wwe biography ultimate warrior

Ultimate Warrior

(1959-2014)

Who Was Ultimate Warrior?

Early years and bodybuilding career.

Ultimate Warrior was born James Brian Hellwig on June 16, 1959, and raised in Crawfordsville, Indiana. The oldest of five children, Warrior endured financial and emotional difficulties after his father left the family, and turned to football and weightlifting at Fountain Central High School to fill the void.

Quickly packing on muscle, Warrior relocated to Georgia in pursuit of a bodybuilding career and won multiple events, including the 1984 Mr. Georgia crown. He then moved across the country to train at the renowned Gold's Gym of Venice Beach, California, where he joined a fledging wrestling team that also featured fellow future WWE superstar Steve Borden, aka Sting.

Early Pro Wrestling Career

In late 1985 Warrior and Borden turned professional together with the Championship Wrestling promotion of Memphis, Tennessee. Initially billed as the Freedom Fighters, the fresh-faced duo soon embraced a bad-guy image and overpowered competitors as the Blade Runners.

Warrior eventually went solo and jumped to the Texas-based World Class Championship Wrestling promotion, where he amassed a sizeable following as the Dingo Warrior.

WWE Superstar and Champion

Getting his shot on the big stage of World Wrestling Entertainment in 1987, Warrior completed his transformation into the tasseled, face-painted Ultimate Warrior, and quickly became a fan favorite with his cartoonishly chiseled physique, high-energy performances and intense, cryptic interviews.

Warrior's emergence as a superstar came at the inaugural WWE SummerSlam of 1988, where he demolished The Honky Tonk Man in 30 seconds to claim the intercontinental championship. He later defended his title against Andre the Giant , cementing his status as a top draw by hoisting and body-slamming his 520-pound opponent.

Warrior's rapid ascent climaxed with "The Ultimate Challenge" match against heavyweight champ Hogan at WrestleMania VI in April 1990. The upstart scored a clean win by way of his patented "Warrior Splash," the passing of the torch marked by Hogan presenting him with the championship belt and the two embracing in the middle of the ring.

Suspensions and Move to WCW

Ultimate Warrior's title reign was short-lived, as he was upended by "Macho Man" Randy Savage and Sgt. Slaughter at the January 1991 Royal Rumble. Although he exacted revenge on Savage a few months later at WrestleMania VII, a contract dispute with WWE chief Vince McMahon led to his suspension from the organization in summer 1991.

Warrior enjoyed a grand return to the spotlight at April 1992's WrestleMania VII, where he rescued his old rival Hogan from a beating by Sid Justice. However, WWE was then facing federal scrutiny over the proliferation of steroids in the sport, and the wrestler was again suspended that November after allegedly failing multiple drug tests.

After making another dazzling return with a victory over Triple H at 1996's WrestleMania XII, Warrior again ran afoul of McMahon when he began missing events, resulting in his outright termination from WWE. He resurfaced on the roster of World Championship Wrestling in 1998, though his brief stint with the organization ended following a loss to Hogan at that year's Halloween Havoc.

Name Change and Post-Wrestling Career

He legally changed his name to "Warrior" in the early 1990s and sought to capitalize on the brand by way of a comic book and the launch of the Warrior University gym and wrestling school in Scottsdale, Arizona.

He found a post-wrestling niche as a conservative blogger and speaker, though he was criticized for a 2005 engagement at the University of Connecticut that dissolved into a shouting match with several students, an episode that fueled the WWE-produced documentary The Self-Destruction of the Ultimate Warrior .

Warrior continued to film motivational videos, and later found another constructive outlet for his passions through painting.

Personal Life

After divorcing his first wife, Shari, Warrior met his second wife, Dana, at his Arizona gym. They went on to have two daughters, Indiana and Mattigan.

WWE Hall of Fame and Death

Following a near two-decade estrangement from his former employers, Warrior agreed to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame and to assume an ambassador role for the organization in 2014.

Taking the stage with his daughters at the Hall of Fame induction ceremony of April 5, 2014, Warrior acknowledged his run-ins with McMahon and his peers and the long journey back into the WWE family. He attended WrestleMania XXX the following night and then appeared at Monday Night Raw on April 7, the occasion highlighted by another emotional speech from the former champion.

Shortly after his family arrived in Scottsdale on April 8, Warrior collapsed from a fatal heart attack, ending the life of the WWE legend at age 54.

QUICK FACTS

• Birth Year: 1959
• Birth date: June 16, 1959
• Birth State: Indiana
• Birth Country: United States
• Best Known For: Ultimate Warrior was a professional wrestling champion and WWE Hall of Famer who thrilled fans with his immense strength and high-energy performances.
• Death Year: 2014
• Death date: April 8, 2014
• Death State: Arizona
• Death City: Scottsdale
• Death Country: United States

We strive for accuracy and fairness.If you see something that doesn't look right, contact us !

CITATION INFORMATION

• Article Title: Ultimate Warrior Biography
• Author: Biography.com Editors
• Website Name: The Biography.com website
• Url: https://www.biography.com/athletes/ultimate-warrior
• Access Date:
• Publisher: A&E; Television Networks
• Last Updated: June 7, 2021
• Original Published Date: May 6, 2021
• Every man's heart one day beats its final beat. His lungs breathe their final breath. And if what that man did in his life makes the blood pulse through the body of others and makes them bleed deeper in something that's larger than life, then his essence, his spirit, will be immortalized by the storytellers, by the loyalty, by the memory of those who honor him, and make the running the man did live forever.

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• Cast & crew
• User reviews

Ultimate Warrior

• Episode aired May 23, 2021

Shares the story of Ultimate Warrior, a WWE Hall of Famer who inspired an entire generation of fans living by his mantra of "always believe." With his colorful face paint and equally colorfu... Read all Shares the story of Ultimate Warrior, a WWE Hall of Famer who inspired an entire generation of fans living by his mantra of "always believe." With his colorful face paint and equally colorful interviews, Ultimate Warrior is perhaps best remembered for defeating Hulk Hogan at Wres... Read all Shares the story of Ultimate Warrior, a WWE Hall of Famer who inspired an entire generation of fans living by his mantra of "always believe." With his colorful face paint and equally colorful interviews, Ultimate Warrior is perhaps best remembered for defeating Hulk Hogan at WrestleMania VI to become both the WWE Champion and the Intercontinental Champion.

• Daniel Amigone
• Jim Hellwig
• Donna Stull
• Chad Venters
• 5 User reviews
• 1 Critic review

• (archive footage)
• Self - Mother
• Self - Warrior Biographer
• (as Chad Venters PhD)
• Self - Football Coach
• Self - High School Friend
• Self - Author
• Self - Daughter

• Self - Bodybuilding Legend
• Self - Gold's Gym

• Self - Broadcaster …

• Self - Sting …
• Self - Continental Wrestling Association

• Self - Memphis Wrestling, 1978-85

• Self - Memphis Promoter …

• Self - Journalist
• Self - Podcaster
• All cast & crew
• Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

Did you know

• Connections Features Pumping Iron (1977)

User reviews 5

• stemariemark
• May 26, 2021
• May 23, 2021 (United States)
• See more company credits at IMDbPro

Technical specs

• Runtime 1 hour 28 minutes

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The Ultimate Warrior died on April 8 , 2014 , at the age of 54. Over the preceding three days he had been inducted to the WWE Hall of Fame , appeared at WrestleMania XXX , and made his final public appearance on Raw (April 7, 2014) .

• 1 Early career
• 2.1 1987-1991
• 2.2 1992 Return
• 2.3 1992 Departure
• 2.4 1996 Return & Departure
• 3.1 Warrior Imitation
• 3.2 WCW Signs Warrior
• 3.3 Halloween Havoc
• 3.4 Departure
• 4 Nu-Wrestling Evolution (2008)
• 5 Return to WWE and Hall of Fame induction (2013-2014)
• 6 Life Away from the Ring
• 7 Comic Book
• 8 The Self-Destruction of the Ultimate Warrior
• 9 Legal Issues
• 10 Forthcoming Publications
• 11 Personal life
• 13 In wrestling
• 14 Championships and accomplishments
• 15 See also
• 16 External links

Early career [ ]

Warrior began his pro wrestling career as Jim "Justice" Hellwig of Powerteam USA , a group of bodybuilders formed in 1985 by Red Bastien and Rick Bassman , but the gimmick went under when they discovered that, in their estimation, the team had limited wrestling potential.

Of the four members of Powerteam USA, only Hellwig and "Flash" Steve Borden had subsequent wrestling careers of any note. The two formed a splinter group tag team called Freedom Fighters retaining their Flash/Justice names. They later became the Blade Runners where Flash became Sting and Justice became Rock. They wrestled in the Universal Wrestling Federation (UWF) and on the independent circuit.

After the group ended, Sting retained his name but Rock became Dingo Warrior for a short period in World Class Championship Wrestling (WCCW). After WCCW, Hellwig signed with the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) and was given the name Ultimate Warrior .

World Wrestling Federation [ ]

1987-1991 [ ].

As a WWF superstar from the mid-80s to the early 90s, the Ultimate Warrior was known for his high-energy wrestling style and his Gorilla Press Slam, in which he would lift his opponent with an overhead shoulder press and then drop him to the mat face-first, and following with a running splash for his finisher. His matches were generally kept short and frantic, featuring a handful of power moves. The Ultimate Warrior's ring entrances featured him racing into the arena at full speed, bursting into the ring, and violently shaking the ropes up and down. Warrior's string of fast-paced squash matches ended up being a fundamental key to his popularity (the same routine later popularized Goldberg ). He was also known for his distinctive pattern of face painting.

Warrior enjoyed two stints as WWF Intercontinental Champion , defeating The Honky Tonk Man (in 32 seconds at the first ever SummerSlam in 1988 ) and Rick Rude at SummerSlam 1989 . The Warrior was heralded as the wrestler to carry the torch after the pending retirement of Hulk Hogan in 1990 . Following a few confrontations with Hogan, most notably at the 1990 Royal Rumble , the Warrior was written in as Hogan's opponent for Wrestlemania VI . Ultimate Warrior defeated Hogan on April 1, 1990 , at the SkyDome in Toronto, Ontario in the main event (which was billed "The Ultimate Challenge"). The Warrior held the championship until the Royal Rumble in January 1991 , dropping the belt to Sgt. Slaughter (thanks to interference by Randy "Macho King" Savage ).

Warrior gained revenge on Savage at WrestleMania VII , pinning him in a "retirement match." Thereafter, he became embroiled in a brutal feud with The Undertaker after Undertaker and his manager, the macabre Paul Bearer , locked Warrior in a coffin on the set of Bearer's Funeral Parlor (one of the WWF's biggest "evil" incidents to that time). Eventually, Jake "The Snake" Roberts offered to help Warrior in his feud, but wound up turning against him; however, Roberts' impending feud with Warrior was quickly scuttled.

In August 1991 , Warrior was involved in an alleged pay dispute with WWF owner Vince McMahon . Warrior had put a figurative gun to Vince McMahon's head and threatened to no show the main event for SummerSlam (shown on The Self-Destruction of the Ultimate Warrior DVD) teaming him with Hulk Hogan against Sgt. Slaughter , Colonel Mustafa , and General Adnan unless he was paid a certain amount of money. It is unclear whether this sum was an amount the Warrior felt was owed to him (for previous work), or whether it was a new demand. The amount was never disclosed to the public and after the Ultimate Warrior chased Adnan and Mustafa backstage, McMahon promptly fired him. He would then be re-hired in 1992.

1992 Return [ ]

Upon returning at WrestleMania VIII (to rescue Hulk Hogan from a beat down at the hands of Sid Justice and Papa Shango ), he received a degree of creative control over his bookings. Many fans may remember the Papa Shango storyline, in which the "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.

Rumors and urban legends began around this time (and still persist to this day in some fan circles) that the original Ultimate Warrior and Dingo Warrior were not the same as the one who returned to wrestling in 1992 , 1996 , and 1998 , and it was believed that the original Warrior had died. When the Ultimate Warrior returned to the WWF in 1992, it was rumored that Kerry Von Erich was playing the part, since Warrior's hair was much shorter than before. However, this has been shown time and time again not to be the case, as the character had always been played by the same individual. The reason for this confusion is a storyline which featured Warrior being "locked in an air-tight coffin" by The Undertaker (whom he was feuding with at the time) and his musculature's drastic changes.

1992 Departure [ ]

Late in 1992, Warrior was briefly the tag team partner of Randy Savage , in October forming the team Ultimate Maniacs . Savage had previously lost to Warrior in a retirement match at WrestleMania VII ).

The team was scheduled to compete in November at Survivor Series . Weeks before the event, however, Warrior and WWF were at odds again, arguing over who had creative rights to the Ultimate Warrior name as well as creative differences as to how the Warrior's character should be used. Though this put his WWF future in doubt, the WWF states that his reason for leaving was a "violation" found in his system during a random drug test. It should be noted that this occurred at the height of Warrior's ongoing marketing/financial differences with Vince McMahon, the owner and CEO of Titan Sports and World Wrestling Federation. In addition, Titan Sports—and specifically, the WWF—was under intense scrutiny of its drug policies including "performance-enhancing" drugs, the most prominent being steroids.

Warrior stated on his on his website that his reasons for leaving were due to his disagreements over compensation and marketing rights, and that after his title victory over Hulk Hogan at WrestleMania VI, he felt that he had achieved the height of his career; anything less was bound to be anti-climatic. According to Warrior, his character was slated to begin a feud with Nailz , a midcard wrestler, and he felt that he was being slowly and unceremoniously pushed out of the spotlight in order to make way for Hogan's return to glory. The WWF however, denied that a Warrior/Nailz feud was in the works on The Self-Destruction of the Ultimate Warrior DVD, and they said that they were trying to start a Nailz/Undertaker feud at the time of Warrior's release.

1996 Return & Departure [ ]

After several years spent mostly outside of the wrestling limelight, Warrior returned to the WWF in 1996, squashing future superstar Hunter Hearst Helmsley at WrestleMania XII . Triple H refers to his match against Warrior as "not my best event". Following WrestleMania, Warrior participated in brief feuds with Goldust and Jerry Lawler .

The WWF terminated Warrior's contract when he took time off to grieve the death of his father. WWF owner Vince McMahon claimed that Warrior had not seen his father in ten years and didn't care much for him; therefore, he did not take Warrior's excuse for missing bookings at face value. Warrior disputes Vince's explanation, claiming that the real reason why he no-showed those events was a breach of contract by McMahon.

World Championship Wrestling [ ]

Warrior imitation [ ].

In 1995 , The Renegade debuted in World Championship Wrestling (WCW) as Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage's "secret weapon", using ring attire and mannerisms that closely resembled Warrior's. Renegade was later used as Warrior's stunt double when Warrior himself was in WCW for a brief time in 1998 .

WCW Signs Warrior [ ]

WCW signed Warrior in 1998 , and gave him a degree of creative control over his matches, considered by some to be a foolish move. His debut drew huge audiences and ratings, but it did not last. He created a storyline where he formed a stable opposing Hulk Hogan's New World Order : the "One Warrior Nation." The acronym OWN for One Warrior Nation was a play on the name nWo. Highlights of the unpopular storyline included Warrior kidnapping and "converting" The Disciple and frequent instances of "magic smoke" knocking out all of the nWo members except for Hogan (and covering Warrior's movement through a trapdoor in the ring). The British Bulldog suffered a near career-ending injury when he landed on Warrior's trapdoor.

Warrior only participated in three matches in WCW; a WarGames match (along with seven other wrestlers) at Fall Brawl , in a tag team match with Sting to defeat Hogan and Bret Hart by DQ on WCW Monday Nitro , and his loss to Hogan at Halloween Havoc 1998 , in what is widely considered to be one of the worst wrestling matches ever.

Halloween Havoc [ ]

In the build-up to their match at Halloween Havoc , Warrior played mind games with Hogan by projecting backstage "apparitions" of himself in a mirror that only Hogan could see. The WCW storyline portrayed Hogan as "cracking up" in seeing these apparitions. However, the announcers could also see them, as well as the television audience.

In the Halloween Havoc match, the timing of the maneuvers and hits was very poor; the match was worsened due to an arm injury that Warrior received in the War Games, and an attempt to "blind" him with a fireball backfired when Hogan failed to ignite the flash paper in time, causing the fire to go up in Hogan's face. The match finally came to an end when Horace Hogan hit Warrior in the back with a chair, while the referee was distracted. Hogan then followed up with a leg drop, scoring the pinfall and ending the match.

Departure [ ]

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. Warrior claims that they simply decided not to call him any more, and the only reason why they brought him back was so Hogan could get a win over Warrior in return for Hogan's WrestleMania job. Warrior's last appearance in WCW was the Nitro after Halloween Havoc, when he chased nWo Hollywood out of the ring. He announced his retirement the next year.

Nu-Wrestling Evolution (2008) [ ]

During an April 19, 2008 Nu-Wrestling Evolution 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 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 professional wrestling match since October 1998. Warrior's agent, Bernie Gernay, released a statement saying:

"For over 10 years this is what the entire wrestling world has been waiting for, the return of the Warrior. We are excited to bring back the greatest character and energy to ever get into the ring. Ultimate Warrior is an incredible marketing machine and has kept a tremendous value to his name which is why the NWE has stepped up with a substantial deal that worked very well for both sides. There is no disputing that Warrior left a mark on professional wrestling that no other talent did and the reason why still today he is often imitated, but never duplicated. Over the next few days the NWE will inform fans of the preparations for one of the biggest and most important wrestling events ever to be held in Europe. As the news progresses it is sure to be the headlines of wrestling news and forums throughout the Internet and will most certainly have all in the wrestling industry and fans alike in great anticipation to see what the Warrior will deliver on June 25th, and perhaps beyond."

Return to WWE and Hall of Fame induction (2013-2014) [ ]

On July 15, 2013, Warrior was featured in a WWE 2K14 game trailer and revealed he was in the roster as a pre-order bonus.

On January 13, 2014 WWE announced that the Ultimate Warrior will be the first inductee into the WWE Hall of Fame .

While promoting his appearance on a radio show on KISW in Seattle, Washington, Warrior floated the idea of facing WWE Chairman Vince McMahon at the April 5, 2009 WrestleMania XXV pay-per-view .

Life Away from the Ring [ ]

Warrior officially retired from wrestling in 1999 . He found a new career as a conservative speaker and commentator, denouncing left-wing politics. Most notably, he mentioned that "queering doesn't make the world work" during a speech at the University of Connecticut. Warrior has explained those comments on his website as meaning that the human race would die out if everyone were a homosexual. In 2005 , he and his company Ultimate Creations Inc. threatened to sue Richard Kyanka of Something Awful for allegedly libeling him on an Awful Link of the Day. The case has not yet been brought to court.

According to a 2000 research study by Turner Networks, Warrior and Bill Goldberg were among the top five most internationally recognized wrestlers in the world, behind Hollywood Hogan and Kevin Nash . In April 2006, WWE.com had a poll for the most deserving person for the WWE Hall of Fame . Warrior received the most votes, but it is highly unlikely that Warrior would agree to join.

Comic Book [ ]

Beginning in May 1996 , Warrior began writing with Jim Callahan and The Sharp Brothers illustrating a comic book entitled WARRIOR , featuring himself as the main character. The comics sold well in the first two months of their distribution, before sales plummeted and the comic was taken out of circulation in early 1997 . The initial success of the comic and its ultimate failure is often attributed to the same things.

As a comic book, fans argued that WARRIOR was a failure: there were virtually no characters other than Warrior, little action, and considerably more text than the average comic (in the first issue, at least one entire page is nothing but text, with a small picture of Warrior in the corner).

The comic's most enduring issue, and the one which has received the most ridicule and is now worth the most money, is one of the final issues, which breaks away from the main storyline into a Christmas tale. The plot of the comic is hard to decipher, as it contains no dialogue, monologue, or text boxes. Inexplicably, Warrior attacks the North Pole, usurps Santa Claus' authority over the elves, and in the final frame, which gained the comic its enduring popularity, a sweaty Warrior forces Santa into bondage gear and poses beside him. The apparent sexual undertones, lack of an actual plot, and non-sequitur nature (nothing from the previous issue served to segue into the Santa attack issue) gained the comic cult popularity, especially on the internet. Though nothing sexually explicit is depicted in the comic, some fans have come to describe it as the "Santa rape" issue; more commonly, it is referred to as "the one where Warrior puts Santa in bondage".

According to Warrior, six issues of the WARRIOR comic book were created, as well as a "Warrior Graphic Novel that revealed the story behind the creation of Warrior’s Comic Book Universe". However, only the first four issues of the comic were actually produced.

The Self-Destruction of the Ultimate Warrior [ ]

On September 27, 2005 , WWE 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 (some of which are largely unflattering), the DVD has provoked some controversy due to Warrior's own allegations of bias 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 content and his vehement accusations of bias.

After the release of the DVD, Warrior was asked to appear on Byte This! , WWE's weekly webcast program, ostensibly to air his side of the story. He refused the offer, instead opting to issue a paragraph-long controversial statement, responding back to the insults of host Todd Grisham by calling him a "queer", and frequent contributor Droz a "cripple." This led to Matt Striker subsequently appearing on Byte This! and performing an unflattering impression of Warrior, including numerous references to the abuse of steroids. Striker, Grisham, and Droz shared several jokes at Warrior's expense, and an edited version appeared on WWE.com days later - the edits chosen giving the segment a less vitriolic feel than what was originally broadcast.

A week after this parody aired, JBL was featured on the show and angrily criticized and mocked Warrior, angry at his recent calling of his real-life friend Droz as "crippled." He angrily called Warrior "absolute piece of sh**" and "can't stand the son of a b***"." JBL would, however, admit to the fact that he and Warrior had no previous grudge - he was simply angry about Warrior's original, offensive statements.

Legal Issues [ ]

In 1993, Jim Hellwig legally changed his name to Warrior in order to retain the legal rights to use the name outside of the WWF. The one-word name appears on all legal documents pertaining to Warrior, and his children carry the Warrior name as their legal surname. The ultimatewarrior.com domain is registered to "Mister Warrior".

Warrior and the WWF engaged in a series of lawsuits and legal actions in 1996 and 1997, culminating in a court ruling that Warrior was legally entitled to use the gimmick, costuming, face paint designs, and mannerisms of the "Warrior" character.

To counter the negative portrayal of his character by WWE, Warrior began producing his own DVD documentary and announced that he would release a lot of the official court documents with Titan Sports/WWE to show what he has termed the ultimate truth . However, Warrior later filed suit against the filmmaker he hired to make his documentary, Andrew Wright, claiming that the documentary Wright made was "negative, not positive" and that Wright had threatened to release a very negative documentary unless he was paid more money.

In January 2006, Warrior filed a lawsuit against WWE in an Arizona court, over the depiction of his wrestling career on The Self-Destruction DVD.

Forthcoming Publications [ ]

In a recent audio interview with conservative speaker, Dan Flynn, Warrior revealed that he will be publishing two books in 2007. The first being a strictly ideological work on the core conservative values, and their function in a modern society. Although as yet officially untitled, Warrior hopes the work will be released as America: Get It or Get Out ; but the release date of the book is unknown.

He also has plans to release a second book in the second half of the year, which will be part autobiography, part motivation guide. Warrior has stated that "...the book will detail my wrestling career...but it will be from an intelligent, inspiring angle". He further stated, "I'm not interested in detailing the seedy underbelly of an industry I have no desire to be associated with".

Personal life [ ]

Warrior was married to a woman named Sherri, but divorced later. This woman threatened to publish a book regarding their relationship, but that publication was later cancelled.

In 2000 he remarried, this time to the former Dana Viale (whom he had been dating since at least 1996 , as admitted in interviews during his WWF stint then). They now have two daughters; Indiana Marin (b 2000) and Mattigan Twain (b 2002).

Warrior died on April 8, 2014. He had been inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame on April 5, appeared at WrestleMania XXX on April 6, and made his first Raw appearance in 18 years on April 7, one day before his death. According to TMZ, Warrior collapsed at 5:50 PM while walking to his car with his wife in Arizona outside of their hotel. He was rushed to the hospital where he was pronounced dead.

During his final appearance on Raw and less than 24 hours before his death, Warrior gave a speech to the fans and wrestlers past and present as his Ultimate Warrior character. During the speech he said,

No WWE talent becomes a legend on their own. Every man's heart one day beats its final beat. His lungs breathe their final breath. And if what that man did in his life makes the blood pulse through the body of others and makes them believe deeper in something larger than life then his essence, his spirit, will be immortalized. By the story tellers, by the loyalty, by the memory of those who honor him and make the running the man did live forever. You, you, you, you, you, you are the legend makers of Ultimate Warrior. In the back I see many potential legends. Some of them with warrior spirits. And you will do the same for them. You will decide if they lived with the passion and intensity. So much so that you will tell your stories and you will make them legends, as well. I am Ultimate Warrior. You are the Ultimate Warrior fans. And the spirit of the Ultimate Warrior will run forever!

News spread quickly through social media of Warrior's death. Jake Roberts , a fellow 2014 Hall of Fame inductee and former opponent in the ring, said that the two were able to finally put their past problems behind them. Roberts said "Deeply saddened. We just had a great talk & buried a senseless hatchet. Talked working together. RIP Warrior. Taking solace we made peace." Kevin Nash , another wrestler who has spent years publicly feuding with Warrior was also able to end their problems. Nash said "So happy I embraced Warrior with a hug when we saw each other backstage Saturday night. My heart goes out to his family. Always Believe." Hulk Hogan , one of Warrior's most hated rivals in and out of the ring said through his Twitter page "RIP WARRIOR. only love. HH"

In wrestling [ ]

• Gorilla Press Drop
• Multiple Running Clotheslines
• Leaping shoulder block
• Atomic Drop
• Vertical suplex
• " The Warrior " by Scandal (1986–1987)
• " Unstable " by Jim Johnston (1987–1991, 1992, 1996)
• " One Warrior Nation " (1998)
• " The Ultimate Return " by AnAkA

Championships and accomplishments [ ]

• NWE Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
• PWI Comeback of the Year (1992)
• PWI Feud of the Year (1991) vs. The Undertaker
• PWI Match of the Year (1990) vs. Hulk Hogan at WrestleMania VI
• PWI ranked him # 101 of the top 500 singles wrestlers of the " PWI Years " in 2003
• WCWA Texas Heavyweight Championship ( 1 time )
• WCWA World Tag Team Championship ( 1 time ) – with Lance Von Erich
• WWF Championship ( 1 time )
• WWF Intercontinental Championship ( 2 times )
• WWE Hall of Fame (Class of 2014)
• WWS Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
• Most Overrated (1989–1991)
• Readers' Least Favorite Wrestler (1989, 1990)
• Worst Feud of the Year (1989) vs. André the Giant
• Worst Feud of the Year (1992) vs. Papa Shango
• 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)

See also [ ]

• The Self-Destruction of The Ultimate Warrior
• Ultimate Warrior: The Ultimate Collection

External links [ ]

• 1 Von Erich family
• 2 Vertebreaker
• 3 May 27, 2024 Monday Night RAW results

Watch CBS News

Former Pro Wrestler 'The Ultimate Warrior' Dies At 54

April 9, 2014 / 10:10 AM EDT / CBS New York

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) —  A wrestling icon has left us.

The Ultimate Warrior, one of the most colorful stars in pro wrestling history, has died, the WWE said. He was 54.

The WWE said Warrior, who legally changed his name from James Hellwig to his wrestling moniker, died Tuesday. Scottsdale, Ariz., police spokesman Sgt. Mark Clark said he collapsed while walking with his wife to their car at a hotel and was pronounced dead at a hospital.

There were no signs of foul play, Clark said. The Maricopa County Medical Examiner's Office will conduct an autopsy Thursday, county spokeswoman Cari Gerchick said.

RIP WARRIOR. only love. HH — Hulk Hogan (@HulkHogan) April 9, 2014

Hellwig was one of pro wrestling's biggest stars in the late 1980s. He beat Hulk Hogan in a memorable match at Wrestlemania in 1990.

He was in the spotlight again earlier this week, making appearances at the latest WrestleMania in New Orleans and on "Monday Night Raw," and being inducted into the WWE Hall of fame.

"WWE is shocked and deeply saddened to learn of the passing of one of the most iconic WWE Superstars ever, The Ultimate Warrior," WWE said in a statement, adding: "We are grateful that just days ago, Warrior had the opportunity to take his rightful place in the WWE Hall of Fame."

ULTIMATE WARRIOR I LOVE YOU FOREVER #RIPULIMATEWARRIOR http://t.co/qMWO05ktJO — The Iron Sheik (@the_ironsheik) April 9, 2014

Deeply saddened to find out about the passing of #WWE LEGEND, @UltimateWarrior . You & your legacy will FOREVER be remembered in our hearts! — Diamond Dallas Page (@RealDDP) April 9, 2014

Saddened to announce the passing of the Ultimate Warrior. Icon and friend. My sympathy to his wife Dana and his daughters — Triple H (@TripleH) April 9, 2014

The Ultimate Warrior personified the larger-than-life cartoon characters who helped skyrocket the WWE into the mainstream in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Warrior dressed in face paint, had tassels dangling from his super-sized biceps and sprinted to the ring when his theme song hit. He'd shake the ropes and grunt and howl while the crowd went wild for the popular good guy.

We are all so sad that the Ultimate Warrior has passed away. Our heart is with his wife Dana and his two daughters. — Vince McMahon (@VinceMcMahon) April 9, 2014

He made his debut with the promotion when it was known as the World Wrestling Federations in 1987 and wrestled on and off for the sports entertainment empire until 1996.

The Ultimate Warrior became the first wrestler to defeat Hulk Hogan at WrestleMania when he used his finishing splash for the pin. He won the championship in front of 67,678 fans at Toronto's SkyDome in a match billed as "The Ultimate Challenge."

The Ultimate Warrior would defeat Randy "Macho Man" Savage the next year at WrestleMania. Savage, who died in 2011, Hogan and Warrior were all enormous personalities with gaudy costumes and memorable catchphrases. They led the WWE's transformation from a promotion running weekend arena shows and Saturday morning TV into one booking events at the largest stadiums around the world with millions watching every Monday night. More than 5.1 million viewers watched Warrior's final appearance Monday night on "Raw."

The Ultimate Warrior had a falling out with the WWE and did not appear on its TV shows after July 8, 1996, until last weekend. He reconciled with McMahon and was inducted into the Hall of Fame. He also made an appearance on "Raw" and shook the ropes one final time in front of another crowd that went wild for the Warrior.

"Speak to me, Warriors!" he bellowed, as the New Orleans crowd chanted his name.

Warrior put on a mask that resembled his famous face paint and cut a promo about 24 hours before his death that seems eerie now.

"No WWE talent becomes a legend on their own," Warrior said. "Every man's heart one day beats its final beat. His lungs breathe their final breath. And if what that man did in his life makes the blood pulse through the body of others, it makes them bleed deeper and something larger than life, then his essence, his spirit, will be immortalized."

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(TM and © Copyright 2014 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2014 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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How To Watch A&E’s ‘Biography: WWE Legends: Ultimate Warrior’ Live

Where to stream:.

• Biography: WWE Legends

If you’re in the mood for a pro wrestling documentary, we have a number of outstanding recommendations. The third season of Vice TV’s Dark Side of the Ring is as must-see as it gets for wrestling fans, WWE Icons recently released a new episode on Rob Van Dam (available on Peacock), and A&E’s about to air an all-new episode of Biography: WWE Legends !

Tonight’s episode of WWE Legends centers on the unforgettable career of the Ultimate Warrior . Directed by Daniel Amigone, the film follows the frenetic superstar’s WWE debut, his unique promo style, and, of course, the grappler’s epic WrestleMania VI “title vs. title” bout with Hulk Hogan.

How can you watch Biography: Ultimate Warrior live on A&E? Here’s everything you need to know.

WHEN DOES THE NEXT EPISODE OF BIOGRAPHY: WWE LEGENDS PREMIERE ON A&E?

The Ultimate Warrior episode of Biography: WWE Legends premieres Sunday, May 23 on A&E.

WHAT TIME DOES BIOGRAPHY: WWE LEGENDS ULTIMATE WARRIOR START ON A&E?

Biography: Ultimate Warrior airs from 8:00-10:02 p.m. ET on A&E. An encore presentation of the documentary airs Monday, May 24 at 12:04 a.m. ET.

HOW TO WATCH A&E’S BIOGRAPHY: WWE LEGENDS: ULTIMATE WARRIOR LIVE ONLINE:

If you have a valid cable login, you can watch Biography: Ultimate Warrior live on A&E’s website or with the A&E app . The special will also be available for next-day streaming on A&E.com .

WHERE TO WATCH BIOGRAPHY: ULTIMATE WARRIOR:

You can also find an A&E live stream with an active subscription to Hulu + Live TV , Sling TV (Blue) ,  fuboTV , or  Philo . All of the aforementioned services offer A&E in their channel lineups. Free trials of the streaming services are available for new and eligible subscribers.

CAN I WATCH BIOGRAPHY: ULTIMATE WARRIOR LIVE ON HULU?

You can’t stream Biography: WWE Legends with a traditional Hulu account, but you can watch the series live or on demand with an active subscription to Hulu + Live TV. Hulu’s live TV service includes an A&E live stream. A seven-day free trial is available for eligible subscribers .

Where to stream Biography: WWE Legends

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Ultimate Warrior

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The Ultimate Warrior joined the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) in June 1987. First competing on house shows under his Dingo Warrior moniker, he defeated the likes of Steve Lombardi, Barry Horowitz and Iron Mike Sharpe. He made his television debut as The Ultimate Warrior on the October 25, 1987 airing of WWF Wrestling Challenge, where he defeated Terry Gibbs. 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. After several months of impressively defeating enhancement talent, Warrior faced his first true challenge in Hercules Hernandez. The two faced off on the February 7, 1988 airing of Wrestling Challenge, where Hercules was disqualified for using his steel chain. This led to a match at WrestleMania IV, where Warrior was victorious in his pay-per-view debut.

Less than a year after his WWF television debut, Warrior won the prestigious Intercontinental Championship, defeating The Honky Tonk Man in 27 seconds at the first ever SummerSlam on August 29, 1988. As champion, he captained a team at Survivor Series '88, where he was the sole survivor, pinning Outlaw Ron Bass and Greg Valentine in succession to win the match for his team.

As 1989 began, Warrior entered a feud with Ravishing Rick Rude over the Intercontinental title. The feud was sparked at the 1989 Royal Rumble, where the two met in a "super posedown." After Warrior predictably had the support of the live crowd in their judging of the contest, Rude attacked Warrior and choked him with a steel bar. This led to a championship match at WrestleMania V, where Rude pinned Warrior to win the title with the help of his manager Bobby "The Brain" Heenan, who held down Warrior's foot from outside the ring as he was being pinned. This was Warrior's first pinfall loss in the WWF. At SummerSlam '89, Warrior defeated Rude to regain the title and become a two-time champion. Warrior then began a feud with André the Giant, leading to a number of matches on house shows where Warrior pinned the massive giant in a matter of seconds, firmly establishing Warrior as a main event level talent. The feud culminated at Survivor Series '89 where the two captained opposing teams. Warrior quickly eliminated André by knocking him out of the ring, where he was counted out. Warrior would go on to once again be the sole survivor, pinning Arn Anderson and Bobby Heenan to win the match.

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 Intercontinental Championship were on the line. Warrior pinned Hogan after a Warrior Splash to become the first wrestler to hold the WWF Championship and Intercontinental Championship simultaneously. Warrior vacated the Intercontinental title, as WWF rules at the time prohibited a wrestler from holding both singles titles.

After WrestleMania, Warrior successfully defended the championship against the likes of Haku, Mr. Perfect and Ted DiBiase. At SummerSlam '90, he retained the title over his old nemesis Rick Rude in a steel cage match. "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.

Warrior was inserted into the feud between The Legion of Doom and Demolition, leading to victories for the Warrior and LOD in six-man tag team matches on numerous house shows as well as the July 28, 1990 airing of Saturday Night's Main Event. The feud culminated at Survivor Series, where The Warriors (Ultimate Warrior, LOD and Kerry Von Erich) defeated The Perfect Team (Mr. Perfect and Demolition). For the third consecutive year, Warrior was the sole survivor for his team. He would go on to survive the "Grand Finale Match of Survival" with Hulk Hogan.

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 Iraqi (kayfabe) 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 struck Warrior over the head with a metal scepter, and Slaughter pinned Warrior to win the title. 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 teamed with Hulk Hogan in a handicap match against Sgt. Slaughter, Colonel Mustafa, and General Adnan.

He made his comeback at WrestleMania VIII (to rescue Hulk Hogan from a beat down at the hands of Sid Justice and Papa Shango). Upon his return, he received a degree of creative control over his bookings. One storyline involved Papa Shango, a "witch doctor," casting a spell over Warrior, causing him to convulse and vomit in very odd colors. 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 Savage, to be known as the Ultimate Maniacs to face Ric Flair and Razor Ramon at Survivor Series. However, weeks before the event, Warrior was released for disputed reasons.

Warrior returned to the WWF in March 1996, squashing Hunter Hearst Helmsley 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 by Goldust. Warrior challenged for Goldust's 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. He was replaced by Sycho Sid at In Your House 9.

On April 5, 2014, the Ultimate Warrior was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2014. The next day, Warrior appeared at WrestleMania XXX, and the following night on April 7 he delivered a promo on Raw, his first appearance on the show since 1996.

The next day, on April 8, he died of a fatal heart attack.

WWE paid tribute to Warrior on the April 14 Raw with a ten bell salute and a video. The WWE Network aired a lineup dubbed "Warrior Week" in Warrior's memory. The lineup included a four-part special.

• 2 Chris Benoit Memorial Show
• 3 Raw Is Owen

Ultimate Warrior Biography Anchors This Week’s WWE Content On A&E

By Robert DeFelice

This week’s WWE content on the A&E Network will take fans to the more supernatural realms of WWE lore.

This week’s episode of Biography will cover the life and career of the Ultimate Warrior. Warrior was one of the top superstars of the late 80s and early 90s in the WWE before falling out with the company after his attempted comeback in 1996.

Of course, Ultimate Warrior would reconcile his relationship with the McMahon Family and go into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2014 and make his final appearance on the Monday Night Raw following WrestleMania 30. He would pass away 24 hours after his final appearance.

For this week’s episode of WWE’s Most Wanted Treasures, there will be an enhanced re-airing of the episode surrounding Undertaker and Kane with never-before-seen footage. The show will return with new content next week featuring Jake Roberts. Roberts currently works for AEW as the manager of Lance Archer.

A&E issued the following:

This Sunday, May 23, Biography on A&E is all-new with “Biography: Ultimate Warrior.” In this week’s sneak peek, Warrior’s family invites viewers to get to know the man behind one of the most iconic WWE characters of all-time. “Biography: Ultimate Warrior” premieres Sunday, May 23 at 8pm ET/PT.

Following, “wwe’s most wanted treasures” will air an enhanced repeat of the episode featuring the undertaker and kane which will include new, never-before-seen moments. new episodes of “wwe’s most wanted treasures” will be back sunday, may 30 at 10pm et/pt featuring jake “the snake” roberts., about “biography: ultimate warrior” directed by daniel amigone (“24/7 red wings: maple leafs – road to the winter classic,” “chain of command,” “the circus: inside the greatest political show on earth”) and executive produced by jake rogal and jason hehir (“the last dance,” “andre the giant”), this film shares the story of ultimate warrior, a wwe hall of famer who inspired an entire generation of fans living by his mantra of “always believe.” with his colorful face paint and equally colorful interviews, ultimate warrior is perhaps best remembered for defeating hulk hogan at wrestlemania vi to become both the wwe champion and the intercontinental champion., about “wwe’s most wanted treasures” “wwe’s most wanted treasures” takes viewers on a journey to find some of wwe’s most iconic, lost memorabilia. in each of the nine episodes, wwe’s stephanie mcmahon and paul “triple h” levesque lead a team of collectors, wwe superstars and legends as they investigate, negotiate, bid and travel across the country to hunt down and reclaim some of the most elusive wwe collectibles. throughout history, wwe’s action-packed storylines have spawned iconic, one-of-a-kind memorabilia, most of which have gone missing. superstar in training, aj francis will head out on the road alongside some of the most famous wwe legends of all time including the undertaker, ric flair, charlotte flair, mick foley, kane, big show, mark henry, jerry “the king” lawler, booker t, greg “the hammer” valentine, brutus “the barber” beefcake, jake “the snake” roberts and sgt. slaughter. the series will unearth these rare items in the hopes of preserving and sharing the legacy behind the memorable moments in wwe history..

SEE MORE:  Rob Van Dam Trained Ultimate Warrior For 2008 Comeback: ‘He Was As Cool As Can Be’

Robert DeFelice is a lifelong wrestling fan and has spent the last several years writing and talking about pro wrestling on multiple platforms. Follow on all social media platforms @dudefelice.

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Biography: Ultimate Warrior

Biography: WWE Legends presents “Biography: Ultimate Warrior.” Directed by Daniel Amigone (“Chain of Command,” “The Circus: Inside the Greatest Political Show on Earth”) and Executive Produced by Jake Rogal and Jason Hehir (“The Last Dance,” “Andre The Giant”), the film shares the story of Ultimate Warrior, a WWE Hall of Famer who inspired an entire generation of fans living by his mantra of “always believe.” With his colorful face paint and equally colorful interviews, Ultimate Warrior is perhaps best remembered for defeating Hulk Hogan at WrestleMania VI to become both the WWE Champion and the Intercontinental Champion.

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TheSportster

10 best looks of the ultimate warrior's career.

The Ultimate Warrior was a charismatic superstar that had a memorable look thanks to his face paint, incredible physique and wild antics.

The legacy of The Ultimate Warrior is a strange one, even if one sets aside the homophobia. Groomed to be the successor to Hulkamania in the late 1980s and early 1990s, Warrior’s reign at the top of the wrestling world was quickly thwarted by prima donna behavior across several stints in WWE , followed by an infamous run in WCW that led to one of the most hated matches of all time. While few fans would ever call him a gifted in-ring worker by any stretch, he had energy and charisma in spades, not to mention a penchant for some of the most berserk promos of all time.

10 Most Insane Promos Of Ultimate Warrior's Career

On top of those handful of positives, Warrior also had a memorable look thanks to his face paint and huge head of hair. Some may assume that Warrior only ever had one look, but he actually had at least 10 notable looks, including some from his early pre-Warrior years.

10 Power Team USA Was Warrior’s First Tag Team

His partner was a future sting.

If it weren’t its two famous members, few fans outside of California wrestling historians would remember Power Team USA. A stable of bodybuilders turned wrestlers, the short-lived group included the future Sting as well as the future Ultimate Warrior, who wrestled as Jim “Justice” Hellwig. “Body guys” were all the rage in the mid-1980s thanks to WWE and Hulk Hogan, and the pre-Warrior, face-paint-free Hellwig looked like just another generic bodybuilder type in a sport that was increasingly flooded with them.

9 Warrior & Sting Wrestled As The Freedom Fighters In Memphis

They were bodybuilding babyfaces.

While Power Team USA fizzled out in California, the basic idea lived on across the country, as Hellwig and Borden ventured over to Jerry Jarrett’s Memphis-based Continental Wrestling Association. Retaining the bodybuilder shtick, the two became babyfaces called The Freedom Fighters. Remaining as generic as ever in the face of beloved tag teams like The Rock ‘n’ Roll Express , the future Ultimate Warrior and his tag team partner just didn’t have the look to distinguish themselves, to say nothing of the rookies’ wrestling abilities at the time.

8 The Blade Runners Was An Improvement On The Freedom Fighters

Sting & warrior were heels.

After Memphis, the future Sting and Ultimate Warrior made their way to the former Mid-South Wrestling — then rebranded as Universal Wrestling Federation — where their physiques allowed them to cash in on The Road Warriors. Rather than evoke the famed post-apocalyptic Mad Max franchise, they referenced a different sci-fi classic as The Blade Runners

10 Things You Should Know About The Ultimate Warrior's Wrestling Career In The 1980s

Wrestling heel in UWF, Blade Runner Rock (Warrior) and Blade Runner Sting (obvious) finally had a look that wasn’t just “muscles.” Compared to Hawk and Animal (and their imitators), The Blade Runners were a little minimalist, but it was an improvement over their previous personas.

7 Warrior’s Final Match

The retiring veteran ended his career with a surprising haircut.

A decade after the WCW debacle, The Ultimate Warrior returned to the ring for one final match: a World Title shot at WWE castoff Orlando Jordan for the Italy-based Nu-Wrestling Evolution. Performing at a NWE show in Barcelona, Warrior had a unique look, wearing an airbrushed trenchcoat, white gear, and predominantly white face paint. The biggest surprise here was Warrior’s close-cropped hair, which offered a look at what the aging Warrior might have looked like had he stuck around to wrestle on American pro wrestling television past 1998.

6 Ultimate Warrior Wearing A Hat

There is nothing funnier.

Aside from a vest or a trenchcoat, it was pretty rare to see The Ultimate Warrior wear anything even vaguely resembling regular clothing. However, on a June 1996 episode of Raw , Warrior randomly wore a hat with the logo of his own comic book emblazoned on it. The choice in accessory was more function than form: rival Jerry Lawler was going to smash a frame over his head, and Warrior was afraid of actually getting hurt. What made it even funnier was that Warrior was wearing his usual wrestling gear, making the hat even more conspicuous.

5 The Dingo Warrior Was His Pre-WWE Gimmick

It wasn’t that far off from the ultimate warrior.

Before he was The Ultimate Warrior, Jim Hellwig had his first decent run over in Texas’ World Class Championship Wrestling, where he performed under the nonsensical name of The Dingo Warrior. It was as The Dingo Warrior that he began wearing face paint akin to his Ultimate version, making for a cool prototype of the look that made him famous. One particularly distinguishing feature of the Dingo Warrior gimmick was that he often wore a mustache, which seems very un-Ultimate Warrior.

4 Ultimate Warrior Sported A Bizarre Muscle Singlet

This was his summerslam 1992 attire.

Despite his action figure-friendly nature, The Ultimate Warrior was a pretty weird character. Even before one finds out the “Destrucity” stuff and his self-written comic book origin story , Warrior was canonically some kind of deranged space alien (?). Given that, it’s thus perfectly in character for him to wear ring gear that imagines the skin of his torso having been ripped off.

SummerSlam 1992: Every Match Ranked From Worst To Best

An airbrushed number that evokes Attack on Titan , Warrior wore this strange/awesome gear for his WWE Championship match against Macho Man Randy Savage at SummerSlam 1992.

3 Ultimate Warrior Was One-Half Of The Ultimate Maniacs

Warrior color coordinated with randy savage.

A surefire sign of WWE’s faith in The Ultimate Warrior was his pairing with Macho Man Randy Savage to create another Mega Powers-esque tag team. Certainly ranking above the Mega-Maniacs due to the lack of Brutus Beefcake, The Ultimate Maniacs only wrestled three matches and imploded once Warrior quit WWE. That said, during this period Warrior boasted one of his more playful looks with the red-and-yellow brick wall patterned singlet. Most importantly, the two had complementary couples’ sunglasses, with “ULTIMATE” and “MANIACS” respectively emblazoned across Macho’s and Warrior’s shades.

2 One Warrior Nation Was One Of Warrior’s Coolest Looks

It was arguably the best part of his wcw run.

The year 1998 saw The Ultimate Warrior emerge from a two-year hiatus in WCW as simply Warrior, feuding with Hollywood Hogan’s nWo as a one-man faction called the One Warrior Nation. This run proved brief and disastrous , but it’s undeniable that Warrior looked awesome during it. While not much changed about his general look, the minor tweaks to his presentation — the airbrushed dusters and darker palettes — made him fit in with the more grounded vibes of 1998 WCW without losing the character’s initial charm.

1 Ultimate Warrior Classic

It’s tough to top the original.

Of course, the peak of Warrior’s career was 1988-1991, a period that saw him hold not only the Intercontinental Championship, but also the WWE Championship. It’s the era that most fans would be nostalgic for when it comes to The Ultimate Warrior, as it’s Warrior at his most — the most colorful makeup, the most absurd muscularity, and the most tassels. It’s also in this era that he perfected his iconic face paint , developing the shape that distinguished him from every other face-painted wrestler of the era.