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Alfred George James Hayes (August 8, 1928 - July 21, 2005) was an English professional wrestler better known for his work as a broadcaster and commentator in the WWF.

Career[]

As a young man, Hayes trained in Judo alongside future stars like Steve Logan. During this time, Hayes would become the youngest person in the history of the sport, at the time, to earn a black belt. Despite this success, he would soon leave the judo world and become an apprentice to former British Heavyweight Champion Sir Atholl Oakley, 7th Baronet of Shrewsbury.

Making his debut in the 1950s, Hayes quickly became noticed for his great bouts with Dr. Death, Bert Assiratti and Mike Marino. He was also one of the pioneers of European Tag Team wrestling as he and his then partner, Ray Hunter, performed in Tag bouts around the country and became very popular. He topped this success in the 1960s by defeating his mentor, Oakley, for a version of the British Heavyweight Title and defended it throughout the 1960s (this would be known as the Southern England Title) and by defeating Mike Marino for the World Mid-Heavyweight title in 1964. During this period, he was referred to as "Judo" Al Hayes, and would join Paul Lincoln Management in a successful attempt at promoting, selling out venues across the country.

With the coming of the 1970s, Hayes decided that he had done all that he could in Britain and turned his attention to the bigger wrestling market of North America. He had a great deal of initial success in American wrestling and won a number of top titles in different promotions. This resulted in Vince McMahon signing him to a contract as a wrestler and he made his debut in the WWF as Lord Alfred Hayes. However, after only a year in the company he was forced to retire due to wrestling induced arthritis.

This was not the end of Hayes career, however, as the WWF signed him once more, only this time to be a commentator, announcer and erstwhile manager. In this role, Hayes became a stalwart of WWF TV and often the victim of slapstick humor jokes. He became Vince McMahon's sidekick on Tuesday Night Titans, he was the opening announcer for Prime Time Wrestling and was a frequent presenter of WWF videos.

In 1990, he was hit by a speeding car outside WWF TV Studios and was left with serious injuries. As a result of this incident, he had to have several vertebrae removed from his spine resulting in him shrinking from over 6 feet tall to 5 foot 6. In the mid-1990s, he retired to his ranch in Texas and lived in peaceful retirement until 2005 when he suffered a series of strokes and passed away.

Wrestling facts[]

  • Finishing and signature moves
  • Tower Of London
  • Nicknames
  • "Judo"

Championships and accomplishments[]

External links[]

WWE Hall of Fame
1993
André the Giant
1994
Arnold SkaalandBobo BrazilBuddy RogersChief Jay StrongbowFreddie BlassieGorilla MonsoonJames Dudley
1995
Antonino RoccaErnie LaddGeorge SteeleIvan PutskiThe Fabulous MoolahThe Grand WizardPedro Morales
1996
Lou AlbanoJimmy SnukaJimmy ValiantJohnny RodzJohnny ValiantKiller KowalskiMikel SciclunaPat PattersonVince McMahon, Sr.
2004
Big John StuddBobby HeenanDon MuracoGreg ValentineHarley RaceJesse VenturaJunkyard DogPete RoseSgt. SlaughterSuperstar Billy GrahamTito Santana
2005
Bob Orton, Jr.Hulk HoganJimmy HartNikolai VolkoffPaul OrndorffRoddy PiperThe Iron Sheik
2006
Bret HartBlackjack MulliganEddie GuerreroGene OkerlundJack LanzaSherri MartelTony AtlasVerne GagneWilliam Perry
2007
AfaCurt HennigDusty RhodesJerry LawlerJim RossMr. FujiNick BockwinkelSikaThe Sheik
2008
Eddie GrahamGerald BriscoGordon SolieJack BriscoMae YoungPeter MaiviaRic FlairRocky Johnson
2009
Bill WattsChris Von ErichDavid Von ErichDory Funk Jr.Fritz Von ErichHoward FinkelKerry Von ErichKevin Von ErichKoko B. WareMike Von ErichRicky SteamboatSteve AustinTerry Funk
2010
Antonio InokiBob UeckerGorgeous GeorgeMaurice VachonStu HartTed DiBiaseWendi Richter
2011
Abdullah the ButcherBob ArmstrongDrew CareyJim DugganLegion of DoomPaul ElleringShawn MichaelsSunny
2012
EdgeFour HorsemenMike TysonMil MáscarasRon SimmonsYokozuna
2013
Bob BacklundBooker TBruno SammartinoDonald TrumpMick FoleyTrish Stratus
2014
Carlos ColonJake RobertsLitaMr. TPaul BearerScott HallUltimate Warrior
2015
Arnold SchwarzeneggerConnor MichalekAlundra BlayzeKevin NashLarry ZbyszkoRandy SavageRikishiTatsumi FujinamiThe Bushwhackers
2016
Art ThomasBig BossmanBuddy RobertsThe GodfatherEd LewisFrank GotchGeorge HackenschmidtJacquelineJimmy GarvinJoan LundenLou TheszMichael P.S. HayesMildred BurkePat O'ConnorSnoop DoggStan HansenStingTerry Gordy
2017
Bearcat WrightBeth PhoenixDiamond Dallas PageDr. Jerry GrahamEric LeGrandHaystacks CalhounJudy GrableJune ByersKurt AngleLuther LindsayMartin BurnsRick RudeRicky MortonRikidozanRobert GibsonTheodore LongToots Mondt
2018
Alfred HayesBoris MalenkoCora CombsDara SinghDudley BoyzEl SantoGoldbergHillbilly JimHiro MatsudaIvoryJarrius "JJ" RobertsonJeff JarrettJim LondosKid RockMark HenryRufus R. JonesSputnik MonroeStan Stasiak
2019
Bruiser BrodyBrutus BeefcakeBuddy RoseD-Generation X(Shawn Michaels, Triple H, Chyna, Road Dogg, Billy Gunn, X-Pac)Harlem Heat (Booker T, Stevie Ray)The Hart Foundation(Bret Hart, Jim Neidhart)Hisashi ShinmaThe Honky Tonk ManJim Barnett • Joseph Cohen • Luna VachonPrimo CarneraProfessor Toru TanakaS.D. Jones • Sue Aitchison • Torrie WilsonWahoo McDaniel
2020
Baron Michele LeoneThe Bella Twins (Nikki Bella, Brie Bella)Brickhouse BrownThe British BulldogGary HartJohn "Bradshaw" LayfieldJushin "Thunder" LigerNew World Order ("Hollywood" Hulk Hogan, Kevin Nash, Scott Hall, Sean Waltman)Ray StevensSteve WilliamsTitus O'NeilWilliam Shatner
2021
Buzz SawyerDick the BruiserEric BischoffEthel JohnsonThe Great KhaliKaneMolly HollyOzzy OsbournePaul BoeschPez Whatley • Rich Hering • Rob Van Dam
2022
The UndertakerSteiner Brothers (Rick Steiner, Scott Steiner)Big Van VaderQueen Sharmell
2023
Rey MysterioThe Great MutaAndy KaufmanStacy KeiblerTim White
2024
Paul HeymanBull NakanoU.S. ExpressMuhammad AliThunderbolt Patterson
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