For wrestling fans it also means a few things: the Royal Rumble, the road to Wrestlemania and ... Hall of Fame inductions.
One of the best nights of the year has become the night of the Hall of Fame ceremony. Colorful speeches, fun road stories and seeing wrestlers of yesteryear are all part of the night that kicks off Wrestlemania weekend.
Here are a few of my ideal Hall of Fame classes
The years aren't exact, but a rough timeline of what I think would work out well
The Rock (headlining, obviously)
Christian (he's from Tampa)
Jushin Thunder Liger (he's retiring this month)
Vader
Taz
Molly Holly
2021:
The Undertaker
Rob Van Dam
The British Bulldog
Jim Cornette
Victoria
2022:
The Big Show
The Steiner Brothers
Cyndi Lauper (Celebrity Wing)Eric Bischoff
Goldust
Luna Vachon
2023:
Batista
Rob Van Dam
Paul Heyman (I assume he'll have wrapped up most of his on-camera work for WWE by that point)
Brian Pillman
Dean Malenko
Lilian Garcia
2024:
Kane
Shaquille O'Neal (Celebrity Wing)Al Snow
Miss Elizabeth
Demolition
Great Muta
2025:
John Cena
Paige (unless she still has a regular on-camera role with WWE)
Sycho Sid
Lance Storm
Vickie Guerrero
2026:
The Hardy Boyz
Owen Hart (hopefully this can happen by then)
William Regal
Regis Philbin (Celebrity Wing)
Rick Martel
Bull Nakano
Earl Hebner
Chris Jericho (I assume he'll be wrapped with AEW by that point)
The n.W.o.
Santino Marella
The Nasty Boys
Melina
Marc Mero
Brock Lesnar
The New Age OutlawsRhyno
Sable
Bam Bam Bigelow
2029:
Rey Mysterio Jr (I assume he'll be retired by then)
JBL
Tajiri
Finlay
Ivan Koloff
Mickie James (I assume she'll be retired by then)
CM Punk (hopefully WWE will mend this relationship)
AJ Lee (husband and wife being inducted on the same night would be pretty cool)Chavo Guerrero Jr.
Chris Candido
Último Dragón
Joey Styles
2031:
Ronda Rousey
Sheamus
Tommy Dreamer
Ronda Rousey
Sheamus
Tommy Dreamer
Michael Cole
The Brooklyn Brawler
Chyna (solo induction)
Randy Orton
Edge and Christian
Michelle McCool
Hardcore Holly
Sabu
Hornswoggle (though it pains me to type that)
It's ambitious for WWE to patch up a few relationships (CM Punk, AJ Lee, Owen Hart's family, Demolition, Miss Elizabeth's family), but after WWE repaired relationships with Billy Graham, Warrior and Bruno Sammartino, I have faith it can be done.
You've got a headliner each year. There's a mix of wrestlers and managers (and even a referee and ring announcer).
In some cases you've got two or three big names. CM Punk and AJ Lee together should sell some tickets together. Lesnar, Sable and the New Age Outlaws are pretty big names. Jericho, the nWo and Santino would work.
Cena and Paige is a strong combo, but Sid, Lance and Vickie definitely add to that.
The Hardyz may need another big name if they are going to headline, but I think they probably could headline a Hall of Fame. Regis gives them a little bit of celebrity. Regal is the guy for the hardcore wrestling fans and wrestling purists. Bull Nakano should make a lot of women's wrestling fans and Japanese fans happy.
There's not a tag team included every year, but I don't think there needs to be. There aren't enough Hall of Fame-worthy tag teams in my opinion.
If you start inducting one woman every year, one tag team every year, one faction every year, etc., etc., then you box yourself into a corner.
There aren't enough women, tag teams or factions to go in for the next 20 years. So, yes, give us some variety.
Their biggest goals should be: inducting the glaring omissions as soon as they can and inducting legends while they are still alive.
2033 and beyond:
They all qualify in enough ways to get in.
Heck, Jonathan Coachman may even be a good inductee ... maybe.
Kevin Owens, Lio Rush, Naomi, Renee Young, Rusev, Ember Moon, Samoa Joe, Alexa Bliss, Finn Balor, Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns could all go into the Hall of Fame by 2050 if they keep going and play their cards right.
So WWE doesn't have to worry about future inductees ... at least for a while.
As long as they keep making stars and giving them individual accomplishments (Asuka's undefeated streak, for example), they'll continue making legends in front of our very eyes.
Final note: Chris Benoit should NEVER be inducted into the Hall of Fame. I understand that the Hall of Fame is about in-ring contributions and not personal lives, but the line has to be drawn somewhere and a double murder-suicide is a very clear line to be drawn.
