The list of former stars that WWE either would not, or could not, recognise seems to be getting smaller to me. With Bruno Sammartino and Bob Backlund both accepting Hall Of Fame inductions many thought would never come this year, The Ultimate Warrior mending his fences with WWE, and Chyna being promised HOF induction as a member of DX, is there anyone left that WWE will never recognise, as a HOF'er or on their Alumni roster...???.

 

They do recognise some stars on their website that it is thought may never become Hall Of Famers...

 

Jake The Snake - WWE say they will not induct Jake until after he dies because of his lifestyle, but Jake is making huge steps to clean himself up, and wants to return at the 2014 Royal Rumble as his final goal, could HOF induction follow?.

 

Macho Man - Probably the greatest name not in the HOF. His falling out with WWE meant he refused induction on numerous occasions during his life, and since his death his brother The Genius has refused, saying he would only accept if both he and their father were also inducted. HOF induction for Savage will always be diminished by him not being there, but if WWE put as much heart and effort into getting Savage in, as they did this year with Bruno, than surely one day we will see him take his rightful spot.

 

Miss Elizabeth - No heat here, but I can't see Miss Elizabeth ever being inducted without Savage.

 

Ultimate Warrior - The rift between the Warrior and WWE is lifting, with communication opening up between himself and Vince McMahon, and a clear the air meeting is planned, where HOF induction will almost certainly be on the list of topics to discuss.

 

There are others that WWE do not even acknowledge on their website as Alumni...

 

Ahmed Johnson - Accuses WWE of being racist for not putting the WWF title on him during his time there, but he was the first black man to win the IC title, and he is proud of breaking down racial barriers in the company.

 

Alundra Blayze - The former Women's champion is in the dog house with WWE for throwing the Women's title in a trashcan after jumping ship from WWE to WCW in 1995. But she was just doing what she was told, and they do recognise Lex Luger, who was the first to jump during the Monday night wars.

 

Chris Benoit - The Benoit tragedy meant WWE cut him out of their history, and refused to acknowledge him again. I have always believed that the embarrassment Vince McMahon felt after the Benoit tribute show aired, before the details of what happened emerged, had a large part to play in Benoit being blackballed, I'm not saying he would have been put in the HOF the next year, like they did with Eddie Guerrero, or would glorify his career after what happened, but I am not sure they would have been as harsh if they didn't do the Raw show, and had to face the heat that followed from the press re: drugs in WWE. I don't think the blackball will be forever here though, whenever Benoit is remembered by the locker room, they talk about the man he was, not the way his life ended, and with Triple H closing in on taking over from Vince McMahon as chief of WWE, maybe one day they will acknowledge Benoit the wrestler, and attempt to separate his in ring legacy from Benoit the killer.

 

Chyna - After being fired by WWE in 2001 because Triple H ended a relationship with her and started a relationship with Stephanie McMahon, leading to backstage tensions, WWE set about keeping Chyna down, including, she says, costing her movie roles. However she is arguably the greatest female worker in WWE history, her achievements (First woman in the Rumble, and to hold the IC gold) deserve to be recognised, and she revealed that in a conversation she had with Vince McMahon earlier this year, that she was told that she would be inducted into the HOF as a member of DX, if not solo.

 

Dino Bravo - The way Bravo was killed is probably a reason for his exclusion. He was murdered in a gangland hit, but he was a solid worker, and that happened 20 years ago.

 

D'Lo Brown - He is in WWE's black books following the accident that paralyzed Droz, he dropped him onto his neck after botching his running powerbomb. D'Lo however was the first man to hold the IC and European titles at the same time, and should be acknowledged for that IMO.

 

Eugene - While there is no heat on the wrestler, the heat WWE got for the character is the reason he is not recognised, and why WWE pulled out of re-signing him last summer. Main stream media were offended by what they saw as mocking mental retardation. Eugene however was hugely popular with many WWE fans (Especially the kids).

 

Muhammad Hassan - Same again really, character rather than wrestler, WWE tried to recreate the heat they managed with Sgt. Slaughter in '91 with Hassan, the character backfired massively and WWE cut him loose, but he did leave an impression on fans, despite his short career with WWE.

 

Nailz - A backstage fight with Vince McMahon cost him his job in late '92, but he had a good gimmick, and I really liked his feud with the Boss Man.

 

Owen Hart - Martha, Owen's wife, blames WWE for Owen's early death in an accident at a WWE show in 1999. She has refused HOF induction for him, not allowed action figures or video games of him, and has done her damnedest to remove any link between Owen and the company. However she loses more of her legal actions than she wins, and has said that one day she will allow her children to decide on HOF induction for their dad. Bret Hart however does want Owen to be recognised, so maybe WWE could go a different way and have Bret accept Owen's induction, rather than his family. He is probably WWE's most successful wrestler not recognised on their page.

 

There are other stars that have no heat that I know of, that are not recognised...

 

Jacques Rougeau (& his brother Ray) - Jacques was around WWE on and off for a decade, and held multiple titles.

 

Hercules - Competed on 19 out of the first 20 WWE PPV's. He was also in a great tag team with Paul Roma, who is also not on the site.

 

Jeff Jarrett - Multiple time Intercontinental Champion.

 

Powers Of Pain - Should be included either together, or as The Warlord and The Barbarian individually.

 

Too Cool - Scotty 2 Hotty was in WWE forever, and his time with Grand Master Sexay was his best period.

 

Kai En Tai - Funaki was also around WWE for years, and Taka was the first ever Light Heavyweight champion.

 

Hillbilly Jim - His exclusion really surprises me, he is always on nostalgia shows, and is one of WWE's best loved stars.

 

Leilani Kai - First woman to defend the Women's title at WrestleMania, and one half of the first, and last, Women's Tag Team champions, along with Judy Martin.

 

Droz - I am not sure why he isn't on, he worked for WWE for years after his accident, maybe they don't want to put a pic of him in his wheelchair on their site?. IDK.

 

Brother Love - Was the man that guided The Undertaker's early career in WWF.

 

I have probably missed some, and it may be simplistic of me, but I am glad WWE are putting external issues to one side, and are recognising people for what they did, not what happened backstage. I hope this list continues to shorten, as more of these stars are officially welcomed back into WWE.