6 Wrestlers Who Turned Down WWE Hall Of Fame
5. Batista
Batista, another holdout, will be inducted into the Hall of
Fame when circumstances allow for a ceremony worthy of the inductees, having been named in the doomed class of 2020. However,
Batista didn’t jump at the first chance to be honoured.
Despite his success outside of the ring, acting in beloved franchises such as the MCU and Blade Runner, Batista still had the desire to get into the ring. In a 2018 interview, Batista was very vocal about his desire to get back at it. He gave this as the reason he’d declined a Hall of Fame nomination stating, “I just don’t feel like my career is over.”
Batista returned to WWE for SmackDown’s 1000th episode for an Evolution reunion, which teased tension between 'The Animal' and Triple H. This feud, which also involved Ric Flair, would lead to Batista’s retirement match at WrestleMania 35. He was defeated by Triple H, with some help from Flair, in a No Holds Barred match. Batista retired the next day.
With his career over, Batista was in a place where he could
accept the honour. His induction will be a suitable conclusion to a legendary in-ring
career.