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Ahmed Johnson recently gave his thoughts on whether WWE might induct him into the Hall of Fame one day.
Johnson wrestled for WWE between 1995 and 1998. In 1996, The Pearl River Powerhouse defeated Goldust at King of the Ring to become the first African American Intercontinental Champion. He also briefly joined The Nation of Domination in 1997.
On the Cheap Heat Productions Podcast, Johnson questioned the validity of the WWE Hall of Fame due to its Celebrity Wing. He cited a 2013 inductee, former US President Donald Trump, as someone who does not belong in the prestigious group:
"It [joining the Hall of Fame] would be okay, but when you got people like Donald Trump and comedians and all them in the Hall of Fame, really, what kind of Hall of Fame is it?" Johnson said. "It should just be for wrestlers and wrestlers only." [14:02 – 14:16]
In 2023, comedian Andy Kaufman became the latest celebrity to receive a WWE Hall of Fame induction. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Kid Rock, Mr. T, Ozzy Osbourne, Snoop Dogg, and William Shatner have also been inducted over the last decade.
Ahmed Johnson wants Bill Apter in the WWE Hall of Fame
Sportskeeda Wrestling Senior Editor Bill Apter has covered pro wrestling for more than 50 years. Ahmed Johnson recently said the legendary journalist's magazine reporting helped launch his career in the early-to-mid 1990s before he joined WWE.
If WWE adds more non-wrestlers to the Hall of Fame, Johnson thinks Apter is a worthy candidate to receive an induction:
"Even some of the writers should be in there. I don't know if you guys know Bill Apter. Bill Apter should be in there. He's done a lot for this business. If it wasn't for the magazines and other people writing about it, we would be nothing." [14:23 – 14:38]
The 2024 WWE Hall of Fame ceremony will be held at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on April 5. No inductees have been announced yet.
Would you like to see Ahmed Johnson in the WWE Hall of Fame? Let us know in the comments section below.
Please credit the Cheap Heat Productions Podcast and give an H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the transcription if you use quotes from this article.
