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World's Longest HOF Speech Imminent

http://www.f4wonline.com/more/more-top-stories/96-wwe-news/41658-tonights-hall-of-fame-announcement-will-be-

I can only imagine how epic and self-serving Larry's speech is going to be.  Kind of a weird induction, too, unless HHH wanted to make sure his inspiration for "Getting ahead by banging the boss's daughter" was well represented as a precedent.  

Quite the class of A-listers going in with Macho Man this year.  

Comments

  1. AverageJoeEverymanMarch 16, 2015 at 1:27 PM

    Z-Lister

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  2. To quote the great Iron Sheik, "FACK THE LARRY ZBYSZKO".

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  3. Still will be shorter than Maria Menouououououous's "I know Bob Backlund, I'm totally one of you!" mess of a speech.

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  4. Even Mr T. will be mentally telling him to wrap it up.

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  5. I don't understand this one. He's not getting in due to overwhelming fan support, and he doesn't have a territory library to sell. Is the induction part of a settlement from a lawsuit or something?

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  6. Dude headlined the biggest show in company history to that point as a payoff to the company's best angle to that point and still one of its best ever. Dude is far more deserving of induction than a bunch of guys already in or in this class.


    None of US are making money off this ceremony, so who really gives a shit what's in it for Vince and WWE? Larry's easy to make fun of but he was deserving of his career and this spot.

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  7. Ah, there it is! HHH wants to start a trend of inducting the guy who worked with the guy who drew the money.

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  8. No idea what that's supposed to be a reference to.

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  9. Savage is getting inducted this year too.

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  10. If you think Bruno vs. Bobby Duncum could have headlined Shea just cuz it's Bruno, then I don't know what to tell you. Why didn't they just run stadium shows all the time, then?

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  11. If riding Bruno's coattails into Shea is the measuring stick, Stan Hansen is a far better HoF candidate because he had five times the career Larry had after that.

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  12. I like this induction far more than those of the Bushwhackers and Rikishi. This year's class seemed pretty weak thus far.

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  13. Next year in Dallas could be stacked with Taker, Sting, and the Freebirds.

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  14. First this induction was rumored, then pushed back to next year, and finally confirmed. Quite the game of chess WWE is playing with Larry.

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  15. Sammartino feud and payoff aside, I'm struggling to come up with other Legendary Larry moments not involving the Dangerous Alliance. I guess he technically co-main evented Starrcade'97, the biggest PPV in WCW history, but you could have booked the Giant and the Flock's Reese in a patty cake contest and achieved the same buy rate.

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  16. Not sure where I or anyone else stated that Larry Z is the best candidate not in or something. If you actually watch the Bruno/Larry angle with an open mind and not with an "LOL stalling" mentality, Larry did just as much to carry that angle as Sammartino did.

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  17. Still one of my favorite heel turns of all time. I would rank in third behind Paul Orndorff in 1986 and Barry Windham in 1988.

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  18. Me and Joe were looking at you...Oh God what did we do?!

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  19. The Enforcers were mostly pre-DA and they were an incredible team. The Bockwinkel feud was awesome too even as the promotion was dying. And some of the best in-ring stuff in the US in '94 was from the Zbyszko/Regal feud.


    But yes, if you ignore the Sammartino feud, the Dangerous Alliance, the Enforcers, the Regal feud, his time in the AWA, and the NWO angle, Larry sucks. In fact, I think if you just dismiss every positive quality of a wrestler with "[x] aside," then every wrestler on the planet sucks.

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  20. Maybe Regal inducts him?

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  21. I only really know his work as one of the worst broadcasters of all time.

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  22. I don't know, Mike Adamle was pretty shit.

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  23. Virgil's Gimmick TableMarch 16, 2015 at 2:04 PM

    Nah, you're wrong. Larry Z indeed does suck.

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  24. Aside from trying to put himself over during the nWo angle, he wasn't bad.

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  25. Virgil's Gimmick TableMarch 16, 2015 at 2:06 PM

    Jeff Harvey agrees.

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  26. AverageJoeEverymanMarch 16, 2015 at 2:07 PM

    "Quite the class of A-listers going in with Macho Man this year"

    It's like Big Shows Survivor Series team from 99

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  27. Larry is this year's "heel freezes over inductee."

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  28. I can't recall him ever adding anything to the product. His new world odor catchphrase was particularly bad.

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  29. Smarks are gonna smark.


    Larry was a draw and rode that into a career most would drool over.

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  30. Harlan Leverage IIIMarch 16, 2015 at 2:11 PM

    When he was active, he was one of the worst of all time. Now, he's middle-of-the-pack, at worst.

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  31. Larry Zbyszko's speech should be interesting none-the-less. Walked out on Vince Sr on bad terms. Never worked Vince Jr. Was part of WCW and Nitro that put the WWE on the ropes, fighting for its existence. Maybe we'll hear some Bruno stories & roast Vince on those obnoxious suits he used to wear for the TV tapings.

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  32. Extant1979 - Extreme SuperstarMarch 16, 2015 at 2:13 PM

    This year's class of inductees are the hell freezes over inductees.

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  33. That's a lot of bridges being rebuilt this year.

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  34. Madusa was business.


    You are putting too much into the trash the belt deal.


    If Vince even cared, you would have to assume he would have gotten the belt off of her, if he thought it would damaging to the company.


    Macho, if the rumors are true.


    He brought back Bruno and Warrior... anybody else is wide open for a return

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  35. kbwrestlingreviewsMarch 16, 2015 at 2:16 PM

    Second biggest match. That wasn't a co-main event.

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  36. Extant1979 - Extreme SuperstarMarch 16, 2015 at 2:17 PM

    In any other year, you may be able to debate that Larry Zbyszko is the least deserving inductee (despite having a phenomenal career in the AWA and WCW), but with the Bushwhackers and Rikishi going in, I can not in good conscience, say that this year.


    And really, listening to him on Nitro now, he's so much better than any of the announcers we have on WWE TV (not counting NXT) today.

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  37. Personally, I've only seen Regal-Zbyszko from Slamboree'94-a decent match if I recall but nothing spectacular. Zbyszko just always seemed like one of those wrestlers that you had to be in a certain mood to watch unless he was in there with the right person-maybe the same reason I never rated his stuff with Bockwinkel highly, either. More deserving than a lot of guys/gals in there? Certainly. Just seems to be on the low-end....not quite Bushwackers/Koko level but I wouldn't even put him at Don Muraco/Tito Santana in terms of his importance to wrestling history, especially in WWF/E.

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  38. kbwrestlingreviewsMarch 16, 2015 at 2:17 PM

    This speech is going to go on for twenty non-glorious years.

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  39. Over/under on golf references?

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  40. Speaking of wide open, Chyna is probably on the shit list for the foreseeable future.

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  41. He was one of the few guys who put over the psychology in a match.

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  42. At Axxess in 2013, I had him sign the Mania X8 page of the program (with the nWo pictured) with "New World Odor". We also discussed the human game of chess. Cool guy.

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  43. Rikishi was one of the most over acts in company history during their hottest period.

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  44. Extant1979 - Extreme SuperstarMarch 16, 2015 at 2:24 PM

    And yet, I have no problem with my opinion that Larry Zbyszko is much more deserving of a Hall of Fame spot than Rikishi.

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  45. "And some of the best in-ring stuff in the US in '94 was from the Zbyszko/Regal feud."



    It wasn't even the best in ring stuff from that company during the time. C'mon now.

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  46. Plus his tag team history before that.

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  47. Two years ago, Vince had to cut Backlund off. Last year, Kane had to cut Mr. T off. Who gets to cut off Larry this year?

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  48. Zbyszko has been in good graces for a while. He's been in a number of interview clips and was at the Hall of Fame ceremony last year.

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  49. THANK YOU. I am tired of people thinking Vince got butthurt about the title in the trash thing. He didn't even care enough to get it back from her before she left.

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  50. Roman Reigns. Biggest face pop he'll ever get.

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  51. Bruno is doing it according to WWE.com, and rightfully so

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  52. Then the year after that we'll be stuck with all leftovers like Too Cool

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  53. Throw in Sable into that group probably if they insist on having one Diva every year.

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  54. He gets inducted by Kerwin White.

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  55. So who is on WWE's NEVER GONNA HAPPEN Hall of Fame list?

    Benoit? Chyna? Nailz?

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  56. Jeff Jarrett maybe?

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  57. Also, Larry Z was the one who suggested the Hall Nitro debut be played as a shoot. Genius idea.

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  58. - Ole said mean hurtful true things to Linda boo hoo
    - Shane Douglas
    - Tom Zenk

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  59. Worst_in_the_WorldMarch 16, 2015 at 2:36 PM

    I was at that HoF in MSG, and the crowd booing her speech was total bullshit.

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  60. He's said that him and Vince patched things up when Vince called him after his wife died. They're not best buddies, but the bad blood is gone.

    After all, when Double J demanded money for losing to Chyna, he only demanded the money he was owed up front rather than waiting to get it in bits and pieces down the line.

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  61. I could see Douglas going in, if they do mania from Philly

    Add cornette/midnight express to the list

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  62. No way. Cornette and the Midnights will get in one year.

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  63. Worst_in_the_WorldMarch 16, 2015 at 2:39 PM

    It really feels like WWE is trying to do Nash a favor and make his induction announcement next week seem like a huge deal in comparison to the rest of this awful (living) class.

    Nash is gonna seem like Ric Fucking Flair that night after two hours of boring Larry boasts, Bushwacker licking, Rikishi dancing, and Madusa apologies.

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  64. it would be hilariously awful, if he stalled for 15 before starting,

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  65. Larry's said for years that they should have put the belt on him, not Backlund. That might have been the right choice, at least for a little while. The company always seems a little embarrassed by Backlund's reign.

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  66. I know Laurinaitis has some history with the Bushwackers, but you know he's just there to be Hilariously Licked Bushwacker Victim of the night, joining other such luminaries as Lord Alfred Hayes and Sean Mooney.

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  67. Dont get me wrong, 2003 Fuj would have had that line of thinking, but time, perspective and plenty of discussions have changed my stance.

    That's the primary reason I still post here, because there is a small minority of youze that have the knowledge and capacity to have a good convo about wrestling.

    Then theres the rest of youze fucktards that dont know shit from apple butter about wrestling... but think you do.

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  68. Yeah, he's a relic from the 70's style, and not a very good one at that.

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  69. Stan should be in for his "big fat wife and 9 kids" promo alone. The rest of his career is just a bonus.

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  70. Maybe they'll make a play on Luke's RR elimination and just have them march out waving their arms, say "Thanks!" then march right off stage.

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  71. ::March in::
    "WhOooOoaaaa!! YeeeEEeahHhh!!!"
    ::March out::


    Best induction speech ever.

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  72. Larry went years with the World Title, defending them in his trademark Iron Stall matches at Madison Square Garden.

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  73. Douglas was in the HHH/Michaels rivalry thing, right? He'll go in with ECW probably.

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  74. It's weird. I concur with you in terms of history, but do any fans today have any idea who he is?

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  75. There's gonna be so much stalling

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  76. But it WAS pretty good. If slightly dull for stretches.

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  77. He's the shit, I'm telling you.

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  78. Ric Flair with money.

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  79. Umm....I like to listen to my laptop really loud when I'm alone.


    Hell you could even watch wrestling.

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  80. Ha! Probably an evil plan by Vince just to get Reigns some heat.

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  81. He mastered the sleeper hold by putting entire audiences to sleep.

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  82. Extant1979 - Extreme SuperstarMarch 16, 2015 at 3:12 PM

    Probably not, but if you're going to do a Hall of Fame ceremony, it's not the worst idea to have an old timer in the group. If they decided against Ray Stevens because Randy Savage is their dead RS initialed inductee this year, they could come up with worse picks than Larry Z.

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  83. I just hope Nash (and Hall) interrupt his induction and bully him around a bit.

    On a side note, what are they gonna do when they run out of viable candidates in a few years? After next year with Sting headlining, there ain't many guys left. You have some great headliners (Taker, etc.) but the depths of which they can realistically go is thinning fast. They should really scale back and induct 2 or 3 guys a year.

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  84. Outside of Benoit, I wouldn't count anyone out.

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  85. Larry Zybyszko will still get a better reaction than Roman Reigns.

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  86. I heard he asked for 300 000 dollars and used that money to jump start TNA

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  87. For real though guys, who's left that legitimately deserve to be WWE Hall of Famers? I know that now it's just find 5 or 6 guys and 1 female to induct, no matter if they are true Hall of Famers, meaning the way most of us would like to believe that term should be used. But who's not in that truly deserves to be in?

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  88. You still have The Rock, Goldberg, John Cena, Triple H, and Vince McMahon as viable headliners. There is plenty of available depth to fill in the ranks afterwards (NWO, DX, Sid Vicious, Steiner Bros, Hardy Boyz, Dudleys) not to mention an entire pool of territory stars they can induct (Midnight Express, Rock 'n Roll Express, Ivan Koloff, Ray Stevens, Edouard Carpentier, Wahoo McDaniel, etc...).
    Then again if the Bushwhackers can make it then you pretty much have to assume that anyone who has stepped into the ring is open game to get inducted.

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  89. Considering the post right about this, I guess I could add Chris Jericho, Kurt Angle, Kane, Big Show, Brock Lesnar, and RVD off the top of my head. Is Waltman a HOF'er?

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  90. Rick motherfuckin Rude

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  91. The midnight and rock n roll express

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  92. Brooklyn Brawler. You know it's going to happen one year.

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  93. Goldberg, Owen, Heyman, Honky Tonk Man, Rick Rude, Sting, Freebirds, Demoltion, Taker, Vince McMahon, Luger, Sting and that's just thinking for a few seconds. They still have plenty of guys to go and a ton more from the late 90s-early 00s.

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  94. If Rikishi qualifies, then Godfather will also get in.

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  95. Missy Hyatt. Wrestling's 1st boobs job

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  96. The Hall of Fame itself has had a great career. It should be placed in the Hall of Fame.

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  97. ECW as a whole before Sabu.

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  98. Dynamite Kid.

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  99. The Rock and Scott Steiner are the HOF speeches I most want to see.

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  100. Hopefully we get funny TNA Nash, not boring WWE Nash.

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  101. I've got no real issue with Larry going in. So long as I get a "Oh, he hit the pole!"

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  102. Rick Rude, Boss Man

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  103. The company is kind of embarrassed by pro wrestling, and Bob Backlund embodies that.

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  104. After turning on Bruno, they should have put the WWF title on him.

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  105. Wasn't he considered one of the worst AWA champions? But yes, the Enforcers were great and the Sammartino angle too. I have no issue with this induction.

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  106. It'll be awkward when Bruno is mid-speech and gets a wooden chair cracked over his back

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  107. Inanimate carbon rod

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  108. Did he walk out on Sr on bad terms?

    I thought that he was on good terms with him, and left when he saw that Jr was taking over.

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  109. Is Waltman a Hall of Famer? You know who runs the company, right?

    Then again, what if kids Google his name and "1 Night in China" comes up?

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  110. No reason to be. Backlund made Vince a lot of money

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  111. Larry Zbyzko spent 30 years ragging on Vince JUNIOR and he gets in when others are out for political reasons?

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  112. Randy, medusa, and Larry Z? The theme to this year's class is "getting in despite politics."

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  113. One of the worst AWA champions...not when the Mighty Igor and Otto Wanz are around, I wouldn't say.

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  114. Zbyszko is more deserving than Medusa or Rikishi or the Bushwackers.

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  115. Really? Never heard that. Pretty cool tidbit.

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  116. So are Badd Company.

    BADD CO for Hall of Fame!!

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  117. Madusa is arguable.

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  118. Oh God no. I only know him from announcing in WCW when he wouldn't stop putting himself over. New World Odor...God almighty...

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  119. Adam "Colorado" CurryMarch 16, 2015 at 4:37 PM

    That's the only way Sabu ever gets in.

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  120. It had to do with the payoff at the Shea Stadium card which Larry & Bruno headlined in a cage match. Larry alledgedly 'held up' Vince Sr for the money and within six months, Zbyszko was gone. It was rumored he would have turned face and have a run with the World Title.

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  121. Adam "Colorado" CurryMarch 16, 2015 at 4:47 PM

    Say they couldn't get Savage this year, who be the headliner this year? Rocky can't make it to the ceremony because he's promoting his movie, so who's left? Do they just say fuck it and go with Taker? I can't really think of anyone else that's headline caliber.

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  122. Regal? His NXT stint should do it for him.

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  123. Adam "Colorado" CurryMarch 16, 2015 at 4:50 PM

    Out of the people not already mentioned, Bigelow. And Owen, but that's not really up to WWE.

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  124. Yes -
    This is a must. Although i doubt it will happen. He has no interest in playing nice, even temporarily. His shoot interview output alone should keep him out.

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  125. Gotta save Taker for Texas next year.

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  126. Yeah, at least he main evented a money card. Granted it was against Bruno...

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  127. He'll go in eventually, short of him pulling a 1972 Olympic U.S. Men's Basketball Team thing... literally stating in his will that WWE can NEVER be given permission to induct him.

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  128. Not until he's six feet under and colder than the South Pole.

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  129. Steiner Bros for HOF.

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  130. Hillbilly Jim? I'm surprised he hasn't been inducted yet. Maybe they're waiting until they're in Kentucky.

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  131. I wonder if they'll try running the show on Tuesday then.

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  132. Man, how much did Greg Gagne suck that Zbyszco managed to snag his nepatism push through marriage.

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  133. Greg was a good tag team wrestler; Verne was definitely the problem.

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  134. Something, something, something, stalling, amirite?

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  135. I'm ok with it if it means an end to the political bullshit.

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  136. MaffewOfBotchamaniaMarch 16, 2015 at 7:21 PM

    *Larry Zybyszko will stall

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  137. Now that you mention it -- I think Larry said he should have BEATEN Backlund. Which would make more sense, since he would have been a hot heel in 1980.

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  138. Should have been Vince, so Larry could hold him up in the middle of the speech to come out. . . .

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  139. So you would not boo Zbyszko?

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  140. Put the belt on Larry, go with Larry vs. Bruno for the title around the circuit

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  141. Honky Tonk Man.

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  142. Simon Dean, Bill DeMott, Mel Phillips, Terry Garvin and "Dr. D" David Shultz for sure.

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  143. Why not Simon Dean?

    I disagree about Punk. Way too much money to be made. Warrior and Sammartino did far worse to Vince

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  144. Simon's never drawn money for the company plus he gave out a ton of inside dirt in a shoot interview that they obviously didn't want leaked out to the public.


    And let's face it, Punk is never coming back to the company. He wouldn't have signed with the UFC and taken them to the cleaners in court if he was planning to come back at some point.

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  145. Harlan Leverage IIIMarch 16, 2015 at 10:45 PM

    Christian, the Hardys, and the Dudleys. HHH. The British Bulldogs. Rey Mysterio. Kane.

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  146. I'm a Larry fan, don't care what anyone says.

    And the bushwhackers will always be the sheep hearders to me.

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  147. I never got it. Why not have Larry Z induct Bruno a couple years back?

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  148. That still isn't a lot when you induct 6-8 people a year....

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  149. Badd Company, coming to the ring to the song "Bad Company," sang by the group Bad Company.

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  150. Then the next year they can get Oz and The Diamond Studd, then the year after that they can get Master Blaster Steel and Starship Coyote.

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  151. The same can be said for your board contributions, but you're still here.

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  152. Because Arnold Schwarzenegger is a much, much bigger name than Larry Zbyszko.

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  153. Didn't know that about Nova.

    Again, Warrior, Billy Graham, and Sammartino have done far, far worse to Vince than Punk has done. It's not even close, and they all came back.

    Hell, Brock went to UFC, sued WWE, and is a major factor why UFC is so popular today... and Vince still took him back, even paying him HUGE bucks to do so. And Vince wants him to come back for another contract!

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  154. Joedust said he would boo Medusa if he went to the HOF because of the Nitro incident

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  155. Vince and Bucci parted on just fine terms. Relationship is A-OK.

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  156. Zbyszko better have some references to LarryLand and however many "glorious years."

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  157. Larry had runs in WWF, NWA/WCW, and AWA; that qualifies him, especially considering the Sammartino program.

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  158. Jesus H. 20 years ago. People take shit that doesn't affect them waaaaay too seriously.

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  159. At the rate they're inducting people, that may be a reality in a decade or so.

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