WWE Hall of Fame 2017: Early Projections for Next Year's Class of Legends

Long-overdue legends will finally get the nod as part of the WWE Hall of Fame 2017 class. On the eve of WrestleMania 33, a dominant tag team, an all-time great villain and a wrestler whose rise was cut short by injury will all don tuxedos.  

Following this year's underwhelming collection of inductees, count on Orlando, Florida, hosting a loaded group of Hall of Famers. 

In the last few years, WWE has followed a pattern. Each set of Hall of Famers has featured a headliner, a tag team, a female wrestler and a pioneer from the past. Sting, The Fabulous Freebirds, Jacqueline and Stan Hansen fill those respective spots in the 2016 Hall of Fame class.

Looking at how recent classes have been shaped and going through the list of most accomplished Superstars helps project who will be honored next.

The Headliner: Daniel Bryan

• Headlined WrestleMania XXX
• WWE United States Champion
• WWE Tag Team Champion
• WWE Intercontinental Champion
• WWE World Heavyweight Champion
• Money in the Bank Winner

The timing lines up for Bryan.

The Undertaker and The Rock are no-brainer Hall of Famers. But each man doesn't appear to be quite done as a performer. The Deadman is still wrestling marquee matches every year, including a Hell in a Cell clash against Shane McMahon at WrestleMania 32. Speculation about The Rock having a return match persist.

Bryan is done, though. He announced his retirement earlier this year amid health concerns.

As one of the most popular stars or the modern era and a champion several times over, the case for Bryan is easy. His time on top was brief, but few can brag that they moved crowds like Bryan did. Justin LaBar of TribLive and Chair Shot Reality is among those who believe the leader of the Yes! Movement deserves to get in:

Bryan would make a tremendous headliner, as he is still very much relevant. As we saw by how fans reacted to his farewell speech, his connection with the crowd is off the charts. Inducting him would create major buzz.

Posthumous Inductee: Owen Hart

• King of the Ring
• Member of Stampede Wrestling Hall of Fame
• WWE World Tag Team Champion
• WWE Intercontinental Champion
• WWE European Champion

WWE has often dedicated one spot to each class to a wrestler who has passed. Big Boss Man got the nod this year. Yokozuna, Paul Bearer and Randy Savage are among those who got their due in recent years.

It's time for The King of Harts to join them. He remains one of the stars fans most campaign to join the Hall of Fame. Scott Fishman of the Miami Herald is certainly not alone when he expresses his desire to see WWE induct Hart:

Hart was a hugely popular and well-liked wrestler. He was a valuable member of the roster as part of The Hart Foundation stable, as Bret Hart's rival and a tag team specialist.

It's not his accomplishments that have kept him out of the Hall so far, though, but lingering resentment about his tragic death in 1999. His widow, Martha Hart, has rejected the idea of WWE using his likeness, even to honor him this way.

In a recent interview with Ring Rust Radio, Bret said of the situation, "I think it's a real shame and it breaks my heart. The main obstacle I think is his widow Martha, who is really obtuse and kind of a bitter woman that never understood that it was (not one) of the wrestling fans or wrestlers that killed Owen."

This year, WWE went ahead and produced a DVD on Owen's career. That's something it was hesitant to do in the past.

The Women's Wrestler: Sable

• Slammy Award Winner (Diva of the Year 1997)
• WWF Women's Champion

In WWE's hottest period, Sable was one of the company's biggest attractions. The Attitude Era often leaned on sex appeal and titillation, and the former women's champ provided plenty of both. 

Whether she was managing Marc Mero, Triple H, Vince McMahon or A-Train, she drew the audience in. She was no great grappler by any means but certainly a memorable character throughout.

WWE has inducted one female wrestler for each of the past three years. With Sunny already in, it only makes sense to add the woman who followed and outdid her.

Plus, WrestleMania will be in her home state of Florida next year. That has sometimes been a consideration when composing each year's class. 

The Name from the Past: Ivan Koloff

• WWE Champion
• NWA Television Champion
• NWA United States Tag Team Champion
• NWA World Tag Team Champion
• Member of Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame

Of all the men to hold the WWE world title before 1990, only Koloff and Stan Stasiak are not in the Hall. Stasiak was a transitional champion few fans remember. Koloff, on the other hand, was a top heel for years.

He famously ended Bruno Sammartino's record reign as world champ, stunning the wrestling world by dethroning him in 1971. Koloff battled in marquee matches against Hall of Famers such as Bob Backlund, Pedro Morales and Dusty Rhodes. He left a lasting impression on the wrestling audience as a dominant foreign menace.

Thanks to accomplishments like that, Mike Mooneyham of the Post and Courier wondered aloud why The Russian Bear hasn't already been inducted:

WWE has recently reached back into the past and honored one star from the '70s or '80s. Stan Hansen, Larry Zbyszko, Carlos Colon and Mil Mascaras are among the recent inductees from that era. Koloff is poised to follow them.

The Tag Team: Demolition

• NWA United States Tag Team Champion (Barry Darsow)
• NWA Television Champion (Bill Eadie)
• Member of Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame (Bill Eadie)
• WWE World Tag Team Champions 

It's baffling that Demolition isn't already a part of the WWE Hall of Fame. The company somehow chose to induct The Bushwhackers before them. So a midcard comedy act was honored before the team what held the world tag titles longer than anyone else in history at 478 days.

In an era that may consider the golden era of WWE tag team wrestling, Demolition were among the most important and memorable squads. They were in tag team title bouts at three WrestleManias. They battled the top teams, from The Hart Foundation to The Brain Busters.

Demolition currently sit at No. 29 on Not In Hall of Fame's list of most deserving WWE inductees. That's the highest position of any team now that The Fabulous Freebirds will be inducted before WrestleMania 32.

The Hart Foundation deserves the nod, too, but Bret Hart is already in as a singles star. WWE may be hesitant to give him the Ric Flair treatment and induct him twice. 

Instead, bet on WWE taking Ax and Smash off the list of most overdue stars not yet in the Hall.