WWE Chairman Vince McMahon inducted The Undertaker into the Hall of Fame. The pair had a journey that lasted four different decades. Since, his debut in 1990, Undertaker stayed alongside McMahon through thick and thin.
Hence, the Induction ceremony was an extremely emotional affair for both. During his speech, Mr McMahon choked up while explaining the importance of the role Taker played in the company. Vince shared many stories of the times they spent together over the years.
He also spoke on Taker’s loyalty by revealing why WCW never called Taker during the Monday Night Wars. Vince added it was the rival company knew that Taker will not even pick up the phone call.
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He then went on to list about 30 WWE superstars that The Undertaker has faced throughout his career. From Yokozuna to Ric Flair, from Brock Lesnar to John Cena, Vince gave a shout out to almost all the famous wrestlers he has faced in his career.
The Undertaker says Vince McMahon changed his life
The Undertaker gave Vince McMahon a hug and said “I love you” before starting the speech. Before he could take the stand and deliver his speech, Taker received a massive cheer from the crowd. Fans chanted “Thank You, Taker” and “You deserve it” throughout the duration of their 5 minutes standing ovation. The weight of the moment was too much for him as he desperately tried to hold back his tears.
Undertaker saying “I love you” to Vince McMahon as he accepts his place in the 2022 #WWEHOF pic.twitter.com/ziFqbSWPBS
— Ryan Satin (@ryansatin) April 2, 2022
Better known as ‘The Undertaker’, Mark Callaway thanked his boss Vince McMahon the most during his speech. Taker does not only see Vince as the boss, he also sees him as a friend and a father figure. The 57-year old said,
“Vince McMahon, while you weren’t completely sold on me in the beginning, you ended up giving me the chance of a lifetime. When WCW told me, I’d never draw money, you saw enough in me to give me an opportunity to prove them wrong. The reason I’m standing here today is because of you. You changed my entire life.”
The veteran went on to reminisce about the four-decade long journey and thanked McMahon for guiding him through the course of his career.
The Undertaker taking about what Vince McMahon means to him, those two have an unbreakable bond, 32 years and counting ????.#TheUndertaker #VinceMcmahon #WWE #WWEHOF #ThankYouTaker pic.twitter.com/4QTHeogVOP
— Raphael Wilson (@089968Raph__) April 2, 2022
“You have been an incredible friend and an incredible father figure. Especially after my dad passed away. No matter if it was a pat on the back, a hug or a swift kick in the a**, you always seemed to know what exactly I needed. And from WrestleMania 7 to WrestleMania 38, that added up to a few pats several hugs and a whole lot of kicks.”
Undertaker officially retired in 2020 after beating AJ Styles at WrestleMania 37. Taker has an elusive WrestleMania record of 25-2. He has only lost to Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns on the ‘show of shows.’ Ironically they will both feature in the main event of this year’s ‘Mania in a championship unification bout.