I was at work last night when one of my managers told me about Triple H tweeting about Warrior's death. And so I went to yahoo, and it was already on there with a report from ABC News. I had just been on a wrestling site a half hour before on my lunch break, and nothing was said of it. So it must've literally broke right as I went back to work.
This is just so shocking, and so heartbreaking. The biggest reason it's so shocking is that we literally just saw him the day before on national TV, and then he's gone, like that. If we hadn't seen him in years, it would still be surprising, but not like this. This just really caps off a shocking and really now emotional Wrestlemania weekend.
For all of us that grew up watching wrestling in the 1980's and 1990's, that generation, our childhoods have basically died over the last couple of days. One for storyline purposes that could mean something strong in reality, and another that's just flat out real.
First the Undertaker's Streak ending, which pretty much points out that the Undertaker is either finished with wrestling, or is about a match or two away.
And then another one of the "Big Three" of the Hulkamania Era has passed on with the Ultimate Warrior. Randy Savage is also gone. Hulk Hogan is the one that remains.
The timing of this is what makes this so horrible. The Ultimate Warrior had just re-embraced the WWE and the wrestling industry for the first time in 16-17 years. He was coming home. He had signed a multi-year deal to be an Ambassador with a Legends Contract, so it definitely appeared we were gonna see more of Warrior over time, just like with Hulk, HBK, Bret, Stone Cold, Piper, etc. And now that's done. He held a grudge, and the wrestling industry held a grudge against him for so long, and now the two had come together, only for it all to end so soon afterward.
I'm really happy for Jim Hellwig (Warrior), the man that he got to experience his last three days the way he did. Getting inducted into the WWE HOF. Going out in front of a huge stadium one last time. Being embraced and making peace with his peers (Hogan, Vince, Nash, Jake, etc.). Having numerous younger wrestlers come up to him and tell him how much he meant to him (see Daniel Bryan's and Batista's tweets as examples). And then getting to come out on Raw and receive an awesome response from the crowd one more time. Honestly, if you have to depart this Earth, there's really not a better way to go out than the way he did. He made peace with so many people that he feuded with for so long. He finally got the recognition and respect from the WWE and so many other wrestlers he most likely longed for. And most importantly, he got the same from the fans. It's quite beautiful when you think about it.
His death is hitting me so much more than I would've ever expected. Like many, I was a big fan of him as a kid, although I liked Hulk and Macho Man more. And like most, as I grew up and came to know and understand more about the art of pro wrestling, my appreciation for him decreased over time. I also didn't agree with many of his political and social views. I also felt he was too hard on a lot of other pro wrestlers that had drug issues or passed on from those issues. But at the same time, I always felt he was misunderstood as a performer. Many people mocked his promos, because they sounded "non-sensical" but he was like Undertaker, a more supernatural character that was more deep and philosophical than your typical pro wrestling character. There was no one like him, and that became more and more obvious as time went along, when he was never forgotten by wrestling fans and former wrestling fans. Almost a day never went by when someone somewhere was asking, when is the Ultimate Warrior gonna come back? He left a huge impression on people, and he's a wrestling legend that will never be forgotten. Even though he didn't have a lot of classic matches, he was obviously great at what he did, and that was connecting with the fans. Or he wouldn't be so fondly remembered by so many people decades after he had long retired.
Even though he wasn't my absolute favorite as a kid, he was still a huge favorite and he created some of the biggest wrestling memories of my childhood. I'll never forget the ultimate showdown with Hulk Hogan that defined a generation of young wrestling fans. Just like everyone in my age group, I remember my cousin and acting out the match, I'd be Hulk, and he'd be Warrior. I remember one of the most dramatic and emotional, and greatest wrestling matches in history with Macho Man Randy Savage at Wrestlemania VII. I remember, his feud with the Undertaker, where Taker put the Warrior in a coffin on WWF Superstars, and being absolutely terrified that he was gonna die in that coffin if those people didn't get him out! I remember him and Undertaker main eventing the very first wrestling show I ever attended in June of 1991 in a "Bodybag Match." I remember him being betrayed by Jake Roberts in that room with the snakes and getting "bitten" by one as he fell to the feet of Jake and the Undertaker. I remember being there live at the Hoosier Dome (later RCA Dome) when Hulk Hogan was being attacked by Sid and Papa Shango, wondering how Hogan was gonna escape, and marking out when the Warrior came out to save him. I remember that epic feud and match at Summerslam 92 in Wembley Stadium with Macho Man, a match that is severely underrated. He left so many great memories for my childhood. He did that for so many people.
I think the best word to describe the passing of the Ultimate Warrior is "bittersweet." It's so tragic, especially with the timing of it and how his future seemed so promising. But he had as good a final three days as anyone in the wrestling industry and will be missed by a generation of wrestling fans who idolized him and still fondly remember him as adults.
R.I.P. Ultimate Warrior (Jim Hellwig) No one will ever fill your shoes.
