As first noted by The Bleacher Report and then confirmed by the WWE, one of the 80s most popular gimmick characters, Hillbilly Jim, has been announced as the newest member of the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2018.
BREAKING NEWS: As first reported by @BleacherReport, #HillbillyJim is the newest inductee in the @WWE Hall of Fame’s Class of 2018. #WWEHOF https://t.co/JhfOWkYj8b
— WWE (@WWE) March 5, 2018
Originally trained by Bob Orton Sr. (Randy Orton’s grandfather), he started out in Stu Hart‘s Stampede Wrestling in 1983 under his real name, Jim Morris, before heading to Jerry Jarrett‘s Continental Wrestling Assocition (CWA) where he worked as a biker gimmick named Harley Davidson. He signed with the WWF at the end of 1984 and worked one match as Harley Davidson, before being repackaged as Hillbilly Jim in early 1985. He got his start as a big man who happened to be a wrestling fan, sitting at ringside, who decided to try his strength and luck in the ring. He turned down Rowdy Roddy Piper as his trainer and chose his hero, Hulk Hogan, which led to an alliance as one of Hogan’s trusted allies throughout the Rock N’ Wrestling Era of the 1980s. He also briefly brought in the rest of his family, including Uncle Elmer and Cousin Luke. His initial WWF run ended in 1990, although he returned in 1992 as a host of WWF Prime Time Wrestling. In 1995, he returned to action, but this time as a manager, guiding his “cousins” Henry and Phineas Godwinn. When the Godwinns turned heel in 1997, the good natured Hillbilly Jim was no longer an asset for the team, and Jim became a WWE Ambassador.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i7HJlMtn7MQ
A crowd favourite for years with the kids and old school wrestling fans, Hillbilly Jim now takes his place alongside other 80s wrestling stars, as the next entrant into the WWE Hall of Fame.
A @WWE Superstar, Manager, @WWENetwork reality star, and a larger-than-life personality, Hillbilly Jim provided decades of entertainment to the WWE Universe. Now it's his time to take his place in the #WWEHOF. Congratulations! pic.twitter.com/dXy4JNIz8A
— Triple H (@TripleH) March 5, 2018
Hillbilly Jim in the WWE Hall of Fame is everything great about pro wrestling. Awesome character who played his role perfectly & was a loyal, humble classy representative of the business overall. WELL DESERVED.
— Mike Johnson (@MikePWInsider) March 5, 2018
