WWE Hall Of Fame - Mil Mascaras the first inductee announced for 2012 ceremony

The Sin Cara Azul vs. Sin Cara Negro mask vs. mask match was not the only special treat for the local Mexican fans at WWE's Smackdown TV tapings in Mexico City two days ago.  In a segment for the live audience alone there was a special ceremony for lucha libre legend Mil Mascaras, The Man Of A Thousand Masks, where Triple H announced that he would be inducted into the WWE Hall Of Fame next year, a video of which can be seen after the jump.  The choice makes perfect sense on multiple levels.

Just from a historical WWE standpoint alone, Mascaras could be considered a worthy candidate.  He was the first ever masked wrestler to appear at Madison Square Garden on December 18th, 1972, after a previous ban on masked wrestlers by the New York State Athletic Commission was overturned so that he could perform in the arena (well, that's the traditional story passed down, but there's still some debate over how legitimate the ban was).  Afterwards, the then WWWF used Mascaras as a special attraction from time to time, similar to how they would use Antonio Inoki and Satoru "Tiger Mask" Sayama in later years, including two MSG main events where he challenged "Superstar" Billy Graham for the WWWF title in December 1977 and January 1978.  His last appearance for the promotion was almost two decades later, when he was a participant in the 1997 Royal Rumble at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas, along with AAA wrestlers Pierroth, Cibernetico and Latin Lover, in an attempt to draw local Hispanic wrestling fans to the first stadium show the company had attempted in almost five years.

It also helps to legitimise the WWE Hall Of Fame internationally.  Mascaras would be one of the five biggest stars in Mexican wrestling history, earning fame far beyond the ring by featuring in many lucha films.  He was also one of the top foreign stars for All Japan Pro Wrestling in its heyday of the 1970s and early '80s.  Any international wrestling hall of fame worth its salt should include Mascaras, so his induction will help to close one of the most obvious gaps in the WWE version, the lack of foreign stars inducted so far.

Finally, it's a favour to Alberto Del Rio, who is Mascaras' nephew and is the obvious person to induct his uncle into the Hall Of Fame next year, possibly with his father Dos Caras, who Mascaras often tagged with during his career.  Even though Mascaras is almost 70, we might even see him get physically involved in Del Rio's match at WrestleMania, as he's still in great shape and wrestles on occasion to this very day.

The favourites to join Mascaras in the WWE Hall Of Fame next year would be the late "Macho Man" Randy Savage (along with his father Angelo Poffo and his brother Lanny "The Genius" Poffo) and the recently retired Edge, though they may make Edge wait a year if WrestleMania 29 is going to be held in Toronto.  The other big name candidate would be Mick Foley, but as he's expected to wrestle at WrestleMania 28 next year, then he might wait until 2013 or 2014 too.  What are your feelings Cagesiders?  Who would you like to see inducted into the WWE Hall Of Fame with Mascaras next year?