WWE Hall of Fame: 7 Worthy Candidates Who Could Fill Bruno Sammartino's Spot

Reports have been flying around for the past several weeks about WWE's interest in making Bruno Sammartino the headliner for next year's Hall of Fame ceremony, but the legendary wrestler is apparently not interested.

In a new report (from F4WOnline via WrestlingInc), it is said that Triple H has reached out to Bruno with little to no luck in making the situation better.

The relationship between Sammartino and WWE has been strained over the years, and it looked like WWE was willing to put any bad feelings aside, but Sammartino still declined.

With this leaving a spot open to headline the Hall of Fame ceremony, WWE will have to start looking for someone to be the main attraction next year.

In this slideshow, we will look at seven worthy legends who could easily fill the spot at the top of the Hall of Fame program. This is not a ranking, so do not take the position on the list to signify importance.

The Entire Poffo Family (3 Person Induction)

This one is a three-fer.

Lanny Poffo has stated that Randy Savage would not have accepted an induction into the Hall of Fame unless his entire family joined him.

For anyone who is not that familiar with the history of wrestling, Randy Savage was actually named Randall Poffo and he was the brother of fellow wrestler Lanny Poffo and the son of another grappler, Angelo Poffo.

Lanny, better known to many as "Leaping Lanny" or "The Genius," was also a pro wrestler, but WWE fans may remember him best for a win over Hulk Hogan, albeit after Mr. Perfect had clocked Hogan with the belt.

Angelo, the family patriarch, was notable for his physical conditioning, once being featured on Ripley's Believe it or Not for his ability to do hours and hours of sit-ups.

Angelo and Lanny may not be as familiar to fans as Randy Savage was, but the family as a whole is certainly worthy of a Hall of Fame induction.

Randy unfortunately left this world last year and I personally feel that WWE should just bite the bullet and get these guys in the Hall of Fame.

Steve Lombardi AKA the Brooklyn Brawler AKA Abe Knuckle Ball Schwartz

The WWE Hall of Fame is filled with legendary names who broke new ground and set the standards for today's generation.

These men and women earned this honor by showcasing their talents around the world and doing it better than the average bear, er, wrestler.

One man who not only performed above expectation, but put over countless superstars, is Steve Lombardi.

Lombardi actually returned to WWE TV on Raw this week as Doink the Clown in a match with Heath Slater, and even though the match was short, you could tell that Lombardi has not let himself go.

He looked fit and seemed to be pretty agile in the ring for a man who is 52 years old and spent many of those years in a ring.

The Brooklyn Brawler did something that you never see anyone do these days: He devoted his career to putting others over.

He was the ultimate jobber and WWE could always trust him to take a loss and make it look impressive.

Lombardi belongs in the Hall of Fame for his dedication, skill and contributions to the business. Some people may not feel he deserves to headline the ceremony, but I think he deserves it more than most.

It would certainly help make up for the fact that WWE never put a title on him.

The Great Muta

Keiji Mutoh, better known to wrestling fans as "The Great Muta," is someone who I would have expected WWE to be chomping at the bit to get in its HOF.

Muta is a legend in the industry having performed all over the world and holding titles in just about every organization he entered.

His most notable feud in the US was with Sting over the NWA Television Title, a belt he won from the Stinger.

In his long career, he has wrestled in about every big promotion that has existed and some small ones too, and in that time, he has shown that he is capable of some amazing things.

For anyone who is not familiar with Muta, I recommend going and finding some of his matches on YouTube. The above video is just a taste of what this incredible talent is capable of.

The British Bulldog Davey Boy Smith

Stu and Bret Hart have been inducted into the Hall of Fame already, but one member of their extended family who deserves a spot is the late great British Bulldog.

Davey Boy Smith had something not a lot of wrestlers can claim; he had the skill set of a technician with the body of a bodybuilder.

His size made him a powerhouse and his ability made him one of the more gifted athletes of his time.

Everyone knows by now that getting Owen Hart into the Hall of Fame will be tougher than pushing a basketball through a pinhole. But Bulldog is still a possibility.

His time in both WWE and WCW unfortunately did not yield a World Title, but he did hold just about every other belt imaginable.

His accolades speak for themselves, but his legacy is why he deserves to be honored. As a member of the Hart Family through marriage, it is only right that either his son or Bret, or both, be who inducts him into the Hall of Fame.

When Bulldog passed away just over 10 years ago, the world of wrestling lost a true legend.

His son was lucky enough to have the chance to team with his father a few times before his untimely death at the age of 39.

Dean Malenko

The man of 1,000 holds is someone who has earned his spot in the Hall of Fame; he just has yet to claim it.

Dean Malenko, son of the legendary Boris Malenko and brother to Joe Malenko, has been known for years as one of the most talented technicians to step through the ropes.

He may not have held a World title in WCE, ECW or WWE, but he did hold some form of gold multiple times in every company.

As a member of one of the more recent versions of the Four Horsemen, Malenko proved why he could hang with the linkes of Ric Flair.

As one of the smaller guys on the roster, he was naturally thrown into WCW's ultra-popular cruiserweight division where he would hold the top title in the division four times.

Some of his most memorable moments were in WCW, but he has a great run in ECW prior to joining Ted Turner's company.

Nowadays he is involved with the backstage process more than he appears on camera, but whenever he does come out the crowd always shows the man the respect he deserves.

Thanks for reading, and if you know of another legend who deserves a Hall of Fame spot, please leave your comments below.