Roman Reigns is making history again, but this time it’s not just for holding a championship hostage longer than most fans can remember. The Wrestling Observer Newsletter (WON) announced its Hall of Fame Class of 2024, and guess who’s the headliner? The Tribal Chief himself. Reigns, whose historic run as Undisputed WWE Champion hit an eye-watering 1,316 days this year, led the pack with 66.7% of the vote. Not bad for a guy whose cousins keep trying to superkick him into retirement.
But Reigns isn’t alone. Sharing the spotlight are NJPW’s Shingo Takagi, Canadian wrestling promoter Johnny Rougeau, lucha libre legends Los Hermanos Dinamita, and Dragon Gate pioneer Cima. Oh, and in a twist juicier than a forbidden door storyline, the Young Bucks flipped their way into the HOF, leaving CM Punk to stew at 52.1%.
CM Punk vs. The Young Bucks: A Tale as Old as “Brawl Out”
The Young Bucks, known for superkicking their way through AEW’s tag division (and, apparently, into the hearts of Hall of Fame voters), narrowly made the cut with over 60%. CM Punk, however, remains on the outside looking in. The Brawl Out incident that saw Punk and the Bucks exchange not-so-friendly fire backstage still lingers in fans’ minds—and, perhaps, in the ballots. Cody Rhodes, with one boot in WWE and one in AEW lore, also missed out at 48.1%, because apparently no one votes for middlemen.
Meanwhile, Punk supporters can find solace in knowing that he still has a spot on The List of People Who’ll Tell You Why They Deserve the HOF, One Pipebomb at a Time.
HOF’s Brutal Voting Rules Send Stars Packing
Not everyone made it to the next ballot. Stars like Asuka, Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn, and Jimmy & Jey Uso failed to crack the 10% threshold. Even Bray Wyatt, who tragically passed away earlier this year, fell short. As a result, they’ll be excluded from future ballots. That’s harsher than a Brock Lesnar F5 on the steel steps.
Honorable Mentions: Stars Who Made Noise but Not the Cut
- Jon Moxley (28.4%): Probably too busy bleeding buckets to campaign.
- Edge (Adam Copeland) (28.4%): Apparently spears and heartfelt retirement speeches weren’t enough.
- Kento Miyahara & Psycho Clown: Exiled from the ballot and likely plotting revenge in their respective promotions.
What’s Next for Roman and the Bucks?
For Roman Reigns, it’s just another feather in his already overstuffed headdress. The Young Bucks, meanwhile, have secured their legacy as one of wrestling’s most divisive duos. And CM Punk? Well, he’s probably somewhere sharpening his verbal barbs for next year’s ballot—and maybe another AEW/WWE crossover we didn’t ask for but secretly want.