Eastern Lariat 2024 Wrestling Observer Hall of Fame Special (w/Gerard di Trolio)

Against all odds (it was definitely happening all along) The Emerald FlowShow's own esteemed Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame voter Gerard di Trolio (@EmeraldFlowShow on SocMed) returns once again to argue with Dylan about who should be voted in to the Hall of Fame. We discuss every region and every candidate eligible for voting with Japan of course getting the main focus as we break down each candidate individually in the region which includes:

 

CIMA

TenCozy

Yoshiaki Fujiwara

Hayabusa

Antonio Inoki & Seiji Sakaguchi

Kento Miyahara

Zack Sabre Jr.

Meiko Satomura

Tiger Jeet Singh

Shingo Takagi

Yoshihiro Takayama

Manami Toyota & Toshiyo Yamada

 

Followed by segments breaking down every other region and revealing Gerard's ballot in depth with wrestlers from every region discussed as listed below:

 

Ballots were sent out to us over the weekend: 

 

 

This is our ballot for the 2024 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.

If you are getting this, you are being asked your opinion on who should be inducted into this year's 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 modern U.S. & Canada category is so full of viable candidates. 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.

 

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 1994. So if the last year the person was a headliner, or was a key figure in the industry, was prior to 1994, 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:

 

Johnny Saint

Huracan Ramirez

 

 

HISTORICAL PERFORMERS ERA (Seven maximum)

 

Ole Anderson

Afa & Sika Anoa'i

Bob Armstrong

Tully Blanchard & Arn Anderson w/J.J. Dillon

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

Johnny Rougeau

Iron Sheik

Ricky Steamboat & Jay Youngblood

Mad Dog & Butcher Vachon

Kevin & Kerry & David Von Erich

 

 

MODERN PERFORMERS IN U.S/CANADA (Seven max)

 

Asuka/Kana

Mark & Jay Briscoe

Young Bucks

Edge

Bill Goldberg

Samoa Joe

Matt & Jeff Hardy

Becky Lynch

Jon Moxley

Kevin Nash & Scott Hall

Paul Orndorff

Randy Orton

Kevin Owens

C.M. Punk

Roman Reigns

Cody Rhodes

Trish Stratus

Rick & Scott Steiner

Jimmy & Jey Uso

Sid Vicious

Bray Wyatt

Sami Zayn

 

MEXICO (Four max)

 

Angel Blanco & Dr.Wagner

Sangre Chicana

Psycho Clown

El Dandy

Los Hermanos Dinamita (Cien Caras & Mascara Ano 2000 & Universo 2000)

Dorrell Dixon

Gran Hamada

El Hijo del Santo & Octagon

La Parka AAA

Huracan Ramirez

Mascarita Sagrada

Volador Jr.

 

EUROPE/AUSTRALIA/NEW ZEALAND/PACIFIC ISLANDS/AFRICA (Three max)

 

Spyros Arion

Dominic DeNucci

George Gordienko

Billy Joyce

Killer Karl Kox

The Royal Brothers (Bert Royal & Vic Faulkner)

Johnny Saint

Adrian Street

Jose Tarres

Otto Wanz

 

NON-WRESTLERS (Seven max)

 

Dave Brown (U.S. & Canada modern)

Zane resoff (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)

Kevin Sullivan (U.S. & Canada historical)

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)

Koichi Yoshizawa (Japan)

 

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Special thanks to Futakuchi Mana & Jun Mitsui for the official 2024 EL HOF Theme Song: "Find Your Flame" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_UnGESNUmRI