He’s arguably one of the WWE’s greatest wrestlers and now The Undertaker has been inducted into the 2022 WWE Hall of Fame following a storied professional wrestling career that has spanned three decades.
The retired sportsman, whose real name is Mark Calaway, has been one of the most popular wrestlers in the company since he made his debut at Survivor Series in 1990.
As part of WrestleMania weekend, WWE chairman and chief executive Vince McMahon had the honour of inducting The Undertaker into the Hall of Fame during a ceremony at the American Airlines Centre in Dallas, Texas on Friday. "There is no one more deserving than the man we are about to induct tonight,” said McMahon.
The Undertaker entered the squared circle surrounded by mannequins that donned outfits from different time periods in the wrestler’s career and to a standing ovation from fellow wrestlers and fans in attendance.
Taking to the stage, a tearful Phenom (as he’s nicknamed) gave a speech that was centred around three mental states that helped with his success: perception is reality, respect and loyalty go a long way, and never be content.
"Now that The Undertaker has entered the WWE Hall of Fame, you can rest assured that I will rest... in… peace,” he said during his speech.
Finally, as he exited the ring wearing his trademark hat and leather jacket, he had one final message for fans that teased he may not be done after all: “Never say never.”
The Undertaker has won nearly every major championship in WWE and has competed in some of the most memorable matches in history over his illustrious three-decade career.
In addition, he amassed a historic 21-year WrestleMania undefeated streak before it was broken at WrestleMania 30 by Brock Lesnar in 2014.
In 2020, Calaway was featured in the WWE Network docuseries Undertaker: The Last Ride, which was praised by fans and critics. He made his “final farewell” to fans at Survivor Series later that year, announcing his retirement.
Even though he has wrestled only a few times in recent years, The Undertaker’s appeal in the Middle East has always been at an all-time high.
Back in February 2020, fans who attended Super ShowDown in Riyadh wore his merchandise and brought signs specifically for him, as rumours swirled that he would be making an appearance at the event.
WWE Superstar Mansoor, who was born in Saudi Arabia, also shared stories of how he remembers The Undertaker's popularity in the region. "He was so popular, there were even rumours he converted to Islam," he told The National.
Scroll through the gallery below to see a history of The Undertaker's WWE career.
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The Undertaker in his debut WWE match at Survivor Series in 1990. All photos: WWE -
The Undertaker in the mid-1990s. -
The Undertaker has had an in-ring wrestling career that's lasted 30 years. -
The Undertaker defeating Sycho Sid for the WWF World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania 13 in 1997. -
The Undertaker at The Great American Bash in 2004. -
The Undertaker and Shawn Michaels square off at WrestleMania 25 in 2009, in a match that the former cites as one of his favourite wrestling moments. -
The Undertaker and Triple H at WrestleMania 27 in 2011. -
The Undertaker in 2016. -
The Undertaker making his way to the ring at WrestleMania 33 in 2017. -
The Undertaker facing off against Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 33 in 2017. -
The Undertaker leaves behind his wrestling gear in the ring at WrestleMania 33 in 2017. -
The Undertaker backstage at WrestleMania 33. -
The Undertaker and Triple H share a post-match hug at WrestleMania 33. -
The Undertaker at WrestleMania 34 in 2018. -
The Undertaker at Crown Jewel in Riyadh in 2018. -
The Undertaker and John Cena at WrestleMania 34 in 2018. -
The Undertaker at Crown Jewel in Riyadh in 2018. -
The Undertaker choke slams AJ Styles at Super ShowDown in Riyadh in 2020. -
The Undertaker says he has unfinished business with AJ Styles. -
AJ Styles and The Undertaker in their 'Boneyard Match' at WrestleMania 36 in 2020. Courtesy WWE -
The Undertaker rides away after defeating AJ Styles at WrestleMania 36. -
The Undertaker will say his final farewell to the WWE Universe at Survivor Series. -
'I don’t think anybody, especially in this industry, can foresee 30 years down the line,' says The Undertaker.
