Pro Wrestling

King Kong Bundy Settles for Lesser Hall of Fame

Fresh Videos

By @fixingbaseball

King Kong Bundy WWE

Photo Courtesy Of illegalforeignobject.com

Discussing professional sports Hall of Fame snubs is nothing new, but the debates don’t generally involve members of professional wrestling.

This snub is just so glaring, though, that I had to give it some attention.

The WWE has announced its 2013 roster of stars to be inducted into the Hall of Fame during an April ceremony at Wrestlemania. The list this year includes Mick Foley, Bob Backlund, and Trish Stratus.  Foley certainly deserves the honor, and Backlund’s entry into the wrestling halls of greatness is long overdue. But Trish Stratus?  Seriously?

Once again, another year of inductee announcements has come and gone, and once again, 444-pound legend King Kong Bundy has been snubbed.

Bundy joined the WWE (then the WWF) back in 1985. Although his stay in the federation was short, lasting just five years in two separate stints, it was very memorable. Bundy was a main event draw during his entire run in the WWE, enjoying noteworthy feuds with stars like Andre the Giant, Hulk Hogan, Lex Luger, and The Undertaker. He’s one of the few wrestlers to beat Hogan on national television during Hogan’s first run as champion.  Unfortunately for Bundy, it was a non-title match.

That’s likely the issue that’s holding back Bundy’s induction. He was champion in several other leagues throughout his career, but he never won the title in the WWE/F. His most famous challenge for the title came in Wrestlemania 2 when he took on Hogan in a bloody Steel Cage Match. Following his signature leg-drop, Hogan was able to exit the cage first, thus retaining his title.

To Bundy’s credit though, he found ways to make headlines without holding a belt. He was notorious for demanding a five count after pinning an opponent, and for years he held the record for fastest pin. He accomplished the latter when he beat “Special Delivery” Jones in nine seconds in the inaugural Wrestlemania event. The WWE stripped him of that record, however, when they allowed Kane to defeat Chavo Guerrero in just eight seconds in a 2008 match.

Another defining moment in Bundy’s career that is still talked about today came during Wrestlemania III. In that particular pay-per-view episode, he illegally bodyslammed “midget wrestler” (their term, not mine) Little Beaver and pummeled him thereafter. It was brutal, comical, and cringe-worthy all at the same time.  The scene was, as Gorilla Monsoon might call it, pandemonium.

Though the WWE failed to notice him this year, Christopher “King Kong Bundy” Pallies will be honored on April 5th by Pro Wrestling Report in their very own Hall of Fame—an honor well deserved.

 

Share Tweet
Trending Now on