In the course of a year, Zack Ryder went from zero to hero in WWE by creating his own opportunities with the help of social media.

The leader of the Zack Pack, his journey began after the company decided to split him from longtime tag team partner Curt Hawkins. With a short run as the Major Brothers and then the Edgeheads, the duo went their separate ways during the 2009 WWE Draft.

“We were the tag team champions,” Ryder said. “We got to interfere at the main event of WrestleMania [24], but Edge got injured leaving Hawkins and me together, alone by ourselves. We were just two guys who looked like Edge, and now we were just two guys who looked like each other with no personalities. There was nothing really different with us besides our ring gear.”

Hawkins and Ryder were teaming since the beginning of their careers in the New York Wrestling Connection in 2004 to WWE developmental to the main roster. Ryder was now a full-fledged singles star looking to make an impact on WWE’s ECW brand.

“I knew that was my shot to change things up and reinvent myself, but really to be myself,” Ryder said. “I was cool with the long hair and the rock ‘n’ roll, but deep down, it really wasn’t me. It really wasn’t Zack Ryder. I guess I was never 100 percent comfortable in my own skin before that.

“So I decided this was my chance to be me, to be the Long Island Iced Z. You always hear that the best characters in the WWE are someone’s real personalities with the volume turned up. It was kind of just me being me. That is why it worked. I cut my hair and tried to look as different from my old personality as possible.

“I was wearing one-legged tights to stand out because I knew I needed to get people’s attention. People may have not known my name, but they knew I was the guy with the one-legged tights. They knew I was the guy who would just say, ‘Woo, Woo, Woo’ over and over again. That is how it initially started.”

This wasn’t the first time Ryder wanted to go in this direction with his WWE persona.

“Even before the draft, Hawkins and I were pitching to let us have some personality,” Ryder said. “Let us be us. We even filmed something that I think you can find on YouTube called ‘The Sweet Life of Zack and Curt’, where I was doing the ‘Woo Woo Woo You Know It’ there and being the goofy guy. We were pitching that to WWE where I would be the oddball, and Hawkins would be the straight man. That was our real personalities. I think it would have worked, but they never really gave us a shot, but when the draft came and they split us up, I was able to be me 100 percent.”

Ryder’s creative juices were always flowing when it came to developing his character each week on WWE television. He never really thought about not being taken seriously.

“This character, if you look at the Internet and the colanders, was way before ‘Jersey Shore’ hit TV,” Ryder said. “It was probably even before ‘Jersey Shore’ was auditioning or casting for their first season. This wasn’t a ‘Jersey Shore” rip-off. This was Long Island, where I grew up. I thought it would make me different and stand out. Everyone needs to be different. Maybe I was a little goofy behind the scenes or backstage, but once that bell rang, it was no joke.”

Even though the lifelong fan had perfected his persona, Ryder’s WWE career wasn’t progressing the way he had hoped.

“At the end of the year, ever since I started my career, I would say, ‘Well, I did this,’” Ryder said. “In 2003, I started training. In 2004, I had my first match and so on. At the end of 2010 I thought, ‘OK, what did I do this year?’ The answer was nothing. I was barely on Raw. On Superstars I was losing. My dream as a little kid wasn’t just to be in WWE or be a WWE superstar. It was to be one of the top guys. At the time I was a nobody. I didn’t even have my own 8x10. I didn’t have an 8x10 that said WWE superstar so when fans asked for an autograph, I couldn’t give them anything.

“Dolph Ziggler would pull out his 8x10, or Christian would pull out his 8x10, and I had to sign a napkin or something. It was very disheartening. It started to get me very angry. I looked at it as the only person to blame for this was me. The person that was going to change this situation was myself.”

He took to the Internet and the social network with creative ways to get his name out there. The 26-year-old says he didn’t have a master plan.

“I’m a kid. I know how to use this Twitter stuff, this Facebook stuff and this YouTube stuff,” Ryder said. “It was kind of like taboo in WWE at the time. I started tweeting like crazy. I made stupid videos and uploaded them to Twitter.”

A simple 45-second karaoke session of Zack Ryder singing his favorite Backstreet Boys song in his car was gaining traction. The Ryder Revolution was about to go viral. His parents got him a flip camera for Christmas, which gave him the idea to start his own YouTube show.

“I didn’t exactly know where I was going, or what I was doing with it,” Ryder said. “It was just February 2011. I just sat down in front of my living room wall, turned on my camera and just went for it. I tried to be funny and tell some jokes. I got a decent little response, so I did it the next week and did it the next week. It speaks for itself, and here we are today.”

At more than 50 episodes, averaging less than 10 minutes, “Z! True Long Island Story” is about to top 12 million video views with more than 122,000 subscribers. His little show has now found its way on WWE’s official YouTube channel.

“I never told WWE I was doing it,” Ryder said. “It was my intention to either get noticed or get fired because I wasn’t sitting back and doing this anymore. I was in WWE since 2007, and it was either going to happen for me or it wasn’t. I was pulling no punches. I was trying to stir the pot. I was trying to get people talking and luckily it worked in my favor. Luckily I didn’t get fired.

“It was probably seven or so episodes before someone at the WWE office even mentioned that show existed. I was doing it for seven weeks without telling anybody or getting feedback. Nobody told me to do it or told me not to do it. I was just doing it.”

Fans and many fellow WWE superstars enjoyed his humor. Many of them would vie to be named the “Broski of the Week” by making Ryder inspired YouTube videos of their own -- some even composing original music. It didn’t take long for the self-proclaimed Internet champion to see his show’s reach transcend beyond cyberspace.

“At last year’s WrestleMania [in Atlanta], I’m sitting up in a press box or skybox set up for the friends and family, and of course I wasn’t on the show,” Ryder remembered.

“I was sitting up there with my girlfriend at the time and watching WrestleMania. I notice in the first row or so there was a ‘Broski of the Week’ sign. I thought, ‘Alright, this is starting to pick up. People are starting to watch, and it’s starting to get noticed.’ It was just a simple sign.

“Of course, the next week on my show, I made it the biggest deal in the world to have a ‘Broski of the Week’ sign at WrestleMania. Triple H was wrestling The Undertaker in one of the greatest matches ever, and some guy is holding up a “Broski of the Week” sign so the camera could see it. It was just ridiculous.”

With the program’s success, Ryder got more chances to showcase his talents on prime-time TV shows Raw and SmackDown. His profile grew on WWE programming, but Ryder says it hasn’t adjusted how he does his own show.

“The only thing that did change was that for a while I was making jokes about WWE dropping the ball with Zack Ryder or WWE misses the boat with Zack Ryder,” Ryder said.

“A lot of people loved that I was saying all this stuff. Then after I started, there were some who were upset that I wasn’t saying that stuff. Well, it wouldn’t make sense to say WWE isn’t pushing Zack Ryder when I won the United States championship. It didn’t fit anymore. That avenue or way of doing the show didn’t make sense.

“It was time to evolve. I could have stopped doing the show once I was finally getting on TV, but I wanted to keep entertaining. I was doing it as a way to say thank you to all the Broskis and fans that supported me. Without those fans who watched the show or brought those signs to TV or chanted, ‘We want Ryder’ when I wasn’t at the show, I would be nothing. I do the show as a thank you to them.”

Despite all his success and popularity online, Ryder in no way sees himself as an ‘expert.’ “I didn’t study social media in college,” Ryder said.

“I just used Twitter. I used Facebook. I make YouTube videos. That is it. I think the reason it is successful is because it’s not this WWE character in character tweeting and making these videos. They can see that this is authentic. They can see that there is this kid with a dream and trying to make it. They can relate to that. I’m not someone that people say, ‘No. I don’t see myself in him.’ Everyone wants to live their dream. Everyone wants to see their hard work pay off. Everyone wants to root for their guy, and I think Zack Ryder is their guy.

“I wouldn’t say it’s a requirement for a WWE superstar [to be involved in social media], but let us get with the times here. Twitter is relevant. Twitter is part of people’s lives. It’s not nerds on a computer. Everyone uses a computer and uses the Internet. I think people need to wake up and realize that. They don’t really read the newspaper for the news (Are You Serious Bro?). They go online and read on the Internet. They have to embrace it. Either you deal with it or you get left behind.”

WWE has indeed got with the times. The company revamped its website with a design geared toward social networking. It’s hard for a segment on WWE television to go by without a mention of Twitter or Facebook. Many phrases or terms said on the shows, as well as the superstars and divas themselves are frequently trending topics. Ryder, who is closing in on 600,000 followers on Twitter, is at the head of the class.

“I’m not going to say, ‘I invented social media in WWE,’” Ryder said.

“I think maybe they realized they should get on this. They see every TV show has their little hashtags in the corner. Everyone is following everyone on Twitter and watching videos on YouTube. That is just what people do these days. It might be a trend or our new way of living, I don’t know. You have to embrace it. WWE realized that, and I don’t think I am initially responsible for that.”

Many of his coworkers -- many of them top WWE superstars and divas -- were very supportive of Ryder’s efforts. He thinks his show wouldn’t have been as successful without them.

“At the time, I was a nobody and barely had any followers on Twitter,” Ryder said. “I was making these videos and putting the link up on my Twitter, but if I don’t have anyone following me, nobody is going to see the link. With guys like The Miz, Dolph Ziggler, CM Punk and John Cena retweeting my tweets with the link, people see that and watch the show.”

In recent months, WWE has used the Internet to further storylines and character development. Ryder thinks having it accompany the programming is a great idea.

“It enhances the product so much more,” Ryder said.

“Now stories don’t have to be Monday and then next Monday. It can be all week long with tweets and everything. When I was feuding with Dolph Ziggler for the United States title, we were going back and forth on Twitter. He would ‘hack’ into my YouTube show. It just added to it. So it wasn’t we do this on this Monday, and next Monday we would do this. It wasn’t just a once a week deal. It was 24/7, which made it so much more important.”

The added exposure has made Ryder anticipate the future in WWE. A bona fide superstar, he now has more than a napkin to sign at airports.

“I honestly think the sky is the limit for me,” Ryder said. “I’m not saying that in a conceded way. You look at January 2011, and I was nothing. I was nobody. Not on Raw, barely on Superstars, no merchandise, no action figure, no promotional 8x10. It was a joke. Through hard work, embracing social media and becoming the internet champion, I was busting my ass for the year.

“I was United States champion at the end of the year. To go from nothing to the United States champion in the course of a year is almost unheard of. I really think this year if I get a WrestleMania match or win the United States championship back, and you never know, by TLC in December, I could be going for the WWE championship. You can’t say it’s not possible after everything I’ve been doing.”

• Q&A with Long Island Iced Z

Who is your most surprising Twitter follower thus far?

“At first when I built this relationship with Dennis Haskins, Mr. Belding from ‘Saved by the Bell’, that was surprising how that all started. This guy I grew up watching, and think everyone my age was watching ‘Saved by the Bell’, one of the most popular TV shows from my childhood. He and I start tweeting back and forth. Then we start talking on the phone. Then he is on my YouTube videos. Dennis is crazy. He is the man. He is a great guy. He is hilarious. I love that he is on my show.”

Have any favorite WrestleMania moments as a fan?

“Growing up in New York, I was fortunate to go to a few WrestleMania events when I was a kid. I was at WrestleMania 10 at Madison Square Garden for that legendary ladder match between Shawn Michaels and Razor Ramon. It was the first ladder match I saw live and the first ladder match a lot of the world had seen. It was mindboggling. It was one of the best matches I’ve seen ever. After all these tables, ladders and chairs matches and ladder matches we’ve seen, you go back to that match, it’s still just as good, if not better than what came after it.”

What are your thoughts on The Rock returning to WWE? Is he taking another superstar’s ‘spot’?

“The Rock is one of the greatest WWE superstars of all time, and right now he is not just a WWE superstar, he is a movie star, legit celebrity and legit action star. So for him to come back, anything that can put more eyes on WWE, is good for everyone involved. I’m all for it.

“That match at WrestleMania with Cena versus Rock, I’m going to try and sneak into the crowd for that one because the crowd is going to be insane. It’s going to be split with Cena fans and Rock fans. It’s just going to be wild. It is going to be one of those matches like [Hulk] Hogan versus The Rock. It’s one of those matches where the crowd is going to make that match. It’s definitely going to go down as one of the best matches ever.”

Who will you be cheering for: The Rock or John Cena?

“I got to go for Cena. I got to go for my Broski.”

Is the man from the LI ready for the MIA?

“I’ve been to South Beach a couple of times by the hotels and clubs. It’s fun. Long Island Iced Z is all about having a good time and picking up chicks and fist pumping, so I’m going to have some fun in South Beach.”

What would a WrestleMania match mean for you? Will you be on the show?

“That is the ultimate goal to be on a WrestleMania match. I hope so. I’m trying to get on Team Teddy. Right now the whole team hasn’t been announced. I’m getting people to tweet about it on Twitter and making YouTube videos about it. As long as I come out for WrestleMania to my music, I would be fulfilling a lifelong dream. That would definitely be one of the best moments of my life for sure.”

Ryder did make it to WrestleMania 28 Miami, chosen for Team Teddy (captained by U.S. champ Santino Marella) against Team Johnny (captained by David Otunga).

• Social Media Event of the Year

According to a WWE press release, there will be a WrestleMania pre-show simulcast live on YouTube, Facebook and www.wwe.com at 6:30 p.m. EST Sunday, 30 minutes before the show kicks off live on pay-per-view.

WWE will integrate Twitter several ways including soon-to-be WWE Hall of Famer Mike Tyson tweeting from events he’s participating like WrestleMania Axess on Friday. There will also be a Twitter face-off between The Rock and Cena asking fans and celebrities to choose their side, either #TeamBringIt or #Cenation.

Plenty of uploads of exclusive videos from WrestleMania Weekend on YouTube. WWE Divas will be presenting exclusive coverage for the popular gossip website www.PerezHilton.com.

In spite of near 90-degree heat, David Otunga sweated it out in his trademark sweater vest and bowtie for the WrestleMania XXVIII press conference Wednesday afternoon at the Eden Roc Renaissance Hotel in Miami Beach.

Let us not forget that the captain of Team Johnny at ‘Mania also had his coffee cup in hand.

Otunga has recently become a big part of WWE programming. The real-life lawyer turned WWE superstar has shown tremendous growth in the past year.

“Being here is a dream come true,” Otunga said.

“Two years ago around this time I was an NXT rookie watching. Last year I missed my WrestleMania moment. This is my first time actually being in a match on this stage, let alone in a featured match with the 12-man tag match with Team Teddy taking on Team Johnny. I’ve grown in every way imaginable from my ring work to character development and everything. The scary thing is I’m just getting started.”

One person who will be noticeably absent for Otunga’s big match is fiancée and superstar singer Jennifer Hudson.

“She actually has to work, but what she did was surprise me by flying in my entire family, 15 of them,” Otunga said.

“She bought the plane tickets and flew them all out here to make it up to me.”

Otunga says their two-year-old son, Otunga Jr., will be there to cheer on dad.

“Are you kidding me? He has never missed a WrestleMania in his life.”

Otunga is a graduate of Harvard Law School. With his legal background, he receives tweets (@DavidOtunga) from fans looking for help on a daily basis.

“My Twitter blows up,” Otunga said.

“I’ve opened myself up for that. I really have a lot of fun with that. I love being a lawyer. I love the law. I love analytical thinking, so I love it when people give me a problem and ask me how to solve it.”

On his unique fashion, Otunga said, “I like to be different and stand out. Not many people wear bowties. I have the courage to do it.”

On what is really in the coffee cup, Otunga admits, “Its coffee. It really is coffee. I know you can’t believe it since its 90 degrees out dressed like I am. Yes, I’m drinking coffee.”

• Otunga is very supportive of the WWE/Creative Coalition ‘be a STAR’ anti-bullying program. He visited Hialeah Gardens and John F. Kennedy middle schools in Miami on Thursday to tell his story of being verbally bullied in school and encourage the kids ‘to not be afraid’ to tell their parents or teachers if they are being bullied online or anywhere.

Hundreds of diehard wrestling fans in town to attend WrestleMania XXVIII’s main event at Sun Life Stadium were granted access Thursday night to the WWE stars and merchandise.

WrestleMania's Fan Axxess event kicked off just before 6 p.m. as anxious fans poured in through the doors of the Miami Beach Convention Center to land autographs of their favorite stars, buy the hottest memorabilia or just feel the WWE fan brotherhood.

According to organizers about 30,000 fans from 50 states and 35 different countries flock to South Florida to attend WrestleMania.

There was so much to do and see, fans of every age entering the convention center were hesitant on which way to go or what activity to do first.

A majority hurried to the nearest VIP signing booth to get an autograph from their favorite superstar.

“My love for WWE is way too strong,” said Paul Steygna, who flew in from London and was eyeing an Edge action figure. “I've spent about 3,000 pounds on this trip already."

After making his purchase, Steygna scurried back to the front of the signing line where he met his two friends, who had also flown in from England early Thursday morning for the big weekend.

Among the WWE superstars signing autographs were CM Punk whose line snaked through seven rows. Also there were Vickie Guererro, Brodus Clay and Sin Cara.

Fans walked the floor wearing WWE shirts, John Cena wristbands, and of course hundreds of WWE replica title belts proudly swung over shoulders and waists.

“I won't leave here without a Rock replica title or a autograph from Kane,” said 17-year-old Payton Pane, in town from Indianapolis.

A nearby booth sold the WWE title belts. “We've already had to restock. I sold one guy three,” said the cashier.

For $300 any fan can purchase one of the replica belts. And for $350 you could purchase a golden, rhinestone encrusted Ted DiBiase “The Million Dollar Man” belt.

James Williams,18, from his wheelchair told his mother where he wanted to go next.

“I want to get C M Punk's autograph,” said Williams, who traveled to Miami from Virginia.

The party got even bigger with a live match that will air on Smack Down Live Friday night on the SyFy Channel. Ezekiel Jackson took on Hunico in the ring as fans cheered and chanted with their fists high in the air.

Jackson screamed "torture wrap!" and then grabbed Hunico and wrapped him around his neck until he surrendered.

A few feet from the ring was a section dedicated to life of The Rock, local celebrity and actor Dwayne Johnson. The exhibition was full of eye-catching memorabilia—childhood pictures, an entire casing with Rock's gear from his movie The Mummy and his multiple WWE costumes.

Not only could fans take a journey throughout the life of the Rock but they could also pretend to be him. A neighboring booth called “Create your own entrance" allowed fans to walk down a replica WWE ramp while holding a title belt.

As one fan reached the end of the ramp, he held his championship belt high above his head as he glared into the camera lens – like a real WWE star. Fans were given codes so they could go online to watch and relive that moment.

Fan Axxess runs through Friday leading up to the big fight Sunday at Sun Life Stadium when The Rock takes on John Cena in front of a crowd of nearly 70,000 fans.

Whether in entertainment or a sport, achieving Hall of Fame status defines a stellar career. It represents the best of the best in that profession’s history.

So when the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2012 is honored during WrestleMania Weekend, the usual genre of work — the scripted sports entertainment version — will transform into an emotionally charged, proud and unscripted moment for the inductees, their families, colleagues and fans.

The Four Horsemen, Edge, Mile Mascaras, Ron Simmons, Yokozuna and Mike Tyson are the Class of 2012, and the AmericanAirlines Arena in Miami will host the ceremony at 8 p.m. Saturday, March 31, the night before WrestleMania 28.

It’s fitting WWE’s hallowed hall is celebrated the night before WWE’s Super Bowl as these Hall of Famers helped establish and grow WrestleMania, professional wrestling and sports entertainment while inspiring and opening the door to others.

The Four Horsemen (Ric Flair, Arn Anderson, Tully Blanchard and Barry Windham with J.J. Dillon) inspired successful factions like DX, the nWo and Evolution. Mascaras pioneered the fast-paced, high-flying lucha style in Japan and the United States. Simmons became the first African American recognized as a world champion. Yokozuna was the first Samoan to win the WWF/WWE title. Edge joined a select few who starred in the tag team ranks and the then transitioned to singles, reaching greater heights. Tyson, a lifelong fan, is the celebrity inductee.

Each recipient will be inducted by someone from the sports entertainment field, past or present. They will trade tights and wrestling boots for suits, ties, tuxes, Rolex and Gucci. Fans will be requested to wear proper attire as well.

Presentation and acceptance speeches will range from emotional to humorous to serious. Each new member will receive a WWE Hall of Fame ring.

“Just to sit there and watch the Hall of Fame induction ceremony this year is going to be awesome, just like every year,” WWE SmackDown color commentator and long-time wrestler Booker T said. “To hear the war stories these guys have been through, the parties [The Four Horsemen] had, it’s going to be great. So I’m looking forward to that.”

Prior to being announced for induction, Edge, who was forced to retire from a neck injury, was asked if being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame, is something he’s looking forward to?

He answered: “Definitely. I think now what it’s become and how it’s treated and the production it has become; it means something. It would be amazing, and it would be the final period on the sentence of the career and just button everything up.”

WWE superstar John Cena performed several memorable high-profile matches with Edge. Each helped the other elevate his game.

“I’m very excited about [Edge being inducted],” Cena said. “It’s a much different feel [when someone you competed against is being inducted] because you look back at your accomplishments, and I had a lot of personal stories with Edge, and I’ll let him tell those stories and share those moments.

“I couldn’t be more proud of anybody. It will be like watching your brother accomplish something great. It’s going to be a special day for me. I’m really, really, really excited for him. I can’t wait to see him on that day. He’s the type of guy where it doesn’t really hit home until the moment. I’m really, really looking forward to the Hall of Fame.”

Booker T starred in singles and tag team action as did Edge, and the two shared a WrestleMania moment.

“It’s great to see Edge going in at such a young age,” Booker T said. “Edge has done a lot of great things in this business. He’s totally worthy of the Hall of Fame first ballot, first time out. He beat me at WrestleMania [18]. Of course he should be in there [Booker chuckled].”

Edge defeated Booker T at WrestleMania 18 on March 17, 2002 at the SkyDome in Toronto, Edge’s hometown.

“It was topsy turvy for me, wrestling at WrestleMania in Edge’s country. So I was facing an uphill battle, and it was a rough night for me,” Booker T said. “Any given night, you can go out there and win; you can go out there and lose, and he was the better man on that night. He had the sixth man in his corner, rooting for him and pushing him.

“I knew it was going to be hard night trying to pull out a win under those circumstances, but it still was great, all in all. I wish we could do it again, but that’ll never happen.”

The result didn’t go Booker T’s way, but he said, “The match went great. One thing about my career, going out there to perform in the ring, it’s never been about the wins and the losses. I don’t know how many I have, but I’m sure I’ve had more losses than wins. The thing is it’s always been about the performance. It’s always been about going out there and giving the fans the utmost best that I can give them each and every night, win or lose. Most of my best matches have been when I lost [he snickered].

“It’s always important to me, when I leave the ring, head up or head down, to leave those fans with an impression they’re going to remember for the rest of their lives. Give them feeling because I really believe people remember what they feel not what they see.”

Booker T knows Edge did just that.

“To see Edge go in there is going to be great and bitter sweet because I feel like he had so many great years left in him in this business but like Stone Cold Steve Austin, he had to ride off into the sunset a little earlier than he wanted,” Booker T said. “It’s been great for him, and even now it’s going to be greater for him because he’s going to have life after wrestling, healthy, and that’s what’s most important.”

• What started on WWF Monday Night Raw in 1993 to honor the late, great Andre the Giant has evolved into an extravaganza celebrated during the most important week of WWE’s year.

The host venue went from hotel ballrooms to large arenas like Miami’s AmericanAirlines Arena. Its popularity sparked interest from television executives.

From 1994-96, it was a non-televised dinner ceremony at a lavish hotel with multiple inductees. Then it took a hiatus, until 2004 when it was re-launched to coincide with the 20th anniversary of WrestleMania.

In 2005, WWE broadcasted some of the inductions into the Hall of Fame on Spike TV. In 2006, USA Network stepped in and has been broadcasting taped portions of the event ever since.

So many special moments.

Former WWE superstar Rob Conway of La Resistance recalls the Hall of Fame ceremony the night before WrestleMania 20 in New York City.

He said: “The Hall of Fame, Superstar Billy Graham was inducted, and he was an idol of mine. So watching him be inducted was a highlight. He was an innovator, taking on the microphone and his physique.”

Unlike other sports and entertainment halls of fame, WWE does not have a Hall of Fame building. There have been talks for several years to find a suitable location, but it remains in the planning stages.

As of 2011, there are 97 inductees (79 individually, six tag teams, one wrestling family). Fifteen of the individual inductees were inducted posthumously. Tyson joins the celebrity wing which includes comedian Drew Carey, William the Refrigerator Perry, Pete Rose and Bob Uecker.

• WWE Hall of Famer Tammy Sunny Sytch, who helped pioneer the WWE divas, was inducted last year in Atlanta.

She said: “Seriously, the Hall of Fame was the most amazing thing that has ever happened to me. It was the hardest thing that I’d ever done, because I could go out there for 10 minutes and be Sunny, but to go out there for 10 minutes and be Tammy is a whole different story.

“I was so, so nervous, but as soon as I got out there on stage, Sunny came back. I pulled the Sunny switch. The Sunny switch came on, and I was fine.

“Before I went out, I couldn’t remember my speech, but when I went out, I remembered every word. It’s weird. I can’t be Tammy, but I can be Sunny.

“Everybody told me I had the best speech of the night. I was so nervous, but even a lot of the wrestlers’ wives came up to me at the after-party and said I had the best speech of the night.”

• WWE superstars and divas work 250-300 days a year, traveling the world. They are on prime-time television twice a week and pay-per-view monthly. They take physical risks in the ring, resulting in numerous injuries — some minor, others serious.

“To get to the Hall of Fame, I think you really have to put in your work,” said Booker T, who’s wrestled 21 years. “I don’t think it’s like Pop Warner [football] where everybody gets a chance to get in the game. It’s not about that. It’s about guys who have really given up their lives to entertain the fans. It’s not about championships. It’s about what one has given to the business.”

He continued: “The Four Horsemen, those guys are legendary in the business. When you heard the name Four Horsemen, of course you knew who they were, first and foremost. You knew they were some guys who raised a lot of h#**. Ric Flair, limousine riding, jet flying, son of a gun, a guy who really made a blueprint of what it is to be a superstar in this business, how to go out there and carry yourself.

“Arn Anderson, a guy who was the enforcer of that whole group. You really knew what an enforcer was when you watched Arn Anderson back in the day. Tully Blanchard — a guy who was totally offset, a guy who did it from a different direction, a guy who was so much better than he looked in the ring — was one of those guys like Christian. You don’t know how good he is, until you get in the ring with him.”

• Mil Mascaras, man of 1,000 masks, revolutionized the fast-paced, high-flying lucha style in Japan and the United States. He was one of the most popular wrestlers around the world.

“I had the honor of wrestling him at Madison Square Garden in 1980,” WWE Hall of Famer Sgt. Slaughter said. “I’ve run into him a couple of times here and there at different conventions. It’s going to be a real honor to have him into the Hall of Fame. He deserves it.”

Slaughter continued: “He was the pioneer of the Mexican style of wrestling in the United States. He should be welcomed not only by the WWE Universe but by the world. He brought a different style. He brought color. He brought a different look.”

Very colorful, very stylish, each mask told a story. He removed his mask before a match, only to reveal another mask underneath. As is customary with the traditional luchadores, he always wears a mask.

Slaughter noted: “I’ve never seen him without a mask. He even showered with it on.”

• Mil Mascaras will be inducted by his nephew, WWE superstar Alberto Del Rio. Edge will be inducted by his childhood friend and champion tag team partner WWE superstar Christian. The Four Horsemen will be inducted by their in-ring rival The American Dream Dusty Rhodes. Ron Simmons will be inducted by his former APA tag team partner Bradshaw (JBL-John Bradshaw Layfield). Yokozuna will be inducted post-humously by family, WWE superstars The Usos. Mike Tyson will be inducted by DX (Triple H and HBK Shawn Michaels).

• USA Network will once again air a portion of the WWE Hall of Fame ceremony (Edge, The Four Horsemen, Mike Tyson) at 8 p.m. EST Monday, April 2. The program will lead into the live WWE Monday Night Raw, which will feature The Rock from the AmericanAirlines Arena in Miami.

The complete unedited Hall of Fame ceremony will be part of the WrestleMania 28 DVD and Blu-Ray.

• The WWE Hall of Fame is 8 p.m. Saturday, March 31 at the AmericanAirlines Arena, 601 Biscayne Blvd., Miami. Tickets, starting at $28, are available at TicketMaster.com, the arena box office or charge by phone at 1-800-745-3000.

• CLASS ACTS

WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2012

• EDGE

Age: 38

Born: Orangeville, Ontario, Canada

Height/Weight: 6-5, 241

Debut: 1992

(Inducted by WWE superstar Christian)

Inside the Box

A native of Ontario, Canada, Adam Copeland signed a developmental deal in 1997 with the WWF and began competing for the company the following year, and then Edge was born.

Edge is a record 12-time World tag team champ, a record seven time World champ, five-time Intercontinental champ, four-time WWE champ, two-time WWE tag team champ and a U.S. champ.

Edge totaled 31 championships in WWE and is one of only two wrestlers (Kurt Angle being the other) who has held every currently active male championship in WWE.

He also won the 2001 King of the Ring tournament, the inaugural Money in the Bank ladder match in 2005 and the Royal Rumble match in 2010 making him the only wrestler in history to achieve all three of those accomplishments.

In June 1999, he won the WWF Intercontinental championship, making it his first title reign with the company. He and Christian went on to win the WWF tag team titles on seven different occasions. During this time, they gained notoriety in the tag team division, partly because of their participation in Tables, Ladders & Chairs matches.

Outside the Box

Nicknamed the Rated R superstar.

When he teamed with Randy Orton whose crowd pleasing finisher is the RKO, they were known as Rated RKO.

Grew up friends with Christian, both dreaming, succeeding and teaming together in WWE

Starred in tag team action and then transitioned to singles success – joining elite company like Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels, Jack Brisco, Dory and Terry Funk, Scott Steiner and Booker T as wrestlers who captured the world title in tag team and singles.

As a youth, Edge attended WWE WrestleMania 6 at the SkyDome in Toronto.

Life after WWE, Edge has a re-occurring role in the current Syfy original series “Haven.”

Copeland has also appeared in the 2000 fantasy film Highlander: Endgame and made guest appearances on television shows, including “The Weakest Link,” “Mind of Mencia,” “Deal or No Deal” and “MADtv.”

• THE FOUR HORSEMEN

(Ric Flair, Arn Anderson, Tully Blanchard and Barry Windham with J.J. Dillon)

Served as pioneers for successful factions like DX and the nWo.

Sign of Excellence: Holding four fingers up (their signature hand sign) signifying The Four Horsemen

(Inducted by The American Dream Dusty Rhodes)

Inside the Box

A very successful professional wrestling stable in the National Wrestling Alliance and later World Championship Wrestling, the heel group was one of the greatest factions of all-time and inspired other factions.

The Four Horsemen formed in 1986 and ended in 1999. There have been various members throughout the long and successful run.

Ric Flair was the leader with The Enforcer Arn Anderson a mainstay. Tully Blanchard was an original, and Barry Windham was later added to the elite group. J.J. Dillon was the group’s advisor/strategist.

The ensemble had other additions and subtractions during its tenure, but Anderson and Flair remained a part of each Horsemen ensemble.

Outside the Box

WWE’s Evolution (Triple H, Batista, Randy Orton, Flair) and TNA’s Fortune (A.J. Styles, Kazarian, Robert Roode, James Storm, Flair), each with Ric Flair, were also inspired by the Horsemen stable.

Ric Flair becomes a two-time member of the WWE Hall of Fame, the only wrestler to accomplish such a feat. He was inducted individually during WrestleMania 24 Week in 2008 in Orlando.

Ric Flair (Four Horseman 1986–1991, 1993–1999)

Age: 63

Born: Memphis

Height/Weight: 6-1, 243

He is the only two-time WWE Hall of Famer, inducted in 2008 for his tremendous career, one of the best ever, spanning four decades at the time

Nicknames: The Nature Boy, Slick Ric, Naitch, The Dirtiest Player In the Game

Finishing move: The Figure Four leglock

Catch Phrases: “I’m a limousine riding, jet flying, kiss stealing, wheelin’ n dealin’ son of a gun”

“Now it’s time to go to school.”

“Diamonds are forever and so are the Horsemen.”

“To be the man, you’ve got to beast the man.”

“Whether you like it, or you don’t like it, learn to love it, ’cause it’s the best thing going today.”

“Whoooo.”

Arn Anderson (Four Horseman 1986–1988, 1990–1999)

Age: 53

Born: Rome, Ga.

Height/Weight: 6-1, 255

Nickname: The Enforcer, Double-A

Behind the scenes: Currently a senior producer for WWE’s Raw brand

Signature move: Spinebuster

Signature sign: Thumb across the throat signifying the end

A no-nonsense disposition with no-nonsense talk, Arn Anderson can do anything and everything, working against anyone, any skill level, any size. Whether working singles or tag team, he is one of the best all-around talents in the sport’s history. His promos were solid, tough, believable. His facials would make a competitive cheerleader proud. He is also credited with helping create some of Ric Flair’s catch phrases.

Tully Blanchard (Four Horseman 1986–1988)

Age: 58

Born: Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Height/Weight: 5-10, 225

A gifted athlete who worked well in the ring, Blanchard the wrestling persona believed he was that good, backing up his character’s arrogance. Had a stellar feud with the American Dream Dusty Rhodes.

Blanchard attended West Texas State University (now known as West Texas A&M University), where he played American football, first as a quarterback and then as a defensive end, alongside fellow future wrestlers Tito Santana and Ted DiBiase.

Other West Texas football players who starred in professional wrestling: Bruiser Brody, Manny Fernandez, Dory Funk Jr., Terry Funk, Stan Hansen, Dusty Rhodes and Four Horseman Barry Windham.

Blanchard’s father Joe was a wrestling promoter and AWA star.

Barry Windham (Four Horseman 1988–1989; 1990–1991)

Age: 51

Born: Sweetwater, Texas

Height/Weight: 6-7, 245

Began his wrestling career most notably with Championship Wrestling from Florida

A natural talent in the ring, Windham was a blue chip prospect and lived up to the hype. He was fluent in the ring, especially for a big man. He had an early run against Ric Flair, proving his worth.

Famous wrestling family: Father Blackjack Mulligan, brother Kendall Windham, brother-in-law Mike Rotunda, nephews Husky Harris and Bo Rotunda

James J. Dillon (Four Horseman 1986–1989)

Age: 69

Born: Trenton, N.J.

Height/Weight: 6-0, 238

Nickname: J.J. Dillon

A former wrestler, he is best known for his heel managerial role (especially as the strategic leader of The Four Horsemen), guiding many wrestlers to singles and tag titles in the NWA. He was a perfect fit as ‘the’ executive for The Four Horsemen. He later served as a front office executive for the then WWF (WWE).

All titles listed for these WWE Hall of Fame inductees were won when they were Horsemen

Jim Crockett Promotions/World Championship Wrestling

NWA National Heavyweight Championship – Tully Blanchard (1 time)

NWA National Tag Team Championship – Ole and Arn Anderson (1 time)

NWA Television Championship – Tully Blanchard (1 time)

NWA United States Heavyweight Championship – Tully Blanchard (1 time), Barry Windham (1 time)

NWA World Heavyweight Championship – Ric Flair (6 times)

NWA World Tag Team Championship (Mid-Atlantic version) – Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard (2 times)

NWA World Television Championship – Tully Blanchard (2 times), Arn Anderson (2 times)

WCW United States Heavyweight Championship – Ric Flair (1 time)

WCW World Heavyweight Championship – Ric Flair (8 times)

WCW World Tag Team Championship – Arn Anderson and Paul Roma (1 time)

WCW World Television Championship – Arn Anderson (2 times), Barry Windham (1 time)

• MIL MASCARAS

Age: 69

Born: (1942-07-15)San Luis Potosí, Mexico

Height/Weight: 5-11, 240

Debut: 1965

Nickname: Man of 1,000 Masks

(Inducted by WWE superstar Alberto Del Rio)

Inside the Box

Pioneered the fast-paced, high-flying lucha style in Japan and the United States

Mascaras made his professional wrestling debut in April 1965 in Guadalajara. He became popular in Mexico for being one of the best conditioned luchadores in the heavyweight division, which was dominated by foreigners. It was also his size which permitted him to wrestle in the United States and Japan under the heavyweight division.

The international superstar won more than 20 titles

He is a member of one of Mexico’s most prominent wrestling families—his brothers Jose and Pablo respectively wrestle as Dos Caras and Sicodelico, Jose’s son (Mascaras nephew) Alberto wrestles as Alberto Del Rio for WWE, and Pablo’s son (Mascaras nephew) Aaron is better known as Sicodelico, Jr.

Pro Wrestling Illustrated named him the Most Popular Wrestler in 1975

More Hall of Fame honors: Cauliflower Alley Club (2006), NWA Hall of Fame (2009),

Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum (2010)

On October 7, 2011, Mascaras returned to Japan to celebrate the 40th anniversary of his debut in the country. He teamed with Dos Caras and the original Tiger Mask to defeat CIMA, Ultimo Guerrero and Tiger Mask IV in a six man tag team match.

Outside the Box

On Dec. 18, 1972, he became the first masked wrestler to compete in Madison Square Garden. A Madison Square Garden ban on masked wrestlers was lifted for him, so he could compete for the WWF (now WWE).

Mascaras was one of the first masked luchadores outside of Mexico to play a non-heel role. He rarely resorted to rule breaking, instead relying on his repertoire of moves and counter-moves.

Mascaras was also one of the first wrestlers to introduce the high-flying moves of lucha libre, such as the plancha and tope suicida, to Japanese fans. This brought him international fame as one of the first high-flyers, something he was not considered in Mexico where he fell under the mat-power category.

Starred in 21 movies in Mexico

• RON SIMMONS

Age: 53

Born: Perry, Ga.

Height/Weight: 6-2, 270

Debut: 1986

Also known as Faarooq

Part of the Acolytes Protecting Agency (APA) with John Bradshaw Layfield

Part of the Nation of Domination with D-Lo Brown, Kama Mustafa (The Godfather) and The Rock

Part of Doom with Hacksaw Butch Reed and manager Theodore Teddy Long

Once managed by WWE Hall of Famer Sunny

Trained by Championship Wrestling from Florida legend Hiro Matsuda

Famous catchphrase: DAMN!

(Inducted by former WWE superstar JBL)

Inside the Box

Became the first African American to be recognized as a world champion, winning the WCW title in 1992 by defeating Big Van Vader (with Harley Race).

Simmons also won the NWA Florida title, WWF tag team titles three times (with Bradshaw), Memphis Championship Wrestling tag team titles (with Bradshaw), Ohio Valley Wrestling tag team titles (with Bradshaw), WCW tag team titles (with Butch Reed), WCW U.S. tag team titles (with Big Josh).

Outside the Box

Starred at Florida State University as a nose guard in the late 1970s; multi-time All-American was inducted in the College Football Hall of Fame and Orange Bowl Hall of Fame; third player in FSU history to have his number retired (No.50); ninth in the Heisman Trophy voting.

When Simmons won the world title, legendary FSU coach Bobby Bowden — a father figure, mentor and friend — was one of the first to call and congratulate him. Bowden also appeared in a wrestling vignette with Simmons.

In WWE, once rivaled former University of Miami football player The Rock in what was billed for bragging rights — FSU vs. Miami.

• YOKOZUNA

Born: San Francisco (Oct. 2, 1966)

Died: (Oct. 23, 2000 at age 34)

Height/Weight: 6-4, 589

Debut: 1984

Finishing move: Banzai Drop

(Inducted by WWE superstars The Usos)

Inside the box

Yokozuna portrayed a champion sumo wrestler turned pro wrestler in WWF; was managed by Mr. Fuji who walked to the ring with a wooden bucket of salt and waving a Japanese flag along with two ceremonial Japanese flower girls. Also managed by Jim Cornette.

He was a two-time WWF champ (defeating Bret Hitman Hart and Hulk Hogan) as well as a two-time WWF tag team champion (with the late, great Owen Hart). He also won the 1993 Royal Rumble.

Yokozuna eliminated Macho Man Randy Savage to win that 1993 Royal Rumble.

To draw more heat leading to his title match, the monstrous behemoth crushed the flag waving American hero Hacksaw Jim Duggan with four Banzai drops, the fourth with the American flag draped over the patriotic Duggan.

With help from Mr. Fuji, Yokozuna beat Bret The Hitman Hart at WrestleMania 9 for his first title reign, which didn’t last long. A returning Hulk Hogan surprised fans by rushing to the ring to save Hart from further damage. Mr. Fuji challenged Hogan on the spot, and the Hulkster quickly accepted. Hogan ducked from Fuji’s illegal salt throwing which accidentally blinded Yokozuna, and Hogan scored the quick pin to end Yokozona’s short reign.

With help from a planted ’Japanese’ flash photographer at ringside who blinded Hogan, Yokozuna enacted revenge by beating Hogan for the title at the King of the Ring in 1993. At WrestleMania 10, Hart regained the title.

Outside the box

Yokozuna became the first Royal Rumble winner to receive a world title shot at a WrestleMania. Billed from Japan, he was actually the first Samoan wrestler to win the WWF title.

From the famous Anoa’i wrestling family, he was one of the most successful big men in history. He was trained by his unlce Afa the Wild Samoan. Sica, the other half of the Wild Samoans is also his uncle. His cousins also wrestled: Rikishi, Samu, Rosey, Manu, Umaga and The Rock.

• MIKE TYSON

Age: 45

Born: Brooklyn, N.Y.

Height: 5-10

Nicknames: Iron Mike Tyson; The Baddest Man On The Planet

Boxing Career: 1985-2005

Record: 50-6 (with 44 knockouts)

His WWE Favorites: Stone Cold Steve Austin and DX (Shawn Michaels and Triple H)

His favorite WWE action: The DX chop

His claim to WWE fame: Knocking out Y2J Chris Jericho and Shawn Michaels each with one punch

Something in common: Mickey Rourke, star of the hit movie “The Wrestler,” also knocked out Jericho with one punch at WrestleMania 25 in 2009 at Reliant Stadium in Houston. Rourke knocked out the disrespectful Jericho with a left hook after Jericho won his handicap match against legends Superfly Jimmy Snuka, Ricky The Dragon Steamboat and Rowdy Roddy Piper with Ric Flair in their corner.

More Hall of Fame honors: International Boxing Hall of Fame (2011)

(Inducted by DX-Triple H and Shawn Michaels)

Inside the Box

In 1998, after a face-to-face confrontation with WWE Hall of Famer Stone Cold Steve Austin on Monday Night Raw, Tyson was named special enforcer for the main event at WrestleMania 14 between Austin and Shawn Michaels. In that match, Tyson counted the 1-2-3 as Austin won the match. Michaels berated Tyson for making the count, so Tyson knocked out Michaels with one punch and celebrated with a few Steve-weisers courtesy of Austin.

In 2011, Tyson made his WWE return, guest starring on Monday Night Raw (9 p.m. EST USA Network). He teamed with Chris Jericho against DX (Shawn Michaels and Triple H). Tyson duped the pompous Jericho by revealing a DX shirt underneath his other T-shirt and then knocked out Jericho, allowing Michaels to record the easy pin. Tyson celebrated with DX, doing the DX chop.

Tyson is a long-time WWE fan, attending shows as a spectator. He joins comedian Drew Carey and notable sports figures Bob Uecker, William The Refrigerator Perry and Pete Rose in WWE’s celebrity wing of the Hall of Fame.

Outside the box

As one of the most iconic boxers in history, Mike Tyson was the undisputed heavyweight champion and holds the record as the youngest boxer to win the WBC, WBA and IBF heavyweight titles. Tyson is also a pop culture icon with roles in the blockbuster “Hangover” movies and the subject of the critically acclaimed biographical film “Tyson.”

Tyson is also a member of the International Boxing Hall of Fame, inducted in 2011 with Julio Cesar Chavez and Sylvester Stallone (Rocky).

Ron Simmons is already a Hall of Famer, college football’s version, but on March 31, he becomes Hall of Fame on a pro level.

Simmons, 53, will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2012 at the AmericanAirlines Arena in Miami, the night before WrestleMania 28.

“I can’t tell you how much this one means to me,” he said. “because I know the individual effort that it takes to even excel in professional wrestling [and sports entertainment] let alone be worthy to be alongside some of my peers and some of the people who influenced me, who I’ve looked up to in this business. This is a great honor.”

WWE’s Hall of Fame ceremony, recognizing the best of the best for their contributions to the profession, is one of the highlights of WrestleMania Week — this time in Miami.

Simmons said: “The last few years have been very rewarding for me when it comes to accolades and being inducted in what people consider me to be worthy of.”

Simmons, a multi-time All-American nose guard for Florida State University, is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame and Orange Bowl Hall of Fame to name a few.

“In their own way, each Hall of Fame is unique in what they represent,” Simmons said. “I know the journey I had to take in order to get there and what it took to achieve that. Each one had a different path.”

When Simmons competed for FSU, everything revolved around ‘team.’

“This one [WWE Hall of Fame] has special meaning because of the individual effort that it takes and the dedication in order to achieve this,”he compared. “So this one has a special place for me because of all the hard work that I put in as a person, staying focused, and this one probably means the most to me, at this point, when it comes to an individual effort -- in particular to be proud of myself.”

Beginning in Florida under the tutelage of Hiro Matsuda, Simmons spent 25 years in wrestling and sports entertainment. He won the NWA Florida title, WWF tag team titles three times (with Bradshaw), Memphis Championship Wrestling tag team titles (with Bradshaw), Ohio Valley Wrestling tag team titles (with Bradshaw), WCW tag team titles (with Butch Reed) and WCW U.S. tag team titles (with Big Josh).

“I still sometimes have to sit back and think to myself, ‘Did I actually do that?’” Simmons said. “There are so many things that I’ve done in my life. Now with all the injuries that are catching up with me at my age, it’s hard to believe I did those things.”

His biggest in-ring accomplishment occurred in Baltimore on Aug. 2, 1992. That’s when Simmons defeated Big Van Vader (with Harley Race) for the WCW title. By winning the belt, Simmons became the first African American to be recognized as world champion. Bobo Brazil defeated Nature Boy Buddy Rogers for the NWA title in 1962, but that title change was not recognized.

“Being a world champion was unbelievable,” Simmons said. “The thing I’m most proud of during my time as world champion is being the first African American world champion. That means more to me than anything. To have helped in any way to open some doors for others is what I’m most proud of.”

Simmons later understood its significance.

“At the time it happens, you’re glowing in all its intended glory of being a world champion,” Simmons said. “You’re not thinking of the impact it has on people, until now, at this stage of my life, when young people come up to me and say, ‘You’ll never know how much that meant to me and how that inspired me to want to excel in whatever I was doing.’

“That’s when it starts to hit you and you realize how much it meant to people. I didn’t think of it that way back then. Now, sometimes it almost brings me to tears, when someone comes up to me and says that to me, because I can see it’s from their hearts, genuinely. I can’t tell you what a feeling that is. It’s great.”

Wrestlers like Rocky Johnson, Big Cat Ernie Ladd and Brazil helped pave the way for Simmons.

“Although [racial tension] was probably still there, it was better for me because of the guys who came before me,” he said. “That is the way it is supposed to work as we go through life in anything we do. To make it better for the generation that comes after you.

“Although I don’t know what it was like during the time Rocky Johnson started, but I know he made it better for me. In this business now, if you have the talent and the dedication to achieve what you want, to be the best or to be world champion, the color is not [an issue]. You just got to be the best at what you do.

“So if I was a stepping stone as were Rocky Johnson and others before him, that means a whole world to me.”

Cowboy Bill Watts, a former wrestler from Oklahoma, was executive vice president of WCW and championed the cause for Simmons to become world champ.

“It was solely Bill Watts,” he said. “He’s the one who saw it in me. He said, ‘He’s got all the pedigree. All-American. Heisman Trophy candidate. What’s going on? Give him a chance.’”

Prior as a promoter, Watts hired Ladd, an African American, not only to wrestle but also assist with the booking in Mid-South Wrestlingin the 1980s. That’s when African American Junkyard Dog became the top star in Mid-South.

“Dusty Rhodes was very influential with me when I was coming up,” Simmons said, “but it all starts with my mentor and teacher Hiro Matsuda. Then Bill Watts gave me my chance in breaking barriers down and making it possible for Rocky, The Rock to come along and be successful, like Booker T, like Mark Henry and all the guys. I couldn’t be happier.

“With Bill Watts, as in any business or any other sport, you had disagreements, but there’s one thing I have to give him. He didn’t look at [race]. He looked at what was best for the business. If you had what it took to make the business better, he was going to give you that opportunity.”

Simmons held the belt five months.

“Some guys say, ‘Don’t look at me as a role model,’” Simmons said. “I say, ‘Look at me as a role model.’

“I didn’t have the whole picket fence, two-car garage setting as a family growing up [in Warner Robins, Georgia]. My mother died early. My father left us. We had to be split up as a family.”

No excuses, Simmons overcame those hardships to become a success story.

“So I relished that role as a role model. I wanted kids to look up to me,” he continued. “I put pressure on myself [to be the best], and now it’s paying off. When kids and young people come up to me and say, ‘Thank you.’ You have no idea what that means to me. I can leave this world tomorrow being a happy man because I know I made an impact on somebody’s life, and that’s what living is all about.”

How did Simmons succeed?

“I had been dealt this hand in life growing up,” he said. “Guess what? It’s not going to get any better, if you don’t make it happen. That’s what we did, all my brothers and sisters. It wasn’t going to be given to us, and I was hungry to do something with my life. Whether it be through sports or anything I was into, I was going to give it my best.

“If I was going to fail at it, then I was going to fail trying. I wanted to do as many things as I possibly could, and believe me, I tried. Thank God I had a level of success at them all. People seem to think so with honors such as this. So at this point of my life, I’m a happy man.”

Simmons, the third football player in FSU history to have his number retired (50), was ninth in the Heisman voting in 1979. During his career, the Seminoles went 39-8 and finished the season ranked in the Top 20 three times. He was drafted by the Cleveland Browns at pick number 160 in 1981. After a season with the Browns, he spent three seasons in the Canadian Football League, before a two-year stint with the USFL’s Tampa Bay Bandits.

“When I was in college, chop blocks were legal, and me being pretty good, I was a target,” he said. “The centers would hold me up, and the guards would come across and go after my ankles, intentionally trying to put me out of the game. So I was injured when I went to Cleveland. I wish I would have been at my best when I went there, but it was a great experience.

“After my release from Cleveland, I was able to heal up and then went to the Canadian Football League for three years with the Ottawa Roughriders and then the USFL. After the USFL folded, I wanted to venture into something else. I wanted to do the Communications aspect of it, television, radio, doing voiceovers, but I settled on a job as a counselor for troubled kids at the Hillsborough County Detention Center in Tampa.”

One thing led to another.

“[Wrestler/trainer] Hiro Matsuda had a place right behind where I was working off Dale Mabry [Highway], and he saw me when I was working, giving kids some exercises to do,” Simmons recalled. “He came over and just blatantly asked me. He said, ‘You look very good.’ I said, ‘Oh, wait a minute. No. I’m not that kind of guy.’ I didn’t know what he was speaking about [chuckled Simmons].

“He said, ‘No, no. I’m a professional wrestler, and I train guys. Did you ever consider professional wrestling?’ I was like, ‘Man, I just finished playing football. I don’t think I want to do anything that has any physicality in it or anything that has to do with the body.’ He said, ‘How much money are you making here?’ I said, ‘C’mon.’ He said, ‘What if I told you, if you come in, work hard and was a success at this, you could probably double your money within a year.’ I said, ‘Where do I sign?’”

Legendary FSU coach Bobby Bowden wished Simmons well in his wrestling endeavors and sent Simmons a plaque which hangs on his wall. It reads, “Just as you’ve done since you stepped on FSU’s campus, you’ll do the same in professional wrestling and whatever you do in life.”

Simmons eyes the plaque daily.

Not only his coach, Bowden was also a father figure and a mentor. A life-long friend, Bowden was one of the first to call and congratulate Simmons after he won the world title and even appeared in a promo with him during those wrestling times.

Simmons currently restores cars and was working on his old Chevy truck when he got the call from WWE Executive Vice President of Talent Relations John Laurinaitis.

“I was under there, frustrated putting the starter on,” he recalled, “and that phone call just brightened my day.”

It took a minute before reality registered on the phone after Laurinaitis delivered the good news.

“First thing, though, I was like, ‘Hey, OK, look, I don’t have time for this. I’m really, really in a bad mood right now [with the truck],’” Simmons said, “but then he told me, ‘Ron, this is no joke. You’re actually being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.’ That kind of made things a lot better for me.”

The AmericanAirlines Arena, home to the 2012 WWE Hall of Fame ceremony, is close to the former Orange Bowl site where Simmons played some big collegiate games.

“To be perfectly honest, whenever I think of Miami, in all of its splendor and luxury and vacation resorts, the first thing I think of is losing those two Orange Bowls,” he said, “just reliving those Orange Bowls and having wished we’d won one of them.”

In consecutive Orange Bowls, Oklahoma beat FSU (24-7in 1980 and 18-17 in 1981). Jim Ross must have been happy.

Simmons continued: “Secondly, to show the whole country that the state of Florida produces the best athletes.”