The first inductee into the WWE Hall of Fame: Class of 2022 has been announced.
WWE revealed on Friday morning that The Undertaker will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame: Class of 2022 on Friday, April 1 from Dallas, Texas. The news was first broken by the New York Post.
The legendary Undertaker enjoyed a career that few have managed to attain in professional wrestling. For the better part of 30 years from 1990 to 2020, he was consistently featured as a key member of the WWE product and was always around the main event scene.
Mark Calaway, 56, began his career in June 1987, losing to Bruiser Brody in his first match at the Dallas Sportatorium for World Class Championship Wrestling. He would make appearances for the USWA and CWA before landing in World Championship Wrestling as a member of The Skyscrapers. Calaway’s tenure there would be short-lived.
He was hired by WWF in October 1990 and made his debut as The Undertaker at the 1990 Survivor Series event. His career would quickly take off to the main event scene. The Undertaker won his first of seven World Championships from Hulk Hogan at the 1991 Survivor Series event.
The Undertaker would go on to have many firsts in wrestling. He was part of the first Casket Match, the first Buried Alive Match, and the first Hell in a Cell Match. As mentioned already, he was a seven-time World Champion (WWE Championship 4-times and World Heavyweight Championship 3-times). He was also a 6-time WWE Tag Team Champion, the Hardcore Champion, a WCW Tag Team Champion, and the 2007 Royal Rumble Winner.
His most well-known accomplishment is going 25-2 at WrestleMania, with a 21-match winning streak snapped by Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania XXX in one of the most shocking moments in the history of professional wrestling. Here is an excerpt about the accomplishment from WWE’s Hall of Fame profile on The Undertaker:
But there was one achievement that stood out above all others that is unlikely to ever be topped. Since WrestleMania VII in 1991, The Undertaker maintained a winning streak on The Grandest Stage of Them All that grew to an astounding 21-0, with milestone victories over the likes of Shawn Michaels, Triple H, Jake “The Snake” Roberts, Randy Orton, Diesel, Kane and so many more. Only Brock Lesnar proved capable of upending The Last Outlaw in his yard, snapping The Streak in an earth-shocking upset at WrestleMania 30. The iconic Superstar closed the book on his Showcase of the Immortals career with an astonishing 25-2 record, most recently scoring an incredible victory over AJ Styles in a Boneyard Match.
His final match came at WrestleMania 36 in a Boneyard Match against AJ Styles, which was won by The Undertaker. It was a cinematic match that was well regarded by many fans and critics. During the acclaimed “The Last Ride” documentary series, Undertaker announced his retirement. WWE celebrated his 30-year career at the 2020 Survivor Series and officially retired.
This year’s Hall of Fame ceremony will take place on Friday, April 1 from the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. It will be part of a doubleheader event with Friday Night SmackDown as well. WrestleMania 38 will take place over two nights on Saturday, April 2, and Sunday, April 3.