The World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) Hall of Fame is a hall of fame for professional wrestlers maintained by WWE. It was officially created on the February 1, 1993 episode of the World Wrestling Federation's (WWF), the predecessor of WWE, Monday Night Raw television program. On this episode, the sole induction of WWF alumnus André the Giant, who had died five days prior (January 27, 1993), was announced; his death was the reason for the creation of the Hall of Fame. After André's induction, the WWF continued the process of inducting members into the Hall of Fame. For these inductions, ceremonies were held to formally induct the candidates from 1994 to 1996; no video footage has ever been released by WWE of these ceremonies. After the 1996 ceremony, the WWF stopped the inductions of wrestling personalities into the Hall of Fame without a formal announcement.

In 2004, WWE relaunched the Hall of Fame to coincide with the twentieth anniversary of WrestleMania. This ceremony, like its predecessors, was not broadcast on television, however, it was released on DVD on June 1, 2004. Beginning with the 2005 ceremony, WWE broadcast the final few inductions into the Hall of Fame on Spike TV (2005) and on the USA Network (2006-present); these were aired on tape delay. The first inductions were broadcast on WWE's official website. The 2008 edition of the Hall of Fame was broadcast live on the USA Network. Since 2005, the Hall of Fame ceremony has been packaged as part of that year's WrestleMania DVD release. Although a building has never been built to represent the Hall of Fame, WWE has sought into constructing a facility for the Hall of Fame. WWE's Executive Vice President of Global Media Shane McMahon has stated that the WWE has been storing wrestling memorabilia in a warehouse for years, and that all items are categorized and dated in case a facility is created.

Induction into the Hall of Fame is dependent upon whether the candidate is on good terms with WWE. Former WWE employees who often criticize WWE or currently work with a different promotion have not been inducted. Others, such as Bruno Sammartino, the longest-reigning WWE Champion in the title's history, are alienated from the promotion and refuse to be inducted, despite having been asked several times.

As of 2009, there have been a total of 81 inductees, with 65 members inducted individually, five tag teams and one wrestling family inducted. Thirteen of the individual inductees have been inducted posthumously. André's sole induction in 1993 was the fewest number of inductions into the Hall of Fame in one year, while 2009 had the most, with 13 inductees.

Inductees

Year	Ring name	Inducted by	Notes
1993		None
1994
1994
1994
1994		Tatanka

Tag teams and stables

Ceremony dates and locations

up WWE Hall of Fame 2009 ceremony.

See also

• NWA Hall of Fame
• Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame
• WCW Hall of Fame
• Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame

Footnotes

• - The WrestleMania for that ceremony's year is included, due to the ceremonies taking place the night before WrestleMania and being apart of the production of WrestleMania.
• - Before 2004, the WWE did not hold ceremonies on the night before that year's WrestleMania.

References

1. WrestleMania 21, 22, 23, and XXIV DVD's
2. .

External links

• The WWE Hall of Fame

1994
1994
1994
1995
Diesel
1995
1995
Doink the Clown
1995
1995
1995
1995
1996
1996
1996
1996
1996
Triple H
1996
1996
2004
2004
2004
2004
2004
2004
2004
2004
Triple H
2004
2004
2004
Kane
2005
2005
2005
2005
2005
2005
2005
2006
2006
, , and
2006
2006
2006
2006
2006
2007
and
2007
2007
2007
2007
2007
Rob Van Dam and Sabu
2007
2008
Triple H
2008
2008
2008
2008
2008
2009
Vince McMahon
2009
Ric Flair
2009
Jim Ross
2009
The Honky Tonk Man
2009
Gene Okerlund
Year
Tag Team
Notes
Inducted by
1996
	The Valiant Brothers
One-time WWWF World Tag Team Champions, first tag team to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.
and
Jimmy Valiant (James Harold Fanning) - four-time NWA Television Champion Johnny Valiant (John L. Sullivan)
2006
	The Blackjacks
One-time WWWF World Tag Team Champions.
Blackjack Mulligan (Robert Deroy Windham) - three-time NWA United States Heavyweight Champion and one-time NWA World Tag Team Champion. Blackjack Lanza (Jack Lanza) - one-time AWA World Tag Team Champion
2007
	The Wild Samoans
Three-time WWF Tag Team Champions.
and
Afa (Arthur Anoa'i, Sr.) Sika (Leati Anoa'i)
2008
	The Brisco Brothers
Three-time NWA World Tag Team Championship and held over a dozen regional NWA tag team championships.
Jack Brisco (Freddie Joe Brisco) - two-time NWA World Heavyweight Champion. Gerald Brisco (Floyd Gerald Brisco) - one-time NWA World Junior Heavyweight Champion.
2009
	The Funks
Held several tag team championships, including the NWA International Tag Team Championship on three occasions.
Dusty Rhodes
Terry Funk - one-time NWA World Heavyweight Champion, two-time ECW World Heavyweight Champion and one-time WWF Tag Team Champion. Dory Funk, Jr.: one-time NWA World Heavyweight Champion.
2009
	The Von Erichs
Noted wrestling family that spent many years wrestling in World Class Championship Wrestling. Various combinations of the family held several NWA regional and WCCW tag team championships, including the WCWA World Tag Team and World Six-Man Tag Team Championship.
Michael Hayes
Fritz Von Erich (Jack Adkisson) - One-time AWA World Heavyweight Champion and sixteen-time NWA American Heavyweight Champion (later renamed the WCWA World Heavyweight Championship). Kevin Von Erich (Kevin Adkisson) - Five-time NWA American Heavyweight Champion and one-time WCWA World Heavyweight Champion. David Von Erich (David Adkisson) - Eight-time NWA Texas Heavyweight Champion. Kerry Von Erich (Kerry Adkisson) -One-time NWA World Heavyweight Champion, five-time NWA American Heavyweight Champion and four-time WCWA World Heavyweight Champion. Wrestled in WWF as "The Texas Tornado" where he was a one-time WWF Intercontinental Champion. Mike Von Erich (Michael Adkisson) - One-time NWA American Heavyweight Champion. Chris Von Erich (Chris Adkisson) - Worked several backstage jobs for WCCW.
Date
Location
Venue
WrestleMania
Baltimore, Maryland
Omni Inner Harbor International Hotel
—
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Marriott Hotel
—
New York, New York
Marriott Marquis
—
New York, New York
The Hilton
Los Angeles, California
Universal Amphitheatre
Rosemont, Illinois
Rosemont Theatre
Detroit, Michigan
Fox Theatre
Orlando, Florida
Amway Arena
Houston, Texas
Toyota Center
Phoenix, Arizona
Dodge Theater