BREAKING NEWS: Ultimate Warrior dead at the age of 54

[C.M. Shaddix]

It just shocked me, this was last night?

 

[NWO16]

after watching him only just a few days ago at the HOF, then Maina and monday night on raw he looked happy to be back working with WWE again.
i'm in shock at this news it's not really hit me yet.

 

[Cloud]

Breaking the longest IC title reign in modern history

That pop is awesome one of my fave moments.

 

[Green Jesus]

That's gotta be the most shocking news in wrestling since Chris Benoit

 

[Just Kevin]

WWE Executive Vice President Triple H spoke with the AP regarding The Ultimate Warrior’s death and finding closure on past issues with WWE.

"We are all grateful to have had the opportunity to get the closure with him, to work to get him back on that platform," said Paul "Triple H" Levesque, a wrestler and top WWE executive. "Knowing him now, there could have been no better send-off, really, for him, than that. It was everything he would have dreamed off." .

He also revealed one the final interactions that WWE Chairman Vince McMahon had with Warrior over WrestleMania weekend:

"Vince said to him a couple of days ago, ‘I’ve always loved you. Sometimes, I didn’t like you, but I always loved you."

Jim Ross has published a new blog entry discussing the death of the Ultimate Warrior...

After returning from a great week in New Orleans not only for our show Thursday night but for all the WrestleMania activities, it was great to arrive home but then the news broke of the shocking death of the Ultimate Warrior at the age of 54. Here are my thoughts.

I met Warrior in 1986 in the Mid South territory when he was known as Rock, the tag team partner of Sting of the Blade Runners. Bill Watts booked the rookie duo into his territory to become the Mid South's version of the Road Warriors.

Even though the pair had a short run in Memphis prior to arriving in Oklahoma, Watts booked them largely upon the recommendation of his old friend Red Bastien who, along with Rick Bassman, trained them in California.

At that time 'Rock's' real name was Jim Hellwig and he departed Mid South under not so positive circumstances. Watts was a disciplinarian and felt that a rookie should be seen and not heard. Warrior did not share in that philosophy.

Off to Dallas Warrior went and came in contact with several veterans in World Class who loved Warrior's look and intensity although the muscular rookie he was not a polished, in ring technician but he obviously had the potential to be a marketable "attraction."

Warrior had a vision then of what his character should be in order to maximize its potential. In an era where many old school wrestling people were not always positive regarding 'wrestling characters' that were 'out there' Warrior needed a visionary with whom he could share his creative vision.

That person was Vince McMahon who was more than happy to bring Warrior to WWE and to work with the larger than life, painted face super hero in further developing the TV persona that would influence countless young fans in the late 80's and early 90's.

Warrior was always somewhat of a loner and was always a unique thinker even as a rookie in Mid South. His promos always told a highly unique and memorable message even if one did not fully understand what Warrior was saying.

For some reason, the younger fans of that era did seem to relate to the super hero with his infectious energy and one of a kind delivery.

The most memorable moment for me this past weekend in New Orleans was the interaction at the WWE Hall of Fame between Warrior and his two daughters who accompanied their Dad on stage just before he gave his induction speech. The love and bond between a father and his daughters was obvious and heart warming.

In an arena full of Warrior fans, many of who were reliving their youth with their hero, Warrior made it clear that his greatest accomplishment was not being the Ultimate Warrior but instead being the father of his two daughters.

In a career and life often marked by controversy, the beauty of the weekend was seeing Warrior come home to WWE accompanied by his family and that they were able to enjoy the celebration together.

I live with this mantra daily, "Tomorrow's aren't guaranteed for any of us." Today, that philosophy is more meaningful than ever.

RIP Warrior

1959-2014

ROH posted out the following today...

The wrestling world lost a true icon yesterday, the Ultimate Warrior was only 54 years old.

This past weekend the Warrior was inducted into the WWE’s Hall of Fame, and Monday night the Warrior appeared for what would be his final time. In his final and fitting words he said, “No WWE talent becomes a legend on their own. Every mans heart one day beats it’s final beat, his lungs breathe their final breath. And what that man did in his life makes the blood pulse though the body of others. It makes them bleed deeper in something larger than life. Then his essence, his spirit will be immortalized by the story tellers, by the loyalty, by the memory of those who honor him and make the running the man did live forever.”

The influence of the Warrior is far reaching, this past summer, Delirious & Jay Lethal paid tribute to not only the Ultimate Warrior, but the Macho Man Randy Savage when they took on each other at “A Night of Hoopla.”

 

[Just Kevin]

The new dvd set is up on WW for anyone wanting to watch it...

http://watchwrestling.ch/home/watch-wwe-ultimate-warrior-ultimate-collection-2014-dvd/

 

[Swift]

Fucking unbelievable. I'm usually too cool to care for celebrity deaths or whatever, but this really sucks and it is pretty damn sad. R I P WARRIOR.

 

[Just Kevin]

Posted by Mick Foley on FB an hour ago...

WORDS OF A WARRIOR

When I first heard the news of the Ultimate Warrior's passing - from my oldest son - my first thoughts were of his precious daughters, and how their father - whose love for them was clear - had been taken away from them far to early in their lives.

My second thought was about the foolish tweet I sent out during Warrior's Hall of Fame induction speech - and how badly I wish I could have taken those words back. Maybe they seemed harmless at the time, but in retrospect, the fact that my final words about Warrior were negative ones has had me feeling pretty bad these last 24 hours.

I did not dislike Warrior. I got along fine with him in 1996, and years later, during a "Legends Rountable" focusing on "Heatseekers", I was good-natureadly kidded by my fellow Roundtable guests for having nothing negative to say about Warrior, Paul Heyman or Buff Bagwell.

His promo style was loved by some, loathed by others for their seemingly nonsensical style. But Warrior's promos were unique and intense - and no one has done anything quite like them, before or sense. But in his final promo, he was anything but nonsensical. He was profound, and eerily prophetic.

"No WWE talent becomes a legend on their own," he told the audience. "Every man's heart one day beats its final beat. His lungs breathe their final breath. And if what that man did in his life makes the blood pulse through the body of others and makes them believe deeper in something that's larger than life, then his essence, his spirit, will be immortalized by the storytellers -- by the loyalty, by the memory of those who honor him, and make the running the man did live forever."

A brilliant statement, but a bittersweet moment to wantch after the fact - knowing how close the subject hit to home. I was thrilled to see someone I knew at the 3:10 moment of the video clip - my onw daughter, reacting to the historic moment - smiling, clapping; making sure that at least one Foley gave this iconic figure - and a well-deserved inductee in to the WWE Hall of Fame the goodbye I should have had for him.

*Note - The tweet he is talking about was him saying that his HOF speech was better than Warrior's.

 

[alexb]

RIP Ultimate Warrior

Just went back, had another look at his promo Monday on RAW and...wow, just wow ((

 

[Dolph'sZiggler]

The new dvd set is up on WW for anyone wanting to watch it...

http://watchwrestling.ch/home/watch-wwe-ultimate-warrior-ultimate-collection-2014-dvd/

awesome!

 

[Roach]

RIP. I was playing with him on WWE 2k14 recently so I was surprised at his death.

 

[CrayJ Lee]

It's a bit eerie that he passed so soon after his HoF induction and appearance on Raw. This is very sad news. RIP Ultimate Warrior!

 

[CM Punk Girl]

RIP to a true legend of WWE ... glad you were inducted to the hall of fame before you passed away because you deserve to be in the hall of fame