WWE Hall of Fame: Paul Heyman and Bull Nakano lead the Class of 2024
To say it's been an eventful year in the WWE would be something of an understatement.
With all the good, bad and incredibly ugly, it's arguably been the most turbulent time in the company's history.
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When it comes to what happens in the ring and on your screens at least, things will very much come to a head in April at the two-day WrestleMania XL.
WrestleMania is more than a one two-day event these days, though.
Mania Week not only takes in SmackDown on the Friday night before, NXT Stand and Deliver on WrestleMania Saturday and Monday Night Raw the day after, there's also WWE World (formerly known as WrestleMania Axxess) and the all-important WWE Hall of Fame Ceremony.
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The 2024 WWE Hall of Fame will be held on April 5, 2024 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and broadcast right after SmackDown.
Since the establishment of the Hall of Fame in 1993 (props to the inaugural inductee André the Giant), the ranks have swelled to include many of the great and good (and not so great and not so good) of the industry and beyond.
From the first couple of announcements, the WWE Hall of Fame attached to WrestleMania XL is already going to be one of the very greatest.
Below, we round up every inductee from the Class of 2024, adding every new star as they're added.
Paul Heyman
Inducted by: Roman Reigns
Call him a manager, agent, advocate or Wiseman, to many Paul Heyman is simply the greatest of all time at what he does.
From his time as Paul E Dangerously in WCW (managing the likes of Steve Austin, Arn Anderson and Mean Mark Callous), his innovations with ECW and his return to WWE, Heyman has been a key figure in the business for almost four decades.
He's worked with everyone from CM Punk to Big Show to Kurt Angle, and his impact on pro wrestling cannot be overstated.
We've enjoyed sparring with him ourselves several times over the years... We spoke to him soon after The Undertaker had beaten his then-client CM Punk at WrestleMania 29, again after Punk walked out on the WWE and more recently before he inducted Goldberg into the WWE Hall of Fame.
In the past few years, he's taken things to an even higher level as an integral part of The Bloodline, making part of THE story in pro wrestling for another era and generation.
Bull Nakano
Inducted by: Alundra Blayze
"Bull Nakano is one of my big inspirations," Paige/Saraya told us a decade ago.
On announcing her induction, Triple H said: "An unbelievable talent with an unforgettable look, and a mean streak a mile long.
"Bull Nakano isn't just one of the best Women's wrestlers of all time – she's one of the best of all time, period."
In truth, the Japanese wrestler should have been inducted into the Hall of Fame many, many years ago, probably soon after her retirement from in-ring action in 1997.
Well, better late than never, we say.
Bull Nakano is of course a one-time WWF Women's Champion, and one-time CMLL World Women's Champion, but it's in her native Japan where she truly established her legendary status.
She's been AJW Champion, AJ Junior Champion, All Pacific Champion, WWWE World Single Champion and three-time WWWA World Tag Team Champion, eventually being inducted into the AJW Hall of Fame in 1998.
Since she hung up her boots, she's had non-wrestling roles with Rise Wrestling and Sukeban, as well as enjoying a professional golf career.
The US Express
Inducted by: Bo Dallas
To many of today's wrestling fans, the members of The US Express are maybe better known for their family than their exploits.
Mike Rotunda counts Bray Wyatt (RIP) and Bo Dallas among his children, and with Barry Windham being his brother-in-law, that current generation are of course his family.
But both men were superstars in their own right in their era, both as solo stars and in tag teams.
Rotunda is maybe best remembered as IRS, and was also a three-time Tag Team Champ as Money Inc alongside Ted Dibiase.
Windham had a career stuffed with gold, and also has previously been recognised by the HoF for his two-year stint in the Four Horsemen.
As The US Express they were two-time WWF Tag Team Champions and were a key tag team of the era taking on the likes of Nikolai Volkoff & The Iron Sheik and The Dream Team.
Thunderbolt Patterson
Inducted by: Scott Spears
A true inspiration in a key time in the industry, who worked with the likes of Dory Funk Sr, Bruiser Brody and The Iron Shiek and a major inspiration for none other than Dusty Rhodes.
Lia Maivia
Inducted by: The Rock
There was plenty of talk of Momma Rhodes in the built up to WrestleMania XL, but it's the Rock's momma who's being recognised before the big day.
More than just the matriarch of one of the most famous Bloodlines in wrestling, Lia was a massively important promoter in her own right.
She ran the NWA's Polynesian Pro Wrestling (PPW) Hawaii, and her Polynesian Pacific Pro Wrestling show ran on the Financial News Network.
Celebrity Inductee: Muhammad Ali
Inducted by: Lonnie Ali
Many celeb inductees in the WWE Hall of Fame certainly wouldn't fancy their chances in the squared circle, no matter how physical they may occasionally get at ringside.
And then there's The Greatest, Muhammad Ali.
A three-time World Heavyweight Champion and Olympic Gold medallist, in terms of what he did in boxing and as a cultural figure, there are few in sporting history that can touch what Ali did during his career.
And when he came to the WWE, his larger-than-life presence brought plenty of charisma and eyeballs both.
He was the special guest referee in the main event of the first WrestleMania, and his unconventional and controversial match against Antonio Inoki is hailed by some as the first ever MMA fight.
More than that though, there was an interplay between the worlds of professional wrestling and the swagger and style of Ali.
What do you think about the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2024? Let us know at @digitalspywwe. Catch up on Raw, Smackdown, NXT and all the big WWE action via the WWE Network or BT Sport.
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