Watch: The Undertaker's first-ever appearance in WWE
It was announced on February 18 that The Undertaker would be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame this year.
The Deadman is regarded as one of the greatest characters ever created by Vince McMahon, and his legacy and career will now be honored. He ultimately retired from the ring in November 2020 after making his pro-wrestling debut in 1987, bringing the curtain down on his 33-year career.
His retirement ceremony took place inside the WWE Thunderdome at the Survivor Series event, with no fans in attendance due to Covid-19 restrictions. Hall of Famers such as Kane, Mick Foley and Shawn Michaels all appeared to pay tribute.
With his induction now set to take place in his home state of Texas over WrestleMania 38 weekend in April, The Undertaker can now have one final farewell with fans traveling from around the world in attendance.
BREAKING: The @undertaker is the first inductee into the WWE Hall of Fame’s Class of 2022!
#Undertaker #WWEHOF https://t.co/320K0Ayv3e
The seven-time WWE World Champion had his last match at WrestleMania 36 - where he once held a legendary 21-0 undefeated streak - as he battled AJ Styles in the first-ever Boneyard Match. The cinematic match received rave reviews from fans and workers alike, and was the perfect swansong for The Phenom.
It made up for his previous one-on-one match in the ring against Goldberg at Super ShowDown in Saudi Arabia. Sadly, the match fell below expectations and featured a number of botched moves. But that is now in the past, and The Undertaker's legacy was already cemented long before this contest.
His WWE journey started in October 1990 when he signed for Vince McMahon. He made his debut with The Deadman gimmick at the Survivor Series event the following month. Watch his first-ever appearance in WWE below:
The Undertaker claimed his final farewell was "tough"
The @undertaker has officially retired from pro wrestling. Rest In Retirement...thank you. https://t.co/0Z1gWf1knl
Following his retirement ceremony at the 2020 Survivor Series event - 30 years after his WWE debut - The Deadman spoke on the Victory Over Injury podcast to discuss the night:
"I’d already come to peace with my decision, but it was really real once I put the hat and coat on. Knowing I was putting the hat and coat on for the last time and walking to the ring in that capacity, it was tough. It was probably best that I didn’t say much more than I did or I would have killed 30 years of work and turning into a blubbering idiot. It was a tough moment." (h/t Inside The Ropes)
It is yet to be determined who will induct The Undertaker into the WWE Hall of Fame as of this writing. However, he will take his rightful place in the halls on Friday, April 1, 2022.
The WWE Hall of Fame ceremony will take place following SmackDown from the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas.
Let us know in the comments section below who you think will induct The Undertaker into the WWE Hall of Fame in April!