Well, folks, it’s happening—TNA is rolling out the red carpet, and no, it’s not for another Mick Foley flannel collection! This year, the TNA Hall of Fame 2024 is inducting some absolute titans… one of which probably ate a titan for breakfast. That’s right, none other than the “War Machine” himself, Rhino! And joining him posthumously is the unsung hero of TNA, Bob Ryder, a man who managed to turn a fishing trip into a wrestling empire. You can’t make this stuff up, folks, but maybe you could fish it out of a lake.
Let’s break it down: Rhino, the man who doesn’t just come at you like a truck—he is the truck. He rampaged his way into TNA back in 2005 after WWE released him, presumably because they didn’t have enough reinforcements to contain him. In his debut year, Rhino didn’t just settle for wrestling once at Bound for Glory. No, that would’ve been too “civilized.” He wrestled three times in one night and won the NWA World Championship. That’s like going to a buffet, eating everything, and walking out with the restaurant. This man is a human wrecking ball, folks, and it’s about time they gave him a golden hall pass.
Then there’s Bob Ryder, the co-founder of TNA, whose life story should be made into a movie, if only to answer the question: “How do you build a wrestling promotion after a fishing trip?” Yes, that’s the origin story. While most fishing trips end with tall tales of the one that got away, Ryder came back with an idea for a whole wrestling company. And he wasn’t just a visionary; he also made sure the wrestlers had flights booked and hotels reserved. You know, the actual important stuff! Ryder passed away in 2020, and now joins the TNA Hall of Fame as their resident guardian of all things travel and tranquility.
Let’s face it, TNA wouldn’t be TNA without these two guys—one crushing bodies and the other making sure the bodies got to the arena on time. Bound for Glory 2024? It’s going to be one for the ages.