Tag: gcw indie wrestling hall of fame

GCW says Sabu no-showed Indie Wrestling Hall of Fame ceremony

Posted on by Joseph Currier

When the 2024 Indie Wrestling Hall of Fame ceremony took place on Sunday afternoon, one of the scheduled inductees did not appear.

Sabu was supposed to be inducted into the Indie Wrestling Hall of Fame as part of its 2024 class, but he wasn’t at the ceremony. Game Changer Wrestling promoter Brett Lauderdale tweeted that Sabu no-showed the Hall of Fame despite being downstairs in the hotel where the event was taking place.

Lauderdale wrote:

In the true spirit of independent wrestling, sabu has decided to keep his deposit and no show the indie hall of fame ceremony today. He accepted the booking and took the money, but doesnt wanna get in the elevator and come upstairs

What a legend

Sabu was present at WrestleCon while the induction ceremony was taking place. Both events were held at the Sheraton hotel in downtown Philadelphia.

The Briscoes (Jay & Mark Briscoe), Trent Acid, Steve Corino, Mercedes Martinez, Eddie Gilbert, and indie superfan Kevin “Whack Packer” Hogan were the other members of the 2024 Indie Wrestling Hall of Fame class. Jay Briscoe, Acid, Gilbert, and Hogan were inducted posthumously.

The Indie Wrestling Hall of Fame is presented by GCW and Orange Crush Magazine. It was first established in 2022.

This year’s ceremony is available to watch below: 

Steve Corino to be inducted into Indie Wrestling Hall of Fame

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Former ECW star Steve Corino is being honored in Philadelphia over WrestleMania weekend.

Corino will be inducted into the Indie Wrestling Hall of Fame on Sunday, April 7. The Hall of Fame was established in 2022 by Game Changer Wrestling and Orange Crush magazine.

The 50-year-old Corino tweeted that he’s honored to be part of the Indie Hall of Fame. He’s being inducted by his son Colby Corino, who is a wrestler for the NWA. 

Steve Corino wrestled in ECW, ROH, and all over the world during his two-plus decade career in the ring. He was a one-time ECW World Heavyweight Champion. Since 2017, Corino has worked behind the scenes in WWE. He’s a coach and producer in NXT.

Corino is a former color commentator for ROH and NJPW.

Corino came out of retirement in 2021 to face his son Colby in a match for Premier Wrestling Federation. It’s the only time the elder Corino has wrestled since 2016.

The 2024 Indie Wrestling Hall of Fame ceremony is taking place from the Sheraton hotel in downtown Philadelphia. It starts at noon Eastern time on April 7 and will stream live on YouTube for free.

The Briscoes (Jay & Mark Briscoe), Trent Acid, and indie wrestling superfan Kevin “Whack Packer” Hogan are also part of this year’s Hall of Fame class. Jay Briscoe, Acid, and Hogan are being inducted posthumously.

Indie Wrestling Hall of Fame —

Class of 2022:

  • Dave Prazak
  • Jerry Lynn
  • Homicide
  • LuFisto
  • Ruckus
  • Tracy Smothers

Class of 2023:

  • Cheerleader Melissa
  • Christopher Daniels
  • Excalibur
  • Jimmy Jacobs
  • Michael Modest
  • Paul London

Class of 2024:

  • Trent Acid
  • The Briscoes (Jay & Mark Briscoe)
  • Kevin “Whack Packer” Hogan
  • Steve Corino

Orange Cassidy to induct Excalibur into GCW Indie Wrestling Hall of Fame

Posted on by Ethan Renner

Orange Cassidy will induct Excalibur into the GCW Indie Wrestling Hall of Fame at a ceremony on Sunday, April 2.

GCW announced late Wednesday that Cassidy, AEW’s International Champion, will induct Excalibur at the event set for the Millennium Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles. The ceremony will air live on FITE+ at 3 p.m. Eastern time.

AEW’s lead broadcast voice since its 2019 inception, Excalibur is also the co-founder of Pro Wrestling Guerilla, widely considered the most influential independent pro wrestling promotion in the country. 

Real name Marc Letzmann, Excalibur had a seven-year career as an independent wrestler prior to becoming a commentator. He wrestled on PWG’s first show in 2003. 

The 2023 class of the Indie Wrestling Hall of Fame includes these entrants and inductees: 

  • Excalibur [Orange Cassidy]
  • Paul London [TBA]
  • Cheerleader Melissa [Dave Prazak]
  • Jimmy Jacobs [Alex Shelley]
  • Mike Modest [Beyond the Mat director Barry Blaustein]
  • Christopher Daniels [Frankie Kazarian]

GCW and Orange Crush magazine established the Indie Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2022. The first class consisted of Jerry Lynn, Homicide, Dave Prazak, LuFisto, Ruckus, and Tracy Smothers.

Paul London announced for GCW Indie Wrestling Hall of Fame

Posted on by Joseph Currier

GCW has revealed a new inductee for this year’s Indie Wrestling Hall of Fame class.

It was announced on Friday that Paul London will be inducted into the Indie Wrestling Hall of Fame over The Collective weekend on Sunday, April 2. He’s the sixth entrant for the class, joining Christopher Daniels, Cheerleader Melissa, Jimmy Jacobs, Mike Modest, and Excalibur.

Daniels is being inducted into the Hall of Fame by Frankie Kazarian. Cheerleader Melissa is being inducted by Dave Prazak, Jacobs is being inducted by Alex Shelley, and Modest is being inducted by “Beyond the Mat” director Barry Blaustein.

GCW hasn’t announced who will be inducting Excalibur or London.

London was one of the standout indie wrestlers of the early 2000s, including being one of the top wrestlers in Ring of Honor when the promotion launched. In ROH, fans famously chanted “Please Don’t Die” at London over the moves he would do.

London returned to the indies following a stint with WWE that lasted from 2003-2008.

GCW and Orange Crush magazine established the Indie Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2022. The inaugural class featured Jerry Lynn, Homicide, Dave Prazak, LuFisto, Ruckus, and Tracy Smothers.

This year’s induction ceremony is taking place at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles and will air live via Fite+.

Jimmy Jacobs announced for GCW Indie Wrestling Hall of Fame

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Jimmy Jacobs is being honored with an induction into GCW’s Indie Wrestling Hall of Fame.

GCW has announced that Jacobs will be inducted into the Indie Wrestling Hall of Fame during The Collective weekend next month. The induction ceremony is being held at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles on Sunday, April 2.

Jacobs is being inducted into the Hall of Fame by Alex Shelley.

Jacobs is a former ROH Tag Team Champion, holding the titles five times. He currently works behind the scenes in Impact Wrestling.

Jacobs was also formerly part of the creative team for WWE.

Three inductees have now been confirmed for this year’s Indie Wrestling Hall of Fame class. In addition to Jacobs, Christopher Daniels (inducted by Frankie Kazarian) and Cheerleader Melissa (inducted by Dave Prazak) are being inducted.

The Indie Wrestling Hall of Fame was established by GCW and Orange Crush magazine in 2022. Jerry Lynn, Homicide, Prazak, LuFisto, Ruckus, and Tracy Smothers were part of the inaugural inductee class.

Christopher Daniels to be inducted into GCW Indie Hall of Fame

Posted on by Ethan Renner

Christopher Daniels will be inducted into the GCW Indie Wrestling Hall of Fame Class of 2023.

GCW announced Daniels as the first member of the Class of 2023 in a social media post on Wednesday. Daniels will be inducted by longtime SCU tag team partner Frankie Kazarian at the ceremony set for Sunday, April 2 as part of WrestleCon on WrestleMania weekend in Los Angeles at the Biltmore Hotel. The ceremony will air on FITE TV at noon Pacific time. 

VIP seats for the event are on sale now, and include table seating, priority entry, and a commemorative lanyard. General admission to the ceremony is included with a WrestleCon pass.

GCW established the Indie Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2022, with the first class consisting of Tracy Smothers, Ruckus, Homicide, Jerry Lynn, Dave Prazak, and LuFisto. 

Daniels is a former ROH World Champion, ROH Television Champion, and won Tag Team of the Year with Kazarian in the 2012 Wrestling Observer Newsletter Awards, among a long list of accolades in his 30-year career.

CM Punk to induct Dave Prazak into GCW Indie Wrestling Hall of Fame

Posted on by Ethan Renner

CM Punk will induct Dave Prazak into the GCW Indie Wrestling Hall of Fame.

Punk made the announcement today on his Instagram story.

Prazak is part of the inaugural GCW Indie Wrestling Hall of Fame class, with the induction ceremony taking place on Saturday, January 22 at The Cutting Room in New York City. The ceremony will stream for free, live on GCW’s YouTube channel beginning at 7 p.m. Eastern time.

The announced Hall of Fame class includes Prazak, LuFisto, Jerry Lynn, Homicide, Ruckus, plus Tracy Smothers. Sean Waltman will induct Lynn, Chris Dickinson will induct Homicide, and now Prazak will be inducted by Punk. The remaining presenters have yet to be announced.

The following night, GCW presents The WRLD on GCW at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York at 8 p.m. Eastern time on FITE TV. That show is sold out, with more than two thousand fans expected to be in attendance for the event.

LuFisto to be inducted into GCW Indie Wrestling Hall of Fame

Posted on by Ethan Renner

GCW has announced a legend of women’s wrestling for their first Indie Wrestling Hall of Fame class.

LuFisto will be a part of the 2022 class. GCW made the announcement this evening. With nearly 25 years of in-ring experience and over 20 different title reigns across a variety of indie promotions, LuFisto will take her place among some of the most notable names of the independent scene over the last three decades.

GCW’s Indie Wrestling Hall of Fame ceremony will stream live on the company’s YouTube channel on Saturday, January 22 at 7 p.m. Eastern time. The following night, GCW presents The WRLD on GCW from the sold out Hammerstein Ballroom in New York at 8 p.m. Eastern time. That show will air on FITE TV.

LuFisto joins Jerry Lynn, Homicide, Ruckus, Dave Prazak, and Tracy Smothers in the 2022 class. Lynn will be inducted by Sean Waltman, Homicide by Chris Dickinson, while the presenters for the remaining inductees have yet to be announced.

Homicide, Jerry Lynn, Ruckus first GCW Indie Hall of Fame inductees

Posted on by Ethan Renner

Homicide, Jerry Lynn and Ruckus have been announced as the first GCW Indie Wrestling Hall of Fame inductees. The three will be added to the newly-created Hall of Fame on January 22, 2022 at an event at Cutting Room in New York City. 

Sean Waltman has been announced as the inductor for Lynn, Chris Dickinson will induct Homicide, and Sonjay Dutt will induct Ruckus.

Lynn, 58, is currently working in a backstage role as an AEW coach. He is a former ECW World Champion, Ring of Honor World Champion, and Impact X Division Champion, just to name a few of the myriad of titles he has held throughout his career. 

Homicide, 44, has also held the ROH World title and the Impact X Division Championship, plus 23 other championships in a career spanning 28 years.

Ruckus, 43, is still semi-active on the indie scene, including two dates for GCW earlier this year. He made his name primarily in the CZW promotion. 

Tickets for the Indie Wrestling Hall of Fame induction ceremony and gala go on sale Monday, November 22 at 10 a.m. Eastern time.