Before WWE fills the AT&T Stadium for WrestleMania 32, expect some Texas-sized names to enter the 2016 Hall of Fame class.
It'll be hard to follow recent classes, which have included stars such as the Ultimate Warrior, Bruno Sammartino and Randy Savage. The group of potential inductees WWE can honor next year stands up well to those loaded crops, though.
The ceremony will be an apt opportunity to celebrate a man who belongs on WWE's Mount Rushmore, the bruiser who ended Sammartino's first world title reign and a group many consider to be one of the most influential factions in pro wrestling history.
Looking at wrestlers' Texas ties and career accomplishments, the timing of the potential nod and WWE's recent induction patterns help fans see well into the future, glimpsing the next tuxedo-clad set of Superstars to join the Hall of Fame.
Undertaker
Undertaker's in-ring career is entering its final stages.
Either the Deadman finishes his career with his battle against Bray Wyatt or hangs up after performing in home state in 2016. One can't expect him to go on beyond that. He will be 51 by the time WrestleMania 32 comes around and has a medical record overflowing with surgeries.
Should he have a farewell match next year, be that against Sting or otherwise, adding a Hall of Fame induction to the weekend would be mighty fitting.
Not only would he get the nod in his home state, but WWE would get to have him as a headliner of its Hall of Fame class. WrestleMania 32 would become a celebration of the legend's accomplishments and a means to bid him a memorable farewell.
Muhammad Ali
For the celebrity wing, WWE has no bigger name to choose from than Muhammad Ali.
The transcendent star tangled with Gorilla Monsoon in 1976, battled Antonio Inoki in a famous boxer-versus-wrestler match and was a guest referee for WrestleMania's first main event. His contributions to WWE are plenty, and WWE would love to be associated with someone as renowned as the former heavyweight champ.
He would be a big get for the Hall of Fame ceremony preceding the massive WrestleMania.
The biggest question is whether Ali would accept. The sharp-tongued boxer is certainly a fan of pro wrestling. He previously named Gorgeous George as an inspiration for his flamboyant style, as noted by John Capouya in Gorgeous George: The Outrageous Bad-Boy Wrestler Who Created American Pop Culture.
Christian
Christian is a former world champ and a key component of one of WWE's tag team golden ages, but he's a bit of a reach for Hall of Fame status.
It wouldn't be the first time WWE has gone that route, though. Just this year, WWE invited Rikishi to the party despite not exactly being an elite member of the roster.
WWE can't just add a bunch of names from yesteryear and guys from other promotions. The younger, casual fan doesn't know who Tatsumi Fujinami or Ivan Koloff is, so the company may look to add a more recent face to create buzz.
With that in mind, Christian is a good choice. WWE can honor him rather than let him quietly fade into retirement, as seems to be the case currently. Edge is the clear choice as the man to induct him.
Captain Charisma would make a fun addition to the 2016 class, serving as an upper midcarder of sorts as Undertaker headlines the group.
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