The Undertaker says he got heat from some fans for inducting Muhammad Ali into the WWE Hall of Fame. Undertaker inducted Ali into the Hall of Fame over WrestleMania weekend, and he spoke on his Six Feet Under podcast about being criticized by veterans for inducting Ali due to the late boxing legends refusal to comply with being drafted during the Vietnam War. Ali refereed to himself as a conscientious objector and cited his religious beliefs as a Muslim, while also noting that he was opposed to American involvement in the war.
“I got a little heat from part of the veteran community,” Taker said (per Wrestling Inc). “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].”
Ali was convicted in 1967 of violating Selective Service laws by refusing to be drafted, which went all the way to the US Supreme Court. The Supreme Court reversed the conviction 8-0 on the grounds that Ali’s appeal board gave no reason denying Ali a conscientious objector exemption. Taker said that he doesn’t support avoiding military service but noted that while he resented Ali for many years over the matter, Ali had strong personal conviction to do so and it had ramifications for his career.
Speaking of the criticism he received, Taker said, “It was like, ‘I thought Undertaker was a patriot.’ Man, kiss my patriot ass.”
