The National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum has announced its first honoree for the 2015 George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame. The Hall of Fame is located inside the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum in Waterloo, Iowa.

The 2015 George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame weekend will take place July 10-11.

Brian Blair has been selected as the 2015 recipient of the Lou Thesz Award. The Lou Thesz Award is given to an individual in wrestling who has taken the skills of the sport into the realm of public service.

Blair is currently the president of the Cauliflower Alley Club, a non-profit fraternal organization, comprised of both retired and active professional wrestlers and boxers in North America. He also has over 7000 documented hours of community service with over 20 different organizations.

“I am both honored and humbled to be recognized with the coveted Lou Thesz Award from the George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame in Waterloo,” said Blair. “Lou Thesz is a legend and one of the toughest to ever step foot in a ring. July 10th cannot come soon enough for me.”

Blair wrestled with several of the top professional wrestling companies in the United States, included the WWE. He was best known as half of the Killer Bees tag team during the 1980s (along with 2013 Frank Gotch Award winner Jim Brunzell). Blair has wrestled in over 5000 matches in 40 different countries, including appearances in Wrestlemania 2, 3, and 4.

Following his professional wrestling career, Blair opened a Gold’s Gym in Tampa, Fla., with his wife Toni. He sold the business to pursue politics in his native Florida, including four years of service as Countywide Commissioner in Hillsborough County, Florida (2004-2008).

The National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum will continue to release honorees into the 2015 George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame.

The Class of 2015 includes three Distinguished Members (two living, one posthumous) along with recipients of the Lou Thesz Award, Jim Melby Award, Frank Gotch Award, and the George Tragos Award.

All-access passes to the George Tragos/Lou Thesz Hall of Fame induction weekend are available for $100. They can pre-ordered by contacting the Dan Gable Museum at dgmstaff@nwhof.org or by calling (319) 233-0745.

A full schedule of events will be released on a later date.

2015 Hall of Fame induction class

Lou Thesz Award—Brian Blair

Jim Melby Award—TBA

Frank Gotch Award—TBA

George Tragos Award—TBA

Distinguished Member (living)—TBA

Distinguished Member (living)—TBA

Distinguished Member (posthumous)—TBA