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#4. Brian Pillman
Brian Pillman would be by far the most contemporary member of the "Legacy Wing" should he be inducted but perhaps, this would be the most effective way of honoring him.
Pillman only wrestled for WWE sporadically between 1996 and 1997, before his untimely death on October 5, 1997, from Atherosclerotic heart disease.
In truth, Pillman had been a dead man walking for over a year prior to his death, following a horrific car accident, that left his left ankle fused into a walking position. In constant agony and with children to support, meaning he had to keep working, Pillman took an incredible amount of pain medication to get him through the day.
Finally, at the age of just 35, his heart could take no more. The tragic circumstances of his death have meant despite his fame, he has not been at the front of the queue for Hall of Fame induction.
However, WWE recognizes his legacy, given that they released a compilation DVD and an accompanying documentary of his life and career in 2006.
He is more than deserving of induction. He was a pioneer of WCW's Cruiserweight division when he contested stunning aerial bouts with the likes of Jushin "Thunder" Liger in the late 1980s and early 1990s before he formed the legendary tag team, with the future Stone Cold Steve Austin in 1993.
However, Pillman is most famous for his "Loose Cannon" persona which he adopted in 1995 to set him apart from the crowd. Standing only five feet 10 inches, which at that time was too small for a headliner, Pillman conceived a character that was so chaotic, that members of WCW's roster and fans watching, could not tell whether Pillman was veering off script or not.
So groundbreaking was the character, that Pillman became the talk of the wrestling world. He convinced WCW boss, Eric Bischoff to legitimately fire him to play up the illusion that he was a wrestler that was out of control and then showed up on rival ECW's wrestling shows, before using his now free agent status to sign a lucrative deal with WWE.
However, the aforementioned road accident in April 1996 scuppered any chance Pillman had of making it as a top level player in WWE, and Pillman's in ring career as a difference maker was effectively over.
The Pillman story is such a tragic one that it is perhaps understandable why a Hall of Fame berth has not yet been forthcoming. Therefore, the "Legacy Wing" would seem to be the most effective way to pay tribute to this legend.
