In a few short weeks, the professional wrestling world will descend upon Philadelphia for the two-night WrestleMania 40, where The Rock, Roman Reigns, Cody Rhodes, Seth Rollins, and the rest of the WWE roster give it their all on the “Grandest Stage of Them All.” But before we all get to witness one of the most anticipated weekends of wrestling in recent memory, we’ll celebrate the 2024 WWE Hall of Fame inductees at the annual ceremony honoring the men and women who have changed the industry over the years.
As we look toward the upcoming ceremony, the hilarious and emotional stories told by icons of the industry, and some stellar video packages showcasing their greatest moments and crowning achievements, let’s take a look at everyone who has been announced to be part of the WWE Hall of Fame class of 2024…
Paul Heyman
It is hard to think of a manager, promoter, or figure in the world of professional wrestling more deserving of a spot in the WWE Hall of Fame than Paul Heyman. Over the course of the past 40 years, the great wrestling mind has impacted the industry as a whole countless times, and continues to do so to this day. Whether it was leading the “Dangerous Alliance” in WCW, introducing audiences to a new attitude of wrestling with ECW, or being the mouthpiece and advisor for WWE Champions like Brock Lesnar, CM Punk, and most recently, Roman Reigns, Heyman has always been one of the most interesting and impactful figures on screen (and behind the scenes).
So, it only seems natural that Heyman was the first member of the 2024 WWE Hall of Fame to be announced by the Associated Press in March 2024, an honor that is, honestly, long overdue. His induction speech will certainly be one for the ages, but we’ll just have to wait and see who’ll have the honors of introducing the pivotal and oftentimes controversial figure.
Bull Nakano
Keiko Aoki, better known by her ring name, Bull Nakano, was one of the most transformative wrestlers in WWE’s women’s division back in the mid-1990s where she made an immediate and lasting impact despite only being with the company for around a year. Though her time with the company was brief, Nakano made the most of the opportunity and took the Women’s Championship off rival and Hall of Famer, Alundra Blayze, in a marquee match in her native Japan.
Prior to joining WWE, Nakano made a name for herself as one of the most talented wrestlers in All Japan Women’s Pro-Wrestling where she won multiple championships starting in 1983. One of the most impactful female wrestlers of all time, it wasn’t all that surprising when ESPN reported that she was the second inductee into the 2024 WWE Hall of Fame.
The U.S. Express
One of the most athletic tag teams in 1980s WWE, The U.S. Express consisted of real-life brothers-in-law Mike Rotunda and Barry Windham. From their days in Florida territories to putting their WWE Tag Team Championship belts on the line at WrestleMania I in 1985, the powerhouse duo brought an exciting, athletic, and hard-hitting style to the division.
News of the team's induction into the WWE Hall of Fame was first reported by The Ringer and later confirmed by WWE.com. Following the announcement, Paul "Triple H" Levesque shared a video call on Twitter he had with the pair where he sang the duo's praises and talked about Rotunda and Windham's impact on wrestling as a whole.
Muhammad Ali
The late, great Muhammad Ali, perhaps the most famous boxer to ever set foot inside the ring, was instrumental in the main event of the inaugural "Showcase of the Immortals" back in 1985. One of the many celebrities to appear at the first WrestleMania, Ali served as the special guest referee in the main event match between Hulk Hogan & Mr. T and "Rowdy" Roddy Piper & "Mr. Wonderful" Paul Orndorff. This, however, wasn't the boxing legend's first time in the squared circle, as he previously fought Japanese wrestling icon Antonio Inoki and Gorilla Monsoon in a pair of 1976 exhibition matches.
Ali's induction into the WWE Hall of Fame was first announced by Variety, a report that was later confirmed by WWE.com.
Thunderbolt Patterson
Despite being one of the most overlooked wrestlers of the latter part of the 20th century, Thunderbolt Patterson will forever go down as one of the most charismatic and influential figures in sports entertainment history. From his days of working the Texas territories to finding success in the ring in federations throughout Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas, Patterson brought with him one of the best promos in the business and the goods to back it up.
Working with the likes of Bruiser Brody, Ole Anderson, and the "American Dream" Dusty Rhodes, Patterson made a name for himself both in and out of the ring. According to Andscape, which broke the story of Patterspon's WWE Hall of Fame induction, the wrestler was blacklisted from the NWA in the 1970s partly due to racism in the South. Patterson's induction was later confirmed by WWE.com.
Lia Maivia
Lia Maivia, The Rock's grandmother and matriarch of the Maiva wrestling family, was the final inductee to be announced for the 2024 WWE Hall of Fame ceremony just days before the event was set to take place. On the same night as the "Go Home" episode of Monday Night Raw, The Rock took to his Instagram to announce his grandmother's induction, calling her "a trail blazer," "a protector of our family," and "the real Final Boss."
Maivia, the late widow of Dwayne Johnson's maternal grandfather, "High Chief" Peter Maivia, was in charge of Polynesian Pro Wrestling, a territory of the National Wrestling Alliance, throughout the 1980s. She was portrayed by Ana Tuisila on Young Rock, appearing as a pivotal force in her family's longtime success.
How To Watch The 2024 WWE Hall Of Fame Ceremony
As is the case for a lot of WWE shows, you can watch the 2024 WWE Hall of Fame ceremony streaming live on Friday, April 5 for anyone with a Peacock subscription. The company has yet to announce an exact time, but considering the ceremony is taking place immediately following SmackDown, we can expect the show to kick off around 10 p.m. ET, give or take a few minutes.
You will be able to watch the ceremony on-demand after its conclusion if you don’t want to stay up so late the night before WrestleMania 40 gets underway.
While we wait for the big ceremony, take a look at our rundown of all the upcoming WWE events both before and after WrestleMania 40.
