Muhammad Ali to be inducted into WWE Hall of Fame's Class of 2024
Louisville's own Muhammad Ali is getting a posthumous honor from an organization people may not quickly be able to guess.
"The Greatest" is being inducted into the World Wrestling Entertainment Hall of Fame, according to the WWE's official website.
Ali will be part of the WWE Hall of Fame's Class of 2024.
Although known as one of the greatest boxers of all time, the WWE pointed to his June 26, 1976 exhibition match with WWE Hall of Famer Antonio Inoki in Tokyo, Japan.
The WWE said 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.
Ali and Inoki became friends after the event with Inoki even using Ali’s theme music and catchphrases as his own, according to the WWE.
Ali also participated in the very first WrestleMania in 1984 when he served as a special guest referee for a match between Hulk Hogan and Mr. T against "Rowdy" Roddy Piper and "Mr. Wonderful" Paul Orndorff.
Though serving as a ref, Ali got to punch Piper to restore order to the match at one point.
Lending his famous name to pro wrestling at these two events and his overall impact on the sports-entertainment world was enough for the WWE to induct him.
The induction ceremony will be on Friday, April 5, and it will be streaming exclusively on Peacock.