Forecasting John Cena and the 2026 WWE Hall of Fame Class
The road to WrestleMania is filled with intrigue every year, including the mystery of who will fill out the Hall of Fame class.
With two months remaining before The Show of Shows, only one name has been announced for the 2026 class: Stephanie McMahon.
This leaves plenty of speculation, even though WWE has decreased the number of inductees in recent years.
The following is a general forecast of who is in and out of this 2026 WWE Hall of Fame class.
John Cena and Others Who Will Have to Wait
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John Cena
While Cena's retirement in 2025 initially indicated he was on his way to the WWE Hall of Fame this year, WrestleVotes Radio on Fightful Select has indicated this is not the plan.
This is likely because Stephanie McMahon is the headliner for the year, and The GOAT should be the headliner of his class (most likely 2027).
AJ Styles
Given how much Styles connected his own career to Cena once he arrived in WWE, it would not be shocking for The Phenomenal One to be inducted in the same class as The GOAT.
However, it is more likely that after his own 2026 retirement, he will be the headliner of the 2028 class due to the lack of big names WWE could put in that spot right now.
Batista
The Animal was supposed to be inducted in 2020 but withdrew, but WWE has found no opening in future years to induct him.
He is too big a star for a secondary nomination, but WWE has a clear direction for the next few years with the Hall of Fame. It may take another three or four years.
The Headliner: Stephanie McMahon
2 of 8The only official member of the 2026 WWE Hall of Fame to date is Stephanie McMahon, and the wait to announce others is likely indicative of her solo headliner status for the year.
While she was primarily a manager in her wrestling career, she was a key part of the product through multiple eras.
In particular, McMahon was a key part of Triple H's career in the Attitude Era and a major figure in The Authority angle in the mid-2010s.
She has held important positions backstage, including a strong lead role in WWE's creative dating back to 2002, and fans are unlikely to ever know the full extent of her impact on the company over the years.
While her family name helped make her a prominent on-screen figure, no woman has had more influence in WWE, especially backstage, than Stephanie McMahon.
Legacy Inductions
3 of 8Héctor Garza
While AAA has a Hall of Fame of its own, the acquisition of the company by WWE is likely to lead to more luchador representation in the Hall.
Héctor is the uncle of Angel Garza and Humberto Carrillo, giving the WWE stars a nice moment to celebrate their late relative.
Gory Guerrero
With the recent return of Chavo Guerrero to WWE, it would not be a surprise to see his accomplished grandfather inducted into the Legacy wing.
Outside of his family connection, Guerrero is known for innovating the Gory Special and Gory Bomb, which wrestlers still use to this day.
Karl Gotch
It is especially difficult to call who will join the Legacy wing in WWE, but one name stands out as missing from the Hall.
One of the most innovative performers in wrestling, Karl spent a short time in WWE where he won tag gold, but he is primarily known for his impact on wider wrestling.
He is attributed with innovating the German Suplex, Dragon Sleeper and more while heavily influencing the Japanese wrestling scene through his connection to Hall of Fame Antonio Inoki.
Men's Single Inductee: William Regal
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Since Stephanie McMahon has taken the lead role, William Regal makes sense as a supporting class member.
While The Gentleman Villain is an accomplished performer, he was never a top guy in WWE. He was a reliable star with consistent midcard accomplishments to his name:
He was also a memorable general manager of Raw and NXT, complimenting his steadily growing role backstage for WWE.
He is more than ready to take his spot in the Hall of Fame. If anything, the honor is long overdue.
Tag Team Inductee: Demolition
5 of 8Ax, Smash and later Crush are one of the most influential tag teams in WWE history.
They were the classic dominant heavyweights, holding the WWE World Tag Team Championships for a record 698 days over three reigns between 1988 and 1990.
It is long past time for Demolition to join the Hall of Fame. Beyond politics, there is no real reason this has taken as long as it has.
Luckily, Ax and Smash are still around to accept the award, though Crush unfortunately is not, passing away in 2007.
Hopefully, 2026 will be the year that all three men are celebrated for their work carrying the tag team division into the 90s.
Posthumous Induction: Umaga
6 of 8The Anoa'i Family has strong representation in the WWE Hall of Fame, which is why it is a surprise that one of the most prominent members is still not there.
Umaga, also Jamal in 3-Count, played a key role in WWE during his time in the company, winning the Intercontinental Championship twice.
He helped raise The Usos and Solo Sikoa, who continue to carry his legacy forward on TV.
There is no reason to continue waiting to induct the accomplished veteran, who died in 2009.
It would also make sense with The Rock playing a key role in the induction process, continuing to celebrate his family.
Immortal Moment: Hulk Hogan vs. Andre The Giant - WrestleMania III
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The death of Hulk Hogan in 2025 brought out the wrestling world in mourning, particularly celebrating his impact on two boom periods in the industry.
This would be a good year to highlight the greatest moment of The Real American's career.
Hogan vs. Andre the Giant at WrestleMania III, particularly "The Bodyslam Heard Around the World", is the indelible moment that Hogan became a legend in wrestling.
This was not the best pure match, but its impact on the industry is undeniable.
Plus how can WWE not give Hogan, even posthumously, an "Immortal" award?
Final Line-Up
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This would be the hypothetical 2026 WWE Hall of Fame class:
This is not the most exciting line-up of talent but leaves WWE with plenty of interesting inductees for the future without overshadowing Stephanie's induction.
If WWE does want to add another big name to this line-up, Mickie James or Victoria would be a great second woman to add to the Hall this year.
It would certainly be easy to expand the class as well including names like Konnan and Leilani Kai, but WWE has preferred smaller classes lately.
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