Wrestlemania 30 Matches, Predictions & Rumors: Mr. T Inducted to WWE Wrestling Hall Of Fame
"The A-Team" star Mr. T will be inducted in the WWE Hall of Fame this April 5 as part of the Wrestlmania XXX weekend, TMZ has learned.
The induction was confirmed by WWE chairman Vince McMahon, calling Mr. T as an "instrumental" figure in the establishment of the Wrestlemania event as a "pop-culture phenomenon".
Following the success of his portrayal as Clubber Lang in "Rocky III" and B.A. Baracus in "The A-Team" television series, Mr. T, or Laurence Tureaud, was invited to participate in the first Wrestlemania in 1985. He partnered with the legendary Hulk Hogan against Rowdy Piper and Paul Orndorff in the main event. Then, in Wrestelmania II, he participated in a boxing match against Piper, according to the Toronto Sun.
Hardcore wrestling fans know that this isn't the first time the WWE approached Mr. T about his induction. Back in 2009, the 80's actor revealed to Mirror why he rejected a previous offer by the entertainment company to join the Hall of Fame.
According to him, he felt insulted after learning that former professional baseball player Pete Rose was inducted after only being tombstoned by Kane in Wrestlemania XXIV. He said, "WWE asked me to be in the Hall of Fame and I turned it down. You know why? They put Pete Rose in the wrestling Hall of Fame. This guy can't even get into his own Hall of Fame."
He continued, "After they put Rose in they came and asked me and I said 'You don't insult me! You don't put Pete Rose in the Hall of Fame before me! I ain't going to be a part of that'...They put him in and he only did one Wrestlemania, and he didn't even wrestle."
Mr. T's induction ceremony will be held on April 5 at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, LA. Tickets for the event can be purchased through ticketmaster.com or by calling 1-800-745-3000. He will be joining the Ultimate Warrior, Jake "The Snake" Roberts, Litas, Paul Bearer, and Carlos Colon in the 2014 batch of the WWE Hall of Fame, Wrestling Inc. reported.