Bit of back story. The Ultimate Warrior issued a legal letter to the WWF in July of 1991 stating that he was unhappy with his pay for Wrestlemania VII and that he wanted a guaranteed number of working days, travel accommodations, and a higher percentage of merchandise sales.
In short, he wanted the same deal as Hulk Hogan. He even mentions that he found it unfair that Hogan received a lot more money for Wrestlemania that year than him when he felt Warrior vs Savage was as big a draw, if no more so, than Hogan vs Slaughter. If rumours are to be believed Hogan got nearly twice the amount as Warrior for this PPV.
A few days after Warrior issued his legal letter, which stated/threatened he was fine just sitting at home if that's what Vince decided, Vince agreed in principle to the deal. However, after Summerslam Vince suspending Warrior and said he only agreed in principle to get Warrior to work Summerslam and that he was suspending him for threatening him.
Warrior refused the suspension and tendered his resignation. The WWF, having him under contract for another year and fearing he'd show up in WCW, refused to accept the resignation and so Warrior did indeed just sit at home.
Now, the WWF obviously have painted this as the Warrior being unprofessional and giving Vince no other option, but looking at it in hindsight what do we think?
Warrior clearly felt he was underpaid and undervalued as a worker and that the WWF had basically slapped him in the face. Vince obviously thought Warrior was being unreasonable and suspended him. But where dow e stand today?
In short, he wanted the same deal as Hulk Hogan. He even mentions that he found it unfair that Hogan received a lot more money for Wrestlemania that year than him when he felt Warrior vs Savage was as big a draw, if no more so, than Hogan vs Slaughter. If rumours are to be believed Hogan got nearly twice the amount as Warrior for this PPV.
A few days after Warrior issued his legal letter, which stated/threatened he was fine just sitting at home if that's what Vince decided, Vince agreed in principle to the deal. However, after Summerslam Vince suspending Warrior and said he only agreed in principle to get Warrior to work Summerslam and that he was suspending him for threatening him.
Warrior refused the suspension and tendered his resignation. The WWF, having him under contract for another year and fearing he'd show up in WCW, refused to accept the resignation and so Warrior did indeed just sit at home.
Now, the WWF obviously have painted this as the Warrior being unprofessional and giving Vince no other option, but looking at it in hindsight what do we think?
Warrior clearly felt he was underpaid and undervalued as a worker and that the WWF had basically slapped him in the face. Vince obviously thought Warrior was being unreasonable and suspended him. But where dow e stand today?