WWE announced on Monday that the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2019 would feature six members of D-Generation X — Triple H, Shawn Michaels, Sean Waltman, Billy Gunn, Road Dogg and Chyna.
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The announcement is a particularly momentous occasion for Chyna, whom fans and wrestlers alike have campaigned for years to be in the Hall of Fame but has been repeatedly denied.
“DX was born out of the friendship between Shawn Michaels and Triple H, along with Chyna and their ‘insurance policy,’ ‘Ravishing’ Rick Rude,” WWE.com wrote in the announcement. “The two pals were lewd, rude and in-your-face, bucking authority and letting anyone in their way know that they had two words for them. Their penchant for crossing the line with regularity led to Bret “Hit Man” Hart calling Michaels “nothing more than a degenerate,” which HBK embraced, sparking the idea behind the alliance’s name.”
Chyna’s official Facebook page, which has continued to be updated even after her death, celebrated the announcement on Monday morning.
“We did it!! They are letting Chyna in!! Thx to everyone who believed!” the page read while posting the announcement story.
Chyna first debuted as DX’s enforcer back in 1997, and over the next four years she’d win the Intercontinental Championship twice, the Women’s Championship once and be the first woman to compete in Men’s Royal Rumble matches, breaking down barriers of intergender wrestling in the process.
Triple H, who was romantically involved with Chyna in the 90s, stated in previous interviews that it was Chyna’s short career in the adult film industry that was partially holding her back from being inducted. However after her death via overdose in 2016, Chyna’s potential Hall of Fame induction was consistently campaigned by those close to her, including her mother Jan LaQue.
“As many of you know, yesterday would have been Joanie’s (Chyna’s) birthday,” LaQue wrote in late December. “I truly appreciate all of the messages and rememberances of her that were posted by so many of you. As you can imagine, it’s always a very sad day for me. But it helps a lot to know how many people remember her and loved her.
“It’s one of the worst things in the world to lose a child. We HAVE to get her into the WWE hall of fame. She richly deserves to be there,” she continued. “WWE — LISTEN UP and do what’s right for Chyna!! You owe her that for what she did for you and women’s wrestling. She earned her place there. And it’s long overdue.”
The WWE Hall of Fame ceremony will take place on April 6 at the Barclay Center in Brooklyn, New York.
