He’s cool, he’s cocky, he’s bad — and now he’s a WWE Hall of Famer.
The Honky Tonk Man will sing and dance his way into the WWE Hall of Fame as part of the 2019 class that will be inducted during WrestleMania weekend in April.
CBS Sports first announced that the former Intercontinental champion would be joining the class of 2019 alongside previously announced faction D-Generation X, who will also be part of the ceremony on April 6 in Brooklyn.
The Honky Tonk Man was a massive heel in WWE during the 1980’s where he is best known for his iconic run as the longest reigning Intercontinental champion in history with a run that lasted for over a year between 1987 and 1988. The Honky Tonk Man — real name Wayne Farris — held the title for a record 64 weeks before he was finally dethroned at SummerSlam in 1988 by The Ultimate Warrior.
A gimmick that was largely based on being an Elvis Presley impersonator, Honky Tonk Man ended up as one of the most reviled bad guys on the entire WWE roster while engaging in memorable feuds with “Macho Man” Randy Savage, Jake “The Snake” Roberts and Brutus “The Barber” Beefcake.
Honky Tonk Man even recorded his own entrance song that was featured on the ‘WWE Piledriver: The Wrestling Album II’ that became synonymous with his on-screen character.
As part of his character, Honky Tonk Man would often cheat to win and then smash his opponent with his signature guitar that was always with him ringside.
“WWE is the place to be. For me, it’s the only place I have ever wanted to be,” Farris told CBS Sports. “It’s the place that if I’m ready to finish up, that’s where I want to be. It’s home for me because I have so many fond memories of everything that has been accomplished by WWE and from what I’ve accomplished myself. It wasn’t me alone, it was a huge team effort.
“That is what’s amazing and what is so great about being part of the WWE. The door is open to you and it’s up to you if you want to walk through it. I look back on everything and for some unknown reason, everything has a meaning. The timing, everything about this year in the 2019 Hall of Fame, everything was lining up perfectly. I never dreamed it was going to happen and would tell people that it’s something I don’t think about every day of my life. But to be able to be part of this, it’s hard to explain.”
Following his run as Intercontinental champion, Honky joined a tag team alongside Greg “The Hammer” Valentine dubbed ‘Rhythm & Blues’ as they began working together in WWE with Jimmy Hart as their manager.
His in-ring WWE career came to an end in 1991, although he would return several times over the years while working as a commentator, manager and even performing from time to time.
Now the man with the long sideburns and slicked back hair will join the WWE Hall of Fame. There’s no word yet if he will arrive in a pink Cadillac.
