WS Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame 2026 Induction Ceremony

[Jimmy King]

Two of mine on my list to make it in so far and I’m glad The Ace was one of them. Goated wrestler and goated theme song.

 

[Hoss]

Ladies and germs, it’s that time once again! We are ready to cap off the Wrestling Smarks Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame with the induction of our headliner, the centerpiece of the whole class. After another historic and incredibly deserving class, which currently features Curt Hennig, Ricky Steamboat, Triple H and Hiroshi Tanahashi, it is fitting that we end with a guy who is almost unavoidable in conversations about the GOAT. Our final inductee put together a career spanning roughly three decades… frankly, three decades of indubitable brilliance. This man ascended quickly in the world of wrestling, becoming something of a folk legend from an early age, and simply continued to elevate his game to the point where he was widely viewed as possibly the best wrestler living for a number of years. Unlike a lot of the legends of this sport, he also stepped away at the top of the game, cementing his legacy, never to be tarnished by being anything less than his absolute best. At the end of the day, he put together a career that is as densely packed with quality as anyone before him, and likely any to come after him. In a career that spanned numerous major promotions in two different continents, he shared the ring with just about every great of his time, ranging from such names as John Cena to Randy Savage to Kazuchika Okada to The Undertaker. And make no mistake, he wasn’t being propped up by anyone. This man routinely put on matches that were firmly in the five-star range, carrying matches, shows, and at times – entire companies. When given the stick, he’d tear you off a pretty entertaining promo as well. But maybe his most underrated quality could be considered his sheer “aura” as one of the most constantly over performers in the world, constantly acclaimed by both fans and critics alike, possessing a cool quality and exuding a confidence that let you know: you were about to see something amazing. In fact, his status as a performer can be crystalized quite nicely into one word. How good is our next inductee? Well, to put it simply, he’s “Phenomenal”. Please welcome to the Wrestling Smarks Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame —

“THE PHENOMENAL”
AJ STYLES

Man, it feels crazy to be inducting AJ Styles into a Hall of Fame, it still feels surreal knowing he’s officially hung up the boots as of earlier this year. The winding path of AJ Styles from being an indie sensation and homegrown hero of TNA, to becoming a mercurial international superstar in New Japan and ROH, before finally ending up in WWE in 2016, where he’d absolutely annihilate all expectations over the following decade, was all such a pleasure to enjoy as a fan. As a pro wrestler, combining all facets of the artform, Styles ranks as one of the undisputed greatest to ever do it. Early in his career, it was his dynamic aerial offense that really put him on the map, but he was always a multifaceted performer, as he’d continually prove over the years. The Spiral Tap and Fosbury Flop are the stuff of legend, but Styles could take it to the mat with masterful technique as well. His superior athleticism allowed him to work a more powerful style than what his frame would imply, especially later into his career as he continued to pack on mass. Whether you needed a quick five minute match to get the crowd revved up or a 45-minute main event that would blow the roof off the building, Styles never disappointed. The consistency really needs to be studied with Styles. You know I love listing matches, so let’s just chew on a few of these classics… AJ vs. Daniels vs. Joe at Unbreakable 2005, possibly the greatest triple threat match ever; AJ vs. Nakamura at WrestleKingdom 10, a match that symbolizes an era of reinvigoration in Japanese wrestling history; AJ vs. Cena at SummerSlam 2016, a dream match between the two faces of the two major American companies over the last 10 years that fully delivered; AJ vs. Lesnar at Survivor Series 2017, where Styles was slotted in on short notice to save a main event, delivering one of the great matches of the decade. And that’s just barely scratching the surface of his catalog of all-time classics.

Styles’ career arc was an absolutely fascinating one, a hell of a ride to witness. In TNA, he was far and away *the* guy from the fans’ perspective, but his pushes tended to leave a lot to be desired, as he was far too often made to take a backseat to guys with more perceived mainstream name value. He still racked up 2 TNA World Championships, 3 NWA World Championships and 6 X-Division Championships over his 12 year stint in the company, but cashed out on the company at the right time in 2014, as things were really about to take a nosedive. Done with playing second fiddle to the stars of yesterday, Styles then went on to make a huge splash in NJPW and ROH as they were ramping up to ultimately overtake TNA as the real alternatives in the American market for a while. With a clear chip on his shoulder, Styles reinvented himself, embracing a more mature, edgier persona and reminding the world just why they called him “The Phenomenal One”, delivering classics upon classics against the likes of Okada, Tanahashi, Nakamura and Ibushi while picking up 2 IWGP World Championships in the process. As the second – and most internationally renowned – leader of the Bullet Club, Styles was massively influential in shaping Bullet Club into the cultural phenomenon it would become. The ripple effects of Bullet Club continue to be arguably the biggest driving forces in all of wrestling today, with its many tentacles having gone on to become some of the most influential figures in the industry. Then, finally, he comes to WWE – a literal dream come true for so many fans. And to WWE’s credit, they hit a home run on the first at-bat. The dream feud with Cena would become a reality, and they would craft several classic encounters with each other on some of wrestling’s biggest stages. He’d have dream matches with other contemporaries like Jericho, Orton, Edge and even Undertaker. During his tenure in the company, he’d cross paths with some old foes like Danielson, Joe and Nakamura. He’d also get the opportunity to play the more veteran role and help cement guys like Reigns, Ambrose and Owens as legit stars. His personality got to really shine through in WWE, and he made it quite clear just how much money TNA left on the table by becoming the arguable “Ace” of WWE for several years in the late 2010s. Not bad for our boy. While his retirement stings an extra amount, due to him still looking in rare form all the way leading up to his final match against Gunther earlier this year, you have to respect the decision from Styles to go out on top. The man made it from the ground floor, shocking and aweing audiences match after match, proving himself at every step, rising up to status of multi-time World Champion, WrestleMania main eventer, GOAT contender and, now, one more thing… Wrestling Smarks Pro Wrestling Hall of Famer!

YOU ARE! YOU ARE!


































I AM! I AM!

Thank you to everyone for participating in yet another great Hall of Fame class. This 2026 edition was very interesting to see taking form. Five amazing new additions, and I’m excited to do it again next year. Can’t wait to see who this forum elects to this prestigious institution next. Until then, stay golden, Smarks!​

 

[Blazehausen]

My #1 lets go!!

 

[King Kong Booty]

Yea this is the only one of mine to hit I think

 

[Sha-J Lee]

My number 1 2 and 3 got in.

I had Chris Jericho at number 4 and Rey Mysterio at number 5 so top 3 ain’t bad.

I kinda wish Jericho got in instead of Mr Perfect but beggars can’t be choosers.

As for AJ Styles, truly an MVP of the 2000s and 2010s. Helped put a WWE alternative on the map and then went to WWE and became one of the top guys there. Countless amazing matches. Very well deserved

 

[Blazehausen]

My original 10

1. AJ Styles
2. Hiroshi Tanahashi
3. DDP
4. Paul Heyman
5. Brodie Lee
6. Bray Wyatt
7. Mark Henry
8. Jeff Jarrett
9. Victoria
10. Mickie James


Then my 5 after

1. AJ Styles
2. Hiroshi Tanahashi
3. DDP
4. Paul Heyman
5. The Steiner Brothers

 

[Chris]

My top 5

• Hiroshi Tanahashi
• AJ Styles
• Paul Heyman
• Ricky Steamboat
• Chris Jericho

I bumped Rey out last minute for Jericho

 

[Sha-J Lee]

1. Triple H
2. Ricky Steamboat
3. AJ Styles
4. Demolition
5. CM Punk
6. Rob Van Dam
7. The Hardy Boyz
8. Christian
9. The Four Horsemen
10. Kane