Batista and The nWo to enter the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2020

The nWo, one of sports-entertainment’s most controversial factions, will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2020.

With The nWo’s induction, "Hollywood" Hulk Hogan, Scott Hall, Kevin Nash and Sean Waltman will all become two-time WWE Hall of Fame inductees. Hogan was first inducted in 2005, Hall in 2014 (as Razor Ramon), Nash in 2015 (as Diesel) and Waltman in 2019 (as X-Pac of of D-Generation X). They join Ric Flair, Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels and Booker T as multi-time inductees. News of their induction was first reported by ESPN.

The nWo will take their place in sports-entertainment history during this year's WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, tonight at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. ET, streaming exclusively on Peacock in the United States and WWE Network elsewhere.

Visit The nWo's Hall of Fame profile | Photos | Video highlights

The New World Order came about at a time when the sports-entertainment industry was at its most contentious. WCW was out to take over WWE’s spot at the top of the business, but soon had to worry about an invasion of its own. Scott Hall, weeks removed from appearing on WWE television as Razor Ramon, showed up on Monday Nitro on Memorial Day 1996 and warned WCW that war was coming. He was soon backed up by Kevin Nash, also fresh off WWE TV. The two promised to bring the fight to WCW’s door, but promised to have a third man on their side, setting the stage for a huge six-man tag team battle with WCW flagbearers Sting, Lex Luger & “Macho Man” Randy Savage at Bash at the Beach 1996.

During that match, the unthinkable happened. Hogan, who had to that point been an American hero, telling his fans to train, say their prayers and eat their vitamins, crushed Savage with his trademark leg drop and embraced The Outsiders. Hogan’s shocking actions turned the sports-entertainment world on its head. As garbage rained down on the ring, hurled by fans furious at their longtime hero, Hogan told his Hulkamaniacs to “stick it,” showing that this was not the Hulk Hogan they new before.

Hogan ditched his trademark red-and-yellow gear for black-and-white, added jet-black stubble to his iconic mustache and began calling himself “Hollywood” Hogan. The new attitude, backed by the supreme swagger of Hall and Nash, made The nWo one of the most reviled groups in sports-entertainment history. The in-your-face attitude that Waltman added when he joined the groups weeks later as Waltman, a.k.a. Syxx, helped turn The New World Order into the premier force in WCW. They dominated WCW stalwarts like Sting and Luger, pulled one over on the ruthless Four Horsemen in WarGames, and defaced the WCW Championship after Hogan captured it, spray painting “nWo” across the golden title in crude black letters.

Although they might have been WCW’s most nefarious villains, The nWo became a genuine pop culture phenomenon. Their infamous black-and-white t-shirts soon took over wrestling arenas as the group exploded in popularity.

After WCW’s closing in 2001, it wasn’t long before The New World Order made its way to WWE. Mr. McMahon unleashed Hogan, Hall and Nash on WWE in 2002, setting the stage for dream matches between The nWo and some of the Attitude Era’s biggest stars, namely The Rock and “Stone Cold” Steve Austin. WrestleMania X8 played host to two huge battles, one featuring Austin against Hall, the other pitting Hogan against The Great One. “Hollywood’s” battle against The Rock reignited the WWE Universe’s Hulkamania and kicked Hogan’s second WWE stint into high gear.

For turning the sports-entertainment world upside down and going on to become one of the ring’s most dominant factions, The nWo is deserving of enshrinement in the WWE Hall of Fame.

Don't miss The nWo take their place in sports-entertainment history during the WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, streaming tonight at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT, exclusively on Peacock in the United States and WWE Network elsewhere!

Look back at Nikki & Brie Bella’s trailblazing WWE careers, as the iconic Superstars are announced as members of the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2020.

Nikki & Brie Bella, two of the most iconic female Superstars in WWE history, are the latest inductees into the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2020. The news was first revealed by Alexa Bliss during “A Moment of Bliss” on Friday Night SmackDown.

The Bella Twins will take their place in history during the WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, tonight at 8 p.m. ET/5 p. m. PT, streaming exclusively on Peacock in the United States and WWE Network elsewhere.

Visit The Bellas' Hall of Fame profile | Watch career highlights | Check out photos

The road to the WWE Hall of Fame was a long one for Nikki & Brie, who started their WWE careers by having a little fun deceiving their opponents. Brie debuted in August 2008 and strung together a series of wins, seemingly getting a second wind after scampering under the ring. However, their ruse would soon be revealed to be a bit of “Twin Magic,” as it was discovered that Brie’s twin sister Nikki was hiding under the ring, ready to switch places and pick up the victory. Though they had been found out, that tactic would go on to pay off for the Bellas countless times over the years.

Though “Twin Magic” was their calling card early on, Nikki & Brie proved they were extremely capable competitors. Brie was the first to capture championship gold, defeating Eve Torres to become WWE Divas Champion in April 2011. Nikki followed suit one year later with a victory over fellow WWE Hall of Famer Beth Phoenix. Nikki captured the title again at Survivor Series 2014, dethroning AJ Lee to kickstart a reign that would last 300 days, the longest in Divas Championship history.

Throughout their time in WWE, The Bella Twins were part of many classic rivalries, facing off with the likes of Charlotte Flair, Sasha Banks, Becky Lynch, Stephanie McMahon and even each other. They also helped introduce a new generation of fans to WWE with their hit reality shows “Total Divas” and “Total Bellas,” as well as their YouTube channel, which boasts more than 2.6 million subscribers.

And now, they’re being recognized for their incredible careers with the ultimate honor: induction into the WWE Hall of Fame. 

Take a look back at The Bella Twins' career in this exclusive photo gallery of the 2020 WWE Hall of Fame Inductees.

Don't miss The Bella Twins take their place in sports-entertainment history during the WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, streaming tonight at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT, exclusively on Peacock in the United States and WWE Network elsewhere!

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JBL, the brash, bruising cowboy-turned-stock market maven and World Champion, is the latest inductee in the WWE Hall of Fame’s Class of 2020. 

Visit JBL's WWE Hall of Fame profile | Photos | Watch highlights

JBL will take his place in history during the WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, tonight at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT, streaming exclusively on Peacock in the United States and WWE Network elsewhere.

The road to the WWE Hall of Fame began for JBL in 1995, when he arrived as Justin “Hawk” Bradshaw, an ornery Texan with a propensity for taking his opponents’ heads off with a lariat so devastating that it would go on to be known as the Clothesline from Hell.

But it was when he joined forces with another hard-hitting Superstar, fellow WWE Hall of Famer Ron Simmons, that his career truly began to take off. Known as The Acolytes, Bradshaw and Simmons served as the ruthless enforcers for The Undertaker’s Ministry of Darkness, ensuring The Phenom’s will was done and bulldozing anyone who stood in their way.

But when The Ministry disbanded, Bradshaw and Simmons stuck together, showing a little entrepreneurship in the process. The two opened The Acolytes Protection Agency, renting out their services as bodyguards to anyone who could pony up the cash to keep the cold ones coming. The APA always had a line out of their makeshift office door, whether it was Superstars looking for protection or someone looking to get in on their rowdy poker games. The two heavy hitters also racked up three reigns as World Tag Team Champions along the way.

But when The APA closed its doors for good, Bradshaw did not ride off into the sunset. No, instead, he showed us that underneath his gruff exterior lied one of the most cunning competitors in WWE history. Embracing his success on the stock market, John “Bradshaw” Layfield traded in his sleeveless tee and jeans for a white cowboy hat and suit, along with a limousine with bull horns attached to the hood. Though the WWE Universe was not thrilled with the shocking change, it proved to be the jolt that the Texan needed. The tycoon became an immediate contender for the WWE Championship, and defeated Eddie Guerrero at The Great American Bash 2004 in a Texas Bull Rope Match to win the title. JBL held onto the championship until WrestleMania the following year, where he was dethroned by John Cena.

JBL went on to capture the Intercontinental and United States Championships, becoming one of the few Superstars that can call themselves a Triple Crown winner. Though he hung up his boots after WrestleMania 25 in 2009, he did not stay away from WWE for long. He returned in 2012, this time as a color commentator, lending his expertise on the mat game to give the WWE Universe unique insight. After stints calling the action on Raw and SmackDown, as well as a turn as NXT’s General Manager, JBL left WWE to focus on his charity work with at-risk kids and communities through organizations like Beyond Rugby Bermuda and Beyond Sport, where he was named a Global Ambassador.

For his incredible career in the ring and behind the microphone, JBL is being recognized with the ultimate honor: induction into the WWE Hall of Fame.

Don't miss JBL take his place in sports-entertainment history during the WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, streaming tonight at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT, exclusively on Peacock in the United States and WWE Network elsewhere!

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“The British Bulldog” Davey Boy Smith will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2020. The news was first broken by the official WWE podcast, WWE After the Bell with Corey Graves.

He will take his place in the hallowed hall during the WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, tonight at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT, streaming exclusively on Peacock in the United States and WWE Network elsewhere.

Visit Bulldog's Hall of Fame profile | Watch highlights | View photos

Smith first broke into the squared circle as a teenager in his home country of England, competing alongside his cousin, Dynamite Kid. The two Brits soon caught the eye of The Hart Family, who brought them to Calgary’s Stampede Wrestling. There, Smith and Dynamite grew as competitors, both as rivals and tag team partners.

Known as The British Bulldogs, the two quickly became one of the most impressive tag teams in the world. Smith’s raw power was the perfect complement to Dynamite Kid’s speed and precision. The two debuted in WWE in 1984 and quickly became one of the WWE Universe’s most beloved tandems as they engaged in a rivalry with The Hart Foundation. At WrestleMania 2, with heavy metal legend Ozzy Osbourne in their corner, The Bulldogs defeated The Dream Team to capture the World Tag Team Championship on The Grandest Stage of Them All.

At the tail end of the 1980s, Smith & Dynamite Kid left WWE to compete internationally, but Smith returned in 1990. Competing as The British Bulldog, he once again became immensely popular with the WWE Universe, this time as a singles competitor. Bulldog’s return to WWE was highlighted by two huge victories in his homeland. First, he outlasted 19 other Superstars to win a 1991 Battle Royal in London’s Royal Albert Hall. One year later, in front of more than 80,000 fans at Wembley Stadium, he defeated Bret “Hit Man” Hart to win the Intercontinental Championship at SummerSlam 1992 in what is widely regarded as one of WWE’s finest matches.

The British Bulldog would continue to be a globally renowned Superstar throughout the 1990s with stints in WCW as well as WWE, where he became the first-ever WWE European Champion, Hardcore Champion and held the World Tag Team Championship once again, this time with Owen Hart.

Although British Bulldog passed away in 2002, his impact on WWE cannot be denied, and he is more than deserving of enshrinement in the WWE Hall of Fame!

Don't miss British Bulldog take his place in sports-entertainment history during the WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, streaming tonight at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT, exclusively on Peacock in the United States and WWE Network elsewhere!

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See photos from the career of 2020 WWE Hall of Fame Inductee British Bulldog.

Jushin “Thunder” Liger, one of the most revolutionary competitors in sports-entertainment history, is the latest inductee in the WWE Hall of Fame’s Class of 2020.

Liger joins nWo members Hulk Hogan, Scott Hall, Kevin Nash & Sean Waltman, The Bella Twins,  JBL, The British Bulldog and William Shatner in the Class of 2020. He will take his place in history during the WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, tonight at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT, streaming exclusively on Peacock in the United States and WWE Network elsewhere.

View Liger's WWE Hall of Fame profile | Photos | Watch career highlights

The masked marvel emerged in Japan in the late 1980s, enchanting fans from the moment he emerged from the curtain, clad in a dazzling red-and-white body suit and a striking mask with three protruding horns. But as impressive as he was on first glance, Liger was even more remarkable once the bell rang. Inside the ring, Liger was an innovator in every sense of the word. His high-flying, hard-hitting style has influenced generations of competitors, and is credited as the inventor of the Shooting Star Press.

Liger made his way to the United States in 1991, arriving in WCW and engaging in an epic rivalry with Brian Pillman over the WCW Light Heavyweight Championship, the precursor to the Cruiserweight Title. Liger and Pillman’s incredible bouts are still talked about to this day as some of the most influential in sports-entertainment history.

Liger appeared for WCW sporadically throughout the 1990s, taking on competitors like Rey Mysterio and Dean Malenko. Meanwhile, in his home country of Japan, he established himself as one of the greatest competitors of all time, becoming an 11-time IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion, even after a brain tumor almost took his life. He went nearly four decades without competing in a WWE ring, until he made his WWE debut at NXT Takeover: Brooklyn in 2015, defeating Tyler Breeze in a battle that brought the NXT Universe to its feet.

Jushin “Thunder” Liger retired in January 2020, making him a grappler with the distinction of having competed in five different decades. And now, he will add another incredible accolade to his résumé: WWE Hall of Famer.

Don't miss Jushin "Thunder" Liger take his place in sports-entertainment history during the WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, streaming tonight at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT, exclusively on Peacock in the United States and WWE Network elsewhere!

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See photos from the legendary career of Jushin "Thunder" Liger, a 2020 inductee in the WWE Hall of Fame.