Who should be the "marquee" Hall of Fame Inductee this year? Foley or Sammartino?
 

As we all know, the Hall of Fame induction ceremony has a main guy it is centered around and who goes on last. This year, we have a loaded class (already) and 2 guys who easily could/should close the show as the main inductee. You have arguably the single most important superstar in terms of the WWF's history (Bruno Sammartino) and one of the most world-renowned and loved wrestlers of all time (Mick Foley).

If you had to make the call, who is the Hall of Famer that closes the induction ceremony and gets to celebrate with the confetti and fireworks?

In my opinion, Mick Foley should close the show because the reality is that he is the far bigger star.

foley was the first one announced, isn't that who the "main guy" is?

Not in New York. If you have any wrestling knowledge you'd know how friggen huge Bruno was in New York. Vince SR wanted an Italian champion to pander to the massive italian community in New York and hence Bruno Sammartino became a massive star.

Bruno should close the show and it's not remotely close. Then again, you think HHH is good.

Mick Foley.

You people are completely clueless. Once again: pulse of the WWE.

Mick Foley was over in the entire world and sold out MSG and headlined it a bunch when they didn't run it every month.

I agree with you. I can easily seeing it being Bruno just because of how important he is to the history of WWE, but Mick Foley is the far bigger star around the world.

If it were taking place anywhere else than MSG id agree, but Bruno was crucial to the company's success and is a bigger star in New York.

People from all around the world fly in to attend WrestleMania and the Induction Ceremony.

Yes, but there will be a ton of locals going, and Bruno will attract a lot of old wrestling fans.

I would like to see if this helps WWE bring back a bunch of old wrestling fans and the WWE has a growing presence among the 50-75 age demo. They could convince USA or some other channel to air "WWE Legends House".

FOLEY IS GOOD!!!!!!!
 

Im a foley fan through and through an dhave always thought first announced was teh go to guy to MAIN EVENT the HOF. But if you are taling in terms of capital and whose gonna be better over the long run its BRUNO. Foley has had some awesome matches during the attitude era but was nowhere as instrumental as Sammartino was in the beginning of the company when they were pushing territories instead of worldwide markets. foleys only relevant now to us the younger generation has nothing to regail about him becasue they are force fed cena. Bruno created a market all himself and evne when someone is calling the shots, holding a belt for 11 years you must have been doing something right.

Not too shit on Bruno but he was only champion because he was italian. Nothing more really.

Sammartino had to have been connected to The Mob somehow.

That is what they meant when they said he was always a "family man".

Bruno's stardom reminds me of an old boxer of the 1930's: former heavyweight champ Primo Carnera. He was a giant of a man and a huge star due to his italian heritage, but he was bought and paid for by the mob. He was nothing special at all and got dropped 11 times in a fight to Max Bahr and only beat Jack Sharkey for the title because the mob fixed the fight.

I love JR's story about how he was taking a shit during an NWA meeting and heard 2 guys talk about killing Vince McMahon while he was expanding nationally.

It's taking place in the fucking garden.

Bruno, no question.

Will never happen.

Another thing to ponder is that they might put Bruno on last live, but swap it around for the TV airing. I wish they'd go back to having the entire group on stage throughout the show.

Since they've gone to airing it on Monday before RAW, they usually only show 2-3 inductees. Mick and Bruno got to be on there. Who do you cut? Trish or Backlund? The way this class is stacking up, there might be some moderately big names left to induct.

Isn't Bruno not leaving his house? He can't go on last then.

No. Bruno is being a bitch like Bret and wants to be promised he will not see Vince McMahon at all during the weekend.

didn't i read that HHH said vince and bruno would meet on wrestlemania weekend and officially bury the hatchet? somewhere on this site, i'm sure of it.

It'll be Bruno, I think just to pander to him since he's agreed really, not like Foley would complain.

Bruno you idiots. Even Foley would say so.

I'm an old school, tradition type of guy and I'd have to say Bruno.

I wonder if Sammartino will "head" this class, or if there's someone bigger about to be announced.

It's gonna be tough to top Bruno Sammartino.

I hope Kevin Nash gets in, though. And in a perfect world, Scott Hall as well. They both had the most important moments of their WWF careers in MSG.

I'd like to see Jake the Snake go in this year.

As much as I would LOVE to see that, I think next year was better because he wouldn't get lost in the shuffle and Trish's tits.

Plus he'll be in shape after his yoga journey

It doesn't matter what anyone says or thinks, it's Bruno.

Foley..... 99% of current fans have never even seen a Bruno match.....

Foley, because people actually know who he is.

If you're saying Foley, you are flat out wrong. 99% of current baseball fans probably never saw Mickey Mantle play a game...good God. This is the HALL OF FAME not a Wrestlemania main event.

Bruno just for the amount of work it took for him to accept going into the hall

Should probably be Bruno especially in the Garden but my guess is they will go with the "safer" pick and go with Mick.

pretty sure everyone who ever liked Bruno Sammartino is dead or an asshole, so Mick Foley

Sammartino's HOF announcement was covered by ESPN.

Foley's wasn't.

That simple.

And it'd get the same amount of coverage if he's on first or last.

Do people actually think Bruno Sammartino didn't make sure he'd be the "marquee" HOF inductee before agreeing to be inducted? You don't think he covered all his bases?

this.

Just in case anyone still has any doubts in regards to Sammartino headlining this class:
http://espn.go.com/blog/playbook/fan...rtino-into-hof


As for trying to keep the announcement a secret, “it’s not ‘Mission Impossible’ or anything like that,” Levesque says, laughing. “But to me, Bruno getting into the Hall of Fame in Madison Square Garden is the biggest induction we’ve ever done, and rightfully so. He deserves that. So to just have it leak out there, that would’ve been wrong. This is a huge moment in time, and a massive moment for our fans, for Bruno and for WWE. This is the history of our business. Without Bruno Sammartino, we aren’t where we are today.”

Sammartino

Mainly because of the location for this year's Hall and in terms of overall importance.

Sammartino should headline the show itself, but I have a feeling that he'll get second-rate treatment on the airing and have Foley as the main attraction for ratings.

Yeah, was in the ESPN article.

So if Vince says the wrong thing Bruno could leave. Probably should have had Vince and Bruno meet BEFORE announcing this.

I think it's gonna be Trish.

Trish Stratus would be best.

Yeah, all the other people saying Foley or The Italian guy I've never heard of must not touch boobs.

At least we can all agree it won't be Bob Backlund.

It's Sting!

Wait sorry, wrong meme.

It will be Bruno, but it shouldn't be. If he had his way WWE would have been ended years ago. If it weren't for his tie with Bret for the most butt-hurt wrestler in history he'd have been in years ago, and he should have been. The fact that he had to get his dick sucked off in order to agree to it is pretty damn sad, really.

Yeah, hopefully Vince interrupts Bruno's speech and jizzes in his eyes.

The greatest night in the history of our sport.

I wonder if Bruno will be on-hand at WrestleMania when the HOF'ers are presented.

The crowd reaction is gonna be crazy.

Did Bruno rassle Bobby Jaggers? DLVH or Beth?

Well, I do know he can still bench press 250lbs at over 70 years of age. I just saw it on YouTube. Search "Bruno Sammartino workout".

Dude even takes his shirt off lol.

Fuck 99 percent of the current fans in the ass with a big rubber dick.

Brunos the main event. The crash test dummy is lucky to be inducted for all the drama he creates.

STD teasing a heel turn?

Could be like Triple H's epic heel turn at WrestleMania XV.

:y:Bruno deserves every accolade and he should be the main guy in this year's HOF .The man is a class act and I believe if this goes smoothly ,maybe we will see Bruno Sammartino around the WWE more.

Something just occurred to me,you don't think that there is some angle with CM Punk's title run and being compared to Bruno/

Well, taking into consideration Punk lost the belt, I'd have to say no.

Bruno should definitely be the headliner.

He was a MAJOR star in New York. I am really glad he is finally going into the HOF.

I would like to see possibly Stan Hansen induct him. they had a tremendous feud in WWE.

WWEFanNation has a bunch of Bruno stuff up on Youtube now.

gonna have to watch some of it later.

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HOF isn't really for casual fans, it's about celebrating history. So it doesn't matter if Foley's the bigger star now, Who's gonna watch the ceremony all the way through anyway? Only diehard fans I bet.

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Bruno and Backlund held the title a combined 6178 days. Nuts.

And Konnan was a MAJOR star in Mexico, so the fuck what.

Nobody cares about Mexico.

WWWF primarily did all their business in the New York area.

That being said, Beth82 is a dress wearing fag whose parents hate her

LOL are you really comparing Bruno Sammartino in New York to Konnan in Mexico?

You should've at least went with Mil Mascaras, but Konnan?

Foley was announced first, and made far more money for WWE. When it comes to selling tickets, Foley headlining will sell them, not that Bruno wouldn't, but mainstream fans will go nuts for Foley.

Also, Foley is from New York. The story about going to see Snuka at MSG jumping off the cage will make for a great reminiscent moment during his speech (since the ceremony is at MSG, I think).

Either way, this will probably be the most exciting induction ceremony. I hope the fans don't go too crazy and distract from the event though.

Bruno made more money for the WWF than Foley. He sold out MGS 150+ times and that is 1970's pre-inflation money. You're full of shit junior.

^ THIS :y:

What's sad is morons like you who think he should have sacrificed what he believed in just to be in a hall of fame.


The man wasn't willing to sell out. It's not sad, it's admirable.

Principles? He was just pissed that his son sucked balls and Vince shitcanned him. He only could claim the moral righteousness once WWE went into the Attitude Era. Was WWE all that offensive when Doink the Clown was running around?

Can't wait for Vince to screw Bruno at the HOF which will ultimately lead to Bruno vs. Vince at WrestleMania XXX

Really hope WrestleMania XXX revolved around the return of another Attitude era superstar -- Val Venis.

The reaction by Noid would be priceless.

Dunno, find it hard to believe that 70s regional wwwf with Bruno on top made more money than worldwide wrestling promotional behemoth with Foley in the main event.

Still that wasn't just Foley as Bruno was the only main star of the era. You'd have to split that inflation starved money around to all the other main eventers of the era too.

Money was worth way more in the 70s too.

Foley probably made more money for Vince, even if adjusted for inflation, if you think about all the things Bruno didn't have: book deals, insane amount of merchandise, DVDs, VHSs, etc.

Bruno wasn't wrestling himself either and I'm pretty sure he wasn't even the biggest draw of that era. And like James Steele pointed out, Foley shifted a hell of a lot more merchandise, globally, not in one territory.

Bruno needs to be the headline guy this year. Did everyone not see in the induction vid about him that he sold out 182 appearances over 8 fucking years @ MSG? No offense to Long Island’s favorite son, Mrs. Foley’s Baby Boy, but Sammartino should headline this year, no question about it.

Also, he won the title in barely more time than it took Daniel Bryan to beat Show for the title in 2011 (Bryan won it in 45 seconds; Sammartino won the WWWF title in 48 in his first title match with the original “Nature Boy” Buddy Rogers).

AND...when he debuted in Pittsburgh, PA in late 1959 his first match took only a second longer than Daniel Bryan’s title defense vs. Sheamus @ WM XXVIII, winning in 19 seconds.

http://cdn.memegenerator.net/instanc...0/31446548.jpg

People, Bruno is not going to accept being inducted unless they guarantee he'll headline.

You think he's gonna see that Austin, Hogan, HBK and Bret all headlined, and he's gonna be like "I'm just going to be happy to be there, I don't care where I'm placed"?

Enough with this.

Bruno could never get a sock over

The key word in the title is should.

It's also correct, Bruno was a huge name way back when but also in a much smaller enviroment, he sold out MSG a bunch of times but then the Von Erichs sold out their local arena a bunch of times as well, pretty sure Ric Flair has a decent sell out record in the Carolinas while we're at it.

You realise that wrestling is predetermined right? He was booked to win those matches in those times, it wasn't an epic feat of skill or anything.

And nobodies really disputing the fact that Bruno is going to be the headliner here, people are just pointing out that Foley would have been a legitimate candidate if it was up for debate.

If you go that route (the Eric Bischoff "Mick Foley is a glorified stuntman" route), you can also say Bruno never had to wrestle in barbwire matches, never had to go through tables, never had to use thumbtacks, all in order to get over.

I mean, don't get me wrong, I've seen some of Bruno's work, and to me it's boring as fuck, but he still did a lot and deserves to headline the HOF.