September 4, 2006 Observer Newsletter: 2006 Hall of Fame issue, Kurt Angle

Five new entrants, led by Eddy Guerrero, are in the class of 2006 of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame.

Guerrero heads a field that also includes one of the most influential promoters in history, Paul Bowser of Boston, as an overlooked historical figure. Also voted in this year were three modern Japanese wrestling stars, current politician Senator Hiroshi Hase, shoot pioneer Masakatsu Funaki and one of the top woman wrestling heels of all-time, Aja Kong.

Once again we had a wide open field with no real favorites or shoo-ins to make it. Guerrero, who passed away in November, doubled from 34% to 69% from last year's balloting, and would have gone higher, as several voters remarked to me they were not going to vote for him until 2007 because they didn't want his induction tinged with the idea it was a sympathy vote. He was named on 143 of the 207 ballots covering North America, with more than 80% support among active wrestlers and reporters, and strong support among retired wrestlers. 

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