One of the most fascinating things in wrestling, the WWE Hall of Fame is a really nebulous thing. Not represented by any kind of physical structure, that alone chips away at its credibility. When you then realize that there are no clear criteria for who gets inducted or not and that it seems like the deciding factor is the whims of a single person it becomes harder to take it seriously. However, all of that aside, the induction ceremony is still an annual event that a lot of people really look forward to. Additionally, it seems pretty obvious that most wrestlers that are inducted are genuinely touched by it.

Given that the WWE Hall of Fame has meaning for so many people, it really seems like some of the decisions made around it are pretty astonishing. After all, we respect anyone that gives their blood sweat and tears to the business but it is still a joke that Koko B. Ware, Bob Armstrong, Johnny Rodz and people like that have been inducted. If that weren’t enough, don’t even get us started on most of the so-called celebrity wing inductees.

Vince McMahon is the ultimate WWE decision maker in all things. As a result, there are some people whose careers are given a lot more weight because they hold a place in his heart while some people he does not like are not given the credit they deserve. Realizing all of this inspired us to put together this list of eleven deserving superstars who may never be inducted into the WWE’s Hall of Fame and eleven lesser stars who will be.

22 Lesser: R-Truth

Via Twitter.com

A wrestler that has shown a great deal of staying power, the man now known as R-Truth has been consistently employed since the year 1999. Most memorable for his current ten year run in the WWE, for the last several years he has been used as a comedy figure. However, that doesn’t mean that he was never used in a more important way as he and The Miz once wrestled The Rock and John Cena in the main event of a WWE pay per view. However, his greatest achievement came about during his several year run in TNA. Able to become the NWA World Heavyweight Champion while working for that company, he actually was the first black man to ever pull off that feat.

Someone that clearly has had a career worthy of a great deal of respect, despite that, he still never reached the heights a Hall of Famer should have to. For instance, when he won the NWA World Heavyweight Champion that belt was nowhere near as relevant as it had been in the past. Additionally, the only pay per view main event match he ever had was much more about seeing how well The Rock and John Cena would work together. Despite that, we think there is a very real possibility that he winds up in the WWE Hall of Fame somewhere down the line. After all, he and Vince McMahon reportedly have become close friends behind the scenes.

21 Deserving: Konnan

Via WWE.com

Someone that oftentimes does not get the credit he deserves, at least in North America, Konnan accomplished far more than some people realize. Best known in some areas for his time as a part of the nWo, that alone was impressive considering he came off as one of that group’s coolest members. Still, that pales in comparison to his earlier run in Mexico where he was so popular he has been compared o Hulk Hogan. On top of those things, his influence on the business behind the scenes should not go uncelebrated. Responsible for working out deals between many Mexican wrestlers and WCW, the high flying matches that were such a major part of that company's success may not have taken place without him.

Inducted into the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame in 2009, in order to be included Konnan had to have the respect of the many industry insiders that vote on who makes the cut. As such, many people see this Hall of Fame as the ultimate stamp of approval by your peers which makes Konnan’s inclusion a very big deal. Clearly highly respected by many people, it is only the opinion of Vince that truly matters when it comes to the WWE Hall of Fame. Formerly an employee of Vince’s during the early-nineties, when Konnan became a big deal in Mexico he “just stopped going” to WWE events. A major sin for any wrestler, it will likely keep Konnan out of the WWE’s Hall of Fame.

20 Lesser: Mabel/Viscera/Big Daddy V

Via cagesideseats.com

A business that has always been built around larger than life people, Nelson Frazier Jr. fits that description literally. A massive man that reportedly stands at six foot six and a half, he is also said to weigh more than five hundred pounds. As a result of his immense size and his ability to move faster than most people would ever expect, he stood out in virtually any crowd. That is why the WWE hired him several times and gave him one repackaging after another. Known throughout his career as Mabel, Viscera, and Big Daddy V, each iteration of his character was different but his fearsome image remained the same.

An employee of Vince McMahon off and on between 1993 and 2008, for that reason alone we could easily see the company opting to induct him into their Hall of Fame. No longer with us today, that also gives his inclusion an emotional pull for people that worked with him for all of those years. Finally, his Hall of Fame induction could smooth things over with his widow, who sued the company because she felt they held some responsibility for his poor health and early demise. Despite all of those reasons to put him into the Hall of Fame the move really wouldn’t make sense. After all, the one time they tried to make him a main event star, in a match for the WWF Championship against Diesel at 1995’s SummerSlam, it did not go well.

19 Deserving: AJ Lee

Via WWE.com

Someone that rose to prominence in the WWE during the early two thousand tens, AJ Lee would go on to be one of the best performers of her era. A former three-time WWE Divas Champion, there really wasn’t any aspect of the business that she was not marvelous at. For instance, she took part in several stellar matches during her career. However, in the WWE that doesn’t always mean that much, as evidenced by the career of a ring general like Lance Storm that never amounted to much in the company. Fortunately for AJ, she also was spectacular at portraying her character, which allowed her to outshine people like John Cena, Daniel Bryan, and Dolph Ziggler while sharing the ring with them.

Despite having all of the tools needed to be a mainstay of the business, she ended up leaving the WWE in 2015 much to the disappointment of her fans. Largely seen as something that was bound to happen at the time, it seemed like only a matter of time. The wife of CM Punk, the fact that he had become public enemy number one in the WWE made her position with her bosses highly vulnerable. Very disappointing, as she should be held accountable for her husband’s actions, her spouse is one reason why Hall of Fame induction will likely never happen for her. However, her own actions made her an enemy of the company too as she publicly called out Stephanie McMahon for her women's issues hypocrisy on Twitter.

18 Lesser: Hardcore Holly

Via WWE.com

An industry unlike any other in entertainment, when a wrestler receives their character they play it at multiple events each week. As such, when someone is put into a role that does not fit them it is imperative that they are repackaged as soon as possible. One of the best examples of that, the early nineties racecar driver character Thurman "Sparky" Plugg did not work in the slightest. However, once he became the badass Hardcore Holly he became a really solid mid-card performer. That said, aside from a receiving a shot at the WWE Championship at the 2004 Royal Rumble he never went beyond that.

Clearly, someone that developed a great deal of trust with the powers that be in the WWE, that allowed him to work for them from 1994 until 2009. The most successful wrestling company in the world, as a result, there are loads of wrestlers who dream of someday landing a spot on the WWE’s main roster. As such, if you are able to make the cut it says an awful lot about what Vince McMahon thinks about you. As such, Hardcore Holly’s fifteen-year run with the WWE says an awful lot. When you then think about the many long-tenured WWE Hall of Famers, like Rikishi, the Big Boss Man, and Hillbilly Jim, it seems like only a matter of time until he joins them. However, considering Holly’s only singles WWE title win was for the Hardcore Championship we just can’t say that would be deserved.

17 Deserving: Miss Elizabeth

Via WWE.com

When you look back on the career of Miss Elizabeth now, it really is astonishing to think that she made it in one of the most bombastic businesses around. A soft-spoken person that would likely have a great deal of trouble scaring almost anyone, she was never known for her abilities on the microphone. Yet somehow, she spent all of her adult years as a pro wrestling manager, a job that typically calls for someone to speak on the behalf of their clients. Instead, a manager that worked with some of the best talkers in wrestling history, she still became a huge star for other reasons.

Best remembered for serving as the manager of Randy Savage, her real-life husband at one time, the two had lots of chemistry onscreen. Someone that exuded grace and kindness, when Elizabeth and Randy announced their characters would marry people swooned. Then he became a bad guy and she left his side which set up their eventual reunion which was one of the most heartwarming moments in WWE history. Also the former manager of other people like Ric Flair, Hulk Hogan, Lex Luger, Sting, Eric Bischoff, she put her stamp and many memorable careers. For all of that and seemingly being an awesome person, she deserves to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. However, we fear that the tragic circumstances of her death will keep her out as the company doesn’t want people thinking about them at one of their biggest events of the year.

16 Lesser: John Bradshaw Layfield

Via mumbailive.com

The final person on this list that seems destined to join the WWE Hall of Fame partly due to his lengthy run with the WWE, John Bradshaw Layfield worked for the company off and on between 1995 and 2017. Spending much of that time working as a part of the mid-card, or even below that, he is a former Hardcore, Tag Team, and United States title holder in the WWE. Somewhat underwhelming during those years, his run as a part of the APA tag team with Farooq is still looked back on with a lot of affection. Still, it is his two hundred eighty day reign as WWE Champion that will be the lasting accomplishment of his in-ring career.

Retired from wrestling since 2012, after that he became a regular part of the WWE’s commentating team for years. Then he became embroiled in controversy in 2017 and suddenly announced that he would be leaving his latest company role. At the time a hated figure among fans as the many stories of his bullying behavior reached critical mass, the awful way he treated so many of his co-workers became well known. As a result, it seems likely that he was able to remain with the company for such a long time by holding other talents down. Not at all the type of thing that deserves celebrating, JBL still seems to be destined for the WWE’s Hall of Fame.

15 Deserving: Owen Hart

Via thepinsta.com

Undoubtedly one of the most beloved figures in the history of wrestling, Owen Hart had a mischievous quality to him that was so much fun to watch. Also marvelous at playing the jealous little brother as well, his feud with Bret Hart is one of the most compelling storylines in the history of the WWE. On top of that, he became a member of two fantastic Attitude Era factions, the Nation of Domination and the Hart Foundation. Sadly, his final days playing a comedic superhero led to a horrific tragedy that resulted in Owen’s grisly death after a plan to have him descend to the ring went awry and the fall killed him.

Even more lovable after his untimely demise, the fact that Owen was no longer a part of WWE’s storylines allowed his fellow wrestlers to talk about him with candor. Revealed to be the preeminent prankster in the WWE, it quickly became clear that he was loved by almost all of the people that shared a locker room with him. For his positive influence on his peers and the effect he had on fans around the world, we really want Owen to join the WWE Hall of Fame. Unlike the other deserving people on this list that will likely never been included, however, in this case, the WWE more than willing to induct him. The fact that his widow Martha is dead set against his inclusion seems to make that an impossibility despite what the WWE wants.

14 Lesser: A-Train

Via wrestlingmedia.org

If you ask us, Matt Bloom, the man that played Prince Albert, Albert, A-Train, Giant Bernard, and Lord Tensai has had an all over the place career. A huge man that is both strong and deceptively fast, at times he has been positioned as a danger to anyone he shares the ring with. On the other hand, the WWE has also used him for comedy as well, despite him having the kind of physical gifts that Vince McMahon usually salivates over. After all, they had him form a tag team with Brodus Clay that saw him dancing in front of crowds each week. If that weren’t enough, he also was nicknamed the “Hip Hop Hippo” at one point during his WWE career.

Opting to retire from in-ring competition in 2014, since then his career has only been on an upward trajectory. The current head coach in the WWE’s Performance Center, he is in charge of shepherding many future WWE superstars into the company. A position that somewhere down the line may warrant his inclusion in the WWE Hall of Fame, assuming he holds it for a long time, it seems like the company may not have that patience. Instead, we expect him to be inducted in the next several years despite his in-ring career being a mixed bag at best.

13 Deserving: Jim Johnston

Via cultaholic.com

A company that for a lot of people defines what professional wrestling is, the WWE is an absolute behemoth in its industry. The creator of content its millions of fans to watch on a regular basis, weekly shows like Raw and Smackdown define the company’s image. Shows that stand above the competition in large part due to the many stellar wrestling talents they employ, the WWE’s production team also help them stand out. After all, they use the most cutting-edge technology to film their events and the edited videos they put out are stunning since they are so well put together. Despite that, the many behind the scenes employees never get their day in the spotlight.

A part of the production team for years, Jim Johnston served as the WWE’s chief composer. This made it his job to put together most of the songs that played when wrestlers made their way to the ring during his tenure. In fact, the legendary music of wrestlers like The Undertaker, Steve Austin, The Rock, Vince McMahon, Chris Jericho, and far too many others to list here were all created because of his efforts. Due to that, Jim Johnston is absolutely deserving of WWE Hall of Fame induction since so many wrestlers will forever be associated with tracks he worked on. However, since the WWE barely ever acknowledges employees outside their onscreen performers Johnston is unlikely to be celebrated the night before WrestleMania.

12 Lesser: Mike “I.R.S.” Rotunda

Via WWE.com

A star during the dying days of the territorial system, Mike Rotunda was a witness to the WWE’s rise to industry dominance. A performer that in a lot of ways would have been a better fit to have entered the business a generation earlier, Rotunda is a nuts and bolts kind of performer. A former amateur wrestler, throughout much of his career in the ring he portrayed a no-nonsense performer whose athletic ability demanded respect. However, he wrestled for the WWE during the Rock “N” Wrestling era and embraced their theatrical approach to the business as Irwin R. Schyster. A good middle of the card villain during the final years of his in-ring career he wrestled in the for the WWE, WCW, New Japan, and All Japan.

Hired as a road agent by the WWE in 2006, Mike Rotunda seems to have done a great job. We say that because he has continued to work for the company in the years since and occasionally has made random onscreen appearances to the delight of many longtime fans. Also the father of current WWE stars Bo Dallas and Bray Wyatt, it seems safe to say that he is pretty entrenched with the company. Clearly, a favorite of Vince McMahon, it seems likely that and his kids being able to induct him will lead to him joining the WWE Hall of Fame. However, we think that it would be his connections that got him the accolade as his career, though awesome, doesn’t really qualify him for it.

11 Deserving: Brian Pillman

via wwe.com

A former professional football player that played in both the NFL and CFL, Brian Pillman’s sports career never took off. However, it did teach him how to be an athlete and he used those skills to stand out during the early years of his professional wrestling career. Relatively small for the business, when he was signed by WCW he became Flyin' Brian and his aerial in-ring skills made him a star quickly. From there put into a tag team with Steve Austin that many point to as one of the best ever, he also joined the Four Horsemen which says a lot about him. However, it was the character he created next that makes him a true legend.

A business built around matches with predetermined endings and stories that were put together by writers or bookers in the back, wrestling events are intricately planned out. Still, when Brian Pillman became known as a loose cannon he convinced many fans that he really was nuts. In fact, his unpredictable behavior inspired Bobby Heenan, the most unflappable person in the business, to swear in surprise on air. Making the jump to the WWE after that, he then became the only Hart Foundation member that was never a part of the actual Hart family. Sadly, despite all this, he has yet to be added to the WWE’s Hall of Fame. In our opinion, the desire to have the disgusting interview that WWE aired with his real-life wife the day after his death will keep him out too.

10 Lesser: Rob Van Dam

Via stillrealtous.com

One of the most memorable members of the original ECW’s roster, Rob Van Dam’s raw athleticism made him a sensation. At one point the set to become that company’s main star, he even had an almost two-year run with the ECW Television Championship prior to vacating it after injuring himself. Able to make the leap to the WWE, he spent years on end as one of the most beloved performers in the company but his bosses never seemed to get behind him. Then he won the WWE Championship and was awarded the WWE’s version of the ECW World Championship but lost them both in a matter of days after getting arrested by police in real life.

An extremely popular figure within the wrestling fan base, if that alone made someone worthy of Hall of Fame induction Rob Van Dam would be a fantastic choice for inclusion. That said, we definitely feel like more than that should be considered, like the person’s position in the business throughout their career. Never able to ascend to the top spot in any major company, he spent most of his career as somebody that was working below his potential. Then, he went and screwed up his single chance at the spotlight in the biggest wrestling company in the world. Still, despite falling short of expectations we expect the WWE to induct Rob into their Hall of Fame before too long. After all, he could really boost Hall of Fame ticket sales among the original ECW’s diehard fan base.

9 Deserving: Demolition

Via WWE.com

During the Rock “N” Wrestling era the WWE employed some of the best tag teams in the history of the business, like The British Bulldogs, The Hart Foundation, The Rockers to name only a few. Despite that incredible competition, it was Demolition that reigned supreme. Three-time WWF World Tag Team Champions, their greatest time with the belts lasted four hundred seventy-eight straight days which stood as the longest single reign in company history for decades. On top of that, they were so dominant that they overcame their fearsome look to be one of the most popular acts in the business at one point.

We can just picture it now, Demolition coming out on stage wearing suits at the annual Hall of Fame event as “here comes the Ax, here comes the Smasher” can be heard again. While seeing them in penguin suits would just be weird, that mental image brings a smile to our faces. On top of that, it would be nice to celebrate the career of a now departed wrestler, Brian Adams who joined this team in its final years as Crush. Something that really should have happened by now, their induction likely hasn’t because Ax and Smash joined a class action lawsuit against the WWE. In fact, in recent years The New Day surpassed Demolition’s record holding title reign and many believe that happened to put other people in the record books. An opinion we agree with, in that case, it seems obvious the company won’t celebrate them anytime soon.

8 Lesser: LayCool

Via Pinterest.com

A team made up of two former competitors in the RAW Divas Search, LayCool rose to dominance in the WWE during a time in which women’s wrestling was on the back burner. Made up of Michelle McCool and Layla El, prior to coming together their careers were going nowhere fast. Worse yet, in Layla’s case, she spent a period of time doing nothing more in the company than going out to the ring and dancing. However, these two had an undeniable onscreen chemistry and they embraced their villainous characters with complete abandon. This allowed LayCool to be deliciously hateable during their all too brief run.

While LayCool always did their best with what they were given, it is still hard to overlook their most memorable storyline and how awful it was. Placed into a feud with Mickie James, their characters began referring to her as Piggie James. Written to make fun of their foe’s weight, it was truly ridiculous as calling Mickie overweight could only give fans a terribly unrealistic body ideal to try and live up to. Not their fault, as they were just doing as they were told, it still is a pox on the history of this tandem. That aside, they weren’t even a team for two years and there are other female performers that accomplished much more than they did. However, given the fact that Michelle is married to arguably the most respected man in WWE history, The Undertaker, LayCool is destined for Hall of Fame induction any year now.

7 Deserving: Andy Kaufman

Via commercialappeal.com

Meant to celebrate the most important figures in wrestling history, the WWE Hall of Fame should only include those people whose careers made a difference in the business. However, its so-called celebrity wing was created so they could also garner headlines by including mainstream stars in their annual Hall of Fame event. Opting to induct people like Pete Rose, Drew Carey, and Bob Uecker as a part of this idea, the barrier to entry is incredibly easy to overcome. Still, at least someone like Mr. T, who really did make a difference, was included in this section.

Someone that rose to fame as a comedian and Saturday Night Live recurring guest, Andy Kaufman has also gone down in history as one of the stars of the sitcom Taxi. Very successful in the early eighties, most people that attain fame are all too happy to continue doing whatever made them a big deal. A wholly unique person, however, Andy Kaufman instead opted to join the wrestling business and relished getting people to hate him by running down women as the inferior gender. Completely dedicated to his new character, during his legendary feud with Jerry Lawler he even played his villainous character on national television as a guest on David Letterman’s late night show. Despite all that, he will likely never join the WWE Hall of Fame as the celebrity wing is meant to garner attention for the appearances of stars at a WWE event and Andy has been dead for years.

6 Lesser: Stacy Keibler

Via WWE.com

First hired in the wrestling business by WCW, Stacy Keibler got that opportunity after winning a competition to become the latest member of the Nitro Girls dance troupe. Eventually added to storylines, prior to WCW shuttering their doors she took part in a memorable storyline with Ric and David Flair. Hired by the WWE when they bought out their competition, she worked for Vince McMahon for five years all told. A major part of the WWE’s television product during much of that time, she worked alongside talents like Test, Scott Steiner, and even Vince McMahon.

One of a select few wrestling stars that were able to become mainstream celebrities, for a time Stacy Keibler seemed to be the talk of the town. Cast in the second season of the hugely popular competition show Dancing with the Stars, Stacy had an advantage going in since she was an experienced dancer. Able to last a long time, as a result, she ended up coming in third and was among the most popular people from her season. From there garnering more attention due to dating George Clooney for years, she was a tabloid mainstay for a long time. A company that loves mainstream attention, Stacy’s success outside of wrestling will likely make the WWE induct her into their Hall of Fame. However, considering she was almost always used as eye candy during her time with them there are many other people that deserve it more.

5 Deserving: Chyna

Via cnet.com

A very striking person from the moment she debuted in the WWE, from moment one Chyna was unlike any other woman in the company’s history. Packaged with Triple H early on, she became a founding member of D-Generation X and served as the muscle for both Hunter and Shawn Michaels. A major part of one of the most talked about factions in the history of the business, during her run with DX that group became insanely popular. Also able to attain a remarkable amount of success by herself, she became the first-ever female Intercontinental Champion in company history. When you then factor in her stellar run in the women’s division and her DX membership she should be a slam dunk for the WWE Hall of Fame.

The real-life girlfriend of Triple H for years, when he left Chyna things got really messy. That’s because he became romantically linked to their bosses daughter which made Chyna the third wheel. Soon after that, despite previously being the most successful woman on the WWE’s roster, the company allowed her contract to run out with resigning her. Evidently pushed off the roster by Steph, Chyna has never gotten her due credit since then. Additionally, now a PG company, when Chyna starred in some videos designed only for adults she gave her former bosses another excuse not to celebrate her. Excuses aside, Chyna does not seem destined to get what she deserves, a spot in the Hall of Fame for arguably being the most trailblazing woman in WWE’s history.

4 Lesser: Terry Taylor

Via prowrestlingstories.com

The most important company in wrestling, for that reason, many performers that are signed by the WWE are willing to portray characters they are assigned that they would otherwise balk at. Perhaps the best example of that, when Terry Taylor was told that he would be known as the Red Rooster during his run with the company he must have felt like they were playing a joke on him. Still, he took the character on and seemingly tried to make the best of it. His efforts didn’t make his new gimmick any less stupid, however, and his onscreen career there went nowhere.

A behind the scenes figure for many years now, he has worked for WCW, TNA, and currently is employed by the WWE. A sign of the fact that he has a set of skills that few other people in the business possess, his role allowed him to work with many current and future superstars. Not liked by everyone, Bobby Heenan out and out said “I don’t like him” while Jim Cornette, Bret Hart, Doug Gilbert, and many others aren’t exactly fans of his. Someone whose onscreen career never reached the level his athletic talents seemed to demand, he also has a mixed reputation among his peers and doesn’t seem like a Hall of Famer to us. However, given that the company has hired him on five separate occasions and he works for them in an important position today we can easily see them giving him that accolade.

3 Deserving: Ted Turner

Via cagesideseats.com

The most unique entity on this list, Ted Turner has never worked directly in the wrestling business but his fingerprints are still deeply ingrained in it. At one-time an absolute titan of business, he pioneered the superstation concept in television when he founded WTBS and then also created the channel TNT as well. A big believer in owning the content his channels aired whenever possible, this led him to buy a wrestling company he renamed WCW with the intent of turning it into a competitor for the WWE.

Determined to outdo his competition, during a meeting with Eric Bischoff he decided to give WCW a primetime slot on TNT that aired directly against WWE’s Monday Night Raw. The move that started the so-called Monday Night Wars, it led to the biggest boom period in the history of the business. That alone should be enough to make him a WWE Hall of Famer. When you then factor in the fact that other non-WWE wrestling company heads like Carlos Colón, Verne Gagne and Fritz Von Erich have all been inducted Ted seems like a shoo-in. However, the fact that he owned the company that came closest to putting the WWE out of business it seems like Vince may hold a bit of a grudge.