7 Bold Predictions For The WWE Hall Of Fame Class Of 2023

5. Santino Marella

Vince McMahon Hall Of Fame
WWE.com

At least every other year, the Hall of Fame inducts somebody to a reception along the lines of "F*cking hell, them? Really?"

Those people haven't really grasped what the WWE Hall is yet, but it wouldn't be the online wrestling experience without tedious, circular discourse, would it?

Santino Marella is a lock for the annual "What the f*ck?" tradition, honestly. The Class is formatted in a way not too dissimilar to a wrestling show; underneath the main event, there are journeymen who know to work a crowd without blowing them away, and there's often space for some levity too. This is where Santino comes in.

If you've ever attended a WWE house show during Santino's run, you're likely aware of his not-inconsiderable value. Embracing his role as a daft f*cker, his OTT comedic performances in the opener were quietly crucial in drawing that first reaction from the crowd, in encouraging them to lose their inhibitions. On TV, his comedy was often excruciating - that is if you've ever seen an actual, good sitcom - but he was a memorable and over act.

His match-within-a-match opposite Daniel Bryan at Elimination Chamber 2011 was one of the most improbably dramatic moments in company history, too.

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!