The “World’s Most Dangerous Man” is heading to the IMPACT Wrestling Hall of Fame. That’s right; Mixed Martial Arts and pro-wrestling legend, Ken Shamrock, is heading to the IMPACT Wrestling Hall of Fame. The announcement came on the most recent installment of IMPACT. He follows in the footsteps of current WWE agent, Abyss, who entered the Hall of Fame in 2018. Interestingly, the announcement came with what appears to be the beginnings of a feud. More on that later.
A notable feature of the announcement was the use of WWE archived footage from Shamrock’s 1990s run. The footage served as yet another display of the continuing, warming friendship between the two companies. It was a nice touch – Shamrock’s WWE run is a highly important part of his career. So well done, WWE.
A legendary MMA fighter who blazed the trail for MMA fighters in pro wrestling – it is our incredible privilege to induct the first ever World Champion in IMPACT history – @ShamrockKen – into the IMPACT Hall of Fame this year.
Thank you to @WWE for the footage. pic.twitter.com/v9CUiK6oSe
— TNA Wrestling (@ThisIsTNA) March 18, 2020
Though perhaps better known for both his time in the WWE and his Mixed Martial Arts career, for which he is a UFC Hall of Famer, Shamrock was a huge part of IMPACT Wrestling’s early days. Shamrock was IMPACT’s – formerly TNA‘s – first ever World Champion. He captured the vacant NWA Heavyweight Championship in a Gauntlet for the Gold match at the inaugural pay-per-view. Shamrock held the title from June 19th 2002, through to August of that year, when he dropped the championship to Ron Killings – the current R-Truth. He would leave shortly after.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKr2SA1pRtg
After a brief stint in New Japan Pro Wrestling, Ken Shamrock would return to TNA Impact just two years later. This second stint was notable for Shamrock only wrestling twice, in both a guitar-on-a-pole match and another gauntlet match. It would prove to be a failed attempt to recapture his lost gold, however, and he would return to the independent circuit shortly after.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gW8e0SGV1CQ
Perhaps most notably, Shamrock began feuding with IMPACT’s Moose in 2019. It would mark Shamrock’s first IMPACT run in 15 years – 17 years after losing the NWA Championship. Though the feud began on social media, it would quickly translate into an in-ring feud. He would put Moose over at the 2019 Bound for Glory pay-per-view, in a highly impressive showing for a man closing in on 60. The “Baddest Man on the Planet” demonstrated why he was something of a favorite both for the WWE and the UFC in the ’90s.
Shamrock’s Hall of Fame induction is more than well deserved. The phrase “indie darling” is thrown around a lot today, but Ken Shamrock is arguably one of the earliest examples of an indie darling. Interestingly, the announcement was interrupted by Sami Callihan. Could a swansong match be coming for Shamrock in the near future? Perhaps. We definitely know they will be squaring off at the upcoming Rebellion PPV.
Typical @IMPACTWRESTLING management.
They don’t even ask me about this match… I found out through Twitter.
I’m 3 steps ahead of you guys at all times. This is just part of the plan. https://t.co/61F6CH9AvX
— Death Machine (@TheSamiCallihan) March 19, 2020
During the peak of the Attitude Era when the internet was still in its infancy, fans were clamoring for a Shamrock push. Though he never got to become a WWE world champion, he has had a distinguished career. He has made a name for himself across multiple promotions in two different sports. For that alone, his place as IMPACT’s 2020 Hall of Fame inductee is justified. Congratulations, oh Dangerous one!
Stay tuned to the Last Word on Pro Wrestling for more on this and other stories from around the world of wrestling, as they develop. You can always count on LWOPW to be on top of the major news in the wrestling world, as well as to provide you with analysis, previews, videos, interviews, and editorials on the wrestling world. You can watch IMPACT Wrestling every week on AXS TV.
