Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame

All I can say is…it’s about time. Ricky Steamboat is going to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame this year in Houston, Texas. Ric Flair said it best about Steamboat, “If Steamboat would have been a heel, he would have been the greatest of all time.” However Steamboat was never a heel but he is still considered one of the greatest in-ring performers of past and present generations. Ricky Steamboat has accomplished so much in his career. He is a former WWE Intercontinental Champion, WCW United States Champion, NWA World Heavyweight Champion, WCW Tag Team Champions and many other titles to go along with it. Steamboat has held twenty one titles in his eighteen year career. When I think of the Dragon, I think of two things.

First his matches with Ric Flair in 1989. These were some of the best matches in that era and even in today’s era for that matter. Flair and Steamboat were to totally different personalities but they had a lot of respect for each other. The Chi-Town Rumble, Clash of the Champions and WrestleWar were the three greatest televised/pay-per-view matches you will ever see. In 1994 he had two more classic matches with Flair at Spring Stampede and Saturday Night Wrestling for the WCW World Heavyweight Title. He eventually had to retire due to a serious injury.

The second thing that I remember most about Steamboat is Wrestlemania 3. People still talk about Hogan-Andre but the match that made that pay-per-view so successful was Ricky Steamboat vs. Randy Savage for the WWE Intercontinental Title. Like his matches with Flair, it could be considered the best in that era. Ricky Steamboat was the highlight of the mid and late 1980’s even though Hogan was getting all the spotlight.

Steamboat has faced a lot of great people including, Steve Austin, Brian Pillman, Arn Anderson, Paul Orndorff, Barry Windham, Tiger Mask 2, Lex Luger , Rick Rude and Greg Valentine. Ricky Steamboat definitely deserves to be in the WWE Hall of Fame. “The Dragon” will rise again for one night on April 4th.