Warrior (wrestler)
Encyclopedia
Also see Warrior (disambiguation)
.
Warrior (born James Brian Hellwig on June 16, 1959) is an American
retired professional wrestler
who notably performed under the ring names The Ultimate Warrior and Warrior. He is best known for his appearances in the World Wrestling Federation
(WWF) from 1987 to 1991 and again in 1992 and 1996, and in World Championship Wrestling
(WCW) in 1998. He won the WWF Championship
when he pinned Hulk Hogan
in the main event of WrestleMania VI
. Hellwig legally changed his name to Warrior in 1993. Warrior retired from professional wrestling in 1999 and embarked on a public speaking career. On June 25, 2008 he returned to wrestle Orlando Jordan
in Barcelona
, Spain
defeating him in a match booked by the Italian
Nu-Wrestling Evolution
promotion. Warrior was described by World Wrestling Entertainment as having been "the ultimate archetype of strength and intensity", as well as having been "one of the most intense and physically impressive competitors to ever appear in the WWE".
. It was also during this time he began to compete in amateur bodybuilding
.
and winning the 1984 NPC Mr. Georgia crown. Hellwig started training with weights when he was 11 years old and has described himself as "the small, insecure kid who wasn't into any sports". He moved to California where, after seeing bodybuilder Robby Robinson
, decided to take up the sport. His first contest took place in Florida where he placed 5th. Later, while he was attending Life University
in Marietta, Georgia
, he won the Junior Atlanta contest and placed 5th at the 1981 AAU
Collegiate Mr. America
. In 1983, he won the AAU Coastal USA, before taking the Mr. Georgia title the following year. His last bodybuilding contest was 1985's Junior USA's, which was won by future IFBB Pro, Ron Love. Hellwig finished 5th.
In 1985, after spending six weeks in California
training for a bodybuilding contest, he was invited to join a group of bodybuilders - Garland Donoho, Mark Miller, and Steve "Flash" Borden - who were attempting to make the transition into professional wrestlers. Warrior accepted the invitation and abandoned his bodybuilding career and his plans to become a chiropractor
.
Hellwig and Steve Borden, who would later go on to success as "Sting", formed a tag team
known as the Blade Runners, with Hellwig changing his ring name to "Blade Runner Rock" and Borden changing his name to "Blade Runner Flash". Debuting in the Memphis, Tennessee-based Continental Wrestling Association
(CWA) promotion, run by Jerry Jarrett
, the team played baby faces at first, but fans were actually slow to take to the hulking duo in a territory that had featured sympathetic "good guy tag teams" like the Rock 'n' Roll Express
and The Fabulous Ones
. They were quickly turned heel as The Blade Runners. The Blade Runners went on to wrestle for the Mid-South Wrestling promotion, which became the Universal Wrestling Federation (UWF) in 1986. They were part of Eddie Gilbert's Hotstuff International group, before disbanding in 1986 when Hellwig left the UWF.
Years later in a TNA interview when Steve Borden was asked about teaming with Hellwig, Borden referred to the relationship with Hellwig as being a "Tense year and when we parted ways it wasn't a friendly part"
-based World Class Championship Wrestling
(WCCW) promotion, where he wrestled for $
50 a night. He claimed that he adopted the ring name "Dingo Warrior" after a member of the WCCW locker room remarked that he looked like "a warrior". Warrior formed a tag team with Lance Von Erich
, and the duo began competing for the WCWA World Tag Team Championship. On November 17, 1986, Warrior and Von Erich defeated Master Gee
(substituting for champion Buzz Sawyer
) and Matt Borne
to win the title. They held the Championship until December 1 of that year, when they lost to Al Madril and Brian Adias
.
In 1987, Warrior began competing for the WCWA Texas Heavyweight Championship
, losing to Bob Bradley in a tournament final on January 12. He won the title from Bradley on February 2 of that year. The title was held up in April 1987 after Warrior left the WCCW. He was reinstated as champion upon returning, but vacated it once more upon resigning from WCCW to join the World Wrestling Federation
, where he adopted the ring name Ultimate Warrior. Warrior began appearing on house shows in June and was initially billed as The Dingo Warrior in house card promos by Gene Okerlund
, but soon had his name modified. There is dispute over who created the Ultimate Warrior name. Bruce Prichard
stated that Vince McMahon
did not know what a "Dingo" Warrior would be, but because there was the "Modern Day Warrior" Kerry von Erich
and the Road Warriors
there should not be one more simple warrior, but The Ultimate Warrior. However, Warrior claims after one of his first matches, McMahon had him do a pretaped promo. It was there Vince said we want you to do Warrior, but we don't want Dingo. The Warrior then proceeded to cut the promo and stated that he was not this warrior or that warrior, he was The Ultimate Warrior.
In the late 1980s, while Warrior was still wrestling in Texas, he appeared in several TV ads for Westway Ford, a car dealership in Irving, Texas
. Warrior interacted in full wrestling costume with Westway's wacky character, "Mean Joe Greed."
, defeating The Honky Tonk Man
(in 13 seconds at the first ever SummerSlam
in 1988) and Rick Rude at SummerSlam 1989
. The Warrior was heralded as the wrestler to become the biggest star of the 1990s, and the successor to Hulk Hogan
, who had remained wrestling's biggest star throughout the 1980s. Following a few confrontations with Hogan, most notably at the 1990 Royal Rumble
, the Warrior was written in as Hogan's opponent in the main event for WrestleMania VI
at the SkyDome
in Toronto
, Ontario
. The match was billed as "The Ultimate Challenge", as both Hogan's WWF Championship
and Warrior's WWF Intercontinental Championship were on the line. Warrior pinned Hogan after a Warrior Splash to become the first wrestler to hold the WWF Championship and WWF Intercontinental Championship simultaneously. Warrior vacated the Intercontinental title, as WWF rules prohibited a wrestler from holding both singles titles.
After WrestleMania VI, Warrior continued to build his popularity with successful defenses against the likes of Haku
, Mr. Perfect, Rick Rude and Ted DiBiase
. "Macho King" Randy Savage
was also introduced as a potential rival after interfering in a Saturday Night's Main Event title match at the behest of DiBiase. In January 1991, Warrior faced Sgt. Slaughter
at the Royal Rumble
. Slaughter's gimmick at the time was a traitor who had betrayed America by aligning himself with an (kayfabe
) Iraqi military general, General Adnan
. In the context of the Gulf War
, this made Slaughter one of the most hated heels at the time. After rejecting an earlier request to grant a title shot to Savage, Sensational Sherri
interjected herself in the Warrior's championship match to distract him. Her interference eventually led to a Savage sneak attack where he eventually struck Warrior over the head with a metal scepter, and Slaughter pinned Warrior to win the WWF Championship. Warrior would go on to feud with Savage, and the rivalry culminated in a 'Career Ending' match at WrestleMania VII
with the Warrior victorious, forcing Savage to retire.
The next chapter of Warrior's career was an encounter with The Undertaker, after Undertaker and his manager, Paul Bearer
, locked Warrior in a coffin on the set of Bearer's Funeral Parlor. WWF officials worked feverishly to break the casket open, finally revealing Warrior's seemingly lifeless body, and the torn fabric inside of the coffin indicating Warrior's desperate struggle to get out. Warrior was finally revived by the officials performing CPR
. This led to Jake "The Snake" Roberts
offering to give Warrior "the knowledge of the dark side" in order to prepare Warrior to take his revenge on the Undertaker. This involved Roberts giving Warrior three "tests" shown on WWF TV in consecutive weeks. For the first test, Roberts locked Warrior inside of a coffin for a second time.
For the second test, Warrior was "buried alive" by Roberts. For the third test, the Warrior entered a room full of snakes, to find "the answer" in a chest in the middle of the room. However, waiting inside the chest was a King Cobra, which (kayfabe) bit Warrior in the face. As Warrior weakened from the effects of the cobra's strike, Roberts was joined by the Undertaker and Paul Bearer, revealing the three were working together all along. Roberts then uttered, "Never trust a snake." The stage was now set for a feud between the Warrior and Roberts. However, the feud would never take place, as Warrior was involved in an alleged pay dispute with WWF owner Vince McMahon
over the SummerSlam
main event, where Warrior was team with Hulk Hogan in a handicap match against Sgt. Slaughter, Colonel Mustafa, and General Adnan. The WWF alleged that Warrior threatened to no show the event unless he was paid for his previous WrestleMania appearance. According to Vince McMahon, Warrior was paid that amount then fired immediately after SummerSlam.
(to rescue Hulk Hogan from a beat down at the hands of Sid Justice
and Papa Shango
). When he made his return, he looked smaller and his hair was shorter, leading to a rumor that Hellwig had died and it was a different person (hinting it was Kerry Von Erich
) performing the character.
Upon his return, he received a degree of creative control over his bookings. One storyline involved Papa Shango, a "witch doctor
," cast a spell over Warrior, causing him to convulse and vomit
in very odd colors, though Warrior says he hated that story and had no control over it. The Warrior was booked for a WWF Championship match against then-champion, "Macho Man" Randy Savage
at SummerSlam
in August 1992. The Warrior would win the match by count-out but not the title.
In November 1992 Warrior was scheduled to be the tag team partner of Randy "Macho Man" Savage, to be known as the Ultimate Maniacs to face Ric Flair and Razor Ramon at Survivor Series
. However, weeks before the event, Warrior failed a drug test and according to Vince McMahon as stated on the Self Destruction Of The Ultimate Warrior DVD, the WWE released him immediately. At the time a rumor was spread that the Warrior himself asked for his release due to not wanting to be involved in a feud with Nailz, this was also disputed on the Self Destruction Of The Ultimate Warrior DVD.
.
In December 1992, he wrestled as the Dingo Warrior against Hercules Hernandez in Billerica, Massachusetts, for Killer Kowalski
's International Wrestling Federation.
In 1993, Jim Hellwig played the role of "the swordsman" in the action movie Firepower.
In March 1995, World Championship Wrestling
(WCW) introduced The Renegade
as Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage's "ultimate weapon", using ring attire and mannerisms that closely resembled Warrior's and many people believe The Renegade either was the Warrior or that WCW pretended he was, neither of which is true. In July 1995, he returned to the ring for the National Wrestling Conference (NWC) promotion in Las Vegas, defeating The Honky Tonk Man
. He had also wrestled a tour of Europe for Otto Wanz
's Catch Wrestling Association
(CWA) promotion.
at WrestleMania XII
. He made his first appearance on Monday Night Raw
on April 8, where he gave an in-ring interview and credited the "voices" of the "warriors" (his name for members of the WWF audience) for his return; he was then interrupted, and ridiculed, by Goldust. Warrior challenged for Goldust's WWF Intercontinental Championship
at In Your House 7
; Warrior won the match by countout, but did not win the title. The following night on Monday Night Raw, Warrior defeated Isaac Yankem
. A rematch with Intercontinental Champion Goldust, on the May 27 edition of the show, ended in a double countout. Warrior defeated Jerry Lawler
at the King of the Ring
, and defeated Owen Hart
by disqualification on the July 8 edition of Monday Night Raw. Warrior was scheduled to team with Shawn Michaels
and Ahmed Johnson to face Owen Hart, Davey Boy Smith
, and Vader at In Your House 9
later that month, but the WWF terminated Warrior's contract when he took time off allegedly to grieve the death of his father. WWF owner Vince McMahon claimed that Warrior had not seen his father in ten years and did not care much for him; therefore, he did not take Warrior's excuse for missing bookings at face value. Warrior disputes McMahon's explanation, claiming that the real reason why he no showed those events was a breach of contract by McMahon, in which WWF sold Warrior's merchandise without giving him a percentage. He was replaced by Sycho Sid
at In Your House 9.
: the "One Warrior Nation." The acronym oWn (One Warrior Nation) was a play on the name nWo. Highlights of the storyline included Warrior kidnapping
and "converting" The Disciple
and frequent instances of "magic smoke" knocking out all of the nWo members except for Hollywood Hogan (and covering Warrior's movement through a trapdoor in the ring).
Warrior only participated in three matches in WCW. The first was the War Games main event, where he and eight other wrestlers competed for the #1 contender spot to the WCW World Heavyweight Championship
at Fall Brawl, which Diamond Dallas Page
won. On WCW Monday Nitro
, he teamed with Sting to defeat Hogan and Bret Hart
by disqualification, a match in which he had little participation; he was tagged in for a short exchange with Hart, then singlehandedly chased several nWo members down the entry way, whipping them with Hogan's belt. The third was his loss to Hogan at Halloween Havoc, in what is considered by Eric Bischoff
to be one of the worst Main Event pay-per-view wrestling matches ever. In the Halloween Havoc match, the timing of the maneuvers and hits was poor; an arm injury that Warrior received at WarGames further slowed the action. An attempt to "blind" Warrior with a fireball backfired when Hogan faced complications igniting a piece of flash paper, causing the fire to go up in Hogan's face instead. The match finally came to an end when Horace Hogan
hit Warrior in the back with a chair while Eric Bischoff had referee Nick Patrick
distracted. Hogan then scored the pinfall, ending the match.
WCW claimed that attempts were made to save the storyline and re-sign Warrior, but he was said to have asked for too much money, and WCW ended negotiations. In a DVD
shoot interview, Warrior claims that they simply decided not to call him any more, despite having phoned WCW general manager Eric Bischoff 16 times after the Havoc debacle. He has claimed in interviews and convention appearances that the only reason he was brought back was so Hogan could get a win over Warrior in return for Hogan's WrestleMania job. Warrior's last appearance in WCW was on the November 9, 1998 edition of Nitro, when he came to the rescue of The Disciple who was being attacked by members of nWo. Warrior announced his retirement the following year. According to the book The Death of WCW, Warrior supposedly insisted upon a new contract picking up where the previous one left off in exchange for the Halloween Havoc job, though this claim has been disputed.
(NWE) event in Madrid
, Spain
, Warrior was presented with an award celebrating his professional wrestling career in front of over 15,000 attendees. During the presentation, NWE Heavyweight Champion
Orlando Jordan
mocked a fan of Warrior's, resulting in a heated argument between Warrior and Jordan. As a result of the exchange, a match between Warrior and Jordan was scheduled for June 25, 2008 in the Palau Municipal d'Esports de Badalona
in Barcelona
, marking Warrior's first match in nearly 10 years. After much hype, On June 25, he finally made his much anticipated return to pro wrestling when he faced Jordan for the NWE Heavyweight Championship. Notably the Warrior did a top rope superplex and defeated Jordan with his clothesline/shoulder tackle finish and immediately vacated the title.
. Warrior married for the second time in 2000 to Dana. Together they have two daughters: Indiana Marin "Indy" Warrior (born 2000) and Mattigan Twain Warrior (born December 16, 2002)
Warrior and the WWF engaged in a series of lawsuits and legal actions in 1996 and 1998, where both parties sought a declaration that they owned the characters, Warrior and Ultimate Warrior, under both contract and copyright law. The court ruled that Warrior was legally entitled to use the gimmick, costuming, face paint designs, and mannerisms of the "Warrior" character.
On September 27, 2005, WWE (formerly the WWF) released a DVD documentary focusing on Warrior's retrospective wrestling career, entitled The Self-Destruction of the Ultimate Warrior. The DVD featured clips of his more notable feuds and matches along with commentary from WWE stars past and present (most of which are unflattering), with Triple H
(by this point one of WWE's top main eventers and the husband of Vince McMahon's daughter Stephanie McMahon) adding that the squash match loss against Warrior at WrestleMania XII
was his most embarrassing moment with the company. The DVD has provoked some controversy due to Warrior's own allegations of libel by WWE against him. Originally, Warrior was asked to help with the production of the DVD, but as he refused to work with WWE (citing he did not want to be associated with their promotion
), there has been some resulting animosity between Warrior and WWE over the Warrior claiming bias on the part of WWE. In January 2006, Warrior filed another lawsuit against WWE in an Arizona
court over the depiction of his wrestling career in The Self-Destruction of the Ultimate Warrior DVD. On September 18, 2009, Warrior's lawsuit in Arizona was dismissed.
speaker and commentator, partnering with conservative spokesman Daniel Pinheiro, denouncing left-wing politics
. In one instance, he mentioned that "queering doesn't make the world work" during a speech at the University of Connecticut
. Warrior explained those comments on his website as meaning that the human race would die out if everyone were a homosexual
.
Warrior maintains a blog
on his personal website titled "Warrior's Machete", where he discusses his personal life, his personal views on politics
, sexuality
, patriotism
, and his legacy as a wrestler, amongst other topics. There have been numerous instances where Warrior has used his blog to address his viewpoint on members of his wrestling past (Vince McMahon, Hulk Hogan, Lex Luger
); historical figures (Martin Luther King
, George Washington
, Jesus
). Warrior depicts celebrities who were newsworthy at the time of his blog (Heath Ledger
and Paris Hilton
). He has also used the blog to post replies to letters from fans.
Warrior (disambiguation)
A warrior is a person engaged or experienced in warfare or figuratively a person who shows or has shown great vigor, courage, or aggressiveness.Warrior or Warriors may also refer to:- Military vehicles :...
.
Warrior (born James Brian Hellwig on June 16, 1959) is an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
retired professional wrestler
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
who notably performed under the ring names The Ultimate Warrior and Warrior. He is best known for his appearances in the World Wrestling Federation
World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
(WWF) from 1987 to 1991 and again in 1992 and 1996, and in World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling, Inc. was an American professional wrestling promotion which existed from 1988 to 2001. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, it began as a regional promotion affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance , named Jim Crockett Promotions until November 1988, when Ted Turner and...
(WCW) in 1998. He won the WWF Championship
WWE Championship
The WWE Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in WWE. It is the world title of the Raw brand and one of two in WWE, complementing the World Heavyweight Championship of the SmackDown brand. It was established under the then WWWF in 1963...
when he pinned Hulk Hogan
Hulk Hogan
Terrance Gene "Terry" Bollea , better known by his ring name Hulk Hogan, is an American Semi-retired professional wrestler, actor, television personality, and musician currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ....
in the main event of WrestleMania VI
WrestleMania VI
WrestleMania VI was the World Wrestling Federation's sixth WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view event and the first to be held outside of the U.S...
. Hellwig legally changed his name to Warrior in 1993. Warrior retired from professional wrestling in 1999 and embarked on a public speaking career. On June 25, 2008 he returned to wrestle Orlando Jordan
Orlando Jordan
Orlando Jordan is an American professional wrestler, most recently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. Jordan is best known for his tenure in World Wrestling Entertainment, where he was a one-time United States Champion....
in Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
defeating him in a match booked by the Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
Nu-Wrestling Evolution
Nu-Wrestling Evolution
Nu-Wrestling Evolution is an Italian professional wrestling promotion, owned by MAGNUMGROUP srl. The promotion's slogan is "Nu-Wrestling Evolution/NWE the place to be!"-History:...
promotion. Warrior was described by World Wrestling Entertainment as having been "the ultimate archetype of strength and intensity", as well as having been "one of the most intense and physically impressive competitors to ever appear in the WWE".
Early life
Warrior was born as Brian James Hellwig. He was the eldest of five children and was raised by his mother (along with, later, his stepfather) after his father left his family when young James was 12. He spent a year at Indiana State UniversityIndiana State University
Indiana State University is a public university located in Terre Haute, Indiana, United States.The Princeton Review has named Indiana State as one of the "Best in the Midwest" seven years running, and the College of Education's Graduate Program was recently named as a 'Top 100' by U.S...
. It was also during this time he began to compete in amateur bodybuilding
Bodybuilding
Bodybuilding is a form of body modification involving intensive muscle hypertrophy. An individual who engages in this activity is referred to as a bodybuilder. In competitive and professional bodybuilding, bodybuilders display their physiques to a panel of judges, who assign points based on their...
.
Bodybuilding career
Prior to his career in professional wrestling Hellwig was an amateur bodybuilder, competing in a number of NPC contestsNational Physique Committee
The National Physique Committee is the largest amateur bodybuilding organization in the United States. Amateur bodybuilders compete in various competitions from local to national competitions sanctioned by the NPC...
and winning the 1984 NPC Mr. Georgia crown. Hellwig started training with weights when he was 11 years old and has described himself as "the small, insecure kid who wasn't into any sports". He moved to California where, after seeing bodybuilder Robby Robinson
Robby Robinson
Robby Robinson is an American former bodybuilder who won the IFBB Mr. America, Mr. World and Mr. Universe titles. He was the Masters Olympia overall champion the first year that the event was held in 1994 and then went on to win the 50+ division at that same contest in both 1997 and 2000...
, decided to take up the sport. His first contest took place in Florida where he placed 5th. Later, while he was attending Life University
Life University
Life University is located in Marietta, Georgia. It is best known for its doctorate degree program in chiropractic, but it also offers a number of undergraduate programs.- History :...
in Marietta, Georgia
Marietta, Georgia
Marietta is a city located in central Cobb County, Georgia, United States, and is its county seat.As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 56,579, making it one of metro Atlanta's largest suburbs...
, he won the Junior Atlanta contest and placed 5th at the 1981 AAU
Amateur Athletic Union
The Amateur Athletic Union is one of the largest non-profit volunteer sports organizations in the United States. A multi-sport organization, the AAU is dedicated exclusively to the promotion and development of amateur sports and physical fitness programs.-History:The AAU was founded in 1888 to...
Collegiate Mr. America
AAU Mr. America
AAU Mr. America was a bodybuilding competition started by the Amateur Athletic Union . It was first held on 4 July 1939 and the winner was named "America's Best Built Man". In 1940 this was changed to what is now known as the Mr. America contest....
. In 1983, he won the AAU Coastal USA, before taking the Mr. Georgia title the following year. His last bodybuilding contest was 1985's Junior USA's, which was won by future IFBB Pro, Ron Love. Hellwig finished 5th.
In 1985, after spending six weeks in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
training for a bodybuilding contest, he was invited to join a group of bodybuilders - Garland Donoho, Mark Miller, and Steve "Flash" Borden - who were attempting to make the transition into professional wrestlers. Warrior accepted the invitation and abandoned his bodybuilding career and his plans to become a chiropractor
Chiropractic
Chiropractic is a health care profession concerned with the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of disorders of the neuromusculoskeletal system and the effects of these disorders on general health. It is generally categorized as complementary and alternative medicine...
.
Early career (1985–1986)
Hellwig began his professional wrestling career as Jim "Justice" Hellwig of Powerteam USA, the group of bodybuilders trained by Red Bastien and Rick Bassman.Hellwig and Steve Borden, who would later go on to success as "Sting", formed a tag team
Tag team
Tag team professional wrestling is a variation in which matches are contested between teams of multiple wrestlers. A tag team may comprise two wrestlers who normally wrestle in singles competition, but more commonly are made of established teams who wrestle regularly as a unit and have a team name...
known as the Blade Runners, with Hellwig changing his ring name to "Blade Runner Rock" and Borden changing his name to "Blade Runner Flash". Debuting in the Memphis, Tennessee-based Continental Wrestling Association
Continental Wrestling Association
The Continental Wrestling Association was a wrestling promotion managed by Jerry Jarrett. The CWA was the name of the "governing body" for the Championship Wrestling, Inc. promotion which was usually referred to as Mid-Southern Wrestling...
(CWA) promotion, run by Jerry Jarrett
Jerry Jarrett
Jerry W. Jarrett is an American promoter and former professional wrestler, and the father of wrestler Jeff Jarrett. He is the co-founder and former part-owner of Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
, the team played baby faces at first, but fans were actually slow to take to the hulking duo in a territory that had featured sympathetic "good guy tag teams" like the Rock 'n' Roll Express
Rock 'n' Roll Express
The Rock 'n' Roll Express are a professional wrestling tag team consisting of Ricky Morton and Robert Gibson. The duo began teaming together in Memphis in the early 1980s, followed by the National Wrestling Alliance's Jim Crockett Promotions . In JCP, they held the NWA World Tag Team Championship...
and The Fabulous Ones
The Fabulous Ones
The Fabulous Ones was a professional wrestling Tag team consisting of Stan Lane and Steve Keirn that was active between 1982 and 1987 with brief reunions during the 1990s...
. They were quickly turned heel as The Blade Runners. The Blade Runners went on to wrestle for the Mid-South Wrestling promotion, which became the Universal Wrestling Federation (UWF) in 1986. They were part of Eddie Gilbert's Hotstuff International group, before disbanding in 1986 when Hellwig left the UWF.
Years later in a TNA interview when Steve Borden was asked about teaming with Hellwig, Borden referred to the relationship with Hellwig as being a "Tense year and when we parted ways it wasn't a friendly part"
World Class Championship Wrestling (1986–1987)
In 1986, Warrior debuted in the Dallas, TexasDallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
-based World Class Championship Wrestling
World Class Championship Wrestling
World Class Championship Wrestling ' was a regional professional wrestling promotion headquartered in Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas. Originally owned by promoter Ed McLemore, by 1966 it was run by Southwest Sports, Inc., whose president, Jack Adkisson, was better known as wrestler Fritz Von Erich...
(WCCW) promotion, where he wrestled for $
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
50 a night. He claimed that he adopted the ring name "Dingo Warrior" after a member of the WCCW locker room remarked that he looked like "a warrior". Warrior formed a tag team with Lance Von Erich
Lance Von Erich
William Kevin Vaughan is a retired American professional wrestler, best known under the ring name Lance Von Erich.-Wrestling as "Ricky Vaughan":Vaughan started wrestling in the NWA's Pacific Northwest territory as Ricky Vaughan in 1984...
, and the duo began competing for the WCWA World Tag Team Championship. On November 17, 1986, Warrior and Von Erich defeated Master Gee
George Wells (wrestler)
George Wells or Welles is a retired American professional wrestler and Canadian Football League football player who competed in North American regional promotions during the early 1970s and 1980s including the Continental Wrestling Association, Pacific Northwest Wrestling, Stampede Wrestling, the...
(substituting for champion Buzz Sawyer
Buzz Sawyer
Bruce Woyan was a professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Buzz Sawyer. Throughout his career, he was also known by the nickname "Mad Dog". He was characterized by his crazy antics inside the ring and out.-Career:Sawyer started wrestling in 1979 in the National Wrestling Alliance 's...
) and Matt Borne
Matt Osborne
Matthew "Matt" Wade Osborne is an American semi-retired professional wrestler. Osborne is a second generation wrestler, being son of "Tough" Tony Borne, but he is best known as the first wrestler to portray the character of Doink the Clown, which he still uses to this day.-Independent...
to win the title. They held the Championship until December 1 of that year, when they lost to Al Madril and Brian Adias
Brian Adias
Brian Adias was a professional wrestler best known for his time in World Class Championship Wrestling . He was a legitimate longtime friend of the Adkisson family, and was a classmate of Kerry Von Erich in high school....
.
In 1987, Warrior began competing for the WCWA Texas Heavyweight Championship
NWA Texas Heavyweight Championship
The NWA Texas Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling title that has existed since the 1930s. Though its exact date of creation isn't known, it is among the oldest championships used in professional wrestling today...
, losing to Bob Bradley in a tournament final on January 12. He won the title from Bradley on February 2 of that year. The title was held up in April 1987 after Warrior left the WCCW. He was reinstated as champion upon returning, but vacated it once more upon resigning from WCCW to join the World Wrestling Federation
World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
, where he adopted the ring name Ultimate Warrior. Warrior began appearing on house shows in June and was initially billed as The Dingo Warrior in house card promos by Gene Okerlund
Gene Okerlund
Eugene "Mean Gene" Okerlund is a semi-retired American professional wrestling interviewer and announcer. He is best known for his work in the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling. He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2006 by Hulk Hogan...
, but soon had his name modified. There is dispute over who created the Ultimate Warrior name. Bruce Prichard
Bruce Prichard
Bruce Prichard is a professional wrestling personality, best known as a manager and producer for World Wrestling Entertainment , where he portrayed Brother Love, the original manager of The Undertaker...
stated that Vince McMahon
Vince McMahon
Vincent Kennedy "Vince" McMahon is an American professional wrestling promoter, announcer, commentator, film producer, actor and former occasional professional wrestler. McMahon is the current Chairman, CEO and Chairman of the Executive Committee of professional wrestling promotion WWE...
did not know what a "Dingo" Warrior would be, but because there was the "Modern Day Warrior" Kerry von Erich
Kerry Von Erich
Kerry Gene Adkisson was an American professional wrestler under the ring names Kerry Von Erich, The Modern Day Warrior, and The Texas Tornado and was part of the Von Erich family of professional wrestlers...
and the Road Warriors
Road Warriors
The Road Warriors were a professional wrestling tag team composed of Michael "Hawk" Hegstrand and Joseph "Animal" Laurinaitis. They performed under the name "Road Warriors" in the American Wrestling Association, the National Wrestling Alliance, and World Championship Wrestling, and the name Legion...
there should not be one more simple warrior, but The Ultimate Warrior. However, Warrior claims after one of his first matches, McMahon had him do a pretaped promo. It was there Vince said we want you to do Warrior, but we don't want Dingo. The Warrior then proceeded to cut the promo and stated that he was not this warrior or that warrior, he was The Ultimate Warrior.
In the late 1980s, while Warrior was still wrestling in Texas, he appeared in several TV ads for Westway Ford, a car dealership in Irving, Texas
Irving, Texas
Irving is a city located in the U.S. state of Texas within Dallas County. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city population was 216,290. Irving is within the Dallas–Plano–Irving metropolitan division of the Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington metropolitan area, designated...
. Warrior interacted in full wrestling costume with Westway's wacky character, "Mean Joe Greed."
World Wrestling Federation (1987–1991)
As a World Wrestling Federation (WWF) performer, the Ultimate Warrior was known for his high-energy ring entrances, which featured him racing into the arena at full speed, bursting into the ring, and violently shaking the ropes up and down. He was also known for his distinctive pattern of face paint. Warrior enjoyed two stints as WWF Intercontinental ChampionWWE Intercontinental Championship
The WWE Intercontinental Championship is a professional wrestling championship in WWE. It is the original secondary title of the promotion. Currently, it is the secondary championship exclusive to the SmackDown brand...
, defeating The Honky Tonk Man
The Honky Tonk Man
Roy Wayne Farris , better known by his ring name The Honky Tonk Man, is an American professional wrestler. A 1975 graduate from University of Memphis with a B.S. degree in Education. Coached high school football 2 seasons at Munford High School in Munford, Tennessee...
(in 13 seconds at the first ever SummerSlam
SummerSlam (1988)
SummerSlam was the first annual SummerSlam professional wrestling pay-per-view event. It was produced by the World Wrestling Federation and took place on August 29, 1988 in Madison Square Garden, located in New York, New York. The pay-per-view was created to help the company compete against rival...
in 1988) and Rick Rude at SummerSlam 1989
SummerSlam (1989)
SummerSlam was the second annual SummerSlam professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation . It took place on August 28, 1989 in the Meadowlands Arena in East Rutherford, New Jersey....
. The Warrior was heralded as the wrestler to become the biggest star of the 1990s, and the successor to Hulk Hogan
Hulk Hogan
Terrance Gene "Terry" Bollea , better known by his ring name Hulk Hogan, is an American Semi-retired professional wrestler, actor, television personality, and musician currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ....
, who had remained wrestling's biggest star throughout the 1980s. Following a few confrontations with Hogan, most notably at the 1990 Royal Rumble
Royal Rumble (1990)
Royal Rumble was the third annual Royal Rumble professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation. It took place on January 21, 1990 at the Orlando Arena in Orlando, Florida....
, the Warrior was written in as Hogan's opponent in the main event for WrestleMania VI
WrestleMania VI
WrestleMania VI was the World Wrestling Federation's sixth WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view event and the first to be held outside of the U.S...
at the SkyDome
Rogers Centre
Rogers Centre is a multi-purpose stadium, in Downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated next to the CN Tower, near the shores of Lake Ontario. Opened in 1989, it is home to the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball and the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League...
in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
. The match was billed as "The Ultimate Challenge", as both Hogan's WWF Championship
WWE Championship
The WWE Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in WWE. It is the world title of the Raw brand and one of two in WWE, complementing the World Heavyweight Championship of the SmackDown brand. It was established under the then WWWF in 1963...
and Warrior's WWF Intercontinental Championship were on the line. Warrior pinned Hogan after a Warrior Splash to become the first wrestler to hold the WWF Championship and WWF Intercontinental Championship simultaneously. Warrior vacated the Intercontinental title, as WWF rules prohibited a wrestler from holding both singles titles.
After WrestleMania VI, Warrior continued to build his popularity with successful defenses against the likes of Haku
Haku
Haku may refer to:In individuals:*Tonga Fifita , professional wrestler who wrestled under the name Haku*Shinkun Haku , Japanese politician*Kiyoko Haku or Kiyoko Arai, Japanese manga artistIn fictional characters:...
, Mr. Perfect, Rick Rude and Ted DiBiase
Ted DiBiase
Theodore Marvin "Ted" DiBiase, Sr. is a retired professional wrestler, manager, ordained minister and color commentator. DiBiase achieved championship success in a number of wrestling promotions, holding thirty titles during his professional wrestling career...
. "Macho King" Randy Savage
Randy Savage
Randall Mario Poffo , better known by his ring name "Macho Man" Randy Savage, was an American professional wrestler, best known for his time with the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling .Savage held twenty championships during his professional wrestling career and was a...
was also introduced as a potential rival after interfering in a Saturday Night's Main Event title match at the behest of DiBiase. In January 1991, Warrior faced Sgt. Slaughter
Sgt. Slaughter
Robert Remus , better known by his ring name Sgt. Slaughter, is an American former WWE personality and semi-retired professional wrestler. From the late 1970s to the early 1990s, Slaughter had success in the National Wrestling Alliance, American Wrestling Association, and World Wrestling...
at the Royal Rumble
Royal Rumble (1991)
Royal Rumble was the fourth annual Royal Rumble professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation . It took place on January 19, 1991 at the Miami Arena in Miami, Florida....
. Slaughter's gimmick at the time was a traitor who had betrayed America by aligning himself with an (kayfabe
Kayfabe
In professional wrestling, kayfabe is the portrayal of events within the industry as "real" or "true". Specifically, the portrayal of professional wrestling, in particular the competition and rivalries between participants, as being genuine or not of a worked nature...
) Iraqi military general, General Adnan
Adnan Al-Kaissie
Adnan Bin Abdulkareem Ahmed Alkaissy El Farthie , better known professionally as Adnan Al-Kaissie, is a former iraqi professional wrestler and a manager best known as Sheik Adnan Al-Kaissy, Billy White Wolf, or General Adnan...
. In the context of the Gulf War
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
, this made Slaughter one of the most hated heels at the time. After rejecting an earlier request to grant a title shot to Savage, Sensational Sherri
Sherri Martel
Sherri Schrull was an American professional wrestler and manager, better known by her ring names, Sherri Martel and Sensational Sherri....
interjected herself in the Warrior's championship match to distract him. Her interference eventually led to a Savage sneak attack where he eventually struck Warrior over the head with a metal scepter, and Slaughter pinned Warrior to win the WWF Championship. Warrior would go on to feud with Savage, and the rivalry culminated in a 'Career Ending' match at WrestleMania VII
WrestleMania VII
WrestleMania VII was the seventh annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation . It took place on March 24, 1991 at the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena in Los Angeles, California...
with the Warrior victorious, forcing Savage to retire.
The next chapter of Warrior's career was an encounter with The Undertaker, after Undertaker and his manager, Paul Bearer
Percy Pringle
William Alvin "Bill" Moody , better known by his ring name Paul Bearer, is a professional wrestling manager and former wrestler best known for his time in World Class Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Federation, later known as the WWE.-Early career:He entered the wrestling business in...
, locked Warrior in a coffin on the set of Bearer's Funeral Parlor. WWF officials worked feverishly to break the casket open, finally revealing Warrior's seemingly lifeless body, and the torn fabric inside of the coffin indicating Warrior's desperate struggle to get out. Warrior was finally revived by the officials performing CPR
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation is an emergency procedure which is performed in an effort to manually preserve intact brain function until further measures are taken to restore spontaneous blood circulation and breathing in a person in cardiac arrest. It is indicated in those who are unresponsive...
. This led to Jake "The Snake" Roberts
Jake Roberts
Aurelian Jake Smith, Jr. is a second-generation American professional wrestler, the son of former wrestler Aurelian "Grizzly" Smith...
offering to give Warrior "the knowledge of the dark side" in order to prepare Warrior to take his revenge on the Undertaker. This involved Roberts giving Warrior three "tests" shown on WWF TV in consecutive weeks. For the first test, Roberts locked Warrior inside of a coffin for a second time.
For the second test, Warrior was "buried alive" by Roberts. For the third test, the Warrior entered a room full of snakes, to find "the answer" in a chest in the middle of the room. However, waiting inside the chest was a King Cobra, which (kayfabe) bit Warrior in the face. As Warrior weakened from the effects of the cobra's strike, Roberts was joined by the Undertaker and Paul Bearer, revealing the three were working together all along. Roberts then uttered, "Never trust a snake." The stage was now set for a feud between the Warrior and Roberts. However, the feud would never take place, as Warrior was involved in an alleged pay dispute with WWF owner Vince McMahon
Vince McMahon
Vincent Kennedy "Vince" McMahon is an American professional wrestling promoter, announcer, commentator, film producer, actor and former occasional professional wrestler. McMahon is the current Chairman, CEO and Chairman of the Executive Committee of professional wrestling promotion WWE...
over the SummerSlam
SummerSlam (1991)
SummerSlam was the fourth annual SummerSlam professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation . It took place on August 26, 1991 at Madison Square Garden in New York, New York....
main event, where Warrior was team with Hulk Hogan in a handicap match against Sgt. Slaughter, Colonel Mustafa, and General Adnan. The WWF alleged that Warrior threatened to no show the event unless he was paid for his previous WrestleMania appearance. According to Vince McMahon, Warrior was paid that amount then fired immediately after SummerSlam.
Return to the WWF (1992)
With Hulk Hogan about to leave WWF in mid-1992, McMahon contacted Warrior about returning. He made his comeback at WrestleMania VIIIWrestleMania VIII
WrestleMania VIII was the eighth annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view produced by the World Wrestling Federation . It took place on April 5, 1992 at the Hoosier Dome in Indianapolis, Indiana...
(to rescue Hulk Hogan from a beat down at the hands of Sid Justice
Sid Eudy
Sidney Raymond "Sid" Eudy is an American professional wrestler, best known as Sid Vicious in World Championship Wrestling, and as Sid Justice and Sycho Sid in the World Wrestling Federation...
and Papa Shango
Charles Wright (wrestler)
Charles Wright is an American businessman and former professional wrestler. He is best known for his tenure with the World Wrestling Federation throughout the 1990s and early 2000s under the ring names Papa Shango, Kama, Kama Mustafa, The Godfather, and The Goodfather .After leaving the wrestling...
). When he made his return, he looked smaller and his hair was shorter, leading to a rumor that Hellwig had died and it was a different person (hinting it was Kerry Von Erich
Kerry Von Erich
Kerry Gene Adkisson was an American professional wrestler under the ring names Kerry Von Erich, The Modern Day Warrior, and The Texas Tornado and was part of the Von Erich family of professional wrestlers...
) performing the character.
Upon his return, he received a degree of creative control over his bookings. One storyline involved Papa Shango, a "witch doctor
Witch doctor
A witch doctor originally referred to a type of healer who treated ailments believed to be caused by witchcraft. It is currently used to refer to healers in some third world regions, who use traditional healing rather than contemporary medicine...
," cast a spell over Warrior, causing him to convulse and vomit
Vomiting
Vomiting is the forceful expulsion of the contents of one's stomach through the mouth and sometimes the nose...
in very odd colors, though Warrior says he hated that story and had no control over it. The Warrior was booked for a WWF Championship match against then-champion, "Macho Man" Randy Savage
Randy Savage
Randall Mario Poffo , better known by his ring name "Macho Man" Randy Savage, was an American professional wrestler, best known for his time with the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling .Savage held twenty championships during his professional wrestling career and was a...
at SummerSlam
SummerSlam (1992)
SummerSlam was the fifth annual SummerSlam professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation . It took place on August 29, 1992 at Wembley Stadium, London, England but was aired in the United States on August 31...
in August 1992. The Warrior would win the match by count-out but not the title.
In November 1992 Warrior was scheduled to be the tag team partner of Randy "Macho Man" Savage, to be known as the Ultimate Maniacs to face Ric Flair and Razor Ramon at Survivor Series
Survivor Series (1992)
Survivor Series was the sixth annual Survivor Series pay-per-view professional wrestling event produced by the World Wrestling Federation . It took place on November 25, 1992 at the Richfield Coliseum in Richfield, Ohio...
. However, weeks before the event, Warrior failed a drug test and according to Vince McMahon as stated on the Self Destruction Of The Ultimate Warrior DVD, the WWE released him immediately. At the time a rumor was spread that the Warrior himself asked for his release due to not wanting to be involved in a feud with Nailz, this was also disputed on the Self Destruction Of The Ultimate Warrior DVD.
Semi-retirement (1992–1996)
Between November 1992 and July 1995, Warrior was semi-retired. During his time away from the WWF, Warrior opened the short-lived "Warrior University", a professional wrestling school based in Scottsdale, ArizonaScottsdale, Arizona
Scottsdale is a city in the eastern part of Maricopa County, Arizona, United States, adjacent to Phoenix. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, as of 2010 the population of the city was 217,385...
.
In December 1992, he wrestled as the Dingo Warrior against Hercules Hernandez in Billerica, Massachusetts, for Killer Kowalski
Killer Kowalski
Władek "Killer" Kowalski was a Canadian professional wrestler. Kowalski wrestled for numerous promotions during his career, including the NWA and WWF, and was a known heel wrestler...
's International Wrestling Federation.
In 1993, Jim Hellwig played the role of "the swordsman" in the action movie Firepower.
In March 1995, World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling, Inc. was an American professional wrestling promotion which existed from 1988 to 2001. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, it began as a regional promotion affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance , named Jim Crockett Promotions until November 1988, when Ted Turner and...
(WCW) introduced The Renegade
Rick Williams
Richard C. "Rick" Williams was an American professional wrestler. He was best known for his tenure in World Championship Wrestling under the ring name Renegade, where he was a one time World Television Champion.-Professional wrestling career:After a stint as a male stripper, Williams began...
as Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage's "ultimate weapon", using ring attire and mannerisms that closely resembled Warrior's and many people believe The Renegade either was the Warrior or that WCW pretended he was, neither of which is true. In July 1995, he returned to the ring for the National Wrestling Conference (NWC) promotion in Las Vegas, defeating The Honky Tonk Man
The Honky Tonk Man
Roy Wayne Farris , better known by his ring name The Honky Tonk Man, is an American professional wrestler. A 1975 graduate from University of Memphis with a B.S. degree in Education. Coached high school football 2 seasons at Munford High School in Munford, Tennessee...
. He had also wrestled a tour of Europe for Otto Wanz
Otto Wanz
Otto Wanz is a former professional wrestler and boxer. He made his professional wrestling debut in 1976. He is a one time American Wrestling Association champion and former operator of the Catch Wrestling Association. Among his most famous international opponents were Antonio Inoki, Bull Power and...
's Catch Wrestling Association
Catch Wrestling Association
The Catch Wrestling Association was a professional wrestling organization based in Austria and Germany and was founded in 1973. It was formerly run by famous AWA champion Otto Wanz. The CWA featured a traditional brand of mat wrestling mixed with various “Strong Man” competitions...
(CWA) promotion.
Return to the WWF (1996)
After three and a half years spent mostly outside the wrestling limelight, Warrior returned to the WWF in March 1996, squashing Hunter Hearst HelmsleyTriple H
Paul Michael Levesque is an American professional wrestler, professional wrestling authority figure, WWE Executive Vice President of Talent and actor, better known by his ring name Triple H, an abbreviation of the ring name, Hunter Hearst Helmsley...
at WrestleMania XII
WrestleMania XII
-Other on-screen talent:-External links:**...
. He made his first appearance on Monday Night Raw
WWE RAW
WWE Raw ) is a sports entertainment television program for WWE that currently airs on the USA Network in the United States...
on April 8, where he gave an in-ring interview and credited the "voices" of the "warriors" (his name for members of the WWF audience) for his return; he was then interrupted, and ridiculed, by Goldust. Warrior challenged for Goldust's WWF Intercontinental Championship
WWE Intercontinental Championship
The WWE Intercontinental Championship is a professional wrestling championship in WWE. It is the original secondary title of the promotion. Currently, it is the secondary championship exclusive to the SmackDown brand...
at In Your House 7
In Your House 7: Good Friends, Better Enemies
In Your House 7: Good Friends, Better Enemies was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation that took place on April 28, 1996 and emanated from the Omaha Civic Auditorium in Omaha, Nebraska....
; Warrior won the match by countout, but did not win the title. The following night on Monday Night Raw, Warrior defeated Isaac Yankem
Kane (wrestler)
Glenn Thomas Jacobs is a Spanish-born American professional wrestler and actor better known by his ring name, Kane. He is signed to WWE, appearing on its SmackDown brand, but is currently inactive due to injury....
. A rematch with Intercontinental Champion Goldust, on the May 27 edition of the show, ended in a double countout. Warrior defeated Jerry Lawler
Jerry Lawler
Jerry O'Neil Lawler is an American professional wrestler, wrestling commentator, musician, businessman, commercial artist and film actor, known throughout the wrestling world as Jerry "The King" Lawler. He is currently signed to WWE, working on its Raw brand as the color commentator and occasional...
at the King of the Ring
King of the Ring (1996)
King of the Ring was the fourth annual King of the Ring professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Federation . The event took place on June 23, 1996 from the MECCA Arena in Milwaukee, Wisconsin....
, and defeated Owen Hart
Owen Hart
Owen James Hart was a Canadian professional and amateur wrestler who worked for several promotions including Stampede Wrestling, New Japan Pro Wrestling , World Championship Wrestling , and most notably, the World Wrestling Federation , where he wrestled under both his own name, and ring name The...
by disqualification on the July 8 edition of Monday Night Raw. Warrior was scheduled to team with Shawn Michaels
Shawn Michaels
Michael Shawn Hickenbottom , better known by his ring name Shawn Michaels, is an American television host and retired professional wrestler. He presents the Outdoor Channel show MacMillan River Adventures, and is currently signed to WWE, where he has served in an ambassadorial role since December...
and Ahmed Johnson to face Owen Hart, Davey Boy Smith
Davey Boy Smith
Davey Boy Smith was a British professional wrestler, better known as "The British Bulldog" Davey Boy Smith, who was born in Golborne in North West England, United Kingdom. Smith is known for his appearances with Stampede Wrestling, the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling...
, and Vader at In Your House 9
In Your House 9: International Incident
In Your House 9: International Incident was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation , that took place on July 21, 1996 at General Motors Place in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada....
later that month, but the WWF terminated Warrior's contract when he took time off allegedly to grieve the death of his father. WWF owner Vince McMahon claimed that Warrior had not seen his father in ten years and did not care much for him; therefore, he did not take Warrior's excuse for missing bookings at face value. Warrior disputes McMahon's explanation, claiming that the real reason why he no showed those events was a breach of contract by McMahon, in which WWF sold Warrior's merchandise without giving him a percentage. He was replaced by Sycho Sid
Sid Eudy
Sidney Raymond "Sid" Eudy is an American professional wrestler, best known as Sid Vicious in World Championship Wrestling, and as Sid Justice and Sycho Sid in the World Wrestling Federation...
at In Your House 9.
World Championship Wrestling (1998)
WCW signed Warrior in 1998 and gave him a degree of creative control over his matches, He created a storyline where he formed a stable opposing Hogan's (now going under his heelish "Hollywood" gimmick) New World OrderNew World Order (professional wrestling)
The New World Order was a professional wrestling stable that originally wrestled for World Championship Wrestling . The group later appeared in the World Wrestling Federation after the purchase of WCW by the WWF...
: the "One Warrior Nation." The acronym oWn (One Warrior Nation) was a play on the name nWo. Highlights of the storyline included Warrior kidnapping
Kidnapping
In criminal law, kidnapping is the taking away or transportation of a person against that person's will, usually to hold the person in false imprisonment, a confinement without legal authority...
and "converting" The Disciple
Edward Leslie
Edward Harrison "Ed" Leslie is an American professional wrestler, best known for his work in the World Wrestling Federation under the ring name Brutus The Barber Beefcake. He later worked for World Championship Wrestling under a variety of names, mainly as "The Disciple" of real-life best friend...
and frequent instances of "magic smoke" knocking out all of the nWo members except for Hollywood Hogan (and covering Warrior's movement through a trapdoor in the ring).
Warrior only participated in three matches in WCW. The first was the War Games main event, where he and eight other wrestlers competed for the #1 contender spot to the WCW World Heavyweight Championship
WCW World Heavyweight Championship
The World Championship Wrestling World Heavyweight Championship was a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in World Championship Wrestling and the World Wrestling Federation . It existed within WCW between 1991 and 2001. Following the acquisition of WCW by World Wrestling...
at Fall Brawl, which Diamond Dallas Page
Diamond Dallas Page
Dallas Page , better known by his ring name "Diamond" Dallas Page , is an American retired professional wrestler, fitness instructor and actor...
won. On WCW Monday Nitro
WCW Monday Nitro
WCW Monday Nitro was a weekly professional wrestling telecast produced by World Championship Wrestling, created by Ted Turner and Eric Bischoff. The show aired Monday nights on TNT, going head-to-head with the World Wrestling Federation's Monday Night Raw from September 4, 1995 to March 26, 2001...
, he teamed with Sting to defeat Hogan and Bret Hart
Bret Hart
Bret Hart is a Canadian on-screen personality, writer, actor and Semi-retired professional wrestler. Like others in the Hart wrestling family, Hart has an amateur wrestling background, including wrestling at Ernest Manning High School and Mount Royal College...
by disqualification, a match in which he had little participation; he was tagged in for a short exchange with Hart, then singlehandedly chased several nWo members down the entry way, whipping them with Hogan's belt. The third was his loss to Hogan at Halloween Havoc, in what is considered by Eric Bischoff
Eric Bischoff
Eric Aaron Bischoff is an American entrepreneur, and professional wrestling booker and on-screen personality currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
to be one of the worst Main Event pay-per-view wrestling matches ever. In the Halloween Havoc match, the timing of the maneuvers and hits was poor; an arm injury that Warrior received at WarGames further slowed the action. An attempt to "blind" Warrior with a fireball backfired when Hogan faced complications igniting a piece of flash paper, causing the fire to go up in Hogan's face instead. The match finally came to an end when Horace Hogan
Horace Hogan
Michael Bollea is an American professional wrestler. In wrestling, he is best known by his ring name, Horace Hogan. He is the nephew of professional wrestler Hulk Hogan and cousin of the late Mike Awesome....
hit Warrior in the back with a chair while Eric Bischoff had referee Nick Patrick
Nick Hamilton
Joseph Nicholas "Nick" Patrick Hamilton Jr. , better known by his ring name Nick Patrick, is a professional wrestling referee. He is a former referee for World Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment...
distracted. Hogan then scored the pinfall, ending the match.
WCW claimed that attempts were made to save the storyline and re-sign Warrior, but he was said to have asked for too much money, and WCW ended negotiations. In a DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
shoot interview, Warrior claims that they simply decided not to call him any more, despite having phoned WCW general manager Eric Bischoff 16 times after the Havoc debacle. He has claimed in interviews and convention appearances that the only reason he was brought back was so Hogan could get a win over Warrior in return for Hogan's WrestleMania job. Warrior's last appearance in WCW was on the November 9, 1998 edition of Nitro, when he came to the rescue of The Disciple who was being attacked by members of nWo. Warrior announced his retirement the following year. According to the book The Death of WCW, Warrior supposedly insisted upon a new contract picking up where the previous one left off in exchange for the Halloween Havoc job, though this claim has been disputed.
Nu-Wrestling Evolution (2008)
During an April 19, 2008 Nu-Wrestling EvolutionNu-Wrestling Evolution
Nu-Wrestling Evolution is an Italian professional wrestling promotion, owned by MAGNUMGROUP srl. The promotion's slogan is "Nu-Wrestling Evolution/NWE the place to be!"-History:...
(NWE) event in Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, Warrior was presented with an award celebrating his professional wrestling career in front of over 15,000 attendees. During the presentation, NWE Heavyweight Champion
Nu-Wrestling Evolution
Nu-Wrestling Evolution is an Italian professional wrestling promotion, owned by MAGNUMGROUP srl. The promotion's slogan is "Nu-Wrestling Evolution/NWE the place to be!"-History:...
Orlando Jordan
Orlando Jordan
Orlando Jordan is an American professional wrestler, most recently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. Jordan is best known for his tenure in World Wrestling Entertainment, where he was a one-time United States Champion....
mocked a fan of Warrior's, resulting in a heated argument between Warrior and Jordan. As a result of the exchange, a match between Warrior and Jordan was scheduled for June 25, 2008 in the Palau Municipal d'Esports de Badalona
Palau Municipal d'Esports de Badalona
Palau Municipal d'Esports de Badalona, most frequently called the Pavelló Olímpic de Badalona is an arena in Badalona, Catalonia, Spain. The arena holds 12,500 people, and it is primarily used for basketball, though it's also an habitual home for music concerts and other municipal...
in Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
, marking Warrior's first match in nearly 10 years. After much hype, On June 25, he finally made his much anticipated return to pro wrestling when he faced Jordan for the NWE Heavyweight Championship. Notably the Warrior did a top rope superplex and defeated Jordan with his clothesline/shoulder tackle finish and immediately vacated the title.
Personal life
Warrior married Shari Lynn Tyree on October 2, 1982. The couple met in Dallas, Texas at the famous Million Dollar Saloon strip club where Shari was working at the time. They remained together for the majority of Warriors' WWF career before divorcing on March 22, 1991, two days before WrestleMania VIIWrestleMania VII
WrestleMania VII was the seventh annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation . It took place on March 24, 1991 at the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena in Los Angeles, California...
. Warrior married for the second time in 2000 to Dana. Together they have two daughters: Indiana Marin "Indy" Warrior (born 2000) and Mattigan Twain Warrior (born December 16, 2002)
Trademark and libel litigation
In 1993, Hellwig legally changed his name to Warrior. This one-word name appears on all legal documents pertaining to Warrior, and his children carry the Warrior name as their legal surname.Warrior and the WWF engaged in a series of lawsuits and legal actions in 1996 and 1998, where both parties sought a declaration that they owned the characters, Warrior and Ultimate Warrior, under both contract and copyright law. The court ruled that Warrior was legally entitled to use the gimmick, costuming, face paint designs, and mannerisms of the "Warrior" character.
On September 27, 2005, WWE (formerly the WWF) released a DVD documentary focusing on Warrior's retrospective wrestling career, entitled The Self-Destruction of the Ultimate Warrior. The DVD featured clips of his more notable feuds and matches along with commentary from WWE stars past and present (most of which are unflattering), with Triple H
Triple H
Paul Michael Levesque is an American professional wrestler, professional wrestling authority figure, WWE Executive Vice President of Talent and actor, better known by his ring name Triple H, an abbreviation of the ring name, Hunter Hearst Helmsley...
(by this point one of WWE's top main eventers and the husband of Vince McMahon's daughter Stephanie McMahon) adding that the squash match loss against Warrior at WrestleMania XII
WrestleMania XII
-Other on-screen talent:-External links:**...
was his most embarrassing moment with the company. The DVD has provoked some controversy due to Warrior's own allegations of libel by WWE against him. Originally, Warrior was asked to help with the production of the DVD, but as he refused to work with WWE (citing he did not want to be associated with their promotion
Professional wrestling promotion
A professional wrestling promotion is a company or business that regularly performs shows involving professional wrestling. Promotion also describes a role which entails management, advertising and logistics of running a wrestling event...
), there has been some resulting animosity between Warrior and WWE over the Warrior claiming bias on the part of WWE. In January 2006, Warrior filed another lawsuit against WWE in an Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
court over the depiction of his wrestling career in The Self-Destruction of the Ultimate Warrior DVD. On September 18, 2009, Warrior's lawsuit in Arizona was dismissed.
Motivational speaking
Warrior formally retired from wrestling in 1999 and had a short-lived career as a conservativeConservatism
Conservatism is a political and social philosophy that promotes the maintenance of traditional institutions and supports, at the most, minimal and gradual change in society. Some conservatives seek to preserve things as they are, emphasizing stability and continuity, while others oppose modernism...
speaker and commentator, partnering with conservative spokesman Daniel Pinheiro, denouncing left-wing politics
Left-wing politics
In politics, Left, left-wing and leftist generally refer to support for social change to create a more egalitarian society...
. In one instance, he mentioned that "queering doesn't make the world work" during a speech at the University of Connecticut
University of Connecticut
The admission rate to the University of Connecticut is about 50% and has been steadily decreasing, with about 28,000 prospective students applying for admission to the freshman class in recent years. Approximately 40,000 prospective students tour the main campus in Storrs annually...
. Warrior explained those comments on his website as meaning that the human race would die out if everyone were a homosexual
Homosexuality
Homosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...
.
Writing
In May 1996, Warrior began publishing a comic book, titled Warrior, featuring himself as the main character. The series was co-written with Jim Callahan and illustrated by the Sharp Brothers. The title sold well for the first two months, before sales slowed down. The comic was canceled in early 1997.Warrior maintains a blog
Blog
A blog is a type of website or part of a website supposed to be updated with new content from time to time. Blogs are usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in...
on his personal website titled "Warrior's Machete", where he discusses his personal life, his personal views on politics
Politics
Politics is a process by which groups of people make collective decisions. The term is generally applied to the art or science of running governmental or state affairs, including behavior within civil governments, but also applies to institutions, fields, and special interest groups such as the...
, sexuality
Sexual orientation
Sexual orientation describes a pattern of emotional, romantic, or sexual attractions to the opposite sex, the same sex, both, or neither, and the genders that accompany them. By the convention of organized researchers, these attractions are subsumed under heterosexuality, homosexuality,...
, patriotism
Patriotism
Patriotism is a devotion to one's country, excluding differences caused by the dependencies of the term's meaning upon context, geography and philosophy...
, and his legacy as a wrestler, amongst other topics. There have been numerous instances where Warrior has used his blog to address his viewpoint on members of his wrestling past (Vince McMahon, Hulk Hogan, Lex Luger
Lex Luger
Lawrence Wendell "Larry" Pfohl , better known by his ring name Lex Luger, is an American former professional wrestler and football player currently working with WWE on their wellness policy...
); historical figures (Martin Luther King
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Martin Luther King, Jr. was an American clergyman, activist, and prominent leader in the African-American Civil Rights Movement. He is best known for being an iconic figure in the advancement of civil rights in the United States and around the world, using nonviolent methods following the...
, George Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
, Jesus
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
). Warrior depicts celebrities who were newsworthy at the time of his blog (Heath Ledger
Heath Ledger
Heath Andrew Ledger was an Australian television and film actor. After performing roles in Australian television and film during the 1990s, Ledger moved to the United States in 1998 to develop his film career...
and Paris Hilton
Paris Hilton
Paris Whitney Hilton is an American businesswoman, heiress, and socialite. She is a great-granddaughter of Conrad Hilton . Hilton is known for her controversial participation in a sex tape in 2003, and appearance on the television series The Simple Life alongside fellow socialite and childhood...
). He has also used the blog to post replies to letters from fans.
In wrestling
- Finishing moves
- Big Splash,sometimes to a face down opponent, and usually preceded by:
- Gorilla Press Drop
- Multiple Running Clotheslines
- Big Splash,sometimes to a face down opponent, and usually preceded by:
- Signature moves
- Atomic drop
- Big boot
- Leaping shoulder block
- Scoop slam
- Vertical suplex
- Entrance themesMusic in professional wrestlingMusic in professional wrestling serves a variety of purposes. The most common uses of music in professional wrestling is that of the entrance theme, a song or piece of instrumental music which plays as a performer approaches the ring...
- World Class Championship WrestlingWorld Class Championship WrestlingWorld Class Championship Wrestling ' was a regional professional wrestling promotion headquartered in Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas. Originally owned by promoter Ed McLemore, by 1966 it was run by Southwest Sports, Inc., whose president, Jack Adkisson, was better known as wrestler Fritz Von Erich...
- "The WarriorThe Warrior (song)"The Warrior" is a song by pop/rock group Scandal, from the album of the same name. The song went to number one in Canada and number seven in the US, as well as number one on the Mainstream Rock chart in the US, in addition to winning a BMI Airplay Award in 1984.-In popular culture:*The song was...
" by Scandal (1986-1987)
- "The Warrior
- World Wrestling FederationWorld Wrestling EntertainmentWorld Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
- "Unstable" by Jim JohnstonJim Johnston (composer)James Alan "Jim" Johnston is an American music composer who has been working for WWE since 1985. His work is often accredited to the names Jim Johnston, James A...
(1987-1991, 1992, 1996)
- "Unstable" by Jim Johnston
- World Class Championship Wrestling
Championships and accomplishments
- Nu-Wrestling EvolutionNu-Wrestling EvolutionNu-Wrestling Evolution is an Italian professional wrestling promotion, owned by MAGNUMGROUP srl. The promotion's slogan is "Nu-Wrestling Evolution/NWE the place to be!"-History:...
- NWE Heavyweight Championship (1 time)Nu-Wrestling EvolutionNu-Wrestling Evolution is an Italian professional wrestling promotion, owned by MAGNUMGROUP srl. The promotion's slogan is "Nu-Wrestling Evolution/NWE the place to be!"-History:...
- NWE Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- Pro Wrestling IllustratedPro Wrestling IllustratedPro Wrestling Illustrated is a professional wrestling magazine. PWI is currently based in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania and published by Kappa Publishing Group.-History:The first issue of Pro Wrestling Illustrated was released in 1979...
- PWI Comeback of the Year (1992)
- PWI Feud of the Year (1991) vs. The Undertaker
- PWI Match of the Year (1990) vs. Hulk HoganHulk HoganTerrance Gene "Terry" Bollea , better known by his ring name Hulk Hogan, is an American Semi-retired professional wrestler, actor, television personality, and musician currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ....
at WrestleMania VIWrestleMania VIWrestleMania VI was the World Wrestling Federation's sixth WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view event and the first to be held outside of the U.S... - PWI ranked him #101 of the top 500 singles wrestlers of the "PWI Years" in 2003
- World Class Wrestling AssociationWorld Class Championship WrestlingWorld Class Championship Wrestling ' was a regional professional wrestling promotion headquartered in Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas. Originally owned by promoter Ed McLemore, by 1966 it was run by Southwest Sports, Inc., whose president, Jack Adkisson, was better known as wrestler Fritz Von Erich...
- WCWA Texas Heavyweight ChampionshipNWA Texas Heavyweight ChampionshipThe NWA Texas Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling title that has existed since the 1930s. Though its exact date of creation isn't known, it is among the oldest championships used in professional wrestling today...
(1 time) - WCWA World Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Lance Von ErichLance Von ErichWilliam Kevin Vaughan is a retired American professional wrestler, best known under the ring name Lance Von Erich.-Wrestling as "Ricky Vaughan":Vaughan started wrestling in the NWA's Pacific Northwest territory as Ricky Vaughan in 1984...
- WCWA Texas Heavyweight Championship
- World Wrestling FederationWorld Wrestling EntertainmentWorld Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
- WWF World Heavyweight ChampionshipWWE ChampionshipThe WWE Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in WWE. It is the world title of the Raw brand and one of two in WWE, complementing the World Heavyweight Championship of the SmackDown brand. It was established under the then WWWF in 1963...
(1 time) - WWF Intercontinental ChampionshipWWE Intercontinental ChampionshipThe WWE Intercontinental Championship is a professional wrestling championship in WWE. It is the original secondary title of the promotion. Currently, it is the secondary championship exclusive to the SmackDown brand...
(2 times)
- WWF World Heavyweight Championship
- World Wrestling Superstars
- WWS Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards
- Most Overrated (1989–1991)
- Readers' Least Favorite Wrestler (1989, 1990)
- Worst Feud of the Year (1989) vs. André the GiantAndré the GiantAndré René Roussimoff , best known as André the Giant, was a French professional wrestler and actor. His best remembered acting role was that of Fezzik, the giant in the film The Princess Bride...
- Worst Feud of the Year (1992) vs. Papa ShangoCharles Wright (wrestler)Charles Wright is an American businessman and former professional wrestler. He is best known for his tenure with the World Wrestling Federation throughout the 1990s and early 2000s under the ring names Papa Shango, Kama, Kama Mustafa, The Godfather, and The Goodfather .After leaving the wrestling...
- Worst Feud of the Year (1998) vs. Hulk Hogan
- Worst Worked Match of the Year (1989) vs. André the Giant on October 31
- Worst Worked Match of the Year (1998) vs. Hulk Hogan at Halloween Havoc
- Worst Wrestler (1988, 1998)
External links
- UltimateWarrior.com
- Official Website for Ultimate Warrior's One Warrior Nation made in 2007 where he made a 2-part memorial to Randy SavageRandy SavageRandall Mario Poffo , better known by his ring name "Macho Man" Randy Savage, was an American professional wrestler, best known for his time with the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling .Savage held twenty championships during his professional wrestling career and was a...
.
-
- } made in 2008 to promote his Barcelona match against Orlando JordanOrlando JordanOrlando Jordan is an American professional wrestler, most recently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. Jordan is best known for his tenure in World Wrestling Entertainment, where he was a one-time United States Champion....
.
- } made in 2008 to promote his Barcelona match against Orlando Jordan