Paul Bearer to be Inducted Into the 2014 WWE Hall of Fame

Tonight it was announced that Paul Bearer would be inducted be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame the night before Wrestlemania 30. Long before he was Paul Bearer he managed under the name Percy Pringle III. He managed stars like Rick Rude, Steve Austin and Lex Luger. He even managed Mark Calaway before he became The Undertaker. The man who in real life was William Moody made a huge name for himself in WCCW. 

At Survivor Series 1990, The Undertaker made his debut but it was with Brother Love. I think people knew Brother Love was not a long term manager of The Undertaker. Shortly after the Royal Rumble in 1991, Brother Love introduced Paul Bearer as The Undertaker’s new manager. For the next five years Paul Bearer would be in Undertakers corner for so many memorable moments. There were moments like Undertaker’s first WWE Title win, feuds with monsters like Kamala, Yokozuna, King Kong Bundy and Giant Gonzales. 

Many people thought Paul Bearer would always be by Undertakers side but at Summerslam 1996 he did the unthinkable. He turned on The Undertaker and began managing Mankind. For the next two years Mankind and The Undertaker would be embroiled in one of the biggest feuds in WWE history and Paul Bearer was in the middle of it. At Bad Blood 1997, Paul Bearer revealed Undertakers brother Kane. This was a way to evolve Paul Bearer, add a new dimension to The Undertakers character and created a new star. Paul Bearer would be involved with Kane and The Undertaker until 2000. 

Over the next decade Paul Bearer would return periodically for short storylines involving the Brothers of Destruction. Sadly, William Moody passed away on March 5, 2013 but still had an impact for The Undertaker. His death became the focal point for Undertaker’s match against CM Punk at Wrestlemania 29. Paul Bearer is very deserving of this honor and I truly believe in my heart that Kane and The Undertaker would have not succeeded if Paul Bearer wouldn’t have been in their corner. 

Congrats to William Moody aka Percy Pringle III aka Paul Bearer on being inducted into the 2014 WWE Hall of Fame.

For more info on Hollywood Joe’s opinions on WWE, TNA and ROH check out Smarkasses with Hollywood Joe and his co-host Jordan Francisco.