Bad News Brown will finally take his rightful place in the WWE Hall of Fame.
The announcement was made on WWE’s official social media accounts. Brown, whose real name is Allen James Coage, was known for being one of WWE’s most intimidating and unconventional figures.
Before beginning his wrestling career, Brown gained notoriety for his reputation in judo. During the 1976 Summer Olympics, he won the bronze medal, making history by becoming the first Black man to win an individual Olympic medal in a sport outside of boxing or track and field.
Brown was trained by Japanese wrestling legend Antonio Inoki before getting noticed by Stampede Wrestling, where he would face Bret Hart and other rising stars. In 1988, he made his debut in WWE, where he developed a reputation as a loner and was known for his terrifying Enzuigiri finishing move.
As the villain or heel, Brown had often clashed with authority, including the then-WWE President Jack Tunney and the top stars such as “Macho Man” Randy Savage and Hulk Hogan. However, it was his rivalries in the early 90s with Rowdy Roddy Piper and Jake “The Snake” Roberts that took his career further.
Bad News Brown would later leave the WWE after SummerSlam 1990 due to frustrations and unfilled promises for his career. In 1999, he fully retired from in-ring wrestling due to knee problems, but still helped to train and mentor others.
In 2007, he passed away at 63 years old from a heart attack. Fans have expressed that Brown’s induction into the Legacy wing of the WWE Hall of Fame is long overdue.
This news comes after it was announced that “Sycho” Sid Eudy would also be inducted into the Legacy wing of the WWE Hall of Fame.
