Way-Too-Early Predictions for WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2021
While WrestleMania 36 did take place this year, the 2020 WWE Hall of Fame had to be cut from the festivities.
John "Bradshaw" Layfield, Dave Bautista, the nWo and others were set to be inducted this year but there's no telling when, or even if, it will now happen.
Assuming life returns to normal and these Superstars can be honored at some point in 2020, who may be next in line for an induction ahead of WrestleMania 37 next year?
It's still 12 months away, but that hasn't stopped us from putting out some way-too-early predictions for who could be in the running for the 2021 WWE Hall of Fame.
Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson
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The most obvious pick as a headliner for a Hall of Fame taking place near Hollywood would be The Rock.
No one in the WWE Universe would argue against his induction based on accolades or popularity. He's a former multi-time world champion who has become one of the most recognizable celebrities on the planet.
Dwayne Johnson has been arguably the biggest movie star of this era—perhaps the only old-school bankable name in the past 10 years—who remains one of the most beloved Superstars of all time.
His presence would bring a lot of attention to the event, tons of media coverage and the fans would love it.
Stacy Keibler
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Torrie Wilson was inducted by Stacy Keibler as part of the 2019 class, which may mean the latter's time is soon to follow.
If two people are from the same era, close friends and in a high enough spot on the WWE totem pole, there's a precedent for successive inductions.
For example, Ric Flair was followed by Ricky Steamboat in 2008 and 2009, Trish Stratus and Lita were inducted in back-to-back years (2013 and 2014), as were Razor Ramon and Kevin Nash (2014 and 2015).
Keibler wasn't set for an induction for 2020, but one year off in favor of The Bella Twins doesn't throw this theory for too much of a loop.
She might not have The Rock's Hollywood credibility, but she still reached a level of celebrity that few do. She would be more fitting for the red carpet in Los Angeles than most other options, and the reception she received in 2019 proves fans still love her.
Molly Holly
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If WWE were to go for a more traditional "wrestler" type to represent the women's division next year, Molly Holly has to be hovering the top of the list.
It doesn't seem anyone has a bad thing to say about her, and there are no scandals that would prevent her from being inducted.
Holly was a trailblazer, as she performed more athletically than many of her peers in an era that didn't have the same approach to women's wrestling as the current Women's Evolution.
In fact, today's Superstars often credit her as one of their inspirations, so it would be nice to see her honored for her contributions, which include her appearance in the 2020 women's Royal Rumble match.
Michelle McCool
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Rounding out some potential names for a women's division representative is Michelle McCool, whose name has been mentioned often in recent weeks.
In the context of the Boneyard match at WrestleMania 36, she was cast in a negative light by AJ Styles, but she's more than just The Undertaker's wife.
McCool was a four-time champion and two-time Slammy Award winner who set the base record for most eliminations in the inaugural women's Royal Rumble and competed at Evolution as a guest legend.
Her peak came in 2010, when she unified the Women's and Divas Championship and ranked first in the Pro Wrestling Illustrated Female 50 list of that year.
At some point, she's going to be inducted. It's only a matter of when.
After the feud between Styles and The Undertaker, perhaps her name is fresh on everyone's minds and she'll be one of the go-to ideas for next year's class.
Fit Finlay
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While Arn Anderson and Dean Malenko left WWE for All Elite Wrestling, one of the most tenured producers, Fit Finlay, remained.
The Northern Irishman hasn't stepped into the ring in nearly a decade, but he's made the occasional appearance, such as giving Becky Lynch the go-ahead to replace Lana in the 2019 women's Royal Rumble match.
Finlay, 62, is held in high regard for being one of the biggest proponents of the women's division and helping train a whole generation of Superstars. He fought for less sexualized, gimmicky matches and pushed for more of the legitimate wrestling action we see today.
Mike Rotunda
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Another producer on our list is Mike Rotunda, who many may know better as Irwin R. Schyster.
IRS was a classic heel who took a ridiculous gimmick and made it work in the early 1990s. He was a fixture of the Million Dollar Corporation alongside Ted DiBiase, with whom he won three tag titles.
Prior to that, Rotunda was part of The U.S. Express and had two other tag title reigns, partnered with Barry Windham—the namesake of one of Rotunda's children, Windham Rotunda, otherwise known as Bray Wyatt.
While WWE doesn't even acknowledge Wyatt's familial ties to his brother, Bo Dallas, nor his father, the character has been extremely meta in Firefly Fun House segments and breaks the fourth wall all the time these days.
After the response from the Firefly Fun House match at WrestleMania 36, WWE may want to do something special for the Rotunda family by tying Wyatt and Dallas into an induction for their father at the 2021 Hall of Fame.
Owen Hart
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It may be a long shot, but it's worth suggesting Owen Hart every single year, just in case it finally happens.
Why he hasn't been inducted isn't a matter of worthiness, but approval. His widow, Martha Hart, has explicitly refused his induction over the years.
In a 2018 press release, she said she believes WWE is responsible for his death at a pay-per-view event in 1999 after he fell from the rafters and considers the Hall of Fame a way for the company to profit off his name.
That press release was in response to Owen's brother Bret saying on CBS Sports' In This Corner podcast that he thinks it would be important to Owen to be inducted and it would mean a lot to himself and their late father Stu.
He also agreed with the speech Mark Henry gave during his own Hall of Fame induction about how The Rocket should be inducted.
Kevin Owens not only chose his ring name as a tribute to The King of Harts but also named his son after Owen. He's so beloved by his friends, family, peers and fans that his induction would be a celebration of his contributions to the business both in and out of the ring.
In 2019, Jim "The Anvil" Neidhart was welcomed posthumously into the WWE Hall of Fame. The British Bulldog Davey Boy Smith was scheduled to follow suit as part of the 2020 class. Perhaps if Martha will allow it, this trend can continue and The King of Harts can be honored.
We don't know if or when that will ever happen, but let's hope 2021 is when we can finally embrace the industry's favorite Nugget.
Vader
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Vader's last appearance for WWE was inducting Stan Hansen into the 2016 Hall of Fame. Sadly, The Mastodon passed away before he was able to be honored in his own right.
WWE doesn't seem to want to do too many posthumous inductions every year, but if Owen Hart doesn't go in, Big Van Vader may be one of the next highest names on the list to be recognized.
His career in WWE itself wasn't stellar, but he was a legend with fans around the world, notably in Japan and WCW.
He was a three-time WCW world heavyweight champion and one-time United States champion, was named Wrestler of the Year and ranked No. 2 in the PWI 500 for 1993, three-time IWGP heavyweight champion, two-time All Japan Pro-Wrestling triple crown heavyweight champion and much more that should not be lost to history.
It's time for him to be inducted.
Anthony Mango is the owner of the wrestling website Smark Out Moment and the host of the podcast show Smack Talk on YouTube, iTunes and Stitcher. You can follow him on Facebook and elsewhere for more.
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