WWE To Pay Tribute To Warrior On Raw

[Jack-Hammer]

According to PWTorch.com, WWE will be paying a special tribute to The Ultimate Warrior on Raw this Monday.

During the Australian broadcast of SmackDown!, which will air in the US tonight, a voice over from Michael Cole was inserted announcing that WWE will "pay tribute to Ultimate Warrior" and "his memory and legacy" on Raw.

I don't know that the entire show will be a tribute show dedicated to Warrior like what was done with Owen Hart, but it's not impossible. According to reports that came out yesterday, Vince McMahon was extremely shaken up by Warrior's sudden death so much so that Triple H was the one who informed WWE talent of his passing. Over the course of WrestleMania week, some fans reported that Vince & Warrior were seen laughing and generally having a really good time being around each other. They weren't mugging for cameras or anything, just that some fans reported seeing them looking like they were behaving like a couple of old friends. Maybe Vince & Warrior genuinely did bury the hatchet and leave all the bitterness behind. As a result, maybe this will be some sort of Warrior themed tribute show rather than focusing on Extreme Rules. At the same time though, one reason they did the Raw is Owen episode was not only because of the tragic circumstances of Owen Hart's death, but that he was an active member of the roster who was very much loved by damn near everyone backstage. Jeff Jarrett was so torn up and sobbing that he could barely say anything. And Warrior wasn't exactly remembered as a sweetheart by most of the guys he worked with.

 

[MCMG]

A tribute show would be fine. Not necessary by any means but it is hard to object to the idea. Tribute shows tend to be very difficult to watch. Benoit's was in 07 which is approaching 7 years ago. Moments like Triple H barely be able to speak and Benoit in an absolute mess during Eddie's isn't something anyone wants to see. Warrior is a guy who just went into the Hall of Fame and was a massive star as well as being an influence on the current roster. Guys like Ziggler and The Miz have admitted that their favourite superstar was Warrior so recording messages from several superstars saying kind words about him should suffice.

 

[OYDK]

Well Vince was said to be very, very shaken up about Warrior's passing and we all know Vince is a shtickler for his emotions. I wouldn't be surprised to see a tribute show... I thought the shows for Owen Hart and Eddie Guerrero were the two most real shows ever and it was great to see everything get put away for one night, and have all the wrestlers unite together to honor their fellow comrades memories.
Of course Eddie and Owen were very young and still in their prime with WWE whereas Warrior has been having a lot of problems lately, but I wouldn't be surprised.
When Hogan goes, he'll get a tribute, so will Flair, so will Austin, so will The Rock, Taker, Micheals... why not Warrior? The guy was a true legend

 

[Mustang Sally]

.... one reason they did the Raw is Owen episode was not only because of the tragic circumstances of Owen Hart's death, but that he was an active member of the roster who was very much loved by damn near everyone backstage.

That's a huge difference. Owen had wrestled the night before his tribute and had been on the active roster for a long time before that. While Warrior's passing is surely bittersweet, given that a long-time breach was finally healed just days before his death, if Vince McMahon is ordering an entire production honoring Warrior just because he was shaken up by the man's passing, it isn't really logical......although if McMahon feels like doing it.....thy will be done.

Fact is, any contact between Jim Hellwig and WWE since 1996 has been seen only in angry interviews and bitter accusations, almost entirely by Hellwig. WWE, for their part, has largely avoided the subject of the Ultimate Warrior.

Now, we're going to get a full, head-on, no-holds-barred tribute to the man? Face it, if Hellwig and WWE hadn't gotten together this weekend, all we would see tonight on Smackdown is a brief mention before the show starts, right?

I suppose someone will want to inform me that the two sides "made up" a year or so ago when Hellwig signed a deal to have his likeness appear on a video game (or whatever the deal was). I can answer only by saying Bill Goldberg signed something similar, yet there was no indication of the type of thing we saw from Warrior on Wrestlemania weekend. The reconciliation between Hellwig and McMahon took place only in the past few days, which is what is spurring the tribute. Let's not pretend the man has been a beloved, much sought after WWE alumnus.

If WWE wants to pay tribute to Ultimate Warrior.....go ahead, we'll watch ......but it's hard to simply ignore the 18 years of exile.

 

[rge2010]

I hope Batista wears the Warrior tassles as a mark of respect. No doubt he possibly would if he was a face...

All it needs is Vince to open the show with a few short words, a few talking heads remembering him through the show and obviously 1 or 2 tribute videos.

They don't need to go overboard and let it take over storylines.

 

[Y 2 Jake]

Honestly, with The Warrior going in the HOF just a few nights before, a DVD being released a short while ago and from what I understand a Network special, can they fill out Raw as a Warrior tribute show? I have to think that it'll probably start with a 10 bell salute whilst everybody is on the stage, then there will be a video package followed by a video. Then it'll be back to normal.

And that'll only happen because he died such a short time after his last appearance. It'll be nice and sweet and the show will move on.

 

[obamartins]

I'm all for an Ultimate Warrior tribute show. If the entire broadcast was a tribute it would be bitter/sweet because as much as I'd love it to happen it would annoy me that they didn't do the same for Macho Man Randy Savage.

I think it would be fitting for Sting to be there...although it's tricky because I wouldn't like to take away from Ultimate Warrior & make it all about Sting's debut.

In reality I think we will get a video package & Batista will shake the ropes & I'm cool with that.

 

[JabroniBeater81]

Expect The Shield to come down the stairs in face paint and arm tassels.

Also, Santino always does the arm pumping, Batista the ropeshaking, so that would be a cool nod, too.

That would be awesome!

 

[Pedigree1]

If Vinnie Mac wants it done,thy Vinnie's will be done i guess.. Its no secret that Warrior was a difficult person to deal with back in the day.. I really dont think anyone loved the guy cept Vinnie Mac who said and I QUOTE :I have always loved you Jim,i didnt always like you but always loved you". I cant remember where i saw that,i believe it was on a tweet or something..

I think the tribute show is fine,i do.. Warrior had such an impact he ran roughshot in the limited time he had in his career and made the most of it.. I dont doubt that Vinnie Mac was shaken to the core,that in fact Trips had to inform the talent.. I think a tribute show is a good idea,in all honesty outside of Trips and Maybe taker there is no talent that was there during warriors heyday.. Its nice though,that warrior and WWE made up,buried the hatchet..

But its going to be hard to watch,Taker losing (Which im finally starting to get over)and Warrior going into the HOF,made his raw appearance after 18 years of exile,then dying the next day.. Its been a hard week

 

[THTRobtaylor]

I think they'll do a regular show but with some "tribute" aspects to it... They'll perhaps have Vince or Trips talk about Warrior, maybe Hogan show up as the link man - hell if Dwayne is available it'd be a good time for him to show up... it just makes it "glaring" now that they didn't bring Warrior out for that segment with he, Austin, Hogan... seems a very missed opportunity...

If anyone is gonna do the "dress up" it'll be Sheamus... I can see him wearing the paint for the night.

The fine line they have to tread is not making it "hokey or maudlin" or about the Blu Ray... I don't expect them to have lots of "interviews" ala Owen's show but I can see a chosen few, Cena, Sheamus, perhaps Bryan and The Shield getting to talk about meeting him and how he influence them.

At the outside... they debut Sting as "Steve Borden" and he can talk about Warrior... as the Taker match is seemingly off the table and Trips has clearly "abused his power" in the story this might be a good way to use him - as the new GM and gets introduced to the fans by talking about Warrior.

 

[JJ15776]

Firstly, I know some people in this thread and others are confused about his name, so I wanted to clear that up. His real, legal name is Warrior. It has been for over 20 years. It's not just a gimmick, Warrior is the last name of his wife and children. Regardless of what his name was at his birth, his name now is Warrior. Warrior refers to the person, Ultimate Warrior refers to the character. Calling him Jim Hellwig is like saying Cassius Clay instead of Muhammad Ali or Lew Alcinder instead of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

As for the entire Raw being a tribute to Warrior...I suppose it's possible, and you could certainly justify it, but I really doubt it. The whole show to Owen and Eddie were tributes, and the show was cancelled for The Murderer, because the wrestlers couldn't wrestle. Not in character, not like everything was normal. Are they going to be that distraught over Warrior's death? I guess there's no way for anybody here to really know the answer to that, but I would be surprised if they wanted to cancel the whole show...and, at the end of the day, Vince will let them make that decision. No matter how shaken up Vince is, Triple H will be the voice of reason.

I'm sure the tributes to him will be a significant part of the show, from a moment of silence/10 bell salute at the beginning to comments from wrestlers and highlight packages throughout the show, but I think there will still be several normal segments and the big storylines will still advance.

 

[mr_dna]

By all means a tribute is necessary as he was one of the most popular superstars love by many and influenced a lot of guys to get into wrestling as a lot of current stars have said , But a whole show no like you guys said Eddie, Owen & Even Beniot where active on the roster and known by all watching plus back then it was 2 hours of Raw. Plus these show where 24hrs after their death ( Weird how Eddie, Owen & Chris all died on a Sunday ) so the guys in the back had no time mourn properly before the show. With warrior its nearly a week not that im saying its a week forget and carry on but it is longer and in this day and age 3/4days after a celebrity is announced dead people move on to the next news its a horrible thing but it is true

I think the best bet would be the first hour of raw as a tribute and leading on to the second VKM saying we dedicated this raw to the Ultimate Warrior, His Family and all the Warrior Fans

 

[billmac]

I'm glad to hear this. I was a Warrior fan when I was first getting into wrestling. My earliest childhood memories all involve wrestling somehow and Warrior is a big part of it. When the news broke about his death all I could think about was how hard the ten bell salute would be to watch. Then I realized it being a whole week before the next wrestling taping he might not get it. The best news this week I've heard is that he'll get his proper send off.

Don't get me wrong, it'll be hard to watch, and I still feel so bad for his family. But his career speaks for itself. And in my opinion he's the greatest wrestler to ever live and die.

Also his promo on Monday night, being as unsettlingly prophetic as it was, goes down as one of the greatest in history.

 

[The Eighties]

I think a ten bell salute and a video package with some talking heads followed by a statement from Vince would be nice, but I don't think it needs to bleed through the 3 hours or stop the storylines from progressing.

 

[Eddie Menuek]

I'm sure the tributes to him will be a significant part of the show, from a moment of silence/10 bell salute at the beginning to comments from wrestlers and highlight packages throughout the show, but I think there will still be several normal segments and the big storylines will still advance.

I think a ten bell salute and a video package with some talking heads followed by a statement from Vince would be nice, but I don't think it needs to bleed through the 3 hours or stop the storylines from progressing.

I expect Raw to go down like this. Not a full on Raw is Owen/Eddie tribute show where everything stops in its tracks, but at the same time far more than just a graphic and a video package because of the surreal and shocking timing of Warrior's death. I think we'll see a match or two less than we would have done to make time for some of the top WWE superstars and alumni to talk about what Warrior meant to him - whether those are experiences of watching him on television or actually having personally worked with him - but, at the same time, with three Raws left until Extreme Rules, and one story arc in particular in which they need to make the most out of those three Raws, I'd be shocked to see everything come to a halt.