Earlier this evening, Game Changer Wrestling announced that LuFisto would be inducted in the inaugural Indie Wrestling Hall of Fame. LuFisto is the first female entrant, as well as the sixth overall in the 2022 class. The individual that will be inducting her has yet to be named, though expect more news to be shared as we move closer to the date of the event. The Indie Wrestling Hall of Fame will take place on January 22 at The Cutting Room in New York City, New Year. The announced names for this year’s Hall of Fame class are as follows.
Indie Wrestling Hall of Fame Inductees
- Jerry Lynn (Inducted by Sean Waltman)
- Homicide (Inducted by Chris Dickinson)
- Ruckus (Inducted by Sonjay Dutt)
- Dave Prazak (Inducted by: TBA)
- Tracy Smothers (Inducted by: TBA)
- LuFisto (Inducted by: TBA)
I am absolutely honored to be part of the Indie Wrestling Hall off Fame. I have no words. Thank you. 🙏🥺 https://t.co/p8kGPWFHUv
— LuFisto (@LuFisto) January 7, 2022
What to Know About “The First Lady of Hardcore,” LuFisto
Born in Sorel-Tracy, Quebec, Canada, LuFisto began her professional wrestling career in 1997. Beginning by wrestling in her home country, she made her way stateside the following year, working for organizations including Eastern Wrestling Alliance in Massachusetts and Green Mountain Wrestling in Vermont. One of the first organizations where she received significant attention, on the independent scene, was Combat Zone Wrestling. She saw considerable success in the ultraviolent wrestling company, even becoming the first-ever CZW Iron Man Champion by pinning Kevin Steen, known to WWE fans as Kevin Owens.
LuFisto was, and remains, a prominent figure in the independent women’s wrestling scene, too. From SHINE Wrestling to SHIMMER Women Athletes, the Canadian-born hardcore wrestling enthusiast became a well-respected figure everywhere she worked. In January 2017, LuFisto won the SHINE Championship, holding it for what was, at the time, a record-setting 529 days. During this reign, she defended the title against such names as Holidead, Toni Storm, Leva Bates, and Mercedes Martinez. LuFisto’s record would remain intact until this past year when it was broken by Ivelisse.
In February 2019, LuFisto announced her retirement from in-ring competition, citing knee problems. However, by the end of the year, she announced that she was canceling said retirement. She is still active on the independent scene, working for International Wrestling Syndicate, C*4 Wrestling, and other locations in 2021. Given her impact on independent wrestling at large, LuFisto is a fitting inductee for the Indie Wrestling Hall of Fame.
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. The Indie Wrestling Hall of Fame will take place on January 22; tickets can be purchased via TicketWeb.
