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The Ruthless Aggression Era might not be the most prominently remembered period in WWE history. But the longevity of the stars created by the company during that era is second to none. That is why the Ruthless Aggression Era is fondly remembered.
A who's who of incredible wrestling talent made their name in the WWE during the mid-2000s, with some putting on excellent matches every week, some wowing the world with their godly strength, and some re-defining what it meant to be the face of the company.
Many Superstars became household names between 2002 and 2008, with some of them already having graced the WWE Hall of Fame. The likes of Edge and Kurt Angle have already been immortalized, while Batista is set to be inducted to the Hall this year.
Another few megastars will headline the prestigious WrestleMania weekend event in the future, but not everyone from this era will have that honor. Some might be just below the headlining act, while some simply will not make the Hall of Fame ever.
Here are three stars from the Ruthless Aggression Era who may headline the WWE Hall of Fame, and two who probably won't.
#5 Randy Orton (Will)
If you want to build a WWE Superstar from the ground up, you would get Randy Orton. This is a phrase that has been overused time and time again, but we can see why. On his day, there are very few better than the Viper.
He has been a consistent presence on WWE's full-time roster since the beginning of the Ruthless Aggression Era, first gaining prominence as the young stud of Evolution. While his face turn and removal from the group did not go down well, Orton recovered soon after.
His 'Legend Killer' gimmick made Orton one of the top stars in the company, taking him to a total of 13 world championships so far. Even today, we are witnessing the brilliance of a psychotic heel Randy Orton, as he prepares to face Edge at WrestleMania.
The 3rd generation Superstar has won everything there is to win in WWE and remains over after all these years. That, along with his longevity and evolution as a top-tier star makes him a guaranteed Hall of Fame headliner. It's been 16 years and counting.
#4 Chris Benoit (Won't)
Well, this is an obvious one. Chris Benoit became a household name in the early 2000s, but he cemented himself as a main eventer during the heart of the Ruthless Aggression Era, in 2004. His victories in that year's Royal Rumble Match and the main event of WrestleMania 20 were incredible, but they will never be the same again.
Unfortunately, the entire saga in June 2007 will forever put an asterisk on everything that Benoit has done. WWE has not mentioned him since then, and rightfully so. Despite the amazing career he had, Benoit should not be celebrated.
Had those terrible events not transpired, there is no doubt that Chris Benoit would be revered today as one of the most legendary figures in wrestling history. He probably would have headlined the WWE Hall of Fame as well. But this prevents Benoit from ever entering it, let alone headline the ceremony.
After all, it is difficult to separate Chris Benoit the performer from Chris Benoit the man.
#3 Brock Lesnar (Will)
This is probably the most interesting, and exciting, name on this list. As far as we know, the idea of a Brock Lesnar Hall of Fame speech is baffling and intriguing at the same time. After years of Paul Heyman doing all of his talking for him, how would Lesnar do with a speech of his own?
Hopefully, that day comes in the near future. Lesnar is a combat sports legend, making his name is numerous avenues. His initial run with WWE was unbelievable, the Beast had a rocket strapped to his back. He was one of the biggest successes of the Ruthless Aggression Era.
Lesnar truly dominated the WWE Championship scene for 18 months before leaving the company. He dominated the UFC towards the end of the decade, before returning to WWE as their most legitimate star. Lesnar ascended to the next level when he ended The Undertaker's WrestleMania streak.
This year has already seen Brock Lesnar do a stellar job with his character and personality, as well as make a new Superstar, in Drew McIntyre. Their eventual WWE Title match at WrestleMania will be a sight to see. Lesnar has proven over time how valuable he really is.
Just for being the successful and incredible performer he is, Lesnar has to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame as the undisputed headliner.
#2 Rey Mysterio (Won't)
Rey Mysterio is an absolute legend of the industry and was a pioneer in so many ways. He has been an inspiration and continues to be one today, with his timeless in-ring skills. However long he has left in the ring, we should cherish it, as Mysterio is a generational performer who transcends the business.
With that being said, WWE hasn't really treated Mysterio like a true headlining babyface. Sure, he won the 2006 Royal Rumble Match and captured the World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania 22. But he never really felt like a champion Md constantly lost matches on SmackDown.
Even during his brightest moments, Rey Mysterio was never painted as the most important guy on the show. That is a sign that WWE will not give him the headline spot at the Hall of Fame. He will be an inductee after retiring, probably as the second-from-top name in his Class instead of the top.
So when the time comes, the Hall of Fame might prove to be the final time we get to see Rey Mysterio steal the show from the undercard, as he has done on numerous occasions.
#1 John Cena (Will)
The personification of Ruthless Aggression made this era truly special. After a couple of turbulent years of mixing old with new, John Cena broke out and changed the game for WWE. He was the poster boy of the complete transition of the company, especially after Brock Lesnar's departure.
Ever since WWE gave him the ball to run with, Cena has excelled in pretty much every way. No man has been the face of the organization as long as he was, it isn't even close. And along with the championships he racked up, John Cena became an institution.
Whether you love him or hate him, there is no denying the talent and passion that Cena possesses and has showcased in WWE. And hopefully, we get to see a little more of that before he decides to hang up his baseball cap and sneakers permanently.
16 world titles ain't no joke. Couple that with the incredible work he does with the Make-A-Wish Foundation, and there is nobody who is more nailed down than John Cena for a headlining spot in the WWE Hall of Fame. He truly was the company's 'Golden Boy'.
Cena might be inducted as soon as next year, as WrestleMania heads to his new stomping grounds, in Hollywood. Hopefully, he still has something left to give back to the industry that made him a household name, and some more.
