NWA Hall of Fame
The National Wrestling Alliance 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 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. 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 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. Similarly to the World Championship Wrestling's Hall of Fame, the 2008 ceremony was held during a wrestling event.
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 for the NWA Hall of Fame.
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, 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, Dennis Condrey and Bobby Eaton, Nikita Koloff, The Iron Sheik, and Ric Flair. Overall there are 87 inductees, 45 inductees were inducted posthumously.
Inductees
Year | Ring name | Inducted for | Accolades |
2005 | Wrestling | Posthumous Inductee: Three-time NWA World Heavyweight Championship, one-time NWA International Heavyweight Championship, one-time NWA Southern Junior Heavyweight Championship | |
2005 | Wrestling | Eight-time NWA World Heavyweight Championship, NWA United States Heavyweight Championship nine-time NWA Central States Heavyweight Championship and seven-time NWA Missouri Heavyweight Championship 3-times AWA World Tag Team Championship | |
2005 | Promoting | Posthumous Inductee: Founded the NWA and served as president from 1950 to 1960 and 1963 to 1975 | |
2005 | Promoting | Posthumous inductee: Owned Georgia Championship Wrestling during the mid-1900s. Also promoted in the Detroit Territory, Indianapolis Territory and Australia. | |
2005 | Commentating | Posthumous Inductee: Commentator for Championship Wrestling from Florida and World Championship Wrestling promotions. | |
2005 | Managing | Managed various wrestlers during the 1980s and 1990s. | |
2006 | Wrestling | Held the NWA World Heavyweight Championship for over four years, the second longest reign in the title's history, | |
2006 | Managing | Posthumous Inductee: Managed various wrestlers in the NWA during the 1960s and 1970s | |
2006 | Commentating | Commentated in the Continental Wrestling Association and Memphis Championship Wrestling companies | |
2006 | Wrestling | Posthumous Inductee: He won over 20 NWA championships. Promoter of Championship Wrestling from Florida. | |
2006 | Wrestling | Won the NWA World Women's Championship | |
2008 | Wrestling | Won the NWA Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Championship and NWA World Television Championship, | |
2008 | Wrestling | Won the NWA World Heavyweight Championship, NWA Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Championship, NWA World Tag Team Championship ', NWA United States Heavyweight Championship , NWA Mid-Atlantic Tag Team Championship, NWA Mid-Atlantic Television Championship. | |
2008 | Wrestling | Won the NWA World Heavyweight Championship, NWA Georgia Tag Team Championship, | |
2008 | Wrestling | Won the NWA National Heavyweight Championship and NWA United States Heavyweight Championship, NWA World Six-Man Tag Team Championship, NWA World Tag Team Championship ', NWA World Television Championship | |
2009 | Gene Kiniski | Wrestling | Held the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. |
2009 | Terry Funk | Wrestling | Won the NWA World Heavyweight Championship, NWA United States Heavyweight Championship. |
2009 | Wrestling | Won the NWA World Tag Team Championship and NWA National Heavyweight Championship. | |
2009 | Tully Blanchard | Wrestling | Won the NWA Mid-Atlantic World Tag Team Championship, NWA World Television Championship, NWA United States Heavyweight Championship, NWA National Heavyweight Championship. Was a member of the original legendary NWA stable The Four Horsemen. |
2009 | Mil Máscaras | Wrestling | Won the NWA Americas Heavyweight Championship, NWA Americas Tag Team Championship, NWA Texas Tag Team Championship, NWA American Tag Team Championship. |
2009 | 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 ' NWA Southern Tag Team Championship '. | |
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 | wrestling | Posthumous Inductee, Won the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. | |
2010 | Wrestling | Posthumous Inductee. Won the NWA World Heavyweight Championship and the NWA Mid-Atlantic World Tag Team Championship. | |
2010 | Wrestling | Two-time NWA World Heavyweight Championship | |
2010 | Wrestling | Posthumous Inductee. Won the NWA World Heavyweight Championship, NWA Intercontinental Tag Team Championship. | |
2010 | Promoting | Posthumous Inductee. Promoter of the NWA Mid-American territory in Tennessee. | |
2010 | The Shiek | Wrestling | Posthumous Inductee. Promoter of the Detroit Territory, won over 10 NWA championships. |
2010 | Wrestling | Won the NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship. | |
2010 | Ed Chuman | Promoting | Posthumous Inductee. Promoter of NWA Midwest |
2011 | Wrestling | Posthumous Inductee; won the NWA World Heavyweight Championship ), | |
2011 | Wrestling | Won the NWA World Heavyweight Championship, NWA World Television Championship, NWA United States Heavyweight Championship, NWA Florida Heavyweight Championship, NWA World Six-Man Tag Team Championship, | |
2011 | Wrestling | Posthumous Inductee, Won the NWA Mid-Atlantic World Tag Team Championship, NWA Florida World Tag Team Championship | |
2011 | Wrestling | NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship | |
2011 | Wrestling | Posthumous Inductee, NWA Americas Heavyweight Championship ', NWA World Tag Team Championship ', NWA World Tag Team Championship '. | |
2011 | Wrestling | Posthumous Inductee, Won over 10 NWA championships. | |
2011 | Wrestling | Posthumous Inductee, won over 30 NWA championships. | |
2011 | Contributor | Editor of Pro Wrestling Illustrated | |
2011 | Wrestling | Won the NWA World Women's Championship | |
2012 | Wrestling | Won the NWA World Heavyweight Championship, NWA World Tag Team Championship ', NWA World Television Championship, NWA United States Heavyweight Championship . | |
2012 | Promoting | Posthumous Inductee. Promoter of the NWA in Houston, TX. | |
2012 | NWA Humanitarian Award | Posthumous Inductee. Won the NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship, NWA World Tag Team Championship '. | |
2012 | Wrestling | Posthumous Inductee, Won over 30 NWA championships. | |
2012 | Wrestling | NWA World Tag Team Championship ', NWA World Tag Team Championship '. | |
2012 | Teddy Long | Refereeing | |
2012 | Wrestling | Posthumous Inductee. NWA World Midget's Championship | |
2012 | Wrestling | Posthumous Inductee: Five-time NWA World Women's Championship and two-time NWA Women's World Tag Team Championship | |
2012 | Joyce Grable | Wrestling | Won the NWA Women's World Tag Team Championship, NWA United States Women's Championship |
2012 | Misty Blue | Wrestling | Won the NWA United States Women's Championship |
2013 | Ray Stevens | Wrestling | Posthumous Inductee. Won various NWA World Tag Team Championships, AWA World Tag Team Championship, the NWA United States Heavyweight Championship and various regional NWA titles |
2013 | Salvador Lutteroth | 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. | Wrestling | Posthumous Inductee. Won the NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship and various NWA regional titles. |
2013 | Bobo Brazil | 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 | Wrestling | Posthumous Inductee. Won the NWA Southern Tag Team Championship, 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 | Wrestling | Posthumous Inductee. Won various NWA regional titles. |
2014 | Giant 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, NWA World Tag Team Championship ', NWA International Heavyweight Championship , NWA International Tag Team Championship , PWF Heavyweight Championship |
2014 | Kevin Sullivan | Wrestling | Won the NWA United States Tag Team Championship ', NWA United States Tag Team Championship, NWA United States Junior Heavyweight Championship, NWA World Tag Team Championship ', NWA World Tag Team Championship ' |
2014 | Pinkie George | Promoting | Posthumous Inductee. Was a founder of the NWA. Was the Original President of the NWA. |
2014 | Ox Baker | Wrestling | Posthumous Inductee. NWA World Tag Team Championship ', NWA Austra-Asian Tag Team Championship, NWA North American Heavyweight Championship, NWA United States Heavyweight Championship ', NWA American Heavyweight Championship , NWA Atlantic Coast Tag Team Championship, NWA Florida Tag Team Championship, NWA Georgia Tag Team Championship, NWA Texas Heavyweight Championship |
2014 | Cowboy Bob Kelly | Wrestling | Posthumous Inductee. Won the NWA United States Heavyweight Championship ', NWA Gulf Coast Heavyweight Championship, NWA Gulf Coast Brass Knuckles Championship NWA Gulf Coast Tag Team Championship, NWA Mississippi Heavyweight Championship, NWA Mississippi Tag Team Championship, NWA Louisiana Heavyweight Championship, NWA City of Mobile Heavyweight Championship, NWA City of Pensacola Heavyweight Championship |
2014 | J.J. Dillon | 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, IW International Heavyweight Championship |
2015 | Adam Pearce | Wrestling | 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 | Wrestling | Posthumous Inductee. AWA World Heavyweight Championship, AWA World Tag Team Championship |
2016 | Boris Malenko | Wrestling | Posthumous Inductee. AWA World Tag Team Championship, NWA American Heavyweight Championship |
2016 | Len Rossi | Wrestling | NWA World Tag Team Championship |
2016 | Gary Hart | Promoting, Managing | Posthumous Inductee. NWA American Tag Team Championship |
2016 | Jim Ross | Commentating | Colour commentator for Jim Crockett Promotions and Mid-South Wrestling. |
2017 | José Lothario | Wrestling | NWA American Tag Team Champion, NWA Brass Knuckles Champion Texas version, NWA Texas Heavyweight Champion. |
2017 | Everett Marshall | Wrestling | Two time NWA Worlds heavyweight champion. |
Group inductions
Footnotes
- – Entries without a birth name indicates that the inductee did not perform under a ring name.
- – Before the 1990s, the National Wrestling Alliance distributed many of its titles among its numerous members. Other promotions listed in this column were, or are currently, members of the NWA.
- – This section mainly lists the major accomplishments of each inductee in the NWA.