The Undertaker just became the first inductee into the WWE Hall of Fame’s Class of 2022, as first announced by the New York Post. The Deadman will be enshrined in the hallowed hall during the 2022 WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony as part of WrestleMania Week.
The WWE Hall of Fame at a ceremony will take place Friday, April 1 at American Airlines Center in Dallas as part of WrestleMania Week. The event will stream live exclusively on Peacock in the U.S. and WWE Network everywhere else. In addition, for the first time in history, WWE will present both Friday Night SmackDown and the 2022 WWE Hall of Fame Ceremony live on the same night at American Airlines Center, giving all fans in attendance an unprecedented opportunity to witness both events for one price.
In an extraordinary career that spanned three decades, The Undertaker loomed over the WWE landscape like a menacing shadow, spelling out doom for those who dared cross him. Imbued with seemingly mystical abilities and preternatural in-ring skill, the legendary Phenom operated on his own level.
First introduced at the 1990’s Survivor Series, The Demon of Death Valley was soon battling with Hulk Hogan, then at the top of the food chain in WWE. This clash set the tone for Undertaker’s dominant career. No one was too big, and no one was safe from his gloved grip.
A multi-time WWE and World Heavyweight Champion, a seven-time tag team titleholder and a Royal Rumble Match winner in 2007, Undertaker has cemented his place among the greatest in the game. A true in-ring pioneer, he was part of many WWE firsts, including the first-ever Casket Match at Survivor Series 1992, the first-ever Buried Alive Match in 1996 and the inaugural Hell in a Cell Match in 1997.
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.
Undertaker’s incomparable career concluded at Survivor Series on Nov. 22, 2020, when The Deadman retired, fittingly at the same event he debuted and exactly 30 years to the day he first stepped into a WWE ring.
In the face of all challenges, The Deadman would rise time and time again, stronger and mightier than ever to serve as sports entertainment’s grim reaper of justice with his name permanently etched like an epitaph on the history books of WWE. No grave could hold him, no god could claim him and no devil would have him. In the end, there would only be one suitable resting place for the almighty Deadman: the WWE Hall of Fame.
Don’t miss The Undertaker taking his place in sports-entertainment history during the 2022 WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Friday, April 1, streaming live exclusively on Peacock in the U.S. and WWE Network everywhere else.
What could be said about Mark Calaway, aka The Undertaker, that hasn’t been said yet? Many were surprised last year that his fellow “brother” Kane was inducted before him. More than anyone, The Undertaker deserves to become a Hall of Famer. He had made generations of fans feel terrified by his sinister presence. He had made us scream with joy when he was winning another WrestleMania match, giving more and more value to his legendary streak.
And he also made us cry when he showed his true face, the one of Mark Calaway, the man behind The Dead Man. So many broken bones, so much pain, despite unconditional love for the business, mostly to WWF/WWE and Vince McMahon, that led him to end his career in 2020 after one of the best matches ever, The Boneyard Match, at WrestleMania 36 against AJ Styles. A marvel of a cinematic bout.
The Undertaker is a legend in this business. Some would say he doesn’t need to be in the Hall of Fame because his career speaks for itself. Like he was saying in the mini-series “The Last Ride,” he put storytelling first, beyond everything else. The character of The Undertaker was such a unique and inexhaustible source of feuds and matches, able to connect with generations of fans but also to make them connect with each other.
There’s definitely not a lot to say about The Undertaker being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. Yes, he deserves it. Even more, he belongs to it.
All pics and videos courtesy of WWE