WWE Hall of Fame 2016: Grading Inductee Speeches, Top Highlights and More

There were 11 personalities inducted into WWE's Hall of Fame Class of 2016 Saturday night, but only one stole headlines as Sting announced his retirement from professional wrestling.

The Icon was the main event inductee, his legendary career celebrated in grand fashion and heartbreaking finality. In front of his fans, friends, family and peers, he waved goodbye to an industry that had been so very good to him.

It was not all sad and somber, though.

No, the franchise of WCW earned some laughs, brought back fond memories and paid tribute to the men and women who helped make him who he was in a humble and enlightening speech.

Humble was hardly the word to describe the induction speech of Michael "P.S." Hayes and The Fabulous Freebirds. Grandiose, loud, attitudinal and complete with a live musical performance, it was a fitting tribute to an act that lived on its own terms and now joins longtime rivals The Von Erichs in the Hall.

The rest of the ceremony was dedicated to the pioneers, the inspirational and the historical as WWE acknowledged the contributions of some of wrestling's hardest working and most respected.

At an ungodly four hours long, the show never felt like it overstayed its welcome. Instead, it was an entertaining ceremony that celebrated the rich history of the sport and the men and women who have helped make it what it is today.

With just under 24 hours until another crop of WWE Superstars takes to the ring at WrestleMania in hopes of one day joining the Hall of Fame, relive this year's spectacle with this look back at the speeches, how they graded out and what yours truly thought about each individual induction. 

The Godfather

One of the greatest opening-match acts in WWE history, it is only fitting The Godfather kicked off this year's Hall of Fame ceremony, complete with a tongue-in-cheek video package discussing his importance to WWE during its Attitude Era.

"The Attitude Era was me, Ron and Godfather (sic) seven nights a week," John "Bradshaw" Layfield said as he took to the stage alongside longtime tag team partner Ron Simmons to induct the colorful character into the Hall of Fame.

"Godfather was so the real deal he had to dumb his character down to get on television. I still have the munchies from riding with Godfather," Layfield continued.

"And now, we've got a pimp," Simmons closed the speech.

Godfather made his entrance, bringing the ever-popular Ho Train with him.

"You people don't know how much I've missed you, man," Godfather started, paying tribute to the WWE Universe.

The former intercontinental champion wished his 7-year-old grandson a happy birthday in a sweet moment.

"I have to thank the powers that be in WWE for letting me be myself," Godfather said, revealing why that character worked as well as it did and why some today do not.

Grade

B+

Analysis

The Godfather's speech was exactly what every other speech on this show should aspire to be. It was short, jam-packed with humor and stayed true to the man himself. It was not overly rehearsed, dry or overly long.

JBL and Ron Simmons did a phenomenal job of introducing him, setting the bar high for the night's ceremony.

Of greatest note was Godfather's emphasis on the fact he was allowed to be himself and, as a result, achieved the success he did. It is a common theme among the Attitude Era stars and one that would behoove WWE as it moves forward.

Stan Hansen

Vader took the stage to induct one of his greatest rivals, Stan Hansen. The big guy received a nice pop from fans who undoubtedly have to wonder when The Mastodon would take his rightful place in the Hall of Fame.

"I've taken a few of those Lariats, and they don't feel good," Vader said, hinting at their legendary series of brawls.

Vader stumbled a bit, discussing the conditioning of Hansen and his friendship with the double-tough Texan. He told the story of Hansen hitting him so hard his eye was popped out of its socket, only for them to pop it back in and keep going.

"You're gonna see this nice, smiling man come out here, but I know the truth," Vader joked before introducing Hansen to the fans.

"Big, strong, fast and stiff as a board," Hansen described Vader right out of the gate.

"He shortchanged me a little bit on my looks," Hansen said, just moments after thanking God for his lungs and his legs, both of which he credited for helping make him who he was.

Hansen thanked his many opponents and expressed the pride he has for his children.

"First and foremost, I have to thank Terry Funk. Terry Funk broke me in.

"I think he's probably the greatest athlete in the history of pro wrestling," the newly inducted Hall of Famer spoke of one of his peers, the great Bob Backlund.

Hansen spoke of the many young stars he had the honor of competing with and working for. They included Fritz Von Erich, Red Bastien and Rick Martel. "Beat me in nine seconds. I want to put that out there so everyone knows Stan Hansen has done a few jobs," he said of one particular match against Martel.

He thanked Bruno Sammartino for the opportunity he gave him in the form of his first major main event run in New York and, more importantly, for not holding the broken neck he gave him against him.

"Me and Brody ran roughshod all over Japan," he bragged about the success he and the late Bruiser had in Asia.

Hansen wrapped up his speech to a round of applause from fans who seemed eager to listen to him for a while longer. 

Grade

B+

Analysis

Did Hansen's speech ramble on a bit longer than necessary? Of course, but he has so much natural charisma and has such a Southern charm about him that one cannot help but be captivated by the Texan.

He touched on every major stop of his career, and the respect he clearly had for his opponents and friends shined through.

On a night when many of the Superstars enshrined stuck to their handwritten scripts, it was nice to see Hansen venture off the beaten path and be more open with his experiences.

Jacqueline

Bubba Ray and D-Von Dudley took to the stage to induct Jacqueline, one of the most celebrated and decorated female stars of her generation and someone who personally requested the duo to present her.

"I'm just talking about a tough human being in general," Bubba Ray began. "I mean, The Fabulous Moolah and Mae Young tough."

"No, no, no...you only say 'testify,'" Bubba joked as D-Von began to speak. "Get your own damn tables," D-Von responded as the team had a little fun.

"One of the greatest compliments that we can pay to a female in our business is to call them one of the boys. Jacqueline was one of the boys," Bubba said.

"I'm proud to say that Jackie...will be a friend for life," D-Von wrapped up before introducing Jacqueline to her hometown fans.

Jacqueline spoke of Skandor Akbar and how the Dallas-based manager and competitor broke her into the industry, training her for the squared circle. She ran down the many women whom she worked with during her WWE career, even mentioning Sable, who generated a sizable reaction from the fans in attendance.

She thanked her male peers and employers before wrapping up her speech.

Grade

B

Analysis

Like Godfather, Jacqueline kept her speech short and sweet, appropriately thanking everyone who helped her make it in the industry and provided her with the experiences necessary to develop into the performer she did.

The Dudley Boyz brought the funny during the presentation, but Jacqueline remained subdued, perhaps shaken by nerves. Still, those nerves never showed, and the result was another strong, focused speech on the night. 

The Fabulous Freebirds

Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Freebird" was the soundtrack for the video package that aired prior to the induction of The Fabulous Freebirds, setting the stage for what was certain to be an epic speech.

The New Day arrived to a huge ovation, foreshadowing what may be to come at WrestleMania Sunday night.

"The Freebirds, man...they loved to have fun." Big E poked fun of the Confederate flag face paint The Freebirds sported, chalking it up to American pride.

Xavier Woods referred to teammates Kofi Kingston and Big E as brothers, something taught to them by The Freebirds. They are as close in the ring as they are out of it, proving that family is not reserved for blood.

"Freebird" resumed, and the crowd rose to its feet, applauding as Michael "P.S." Hayes and Jimmy Garvin danced onto stage. Chants of "Freebirds rock," filled the arena. Both men poked fun at their cardiovascular shape.

Hayes teased wrapping up early but decided against it.

"Speaking of smashed..." Hayes began before diving headfirst into a story detailing The Freebirds partying ways.

"We never drank coffee anyway," Hayes recalled the late, great Terry "Bam Bam" Gordy saying after shattering a coffee table.

"They were and still are our brothers," Garvin said of Gordy and Buddy Roberts.

Hayes introduced Ray Gordy and Buddy Roberts Jr. to speak on the behalf of their now Hall of Fame fathers. Both sons discussed their fathers and their enduring legacies, with Roberts even bringing up his father's stint in The Hollywood Blonds.

"We're gonna push the limit because what's the worst that happens? He gets fired," Garvin joked, pointing to Hayes as the Freebirds stories continued.

"Terry goes, 'Michael, he's got a wooden leg,'" Hayes recalled as he told a story about a bar fight between him, Gordy and a biker gang in Texas shortly after their arrival in World Class Championship Wrestling.

Hayes paid tribute to the men and women of World Class before running down his list of thank yous. "I want to thank the other people, and you aren't gonna like this, but the writers," he said, drawing a smattering of boos. He launched into a promo about the hard-working individuals who bring millions of fans a show every week.

"Stephanie, you have always had my back. You're like the sister I never had," Hayes thanks Stephanie McMahon, just moments after referring to Triple H by his real name of "Paul," to which the WWE champion did not look overly thrilled about.

Kevin Von Erich came out and spoke about the wars he and his brothers had before Hayes broke out in song, performing "Badstreet U.S.A." live for the audience.

Grade

A+ 

Analysis

The Freebirds' speech was the most anticipated of the entire night, and for good reason. Michael Hayes showed the entire wrestling world why he is one of the greatest entertainers to ever set foot in the industry. He was captivating and had a way of sucking the audience into every story he told. His musical performance at the end of the 47-minute (!) speech was the perfect cap on the ordeal.

Was it obscenely long? Of course, but when there is a performer like Hayes leading the charge, conducting the festivities, it never felt painstaking or never-ending.

From the introduction of the young Gordy and Roberts to the appearance of Von Erich, it was was journey through wrestling history with one of the most influential and important acts to ever grace a ring.

Hayes' journey to immortality was a long one, almost too long, but it was paid off in fitting fashion Saturday night.

The Big Boss Man

The great 1980s manager Slick inducted Big Boss Man into the Hall of Fame Saturday night.

He ran down the history of the legendary big man, including stints as both a singles star and tag team specialist. More importantly, he stated anyone lucky enough to work with him made money. LOTS of money.

"For a man so big, a man so strong, he was a humble man."

Boss Man's family accepted the honor on his behalf. Of note was his daughter bringing up both Big Show riding his dad's casket during his rivalry with her father and the incident involving Al Snow's chihuahua Pepper.

His wife thanked the fans for coming and, more importantly, for keeping his legacy alive.

Grade

B

Analysis

It is always hard to watch the family of a deceased performer accept an honor on his or her behalf. With that said, Boss Man's wife and daughter did a fine job of discussing his career while inductor Slick was short and to the point, recalling his relationship with the big guy.

A nice change of pace after the extravagant Freebirds speech.

Celebrity Inductee: Snoop Dogg

John Cena returned to WWE programming, inducting Snoop Dogg into the celebrity wing of the Hall of Fame.

Cena took pot (see what I did there) shots at the newest Hall of Famer's storied love of a certain banned substance before running down the reasons he deserves the honor.

Cena revealed he was able to record music with Snoop because he accepted the Master of Thuganomics gimmick rather than rejecting it, and he will always be grateful for that.

"It means so much to me after being a fan of wrestling for so long," Snoop said, humbly.

"Thanks to John Cena for that speech he put together. We shared some secrets in the studio, and he allowed me to fly those friendly skies with him," he revealed in a moment that probably had Vince McMahon grinding his teeth.

"I want to give a shout-out to my little cousin Sasha Banks, the Legit Boss." The camera panned to her, and the crowd erupted. Snoop was candid as he discussed the emotions he felt over her getting to live her dreams.

Snoop listed fellow Hall of Famers Tony Atlas, Rocky Johnson, Junkyard Dog, Ric Flair and Dusty Rhodes as some of the many greats who inspired him growing up.

The rap legend ended with a few rhymes, thanking the industry for his induction.

Grade

B+

Analysis

This was as good as any celebrity Hall of Fame inductee speech ever.

Snoop Dogg was surprisingly humble as he ran down the larger-than-life icons who he looked up to while growing up, those men who inspired him as a kid. His voice cracked as he discussed real-life cousin Sasha Banks living her dream and competing at WrestleMania.

It was a different look at Snoop. The theatrics were gone, the talk about weed was limited to one line and he did not shamelessly shill any of his projects. He stayed focused and came across as a kid in awe of the position he found himself in.

In many ways, it was the complete opposite of the past inductees who look largely disinterested in the ceremony. 

Warrior Award Recipient: Joan Lunden

Dana Warrior appeared for the second straight year to present The Warrior Award.

She discussed her love for the business and the work WWE is doing to inspire young women with performers like Natalya and Charlotte. She told the story of recipient Joan Lunden and applauded her courage. She appreciated her willingness to put a public face on a deadly disease.

"Never stop believing," Dana emphasized, saying that is the characteristic Lunden has exhibited throughout her courageous battle.

"It is my honor to present to you our warrior woman, and the recipient of the second Warrior Award, Miss Joan Lunden."

"Who would have thought I'd be standing on stage at the WWE Hall of Fame...and I'm following Snoop Dogg," Lunden joked. "When I told my daughters I was getting this award, my cred went way up.

"I decided to dedicate myself to giving a voice to all of those women out there who don't have a platform to stand on," she said, documenting her work to raise awareness about the fight against breast cancer.

She wrapped up, as everyone else did, by thanking the company and fans for the honor.

Grade

A+ 

Analysis

Joan Lunden came across as so incredibly classy here. She showed good control of the situation, owning the crowd. They never booed her or responded harshly to the fact she was a non-wrestler earning recognition at the Hall of Fame.

She was humble and legitimately happy to receive the award being given to her. Considering some of the other outsiders who have been in a similar position, and their nonchalance, her gratitude was refreshing.

Sting

The only two-time Hall of Famer in WWE history, Ric Flair, entered the arena to induct his greatest rival. Flair paid tribute to both Dusty Rhodes and Roddy Piper, two Hall of Famers sadly lost over the last year. He put over his daughter, Charlotte, and her strides in the industry.

"You know how the company censors me, right? They make me outline my speech. It's alright...it's a lot better to follow the guidelines than to walk back there," Flair joked, clearly wanting nothing to do with the wrath of Vince McMahon.

"He never took a deep breath, never wavered, never flinched," Flair said, praising Sting's performance at the inaugural Clash of the Champions broadcast.

"That operation down South, for one reason or another, just wasn't gonna make it," Flair joked about WCW.

After minutes of putting himself over and talking about Ricky Steamboat for reasons unknown to this writer, he expressed his happiness over Sting coming to WWE and having the opportunity to compete at WrestleMania.

Sting entered to a thunderous ovation, a reaction befitting a headliner of his status.

"I didn't know anything about pro wrestling well into my 20s," Sting started his speech before diving into his entry into the business and friendship with Ultimate Warrior. "That '83 T-Bird was our address," he continued, discussing the humble beginning the two of them endured.

"I don't remember how many times I won that thing," he said in reference to the world title, brutally honest.

Sting discussed the embarrassing moments of his career, including the RoboCop ordeal and The White Castle of Fear. He told a funny story about spooning with Kevin Nash.

"I found out that if you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything. And I fell hard." In a rare moment of candidness, Sting discussed the demons he confronted before turning to God.

He even brought up "Joker Sting," a reference to his time in TNA Wrestling.

Sting thanked those who journeyed down the road with him so many times throughout his career, including the aforementioned Warrior, Jim Ross, Michael Hayes, "Road Dogg" Jesse James, Ric Flair, his friends and family.

As he turned his attention to the fans, a chant of "thank you Sting" broke out. "I don't say these words lightly at all: Without you, there would not be a Sting. There wouldn't be a Stone Cold or a Bruno or any of us here."

"On this very night, at this very moment, I'm gonna finish my wrestling career under the WWE umbrella. I am officially going to retire tonight."

The fans rose to their feet, giving him a standing ovation as a teary-eyed Triple H applauded on the floor.

"I just want you to know this isn't goodbye. It's just 'see you later,'" he said before taking one last bow and acknowledging the fans.

Grade

A+

Analysis

There has always been a class and dignity about Sting. Perhaps that has something to do with the connection he has made with fans over the years. Either way, that class was on full display Saturday night as he took to the stage to accept the honor WWE bestowed upon him.

The big news here was the official announcement of his retirement.

One of the greatest icons of the 1990s, he stepped away from the squared circle and into immortality despite chants for "one more match" against Undertaker.

The self-deprecation he exhibited while talking about RoboCop and his feud with Vader was a nice touch, while the discussion about his late-90s personal issues brought a sense of reality to the otherwise celebratory proceedings.

The last bow and the use of the baseball bat as a means to acknowledge the fans was a perfect cap on what was one of the best and most consistently entertaining Hall of Fame ceremonies in years.