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Claude “Thunderbolt” Patterson, who was blacklisted from the NWA in the 1970s due to calling out the deeply seeded racism in the business, and attempting to form a wrestler’s union, will be inducted into the WWE’s Hall of Fame next month during Wrestlemania weekend.
Patterson became known for his outlandish promo style with the smooth vernacular that mirrored the famed Black actors of the blaxploitation. He was a peer of fellow WWE Hall of Famer, the iconic Dusty Rhodes, and was often credited with inspiring The American Dream’s boisterous persona.
He would go on to work in countless NWA territories, capturing titles across the country. Famously seen as a tag team specialist, his list of solo victories includes wins over Bruiser Brody, winning the NWA Florida Heavyweight Championship. Thunderbolt most famously teamed with Ole Anderson before their partnership erupted into a fierce rivalry, and took Anderson to new heights with the first formation of the original Four Horsemen.
In later years, he would become a manager, helping to mentor Ice Train in WCW before retiring from wrestling completely in 1994. Patterson became a minister, a mentor to youths in Georgia, and a labor organizer for Coca-Cola janitorial workers in Atlanta after retirement.
Patterson will join inductees Paul Heyman, Bull Nakano, The U.S. Express, and legendary boxer Muhammad Ali at the ceremony on April 5 right after Smackdown.
