5 WWE legends who could headline the 2023 Hall of Fame

WWE is returning to Hollywood for the first time since 2005, when WrestleMania 21 took over The Staples Center. As we get closer to the biggest show of the year, it's important to remember there's another part of WrestleMania weekend that is just as important - the Hall of Fame ceremony.

Each year, WWE inducts a select class of legends into the Hall of Fame. Each year, there is typically one person who is the unofficial headliner for the ceremony.

Over the past several years, some of the names that have been headliners for the WWE Hall of Fame include The Undertaker, The nWo, Goldberg, Sting, and The Ultimate Warrior, just to name a few.

With this year's event taking place in Hollywood, it will be interesting to see which former WWE Superstar will be the main attraction. Here is our list of 5 WWE legends who could headline the 2023 Hall of Fame ceremony.

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#5. The Total Package Lex Luger

The Total Package Lex Luger certainly had a hall-of-fame career.

WCW was once WWE's biggest competition, and for a while, World Championship Wrestling was at the top regarding television ratings during the "Monday Night Wars." One of the major reasons for the meteoric success that Eric Bischoff's company enjoyed was "The Total Package" Lex Luger.

Early in Luger's career, he competed against a who's-who of professional wrestling legends. Some of the more notable names that Lex had historic feuds with included Ric Flair, The Great Muta, Dusty Rhodes, and Nikita Koloff, to name a few.

Luger went on to become a two-time WCW World Heavyweight Champion, and he held numerous other championships throughout his storied career as well.

During his time with the company, Luger was best known for his two alternate monikers - "The Narcissist" and "The All-American." The Narcissist gimmick was his ego-driven persona, and the All-American character was used in hopes of filling the void left by Hulk Hogan.

Most of Lex's success was while he was with WCW, but he was also a significant draw for WWE as well. Considering his achievements and contributions to the sport, there is no question that Lex Luger is worthy of being inducted into the 2023 Hall of Fame.

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#4. 16 time WWE Champion John Cena

John Cena is one of the most beloved WWE Superstars of all time.

Not many professional wrestlers have made quite the impact that John Cena has made on the industry. His contributions and accolades are endless, both in and out of the ring.

The Leader of Cenation is widely respected by fans and peers alike as one of the absolute best. During an interview with Tampa-based radio personality Bubba The Love Sponge, Hall of Famer Kurt Angle called John Cena "the greatest WWE Superstar of all time."

"John Cena is the greatest WWE Superstar of all time. He's the one with 16 world titles, no one else has done that," said Angle.

John Cena got his start with WWE as a part of that legendary 2000 OVW developmental class, which included Brock Lesnar, Trish Stratus, and Batista, to name a few.

Cena was initially known as "The Prototype," a robot, bodybuilder-type character. But as we now know, The Champ would eventually make his main roster in 2002 and morph into the early John Cena persona. This was shortly after declaring "Ruthless Aggression" in his loss to Kurt Angle on Smackdown.

The 16 world title reigns are something that will be etched in the pro wrestling history books forever. However, John Cena's legacy is defined by much more than that. Cena has been a tremendous ambassador for everything that is right with this sport. It's also worth mentioning his community outreach efforts, which include hundreds of visits with children through the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

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#3. Former six-time WWE Champion "The Animal" Batista

Batista has gone Hollywood, and so will WWE!

The last time WrestleMania "went Hollywood" was in 2005 for WrestleMania 21. Ironically, the main event that night was Triple H, who was the World Heavyweight Champion at the time, versus Batista. This proved to be a pivotal moment in The Animal's career as he defeated Hunter to claim his first championship with the company.

Early on in Batista's career, he aligned himself with living legends Randy Orton, Ric Flair, and Triple H. Together, they formed the faction known as Evolution. The former World Heavyweight Champion served as the unofficial muscle of the stable, and he used this time with the stable to establish himself as a main event contender.

During his time as a WWE Superstar, Batista became a six-time WWE Champion and one of the premier stars of the Ruthless Aggression era. Since leaving the company, The Animal has shifted his focus to the big screen and has starred in multiple box office hits.

Batista was originally set to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2020. However, the covid crisis forced the ceremony to be delayed until the following year. The Hollywood star then stated that he would be unable to attend the ceremony but said he requested to be inducted at a later date.

With WrestleMania being in Hollywood this year, it's only fitting that Batista is considered to headline the ceremony.

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#2. WWE Chairman of the Board Vince McMahon

Mr. McMahon is the most influential person in pro wrestling history.

Vincent Kennedy McMahon has had his thumb on the professional wrestling industry for over five decades. He is by far the most influential personality to ever be involved in the sport, and regardless of whether you love him or you love to hate him, you can't deny what this man has done for the sport that we all love so much.

I am well aware of the recent controversy surrounding Mr. McMahon. However, nothing has been proven, except for the fact that Vince McMahon has delivered a product that has entertained multiple generations and will continue to entertain for many more years. Vince is a pioneer. He's a visionary and a trendsetter. Without Vince, the landscape would have been substantially different.

I am sure Mr. McMahon wants no part in being inducted into the Hall of Fame, but no one is more deserving than him. It's time to give this man his flowers while we still have him, and there's no better way than inducting Vincent Kennedy McMahon as the headliner for the 2023 WWE Hall of Fame.

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#1. The Great One: Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson

The Rock has had a successful career both in and out of the ring.

There has never been another former WWE Superstar who has crossed over into the mainstream and had astronomical success like Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson.

A product of the iconic Anoa'i wrestling family, The Rock is the son of Hall of Famer Rocky Johnson and grandson of another legendary WWE Hall of Famer, Peter Maivia.

The wrestling world was introduced to "Rocky Maivia" in 1996. Shortly after that, The Nation of Domination was created, and at that time, Maivia was repackaged as The Rock as he joined The Nation, where this fairytale story began.

The Rock was naturally gifted with an abundance of raw athleticism, charisma, and swagger like no other. Throughout his wrestling career, fans were enamored with his legendary catchphrases and his electric entrances. The People's Champion was destined for greatness, and he ignited a fire that would propel the company into and through the Attitude Era en route to becoming one of the greatest of all time.

Since leaving pro wrestling, The Rock has become a household name among wrestling fans, but with the mainstream world as well as becoming the most successful crossover personality in history. The most recent venture for the Hollywood star has been the successful relaunch of the XFL.

As previously noted, WrestleMania is taking over Hollywood for the first time since 2005. No one exemplifies what a Hollywood mogul is quite like, The Rock. His time is now. The former eight-time world champion has earned his place in the Hall of Fame, and there is no setting more fitting for the world's biggest box office star than Tinseltown. Finally, The Rock has come back to...Hollywood.