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Rock Legend Ozzy Osbourne Is Being Inducted Into a Sports Hall of Fame
John Moriello started covering sports in 1982, began digital publishing in 1995, and joined Sportscasting in 2020. A graduate of St. John Fisher University, he finds inspiration in the underdogs and the fascinating stories sports can tell (both the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat). John expertly covers all aspects of NASCAR. Beginning with his 2014 coverage at Fox Sports of the aftermath of the dirt-race tragedy in which Kevin Ward Jr. died after being struck by a car driven by NASCAR Hall of Famer Tony Stewart, John has excelled as a journalist who specializes in the motorsports world. He previously spent more than three decades covering high school sports and worked as a beat writer covering Big East football and basketball, but NASCAR is now where the true expertise falls. John is a member of the New York State Basketball Hall of Fame (2013), the President of the New York State Sportswriters Association, and a two-time Best of Gannett winner for print and online collaborations whose work has appeared on FoxSports.com and MaxPreps.com.
Get to know John Moriello betterPublished06 Apr 2021
The last time heavy metal rocker Ozzy Osbourne was inducted into a hall of fame, he had to be dragged in kicking and screaming, at least figuratively. This time won’t require an arm-drag takedown, though it wouldn’t be entirely inappropriate. That’s because Osbourne is going into the WWE Hall of Fame, joining the likes of wrestling legends Andre the Giant, George “The Animal” Steele, Hulk Hogan, and Bruno Sammartino.
Nope, that’s not a typo. Ozzy Osbourne is going into the WWE Hall of Fame.
Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath were legendary
Formed in England in 1968, the rock band Black Sabbath was a pioneer in heavy metal, beginning with its self-titled album in 1970. Frontman Ozzy Osbourne, bassist Geezer Butler, and drummer Bill Ward all left at some point, but guitarist Tony Iommi was a constant throughout. The original lineup reunited in 1997 and toured until 2005, the same year Black Sabbath made it into the UK Music Hall of Fame.
Eligibility for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland begins 25 years after the release of a performer’s debut album. However, a lag in making it onto the shortlist and then repeated misses in the voting led Osbourne to write to the Hall of Fame in 1999 with a request, according to MTV.
“Just take our name off the list. Save the ink. Forget about us. The nomination is meaningless, because it’s not voted on by the fans. It’s voted on by the supposed elite for the industry and the media, who’ve never bought an album or concert ticket in their lives, so their vote is irrelevant to me.”
Ozzy Osbourne
Finally, Black Sabbath earned induction in 2006, and the band went in with good company: Lynyrd Skynyrd, Mike Davis, and Blondie.
Ozzy Osbourne is going into the WWE Hall of Fame
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According to Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer, heavy-metal rocker Ozzy Osbourne, 72, will enter the celebrity wing of the WWE Hall Fame when the induction ceremony airs on Peacock on April 6 at 8 p.m. ET. He will go in along with 2020 celebrity honoree William Shatner.
Osbourne, who enjoyed a successful solo career after Black Sabbath, reportedly missed the ceremony when it was taped last week but did record a video message used in the show honoring two years of inductees. The others being enshrined are Davey Boy Smith, Kane, John “Bradshaw” Layfield, Molly Holly, Eric Bischoff, Jushin Liger, New World Order, The Bella Twins, Rob Van Dam, The Great Khali, and Warrior Award winners Rich Hering and Titus O’Neil.
Osbourne’s occasional association with the WWE began in 1986 with WrestleMania 2, when he and Captain Lou Albano managed The British Bulldogs during their match vs. Brutus Beefcake and Greg Valentine. He also performed live at a May 2007 SmackDown taping and served as a guest host for Raw in November 2009.
The WWE Hall of Fame has a celebrity tradition
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Ozzy Osbourne and William Shatner are the latest in a long list of celebrities inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. WWE czar Vince McMahon has long relied upon big names from the worlds of sports and entertainment to spice up storylines.
Pete Rose and William “The Refrigerator” Perry were the first two inductees in the celebrity wing. Others honored over the years include Donald Trump, Bob Uecker, Drew Carey, Mr. T, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Snoop Dogg, Kid Rock, and Mike Tyson.
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