Earlier this month, WWE paid tribute to the late boxing icon Muhammad Ali by inducting him into their prestigious Hall of Fame. The honor was bestowed upon Ali for his profound impact on both the company and the wider industry.
The Undertaker was entrusted with delivering the induction speech for Ali. On a recent episode of his ‘Six Feet Under’ podcast, Undertaker addressed the criticism he received following his tribute.
The Deadman admitted to harboring resentment towards Ali’s conscientious objection to military service, a stance that led to significant repercussions for the boxer’s career.
However, he acknowledged Muhammad Ali’s unwavering commitment to his personal convictions, recognizing him as a humanitarian throughout his life.
During rehearsals for the Hall of Fame ceremony, The Undertaker had the opportunity to interact with Ali’s wife, Lonnie Williams, whom he described as a remarkable individual. Their conversation delved into the friendship between Ali and Elvis Presley, offering Taker insight into the bond between two cultural icons.
Reflecting on the induction speech itself, The Undertaker noted the late timing of the event, which left the audience fatigued after a lengthy WWE SmackDown event and multiple preceding speeches.
Despite the timing challenges, The Deadman expressed gratitude for the privilege of inducting a legend like Ali into the WWE Hall of Fame.
Here’s what The Undertaker had to say:
“I got a little heat from part of the veteran community, Muhammad Ali refused to go into military service. He didn’t want to go to Vietnam. He didn’t see why he should go 6,000 miles from home and fight somebody he had no problem with.
It was like, ‘I thought Undertaker was a patriot’, man, kiss my patriot a**.”
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