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RIP Ultimate Warrior


King Pitcos

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I'm absolutely stunned and gutted. I was just watching his HOF inducting against last night after watching his brilliant new DVD. I know people are saying he looked well, but I didn't think that at all. Many have commented on how different he moved for a bloke who hasn't wrestled in 20 years. He had a rag to wipe the sweat off himself throughout the Hall of Fame. There was just something strange about the way he walked as well. He looked totally broken down, with an arched back and a pained expression on his face throughout his speeches. He didn't look like this strong middle aged man who always had this aura about him. He seemed quite nervous and clumsy.

 

This seems to go a long way to explain the un-Warrior like behaviour the past year, if he truly has known he's been in poor health. He made up with Vince, he made up with Hogan, he went into the Hall of Fame, he had this desire to put a positive spin on his legacy. Warrior held a grudge for years. It amazed everyone when he re-signed with Vince. Surely he has known something for a while in regards to his health. I mean the guy was still absolutely jacked up. And had this amazing ability to recover him bicep tears in his 50s, which might tell you he was still taking things he shouldn't be.

 

What a shit situation, though. Hogan, Warrior and Savage were my childhood. The neon and the big hair and all the colours are still things that make me smile today. And two of them are gone, which is tragic. I mean Warrior had the best look in wrestling history didn't he? No one had a body like him. Just shredded to bits and jacked up with his. And the big glam mental hair and the face paint, the tassels, the neon, the fringe boots the amazing airbushed jackets he had. His look was incredible. So of its time, but would get over if he debuted today.

 

RIP Warrior.

Edited by IANdrewDiceClay
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Not sure how feasible it would be, but would love the WWE to show Warrior/Hogan from Wrestlemania 6 in its entirety on either Smackdown or next week's Raw, so that younger fans can appreciate just how big a star he was.

Edited by garynysmon
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Warrior was one of first wrestlers i remember seeing on TV when i was a kid, He brought me one of my fav moments at Wm8 when he ran down to save Hogan and ending WM8 posing with Hogan. i still loved the WM6 match with Hogan watching the first time just thinking how great it was. He was with Hogan my first wrestling figure and from then was one of my favorites. Just shocked and makes you think that he kind of knew he was ill so he knew he wanted to make right with everything or everyone unlike Savage who never go the chance.

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Here's my tribute to the great man from 2 years ago:

The Ultimate Warrior

Prime Years: 1988-1992

 

Info: Nobody was cooler back in the early 90s that the Warrior. You only need to look at the picture above to see that. He was what the cartoon era WWF was all about. Colourful outfits, big 80s heavy metal hair, a body from the pages of Marvel Comics and promos which sounded like gibberish, but came across as cool anyway. The Ultimate Warrior was a massive star in the late 80s and early 90s.

 

Aptly, Jim Hellwig was a bodybuilder before he became a pro wrestler. He had a ‘tache and everything. The bodybuilder was just a side career while he studied to become a chiropractor. Plans got put on permanent hold when he hooked up with Steve ‘Sting’ Borden and two other bodybuilders and under the training of Red Bastien and Rick Bassman, started a career in the wrestling business. Green as seaweed, Hellwig (as Blade Runner Rock), headed down to Memphis to knock the shite out of the Mempho grapplers. Anyone (including Sting) who witnessed the Warrior in the early days mentioned just how little care he took with his opponents bodies. Jerry Jarrett wasn’t quite smelling what Blade Runner Rock was Cooking, and the pair eventually turned up in Bill Watts UWF territory. Watts didn’t take to kindly to Warrior Jim. Being quite a large, moustache adorned man, he was fit for a royal example making session, with the Cowboy in control of the piss taking. Warrior was asked to get on his hands and knees so Bill could show him how to “work a kick”. Not being completely thick, Hellwig knew that Watts was going to boot him in the ribs. As legend has it, Warrior kindly asked Watts if he wanted him on his hands and knees, he’s was going to have to put him there himself. Hellwig left the UWF (without his pal the Stinger), after not taking to the "physically intense" nature of the ring style.

 

World Class Championship Wrestling was Hellwig's new home. This time under the name the "Dingo Warrior" and managed by Gary Hart. The facepaint was there, the tassles and look was there as well. It was the early stages of what would eventually become his famous appearance. DW was a presence in the territory for sure, even though he stay was again a short one. He held the World Class Texas title, and true to chose not to forfill his books and instead vacate it when the World Wrestling Federation can calling in 1987. Infact Dingo was in negotiations with New Japan Pro Wrestling who wanted to bring him over to the Orient to wrestled under the moniker of 'Big Van Vader' and become a star foreign attraction for the outfit. All parties were probably happy with the end results, as Warrior packed up his furry cowboy boots and headed off Stamford, CT.

 

Initially billed as the Dingo Warrior on house shows and in early TV promos, he went on the midcard of the B-and-C shows in 1987, knocking seven bells of shite out of the Brooklyn Brawler and Iron Mike Sharp. By the time he made it to television, Dingo was gone, and in his place was the "ULTIMATE WARRIOR". To complete the package, Jim Johnston came up with a guitar instrumental which not only fit his colourful, heavy metal haired, juiced up mentalist persona but was instantly recognisable as soon as the riff echoed throughout the arena. Following a few seconds of the music, out would pop the Warrior darting towards the ring, not caring if there was ring attendants or officials in his way as he ran. He caught on straight away and it seemed like he was getting more popular each time you saw him. He was a tremendous success. His wild interview style was also part of his appeal. Not many people could understand what he was saying, but that was what made his interviews so watchable. My favourite Warrior gem was this beauty:

 

"Mean Gene, what do Rick Rude and Bobby Heenan have in common with the Liberty Bell? One is cracked and the other is a ding dong ... HAHAHAHA!"

 

He had a boring strong man feud with Hercules Hernandez, but it said a lot about the Warrior attraction. It was never about the matches. His first real feud wth Hercules was probably his worst in the company, but he was captivating the current WWF audience, who seemed to love that type of character. On the strength of his growing popularity, the decision was made for him to win the WWF Intercontinental belt and ending the Honky Tonk Man's 15 month run as champion. It took Warrior a few seconds to win the belt and recieve a gigantic response from the sold out crowd that night. He became a superstar after that. He was in everyones eyes the next big thing. A feud with a super worker like Rick Rude was exactly what he needed. Their matches were minor miracles, but together largely by Rude and Pat Patterson. They had a good bout at WrestleMania V, where Rude delievered the Warrior his first taste of defeat in the WWF, with the assistance of Bobby Heenan. Warrior extracted his revenge of the Heenan family, by defeating Warrior in a blinder at SummerSlam 89. On the house shows, fans witnessed the Warrior beating the legendary Andre the Giant every night. Not only that, but Warrior also body slammed the Giant as well. Sure the matches were beyond dreadful, but it was two big name players selling out buildings while Hulk Hogan promoted No Holds Barred. It showed Warrior was a standout draw without Hogan on the same show.

 

The Warrior entered the Royal Rumble match in 1990, and the innevitable showdown between the two WWF power houses finally happened. Fans went completely spastic when Warrior and Hogan eliminated their respective foes. Its really something to watch back. They soaked up the atmosphere and did nothing but a criss-cross, a double clothesline and should charges before the next man entered. Thats all they needed to do start the playground rumblings going of who was better out of the two. Warrior definitely edged it at our school. Warrior seemed much cooler in 1990 than Hogan was. I was leading the charge of the Hulkamaniacs and my older fag smoking brother was a Warrior fan (or in reality didnt give a toss and was just watching it with me because my Mam and Dad were at work). It was 50 times better than it had any right to be. They rehersed the bout a few times leading to the event and had it down by the time they got the the Toronto Skydome. Warrior eventually got the win with a big splash, after surviving the Hulk Up routine. The sight of Hogan leaving in the little WrestleMania ring as the Warrior stood with his IC and WWF World title is the defying Warrior moment, whether Hogan stole his thunder or not. The place was still going nuts.

 

As the champion of a still mega hot World Wrestling Federation, the knifes were out in force in the media. A story appeared in the National Enquirer that Warrior was a former male escort, based in Atlanta, Georgia before entering (lol) the wrestling business. The usually lawsuit happy Warrior, never took legal action against the paper. When quizzed about this by the wrestlers, Warrior laughed it off and remarked "only 90% of it is true". He didnt seem to care, according to those who knew him at the time. Warrior even let the wrestlers in the WWF watch him shower, if they so wished. Warrior seems to have taken a bit of a dislike towards gay people these days, though, and has denied any of this ever happened. His wife at the time is set to release a book, where Warrior taking it up the arse is the central theme of the autobiography, so who knows who's telling the truth. Queering might not make the world work, but it can get you through wrestling school (so I'm told).

 

In truth, his title reign is book ended between his two best matches. The Hogan match and the Savage match. His title reign was less than impressive. Ted DiBiase and Rick Rude were able to give the Warrior good matches, but business wasnt doing as well as when Hogan or Savage had the belt. The original plan was for a Hogan vs Warrior rematch at the 100,000 seat venue at WrestleMania VII. But plans (and venues eventually) changed and a babyface vs babyface rematch wasnt seen as anything of value. Enter Sgt Slaughter. Savage had already started a feud with the Warrior prior to Royal Rumble 91, so logic surely said that there was no chance a scrub like (S)laughter was going to become the WWF champion. They didnt just hand them out back then, and the Warrior NEVER got beat. There wasnt a chance. It was definitely going to be Warrior vs Savage for the belt. Even a young BarbarIAN could see that coming a mile off. After refusing a blowjob of Sensational Sherri (which is still wank worthy if the internet connection is down), Warrior wrestled the Sarge in a dire match. Running down the aisle at Linford Christie pace, Macho King smashed Warrior in the face with his scepter. Sarge followed this up with a pin, and Slaughter was the new champion. What a change of pace that was! Slaughter looked like something off Dad's Army and he had the big belt. It was shocking.

 

Warrior couldnt stand for such injustice. At WrestleMania VII, one of them had to leave for good. Both looked great for this match. Randy Savage in all silver and purple and Warrior in his lovely blonde mullet and colourful ring jacket. The match was maybe his longest ever match and definitely his best. The drama was up there with anything you'll witness in WWF ever. As a fan you thought there was a chance that one of these wrestlers were never going to be seen again. In fact either one of them returning was never a question. Wrestling wouldnt lie to you, after all. If Warrior lost, I assumed he was gone. Savages hair was soaking wet and Warrior didnt have any facepaint left by the time each kicked out of each others finisher. Both reacted differently though. When Randy kicked out of the Gorilla Press, Warrior briefly questioned if it was indeed time to go up to Warrior heaven and never be seen again. Warrior's questions were answered after the gods from the planets above gave him the power to kick out of a series of top rope elbow drops and finish Savage off with shoulder tackles and a one footed pin. Awesome match.

 

That was as good as it got for Warrior Jim. He got locked in a coffin by the Undertaker, and WWF Magazine reported that he was near death inside the casket. Close to brain damage, I believe was the words used as well. Their house show feud was a popular one, but never did have a match on PPV though. Sid Justice was brought in as the new big man in town. Warrior then copped an attitude with Vince McMahon when he demanded a one off payoff to make up for a shabby WrestleMania payoff before he wrestled on PPV. Warrior was fired after the Slaughter, Adnan and Mustafa vs Hogan and Warrior bought. Warrior ran off the heel squad and if it was for his return at WrestleMania VIII, I'd assume that he was still running now. He wasnt seen again in months. He eventually did return to save Hogan from a beat down from Sid and Papa Shango, with a new haircut and a new slim physqiue and looked bollock all like the Warrior we'd seen the year before. Rumours of his death were greatly exaggerated at the time as well. Although he skin coloured singlet was something few would have been caught dead in.

 

1992 wasn't much of a year for the Warrior in fairness. Papa Shango took exception to Warrior saving the Hulkster from a certain shrunken head, and put a voodoo spell on him. The feud is memorable for Warrior being sick on a doctors face and green stuff dripping from Gene Okerlunds tux. After having enough of that, the returning Macho Man another cracker with Warrior, this time at Wembley Stadium in front of 80,000 fans. I believe someone in a shell suit and a fringe on the VHS of SummerSlam alleged that Mr. Perfect was going to be in his corner that night. This turned out to be false, because Warrior was successful in winning the belt that night. A friendship blossumed between the pair of nutters after the bout, though. It was a short alliance, but the Ultimate Maniacs were around long enough to get matching outfits. Warrior even wore a pair of sunglasses for the first time ever! They were scheduled to wrestled Razor Ramon and Ric Flair at Survivor Series 92, but during WWF's first strict drug testing policy, Warrior ended up failing a test for steroids and he was released.

 

To the indy circuit it was. Warrior travelled to outlaw feds to wrestle old foes such as Hercules and Honky Tonk Man, and opened up a wrestling school called "Warrior University". He was still in demand and still had name value for the 4 years he was away, WWF tried desperately to bring him back. In 1993, 94 and 95 negotiations were opened and closed when both sides couldnt meet each others demands. WCW tried as well. The Warrior said "I DONT BELIEVE IT" when he saw Richard Wilson playing a doppelg

Edited by IANdrewDiceClay
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I was just dropping on one of the dirt sheet sites this morning for the SD taping results when it was there plastered across the front of my phone.

 

Utterly stunned, still not sure I can make head or tail of it all. About to rewatch his speech from Monday Night and see it in a whole new light, so many things he did over this last weekend make sense now. Feel godawful for his daughters though to lose their dad at such a young age.

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I can't really put into words how gutted I feel about this. I feel out of love with wrestling a long time ago, but I still occasionally watch the bigger shows, more recently the Royal Rumble and Wrestlemania, the latter of which I was really please to see the Warrior. I don't care what people say about his in ring work, he was all pizzazz and energy and he alone got me hooked on wrestling. My childhood hero has died.

 

RIP Warrior.

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From the new documentary:

 

"WrestleMania 30 is coming up, but they’re already thinking about 31, 32, 33, 34, 35. I’m like that, always thinking ahead.”

 

Can't help think he knew something was up and this was his way of doing the right thing for himself and his family before his time was up.

Edited by Buzz Lightyear
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Fucking hell. I hadn't watched the Hall Of Fame, but having just thrown the Warrior's speech on now it's heartbreaking to see his outpouring of love for his little girls. I had no idea he had daughters, especially so young. Absolutely crushing.

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I can only echo the sadness and shock of this news. Like many I was a huge Warrior fan and was always a "Little Warrior" as opposed to a Hulkamaniac. I'm proud to say I was able to meet my childhood hero not once but twice when he visited the UK and even as an adult he was still able to leave a lasting impression on me. You'll never be forgotten. R.I.P.

Edited by LSM
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