As WrestleMania weekend fast approaches, WWE has begun to make announcements regarding its annual WWE Hall of Fame induction ceremony.
The 2023 Hall of Fame ceremony is set to take place on March 31st in Los Angeles, CA, immediately following the taping of SmackDown. WWE announced its first inductee into the class of 2023 on March 10th, revealing that Rey Mysterio would be receiving the honor despite still being an active competitor on the roster. He was confronted by his son Dominik following the announcement as the two have been at odds since Dominik joined The Judgment Day.
On March 15th, Ric Flair appeared on WWE The Bump and confirmed reports that he would be inducting Keiji Muto, also known as The Great Muta, into the class of 2023.
In the segment, Flair hailed the veteran who began his career all the way back in 1984. The star also wrestled under his real name, Keiji Muto, and competed against some of the best in-ring performers in history, including Flair. The legend competed across the world and became known for his use of the “poison mist,” while taking part in some of the bloodiest matches ever seen.
Flair paid tribute to the multiple-time World Champion, calling him a “great person and a great man.”
“He’s a tremendous guy and a tremendous athlete, a great person, a great man. I’ve wrestled him probably 500 times and I can’t think of a better guy for the company to honour…. I’m honoured to be the one to announce it.”
Stacy Keibler Is Heavily Rumored For The WWE Hall Of Fame Class Of 2023
While she hasn’t been announced yet by WWE, recent reports suggest a deal with Stacy Keibler to be inducted is nearly certain. The former WWE Diva last made an appearance with the sports entertainment in 2019, when she inducted longtime friend Torrie Wilson into the Hall of Fame.
Dave Meltzer confirmed in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter that Keibler is expected to be inducted this year, and also mentioned that two more names are expected to be announced. This confirms a report from PWInsider Elite that there are expected to be five names in total announced for this year’s Hall of Fame ceremony, and that no tag team inductions are expected.
There is no word on who the final two inductions will be, but PWInsider Elite also notes that Dave Bautista will not be part of this year’s WWE Hall of Fame class despite previous reports to the contrary.