5 wrestling legends who never competed for WWE

Both Rikidozan and El Santo are WWE Hall of Famers.
Both Rikidozan and El Santo are WWE Hall of Famers.

#2 WWE Hall of Famer Rikidozan

Rikidozan never wrestled in WWE, and frankly, he never needed to. During his lifetime, he was one of the most popular personalities in Japan, acquiring the title of "The Father of Puroresu."

Rikidozan, although born in Korea, was a national hero for Japan in the aftermath of the second world war. However, he wrestled as a heel whenever he went to the US.

Unfortunately, his life suffered a premature end when a Yakuza member stabbed him to death in 1963. WWE inducted Rikidozan into the Hall of Fame in 2017.


#1 WWE Hall of Famer El Santo

No other wrestler created a space for themselves in their cultural history as strikingly as El Santo. As a professional wrestler, he was widely supported by fans.

As a film star, he played his in-ring character, battling the likes of Dracula, Frankenstein, and aliens to preserve justice. A combination of Lucha Libre and movie fame made him an icon in Mexico, where statues of Santo are found to this day.

Santo never wrestled in WWE, but he is no stranger amongst the Mexican-American community. The Pixar movie "Coco" included a touching tribute to the icon, depicting his fame through a tiny cameo. WWE inducted him into the Hall of Fame in 2018.

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Edited by Angana Roy
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