New Zealand wrestling legends The Bushwhackers will be honoured as the latest inductees into the WWE Hall of Fame.
NZPWI spoke exclusively to Bushwhacker Butch Miller moments after the news first broke on Stuff.co.nz.
“I’m really excited about the whole deal and I’m happy that we’re the first guys from Australasia to make it into the WWE Hall of Fame,” Miller said.
“I’m excited for my wife, too, who doesn’t understand the massive production of WrestleMania. She’s going to be in for a shock.”
The Bushwhackers will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in a ceremony held at the SAP Center in San Jose, California on March 28, before more than 70,000 fans from around the world fill Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara the following night for WrestleMania 31.
“We’ve worked a lot in San Jose and I can’t wait to get back up there,” Miller said.
Originally known as The Kiwis or The Sheepherders, Butch Miller and Luke Williams began their careers in the 1960s, first wrestling in New Zealand then heading abroad to work for a number of promotions in North America including Calgary’s Stampede Wrestling, the Universal Wrestling Federation (UWF), and the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA), before joining WWE in 1988.
WWE.com describes The Bushwhackers as “one of the wildest and most unorthodox teams the WWE Universe had ever seen”. Their unique look and in-ring style also made The Bushwhackers one of the most popular teams of the 80s and 90s, and led to the pair guest starring on an episode of the hit television show Family Matters in 1994.
The Bushwhackers wrestled their last match with WWE in 2001, taking part in the Gimmick Battle Royal at WrestleMania X-Seven in front of 67,000 fans.
“It’ll be great to catch up with all the guys at WWE, including my mate Luke,” Miller told NZPWI. “I can’t believe he’s still getting in the ring, but that’s Luke for you.”
The Hall of Fame induction ceremony will be the first time The Bushwhackers have seen each other since 2012 when Luke, now based in Florida, last returned to New Zealand.
“Macho Man” Randy Savage, Rikishi, and celebrity inductee Arnold Schwarzenegger have also been announced for this year’s Hall of Fame.
The 2015 Hall of Fame induction ceremony will air live on WWE Network on Sunday, March 29, in New Zealand.
Any idea when the HOF 2015 might air on what im guessing will be sky tv?
Hi Rachael, you can watch the 2015 WWE Hall of Fame ceremony at any time on WWE Network: http://network.wwe.com/video/v55547683