By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
WWE issued the following press release to announce Batista and The NWO the first members of the WWE Hall of Fame class of 2020.
STAMFORD, Conn., December 9, 2019 – WWE (NYSE: WWE) today announced that Batista and nWo members “Hollywood” Hulk Hogan, Scott Hall™, Kevin Nash™ and Sean Waltman™ will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame at a ceremony on Thursday, April 2 at Amalie Arena in Tampa Bay, FL as part of WrestleMania® Week.
Batista is a six-time World Champion and a pop culture phenomenon. Throughout his illustrious career, “The Animal™” had memorable rivalries with some of the biggest names in WWE history including John Cena®, Triple H® and The Undertaker®. Batista is also a founding member of the revolutionary faction Evolution® alongside Ric Flair®, Triple H® and Randy Orton®. At WrestleMania this past April, Batista competed for the final time against Triple H. Outside the ring, Batista has successfully conquered Hollywood, appearing in Spectre, Stuber and Marvel’s blockbuster Guardians of the Galaxy and Avengers films.
One of the most innovative and controversial factions in sports entertainment history, the New World Order® (nWo) was led by “Hollywood” Hulk Hogan, Scott Hall, Kevin Nash and Sean Waltman. The group captivated fans around the world and was crucial to the success of WCW® during the historic Monday Night Wars®. With an innovative style and attitude, the nWo participated in memorable rivalries against some of the biggest names in WCW history, including Sting, Diamond Dallas Page and Lex Luger.
“Batista was one of the fastest rising stars ever in WWE with an incredible list of accolades, and the success of the nWo changed the course of sports entertainment history,” said Paul “Triple H” Levesque, WWE Executive Vice President, Talent, Live Events & Creative. “It is only fitting that they all take their rightful place in the WWE Hall of Fame.”
Tickets for the 2020 WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony are available this Friday, December 13 at 12 Noon ET through all Ticketmaster outlets, www.ticketmaster.com or at ReliaQuest Ticket Office at Amalie Arena. All tickets are subject to service charges and facility fees.
WrestleMania 36 takes place Sunday, April 5 from Raymond James Stadium in Tampa Bay, FL and will stream live on WWE Network.
Powell’s POV: It will be interesting to see how the ceremony’s move to Thursday night will affect the ticket sales. I’m not surprised to see Hulk Hogan being inducted in this fashion given that he lives in the Tampa area.
Batista is a pop culture phenomenon? Would that make the Rock the greatest human that ever lived by comparison?
He’s been in 11 films that have made a total of $2.91 billion and counting.