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WWE announced Thursday that Bad News Brown will be inducted into the Hall of Fame as a legacy member of the Class of 2026.
Brown, whose real name is Allen Coage, will join a class that includes Stephanie McMahon, AJ Styles, Demolition, Dennis Rodman and Sid Eudy. He will join Eudy as a legacy inmate.
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Bad News Brown poses for a portrait circa February 1990. (WWE/WWE via Getty Images)
“From standing on the podium at the 1976 Summer Olympics to center ring at #WrestleMania IV, Bad News Brown was a fierce competitor with an attitude to match,” WWE Chief Content Officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque wrote on X. “For his martial arts accomplishments and contributions to @WWE, it’s a surefire introduction to a 02 of his legacy. Class of the #WWEHOF.”
Before stepping into the squared circle, Brown was a judo competitor. He won a bronze medal at the 1976 Montreal Olympics and took home two gold medals at the Pan American Games in 1967 and 1975 respectively.
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Bad News Brown watches at the Miami Arena on August 9, 1990 in Miami, Florida. (WWE/WWE via Getty Images)
He started his professional wrestling career with New Japan Pro-Wrestling and would make several appearances there between 1977 and 1992. He was with the World Wide Wrestling Federation and Stampede Wrestling before getting his big run in the WWE (then known as the World Wrestling Federation).
Brown was known for keeping a straight or tense appearance. He feuded with Randy Savage and had a big match at WrestleMania VI against “Rowdy” Roddy Piper.
He continued to work in independent promotions after his career with WWE ended.
Brown never won a championship in WWE. However, he was inducted into the Canadian Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2007 and was a four-time Stampede North American Heavyweight Champion.
Bad News Brown celebrates with the battle royal trophy during WrestleMania IV at Trump Plaza on March 27, 1988 in Atlantic City, New Jersey. (WWE/WWE via Getty Images)
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He died in 2007 of a heart attack. He was 63.
