Missouri Wrestling Revival

This coming weekend history will be made when the former WWE Heavyweight Champion of the World and former NWA Missouri Champion Bob Backlund will be at the South Broadway Athletic Club to be inducted into the St. Louis Wrestling Hall of Fame. Backlund will be honored along with the late Édouard Carpentier.

Admission to the 4 P.M. Induction and Q&A is $10. Admission to the 5 P.M. Bob Backlund Meet-and-Greet is $10 and includes a free 8×10 photo.

Admission to these back-to-back events is separate from the MMWA Wrestling event at 8 P.M.
South Broadway Athletic Club
2301 S. 7th Street, St. Louis 63104

The St. Louis Wrestling Hall of Fame is located at the South Broadway Athletic Club. It was originally housed in the Pro Wrestling Shirt Shop in the South County mall. Current board members include: Herb Simmons, Nick Ridenour, Larry Matysik and Tony Casta. The Hall is still open for inductions. Matysik explained the need for our Hall of Fame:

The role of St. Louis and the early success of “Wrestling at the Chase” in wrestling, becoming a hugely popular endeavor… is ignored by a company that wants to rewrite history. Had St. Louis not accepted wrestling on television as it did, the sport might never have developed as it has over the decades. Any legitimate Hall of Fame needs to recognize that fact.

-Larry Matysik

The St. Louis Wrestling Hall of Fame is located at the South Broadway Athletic Club. It was originally housed in the Pro Wrestling Shirt Shop in the South County mall. Current board members include: Herb Simmons, Nick Ridenour, Larry Matysik and Tony Casta. The Hall is still open for inductions. Matysik explained the need for our Hall of Fame:

The role of St. Louis and the early success of “Wrestling at the Chase” in wrestling, becoming a hugely popular endeavor… is ignored by a company that wants to rewrite history. Had St. Louis not accepted wrestling on television as it did, the sport might never have developed as it has over the decades. Any legitimate Hall of Fame needs to recognize that fact.

-Larry Matysik

Class of 2007

Lou Thesz – World Heavyweight Champion: 1937-38, 1939, 1947, 1948-56, 1956-57, 1963-66
Ric Flair – World Heavyweight Champion: 1981-83, 1983-84, 1984-86, 1986-87, 1987-89, 1989-90, 1991, 1993-94, 1995-96, 1996, 1999, 2000, 2000
Harley Race – World Heavyweight Champion: 1973, 1977-79, 1979, 1979-80, 1980-81, 1981, 1983
Bill Longson – World Heavyweight Champion: 1942, 1943-47, 1947-48
Gene Kiniski – World Heavyweight Champion: 1966-69
Pat O’Connor – World Heavyweight Champion: 1959-61
Johnny Valentine – World Tag Team Champion: 1960, 1960, 1962, 1966
Dick the Bruiser – AWA Heavyweight Champion: 1966
Fritz Von Erich – AWA Heavyweight Champion: 1963
Penny Banner – AWA Women’s Champion: 1961-63
King Kong Brody – NWA Central States Heavyweight Champion: 1980
Mickey Garagiola – Television Announcer
Larry Matysik – Commentator
Sam Muchnick – Promoter
Joe Schoenberger – Referee

Class of 2008

Dory Funk, Jr. – World Heavyweight Champion: 1969-73
Jack Brisco – World Heavyweight Champion: 1973-74, 1974-75
Buddy Rogers – World Heavyweight Champion: 1961-63
Rocky Johnson – World Tag Team Champion: 1983-84
Joe Garagiola – Commentator
Lee Warren – Referee

Class of 2009

Baron von Raschke – AWA Tag Team Champion: 1984

Class of 2010

Terry Funk – World Heavyweight Champion: 1975-77
Dick Murdoch – World Tag Team Champion: 1984-85
“Cowboy” Bob Ellis – World Tag Team Champion: 1962
Bobby Heenan – Manager

Class of 2014

Ted DiBiase – World Tag Team Champion: 1992, 1992, 1993
Wilbur Snyder – AWA Tag Team Champion: 1961, 1967
Rip Hawk – NWA Texas Heavyweight Champion: 1963

Class of 2015

Ken Patera – WWE Intercontinental Champion: 1980
Joe Tangaro – Wrestler
Eddie Smith – Wrestler, Referee
Bill Apter – Journalist

Class of 2016

Kerry Von Erich – World Heavyweight Champion: 1984
David Von Erich – Missouri Heavyweight Champion: 1983-84
Kevin Von Erich – Missouri Heavyweight Champion: 1979-80
Dr. Bill Miller – AWA Heavyweight Champion: 1962
John Paul Henning – Wrestler
Charlie Venator – Referee

Class of 2017

Bob Backlund – WWE Champion: 1978-83, 1994
Édouard Carpentier – WWA Heavyweight Champion (Los Angeles): 1957-61, 1963-64

The Action will be red hot that night as Moondog Rover defends his MMWA Championship against the Big Texan and former Champion Brian James

Cruiserweight Champion Deacon Cash vs. Justin D’Air vs. Sean Vincent

Also Ace Hawkins will defend his Missouri Wrestling Revival Missouri Championship against “The Great One” Gary Jackson. Gary Jackson is a bona fide Hall of Fame wrestler of his era in St. Louis, can he add the MWR MO title to his resume?

Be there as you will not want to miss this historic night.