The Ultimate Warrior stepped away from the wrestling ring more than 18 years ago due in large part to a strained relationship with WWE Chairman and CEO Vince McMahon. Despite this, fans were happy to learn on Monday night that The Ultimate Warrior will be inducted into the WWE’s 2014 Hall of Fame.

Vince McMahon praised The Ultimate Warrior in an email just before the official announcement was made.

“The Ultimate Warrior was the most intense, colorful, competitive and outspoken superstar in sports entertainment history, and his contributions to WWE were extraordinary, we are thrilled to induct The Ultimate Warrior into the WWE Hall of Fame.”

The Ultimate Warrior (James Brian Hellwig) appeared in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) between 1987 and 1996. During that time, he won the WWF Championship after thrashing Hulk Hogan at WrestleMania VI on April 1, 1990 at the SkyDome in Toronto, Ontario.

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By 1991, Warrior was fired after McMahon claimed he refused to go to the ring unless McMahon paid him a certain amount in prize money. Warrior returned to the ring in 1992 but was again fired with McMahon claiming he violated the company’s drug policy, a claim Warrior later denied during a 2012 radio interview.

After being on hiatus for a few years The Ultimate Warrior made yet another return in 1996 but was once again fired, this time for good. McMahon said Warrior refused to show up in various WWE events in which he had been advertised.

In 2005, McMahon approved the release of a DVD titled “The Self-Destruction of the Ultimate Warrior.” Warrior sued the WWE  claiming that the video violated a March 2000 settlement agreement that prohibited them from disparaging each other. The case was thrown out by the judge because Warrior had already breached the contract by making disparaging statements about McMahon and the WWE before the video even came out.

Today the two men have reconciled their differences and finally the now 54-year-old Warrior will get to officially leave the sport with the farewell he deserves. The induction ceremony is scheduled to take place at the New Orleans Arena on April 5.

Congrats to @UltimateWarrior on the hall of fame!! My childhood hero! I got into wrestling because of him!! To this day still the coolest!!

— quiet storm (@qstormprowres) January 14, 2014

@UltimateWarrior being inducted in to the @WWE HOF = Giving generations of fans what their hearts desired for so long. #thankyou #childhood

— Farhan Faruqui (@ROAD2THEWWE) January 14, 2014

April 5 … all us #LittleWarriors are seeing the big guy get enshrined!! CONGRATS @UltimateWarrior! #WWEHOF pic.twitter.com/nmsg48KA9M

— WWE Universe (@WWEUniverse) January 14, 2014

The Ultimate Warrior 2014 WWE Hall Of Fame Inductee

Image via YouTube