After the inductees, it’s time for us to reveal the list of people who will induct Goldberg, The Dudley Boyz, Ivory, Jeff Jarrett, Hillbilly Jim and Mark Henry into the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2018 this Friday in New Orleans.
Paul Heyman, Brock Lesnar’s advocate, will be the person who inducts Goldberg into the WWE Hall of Fame. It may sound suprising but it’s true. Heyman has been at ringside for some of Goldberg’s most intense battles in the squared circle, as the General Manager of RAW in 2003-2004 and then as Brock Lesnar’s advocate in 2016-2017.
WWE is quoting Heyman’s “bird’s-eye view of the type of carnage Goldberg could create inside the ring” to explain its choice. And like WWE added: “Heyman is never one to pull any punches or mince words. What will he have to say when he presents Goldberg to the WWE Universe to receive sports-entertainment’s highest honor?”
To induct The Dudley Boyz into the Hall of Fame, there were only 2 possible choices, in fact the 2 teams with whom they made history in the mind-blowing Tables, Ladders and Chairs matchs at Summerslam 2000 and WrestleMania X-Seven, alongside The Hardy Boyz. Edge and Christian also took part of these extreme battles, where each team pushed the others to the absolute limits of what they could do.
Like WWE stated, “Edge & Christian and The Dudleys, along with The Hardy Boyz, were inextricably linked with each other during WWE’s Attitude Era, as they set new bars for what Superstars were willing to do in the chase for glory.” But this year, no bodies will be on the line, just the legacy of one of the most decorated tag teams in professional wrestling history.
Molly Holly will induct a wrestler that was both her partner and her rival in the ring. Considered both as trailblazers in the ring, they built the path for many women who had the desire to become wrestlers, and not eye-candies, and to the current WWE Women’s Evolution.
While in The Right To Censor stable, Ivory defeated Molly Holly and Trish Stratus to retain the Women’s Championship at Armageddon 2000. Later at Armageddon 2004, Ivory unsuccessfully challenged Molly Holly for the Women’s Championship. As WWE said, “It is perfectly fitting that Holly, a two-time WWE Women’s Champion, inducts Ivory, a three-time title holder, into sports-entertainment immortality.”
Another very logic choice that The Road Dogg to induct Jeff Jarrett into the Hall of Fame. Jarrett played a huge role in Road Dogg’s early career when he made his debut in WWF in 1994. As The Roadie, he would take care of Double J’s musical endeavours, but also meddle in Jarrett’s affairs in the ring.
Of course, there’s also musical controversy between the two, as it was also revealed that Road Dogg provided the vocals for Jarrett’s debut single, “With My Baby Tonight.” But when Jarrett left WWE to create TNA in 2002, The Road Dogg followed his friend. Their stories are so intertwined The Road Dogg was the only one who could induct Jarrett into the WWE Hall of Fame.
“The Mouth of the South” himself will induct Hillbilly Jim to the Hall of Fame. And there’s a very good reason for that. In 1985, Hart’s friend Hillbilly Jim recommended him to Vince McMahon, who hired him and made him the manager we’re still praising today.
But in the ring, Hillbilly Jim often found himself standing from nefarious Superstars managed by Jimmy Hart, like The Honky Tonk Man, Greg “The Hammer” Valentine and Earthquake. Despite stepping away from the ring, Hart and Hillbilly Jim remained very close friends. Which makes Hart the best person to induct him.
The Big Show will be the one to induct Mark Henry into the WWE Hall of Fame. Giant for giant, there couldn’t have been any other choice than The World’s Largest Athlete to induct The World’s Strongest Man. For nearly a decade, these 2 have offered some epic matchs and battles, including an epic rivalry over the World Heavyweight Championship in 2011. No one can forget their match at Vengeance 2011, and the ring collapsing when Henry superplexed The Big Show from the top rope (watch below).
Outside the ring, the two veterans have become close friends. Show told WWE.com: “I’ve spent a lot of time going up and down the road with Mark Henry. I’ve had battles with him, and I know what kind of human being and community leader he is. I can’t think of anyone more deserving of the WWE Hall of Fame. It is my honor to induct my friend.”
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4XBMrA_T3k]