Interesting week in WWE on many fronts … Raw’s Chris Jericho gets fired … Mr. McMahon is on his way back to Monday Night Raw … Shawn Michaels beat World Champ John Cena Monday night in “HBK’s WrestleMania”… WWE roared into chilly Omaha, Neb., to tape Friday Night SmackDown, which felt more like a NASCAR event … Oklahoma quarterback & Heisman Trophy winner Sam Bradford is not opting for the NFL but is returning to OU … and, most significantly, “Stone Cold” Steve Austin is going into the WWE Hall of Fame during Wrestlemania XXV weekend.

Austin will no doubt be the star attraction at the WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony that will be held at the Toyota Center in Houston on Saturday evening, April 4, with tickets becoming available this Saturday morning at 10 a.m. CT.

In all my years in this biz, 35 this year, I have never encountered an athlete who demanded more of himself than did Austin. Austin won three Royal Rumble matches but if you asked him he would probably curse a blue streak and bemoan the fact that he didn’t win all that he entered.

Going into the WWE Hall of Fame in the city that Steve watched TV wrestling as a kid has got to be special for him, not to mention the fact that Steve’s family and many Texas friends will be able to attend this historic occasion.

Steve has been like a family member to the Mrs. and me for many years, through challenging times for all, both personally and professionally, and my wife Jan even named her cat Molly 3:16 in honor of Steve, who was one of the few people Ol’ Molly would have anything do with when he would pay us a visit. Molly left us at 17, in 2007 but she was a fighter just like her namesake.

If the young wrestlers who are trying to make the WWE rosters would observe the passion and drive that Austin brought with him every day to work they would be well-served. There were better technical wrestlers, and high-flyers for sure, perhaps better brawlers and maybe even slicker talkers, but no one ever brought more intensity and toughness to the squared circle than did The Texas Rattlesnake. Or sold more tickets, T-shirts and pay-per-views.

The WWE Hall of Fame will be better with Stone Cold Steve Austin in it. Congratulations, Steve, for this well-earned honor.

Now back to our regularly scheduled programming brought to you this week by Stocky Balboa’s Barber Shop and Deli where Italian cold cuts and a close shave are a way of life.

Read the rest of J.R.'s column at WWE.com »