‘Triple H’ shared some news yesterday evening. Through his X/Twitter handle, the retired professional wrestler and now Chief Content Officer of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) revealed that boxing’s own ‘The Greatest’ Muhammad Ali has been inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame, Class of 2024. The news is bound to evoke nostalgia among die-hard fans, transporting them back to the era when Ali captivated audiences with his dazzling presence in wrestling arenas.

It’s been nine years since the world bid goodbye to Muhammad Ali. ‘The People’s Champion’, for long, has been boxing’s signature representative. However, not many seem aware of his association with wrestling. According to a piece in the LA Times, the induction will take place on April 5 during Wrestle Mania XL in Philadelphia’s Wells Fargo Center. Ali’s wife, Lonnie Ali, will do the honors. Reportedly, a few other known names will join the boxing great in the class of 2024.

Muhammad Ali: A Tribute Through New Honors

Triple H wrote about how there were many who styled themselves as great. However, in that crowd, there remained only one who truly deserved the sobriquet of ‘The Greatest’. “Many claim to be great, but only one man is “The Greatest”,” he said. The former professional wrestler added how Muhammad Ali went beyond the bounds of the sport to become a global icon. His lasting impact won him the love and admiration of millions across the globe: “Muhammad Ali transcended sport to become a global icon who captivated and impacted the world like no other.”

Lastly, he wrote, “@WWE is honored to induct “The Greatest” Muhammad Ali into the #WWEHOF.” One of the followers commented, “Muhammad Ali was cutting WWE-style promos years before Vince Jr. took over and changed the business. He’s undeniably one of the greatest athletes of all time, and this induction is a no-brainer.“

Many believe Mike Tyson‘s appearance in the late 1990s to have reportedly led to a surge in WWE’s (then WWF) sagging popularity at the time. But much before Muhammad Ali’s association with the sport, he had helped take its popularity to unprecedented heights.

When the Boxing Legend Dabbled and Impacted a Different Arena

In 1985, roughly four years after he fought his last professional boxing bout, Muhammad Ali walked into history. At the inaugural Wrestle Mania, he appeared as a special guest referee to supervise the headline fight. It featured ‘Hulk Hogan‘ and ‘Mr. T‘ take on Roddy ‘Rowdy’ Piper and Paul ‘Mr. Wonderful’ Orndorff.

Muhammad Ali’s first brush with the sport reportedly took place nearly a decade prior to 1985. On June 1, 1976, he took on Japanese wrestler and martial artist Antonio Inoki (real name Muhammad Hussain Inoki). The duo duked it out in Tokyo’s Nippon Budokan Arena. Billed ‘War of the Worlds’, many consider the bout the forerunner of the modern-day MMA genre. Reportedly, thirty-two thousand fans who thronged New York’s Shea Stadium watched the live telecast of the match from Tokyo.

But the run-up to the fight saw him confronting ‘Gorilla Monsoon‘ after the latter’s match, as part of the then WWWF (World Wide Wrestling Federation), at Philadelphia Arena got over.

Two decades later, Ric Flair fought Antonio Inoki at a special event that took place in North Korea. Muhammad Ali joined as the guest of honor. In 1998, when Inoki fought his last pro-wrestling bout, Ali was present at the ring and honored his former opponent with flowers.

According to a post on X/Twitter, Muhammad Ali was a big-time fan of wrestling legends Classy Freddy Blassie and Gorgeous George.

Read More: 7 Years After Muhammad Ali’s Death, WWE Pays “Ultimate” Tribute to Boxing Legend

What are your thoughts on the latest honor bestowed on Muhammad Ali? Please let us know in the comments section below.

Also Read: “This Happened to Muhammad Ali”: WWE Legend Once Humbled the Boxing Legend in Unscripted Turn of Events