10 Things You Didn't Know About Teddy Long
T-Lo's going into the Hall, Holla Holla!
Joining fellow former Smackdown General Manager Kurt Angle, Teddy Long will enter the WWE Hall Of Fame on March 31st 2017, two nights before WrestleMania 33.
Known best for his role as Smackdown General Manager, Long spent the better part of thirty years in the industry, working his way up from humble beginnings in the NWA ring-crew in the mid-1980s right the way to managing at the highest level in both WWE and WCW.
But away from his highest profile position, what else did Long get up to during his life and career that warranted his new place on a pedestal amongst the some of the industry's greatest performers and Koko B Ware?
To celebrate some of the lesser remembered moments of the newest WWE Hall of Famer, here are 10 Things You Didn't Know About Teddy Long.
10. His First Night As A GM Was On Monday Night Raw
As arguably the most famous authority figure in Smackdown's history, it's a quirk of fate that Teddy Long's first night walking the corridors of power would actually take place on Monday Night Raw.
Taking the reigns of the company's flagship show as an acting General Manager, Eric Bischoff took a brief break from squabbling with Raw's 'Sheriff' Stone Cold Steve Austin leaving the slot free for a week.
Unlike the fan-friendly character he would come to embody on the blue brand, Long brought his militant stance to proceedings on the January 2004 edition of the show, referring to Jerry Lawler as 'another cracker with a Crown' in front of the partisan Memphis crowd.
Alongside Mark Henry, Long caused trouble for the babyface roster, attempting to insert 'The World's Strongest Man' into the Intercontinental Title picture at the expense of the former champion Rob Van Dam.
Long booked a Van Dam/Henry match to determine the official Number One Contender, but provided the real entertainment in the post-match.
Following an RVD victory over his charge, Long was harassed into the ring by Austin, who nailed Teddy with a Stone Cold Stunner to the delight of the audience.
It proved a wildly successful test run for the character, and Long would be assigned Smackdown duties seven months later.