5 wrestlers who shouldn't be in WWE's Hall of Fame, and 5 who deserve to be

The WWE's Hall of Fame has been accused of missing the mark on some of their inductees. Here are five wrestlers who probably don't deserve the honour and five who should be inducted.

When the WWE first debuted its "Hall of Fame," the sole inductee was Andre the Giant.

Mainly, it was meant as a way to honor Andre, who had recently passed on. There were no official ceremonies or fanfare other than a video package of the giant's standout moments.

Time passed, and more inductees made it into the hall, and they were mostly veteran acts who had worked for Vince McMahon or his father at some point during their careers. More time passed, and the HOF ceremony became a televised, pre-Wrestlemania tradition.

With more casual fans paying attention to the Hall of Fame, there was more controversy generated. Some have accused the WWE of playing favorites and not giving wrestlers who worked for rival promotions their due.

Here are five wrestlers who possibly don't deserve to be in the HOF, and five who should be.

Shouldn't Be in the Hall: Sunny

Former WWE employee Sunny has been called the first Diva.

This one is a head-scratcher, as by the time Sunny was inducted in 2011 most fans had forgotten all about her.

And it's easy to see why. Sunny had no discernable talents other than cheating on her husband Chris Candido and filling out a swimsuit. Unlike other former valets like Dawn Marie--who runs a foundation to provide assistance to ailing former wrestlers--Sunny doesn't seem to care much for the business, the fans, or much of anything other than herself.

For a 'performer' who really didn't leave much of an impact on the sport, and is in fact barely remembered today, it's hard to fathom why she made it into the HOF.

Should be in the Hall of Fame: Hot Stuff Eddie Gilbert

Eddie Gilbert didn't last long in the WWE, but went on to be a huge star in other promotions.

He was the victor in one of the most famous 'teacher vs. student' feuds of all time when he bested Jerry the King Lawler to win the AWA championship. He founded Hot Stuff international, where he would mentor such future stars as Sting.

Gilbert was also known for having one of the best minds for the wrestling business and was always willing to help other performers fine-tune their ring psychology. Eddie was well-loved and well-respected by his peers, though he did behave erratically at times due to substance abuse issues.

Eddie Gilbert is a true legend in wrestling and deserves to be in the Hall of Fame.

Shouldn't be in the hall: Edge

This is not meant to disrespect Edge: He is a highly decorated wrestler who was a fixture during the Attitude and Ruthless Aggression eras.

However, it's much, much too soon for him to be in the Hall of Fame, retired or not. The fact that Edge made it into the HOF before Bruno Sammartino is a travesty.

We realize that WWE was throwing Edge a bone because he had to retire young, but he should have had to wait at least a little longer.

Should be in the Hall of fame: Dynamite Kid

Dynamite Kid Tom Billington is regarded by many as the greatest in ring performer of any era, ever.

Known for inventing moves like the diving headbutt and multiple german suplexes (favored in this era by Brock Lesnar), the Dynamite Kid always put on a high-quality performance and could make almost any wrestler look good.

Though his promo skills were less than impressive, his storied career and numerous accolades should have made him a shoo-in for the Hall a long time ago.

Shouldn't be in the Hall: Theodore Long

Teddy Long worked as a referee for the first half of his career, then transitioned into management when he executed a lightning-fast three count on the Road Warriors and cost them the tag titles.

Long managed Doom, most notably, the tag team consisting of Butch Reed and Farooq/Ron Simmons. He was also the on-screen general manager for Smackdown for several years, but failed to really impress during his tenure.

Why Teddy Long is in the HOF when genius referees like Tommy Young are not is unfathomable. While Long wasn't bad in any of his roles, he really wasn't outstanding either, and his induction seems motivated by favoritism more than any lasting impact he had on the sport.

Should be in the Hall of Fame: Honky Tonk Man

During WWE's 'classic' era, Honky Tonk Man sold more tickets than Hulk Hogan.

This is probably because Honky was one of the most despised heels of the decade. Because Baby Boomer nostalgia was at an all-time high in the 1980s, Elvis was a popular figure even in death. A bad guy doing bad things while looking so much like the King of Rock and Roll was heresy to many, and people would line up for a chance to see him get beat up and humiliated.

Honky Tonk Man had a career before the WWE under his real name Wayne Bloom as one of the Blonde Bombers and has plenty of credibility and accolades to achieve hall of fame status. So why isn't he in yet?

Shouldn't be in the Hall of Fame: Beth Pheonix

As much as we are impressed with Beth Pheonix's athleticism and ability, the fact is she was dominant during one of the weakest eras for women's wrestling.

Because of the emphasis on glamour girl 'divas,' Beth didn't really have much in the way of substantial competition during her six years with the WWE. Her matches were often of stilted quality because there was only so much she could do to carry the other woman in the ring with her.

Perhaps in twenty years, Beth would be a good candidate for the Hall, but her lack of major accomplishments and youth made this one a head-scratcher.

Should be in the Hall of Fame: Dick the Bruiser

A golden age competitor, it's a little hard to fathom why Dick the Bruiser isn't in the Hall of Fame.

Dick is one of the men who put wrestling on the television landscape, as both his powerful physique and cigar-chomping persona made for great TV. He held numerous titles in many major promotions, but none of them were in the WWE.

Perhaps that is why he isn't in the Hall of Fame as of yet, but the WWE still has a chance to rectify this error.

Shouldn't be in the Hall: DDP

Yes, DDP was a talented performer, and he was certainly over at the mid-card level. He portrayed a working-class hero who achieved success by 'busting his chops' and hard work.

The truth is he was Eric Bischoff's neighbor and good friend during his tenure with WCW, and while he was a solid mid-carder his list of accomplishments is nowhere near as impressive as other men who were snubbed, like the Dynamite Kid.

DDP is another candidate who made it into the Hall because of who he knows, not his own efforts.

Should be in the Hall of Fame: Jushin Thunder Liger

In case you know next to nothing about wrestling, Jushin Thunder Liger is a legendary Japanese cruiserweight credited with legitimizing smaller men in the industry.

Liger has held titles all over the world, in many major promotions, including WCW. He has also been transformed into an Anime character and even had a feature film made about him. Liger is wrestling royalty with an outstanding pedigree.

Two reasons why Liger has not been inducted are as follows. One, he never actually wrestled for the WWE for any substantial length of time, and two, he is still actively wrestling today in his 50s. WWE may not want to give so much attention to a man who could well go to work for a rival promotion.

There you have it; Five people who don't deserve to be in the hall, and five who do. Who else should have a spot in the Hall of Fame? Comment and let us know.

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