There has never been a candidate selected on work alone. Taue wouldn't be either.

What other reason was Chris Benoit elected into the WON HOF besides work? He wasn't a draw of any sort, he wasn't any sort of trainer, and by 2003, the ROH/super indy boom had only just started, so while you can make a case that he had some influence on that generation of wrestlers, it was well before any of those wrestlers had made any sort of national impact, and really the super indy thing was really concentrated to the Northeast and parts of the Midwest during that time period. Benoit's main credentials at that point were his placements in the Best Technical Wrestler, Most Outstanding Wrestler, and Match of the Year awards, which included five total wins in the three categories, which are all work accomplishments. While I would agree that Taue would not be a work-only candidate, and that the vast majority of those elected into the WON HOF were not because of work at that point, I can't see any other argument for 2003 Chris Benoit other than work.

If Benoit had never been in main events/pushed near the top of the cards does he get in? I do to know the answer to that for sure, but what I do know is that no person in doesn't have complimentary arguments to go along with work. There are no William Regals or Virus' in the Hall of Fame

Benoit was still a main event guy, and IIRC Raw ratings were higher when he was champ than when Orton was. I have to agree--I really don't think he gets in without those token runs. Is Hase the most purely work-driven HOFer? He had one IWGP title shot in his career and a quick turnaround with the NWA title when it meant something in Japan and nothing in the U.S. I don't think his drawing power is as strong as Benoit's, and as much of a fan as I am I don't think he was a deserving inductee.

Dynamite Kid has got to be a pure work HOFer no? He was a 96 fiat right?

Influence was a huge part of Kid's candidacy. However you feel about the matches, the Tiger Mask series get credit for setting the template for the acclaimed junior style to come in both Japan and the U.S. Actually influence probably would apply to Benoit as well. If I'm missing something, I'm missing something, but I can't see Hase at that influential level.

I thought Hase was also in for his influence in booking NJPW. No clue how responsible he was or wasn't for the company's direction but I seem to recall Dave giving him a lot of credit for that.

No, he wouldn't be in just for work. He wasn't an opening match guy. But he'd be in primarily for work, like Ricky Steamboat or Kurt Angle.

Isn't Angle in because he made a bunch of self-conscious carnies feel more legitimate?

Benoit was elected about a year before his World title run. His only real main event run when he was elected in 2003 was the Rumble main event, though he was an important part of the upper mid card for years in WWE and WCW. I think the only thing his higher standing on the card gave him in comparison to Regal was more of an opportunity to have longer matches that would be considered great, as opposed to Regal, whose spot on the card was more about having good sub-10 minute matches than having truly great matches. I still think his candidacy comes back to work in the end, as I don't think he received votes because he had two main events on WWE PPVs in four years with the company. He was voted in because he was considered the best worker in North America from 1995 through 2003. To me, he is as pure of a worker candidate as you're ever going to find.

Dynamite Kid has got to be a pure work HOFer no? He was a 96 fiat right?

 

He was a fiat pick but Dynamite Kid was also either the biggest or second biggest draw in the history of Stampede Wrestling according to someone Bix mentioned to me who I can't remember at the moment.

Kurt Angle definitely made it in because of work at the time he made it in.

 

Dynamite Kid has got to be a pure work HOFer no? He was a 96 fiat right?

 

He was a fiat pick but Dynamite Kid was also either the biggest or second biggest draw in the history of Stampede Wrestling according to someone Bix mentioned to me who I can't remember at the moment.

 

 

I can't imagine that was true. I'd assume that the guys who Stu flew around in chartered planes and who helped him build the big mansion were bigger draws than the guy on top as they declined and eventually sold out to Vince.

I thought The Mongolian Stomper was some sort of Stampede super draw, no?

Induct Big Daddy

http://www.surelycrabtree.co.uk/latest-podcast/

 

 

 

 

Dynamite Kid has got to be a pure work HOFer no? He was a 96 fiat right?

He was a fiat pick but Dynamite Kid was also either the biggest or second biggest draw in the history of Stampede Wrestling according to someone Bix mentioned to me who I can't remember at the moment.

I can't imagine that was true. I'd assume that the guys who Stu flew around in chartered planes and who helped him build the big mansion were bigger draws than the guy on top as they declined and eventually sold out to Vince.

I believe the story is that Dynamite drew the most dollars overall.. As in he consistently drew Stu money for years. Not a guy who came in for 3 months here, 3 months there.

My piece on Jun Akiyama's HOF case. I hope people enjoy it!

http://fightgameblog.com/2014/09/wrestling-observer-hall-of-fame-2014-the-case-for-jun-akiyama/

 

Also my show with Todd and Justin talking LOTS about the Hall. Both parts free at F4W!

 

DR. KEITH PRESENTS: The 2014 Wrestling Observer Hall Of Fame!

Votes have been coming in, the debates are strong and soon we will know where the people stand! But enough about Scotland - the Wrestling Observer Hall Of Fame ballots are out and there is A LOT to discuss. To discuss it, we've rounded up our good pals - the RG3 & Kirk Cousins of Raw Reviews - Todd Martin & Justin Shapiro! The conversation about the likes of CM Punk, Jun Akiyama and co. was so mighty that we needed to split it in two = and BOTH parts are FREE right here at www.f4wonline.com - so CHECK IT!!!

PART 1 - http://media001.f4wonline.com/free/091714dks.mp3

PART 2 - http://media001.f4wonline.com/free/091814dks.mp3

Great Akiyama piece, Alan. I'm leaning yes on him.

 

This isn't directly tied to Akiyama's case, but I think we all get caught up on placing too much emphasis on the drawing component. It's not the WON HOF of Draws. It has three components of criteria, drawing ability being one of those components. Akiyama is without question a hall of fame level worker. I think he drew enough to supplement that. That's good enough for me.

Loved the write up, Alan, will listen to the audio later. Akiyama is undoubtedly my 2000s MVP as I watch for that Japan project. No one is really even sniffing him for breadth and depth of quality IMO.

there has to be a good sports comp for akiyama out there. yao ming, maybe? someone who was destined to be seen as a failure no matter how great he was...

Karl Malone? Not likeable enough to get the Barkley love, and around during Jordan so never got the ring, but still a top 20 all timer.

 

 

 

Dynamite Kid has got to be a pure work HOFer no? He was a 96 fiat right?

He was a fiat pick but Dynamite Kid was also either the biggest or second biggest draw in the history of Stampede Wrestling according to someone Bix mentioned to me who I can't remember at the moment.

I can't imagine that was true. I'd assume that the guys who Stu flew around in chartered planes and who helped him build the big mansion were bigger draws than the guy on top as they declined and eventually sold out to Vince.

I believe the story is that Dynamite drew the most dollars overall.. As in he consistently drew Stu money for years. Not a guy who came in for 3 months here, 3 months there.

 

 

I have read Stu himself saying that Dynamite, not Abdullah or the Stomper, is the guy that made him the most money. Whether that's true or not is a different case but that's what he said.

Great Akiyama piece, Alan. I'm leaning yes on him.

 

This isn't directly tied to Akiyama's case, but I think we all get caught up on placing too much emphasis on the drawing component. It's not the WON HOF of Draws. It has three components of criteria, drawing ability being one of those components. Akiyama is without question a hall of fame level worker. I think he drew enough to supplement that. That's good enough for me.

 

I hear people make this point, but this is an HoF where Baron Leone and Maurice Tillet have never been on the ballot, JYD is just going on for the first time this year, and guys like Angle, Tanahashi and Benoit have coasted in relatively easily.

Just counted and there are 31 performers I could see myself voting for in right situation, though of those close to half are one's I would want to research a lot more.

 

I am thinking of picking a top nine an having a poll/discussion on PWO to help me with my tenth pick.

I have no access to 2004 WONs. How did Angle getting in work with voters. I can't imagine historians went for him.