The WWE Hall of Fame experienced a bumpy road at the top of the decade. When the global pandemic forced professional wrestling promotions to pivot to empty arena shows, it meant all weekly television and monthly pay-per-views were produced without a live audience. While most companies soldiered on with their scheduled events, some did end up biting the dust. That was the case for the 2020 WWE Hall of Fame ceremony, as it was cancelled outright. The Class of 2020 inductees eventually got their ceremony the following year, as they were paired with the Class of 2021, but that celebration ended up being a pre-taped event inside the virtual WWE ThunderDome.
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While the 2021 ceremony honored most of the anticipated inductees, one former world champion opted out of the event. Dave Bautista was previously scheduled to headline the Class of 2020 but was forced to pull out of the eventual 2021 ceremony “due to previous obligations.” Bautista added that WWE honored his request to induct him at a “future ceremony” where he would be able “to properly thank the fans and people who made [his] career possible.”
The following year’s ceremony took place in front of a capacity crowd inside the American Airlines Arena in Dallas, Texas, but Bautista was not included among the inductees.
Speaking to ComicBook.com’s Liam Crowley at the Knock At The Cabin world premiere, Bautista noted that he’s “trying” to be part of the Class of 2023 ceremony.
“I hope so, but I can’t say for sure,” Bautista said. “I can say that I’m trying. I am trying.”
Outside of a possible WWE Hall of Fame induction, the wrestler-turned-actor already has quite the busy year. Bautista’s 2023 kicked off with the release of M. Night Shyamalan’s Knock At The Cabin, a theatrical release that he headlines, and the press tour for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 kicks off shortly after. Between that, Bautista has a film titled Parachute that is scheduled to be presented at March’s South by Southwest festival. Towards the fall, Bautista will star in Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Part Two.
As of this writing, WWE has yet to announce any inductees for its Class of 2023. The ceremony itself is scheduled to take place on Friday, March 31st, the night before WWE WrestleMania 39 weekend kicks off.
