Why Ultimate Warrior does NOT deserve HOF.

[Maverick T Kenderson]

Its been recently announced that the Ultimate Warrior is the first inductee into the Class of 14 Hall of Fame. I think it is a bad move for the following reasons:

1. He couldn't wrestle. He makes John Cena look like Dean Malenko.

2. He was an absolute douche to the rest of the locker room.

3. He was a douche to fans who adored him.

4. He spent most of his retirement ranting about other wrestlers on youtube. That is when he wasn't being publically homophobic.

Personally, I can think of at least 10 wrestlers who deserves a HOF award over him. Any thoughts??

 

[boywithbluehanger]

Time for WWE's favorite segment of:

Did You Know?...

...who else was considered a douche? Triple H.
...who hit a woman? Stone Cold.
...who else was told he couldn't wrestle? Hulk Hogan.

Did you know these guys are Hall of Famers too?

 

[TheUnbelievableMind]

He made them money. That's all that matters.

 

[Hard Hit Prince]

Triple H isn't a Hall of Famer yet ^^

Now onto your ridiculous thread, because let's face facts it is pretty moronic. Being in the WWE Hall of Fame doesn't validate how great of a worker you were, you have a lot of examples, starting with Dean Malenko and ending with Lance Storm and others that could work a match with their eyes closed. It's not about the moves you did. It's the impact that you've made in both the business in general and the WWE - sure I know that there are some guys that are there and some people think: "well, really?" but it's WWE's call to induct them and if it's politics, if it's backstage things it's still a valid reason for it as it is to not induct guys like Scott Hall, Jake Roberts and Chris Benoit.

If we all have to stop and think about the Golden Era, there are probably 4 guys that defined it - Hulk Hogan, Randy Savage, Andre The Giant and The Ultimate Warrior. Warrior was simply put a big part of WWE's history. He doesn't have the best career ever per se, he wasn't even a good guy but he did his thing and people loved him - he was outselling Hogan and that IS something. He has a WrestleMania moment, some WWE championships and all of that in not more than 5 years. He deserves to be in there for his accomplishments in the business, that were generated partly thanks to his popularity and despite what people think, being popular is a lot more important than being a "good wrestler" or a "good person" in the wrestling world.

 

[zwbruno]

See the thing is, The WWE Hall of Fame is kayfabe. Anything he did as Jim Helwig shouldn't and doesn't matter. The Ultimate Warrior is a huge part of WWE history and he has some of the greatest achievements in kayfabe wrestling, like beating Hulk Hogan to become WWF and IC champion at the same time.

 

[JoeyJoeJoe]

Why Ultimate Warrior deserves to be in the HOF:

Because Vince McMahon Said So.

If you have a problem with that, your best hope is that his HOF picture gets put in the same wing with Pete Rose, Drew Carey and Donald Trump.

Oh wait...there is no actual Hall of Fame picture. Because there is not an actual, physical Hall of Fame.

Oh well....what were we talking about again?

 

[closet_fan]

The OP if focusing wayyy too much on Warrior's time outside of the ring than in it. I could care less about Jim Helwig. When WARRIOR came out from the back and was in the ring, the fans were red hot. Plus he made Vince tons of money.

If you go by what people are like outside of their respective sports in regards to Hall of Fame honors, a huge majority don't belong there.

You think Deion Sanders and Michael Irvin or even Lawrence Taylor would be in the NFL Hall of Fame if they were judged by their off-the-field conduct. I don't think so.

 

[boywithbluehanger]

Triple H isn't a Hall of Famer yet ^^

You're right. For some reason I kept thinking he was in with DX but turns out I was remembering when they presented the honor to someone else. However it's a moot point as we both know that he will be there one day. Good post btw.

Basically, if we only let upstanding people in the HoF, the majority of modern-day legends wouldn't be there. The HoF has more to do with respect to the impact of the performer rather than honoring his/her greatness as an individual. That said, I do believe that there are some heinous acts that should warrant someone not being given the honor to be in the HoF. Being a "douche" or ranting about people you've worked with is not one of them.

 

[Ballin247]

Maverick T Kenderson you are one dumb bastard and you just made yourself look stupid. If you are calling Warrior a shitty worker and comparing who he makes John Cena look like, can you at least come up with a better example than the vanilla midget Dean Malenko? Why not Bret Hart? Shawn Michaels? Steamboat? Macho Man? You chose the ultimate vanilla midget who no one remembers or cares about. Shut up your opinion is useless now. Warrior is a legend and did more in 5 years than all your Smarky fan boy favorites like Malenko, Lance Storm could ever do in all their lifetimes combined.

 

[fenderjapan]

He was a liability in the ring, had a short career, insane both as a character and a human being, and terrible at wrestling.

He was also insanely popular briefly which overrides all of the above in the WWE Universe.

If the football hall of fame was run the same way the WWE one was, Tim Tebow would be in it.

 

[boywithbluehanger]

If the football hall of fame was run the same way the WWE one was, Tim Tebow would be in it.

Yes but football is a competitive sport. Whereas WWE shows are bunch of syndicated television series. The WWEHOF is for people who were the most popular, memorable and/or widely respected talents to perform on their shows. It's like if Saban had a Hall of Fame for the Power Rangers. It's wouldn't be about how many Puddies or monsters were defeated, it would be about who was the most loved characters on the show.

A lame yet applicable example. Move aside, Mark Henry...That's what I do.

 

[justinept]

Triple H isn't a Hall of Famer yet ^^

Then substitute Shawn Michaels - another guy that was considered a world class douche. I agree with everything else you said, though. There are few names in WWE history that are synonymous with professional wrestling. If you talked to 100 non-wrestling fans, people that are older than 25 years old, and rattled off old wrestling names... Almost all of them would know: Hogan, Austin, Savage, Andre The Giant, The Rock and The Ultimate Warrior. That Warrior is on that short list makes him Hall of Fame worthy.

 

[BillAlfonsos_Whistle]

Not gonna sit here and defend the man behind the Warrior because quite frankly it doesn't matter. If you young whipper-snappers think D. Bryan is over right now you clearly haven't seen the Warrior run to the ring in his time. (best entrance in Wrestling history)


He had little-to-no in-ring talent but it barely mattered. The dude was just electric and absolutely deserves to be in the HOF. Now if you wanna whine about something lets whine about the fact that he and many others are going in before Randy Savage. Ridiculous Vince bias is ridiculous.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

I've never been a fan of the Ultimate Warrior. Much of the time, I thought his matches were pretty damn crappy and his promos came across as the manic gibberish of a schizophrenic screaming at the top of his lungs.

However, I have to disagree and say that he does belong in the HOF due to the impact he made. Aside from Hulk Hogan, Warrior was the most popular babyface in wrestling during the late 90s and early 2000s. He was very over with fans, I don't really understand why, but he was. Even though Warrior has had little or nothing to do with wrestling for the better part of 20+ years, people still talk about his matches & feuds with Hulk Hogan, Macho Man Randy Savage and Ravishing Rick Rude. I agree that Warrior was a complete douche. I can't recall ever hearing or reading about him saying anything complimentary about anyone he worked with in WWF and vice versa. He's also a divisive, confrontational, hateful, die-hard conservative that dislikes anyone & anything that doesn't fit his point of view. Or, at least, that's how he's chosen to present himself for many years.

However, as lousy of a human being he comes off as and as lousy as I personally think he was as a pro wrestler, there's no denying that he made a significant impact during the handful of years he was in the WWF.

 

[BillAlfonsos_Whistle]

I've never been a fan of the Ultimate Warrior. Much of the time, I thought his matches were pretty damn crappy and his promos came across as the manic gibberish of a schizophrenic screaming at the top of his lungs.

Among the funniest and most entertaining promos in the history of wrestling. Sorry you don't get it whippersnapper.

 

[fenderjapan]

Among the funniest and most entertaining promos in the history of wrestling. Sorry you don't get it whippersnapper.

Scott Steiner promos are hilarious too, that doesn't make him a HOFer (his tag career might)

 

[Rampage Bentley]

Of course Warrior should be in.

Despite the revisionist history regarding Warrior, he's one of the most popular guys the sport has ever seen. His drawing power and crowd reactions were at a level only he, Hogan, Rock and Austin ever achieved.

 

[shooter_mcgavin]

The only thing I can use to counter this argument is that if Donald Trump and Pete Rose are in the Hall of Fame than Warrior deserves to be in it.

He may be hated backstage and only had a short run in the industry but he was a huge star during that run.

 

[Maverick T Kenderson]

Maverick T Kenderson you are one dumb bastard and you just made yourself look stupid. If you are calling Warrior a shitty worker and comparing who he makes John Cena look like, can you at least come up with a better example than the vanilla midget Dean Malenko? Why not Bret Hart? Shawn Michaels? Steamboat? Macho Man? You chose the ultimate vanilla midget who no one remembers or cares about. Shut up your opinion is useless now. Warrior is a legend and did more in 5 years than all your Smarky fan boy favorites like Malenko, Lance Storm could ever do in all their lifetimes combined.

Calm down pal. I just happen to respect the art of wrestling. I know shaking the ropes may get more of a pop than an actual technical wrestling match, but any number of bodybuilders could have done what Warrior did. Not every one can do what Malenko did. But you're right I could have used Bret or Shawn in that analogy, but it wouldn't change the fact that Warrior ABSOLUTELY SUCKED as a wrestler. No disrespect to Cena either, he is an incredibly hard worker.

 

[Mighty NorCal]

Its been recently announced that the Ultimate Warrior is the first inductee into the Class of 14 Hall of Fame. I think it is a bad move for the following reasons:

1. He couldn't wrestle. He makes John Cena look like Dean Malenko.

2. He was an absolute douche to the rest of the locker room.

3. He was a douche to fans who adored him.

4. He spent most of his retirement ranting about other wrestlers on youtube. That is when he wasn't being publically homophobic.

Personally, I can think of at least 10 wrestlers who deserves a HOF award over him. Any thoughts??

1. I know right, I guess he was just in three of the best matches of his era through sheer luck, right? Also, Ultimate Warrior made more money for wrestling during one autograph session than Dean Malenko drew in his entire carreer combined.

2. Shawn Micheals. Also, this is the wrestling Hall Of Fame, not nice guy Hall Of Fame.

3. Shawn Micheals. Also, this is the wrestling Hall Of Fame, not nice guy Hall Of Fame.

4. As do the majority of old, retired wrestlers, and many others in the WWE Hall Of Fame. What does that have to do with the WWE Hall OF Fame

I would love to see that list of ten, im sure its a hoot and a half.

 

[THTRobtaylor]

There are fewer valid reasons not to put Warrior in than there are to admit him and that is what it comes down to.

The only one that would remotely have been a dealbreaker was the holding Vince up for money... but with Trips now calling these shots there is a definite move towards "the past" being just that. Bruno is in, now Warrior... Savage and Owen won't be far behind... indeed I can even see Jarrett going in eventually.

Warrior had a limited WWF career but one that was greater than the sum of it's parts... In reality he had from August 1988 August 1992 as one of the top names, not even 4 years if you take his hiatus and short 96 stint into account... But in that 4 years he became linked forever with the WWF as a main eventer. People talk about wrestling who haven't watched it in years will say...Hogan, Undertaker, Warrior... those are the guys people remember.

Jim Hellwig has been an ass over the years to a lot of people, sniffed the fumes while airbrushing his tights or maybe as Heenan postulated, the arm tassles cut of the circulation to his brain at times... but he hasn't gone out and shot anyone, been arrested, trashed the entire business... he just withdrew from it for a LONG time and then didn't really talk about the business when he talked but issues. Sure his "queering" speech at the university wasn't the best thing to say, but it's no worse than has been said by Greg Valentine on WWF TV back in the day for a promo. So cos he doesn't talk about wrestling, people stopped relating to him in that way... now we're seeing some of "The Ultimate Warrior" coming back, like that game promo rather than Jim Who Changed His Name To Warrior To Piss Vince Off people are getting back into it.

The thing that probably convinced Vinny was that interview where Warrior said "let's not all be pally... there are issues there, let's keep them drawn"... That's not a guy drinking the koolaid cos he needs a payday, that's a guy almost saying "If we're gonna be enemies, let's at least remember why...if we're not enemies, then let's at least work together on something..."

 

[JJ15776]

Its been recently announced that the Ultimate Warrior is the first inductee into the Class of 14 Hall of Fame. I think it is a bad move for the following reasons:

1. He couldn't wrestle. He makes John Cena look like Dean Malenko.

2. He was an absolute douche to the rest of the locker room.

3. He was a douche to fans who adored him.

4. He spent most of his retirement ranting about other wrestlers on youtube. That is when he wasn't being publically homophobic.

Personally, I can think of at least 10 wrestlers who deserves a HOF award over him. Any thoughts??

We're talking about Ultimate Warrior being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame, not Jim Hellwig being inducted into the IWC Nice Guy & Ring Work Hall of Fame.

WWE is an entertainment company, not a wrestling company. The ability to "wrestle" - your version of what makes a good wrestler - never has and never will be important to them. Even people who can "wrestle" - again, your version of "wrestling" - don't display their full abilities, because they don't need to. That's not what wrestling is in the WWE. WWE matches exist to entertain the crowd and/or advance a storyline or two. That's what wrestling is in the WWE. If you can entertain the crowd and advance a storyline in a believable fashion, you're a good wrestler in the WWE. By that measure, Ultimate Warrior was a GREAT wrestler. So was Hulk Hogan. So was Stone Cold Steve Austin. So is John Cena. So is Randy Orton. The technical precision, high work rate, and varied moveset of CM Punk or Daniel Bryan isn't the only way to entertain the crowd and it's not the only way to put on a good wrestling match. It's not the only way to be a good wrestler in the WWE.

And what does his attitude or his actions after he left the WWE have to do with what he did while he was in the WWE? You'd have to kick out more than half the current Hall of Fame if you didn't want homophobic bigots or anybody who was a douche or anybody said something bad about wrestling/wrestlers in it. Would there be anybody left?

I would love to see that list of ten, im sure its a hoot and a half.

I second this. PLEASE share that list of ten.

 

[It's...Baylariat!]

Its been recently announced that the Ultimate Warrior is the first inductee into the Class of 14 Hall of Fame. I think it is a bad move for the following reasons:

1. He couldn't wrestle. He makes John Cena look like Dean Malenko.

2. He was an absolute douche to the rest of the locker room.

3. He was a douche to fans who adored him.

4. He spent most of his retirement ranting about other wrestlers on youtube. That is when he wasn't being publically homophobic.

Personally, I can think of at least 10 wrestlers who deserves a HOF award over him. Any thoughts??

Ultimate Warrior, as an in-ring character absolutely deserves to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. Jim Hellwig is a terrible, homophobic person who is self-centered, egotistical, and kind of nutty. Doesn't mean his character doesn't deserve recognition.

Warrior was as over as over can be in his prime. He went over Hulk Hogan at Wrestlemania 6, when Hulkamania was still running wild. It's not like he beat an over the hill, has-been Hogan. He beat a Hogan who was still going strong.

Warrior also sold a lot of merchandise and tickets during a time where the Rock n Wrestling connection was dying down. He was absolutely over as a performer and deserves credit for that.

Also, Warrior's not the first person to be a douche to someone or hit a woman or be homophobic. Pretty much everyone in the NWA were either racist or bigoted, so Warrior isn't a trailblazer in this department.

Put all the personal beliefs aside and remember Warrior for being a great performer.

 

[CeramicDuck]

OP Said he could name 10 people who are more deserving of the HOF than Warrior. I am sure there are at least 10.

However, I am going to name 10 people that Warrior is more deserving of the HOF than...

Donald Trump
Mike Tyson
Drew Carey
Sunny
Bob Ueker
Koko B. Ware
Tito Santana
William Perry
Sherri Martel
Pete Rose

Warriors impact was greater than anyone on this list and I could keep going but it would be pointless... Yes he deserves an induction and for me it would be based on the fact that when I was in elementary school everyone was Ultimate Warrior for Halloween, but I never once saw a Koko B. Ware costume.

 

[dtroppe]

Just nuts. I think this guy is a troll. Anyone that has watched wrestling and become and avid fan knows that of every wrestler in history, Warrior is prob in the top 10 draws of all time. Making it to that level is in itself more than enough to be in the Hall of Fame. Past that- Warrior was involved in one of the biggest WM main events in history as well as multiple Summer Slam and Survivor Series Main Events (in a time when there was only 4 PPVs). That alone would be enough to get into the Hall of Fame. While his career was short, every time Warrior returned to TV, he became a main event star- because he had the look and the charisma. His mic work in 1996 with Jerry the King and Goldust was ahead of its time and foreshadowed what would come in the attitude area.

The truth is, Warrior made more of an impact over a relatively short career than most wrestlers (even main eventers) make over a twenty year (or more) career.