Predicting the WWE Hall of Fame 2018 Class
By Tim Sherry
credit: wwe.com
5. The Honky Tonk Man
Entering the WWF in 1986 as a babyface, The Honky Tonk Man’s Elvis impersonator gimmick and macho over-confidence quickly made him universally disliked by fans. He used that hatred to turn himself into one of the best heels on the roster and quite honestly, one of the best bad guys the company’s ever had. Never a worker who relied on big moves or a high flying acumen, The Honky Tonk Man excelled in the psychology of a match. He was an eloquent bruiser, using grace as he battered opponents with fists and elbows, and he never lost his attention when it came to his biggest adversary: the crowd. There was nothing more maddening for a fan to watch that massive grin as he delivered his patented Shake Rattle Roll neck-breaker to his beaten down opponent.
For all that HTM has accomplished in the wrestling business, his biggest accomplishment happened on June 2nd of 1987 when he defeated Hall of Fame class of 2009 member Ricky Steamboat for the WWF Intercontinental Championship. From there he would go on to hold that belt for a staggering 454 days, a record that still holds up today. But what he did in losing that title was his most important contribution to the company. When he dropped the belt at the 1988 SummerSlam to The Ultimate Warrior, a star was born. The Warrior, extremely green at the time, spent the next 5 months working with The Honky Tonk Man in house shows all over the country. He taught him the ropes and helped turn The Warrior into what he would eventually become.
When it comes to who should induct HTM into the hall, there are a couple of options. His former manager and 2006 inductee Jimmy Hart would be a great choice. Jerry Lawler would also be an excellent choice. He’s a member of the 2007 class and The Honky Tonk Man’s first cousin. Although he’s made his fair share of negative comments about his time with the WWF, he’s still a guy who wrestled nearly 700 matches for the company and is the longest reigning Intercontinental Champion of all time. He deserves to get in.