Bob Armstrong Joseph Melton James ( October 3 , 1939 ) is an American professional wrestler , better known by his ring name , " Bullet " Bob Armstrong . In the course of his career , which spanned five decades , Armstrong held numerous championships throughout the Southeastern United States . Armstrong is also the patriarch of the Armstrong wrestling family ; he has four sons ( Scott , Brad , Steve and Brian ) , all of whom became wrestlers . On February 28 , 2011 , following WWE Monday Night Raw , it was announced on WWE . com that Armstrong will be the third inductee into the WWE Hall of Fame class of 2011 , joining Shawn Michaels and Jim Duggan . Early life . When he was a child , Joseph James ' s father took him to see Gorgeous George wrestle . The young James was impressed and intrigued by the flamboyant performer . As a young man , James served in the Marine Corps of the United States armed forces and was stationed in Korea . During his recruit training in Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island on Parris Island , South Carolina , James was named Honor Man . After leaving the military , he began working for the Marietta Fire Department as a firefighter in 1962 . He debuted as a wrestler in the same year , adopting the ring name " Bob Armstrong " . By 1966 , Armstrong had become a popular face in the Savannah , Georgia area , and in 1969 he ceased working as a firefighter and began focusing on his wrestling career . Wrestling career . Armstrong achieved considerable popularity in the Southeastern United States , particularly in Alabama and his home state of Georgia . He frequently wrestled for affiliates of the National Wrestling Alliance , and on October 9 , 1974 in Miami Beach , Florida , Armstrong unsuccessfully challenged Jack Brisco for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship . While bench pressing a dumbbell weighing upwards of 180 lb ( 82 kg ) in a gym in Huntington , Georgia , the bench that Armstrong was lying upon broke , leading to the weight falling on his face . Armstrong ' s face was severely damaged and his nose was torn entirely off , and he required $ 38 , 000 USD worth of plastic surgery to repair it . While undergoing surgery , Armstrong donned a wrestling mask to conceal his disfigured features and began using the ring name " The Bullet " . As " The Bullet " , Armstrong feuded with the Stud Stable in Continental Championship Wrestling . He eventually discarded the mask after his surgeries were complete , but retained the nickname " Bullet " for the remainder of his career . Armstrong trained each of his sons to wrestle , and formed tag team s with them in the 1980s and 1990s . In the course of his career , he toured both Japan and Korea . Semi - retirement . Armstrong went into semi - retirement in the 1990s . In addition to making occasional appearance on the independent circuit in Georgia and Alabama , Armstrong acted as the commissioner of Smoky Mountain Wrestling and worked backstage with Southeast Championship Wrestling and the Continental Wrestling Federation . Armstrong appeared on the first weekly Total Nonstop Action Wrestling pay - per - view on June 26 , 2002 alongside fellow National Wrestling Alliance veterans Corsica Joe , Dory Funk , Jr . , Harley Race , Jackie Fargo and Sarah Lee . His next appearance was on the August 14 , 2002 pay - per - view , where he was introduced as an on - screen authority figure and informed Jeff Jarrett that he would face a mystery opponent one week later . The mystery opponent was revealed to be " The Masked Bullet " , a masked wrestler who imitated Armstrong ' s mannerisms ( although Armstrong himself came to ringside during the match , proving that he was not the Bullet ) . On the August 28 , 2002 pay - per - view , Jarrett fought the Bullet to a no contest before striking Armstrong with a chair . On the September 18 , 2002 pay - per - view , the Bullet unmasked , revealing himself to be Armstrong ' s son Brian . On December 5 , 2005 , Armstrong underwent arthroscopic knee surgery . Despite being advised to refrain from wrestling until March 2006 , Armstrong resumed wrestling later that month . On the December 3 , 2005 episode of " TNA Impact ! " , Armstrong returned to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , congratulating the newly formed Four Live Kru on their unity . However , at Turning Point on December 11 , 2005 , the Four Live Kru disintegrated , with Konnan betraying fellow members Kip James and B . G . James ( the youngest son of Bob Armstrong ) . Armstrong declared that he would reunite the Kru and unsuccessfully petitioned the fourth former member , Ron Killings , to that effect on the December 24 , episode of " Impact ! " . One week later , Armstrong tried once more to reform the group , this time approaching Konnan . Apparently willing to negotiate , Konnan led Armstrong backstage , only for Armstrong to be ambushed and beaten down by Konnan ' s newly formed stable , The Latin American Exchange ( LAX ) . Footage from Armstrong ' s knee surgery from earlier that month aired on " iMPACT ! " in January 2006 , with the kayfabe explanation that the assault at the hands of the LAX had necessitated the surgical repair of Armstrong ' s knee . At Against All Odds on February 12 , 2006 , Kip and B . G . James ( the James Gang ) faced the Latin American Exchange , with B . G . intent upon avenging the harm done to his " daddy " . The James Gang were victorious , but were ambushed by the LAX after the match . They were saved when the returning Bob Armstrong entered the ring and chased the LAX away . The confrontation led to a six - man bout between the LAX and Armstrong and the James Gang at Destination X on March 12 , which was won by Kip James . Despite the two consecutive victories of the James Gang , Armstrong remained hungry for revenge , and challenged Konnan to an arm wrestling contest , which was to be held on the April 8 , episode of " Impact ! " . The contest did not finish due to interference from Homicide and the newest LAX member , Hernandez , who had been sent to the locker room prior , as were the James Gang . The James Gang ran back out to the ring to help Armstrong , and later in the show a rematch was announced for " Lockdown " on April 23 . Armstrong went on to win the rematch in his final appearance with TNA . Recently Bob has wrestled for All Star Championship Wrestling with his son Brad , promoter Rock Parsons , and Ole Anderson . On the January 17 , 2008 episode of " Impact ! " , B . G . announced that Bob would be his tag team partner when he used his Feast or Fired Tag Title shot . He and his son came up short at winning the championship . A " retirement show " was held on May 29 , 2009 at The Dothan Civic Center where many past stars came out to honor before his match in the main event . In spite of this , he continues to wrestle occasional indie shows in The Southeast . He is currently working for " All Pro Wrestling " in Pensacola , FL .