So, WrestleMania weekend rolls around again, and you know what that means – the Hall of Fame ceremony. It’s always a bit of a thing for me, trying to see who gets the nod each year. This time, things were a bit hectic on my end, so watching it live wasn’t really on the cards.
Instead, my whole ‘practice’ this year was basically playing catch-up. I spent a good chunk of the next day just piecing together who got inducted. You know, checking out bits here and there, reading quick updates online, trying to get the feel for the ceremony without actually being glued to the screen for hours. It’s a different way to experience it, less about the live speeches and more about just getting the results and thinking them over.
Who Made the Cut in 2024?
From what I gathered, piecing it all together after the fact, here’s the rundown of who went in:
- Paul Heyman: No surprise there, right? The guy’s been everywhere and done everything. An absolute must-have for the Hall of Fame. Honestly, overdue if you ask me.
- Bull Nakano: Now this was cool to see. A Joshi legend getting recognized. Her look, her style – totally unforgettable. Glad they put her in.
- The U.S. Express (Mike Rotunda & Barry Windham): A solid classic tag team from back in the day. Good to see them get the recognition together. Brings back some memories.
- Muhammad Ali: Yeah, the boxer! Makes sense when you think about his role way back at the first WrestleMania. A huge crossover star getting the celebrity wing spot.
- Thunderbolt Patterson: This was one I had to read up a bit more on. Seems like a really important figure, especially behind the scenes and for breaking barriers. Good history pick.
- Lia Maivia: Another one tied to wrestling history, promoting in Hawaii and part of the big Anoa’i family legacy. Keeping it in the family, which WWE loves to do.
Catching up like this, instead of watching live, felt a bit like reading the footnotes of the event. You get the main points, the names, but you miss some of the live emotion. Still, you process who got in, think about their careers. It felt like assembling the class list myself from different reports.
Overall, looking at the list I put together, it seems like a pretty strong class. Good mix of eras, styles, and roles in the business. Heyman was the big headliner everyone expected, but seeing names like Nakano and Patterson felt right too. Solid year for the Hall of Fame, even if I had to experience it in bits and pieces afterwards.
