During his run from the 1980s-90s, Warrior became known for high high energy when running down to the ring with his music hits, shaking the ropes during his entrance, his signature move, the Gorilla Press Drop and the Big Splash, which . The match came to an end when Horace Hogan hit Warrior in the back with a chair, allowing Hogan to score the pinfall. Document 185 P.January 10, 2006. The Ultimate Warrior: five career-defining moments ", "WWE is shocked and deeply saddened to learn of the passing of one of the most iconic WWE superstars ever, The Ultimate Warrior," read a statement from the company. He was in the spotlight again earlier this week, making appearances at the latest WrestleMania in New Orleans and on "Monday Night Raw," and being inducted into the WWE Hall of fame. Case 2:06-cv-00535-ROS. Thank you for your self help. The title was held up in April 1987 after Warrior left the WCCW. Mark Clark said Warrior collapsed while walking with his wife to their car at a hotel, and was pronounced dead at a hospital. [69], Warrior married Shari Lynn Tyree on October 2, 1982. Best known by his ring name The Ultimate Warrior, he wrestled for the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE) from 1987 to 1992, as well as a short stint in 1996. WEB. April 14, 2014 / 5:17 PM The feud was sparked at the 1989 Royal Rumble, where the two met in a "super posedown". Watch Biography: WWE Legends Full Episodes, Video & More | A&E The Ultimate Warrior - A war of words! T-shirts, posters, stickers, home decor, and more, designed and sold by independent artists around the world. Superstars -- July 25, 1992. There is a dispute over who created the full Ultimate Warrior name. James Hellwig was just recently inducted in the WWE hall of fame. The Greatest Moments in Imagery & Video of the Most Intense and Entertaining Wrestler Ever The Ultimate Warrior! American professional wrestler and bodybuilder (19592014), Continental Wrestling Association (19851986), World Class Championship Wrestling (19861987), Intercontinental Heavyweight Champion (19881990), Return to the World Wrestling Federation (1996). Fun fact: Enzo (no relation to Mr. Amore) was born right in between Jeff Hardy and Mickie James, and a full decade before Ember Moon. Warrior is survived by his wife, Dana, and his two daughters. [24] He made his television debut as The Ultimate Warrior on the October 25 episode of Wrestling Challenge, where he defeated another jobber, Terry Gibbs. (2003). Ultimate Warrior Dead -- WWE Legend James Hellwig Dies at 54 - TMZ Career Match: Ultimate Warrior vs. Undertaker. His father died at 57 and a grandfather died at 52. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. The Tragic Death of WWE Legend The Ultimate Warrior - Sportscasting Yet, fans never got to see the styles clash between the powerful Warrior and the athletic Michaels. Reynolds, R.D. Warrior (born James Brian Hellwig; June 16, 1959 - April 8, 2014) was an American professional wrestler and bodybuilder. Case 2:06-cv-00535-ROS. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? [67][68] During what turned out to be his final public appearance, Warrior gave a speech to the fans and wrestlers past and present as his Ultimate Warrior character. The feud culminated at Survivor Series, where The Warriors (Ultimate Warrior, LOD and Kerry Von Erich) defeated The Perfect Team (Mr. He was 54. All rights reserved. "We are grateful that just days ago, Warrior had the opportunity to take his rightful place in the WWE Hall of Fame and was also able to appear at WrestleMania 30 and Monday Night Raw to address his legions of fans. Warrior's last appearance in WCW was on the November 9, 1998 episode of Monday Nitro, when he came to the rescue of The Disciple who was being attacked by members of The nWo. Case 2:06-cv-00535-ROS. He was 54. The Ultimate Warrior had a falling out with the WWE and did not appear on its TV shows after July 8, 1996, until last weekend. "[124] As Of 2019, Sue Aitchison would be the first WWE employee to be given the warrior award. "[71][72], Warrior returned to the WWF at WrestleMania VIII after nearly eight months on hiatus since SummerSlam 1991. So Strap. We just had a great talk & buried a senseless hatchet. Warrior would be a star in the Golden Age of WWE and Michaels would be leader of the New Generation Era, yet their . He wanted a bigger cut of merchandise . Through rare archival footage and in-depth interviews, each episode explores a different Legend and their immense impact in the WWE universe and on pop culture. Warrior was just inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. The Freedom Fighters debuted in the Memphis, Tennessee-based Continental Wrestling Association (CWA) promotion, run by Jerry Jarrett, in November 1985. Warrior, whose birth name was Jim Hellwig before legally changing it in 1993, is one of the subjects for the third season of the wrestling docuseries that premieres May 6 (VICE, 9 p.m.) with a. A tribute to the memory of The Ultimate Warrior: Raw, April 14, 2014 WWE 93.4M subscribers Subscribe 262K 23M views 8 years ago The WWE Universe honors the memory of WWE Hall of Famer, The. Warrior eliminated Andr by knocking him out of the ring, where he was counted out. Ultimate Warrior, 54, dies 3 days after WWE Hall of Fame ceremony Scottsdale, Ariz., police spokesman Sgt. He later survived the "Grand Finale Match of Survival" with Hulk Hogan. A WWE-sponsored biography, entitled Ultimate Warrior: A Life Lived Forever: The Legend of a WWE Hero, was released in 2015. RELATED: 15 INSANE REAL-LIFE STORIES OF THE ULTIMATE WARRIOR. At WrestleMania VI, Warrior won the WWF Championship in a title vs. title match over Hulk Hogan, making him the first wrestler to hold both titles concurrently. [50], On July 22, 1995, he returned to the ring for the National Wrestling Conference (NWC) promotion in Las Vegas, defeating The Honky Tonk Man. Perhaps the most iconic wrestle mania moment is warrior over head slamming hulk hogan. See photos of Ultimate Warrior and more great wrestlers in our Legends of Wrestling photo gallery. [30] At SummerSlam, Warrior defeated Rude to regain the title and become a two-time Intercontinental Heavyweight Champion. I had no choice but to accede to your exorbitant demands. He made his comeback at WrestleMania VIII (to rescue Hulk Hogan from a beat down at the hands of Sid Justice and Papa Shango). He was also chosen as one of six legends to be included in the Defining Moments series of action figures. Watch every Premium Live Event and enjoy some of your favorite WWE content on Shahid. [93], Warrior died on April 8, 2014, in Scottsdale, Arizona. Warrior (born James Brian Hellwig; June 16, 1959 April 8, 2014) was an American professional wrestler and bodybuilder. Actor: WrestleMania VI. Why Did Ultimate Warrior Die at 54? | Dr. Gabe Mirkin on Health Document 185 P.January 2, 2006. The WWE said Warrior, who legally changed his name from James Hellwig to his. The couple had two daughters together. The Associated Press contributed to this report. It was there Vince said "we want you to do Warrior, but we don't want Dingo." When not writing about wrestling, basketball, football, and MMA (at least on this site), Enzo plays drums in a band, competes in trivia quizzes, and collects vintage sports annuals when he can afford them. Apr 9, 2014, 12:55 AM EDT | Updated Apr 10, 2014. ____ He ended his letter with "Whatever your decision, I can and will live with it. [45] However, his return coincided with the government's crackdown on steroids in wrestling. [96], An autopsy revealed Warrior died of a heart attack caused by atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. The Ultimate Warrior, whose real name is James Brian Hellwig, passed away days after being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. The court ruled that Warrior was legally entitled to use the gimmick, costuming, face paint designs, and mannerisms of the "Warrior" character. Worse, the report also alleges that his wife, Dana, was on the verge of leaving him. His last bodybuilding contest was 1985's Junior USAs, which was won by future IFBB Pro, Ron Love. [5] The family moved and he graduated from Veedersburg's Fountain Central High School and attended Indiana State University for a year. Wrestlecrap: The Very Worst of Pro Wrestling. [31] "Macho Man" Randy Savage was also introduced as a potential rival after interfering in a The Main Event IV title match at the behest of DiBiase. Death Year: 2014 Death date:. Referring to his brother by his original nickname of Jim, Jay claimed that he had long been trying to talk about Warriors issues, only to see his comments deleted or blocked. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. There were no signs of foul play, Clark said. Posited as the new face of the company, he would fall out with Vince McMahon over a pay dispute, and attempted to leave the WWF, which was rejected. RIP Warrior. Jim Hellwig. [97][98][99], Although Warrior's relationship with WWE was strained at times,[100] more recently WWE has recognized him as one of the company's most popular legends. [94] According to reports, Warrior clutched his chest and collapsed at 5:50p.m. while walking to his car with his wife outside of their hotel in Arizona. Best known by his ring name The Ultimate Warrior, he wrestled for the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE) from 1987 to 1992, as well as a short stint in 1996. $33.49. The Ultimate Warrior is seen in this undated file photo provided by the WWE. He was 54. A report from Wrestling News cited a comment on The Ultimate Warriors official Facebook page, with the man claiming to be the late WWE Hall of Famers brother, Jay Hellwig. The WWE said Warrior, who legally changed his name from James Hellwig to his. [1] Warrior defeated Jerry Lawler at King of the Ring,[1] and defeated Owen Hart by disqualification on the July 8 episode of Monday Night Raw. See photos of Ultimate Warrior and more great wrestlers in our Legends of Wrestling photo gallery. [116], In 2021, Warrior's life was chronicled on A&E's Biography: WWE Legends and Viceland's Dark Side of the Ring. Ultimate Creations Inc. vs. WWE Inc. A later autopsy report would reveal that he died of . Ultimate Warrior Dead: James Hellwig, Pro Wrestler, Dies At 54 - HuffPost Warrior retired from wrestling that year. On the preceding three nights in New Orleans, he had been inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame, appeared at WrestleMania XXX and made his final public appearance on Monday Night Raw, returning to the promotion after an acrimonious separation in 1996. [1], Warrior was scheduled to team with Shawn Michaels and Ahmed Johnson to face Owen Hart, Davey Boy Smith, and Vader at In Your House 9 later that month, but the WWF terminated Warrior's contract when he missed several house shows, taking time off allegedly to grieve the death of his father. This involved Roberts giving Warrior three "tests" shown on WWF television in consecutive weeks. Warrior put on a mask that resembled his famous face paint and cut a promo about 24 hours before his death that seems eerie now. And while it seemed that Warrior had gotten closure for many things in his colorful and often controversial life, a new report suggests that he wasnt at all happy, and not at all financially stable in his final days. In what would be his last public appearance, Warrior put on his mask one last time in the center of the ring and addressed a sold-out crowd at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans on Monday. The first was the WarGames match at Fall Brawl, where he competed as a member of Team WCW, competing against 8 other wrestlers for a shot at Goldberg's WCW World Heavyweight Championship at Halloween Havoc. 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Document 178 P.January 4, 2006.