Dennis Rodman announced as member of 2026 WWE Hall of Fame class

Athletes in the Hall of Fame

2026: Dennis Rodman (14-year NBA veteran, five-time NBA Champion, Basketball Hall of Famer)
2024: Muhammad Ali (56-5 career boxing record, Olympic Gold Medalist)
2012: Mike Tyson (50-7 career boxing record, two-time WBA Heavyweight Champion, two-time WBC Heavyweight Champion)
2006: “The Refrigerator” William Perry (10-year NFL veteran, Super Bowl XX Champion)
2005: Pete Rose (24-year MLB veteran, 17-time All-Star, three-time World Series Champion)

Rodman made his mark on professional wrestling in 1997, when he made his WCW debut on the March 10 edition of Monday Nitro. He joined the infamous New World Order later that month at the Uncensored 1997 event, and participated in his first professional wrestling match at that year’s Bash at the Beach event. Rodman teamed with Hollywood Hulk Hogan against Lex Luger and The Giant (Paul Wight) in a losing effort.

Dennis Rodman wrestled in three matches across WCW career

Across his WCW career, Rodman participated in three matches. In one of these matches, Rodman teamed with Hogan again to take on fellow NBA superstar Karl Malone and Diamond Dallas Page. His professional wrestling career occurred simultaneously alongside the Chicago Bulls’ dominant run in the late 1990s.

Rodman’s stint in WCW was prominently featured in the heralded ‘Last Dance’ documentary that was released in 2020. The Worm was shown skipping a practice, while the Chicago Bulls were in the NBA Finals, to appear on WCW Nitro.

“I’ve got Phil Jackson calling me, going, ‘Where’s my guy at, where’s my guy at?'” Hulk Hogan stated in a Dennis Rodman documentary produced for the WWE Network. “I’m going, ‘Rodman, Phil Jackson keeps blowing up my phone, you gotta go back, [and Rodman] says, ‘I don’t wanna go back.'”

WCW ultimately folded into the WWF/WWE in 2001, ceasing all operations. There’s no doubt that Rodman was a massive factor in the Monday Night Wars, however. Thanks to his contributions to the industry, he will now be the latest inductee to the WWE Hall of Fame.

The 2026 WWE Hall of Fame event will take place on April 17, 2026, at Dolby Live at Park MGM in Las Vegas, Nev.