Since her tragic passing last month, the wrestling world has mourned former WWE star Chyna and debated whether or not she deserves a spot in the company’s Hall of Fame. Stone Cold Steve Austin has said she earned the right to be there, and even Triple H has said that “what she did in her life certainly warrants it.”
The latest WWE legend to speak out on Chyna’s inclusion in the Hall of Fame is play-by-play man Jim Ross, who revealed on a recent episode of The Ross Report that he’d been in touch with Chyna about possibly doing a two-part appearance on the show. Ross says it’s “pretty damn clear” that Chyna belongs in the Hall, and here’s the reason why:
“I can tell you this, all this talk about the Hall of Fame, in, out, whatever. Look, it’s pretty damn clear to me that based on Chyna’s contributions in the ring, and what she did for WWE when she was on the roster, and the contributions at a key time [for] the company, that Attitude Era, and the Monday Night Wars and all of that stuff, I just believe that her contributions are so significant that she is without a doubt a Hall of Famer. Without question. It’s just unfortunate that if it happens, or when it happens, I’d like to say and like to think, she won’t be here to accept the honor.”
Ross expounded on Chyna’s fame and influence, comparing her to Ronda Rousey.
“People are going to mourn Joanie’s death for a long time, as she’s very well liked in the wrestling fans’ world. She had a great reputation for being the biggest female star ever in the Attitude Era. She did in the Attitude Era what no other female that I have ever been around could do, unless it might be Ronda Rousey, so Joanie was really ahead of her time and she was a trendsetter, a trailblazer, as has been said. … Joanie never found the happiness in any walk of life, in my opinion, more than she loved her run in WWE. That was the greatest time of her life, in my opinion. She was happy. She became famous. She earned money. She traveled the world. She was really good at what she did.”
We’ll have to wait and see if Chyna finally gets that honor during WrestleMania 33 weekend in Orlando next spring.
