Tag: WWE Hall Of Fame

Is the WWE Hall of Fame induction ceremony on Peacock?

Find out where to watch The Rock and Roman Reigns induct new members of the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2024.

As has become an annual tradition, a new class of ex-wrestlers and other important industry figures will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame over WrestleMania 40 weekend. It’s an anniversary of sorts as well, as the Class of 2024 will be the 25th group of honorees overall.

The Hall of Fame induction ceremony will take place at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia immediately after the Friday, April 5 episode of SmackDown. That makes for a long night for both fans and talent, but if you’ve been to one of the last few editions, you’ll know WWE is nothing if not efficient at getting the venue changed over between events.

So while it won’t start the exact minute SmackDown goes off the air, the ceremony should begin just a few minutes after 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT this Friday.

WWE Hall of Fame 2024 viewing info

Like many of the WrestleMania 40 events, the Hall of Fame ceremony will be live streamed on Peacock — not shown on FOX like SmackDown, so you’ll need to switch over at 10 p.m.

WWE Hall of Fame 2024 inductees and presenters

There will be five individuals and a tag team in the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2024:

  • Paul Heyman, inducted by Roman Reigns
  • Bull Nakano, inducted by Madusa
  • Thunderbolt Patterson, inducted by Scott Spears
  • Lia Maivia, inducted by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson (her grandson)
  • Muhammad Ali, inducted by Lonnie Ali (his widow)
  • The U.S. Express (Barry Windham and Mike Rotunda), presenter still TBA

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WWE Hall of Fame ceremony 2024: Date, start time, how to watch

See Paul Heyman, Bull Nakano, Thunderbolt Patterson and more enter the WWE Hall of Fame on April 5.

The first class of WWE Hall of Fame inductees with Vince McMahon not at the company’s helm will be honored later this week, which is something of a monumental occurrence in its own right.

The upcoming induction ceremony will in many ways be business as usual for WWE, which has been adding wrestlers and other important figures to its Hall of Fame during WrestleMania weekend for years.

One inductee makes perfect sense from a synergy perspective. Paul Heyman, still very active within WWE as the Special Counsel to Roman Reigns, will enter the Hall of Fame and be recognized for his work as a promoter, manager and creative visionary.

But there are also inductees who break the mold a bit from what WWE has generally put forward. Thunderbolt Patterson is one, as he will be honored for his efforts to crush stereotypes of Black wrestlers and improve working conditions for his fellow performers.

Other members of the Class of 2024 include Bull Nakano, The U.S. Express and Muhammad Ali.

The induction ceremony will once again be carried live after the final SmackDown before WrestleMania, making for a very long but hopefully entertaining night for fans in Philadelphia for the Showcase of the Immortals. It will also be streamed live for everyone else, though not on broadcast TV.

Here’s everything you need to know to watch the new class of Hall of Fame members take their place alongside other legends on Friday, April 5.

WWE Hall of Fame ceremony 2024

  • Date: Friday, April 5
  • Location: Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia
  • Start Time: Approximately 10:00 p.m., immediately after SmackDown
  • How to Watch: On Peacock in the U.S. and WWE Network elsewhere

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Muhammad Ali joining WWE Hall of Fame as part of Class of 2024

Ali left his mark on pro wrestling in several ways, making him a worthy member of the WWE Hall of Fame.

One of the greatest boxers and most influential athletes of all time is joining the WWE Hall of Fame in its upcoming Class of 2024.

As first reported by Variety, the late Muhammad Ali will enter the WWE Hall of Fame ahead of WrestleMania 40 in Philadelphia. He will be inducted by his widow, Lonnie, and will join a class that already includes Paul Heyman, Bull Nakano and the U.S. Express.

Ali had a high profile role at WrestleMania I, where he was the special guest referee for the main event tag team match pitting Hulk Hogan and Mr. T against “Rowdy” Roddy Piper and “Mr. Wonderful” Paul Orndorff. He got physically involved in the match when provoked by Piper, smashing him with a right hand to the delight of the crowd.

Yet the man known as “the Greatest” for his status as a heavyweight boxing icon had made his mark on pro wrestling years prior. Ali took on Japanese wrestling icon Antonio Inoki in June of 1976 in an exhibition bout billed as “The War of the Worlds” in Tokyo. Despite being contested under unusual hybrid rules that saw Ali land few punches and Inoki mostly kick at Ali’s legs, the event was a huge success at the time and helped plant the seed for mixed martial arts to grow years later — not to mention some of the crossover combat sports bouts seen today.

As a boxer and champion for social justice, of course, Ali needs no introduction. His outsized personality and colorful boasts are also the stuff of legend, and just about any wrestler cutting promos in WWE today can trace some of their swagger back to him.

The 2024 WWE Hall of Fame ceremony will take place Friday, April 5, and will be live streamed on Peacock immediately after SmackDown concludes on FOX, beginning at approximately 10 p.m. ET.

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Barry Windham, Mike Rotunda, the US Express, named to WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2024

One of the top tag teams of the 1980s will join Paul Heyman and Bull Nakano in the WWE Hall of Fame next month.

One of the seminal tag teams of the 1980s, whose members have deep family roots in the pro wrestling business, is entering the WWE Hall of Fame next month.

As first reported by The Ringer, the U.S. Express duo of Barry Windham and Mike Rotunda will join previously revealed Paul Heyman and Bull Nakano in the WWE Hall of Fame’s Class of 2024. It will be Windham’s second induction, as he was included in The Four Horsemen group honor 12 years ago.

The two men first teamed as the U.S. Express while working in Championship Wrestling from Florida in 1983. They made their debut in the then-WWF in the fall of 1984, and held the tag team titles twice in 1985. Their first reign ended at WrestleMania I at Madison Square Garden in New York City, where they were defeated by Nikolai Volkoff and The Iron Sheik.

Though the U.S. Express officially lasted for only a year, Barry Windham and Mike Rotunda also teamed in All Japan Pro Wrestling and elsewhere. The latter was also known to WWE fans as Irwin R. Schyster and worked in the late 1990s for WCW, where the former also joined up with The Four Horsemen.

The real-life brothers-in-law join Barry Windham’s father, Blackjack Mulligan, in the Hall of Fame. Mike Rotunda’s sons also followed him into the business, best known as Bo Dallas and the late Bray Wyatt in WWE.

WWE Chief Content Officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque posted a video to social media of him personally informing both men that they were going into the Hall of Fame together.

The 2024 WWE Hall of Fame ceremony is set for Friday, April 5, the night before WrestleMania in Philadelphia. It will be held following SmackDown at the Wells Fargo Center, and will be livestreamed on Peacock at approximately 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.

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The late Tim White will be the first referee inducted into WWE Hall of Fame

White is also this year’s Warrior Award honoree.

Referees are an important part of the delicate blend of athletics and drama that is professional wrestling, but none of the men and women who have worn the stripes in WWE have ever been inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. That will change this Friday, March 31 in Los Angeles, when the late Tim White becomes the first to receive that honor.

White’s addition to the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2023 was announced today on “The Bump.” He becomes the fifth and likely final member of this year’s group of inductees, joining Rey Mysterio, The Great Muta, Andy Kaufman and Stacy Keibler.

White is also the 2023 recipient of the Warrior Award, given to those who have “exhibited unwavering strength and perseverance, and who live life with the courage and compassion that embodies the indomitable spirit of the Ultimate Warrior.” Previous Warrior Award winners are not considered official Hall of Fame members, but that looks set to change with White.

After getting his introduction to the pro wrestling business as Andre the Giant’s agent in the mid-1980s, White made the switch to full-time referee in 1993. He’s known best for officiating some legendary WWE matches, including the 1998 Hell in a Cell match between Mankind and The Undertaker. Though he had a reputation for toughness, it was injuries that ended his in-ring career in 2004, and he was released from the company in 2009.

White passed away last summer at 68, making him the second posthumous honoree in this year’s class alongside Kaufman. The WWE Hall of Fame Ceremony is set to take place at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, and will be broadcast live on Peacock.

Stacy Keibler announced for WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2023

Stacy Keibler worked her way up from a contest to join the WCW Nitro Girls to a bona fide WWE superstar.

The WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2023 was an all-male affair through the first three announcements. That changed today with the addition of a superstar well known to fans from the latter part of the Attitude Era.

First revealed by People, which also caught up with her to learn what she’s been up to over the last few years, Stacy Keibler is the fourth member of this year’s WWE Hall of Fame class. The former WCW Nitro Girl turned WWE superstar joins Rey Mysterio, The Great Muta and Andy Kaufman in the latest group of honorees.

Getting her start in pro wrestling by winning a contest to join the Nitro Girls, Keibler moved on to becoming a manager, then wrestler named Ms. Hancock. She eventually performed under her own name just prior to WCW being purchased, and she made the switch to WWE as part of the 2001 Invasion angle.

Keibler feuded and teamed with almost all of the biggest names in the women’s division at the time, including Lita, Trish Stratus, Torrie Wilson and Sable. She briefly became Super Stacy while teamed with The Hurricane and Rosey, and finished her in-ring career in 2005 with matches against the likes of Christy Hemme and Jillian Hall.

Somewhat ironically, Keibler became an even bigger crossover star when she appeared on “Dancing with the Stars,” just when that series was becoming a phenomenon in its second season. She has made occasional appearances in WWE afterward, including in 2019 to induct Wilson into the WWE Hall of Fame.

Now Keibler will be joining her longtime friend as an inductee. Busy with her husband of nine years, their three children and a men’s skincare line, she told People she was surprised but delighted to get the call from WWE.

“I never thought I would be in the Hall of Fame, to be honest,” Keibler said. “I was completely shocked when I got the call. I had tears in my eyes.”

The WWE Hall of Fame 2023 induction ceremony will take place Friday, March 31 following SmackDown at Crypto.com Arena, and will be broadcast live on Peacock.

WWE Hall of Fame 2023: Inductees, date, time, how to watch

Everything you need to know about the WWE Hall of Fame 2023 before the new class is inducted in L.A.

WWE waited longer than usual to start announcing WWE Hall of Fame inductees this year, leading some to question whether the ceremony was even happening at all.

Never fear, however, as the Class of 2023 is very real, just a bit smaller than usual. That appears to be by design, as the induction ceremony will also not be a standalone event like it has been in some previous years.

Instead, the honorees will get their time in the spotlight right after SmackDown the night before WrestleMania 39 begins in earnest in Los Angeles. Here’s everything you need to know about this year’s ceremony.

WWE Hall of Fame 2023

  • Date: Friday, March 31, 2023
  • Location: Crypto.com Arena
  • Start time: 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT
  • How to watch: Live on Peacock in the United States or on WWE Network in the rest of the world

Note that this is a not a separate event for live attendees, so fans with tickets to SmackDown the night of March 31 will also get to see the Hall of Fame ceremony.

WWE Hall of Fame 2023 inductees

(Last update: March 30, 2023, 7:45 p.m. ET)

  • Rey Mysterio – Widely considered the most famous luchador of all time, Mysterio is a three-rime world champion, WWE Triple Crown and Grand Slam champion, and won the 2006 Royal Rumble. He performed in ECW, AAA, CMLL, NJPW and WCW as well, and likely has the most recognizable wrestling mask ever. He will reportedly be inducted by Konnan, his long-time friend and former tag team partner in multiple promotions.
  • The Great Muta – Whether under the Muta name of his real name of Keiji Muto, he influenced wrestlers all over the world during a career spanning nearly four decades — and one that just ended earlier this year. One of just a handful of wrestlers to win the top titles in all three of Japan’s biggest promotions, Muta is credited with inventing or popularizing many maneuvers that are commonplace in the ring today. Interestingly, he never wrestled a WWE match, and admitted to being surprised by this honor. Nevertheless, he will be inducted by fellow icon Ric Flair.
  • Andy Kaufman – WWE almost always includes a non-wrestler in each Hall of Fame class, and Kaufman straddled that line more than most. The offbeat comedian displayed an understanding of pro wrestling that was ahead of his time during a feud with Jerry “The King” Lawler that extended to TV and fooled many into thinking it was real. Kaufman passed away young in the 1980s and many believe this recognition is long overdue. He will be inducted by Lawler, though it’s unclear if The King will be in L.A. in person as he continues to recover from a stroke suffered earlier this year.
  • Stacy Keibler – A familiar face to anyone who was around for the last days of the WWE Attitude Era, Keibler first made her name in WCW — originally as a Nitro Girl, then as a manager and wrestler. She migrated to WWE during the Invasion storyline and became a fixture in the early 2000s, competing with and against the likes of Trish Stratus, Lita and Torrie Wilson. Keibler left WWE after finding crossover fame as an early contestant on “Dancing with the Stars,” but has returned periodically since then. She inducted Wilson into the Hall of Fame several years ago and will join her friend in Los Angeles.
  • Tim White – Originally getting his exposure to pro wrestling as the agent for Andre the Giant, White became a referee in 1993 and went on to a long career with numerous highlights. White was the third man in the ring, or rather, cage, for the famous 1998 Hell in a Cell match between The Undertaker and Mankind. Injuries forced his retirement from active in-ring work in 2004, but he remained with WWE in different capacities until 2009. White passed away last summer but will join Kaufman as a posthumous inductee and was also named this year’s Warrior Award recipient.

The Great Muta announced as 2nd member of WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2023

While The Great Muta never competed in WWE, his appearances in WCW and global influence make him a very worthy inductee.

Keiji Muto, known to millions of pro wrestling fans for his work as The Great Muta in promotions around the world, will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame on WrestleMania weekend in Los Angeles.

Ric Flair made the official reveal today on “The Bump,” calling him a great person and a great athlete. Flair says he wrestled Muto “probably 500 times” over the course of his career, and while the Nature Boy was exaggerating for dramatic effect, the two icons did cross paths on numerous occasions in the 1980s and 1990s.

Interestingly, Muto never wrestled in an official WWF/WWE match during the course of his nearly 40-year career. However he did compete on a number of WCW cards during the 1990s and early 2000s, and WWE has consistently honored talent whose primary contributions were to that company in its Hall of Fame since buying what was left of WCW in 2001.

Regardless, Muto was such an influential performer that no one would likely object to his inclusion in the WWE Hall of Fame. He is one of only five wrestlers to ever win the top titles from Japan’s three biggest wrestling promotions (NJPW, AJPW and Noah), and one of the true pioneers of spreading Japanese wrestling style and culture around the world.

Muto is credited with either inventing or popularizing a number of wrestling holds and moves fans take for granted today, including the moonsault and dragon screw. Far from only a technician, he had a history of participating in bloody matches of all kinds, and that influence can also be felt throughout pro wrestling to this day.

Such is Muto’s influence that for one of his final matches as The Great Muta, WWE allowed Shinsuke Nakamura to return to Japan and appear on a Noah card.

The 2023 WWE Hall of Fame ceremony will take place at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles following SmackDown on Friday, March 31, the night before WrestleMania 39. Besides Muto, the only other inductee announced so far has been Rey Mysterio.