WWE Hall of Fame: Diamond Dallas Page to be inducted in March
Page won the WCW World Heavyweight Title on three occasions
Tuesday 21 February 2017 11:55, UK
Diamond Dallas Page will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2017.
Page won the WCW World Heavyweight Title on three occasions, claiming the belt for the first time in 1999 when he beat Hulk Hogan, Sting and Ric Flair in a Four Way Dance.
The New Jersey native signed for WWE in 2001 and enjoyed a reign as European Champion, successfully defending the strap at WrestleMania 18 in 2002 by defeating Christian.
Page will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame on Friday, March 31, alongside previously confirmed entrants Kurt Angle, The Rock 'n' Roll Express and Teddy Long.
"I'm not a guy who has trouble talking, but I couldn't talk," Page said to Rolling Stone while recounting the moment Triple H told him he would enter the Hall of Fame over the phone.
"Tears [were] running down the sides of my cheeks and I just said, 'Bro, I love you man'. Being inducted, in our business, is just as important as the NFL's Hall of Fame."
Page began his wrestling career as a manager in the American Wrestling Association, leading Badd Company to the federation's tag-team titles.
He then guided The Fabulous Freebirds (Michael "P.S." Hayes and Jimmy "Jam" Garvin) to the WCW Tag Team Championships after joining the company in 1991.
DDP began wrestling later that year at the age of 35 and became a fan favourite after he turned down the chance to become a member of the New World Order (nWo).
Page claimed many singles titles during his career, including the United States Championship and the World Television Championship, while he also earned tag titles with Kevin Nash, Bam Bam Bigelow and Chris Kanyon.
DDP left WWE in 2002 but has made fleeting appearances since, including participating in the 2015 Royal Rumble Match and the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal at WrestleMania 32.
The 60-year-old has also developed DDP Yoga, a fitness programme that WWE Hall of Famers Jake "The Snake" Roberts and Razor Ramon aka Scott Hall have used to get back into shape.
However, Page has credited Savage, Hall and the man he would have loved to induct him into the WWE Hall of Fame, the late Dusty Rhodes, for helping him forge such a successful career.
"Without Jake, there's no three-time world champion and Hall of Famer. Same thing with Scott," he added. "Scott was very pivotal in my career, and mine with his.
"The guy who isn't there is the guy who would be inducting me, which is Dusty Rhodes. I always tell everybody that without Dusty Rhodes, there is no Diamond Dallas Page."
