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the warrior

The Ultimate Warrior remembered: how James Hellwig became a king of the ring

Tributes have poured in the for the wrestling legend.

TRIBUTES TO THE Ultimate Warrior continued to flood social media today, following the news of the WWE Hall of Famer’s unexpected passing at the age of 54.

Born James Hellwig – but legally known simply as Warrior since 1993 – he electrified the world of sports entertainment after being catapulted to international stardom by the WWE (then WWF) in 1987.

Warrior transitioned from the world of amateur bodybuilding to professional wrestling in 1985. He began his in-ring career in the Memphis-based Continental Wrestling Association. There, Warrior was known as Rock and partner of Steve ‘Flash’ Borden, who would later find fame as Sting. Together they were managed by ‘Dirty’ Dutch Mantell – who now goes by the name Zeb Coulter in the WWE.

In 1986, Warrior and Borden would move together to Mid-South Wrestling (later to be renamed Universal Wrestling Federation). The pair would less than six months into their run in the promotion, with Warrior heading for World Class Championship Wrestling in Texas, where he would become known as Dingo Warrior. There, we’d get a first glimpse at the famous face paint/arm tassels combination.

Bryan Sheary / YouTube

Warrior’s unique talents saw him receive the call from the then WWF in 1987, where he would initially debut as The Dingo Warrior, before having his name changed to The Ultimate Warrior.

Less than a year after his WWF debut, Warrior was handed the company’s secondary title — the Intercontinental belt — at Summerslam 1988 where he defeated the Honky Tonk Man in just 31 seconds.

WWE / YouTube

Warrior became an intensely popular figure with young WWF fans, and before long he was elevated to main event status, and would go on to win the WWF title from Hulk Hogan at Wrestlemania VI in Toronto.

With his elevated status would obviously come more mainstream media exposure, be it as a guest on the Arsenio Hall Show…

The Arsenio Hall Show / YouTube

….or living the dream of so many, wrestling Phil Collins….

WrestleCrapRD / YouTube

Warrior’s erratic behaviour saw him win few friends in the WWF locker-room, with many former colleagues voicing their displeasure with his ways in a 2005 release, The Self Destruction of the Ultimate Warrior.

Ahead of his induction to the WWE Hall of Fame this past weekend, however, many hatchets seemed to have been buried.

After memorable feuds with “Macho Man” Randy Savage and Papa Shango, Warrior departed the WWF in 1992 over a dispute about money prior to Summerslam.

He would return for a short run in 1996, making his comeback at Wrestlemania XII against Triple H.

Drop Toehold Drop Toehold

Warrior and Hogan would cross paths once more in 1998 in WCW. Their later run would be marked by rambling, incoherent promos, and horrible, lumbering matches.
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2ea8g_1998-nitro-ultimate-warrior-debut-o_sport

Warrior retired from the ring in 1999. His post-wrestling life was filled with appearances as an ultra-conservative commentator and comic book publisher.

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Warrior briefly came out of retirement in 2008, facing Orlando Jordan in a Nu-Wrestling Evolution championship match in Barcelona.  This would be his final match.

Bryan Sheary / YouTube

The first signs that Warrior and the WWE had made peace with one another came with his inclusion as one of the primary characters in the WWE 2K14 game.

He was admitted to the WWE Hall of Fame this past Sunday in New Orleans, paying particular tribute to his wife, Dana, their two daughters and his mother.

Around Wrestlemania weekend he admitted he had entered into a new working relationship with World Wrestling Entertainment. His final appearance on WWE television came on Monday’s edition of Raw.

WWE / YouTube

His reappearance led to him meeting the current crop of WWE performers, some of whom have been paying tribute to Warrior on Twitter.

Wrestling mourns the death of The Ultimate Warrior

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Author
Richie McCormack
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