New Name Announced For WWE Hall Of Fame 2024
Another legendary figure announced for this year's WWE Hall of Fame.
With Paul Heyman, Bull Nakano, the US Express, and Muhammad Ali having already been confirmed for the 2024 WWE Hall of Fame, Thunderbolt Patterson is the latest name to be announced for this year's class.
First announced by Andscape, WWE has since moved to comment on this news, welcoming Claude 'Thunderbolt' Patterson into its Hall of Fame.
A massively influential figure in the wrestling business, Patterson debuted in 1964 and worked in various territories, including notable spells in Georgia, Florida, Texas, and the Carolinas. A magnetic presence on the microphone, Thunderbolt inspired so many who came in subsequent decades, with Dusty Rhodes in particular someone who pulled plenty from the promo work of Patterson.
Thunderbolt Patterson fought hard for better working conditions for those in the wrestling industry, pushing for fairer pay, racial equality, and also for pro wrestling to be regulated. Some took umbrage with this, and Thunderbolt found himself blacklisted by certain individuals, with elements of racism clearly at play at a time when the Jim Crow era was still being felt.
Since calling time on his wrestling career, the now-81-year-old Claude Patterson has become a minister and mentor in Georgia.
While Claude 'Thunderbolt' Patterson is the latest name confirmed for the 2024 WWE Hall of Fame, others rumoured for an induction are Haku and Lia Maivia. The 2024 HOF ceremony will take place on Friday 5 April, directly after that night's edition of WWE SmackDown.