Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame 2023 Ballot
By: Karl Stern (Patreon / Facebook / Email)
As I do annually, I am including my ballot for the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame. I have been an Observer Hall of Fame voter ever since Wrestling Observer owner Dave Meltzer began allowing outside voters. I am considered a wrestling historian and journalist. I have included the entire ballot for the 2023 Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame with my personal votes in bold.
I have also recorded a two part podcast discussing the ballot which can be heard here.
This is our ballot for the 2023 Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame.
This ballot is being sent out to major wrestling stars, past and present, major management figures in the industry, writers and historians (I am considered this.)
If you are getting this, you are being asked your opinion on who should be inducted into this year's Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame class. The criteria for the Hall of Fame is a combination of drawing power, being a great in-ring performer or excelling in ones field in pro wrestling, as well as having historical significance in a positive manner. A candidate should either have something to offer in all three categories, or be someone so outstanding in one or two of those categories that they deserve inclusion.
The names listed below are those under consideration for this year. To be eligible, a performer must have reached their 35th birthday and completed ten years since their debut as a full-time performer, or be someone who has been a full-time pro wrestler for at least 15 years.
Longevity should be a prime consideration rather than a hot two or three year run, unless someone is so significant as a trend-setter or a historical figure in the business, or valuable to the industry, that they need to be included. However, just longevity without being either a long-term main eventer, a top draw and/or a top caliber in-ring performer should be seen as relatively meaningless.
There are more changes in the rules this year largely because the historical U.S. & Canada category is so full of viable candidates. This year what we are doing is each category is separate and the number of votes in a category allowed will be one in every three people on the ballot, so each category will have a different number. The idea is categories with fewer balloters won't be easier to get in, and categories with a lot of balloters won't be so difficult that it causes a logjam. It's an experiment that I think will make the process better.
The election is broken down into a number of categories. You should check each category for wrestlers that you feel you are familiar enough with based on geography that you've either traveled or are familiar with, and based on the time you have followed pro wrestling. You do not have to vote for a wrestler in every category you've checked.
The ballot is also broken down to wrestlers and those who are not pro wrestlers but have been valuable parts of the industry.
You can pick as few as zero in categories if you don't believe anyone on this list deserves inclusion or you can skip voting in categories that you don't believe you are familiar enough with to vote in.
All responses are confidential. There is nothing to worry about politically about any involvement in this process. Your selections will not be revealed unless you choose to do so yourself.
Anyone who receives mention on 60% of the ballots from the geographical region and time frame (broken down as Continental United States & Canada; Mexico; Japan; and the rest of the world) will be added to the Hall of Fame in the class of 2023.
If you are unfamiliar with any of the candidates due to geography or having never seen them, that is fine. Ballots are sent to many people from all over the world and from different wrestling cultures so that everyone has as fair a shot as possible.
The breakdown for modern and historical performers is 30 years ago, or 1993. So if the last year the person was a headliner, or was a key figure in the industry, was prior to 1993, they would be in the historical class.
All performers who receive mention on 10% to 59.9% of the ballots from their geographical region or era will remain on the ballot for consideration next year. All those who receive less than 10% of the vote will be dropped from next year's ballot. They can return in two years based on if there is significant feedback from voters who say they will vote for them. This is mostly for wrestlers who are still active who may improve their career legacy, but can be for retired wrestlers if voters believe they should be put on or returned to the ballot.
In addition, in following the lead of the baseball Hall of Fame, which is the model here, we have a 15-year-rule. The following candidates have been on the ballot since 2008. In baseball, this would be their last year of eligibility. Here, if they don't get at least 50% of the votes in this year's election they will be removed from the ballot. If they are modern candidates, they can be brought back in the historical performers era in two years if it is more than 30 years since their career as a Hall Fame level performer is up:
The following candidates will be dropped from next year's ballot unless they are elected in or garner 50% of the vote:
Big Daddy
Kendo Nagasaki
Jackie Pallo
Sgt. Slaughter
Please return this ballot by November 8th. You can e-mail the ballot back to dave@wrestlingobserver.com or mail (please do so by November 1st) to Wrestling Observer, P.O. Box 1228, Campbell, CA 95009-1228.
Please check by every category you are familiar with
I FOLLOWED THE HISTORICAL PERFORMERS ERA CANDIDATES (Eight maximum)
I voted in this category:
Ole Anderson
Bob Armstrong
Tully Blanchard & Arn Anderson w/J.J. Dillon
Jack & Jerry Brisco
British Bulldogs (Dynamite Kid & Davey Boy Smith)
June Byers
Wild Bull Curry
Junkyard Dog
Cowboy Bob Ellis
Pampero Firpo
Black Gordman & Great Goliath
Archie "Mongolian Stomper" Gouldie
Hart Foundation (Bret Hart & Jim Neidhart)
Sputnik Monroe
Dusty Rhodes & Dick Murdoch
Argentina Rocca & Miguel Perez
Johnny Rougeau
Iron Sheik
Tiger Jeet Singh
Sgt. Slaughter
Ricky Steamboat & Jay Youngblood
Mad Dog & Butcher Vachon
Von Brauners & Saul Weingeroff
Kevin & Kerry & David Von Erich
I FOLLOWED THE MODERN PERFORMERS IN U.S/CANADA CANDIDATES (five maximum)
I voted in this category.
Mark & Jay Briscoe
Young Bucks
Edge
Bill Goldberg
Matt & Jeff Hardy
Becky Lynch
Jon Moxley
Kevin Nash & Scott Hall
Paul Orndorff
Randy Orton
Seth Rollins
C.M. Punk
Roman Reigns
Trish Stratus
Rick & Scott Steiner
I FOLLOWED WRESTLING IN JAPAN CANDIDATES (three maximum)
I did NOT vote in this category.
The Beauty Pair (Jackie Sato & Maki Ueda)
Cima
Satoshi Kojima & Hiroyoshi Tenzan
Yoshiaki Fujiwara
Hayabusa
Antonio Inoki & Seiji Sakaguchi
Tomohiro Ishii
Meiko Satomura
Shingo Takagi
Manami Toyota & Toshiyo Yamada
I FOLLOWED WRESTLING IN MEXICO CANDIDATES (three maximum)
I did NOT vote in this category.
Angel Blanco & Dr. Wagner
Sangre Chicana
Los Hermanos Dinamita (Cien Caras & Mascara Ano 2000 & Universo 2000)
Dorrell Dixon
Pirata Morgan
Blue Panther
El Hijo del Santo & Octagon
La Parka AAA
Huracan Ramirez
I FOLLOWED WRESTLING IN EUROPE/AUSTRALIA/NEW ZEALAND/PACIFIC ISLANDS/AFRICA (four maximum)
I did NOT vote in this category.
Spyros Arion
Big Daddy
Dominic DeNucci
Billy Joyce
George Kidd
Killer Karl Kox
Mike Marino
Kendo Nagasaki
Jackie Pallo
The Royal Brothers (Bert Royal & Vic Faulkner)
Johnny Saint
Adrian Street
Jose Tarres
Otto Wanz
NON-WRESTLERS (six maximum)
I voted in this category.
Dave Brown (U.S. & Canada modern)
Bobby Bruns (Japan)
Bob Caudle (U.S. & Canada historical)
Bobby Davis (U.S. & Canada historical)
Joe Higuchi (Japan)
Jim Johnston (U.S. & Canada modern)
Larry Matysik (U.S.& Canada historical)
James Melby (U.S. & Canada historical)
Rossy Ogawa (Japan)
Reggie Parks (U.S. & Canada modern)
Morris Sigel (U.S. & Canada historical)
Tony Schiavone (U.S. & Canada modern)
George Scott (U.S. & Canada historical)
Sanshiro Takagi (Japan)
Mike Tenay (U.S. & Canada modern)
Ted Turner (U.S. & Canada modern)
Roy Welch (U.S. & Canada historical)
Stanley Weston (U.S. & Canada historical)
Grand Wizard (U.S & Canada historical)
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