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Sting and Randy Savage Reportedly Excluded from WWE Hall of Fame 2013 Plans

Posted: Dec 12th 2012 By: mikeiles

While the 2013 WWE Hall of Fame ceremony was rumored to be the biggest in wrestling history (Wrestling Inc.), two huge names are reportedly off the list for consideration: Sting and Macho Man Randy Savage.

This is absolutely terrible news for true wrestling fans waiting for two of the sport?s biggest names to finally get the credit they deserve.

According to Nick Paglino of WrestleZone, despite being in the original conversation for the Hall of Fame, the WWE will be staying away from the allure of inducting Savage because of potential problems with the Poffo family:

WZ has learned Randy Savage is "off the list" for this coming year, since his brother Lanny Poffo made it clear in discussions with WWE that the Poffo family would have to be inducted all together, because "that was Randy's wish."

To add even more names to the exclusion list, Paglino?s sources go on to talk about why current TNA star Sting will not be in the discussions despite the fact that his current contract is up soon:

The current TNA lawsuit has everything frozen for the moment. WWE will not even internally discuss Sting. That just won't happen. Until this lawsuit settles, finishes or is dismissed, there's no way any discussion about Sting is going to happen. His name has never come up, and I can practically guarantee you that it won't.

Despite the overwhelming feeling that the WWE Universe would be wholeheartedly behind the induction of these two legends, the issues behind the scenes are once again creating the ultimate injustice of excluding these wrestling stars.

Hopefully The Shield can do something about this.

How This Hurts WWE

Each and every year, the WWE tries to outdo itself with the WrestleMania festivities, and the 2013 edition will be no different; WWE will be blowing out WrestleMania 29 and the accompanying Hall of Fame ceremony.

One huge setback now will be the lack of two of the biggest names in the sport being inducted into the Hall of Fame: Savage and Sting.

The WWE could be conscientiously holding off the induction of the legendary duo until they go all-in on WrestleMania 30, but these exclusions are happening for two very different reasons.

WWE couldn't be blamed for Sting?s exclusion from the Hall of Fame in the past because he has been under contract with TNA off-and-on for the better part of a decade. Just like his reported matches with Undertaker, the two sides have been close to an agreement, but nothing was ever finalized.

While Sting?s contract reportedly expires at the conclusion of 2012 (h/t Wrestling Inc.), the reported lawsuit between TNA and WWE has the company frozen when it comes to working with talent from the other company.

As much as this type of situation with a rival wouldn?t have scared Vince McMahon before, the company has been playing it very safe.

Savage is a completely different story. The WWE and Savage?s brother, Lanny Poffo, have waged in a battle over how the legend should be inducted and who should be inducted with him.

While the WWE wants to induct just Savage, Poffo claims that his brother?s wish was to be inducted with his entire family, including father Angelo and brother Lanny.

Instead of just allowing this to happen and honoring the entire Poffo family, the WWE has remained steadfast.

Once again, this stubbornness does nothing but make the WWE look bad.

Question on Everybody's Mind: Can Vince McMahon Swallow his Pride?

While each of the two megastars?reportedly removed from the 2013 WWE Hall of Fame consideration?have extenuating circumstances for the exclusion, the company must regain its edge and start pushing the envelope.

The WWE should work out a deal with Sting after his contract concludes, and Vince McMahon should swallow his pride and induct the whole Poffo family with the caveat that Macho Man is the one most heavily featured.

McMahon and Co. must realize that these are decisions that benefit the business, and as much as the WWE Hall of Fame was his creation, it has become the representation of the entire wrestling business for many fans.

If there have been real talks about having an actual Hall of Fame that fans can visit (SEScoops via Bleacher Report), the fact that Savage?a six-time heavyweight champion and one of the most recognizable faces in the history of the sport?and Sting?a 12-time world heavyweight champion?are not amongst the likely busts is a sham.

The hope is that with the softening grip McMahon has on the business and the emergence of Triple H as a legitimate backstage leader these kind of issues that have plagued the company for years will be a thing of the past.

The WWE Hall of Fame should feature both Sting and Savage, not just because of what those two men have done for the business but because the fans want to see their heroes enshrined.

Give the people what they want.