For the second year, Game Changer Wrestling partners with Orange Crush to present The Indie Wrestling Hall of Fame. This event will be held to honor many of independent wrestling’s most influential names. Last year’s class featured such names as LuFisto, Homicide, and Jerry Lynn. This year’s class aims to be no less impressive and must-see programming for wrestling fans around the world. For those that are interested in attending live and witnessing these men and women honored, tickets can still be purchased. However, the event will also air live via FITE+. Here is what to know about the Indie Wrestling Hall of Fame 2023 inductees.
Indie Wrestling Hall of Fame 2023 Inductees
- Christopher Daniels (Inducted by Frankie Kazarian)
- Cheerleader Melissa (Inducted by Dave Prazak)
- Jimmy Jacobs (Inducted by Alex Shelley)
- Mike Modest (Inducted by Barry Blaustein)
- Excalibur (Inducted by Orange Cassidy)
- Paul London
Christopher Daniels
The first name announced for The Indie Wrestling Hall of Fame 2023 class is none other than “The Fallen Angel” Christopher Daniels. Currently employed by All Elite Wrestling as its Head of Talent Relations, Daniels began his career back in 1993. Though he wrestled briefly for the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling during the late 1990s and early 2000s, it was his work in Ring of Honor and IMPACT Wrestling where he found the most recognition. In the latter promotion, he was instrumental in creating the foundation of the X-Division, which is a sector of the company that provides exciting in-ring action to this very day. He also holds the honor of being the first ROH Grand Slam winner. Daniels will be inducted by his long-time tag team partner and friend, Frankie Kazarian, with whom he shares multiple tag team title reigns.
Cheerleader Melissa
Synonymous with the women’s independent wrestling scene is Cheerleader Melissa, who began her professional wrestling career in the late 1990s. From 2008 to 2013, she worked for IMPACT Wrestling under different aliases and took on the likes of Roxxi, ODB, and Gail Kim. Her work on the independent scene proper was more instrumental, setting the pace for others to not only follow but challenge. She was heavily featured across various women’s promotions, including SHIMMER Women Athletes, being a former 2x SHIMMER Tag Team Champion and SHIMMER Champion. Inducting Melissa into The Indie Wrestling Hall of Fame 2023 will be Dave Prazak, the Founder of SHIMMER and an inductee into last year’s Indie Wrestling Hall of Fame class.
Jimmy Jacobs
“The Zombie Princess” Jimmy Jacobs will receive his proverbial flowers as he enters The Indie Wrestling Hall of Fame 2023 class. Since beginning his career in the late 1990s, Jacobs proved himself as both a sound in-ring talent and confident speaker. This combination of skills afforded him such accolades as the PWG World Tag Team Championship and 5 ROH World Tag Team Championship victories. Jacobs is also regarded for his creative mind, an ability he parlayed into a brief writing career for WWE. Following his 2017 release from said company, Jacobs returned to the independents and event went on to join IMPACT Wrestling. This Friday, Jacobs will be inducted by Alex Shelley, the two serving as rivals to one another throughout their respective careers.
Read More: Jimmy Jacobs: Reunited And It Feels So Good
Mike Modest
With a career dating back to the early 1990s, Mike Modest’s status as an independent wrestling veteran can’t be denied. He found success in his home state of California, including a slew of title reigns for All Pro Wrestling. In fact, many long-time indie wrestling fans regard him as a staple of the West Coast scene. His success continued when he headed to Japan, where he worked for Pro Wrestling NOAH between 2001 and 2005. It was here where he captured the GHC Junior Heavyweight Championship, becoming the first “gaijin” or non-Japanese wrestler to hold the title. Inducing Modest into The Indie Wrestling Hall of Fame 2023 class is Barry Blaustein, who is not only the Producer of the 1999 film Beyond the Mat but a longtime friend of Modest’s.
Excalibur
Known by the majority of professional wrestling fans as All Elite Wrestling’s resident play-by-play commentator, Excalibur boasts a wrestling career that spans over 2 decades. The masked Detroit native is one of the original founders of Pro Wrestling Guerrilla, making him one of the “PWG Six” alongside such names as Super Dragon, with whom he captured the PWG World Tag Team Championship. Other promotions where Excalibur competed include Combat Zone Wrestling and Ring of Honor. In 2007, he wrestled his final match before transitioning to a full-time commentator role. In 2019, AEW announced the signing of Excalibur as part of its announce team, a role he continues to play today. Excalibur will be inducted into this year’s Indie Hall of Fame class by fellow AEW talent and current AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy.
Paul London
Since making his professional wrestling debut in 2000, Paul London developed a reputation as one of the most proficient high-flyers in the game. Trained by the likes of Ivan Putski and Dory Funk, Jr., London competed in such promotions as IMPACT Wrestling and Pro Wrestling Zero1. Furthermore, he was standout competitor in Ring of Honor and found success during his time in WWE, winning the latter promotion’s Cruiserweight Championship and 3 tag team titles. Following his departure from WWE, he continued to make a name for himself on the independent scene, including capturing the PWG World Tag Team Championship alongside El Generico, the latter known to avid WWE viewers as Sami Zayn. London continues to wrestle across the independent scene.
Image Credit: Game Changer Wrestling
The Indie Wrestling Hall of Fame 2023 will take place in Los Angeles, California on April 2, 2023.
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 is set to air Sunday at 3 PM EST on FITE+. Tickets are also available via Eventbrite.
