Former World Heavyweight Champion Batista is expected to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2023.
According to a new report from PWInsider.com, The Animal will be the main attraction at the WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony during WrestleMania 39 Weekend in Los Angeles.
According to reports, as long as Batista’s schedule permits, he will be the main attraction this year. Batista recently revealed that he was traveling to South Africa to begin filming for “My Spy 2,” but it appears that he will be available for a trip to Los Angeles for the ceremony because he has been pushing for the induction to happen this year.
WWE will return to Batista’s hometown of Washington, DC for a live SmackDown at the Capital One Arena on March 3, so it will be interesting to see if they announce Batista’s induction or have him make a brief appearance that night.
The Animal was originally announced for the 2020 Hall of Fame Class, but the Induction Ceremony was postponed due to COVID-19. The 2020 and 2021 ceremonies were then combined in 2021, with no fans present, but Batista was unable to attend. In a March 2021 tweet, he told fans, “To the @WWEUniverse Unfortunately due to previous obligations I am unable to be a part of the @WWE #HOF this year. By my request they have agreed to induct me at a future ceremony where I’ll be able to properly thank the fans and people who made my career possible #DreamChaser”
As PWMania.com previously reported, Batista recently spoke with ComicBook.com and stated that he hoped to be inducted this year in Los Angeles, but couldn’t guarantee it.
“I hope so, but I can’t say for sure. I can say that I’m trying. I am trying,” he said.
The 2023 WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony is set for Friday, March 31 from the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, immediately following the end of the WrestleMania 39 go-home edition of SmackDown in the same venue. As of this writing, WWE had not announced any inductees for 2023.
Batista has been retired since losing the No Holds Barred match at WrestleMania 35 in 2019 to WWE Hall of Famer & Chief Content Officer Triple H.
