NWA Hall of Fame Class of 2010 Part One

Hello everybody, before I begin I just want to apologize real quick for not writing here in the last couple of months I have been busy but I am back and ready to go.

The 2010 NWA Hall of Fame maybe the best class so far. In this class alone you have two promoters, a former junior heavyweight champion of the world and four former heavyweight champions of the world. So let’s look at some of these men who have made a mark on the NWA.

In the mid 1990’s no other man help keep the legacy and tradition of the NWA alive and going like Dan Severn. When he defeated Chris Candido for the belt back in 1995 nobody would’ve ever guessed that he would have a four year reign as champion the longest reign since Dory Funk Jr. Dan was the definition of a champion, went all over the world to defend the title while having a successful career as an MMA fighter for UFC in it’s early years. What some people might not know about the Beast is that he is also a former NWA United Kingdom Heavyweight champion. Dan Severn, the man who kept the NWA going in the mid 1990’s while some people may question him earning a spot in the hall of fame deserves it for everything he did for the NWA.

Before Ric Flair became known as The Nature Boy there was another one, the original Nature Boy Buddy Rogers. In the 1960’s there was no other charismatic wrestler as Rogers and when he defeated Pat O’Connor for the heavyweight title on June 30, 1961 in Chicago he started something that hadn’t been seen since the days of Gorgeous George. While he is recognized as a good wrestler he is sometimes overlooked as a guy on the mic, especially if you hear his interview after becoming the champion. Wherever Rogers went in the NWA he was a winner. No matter what territory it was he would win championships. Buddy Rogers, the original Nature Boy is long overdue to be apart of this Hall of Fame.

Now it’s time for a question. Who is the last Japanese wrestler to hold the NWA World Heavyweight title? While some may guess Great Muta, it’s actually Shinya Hashimoto. One of Japan’s “Three Musketeers” in the early 90’s for New Japan, he ended up being one of the most psychical champions of all time. While he had the size he was also a quick wrestler and could surprise his opponents at times with his quickness. Who knows what would’ve happened if he had held the title longer or had a second run before TNA came into play but he will be known as one of the greatest champions of all time.

Arguably the most famous feud of the 1970’s was the Funks and the Briscos. Three of the four men ended up becoming world heavyweight champion and Jack Brisco was one of those men. A fan of wrestling since he was a kid, he was dedicated to the sport at a young age with men to look up to like Lou Thesz and Danny Hodge. After a successful career in college, he became a pro and he ended up becoming one of the greatest wrestlers to transfer from the amateur ranks to the professional ranks. Jack could have some of the best matches with just about any wrestler in the world during his time. But not only was he a successful singles wrestler but he was also successful as a tag team wrestler with his brother Jerry. A rare feat that is accomplished by some, Jack Brisco could do it all and he did do it all.

That’s it for this look at the Hall of Fame. Next time I’ll look at Danny Hodge, the Andersons, The Original Sheik, Nick Gulas & Ed Chuman. Have a Happy Thanksgiving!!!