10 Early Predictions For The 2019 WWE Hall Of Fame Class

5. Vader

Undertaker Vader
WWE

Vader was such an amazing and influential pro wrestler that his inclusion is as inevitable as it is deserved.

Vader wowed and frightened fans - worldwide - in equal measure. He was ahead of his time in several respects; an absurdly agile behemoth, his in-ring game was so stiff as to be sickening. He pummelled Sting, Ric Flair and Cactus Jack in grisly, awe-inspiring WCW bouts in the States, during which time he was a major draw in Japan, having amassed the AJPW Triple Crown, IWGP Heavyweight and UWFi World Heavyweight Championships in front of tens and thousands of spectators. His reputation was so formidable that he scared the sh*t out of Shawn Michaels, who squirmed and politicked his way out of a beating at SummerSlam 1996 - the abiding legacy of an underwhelming stint. The match itself was a disjointed and tentative affair, on its own merits - but in its own way, it conveyed Vader's menacing aura in retrospect.

The only question, which somehow isn't all that rhetorical despite the grim history of Melanie Pillman, Eddiesploitation and the like, is whether or not WWE would deem it ghoulish to induct the Mastodon so soon after his recent death.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!