Major Celebrity To Induct Sammartino

[Jack-Hammer]

It's been reported that WWE has successfully booked Arnold Schwartzenegger to induct Bruno Sammartino into the WWE Hall of Fame. I'm sure there'll be some sort of official announcement made on Raw tonight.

If WWE was hoping for this year's HOF induction ceremony broadcast to pop a rating, then this could go a long way towards doing that. Schwartzenegger has worked with WWE a few times in the past and is said to be a long time friend & admirer of Sammartino. It wouldn't surprise me if WWE also attempts to book Schwartzenegger in some sort of segment at WM, if he's up for it. If such a thing happened, I'd expect some goofy comedy segment featuring 3MB or Brodus & Tensai.

WWE's going all out to make Sammartino's induction feel like a big deal, which it is as he's the headliner of this year's HOF class.

 

[Y 2 Jake]

One the one hand I think having Schwarzenegger at the event could overshadow some people. On the other, after The Last Stand, it appears that nobody actually cares about him that much anymore.

Still, when I was growing up he was pretty much the biggest star on the planet and I look forward to seeing him mangle Sammartino's HOF induction. I'd also love to see him involved in Mania somehow. A backstage segement, ring announcer for a match, sitting at ringside and becoming involved in an altercation, all work for me.

 

[johnmountain]

Arnold inducting Bruno? This is beyond ridiculous and senseless. At least have a wrestler from his time induct him... how about Sheiky Baby?

 

[The Butcher]

I was hoping it'd be Santino, as he is the only active "native" Italian on the roster. He could regale us with stories of growing up admiring the great Bruno from afar...

Schwarzenegger inducting Bruno is great. It just adds another layer and makes the event and weekend that much bigger. Between Arnie, Trump, and Vince & Linda, a 2016 U.S. Presidential ticket might take shape. And don't say Arnold can't do it because we've all seem Demolition Man and that movie has been right on the money this far.

 

[i'm a cm punk girl]

"I need your clothes, your boots, and your motorcycle". "No, Arnie, I stopped that gimmick back in 2004, I'm back to all the caskets, smoke and fire now".

 

[Mustang Sally]

Schwartzenegger has worked with WWE a few times in the past and is said to be a long time friend & admirer of Sammartino.

Which is nice, given that there's no other WWE/WWF/WWWF connection between the two. From Bruno's era, there's hardly anyone left, right? I mean, Gorilla Monsoon would have been a fitting choice, but at last report, he's still dead.

Personally, I would have enjoyed watching Superstar Billy Graham induct Bruno, since there's a definite historical link between the two, but he seems to have burned his bridges to WWE. He was loyal to the company until they discontinued paying him an annual "consultant" fee, at which point he became a severe critic. Too bad, because he would have been a good choice.

So, the company felt it would take someone with star power to induct a mega-legend like Bruno.....and they picked someone who is at least loosely allied with WWE.

Good enough, I suppose.