall of Fame"
. Retrieved
3 April
2018
.
- ^
Melok, Bobby.
"John Cena to induct Kurt Angle into the WWE Hall of Fame"
. WWE.
Archived
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. Retrieved
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2017
.
- ^
Melok, Bobby.
"Kurt Angle to be inducted into WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2017"
. WWE.
Archived
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. Retrieved
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2017
.
- ^
"Theodore 'Teddy' Long to be inducted into WWE Hall of Fame"
. Retrieved
3 April
2018
.
- ^
"WWE Hall of Fame: Theodore 'Teddy' Long to be inducted in 2017"
. Retrieved
3 April
2018
.
- ^
"Exclusive: Teddy Long joins the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2017"
. Retrieved
3 April
2018
.
- ^
Melok, Bobby.
"JBL & Ron Simmons to induct Teddy Long into the WWE Hall of Fame"
. WWE.
Archived
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. Retrieved
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2017
.
- ^
Melok, Bobby.
"Theodore Long to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2017"
. WWE.
Archived
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. Retrieved
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2017
.
- ^
"Diamond Dallas Page Joins the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2017"
. Retrieved
3 April
2018
.
- ^
"Diamond Dallas Page joins WWE Hall of Fame class of 2017"
. Retrieved
3 April
2018
.
- ^
Melok, Bobby.
"Eric Bischoff to induct Diamond Dallas Page into the WWE Hall of Fame"
. WWE.
Archived
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. Retrieved
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2017
.
- ^
Melok, Bobby.
"Diamond Dallas Page to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2017"
. WWE.
Archived
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. Retrieved
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2017
.
- ^
"Beth Phoenix joins WWE Hall of Fame class of 2017"
. Retrieved
3 April
2018
.
- ^
"
'The Glamazon' Beth Phoenix is headed to WWE Hall of Fame"
. 27 February 2017
. Retrieved
3 April
2018
.
- ^
Melok, Bobby.
"Natalya to induct Beth Phoenix into the WWE Hall of Fame"
. WWE.
Archived
from the original on March 22, 2017
. Retrieved
March 22,
2017
.
- ^
Melok, Bobby.
"Beth Phoenix to be inducted into WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2017"
. WWE.
Archived
from the original on February 28, 2017
. Retrieved
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2017
.
- ^
"
'Ravishing' Rick Rude to be inducted into WWE Hall of Fame"
. Retrieved
3 April
2018
.
- ^
"Rick Rude joins WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2017"
. Retrieved
3 April
2018
.
- ^
"Rick Rude announced as sixth inductee into WWE Hall of Fame's 2017 class"
. Retrieved
3 April
2018
.
- ^
Melok, Bobby.
"Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat to induct "Ravishing" Rick Rude into WWE Hall of Fame"
. WWE.
Archived
from the original on March 6, 2017
. Retrieved
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2017
.
- ^
Melok, Bobby.
"
"Ravishing" Rick Rude to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2017"
. WWE.
Archived
from the original on March 7, 2017
. Retrieved
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2017
.
- ^
"Rock 'n' Roll Express to be inducted into WWE Hall of Fame"
. Retrieved
3 April
2018
.
- ^
"Rock 'n' Roll Express to be inducted into WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2017"
. Retrieved
3 April
2018
.
- ^
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. WWE.
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from the original on 2017-02-06
. Retrieved
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.
- ^
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. WWE.
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. Retrieved
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.
- ^
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. WWE.
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. Retrieved
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.
- ^
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. Retrieved
3 April
2018
.
- ^
"Former Rutgers football player Eric LeGrand receives Warrior Award from WWE"
. Retrieved
3 April
2018
.
- ^
Markazi, Arash.
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. ESPN.
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. Retrieved
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.
- ^
a
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
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. WWE. March 31, 2017.
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. Retrieved
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.