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WrestleMania season brings with it the tradition of the WWE Hall of Fame induction ceremony. Some of the greatest stars, performers, wrestlers, and managers in professional wrestling history all have their rightful place in the WWE Hall of Fame. However, there are notable names who are not currently enshrined in the WWE Hall of Fame.
It was recently announced that former WCW President Eric Bischoff would be a member of the 2021 WWE Hall of Fame induction class. Bischoff is responsible for launching WCW Monday Nitro in the 1990s, beginning the fabled Monday Night Wars, and leading World Championship Wrestling to defeat WWE in the television ratings for 83 straight weeks.
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With Eric Bischoff being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame, it brings up the discussion of other WCW legends, champions, and icons that are also deserving of that honor.
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Let's take a closer look at five WCW stars who should be in the WWE Hall of Fame.
#5 Sid Vicious
Sid Vicious had a highly decorated career for both WCW and WWE. Competing under a variety of different names, Sid Vicious is a former two-time WWE Champion, two-time WCW World Heavyweight Champion and a former WCW United States Champion.
Throughout his career, Sid bounced back and forth between WCW and WWE. He began his WCW career in 1989 and teamed up with Danny Spivey to form the tag team known as The Skyscrapers before joining Ric Flair's illustrious faction, The Four Horsemen.
WWE Championship success and depatures
However, Sid then moved to WWE in 1991 and was featured in a major position by main eventing WWE WrestleMania VIII against Hulk Hogan, losing by disqualification.
Sid briefly returned to WCW in 1993 before once again returning to WWE in 1995 as Shawn Michaels' new bodyguard, now going by the name of "Sycho Sid".
During this run, Sid won the WWE Championship on two separate occasions, defeating both Shawn Michaels and Bret "Hitman" Hart respectively. However, after injuries and disagreements with officials, Sid once again left WWE in 1997.
Eventually, Sid returned to WCW once again in 1999 as "The Mellennium Man" and captured the WCW United States Championship. During this run with the promotion, Sid won the WCW World Heavyweight Championship on two separate occasions. However, his career was halted after suffering a near career-ending leg break in 2001.
Given his success with both WWE and WCW, one would think that Sid would be a first ballot WWE Hall of Famer. However, due to clashes behind the scenes during his respective runs with the company, perhaps WWE is cautious about inducting Sid into its Hall of Fame.
#4 Scott Steiner
The WWE Hall of Fame is incomplete without Big Poppa Pump. Scott Steiner is one of the names most closely associated with WCW and he has a variety of accolades to his name with World Championship Wrestling.
Steiner is a former WCW World Heavyweight Champion, two-time WCW World Television Champion, two-time WCW United States Champion, and seven-time WCW World Tag Team Champion.
However it's Scott Steiner's run with WCW in the late 1990s that he's arguably best remembered for. After teaming with his brother Rick in the Steiner Brothers for years, Scott Steiner eventually turned on him and became a singles competitor, joining the villianous nWo faction.
During this time, Scott Steiner completely transformed his look by bleaching his hair blonde, gaining a significant amount of muscle mass, and referring to himself as "Big Poppa Pump". Steiner's popularity increased, with his crazy promos and interviews becoming the stuff of internet legend.
After WWE purchased WCW in 2001, Steiner eventually signed a multi-year deal with the company in 2002. After debuting to much fan fare, Big Poppa Pump's run with the company was largely disappointing and he was released by the promotion in 2004.
The former WCW World Heavyweight Champion would continue to wrestle for promotions such as TNA Wrestling after this.
Why isn't Scott Steiner in the WWE Hall of Fame?
It is highly unlikely that Big Poppa Pump will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame any time soon. Scott Steiner has been vocally critical of WWE in recent years and has also been involved in numerous legal disputes with WWE legends such as Hulk Hogan.
Steiner was even reportedly banned from attending the 2015 WWE Hall of Fame induction ceremony due to an alleged altercation with Hulk Hogan's wife at a San Jose airport.
Therefore, it doesn't look like we'll see Freakzilla get his rightful place in the WWE Hall of Fame in the near future.
#3 Lex Luger
Arguably one of the biggest names missing from the WWE Hall of Fame is Lex Luger. During the 1990s, Lex Luger was one of the biggest stars in professional wrestling. Luger has had runs with both WWE and WCW, however it is his success in World Championship Wrestling that he is arguably best remembered for.
Lex Luger is a former two-time WCW World Heavyweight Champion, two-time WCW Television Champion, five-time WCW United States Champion, three-time WCW World Tag Team Champion, and the second ever WCW Triple Crown Champion.
Lex Luger helped kick off the Monday Night Wars between WCW Monday Nitro and WWE Monday Night RAW in the 1990s when he infamously appeared on the premiere episode of Nitro on TNT.
After this, Lex Luger had a lengthy run feuding with the villainous nWo faction in WCW. He eventually joined the nWo Wolfpack over nWo Hollywood before the respective New World Order factions reunited in WCW.
Lex Luger's WWE history
Lex Luger did have a relatively successful run with WWE from 1993 to 1995, co-winning the 1994 Royal Rumble with Bret "Hitman" Hart. However, it has been speculated that perhaps there is still some resentment from WWE officials for Luger leaving to join WCW in the 1990s.
This could possibly be the reason why the former WCW World Heavyweight Champion is yet to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.
#2 Dennis Rodman
The celebrity wing of the WWE Hall of Fame is often criticized. WWE has used the celebrity wing as a way to invite fringe celebrities who have had a couple WWE appearances in the past to attend the Hall of Fame ceremony and garner some press.
However, there are certainly celebrity names outside of professional wrestling that have contributed significantly to the industry and deserve a spot in the WWE Hall of Fame.
Names such as Mr. T, Mike Tyson, and Pete Rose are all worthy inductees into the celebrity wing of the WWE Hall of Fame. NBA legend Dennis Rodman arguably contributed just as much, perhaps even more, than most of those celebrity names.
During the height of the Monday Night Wars in the 1990s, Dennis Rodman regularly appeared on WCW programming. In 1997, Rodman began appearing on Monday Nitro as a member of the villianous nWo faction alongside Hollywood Hulk Hogan.
The Worm even began competing in matches for World Championship Wrestling. One of the biggest names in sports history, Dennis Rodman, teamed up with Hollywood Hogan to take on Lex Luger and The Giant at Bash at the Beach in 1997. He would then later appear at Road Wild 1997 to assist Hogan in winning the WCW World Heavyweight Championship from Luger.
Dennis Roadman's biggest WCW match took place at the Bash at the Beach 1998 event. WCW and NBA rivals squared off as Rodman teamed once again with Hollywood Hulk Hogan to defeat Diamond Dallas Page and Utah Jazz's Karl Malone. This came after Rodman's Chicago Bulls had just defeated Malone's Utah Jazz in the 1998 NBA finals.
Dennis Rodman returned to WCW once again in 1999, this time feuding with "Macho Man" Randy Savage. The rivalry between the two led to a match at Road Wild 1999 in which Rodman was defeated by Savage.
Dennis Rodman in the WWE Hall of Fame?
It is certainly surprising that WWE is yet to add Rodman to a WWE Hall of Fame induction class. There aren't many high-profile celebrities and sports athletes that have embraced professional wrestling as much as Dennis Rodman, especially during the peak of their career as The Worm did in the 1990s.
Perhaps the reason he is yet to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame is because all of his professional wrestling appearances and success came in a rival promotion.
Nevertheless, The Worm is tailor-made for the celebrity wing of the WWE Hall of Fame.
#1 Vader
Irrespective of promotions, Vader is a name that everyone unanimously agrees should be in the WWE Hall of Fame. The Man They Call Vader is one of the greatest super heavyweight professional wrestlers of all time.
In addition to being one of the most physical and brutal professional wrestlers in the sport's history, Vader also possessed incredible athleticism and agility for a man of his stature and size.
Despite standing six-feet-five-inches tall and weighing 450lbs, Vader was able to perform a moonsault from the top rope and incorporate moves such as the Vader Bomb into his signature arsenal.
Appearing for World Championship Wrestling between 1990 and 1995, Vader achieved huge success with WCW. Vader is a former three-time WCW World Heavyweight Champion and also a former WCW United States Champion.
Success in WWE
After departing WCW, Vader also appeared in WWE between 1996 and 1998. During his time with the promotion, Vader was a member of Camp Cornette, managed by Jim Cornette. Vader engaged in memorable feuds against the likes of Shawn Michaels, The Undertaker and Kane.
Arguably, Vader's most memorable WWE moment came when The Mastadon attacked WWE President Gorilla Monsoon on an episode of Monday Night RAW in 1996, leading to his kayfabe suspension.
Vader's accomplishments for WCW, WWE, NJPW and AJPW are undeniable. As one of the best "big-men" to ever lace up a pair of boots, it feels inevitable that Vader will one day be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.
Unfortunately, Vader passed away in 2018, therefore his eventual WWE Hall of Fame induction will be done posthumously.
