10 Early WWE Hall Of Fame 2018 Predictions 

9. Ivan Koloff

Christian Hall of Fame
WWE.com

Having the unfortunate distinction of being dead limits the chances of inductees in an age in which the publicly traded WWE prefers not to acknowledge the torrid underbelly of the wrestling industry. However, though Ivan Koloff was one of countless wrestlers to have lived a life marred by struggles with drugs and alcohol, he died at the old age of 74 of liver cancer. He isn't an unseemly symbol of wrestling's lurid past.

There's no question that he is worthy of the so-called honour. Koloff was the man who ended Bruno Sammartino's record 2,803 day reign with the WWWF Title in mythical circumstances. When he pinned Sammartino, Madison Square Garden became deathly silent; so much so that Sammartino thought he'd perforated his eardrum. The hush gave way to a quiet chorus of crying women. Sammartino was so beloved that Koloff, at least at first, disappointed the people more so than he enraged them. The heat eventually grew so nuclear that the WWWF felt it was too dangerous to take advantage of.

Koloff is remembered for that moment above all else, but he was a bonafide star in the terrirory era for years.

That he died so recently might preclude a more or less immediate induction (he died as the Class of 2017 was finalised internally), but then again, WWE are hardly concerned with being perceived as ghouls.

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Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and surefire Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!