If you thought we were waiting until the new year before the 2026 WWE Hall of Fame inductees were going to start being announced, we have some bad (or good) news for you. Breaking with the tradition of naming the inductees at the beginning of the “Road to WrestleMania,” WWE has already started to roll out the names of those who’ll be enshrined in the Hall of Fame when the “Grandaddy of Them All” returns to Las Vegas for WrestleMania 42 weekend in April 2026.
Though only one of the 2026 WWE Hall of Fame inductees has been named at the time of this writing (they’re a big one!), they’ll soon be joined by several of the biggest stars the industry has ever seen. That said, here’s who’s going in and who I think should join them at the upcoming WWE event.
Stephanie McMahon
When we put out our full 2025 WrestlePalooza predictions, little did we know that an early Hall of Fame announcement would be one of the biggest stories coming out of the first PLE on ESPN’s new streaming app. But that’s what happened when the Undertaker revealed to Stephanie McMahon that she would be joining husband Paul “Triple H” Levesque, grandfather Vincent J. McMahon, and other icons of the sport.
McMahon, who was literally born and raised in the company her grandfather started and her father, Vince McMahon, took to new heights, has done a lot for the business over the years. Whether it was her behind-the-scenes work as an executive or getting in on the action in the ring (she held the Women’s Championship for 146 days in 2000), Stephanie was a major player until she left WWE in 2023.
Who will be inducting McMahon into the Hall of Fame hasn’t been revealed, but I’m guessing Triple H would be a good bet.
Wrestlers That Should Be Inducted Into The WWE Hall Of Fame Class of 2026
Again, Stephanie McMahon is the only member of the 2026 WWE Hall of Fame class that has been announced so far, but it will only be a matter of time before the other wrestling personalities are revealed. That said, there are a few wrestlers (and a legendary match) I think should be inducted next April.
Bray Wyatt
It has only been two years since Bray Wyatt died at the young age of 36, yet it feels like a lifetime since the “Eater of Worlds” and one of the most transformative stars in WWE history last stepped into the ring. Though the third-generation wrestler was honored by his family when his father, Mike Rotunda, and uncle, Barry Windham, were inducted into the 2024 WWE Hall of Fame class, the late wrestler has yet to join them himself.
I would love to see Wyatt be inducted into the Hall of Fame and join his father and grandfather, Blackjack Mulligan, and 2026 could be a good year to make it happen. The WrestleMania 42 logo is dark and chaotic with its scratchy font and imagery, and Wyatt’s signature moth logo would look perfect on top of it for the special occasion.
Batista
Batista, perhaps the greatest wrestler-turned-actor of all time, was supposed to join the WWE Hall of Fame back in 2020, but the company had to change plans due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and “The Animal” has yet to have his name called since. To be perfectly honest, this is a shame, and the former WWE Champion and two-time Royal Rumble winner should already be in the hall with contemporaries like Triple H, Eddie Guerrero, and Kurt Angle.
However, I wouldn’t be surprised if Batista is standing on the stage the night of the 2026 WWE Hall of Fame Ceremony, talking about his career in and out of the ring. He’s honestly one of the most deserving wrestlers at this point.
Mickie James
Though WWE typically only inducts one female wrestler into the Hall of Fame each year, I wouldn’t be surprised if there was an exception, as Stephanie McMahon is the headliner and all. Any other year, I would be making a case for Chyna getting that spot, but I find that unlikely with McMahon already being in the class. That said, Mickie James, who won the WWE Women’s Championship five times and the Divas Championship once, would be perfect for the Hall next April.
Whether it was during her multiple stints in WWE, her legendary career in TNA, or the work she has done around the world throughout her in-ring career, there’s a strong case to be made for James’ induction. When it comes to female wrestlers who dominated the early 2000s, few come close to holding a candle to this former Knockouts Champion.
Demolition
I have brought up Demolition multiple times in the past whenever the conversation turns to tag teams who should be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. WWE, TKO, Triple H, or anyone with any power, it’s time to do what’s right and honor Ax and Smash after all these years. The Road Warriors, the Natural Disasters, the Freebirds, and countless other teams have been added over the years, and the world owes it to these legendary figures.
With three WWE Tag Team Championships, a long list of must-watch matches, and one of the coolest gimmicks in wrestling history, Demolition laid waste to the competition and entertained (or terrified) generations of fans over the years. Seriously, make it happen.
The Rock vs. Hollywood Hulk Hogan – WrestleMania 18
Ahead of the 2025 Hall of Fame ceremony, WWE announced the introduction of the “Immortal Moment,” which would honor the most important matches of all time. The company started things off with Bret “The Hitman” Hart and “Stone Cold” Steve Austin’s five-star match from WrestleMania 13, where the two rivals pulled off the greatest double-turn of all time.
There are hundreds of matches to choose from for the second go, but I think The Rock and “Hollywood” Hulk Hogan’s “Icon vs. Icon” match at WrestleMania 18 should get the rub. What better way to pay tribute to the late Hogan than by paying homage to one of his best matches and an electrifying WrestleMania contest that changed wrestling forever. Plus, it would also give Dwayne Johnson a reason to show up on WWE TV again.
As has been the case in the past, I could be very wrong with these picks. That said, I wouldn’t be surprised if at least a few of these choices came to fruition when WWE heads to “Sin City” in April 2026.
