In its 16-year history, the WWE Hall of Fame has welcomed ring pioneers of all types. But on April 4, 2009, for the first time ever, the Hall will be taken to the extreme with the induction of former ECW Champion Terry Funk -- the first ECW Champion to be inducted into the Hall.

WWE.com recently asked ECW Original Tommy Dreamer for comment on Funk's induction:

"It is extremely hard to put into words my emotions about Terry Funk the first ECW World Champion being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.

Terry and his brother Dory are the only brothers to be NWA World Champions. They held many regional single and tag team titles. The Funks competed in ECW and had a brutal fued with the Public Enemy, which culiminated into their classic barbed wire match.

Terry Funk was the man who told Hulk Hogan to contact Vince McMahon when the Hulkster had quit the business because he did not think he would make it. Terry Funk is the Godfather of Hardcore Wrestling. Terry Funk put ECW on the map when it was in its infancy.

Many hardcore clips which started each an every episode of ECW had something to do with Terry Funk. Fans throwing chairs, flaming branding irons, doing moonsaults to the floor in his mid-50s and the classic three-way dance vs. Sabu and Shane Douglas that pretty much started the underground buzz known as ECW all happened because of The Funker.

Most importantly to me, Terry Funk is my mentor and friend. He gave me my greatest advice ever when I was struggling in the early days of ECW. Terry sat me down and said just be yourself out there. Just be Tommy and the fans will respect you.

I haven't stopped being me and it is an honor to have a new wing in the WWE Hall of Fame opened, the ECW World Champions section and it will start with Terry Funk being where he belongs. I take great pride that I had the opportunity to share a locker room in the Original ECW with the great Terry Funk!"