Just as swiftly as he laid waste to opponents, Bill Goldberg has been announced as an inductee into the WWE Hall of Fame not even a year after his final match in a wrestling ring.

Goldberg, who played football at the University of Georgia Bulldog and with the Atlanta Falcons, took his incredible athleticism to sports entertainment and became one of the most dominant forces the brand ever introduced.

Menacing and chiseled at 6-foot-4, Goldberg exhibited his unrivaled intensity with his unique entrance and trademark “You’re next!” His ferocious spear would lead to a jackhammer and a resounding 1-2-3.

The news of Goldberg’s induction was first reported by ESPN on Monday, and he’s the first name revealed for the WWE Hall of Fame’s Class of 2018. His acceptance speech will be on Friday, April 6 at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans ahead of WrestleMania 34 at the Mercedes Benz Superdome.

“At the end of the day, any business, any venture that you embark upon, you want some type of acknowledgement,” Goldberg told ESPN.com. “You always try to make it to a top. There’s no reason to do anything unless you want to be the best.”

The 51-year-old Goldberg, whose career began with WCW in 1997, had his last match against Brock Lesnar last April during WrestleMania 33. Lesnar defeated Goldberg with the help of 10 German suplexes and an F5, his finishing move, to finally defeat the legend.

Beating Goldberg, who at one point boasted a record of 173-0, was an extremely rare feat. Doing it fair and square was a totally different achievement, and Lesnar’s win against Goldberg was arguably the only one in that regard.

“Goldberg’s unique athleticism, persona and intensity captured the imagination of sports entertainment fans around the world throughout his illustrious career,” said Paul Levesque a.k.a. Triple H, WWE Executive Vice President, Talent, Live Events & Creative. “We are honored to have Goldberg take his rightful place in the WWE Hall of Fame.”