Shawn Michaels returns from career-threatening surgery and wrestles once again, Eric Bischoff debuts on WWE television and hugs Vince McMahon, Bret Hart returns to WWE television 13 years after the Montreal Screwjob.

The old tagline of “never say never” rings true in wrestling as sometimes wrestling throws up huge stories that make the fans and even wrestlers themselves gobsmacked and Monday’s news was no different as it was announced that after all the years of bitterness between the two, that WWE and Bruno Sammartino had settled their differences, which will see Bruno being inducted into the 2013 WWE Hall of Fame class, joining Mick Foley, Trish Stratus and Bob Backlund as those confirmed thus far. Those I have spoken to within the business have said that Sammartino agreeing to be inducted on his own terms is a big coup for the WWE, comparing it to an NBA team signing a young Michael Jordan.

For those unfamiliar with Sammartino, the man classified as the greatest professional wrestler to ever live had 2 reigns as WWWF Champion totalling up a combined 4,040 days. His first reign as WWWF Champion lasting 2,803 days, with his second reign lasting 1,237 days. Before the days of Hulk Hogan, John Cena, The Undertaker and other top names, Sammartino was the top wrestling draw at Madison Square Garden and had sellout crowds witnessing his matches against the likes of Stan Hansen (who he broke his neck against and returned approximately 3 months later), “Superstar” Billy Graham, Larry Zbyszko, Ivan Koloff, Killer Kowalski and many others.

While Sammartino’s Hall of Fame induction is long overdue, one can only praise Paul “Triple H” Levesque for the past 7 months, as his hard and more than likely, quite strenuous work has finally paid off, which Bruno noted to WWE’s official website stating, “Triple H contacted me and started telling me all the things that had changed and everything that was going on with WWE. I started watching it after talking to him and when I saw it, I was very, very impressed.” The fact that Triple H was able to get a name like Sammartino to agree to join WWE’s Hall of Fame is obviously going to have him heavily praised for his work, as it has been something that Vince McMahon has been unable to do for the past 20 years, with Bruno turning down the WWE Hall of Fame induction in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2010 and again in 2011 before finally agreeing terms, terms which will apparently see Bruno being used for commentary on upcoming WWE DVD releases, a potential WWE on-screen television appearance and other roles, most notably WWE’s 50th Anniversary DVD release that the company have been planning.

Will Bruno’s induction put a rubber stamp on WWE finally completing work on an actual Hall of Fame building only time will tell, however Sammartino helped draw the crowds to Madison Square Garden during different eras of wrestling and on April 6th, 2013, Sammartino will do it once again, this time as a WWE Hall of Famer.