WWE Hall of Fame: Sting announces his retirement in heartfelt induction speech
Sting announced his retirement in the speech of the night, The Fabulous Freebirds jammed out to "Badstreet U.S.A.," and an elite Superstar made a surprise return to induct Snoop Dogg at the 2016 WWE Hall of Fame ceremony.
DALLAS –It was “Showtime” at the 2016 WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony when The Icon, Sting, was welcomed into sports-entertainment’s most elite fraternity.
Inducted into the Hall by his greatest rival, “The Nature Boy” Ric Flair, The Man Called Sting captivated the crowd at the American Airlines Center as he reflected upon his career and thanked his family, friends, fellow champions and competitors, and fans for helping him reach truly historic levels during his career.
Known as The Franchise of World Championship Wrestling, Sting won the WCW World Heavyweight Championship six times, both the WCW International Heavyweight Championship and United States Championship twice, and held the WCW World Tag Team Championship on three different occasions with three different partners.
Long heralded throughout his career as the greatest performer never to compete in WWE, The Icon finally stepped into the light, and inside a WWE ring, at Survivor Series 2014. That unforgettable moment set off a chain reaction that resulted in The Black-and-White Knight competing against Triple H at WrestleMania 31, challenging for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at Night of Champions 2015, and now being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.
Addressing the rumors and speculation that surrounded the weeks leading up to his induction, Sting officially retired from in-ring competiton, shocking the WWE Universe in the American Airlines Center and prompting massive chants of "Thank you, Sting."
However, as he concluded his speech, he put on a pair of sunglasses and grabbed his signature black bat, assuring the WWE Universe that “this isn't goodbye, but see you later."
An award-winning journalist, best-selling author and breast cancer survivor, Joan Lunden stands to be recognized.
As the second recipient of the Warrior Award at the 2016 WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, Joan Lunden embodies the courage and indomitable spirit of WWE Hall of Famer Ultimate Warrior.
The face of TV’s “Good Morning America” for two decades, Lunden displayed talent and grace as she reported the news across 26 countries. However, it wasn’t until Lunden was diagnosed with a rare form of breast cancer that the world learned just how strong and fearless she truly was.
Lunden’s courage in the face of such a foreboding disease inspired millions who rejoiced on the day in 2015 when she announced she was cancer free. Presented with the Warrior Award by Dana Warrior, Joan Lunden spoke of how proud her seven children were to find out that their mother was being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.
It was the story of how inspired she was by the WWE Universe’s reaction to her appearance on Raw in October 2014 that truly resonated, however. It was clear that the passion and strength of Ultimate Warrior lives on through Joan Lunden.
Who else could WWE have hand-picked to induct arguably the most successful rapper of all time into the celebrity wing of the WWE Hall of Fame than our in-ring rapper, the Doctor of Thuganomics, John Cena? The Cenation leader revealed to the WWE Universe that Snoop Dogg invited him to record his first album in his studio after seeing him spitting rhymes on WWE television.
An unabashed lifelong WWE fan, Snoop mentioned his favorite Superstars while growing up: WWE Hall of Famers Tony Atlas, Rocky Johnson, Junkyard Dog, "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes and, in his words, "the innovator of swag," Ric Flair. Snoop gave his most emotional shoutout to his "little cousin," the "Legit Boss" Sasha Banks. The music legend recalled bringing a teenage Sasha Banks backstage at WrestleMania in 2008 and noticing that's where she wanted to be. He added that seeing his cousin's face on the side of AT&T Stadium, the site of the biggest WrestleMania in history, was unbelievable.
After thanking WWE for allowing him to be part of Monday Night Raw, WrestleMania, and inducting him into the Hall of Fame, Snoop Dogg laid down a few bars for the WWE Universe.
The former Cobb County, Ga., corrections officer is posthumously ushered into the WWE Hall of Fame by his lovely daughters.
For a Superstar who spent so much time in the rough jails of Cobb County, Ga., Big Boss Man fit into the WWE Hall of Fame surprisingly well.
The extremely tough, wildly agile big man was inducted by his former manager, “The Doctor of Style” Slick, who detailed how friendly Big Boss Man was despite his intimidating size and presence. Slick then welcomed to the stage Boss Man’s late wife, Angela, along with daughters Lacy and Megan.
Boss Man’s beautiful family thanked the WWE Universe for keeping his memory alive and shared intimate memories of a man who was a kind, giving human being far different than the hard-edged persona WWE fans saw in the ring.
Some Legends walk into the WWE Hall of Fame. When you’re a Fabulous Freebird, you strut.
Welcomed into sports-entertainment’s most vaunted group by their spiritual successors — Kofi Kingston, Xavier Woods and Big E of The New Day — Michael “P.S.” Hayes and Jimmy “Jam” Garvin turned the 2016 WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony into a rock show as the thundering guitars of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Free Bird” pulsed through the American Airlines Center.
With the memories of fellow Freebirds Terry “Bam Bam” Gordy and Buddy “Jack” Roberts hanging heavy in their hearts, Hayes and Garvin recalled their fast-living days as sports-entertainment’s most rebellious crew. To keep that incomparable spirit alive, Ray Gordy and Buddy “Jack” Roberts, Jr. — sons of the late Freebirds — were welcomed onto the stage to offer touching tributes to their fathers.
More stories were shared by Hayes and Garvin from there — none of which we can share on this site — before they brought their legendary rival, Kevin Von Erich of the WWE Hall of Fame Von Erichs on stage. It was a touching moment, but rest assured, the WWE Hall of Fame just got a lot rowdier.
A true trailblazer for women in the sports-entertainment industry, Jacqueline gets inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in her hometown of Dallas, Texas.
Jacqueline, a true trailblazer for women in the sports-entertainment industry, took her well-deserved place in history in her hometown of Dallas, Texas, when she was enshrined in the WWE Hall of Fame’s Class of 2016.
Inducted by her longtime friends and the most decorated tag team in history, The Dudley Boyz, Jacqueline told her story about starting as a young girl watching wrestling on television to becoming the first African-American WWE Women's Champion.
She began her speech by thanking the WWE Universe, her family and friends, and then went on to thank her greatest opponents, Trish Stratus, Lita, Molly Holly, Terri Runnels, Victoria and Sable, and finished by thanking WWE for giving her the opportunity to make history.
The tough-as-nails "Lariat" steps into the spotlight to be recognized for his incredible career.
One of the most infamous competitors in WWE history is now officially among the immortals.
After being introduced as “one of the best to ever set foot in the squared circle” by longtime friend and rival Vader, Stan Hansen stepped forward to become the second inductee at the 2016 WWE Hall of Fame Ceremony. “The Lariat” opened his remarks by reminiscing over past encounters with Vader, then changed to a gracious tone as he expressed surprise at receiving the highest honor in sports-entertainment.
Hansen next allowed a rarely seen tender side to come out as he reminisced about the support he has received from his family and friends over the years. Calling upon the many stories he had in his career as a globetrotting toughman, Hansen sustained a humble spirit in his acceptance speech by tipping his 10-gallon cowboy hat to the legendary rivals he battled along the way.
“There’s a thousand opponents that I would love to talk about because it’s so important about the opponent,” Hansen said. “You have to have somebody out there who’s going to give you a run for the money.”
The 2016 WWE Hall of Fame train set off with the induction of one of the most charismatic competitors of The Attitude Era.
Inducted by JBL and WWE Hall of Famer Ron Simmons, The Godfather, decked out in a snazzy three-piece suit and his signature purple hat, brought the capacity crowd in attendance at American Airlines Center to its feet with an outrageous entrance and a dazzling acceptance speech. He expressed gratitude to his family, reminisced about his past exploits and conceded that he’s more of a party man than one to make speeches.
He closed his comments with a sincere sentiment about all the support he’s received from the WWE Universe over the years.
“I want everybody here to know that I felt all the love that I was getting from you,” Godfather said. “And believe me: The love was getting right back at you. Believe me, I was having the time of my life.”
At the 2016 WWE Hall of Fame Inductees Ceremony, WWE recognized seven of wrestling’s greatest pioneers by honoring the first-ever Legacy inductees into the Hall. These competitors cover a variety of eras in wrestling history, going back to its roots in the early 1900s. Their contributions to the industry are immeasurable, making them more than worthy of induction into the WWE Hall of Fame. The inaugural Legacy inductees include:
Lou Thesz
Lou Thesz, a true professional wrestling pioneer, is best known for his domination of the National Wrestling Alliance and for being the inventor of such maneuvers as the German Suplex, STF and the aptly-named Thesz Press. He is the longest reigning NWA Champion in history, having three reigns and holding the iconic championship for more than 10 years combined.
Ed “Strangler” Lewis
Ed “Strangler” Lewis, a major star of the early 1900s, is best remembered for his rough-and-tumble style in the squared circle. Lewis locked horns with fellow icons such as Stanislaus Zbyszko and Joe Stecher, and competed all around the globe, including memorable appearances all the way from Madison Square Garden to New Zealand. Often accredited for helping bring the Sleeper Hold into the mainstream, Lewis’ influence is still felt today.
George Hackenschmidt
In the 1900s, George Hackenschmidt was a figure that nobody could ignore, possessing a powerful and chiseled physique that would impress even many of WWE’s Superstars today. Standing only 5-foot-9, Hackenschmidt weighed a rock-solid 218 pounds, and his dedication to both physical fitness and wrestling resulted in history being made. Hackenschmidt invented weightlifting’s hack squat and wrestling’s bear hug, and he became the first World Heavyweight Champion of the squared circle. “The Russian Lion” is also remembered for his legendary rivalry with fellow inductee Frank Gotch.
Frank Gotch
Frank Gotch was the first American professional wrestler to win the World Heavyweight Freestyle Championship, and is credited by historians for popularizing what is now sports-entertainment in the United States. His reign as World Heavyweight Champion from 1908 until his final match in 1913 is one of the longest in history.
Mildred Burke
A true pioneer in women’s wrestling, Mildred Burke broke into the business by competing against – and handily defeating – men. Burke dominated the women’s ranks for two decades, reigning as World Champion from 1935 until her retirement in 1955. She also introduced women’s wrestling to Japan during a 1954 tour.
“Sailor” Art Thomas
A former Merchant Marine, “Sailor” Art Thomas was one of sports-entertainment’s first African-American stars. Thomas was a veritable mountain of a man, standing 6-foot-4 and weighing 250 lbs. Few could match power with him, making him a formidable foe in the squared circle. He was a perennial contender to the NWA World Championship, and formed successful tag teams with the likes of Bobo Brazil and Lou Thesz.
Pat O’Connor
Hailing from New Zealand, Pat O’Connor was one of the most respected wrestlers of his time. O’Connor reigned as the NWA World Champion for more than two years, and was crowned the inaugural AWA World Champion after Verne Gagne seceded from the NWA. Following his incredible in-ring career, O’Connor later established himself as a promoter in the Kansas City and St. Louis territories.
Don’t miss the Legacy inductees take their place in history during the 2016 WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, live this Saturday at 8 ET/5 PT, only on WWE Network.
Check out exclusive photos of the classic fashion statements made on the red carpet prior to the 2016 WWE Hall of Fame induction ceremony at American Airlines Center in Dallas.
Past and present WWE Superstars lit up the red carpet ahead of the 2016 WWE Hall of Fame induction ceremony at American Airlines Center in Dallas.
The evening’s honorees and their esteemed guests may be the focal point for the festivities in Big D, but studying the fashion statements made before the ceremony is quickly becoming a WWE pastime in itself. Maria Menounos helped shine a spotlight on the WWE Legends and Superstars in attendance in her role as the host of the WWE Hall of Fame Red Carpet special on WWE Network.
