Triple H key in convincing Bruno Sammartino to join WWE Hall of Fame

I realize it’s somewhat old news at this point, but the announcement pretty much shocked the wrestling world, and it’s effects are still being talked about. This year’s WWE Hall of Fame class is already one of the most star-studded classes in years (maybe ever), and one more name will join the all-star class. This name is huge, and one fans have been begging to see in the HOF for years.

That man is none other than the original “Living Legend”, Bruno Sammartino.

Sammartino’s induction has been talked about since the WWE (then-WWF) started the Hall of Fame back in 1993. Fans have been begging for him to be inducted, and they now get their wish. The former 2-time WWWF Champion will take his rightful place in the Hall of Fame, joining fellow former champions Mick Foley and Bob Backlund, as well as former Women’s Champion Trish Stratus.

Sammartino’s track record speaks for itself. He has the longest single reign as the company’s top champion, holding the belt for over 8 years, a record that will probably never be duplicated. He also has a second reign to his name, lasting over three years, giving his total time as champion at just a bit longer than eleven years, something that only two or three names have come within sniffing distance of, yet still not duplicating or defeating.

From the early 1960′s until the early 1980′s, “Da Brune” completely dominated the wrestling landscape, defeating every major challenger in his path, including numerous Hall of Famers, knocking off the company’s very first champion, “The Nature Boy” Buddy Rogers to begin his first historic and unprecedented reign.

For various reasons, it has taken decades to get Sammartino to agree to do this, stemming from long-standing issues with Vincent Kennedy McMahon, the current chairman of the WWE. The issues namely involve Vince Jr.’s choice of completely changing the wrestling landscape by transforming the WWF into a global phenomenon from just another regional promotion, just to name one. For years, Sammartino has held a grudge against Vince McMahon, and because of this, it was believed he would never accept an offer to be inducted into the HOF. Although this hasn’t been confirmed, the man responsible for Sammartino finally being inducted looks to be Vince’s son-in-law, WWE COO Paul “Triple H” Levesque, who has been hell-bent on getting Sammartino to agree to an induction since last year, volunteering to discuss things with Sammartino face-to-face at his home, something Sammartino would never agree to do with Vince.