The WWE Hall of Fame is always an exciting part of the WrestleMania weekend.
This year’s line-up sees groups, D-Generation X, Harlem Heat and The Hart Foundation take their place. Alongside them will be the longest reigning Intercontinental Champion of all time, The Honky Tonk Man, as well as Torrie Wilson and Brutus “The Barber” Beefcake.
Over the years, there have been many legends taking their place in the hallowed Hall of Fame, but
1. Edge – 2012
The Rated R Superstar, Edge got his place in the prestigious Hall of Fame after retiring back in 2011. He was inducted by his former teammate, Christian – so it was a perfect introduction after being such a successful duo over several years, and winning championship gold together on seven occasions.
Known for his successful singles career as well, his inclusion was still to this day one of the most exciting, from his electric entrance to when he got choked up talking about his former tag partner, Christian.
The emotion that went into the speech still gets to me. His relationship with his mother is what made it so powerful and made him seem so much more genuine. I had no idea that Edge bought a house for his mum, and when this was revealed it showed the connection they had. He really got into the business to help his family out, something that he was really proud of during his speech. His mother had been his cheerleader his whole career – she was there at the start and end of his time in the ring.
Everyone thinks that wrestlers are so different from who we are as people but in
2. Mark Henry – 2018
There really isn’t anyone in the business that has had to prove themselves time after time like Mark Henry.
His speech was powerful, looking back on his long career, and again just like Edge, you see how much of his wrestling career was in fact for his family. He wanted them to have a good life. This was the first time that we saw the real Mark Henry, and it was rich.
Even though he is the World’s Strongest Man and has several accolades, he still remains a humble man.
The highlight of the speech was when he brought out his pink jacket – the one he wore when he faked his retirement in 2013. It was a highlight in his career, so to see him roll it back out was a brilliant moment.
3. Beth Phoenix – 2017
The Glamazon landed her spot at just the age of 36.
Natalya inducted her best friend, Beth Phoenix into the Hall of Fame. The thing that made this induction so sweet is the relationship between Natalya and Beth Phoenix. It’s something that started as a tag team, Divas of Doom, back in 2010. They are still relevant still to this day, as the duo prepares for the Women Tag TeamChampionship match this Sunday at WrestleMania 35. It was a nice introduction, as we learnt that Beth Phoenix was actually inspired to be a part of wrestling thanks to Bret and Owen Hart.
There might have been other female inductions that also stand out, but for me, I grew up watching Beth Phoenix from her debut and to see her take her place was amazing.
Just like Edge and Mark Henry, Beth is an acclaimed superstar who has achieved just about everything in WWE, but still remains humble.
I still get tears watching this one…
4. Eddie Guerrero – 2006
Another heartfelt induction, Eddie Guerrero was a well accomplished wrestler who had died the year before. There was a lot left in him and his career. To introduce the inductee were Chavo Guerrero, Chris Benoit and Rey Mysterio – arguably his closest friends on the roster. It was nostalgic as they discussed his career in the ring and him as a person.
It was Vickie Guerrero, his then-wife who accepted the award in his place. Unlike other speeches, it was more about gratitude of what WWE did for him and his family.
The induction was a fitting tribute to the man who sacrificed so much for his dream. It is still one of the most powerful and moving speeches of any WWE wrestler. However, there was laughter in the speech – it wasn’t all doom and gloom. It definitely painted a good picture of the former World Champion.
5. Bobby Heenan – 2004
Last but certainly not least was the induction of Bobby Heenan, and he will always be a well respected man in the business.
Although he was in remission for his cancer at the time, he was still able to have the audience in the palm of his hand.
His comedic timing during the speech, and his memories as a manager and commentator made his speech rememberable.
Still to this day, I look at this speech as one of the best ones, and it’s not a surprise for the legend.