On Monday, WWE kick-started the road to WrestleMania and the biggest week in wrestling. Normally this is usually around January, but they decided to announce the first names for the next Hall of Fame Class on December 9. The first would be one of the most influential stables of the 90s: the nWo. This makes them the sixteenth group induction, as this category includes both tag teams and stables. Members of this game-changing group that will be included in the Hall of Fame recognition will be Hulk Hogan, Scott Hall, Kevin Nash, and Sean Waltman.
As all have also gone into the Hall of Fame once before, this elevates them into the double-inductee club with the likes of Ric Flair, Shawn Michaels, and Triple H. Hogan, Hall, and Nash were previously inducted on their career merits in 2005, 2014, and 2015 respectively. In 2019, Waltman was inducted as part of D-Generation X with Michaels, Triple H, Road Dogg, Chyna, and Billy Gunn.
The nWo quartet of Hulk Hogan, Kevin Nash, Scott Hall and Sean Waltman will join the WWE Hall of Fame in 2020.https://t.co/cFLOX6w3xs
— ESPN (@espn) December 9, 2019
The New World Order was instrumental in changing the wrestling world in the mid-1990s. They also ignited WCW as a whole which propelled them into dominance in the Monday Night Wars. The unholy trio of Hogan, Hall, and Nash ran roughshod over everyone in their wake. They then began adding to their ranks with names such as Waltman, The Giant, Scott Steiner, and many others. People to this day still rock the original black and white merchandise and it is what launched Too Sweet into wrestling history. It was so successful that even after WCW had folded, the WWE introduced them into the mix in 2002. While it may not have been successful like it had been, it did allow for one of the greatest matches in WrestleMania history to take place. Had the nWo not come in, the match between Hulk Hogan and The Rock at WrestleMania X8 may not have happened.
The other name announced for the Hall of Fame class of 2020 was Batista. Batista’s career began in 1999 under the training of Afa Anoa’i. He came to the WWE under the umbrella of their developmental system, Ohio Valley Wrestling. He spent a couple of years there under the name of Leviathan before moving up to the main roster as Reverend D-Von’s deacon. In 2003 is when Batista’s star was clearly on the rise as he was aligned with Triple H, Ric Flair, and Batista as part of Evolution.
Dave Bautista to Be Inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame: 'It's a Really Great Feeling' https://t.co/84cvKIDz6m
— People (@people) December 9, 2019
He would go on to win the World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania 21 in 2005 and several other title reigns were in his future. He took a break from wrestling from 2010 to 2014, and during which he had one MMA fight which he was victorious in. Following his second break from wrestling, Big Dave would star as Drax in Marvel’s hit franchise Guardians of the Galaxy. Batista would come back to WWE to finish out his career on his terms in 2018. This culminated with a match with his mentor Triple H at WrestleMania 35. Following a career full of wonderful memories and title runs, the Animal earned his place in the Hall of Fame.
Stay tuned to the Last Word on Pro Wrestling for more on this and other stories from around the world of wrestling, as they develop. You can always count on LWOPW to be on top of the major news in the wrestling world, as well as to provide you with analysis, previews, videos, interviews, and editorials on the wrestling world.
