Mike Tyson Confirmed for WWE HOF
Posted by David Damage on Monday, January 30, 2012
Under: News
Mike
Tyson has been confirmed for the WWE Hall of Fame, according to TMZ.
The announcement is yet to be made by WWE, but Tyson has spoke on his
induction with TMZ.
Tyson said: ”I am honored to be inducted
into the WWE Hall of Fame. I was the youngest heavyweight champion of
all time, but the most fun I ever had in the ring was with WWE.”
Tyson’s history with WWE is more storied than perhaps any of the
celebrities in the current WWE Hall of Fame. His involvement with WWE
goes back to the Attitude Era when he served as special guest ring
enforcer at Wrestlemania 14 in the WWE Championship match. Some even
credit Tyson for helping Stone Cold get over during the Attitude Era.
WWE.com:
Boxing legend and pop culture icon “Iron” Mike Tyson will be inducted
into the WWE's 2012 Hall of Fame class on March 31 in Miami, WWE
announced to major media markets throughout the nation Monday. Among the
most decorated pugilists in history, Tyson established his place in WWE
lore in 1998 when he served as a special “outside enforcer” for the WWE
Championship main event of WrestleMania XIV between Shawn Michaels and
“Stone Cold” Steve Austin.
Long before his appearance on The
Grandest Stage of Them All, however, Tyson made his name in boxing,
initially taking the sport by storm in the 1980s. Within the first two
years of his professional career, Tyson amassed a 22-0 record, winning
21 of those contests by knockout.
In 1986, at age 20, “The
Baddest Man on the Planet” captured the World Boxing Council title to
become the youngest heavyweight champion in history – a distinction that
stands today. The very next year he became the sport’s first Undisputed
World Heavyweight Champion, winning the top prizes in both the World
Boxing Association and the International Boxing Federation.
Tyson’s first foray into sports-entertainment – a memorable appearance
on Raw in January 1998 – produced one of the most indelibly chaotic
scenes in WWE's history, as an icy staredown with “Stone Cold” Steve
Austin dissolved into a wild pull-apart brawl. Often credited with
ushering in WWE’s Attitude Era, that incident led to Tyson’s involvement
in the WrestleMania XIV main event between Austin and then-champion
Shawn Michaels.
Although all signs heading into the
championship bout suggested Tyson would align with Michaels, the boxing
great defied expectations, counting the pinfall that made Austin a WWE
Champion for the first time. When Michaels disputed the decision, “Iron
Mike” floored The Showstopper with a knockout right.
Upon his
return to WWE in January 2010 as a special guest on Raw, Tyson
officially competed for the first time in a WWE ring. Teaming with Chris
Jericho against Michaels and his D-Generation X cohort, Triple H, Tyson
surprised his teammate and revealed himself as an honorary member of
DX. That night, it was Jericho who wound up on the wrong end of Tyson’s
staggering punching power.
In recent years, “The Baddest Man
on the Planet” has emerged as a looming figure away from the squared
circle, performing scene-stealing cameos in The Hangover series in
addition to running a clothing line and starring in a gaming app.
The WWE Hall of Fame induction ceremony will take place on March 31,
the eve of WrestleMania XXVIII, at the American Airlines Arena.
Alongside Tyson, WWE legends Edge, The Four Horsemen and Mil Mascaras
have already been announced as inductees.
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