AJ Styles and Stephanie McMahon lead 2026 WWE HOF class

The 27th WWE Hall of Fame ceremony will take place Friday, a day before WrestleMania 42 in Las Vegas (ESPN Unlimited, 6 p.m. ET). It will feature a legendary lineup of inductees.

In 1993, Andre the Giant became the first inductee, paving the way for future generations of professional wrestlers.

This year's spotlight shines on WWE Grand Slam Champion AJ Styles and former WWE CEO Stephanie McMahon. Three-time WWE tag team champions Demolition will also be inducted, along with two-time WWE and WCW Heavyweight champion Sid, Bad News Brown and celebrity inductee Dennis Rodman.

This year's Immortal Moment -- introduced at last year's Hall of Fame ceremony to celebrate historic matches -- will honor the renowned Hulk Hogan vs. Andre the Giant showdown at WrestleMania III.

Let's have a closer look at this year's inductees.

AJ Styles

In a career that spanned nearly three decades, Styles built one of the most influential paths in pro wrestling. Before his Royal Rumble debut in 2016, Styles had brief appearances in WWE and WCW, gaining some experience before moving on to the independent circuit, Ring of Honor and NWA-TNA.

In 2002, Styles became the first NWA-TNA X-Division champion, a division known for its fast pace and aerial offense -- Styles' game in a nutshell. The championship, which still stands today, was largely built on Styles' body of work.

Styles, a two-time TNA World Heavyweight champion, won his first in 2009, when he defeated a couple of other future WWE Hall of Famers in that match, Kurt Angle and Sting.

Styles also made a major impact in New Japan Pro Wrestling. Though he had worked with the company previously, he returned in 2014, and, in addition to winning the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship twice, he led the influential Bullet Club faction.

After nearly 18 standout years in pro wrestling, Styles finally signed with WWE in 2016. His debut became one of the most memorable Royal Rumble moments, entering as a surprise and immediately going face-to-face with Roman Reigns.

It wasn't long before Styles climbed the ladder and established himself on "SmackDown" as the "Face That Runs the Place." Less than one year after his debut at the Rumble, Styles won the WWE Championship, a title he held twice. Holding gold was common for Styles in the WWE -- he won the Intercontinental Championship, the United States Championship three times and the tag titles twice. He also holds the honor of sharing the stage with The Undertaker in what was the final WrestleMania match for the "Deadman."

Styles' decade in WWE cemented him as one of the company's greats. It's no wonder his Hall of Fame induction came so soon after his final match in January. Styles is the definition of a Hall of Famer.

Stephanie McMahon

The McMahon family laid the foundation for WWE, and Stephanie has been instrumental in its success, as a performer, promoter and executive.

Originally introduced as the friendly but quiet daughter of Vince McMahon in 1999, Stephanie transformed into one of the company's top villains in less than a year.

Initially pitted against Triple H, who manipulated her into a storyline marriage, Stephanie joined forces with him to form the McMahon-Helmsley era, instantly functioning as WWE's dominant heel faction.

Stephanie mastered the art of crowd control that few WWE performers have been able to do, seamlessly combining confidence with just the right amount of whining and antagonism to rile up fans. The blend was heel perfection.

Stephanie grappled a bit inside the ring as well, winning the WWE Women's Championship, a title she held on to for close to 150 days in early 2000.

She later reinvented herself as a fan favorite during her time as "SmackDown" general manager, before eventually returning to her on-screen roots. In 2013, she reunited with Triple H as part of The Authority, once again becoming the company's primary heels.

Behind the scenes, Stephanie has been a force. She has been WWE executive vice president, chief brand officer and chairwoman/co-CEO.

Stephanie was a major part of the Women's Revolution, famously introducing Charlotte Flair, Becky Lynch, and Sasha Banks on an episode of "Raw" in July 2015, a turning point in the evolution of women's wrestling.

Stephanie McMahon is as deserving a WWE Hall of Fame inductee as there's ever been.

Demolition

Known for their unique appearance and aggression, Demolition stood out as a premier tag team in WWE in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

Managed by WWE Hall of Famer Mr. Fuji for much of their run, Ax and Smash captured the WWE Tag Team Championship three times. The first came at WrestleMania IV in 1988, when they defeated Strike Force. It became a historic title run, spanning a record 478 days.

Demolition dominated the tag team scene between 1988 and 1990, with all three of their reigns coming during that span and totaling 698 days.

Though Ax and Smash led Demolition through its peak, Crush also deserves some recognition. He joined the group in 1990 and became a tag champ during their third title run.

Legacy inductee: Sid

Sid is a long-overdue WWE Hall of Fame inductee. Throughout his career, he moved between NWA/WCW and WWE, achieving success at each company and delivering strong character work, especially during his time in WWE.

Sid's first true claim to fame was his inclusion in the legendary Four Horsemen stable, however, his first run in WWE established him as a main attraction. He debuted in WWE in 1991, and a year later, he was in the WrestleMania VIII main event, where he battled Hulk Hogan.

In 1995, he adopted the gimmick of Psycho Sid, often working alongside Shawn Michaels as his enforcer -- and nemesis. This led to two WWE Championship reigns, with Sid defeating two of the best -- Michaels and Bret Hart -- to capture the titles.

Sid later returned to WCW and became a two-time heavyweight champion.

Legacy inductee: Bad News Brown

Bad News Brown was exactly what his moniker indicated -- he was a no-nonsense powerhouse. After a brief stint with the WWE in the late 1970s, Brown returned to the WWE in 1988 and immediately made an impact at WrestleMania IV, winning the opening Battle Royal by eliminating WWE Hall of Famer Bret Hart last.

Throughout his time in the WWE, Brown worked with the top stars -- Hulk Hogan, "Macho Man" Randy Savage and "Rowdy" Roddy Piper.

Brown faced Jim Duggan at WrestleMania V, followed by a match with Roddy Piper at WrestleMania VI.

Brown was a true tough guy -- a persona that left a lasting mark in WWE.

Celebrity inductee: Dennis Rodman

Rodman was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2011. In 2026, he will join the WWE Hall of Fame.

One of the NBA's most notable rebounders made his pro wrestling debut in 1997 alongside "Hollywood" Hulk Hogan on "WCW Monday Nitro." Rodman became a member of the New World Order and took part in a trio of matches during his time with the company.

At the 1997 Bash at the Beach pay-per-view, he teamed with Hogan, but the duo lost to Lex Luger and The Giant (Big Show). At the same event a year later, Rodman picked up his first pro wrestling victory when he and Hogan beat Diamond Dallas Page and NBA star Karl Malone. In 1999, Rodman took part in a match with Randy Savage at Road Wild.

Rodman's charisma fit perfectly in the world of pro wrestling, and he has earned his spot in the celebrity wing.

Immortal moment: Hulk Hogan vs. Andre the Giant, WrestleMania III

The bodyslam heard around the world is one of the most replayed scenes in WWE history. At WrestleMania III, Hogan and Andre met in one of the company's most famous main events.

Before the epic clash, the former allies became rivals during several "Piper's Pit" segments, where Andre eventually challenged Hogan for the WWE Championship. To this day, it's one of the all-time great buildups to a WrestleMania match.

A claimed record attendance of 93,000 fans at Michigan's Pontiac Silverdome watched as Hogan struggled to bodyslam Andre early in the match. But as the match neared its culmination, he lifted Andre and delivered the slam -- and the crowd erupted.

The bodyslam ranks as one of pro wrestling's greatest moments.