Natalya says she went straight to Vince McMahon to ask that her father, Jim “The Anvil” Neidhart, be put into the WWE Hall of Fame. She says it was her father’s last wish and she made sure it happened.
Natalya’s mission to Vince McMahon
Natalya told the story on the “Busted Open” podcast. She said her father was upset that he was not in the Hall of Fame while he was alive. “He was hurt that he wasn’t in the Hall of Fame while he was alive,” she said (credit: “Busted Open”).
Two weeks after Neidhart died, Natalya waited outside Vince McMahon’s office. She said the hallway was empty. She knocked and McMahon invited her in. McMahon thought Neidhart was already in the Hall of Fame. Natalya explained it was her dad’s wish before he died and that it had bothered him.
McMahon agreed to put Neidhart in. He asked whether Natalya wanted a solo induction or for Jim to go in with Bret Hart. Natalya chose to have Jim go in with Bret, because teaming with Bret was his favorite time in his career.
The induction night and the speech
Natalya remembers the night of the induction and how emotional it was for the family. Bret Hart wanted to read a long speech for Jim. He worked on that speech for months. Natalya timed a practice and found the speech ran 46 minutes.
“All Bret wanted to do is give his love letter to my dad. He said, ‘I just want to make your dad proud. I want Jim to be so proud of us and proud of what we did,'” Natalya recalled (credit: “Busted Open”).
About four minutes into Bret’s speech, a man rushed the stage and attacked him. Wrestlers and staff quickly swarmed the ring. Natalya said she held on to her uncle and they both fell to the mat. Bret had to go to the hospital after the attack.
Natalya reflected on the chaos and the way it seemed to fit her father’s style. “That was in the most Jim Neidhart fashion ever. Chaos, craziness, mayhem. I feel like my dad was having a little laugh from heaven because ‘f— it, we’re gonna go out big,'” she said (credit: “Busted Open”).
A lasting tribute
For Natalya, getting Neidhart into the Hall of Fame was a personal mission and a way to give him the honor he wanted. She said it mattered that he was finally recognized and that he was inducted alongside his longtime partner in tag team wrestling.
The Hall of Fame ceremony has added new names this year to the Celebrity and Legacy wings, including Dennis Rodman, Sycho Sid, and Bad News Brown. Natalya said the night was a mix of pride and sadness, but she is glad her father got the recognition he wanted.
Quotes in this article are credited to the “Busted Open” podcast.
