Muhammad Ali to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame

“The Greatest” is being honoured by the WWE.

Muhammad Ali will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2024.

The WWE stated about Ali: “His influence transcended sports as his work as an activist, artist, and personality established him as one of the most renowned figures in the entire world.”

Ali was a three-time World Heavyweight Boxing Champion and Olympic gold medalist. He retired from boxing with a record of 56-5 with 37 knockouts.

In announcing his induction the WWE chronicled his impact on the world of wrestling:

“On June 26, 1976, Ali competed in “The War of the Worlds” which was an exhibition match against WWE Hall of Famer Antonio Inoki inside the Nippon Budokan arena in Tokyo, Japan. The match, which was competed under specific rules, resulted in a 15-round draw in front of 32,000 fans in the crowd. The bout was also broadcast on closed-circuit television to nearly 33,000 fans inside Shea Stadium in Queens, New York. The event was a huge success and brought in countless new fans to the industry while also being viewed as a precursor to modern mixed martial arts. Both Ali and Inoki became friends after the event with Inoki even using Ali’s theme music and catchphrases as his own.”

Ali was also a central part of the first WrestleMania. He served as the special guest referee for the main event match in which Hulk Hogan and Mr. T fought “Rowdy” Roddy Piper and “Mr. Wonderful” Paul Orndorff.

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