5 best non-wrestlers in the WWE Hall of Fame

WWE Hall of Fame was originally introduced to honor the then-recently deceased Andre The Giant. Since 2004, the Hall of Fame ceremony has been a regular occurrence, with several personalities from the world of professional wrestling and beyond being inducted every year.

The Hall of Fame has been criticized for multiple reasons. The foremost reason for criticism is the absence of a physical hall to honor the inductees. WWE's insistence on inducting celebrities with negligible relation to professional wrestling ahead of true legends of the business has rightfully been derided.

WWE frequently puts non-wrestling personalities from the industry into its Hall of Fame. They may include commentators, ring announcers, or managers. Most celebs, too, fall under the non-wrestler category. Here is a list of five non-wrestlers who are rightfully part of the WWE Hall of Fame.

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#5. WWE Hall of Famer Pete Rose (Class of 2005)

One of the biggest superstars in baseball during his playing days, Pete Rose saw his legacy tarnished due to accusations of gambling on matches. He denied the claim for years but finally accepted it in 2004.

Rose has not been able to be a part of the Baseball Hall of Fame because of his past misdeeds, but he can find solace in being an inductee in the WWE Hall of Fame. Rose was the first non-wrestler celebrity to receive the honor, and he more than deserved it.

Pete Rose shared a strangely violent relationship with Kane. He appeared on three consecutive WrestleMania events between 1998 and 2000, all of which saw him attacked by The Devil's Favorite Demon.

Kane later discussed his tendency to torture Rose in a memorable backstage segment. To further the storyline, WWE uploaded a video of Rose discussing Kane's anger on their website.

#4. WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross (Class of 2007)

Good Ol' JR called countless great WWE matches and was an integral part of uncountable memorable moments. For instance, his amazing commentary during the violent Hell In A Cell match between Mankind and The Undertaker is remembered to this day.

Widely considered the greatest play-by-play commentator since his idol Gordon Solie, Jim Ross has received unrestricted and unanimous compliments from fans, critics, and industry veterans.

The WWE Hall of Famer is still going strong as he presently plies his trade in AEW, following multiple tenures across WWE and NJPW.

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#3. WWE Hall of Famer "Mean" Gene Okerlund (Class of 2006)

Beloved amongst fans and wrestlers alike, Gene Okerlund was a charismatic and genuine backstage interviewer. Adding to his uniqueness was the fact that certain WWE superstars used signature phrases while speaking to Okerlund.

Hulk Hogan's "Let Me Tell You Something Mean Gene," is iconic. Similarly brilliant but less remembered is The Iron Sheik's continual and humorous usage of the term "Gene Mean."

Okerlund was involved in some of the most memorable bloopers in WWE history and was tagged alongside Hulk Hogan. Okerlund was signed to a lifetime contract with WWE and was a regular appearance in retro-themed shows for the company until his death.

#2. WWE Hall of Famer Howard Finkel (Class of 2009)

Howard Finkel was the first WWE employee signed by Vince McMahon and remained with the company until his death in 2020. For decades, The Fink's resounding call of "newwww" heralded the birth of a new world champion in the company.

Finkel shifted to an increasingly light schedule in the 21st century. When he made a guest appearance as a ring announcer for CM Punk, he received a standing ovation from the audience.

During his last years, he was solely used to introduce the Hall of Fame inductees at WrestleMania. He has managed to remain posthumously relevant, as his voice was used to raise the importance of what WWE billed as "The Greatest Wrestling Match Ever."

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#1. WWE Hall of Famer Vince McMahon Sr. (Class of 1996)

Vince McMahon Sr. was a visionary who was one of the first to realize the potential of television to broaden the world of professional wrestling. He believed wrestlers should be wrestlers, and promoters should never interfere in the events of the ring.

He's remembered as one of the best territory promoters, whose tendency to promote ethnic talents led to WWE becoming increasingly popular amongst multiple ethnic populations.

In many ways, he was, as the owner of WWE, the antithesis of his son. The younger McMahon developed WWE into a global powerhouse and eliminated the word "professional wrestling" from his company. However, he did not forget to honor his father by putting him in the WWE Hall of Fame.