Boo Blog: Many faces of Ultimate Warrior

John Okerson from Team RWB honoring vets & the Ultimate Warrior
Courtesy: Cpar Photography

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

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It's hard to believe but 30 years ago this week the Ultimate Warrior made his debut on WWF television. I knew it was going to happen as back then our "spoilers" for such things happened in the form of the Apter magazines. The Dingo Warrior had left World Class Championship Wrestling where he was already a big name for the WWF. As is the case most of the time, the rocket of Superstardom was strapped on his back and the Ultimate Warrior became a mega Superstar.

Back then I'd still define myself as a Hulkamaniac, although I appreciated the intensity and the passion the Ultimate Warrior showed us. Even though I was a huge fan of the Honky Tonk Man, I admit I did mark out when Warrior surprised HTM and beat him for the Intercontinental Championship in 31 seconds at the first SummerSlam.

Monday Night Raw
April 7, 2014

I consider myself fortunate to not only witness Warrior be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in person but also his famous promo on Monday Night Raw that same weekend. Little did we know at the time of his passionate and heartfelt speech that it would be the last time we'd see him. I often wonder what role he'd have with the company today had we not lost him. But the memories keep us going and today I'm looking at a few Warrior fans who have honored the man through the years.

John Okerson rowing
Courtesy: John Okerson

Just recently a friend of mine, John Okerson, posted the above photo on Facebook. John is a veteran and the Chapter Captain of the Marion, Illinois chapter of Team Red, White, and Blue. Just like the Warrior, John has an energy about him that is contagious to others. He donned the makeup and a wig as part of a rowing competition for Team RWB. After he posted the pic, he explained Warrior was his favorite. Makes sense to me.

The Grand Wizard, Ultimate Warrior and Freddy Blassie

In 2013 while attending WWE Axxess during WrestleMania weekend in New Jersey, Chad and I found an Ultimate Warrior fan. We do cosplay each year we attend, but neither of us ventures into characters that show off too much body because we're a couple of doughy middle-aged guys. But as you can see this guy pulled off the act pretty well.

My tributes to Warrior

Last summer I did try it myself, donning Warrior paint and wig for an episode of Craftbeericans. I reviewed a craft beer called Top Rope IPA and did my best at paying homage to the man from Parts Unknown. Weeks after Warrior died I painted an Easter egg in his memory too. A couple winters ago I also made a mini-Warrior snowman. Share your Warrior memories and photos here. And remember, Always believe!

Rumble Ramblings: #10 The Super Posedown

Super posedown
Courtesy: WWE

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

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Since the 2017 Royal Rumble is right around the corner, I've decided to countdown to this year's event with my 10 favorite non-Rumble Royal Rumble matches. 

Number 10 isn't really a match. But it led up a huge feud between the two participants. It's the Super Posedown from 1989. The Ulitmate Warrior was the reigning Intercontinental Champion. "Ravishing" Rick Rude wanted a shot at the gold. So instead of putting these two in the ring to wrestle, or have them in the Rumble, it was decided they'd have a SUPER posedown instead.

Warrior!
Courtesy: WWE

These two Superstars were the most physically gifted at the time, and we all remember Vince McMahon's love of bodybuilding, so the showdown makes sense. The crowd reaction was to determine the winner and in not so shocking news, The Warrior was over big time.

I love that Jesse "The Body" Ventura continues to defend Rude despite the fact that the fans were firmly behind the Warrior. He even went so far as to say Warrior's hair was too long and you couldn't see his traps, which is why he was siding with The Ravishing One. 

Despite his best efforts, Rude and his manager Bobby Heenan got frustrated and attacked Warrior. Heenan squirted baby oil (you can't have a posedown without oil) in the Warrior's eyes. The Warrior, however, no sold the dousing and Rude nailed the champ from behind with a flex bar. He continued to beat on Warrior before leaving the ring. 

These actions resulted in the signing of an IC title match between the two at WrestleMania V. In what I considered a huge upset at the time, Rude pinned Warrior and became the champion. The bad blood returned the following year when Warrior won the WWF Championship and feuded with Rude again. 

Imitation Is The Sincerest Form of Flattery

The Renegade
Photo Courtesy: WWE

By Kevin Hunsperger
@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

It seems in all forms of entertainment there are always pretenders to the throne.  There are very few original ideas, but wrestlers, writers, and promoters come up with new ways to present those storylines and characters.  In the 1980's and 90's it seemed when a major player left a company, there was some sort of need to recreate the character.   Sometimes it works, but usually it doesn't.  Here are a few of my favorites.

The Renegade
Photo Courtesy: WWE

I don't usually speak ill of the dead, but when The Renegade was introduced to us in 1995, I (along with just about all other wrestling fans) thought he was a poor man's Ultimate Warrior.  Renegade was hired by WCW to be Hulk Hogan's "ultimate surprise."  Rick Walker (RIP), who played the character, had long brown hair, face paint, and rambled in his promos, just like the originator: Ultimate Warrior.

This was before WCW had even really started the Monday Night Wars, but with signing guys like Hogan, "Macho Man" Randy Savage, and "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan, I guess Eric Bischoff thought it made sense to get a Warrior look-a-like.  We learned quickly though that the Renegade couldn't compare, even after beating Arn Anderson for the WCW TV title (which I still consider a major upset in the business)  It was a nice try, but at the end of the day Renegade never connected with the fans and he tried being something he was not.  The Ultimate Warrior stood the test of time because Jim Hellwig BECAME that character.  It was his life, and that's why nearly 30 years later, we're still talking about and praising this legend.

Cpl. Kirchner
Photo Courtesy: WWE

Sargent Slaughter had a solid following of patriotic fans when he stood up to the Russian Nikolai Volkoff and his Iranian sidekick the Iron Sheik.  They had bloody battles and fans loudly chanted USA! as Sarge got the best of the anti-Americans.  But when he left WWF in 1985, the company replaced him with a lower ranking officer.  Corporal Kirchner burst onto the scene and tried to pick up where Slaughter had left off, but just fell flat.  Even as a tween and teenager, I could tell this wasn't going to work.  I think the corporal's WWF highlight included a flag match victory over Volkoff at Wrestlemania II and an LJN action figure in his likeness. I still have mine.  It didn't take long for him to tumble into obscurity, before leaving WWF and finding success with a new gimmick, Leatherface.

Sivi Afi
Photo Courtesy: WWE

Finally, I think it's safe to say "Superfly" Jimmy Snuka was one of the most popular wrestlers in the world back in the early and mid-80's.  He was right behind Hogan and Andre the Giant for a long time in the WWF.  Snuka was voted Pro Wrestling Illustrated's most popular wrestler in 1983.  The Superfly eventually flew away though, leaving the WWF in 1985.  Snuka's "cousin" "Superfly" Afi was brought in to take over.  I liked him, I really did.  He reminded me of a younger version of Snuka, but never quite enough to make you forget about Jimmy.  Eventually Afi dropped the nickname and became Sivi Afi.  It wasn't long before he was enhancement talent and wrestling on Superstars putting over the likes of Savage, Ted DiBiase, and Harley Race.  

Of the three mentioned talents here, I really thought Afi would go the furtherest, but it was never meant to be.  I don't blame these men for signing up to take on these roles, in some cases (maybe all) they had no choice in the matter and were given the gimmick by the powers that be and told to make it work.  Nonetheless, they have provided many memories for me, and deserve some credit for at least getting into the ring and entertaining (or trying to entertain) the audience.

Way Back WhensDay: The Dingo Warrior

Vintage Dino Warrior

By Kevin Hunsperger
@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

Before the Ultimate Warrior signed with the WWF in 1987, he was known as the Dingo Warrior in World Class Championship Wrestling.  Before that, he and Sting went by their real names, Jim Hellwig and Steve Borden.  They were the Freedom Fighters and dressed alike, but wore no makeup.  Here's a clip from Memphis.

Gary Hart & Dingo Warrior

Because this was a regional terrority, I had never seen the Freedom Fighters.  I remember reading a little about them, but it was really that Dingo Warrior persona in WCCW that I started following.  When he first came in to WCCW he was a heel and managed by the evil genius Gary Hart.  The two worked well together, as Hart was a great mouth piece for the men in his stable.  Dingo Warrior had what would become the widely known war paint design even back then.  He wore the tassels too, but was no where near as intense.  The hair wasn't long and flowing like most fans might remember and at one point he even had a mustache.

Dingo Warrior 

He and Hart would eventually split, as a guy like the Warrior was someone fans loved to support.  Back then it was the era of the big, strong guy and obviously Warrior fit that mold to a tee.  Kerry Von Erich, "The Modern Day Warrior" was the next closest to fit that mold, but was recovering from a motorcycle crash.  The company needed a new hero. 

Warrior & Von Erichs

Dingo Warrior feuded with former friends "Mad Dog" Buzz Sawyer and Matt Bourne while teaming with the popular Lance Von Erich.  The two wore the tag time titles in World Class.  Warrior would also team up with up and comer Steve Simpson.  As you can hear, his promos were much different in those early days.

Dingo Warrior vs. Matt Bourne

As a singles star, Dingo Warrior won the World Class Texas Heavyweight championship.  His charisma and energy didn't keep him in Texas long, as he caught the eye of the folks in New York and would quickly sign with the WWF.  The quest for superstardom meant leaving behind the title. It didn't take long for Dingo Warrior to become the Ultimate Warrior and then a household name and the legend we all know and love today.  

Rest in peace Warrior.  

The Ultimate Return

Ultimate Warrior saves Hulk Hogan
Photo courtesy: WWE 

By Kevin Hunsperger 
@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

The WWE is celebrating the life and career of the Ultimate Warrior with Warrior Week on the Network. I thought I'd take a minute to share a few of my favorite returns by the Warrior.

I had always been a fan of his work and when he chased Sgt. Slaughter, Col. Mustafa, and Gen. Adnan from the ring at SummerSlam 1991, I had no idea he wouldn't stop running.  This was long before the Internet, so fans had no idea what really happened to the Ultimate Warrior.  He simply disappeared from TV.

The Ultimate Return

Fast forward nearly eight months to the main event of Wrestlemania VIII.  Hulk Hogan was battling Sid Justice.  Papa Shango got involved, causing Justice to get disqualified.  As the Hulkster was being attacked, that familiar beat boomed throughout the Hoosier Dome.  Then the muscle man with the war paint and tassels came charging to the ring.  When he hit the squared circle, he and Hogan cleaned house.  The Ultimate Warrior was back home!

Savage vs. Warrior SummerSlam 92
Photo courtesy: WWE

It seemed appropriate to bring Warrior back as Hogan was fading off into the Hollywood sunset again. Randy Savage had turned babyface and was the new champion, but there weren't too many other top good guys on the roster.  Warrior and Savage played nice together, despite Warrior beating the Macho Man a year earlier and sending him into retirement.  The two ended up facing each other at SummerSlam 92, in a face vs. face championship match.  Warrior won by count out and he and Savage formed a team called The Ultimate Maniacs.  I don't know the reasons why, but Warrior would exit once again, just ahead of the Survivor Series pay per view.

Warrior vs. HHH
Photo courtesy: WWE

Warrior remained out of the spotlight for years, before making another comeback in 1996.  He stormed the ring again at a Wrestlemania, but this time as the announced opponent of Hunter Hearst Helmsley.  He made quick work of the blue blood, pinning him after a couple of minutes of action.  Warrior again didn't stay long though, spending just a few months in the company.  He wrestled guys like Goldust, Vader (a match I saw live in St. Louis), and Jerry "The King" Lawler (who was his last opponent in a WWE ring).  

Man in the mirror
Photo courtesy: WWE

Another comeback came in 1998 when Warrior signed with WCW to feud with Hogan.  I wasn't as excited about this return, as I thought the 1990 encounter between the two should have been left alone, but I understand why they redid the match.  None-the-less, I enjoyed seeing Warrior back on TV.

Warrior & his daughters
Photo courtesy: WWE 

Warrior's final comeback came when the legend signed a deal to appear in video game WWE Y2K14.  Months later, it was announced he'd be enshrined in the WWE Hall of Fame.  Luckily I was in attendance for the ceremony and his appearances at Wrestlemania 30 and Raw the day before he died.  

Rest in peace Warrior, thanks for being an inspiration to so many.  Always believe.

Burying the Hatchet

Vince & Warrior
Photo courtesy WWE

By Kevin Hunsperger
@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents

Over the past year or so, I think the WWE has given us lessons in forgiveness.  It was first demonstrated in 2013 when the company announced they'd come to terms with legend Bruno Sammartino to induct him into the Hall of Fame.

Vince, Bruno, & Triple H
Photo courtesy: WWE

For years the two sides were at an impasse, as the former champion refused to be inducted.  Presumably, Triple H in his corporate role, was able to smooth things over with Bruno and he took his rightful place in the Hall of Fame.  At Wrestlemania 30 weekend, the WWE unveiled a statue in honor of the legend.  It's good to see them working together again.

In summer 2013, WWE announced the Ultimate Warrior would be a part of the Y2K14 video game.  It was the first time the two sides had worked together in nearly two decades.  Soon after that, Warrior was announced as the first member of the Hall of Fame Class of 2014.  This was great news to me, as I had been waiting for years for this to happen.  Rumors ran wild that he was going in at Wrestlemania 26 in 2010, but it never happened. Warrior will go down as one of the most popular and charismatic stars in the history of wrestling.  He deserved to have a spot in the HOF.

Unlike Bruno though, the WWE had not tried to establish a relationship with the Warrior.  In 2006, the company released a DVD called "The Self Destruction of the Ultimate Warrior."  I watched it and was saddened to hear all the jabs and cheap shots taken against the former champ.

Hulk Hogan, Pat Patterson, Ultimate Warrior

Again Triple H extended the olive branch and the two sides made amends.  Warrior seemed to gain closure as he addressed the WWE Universe and his colleagues during his induction.  Over the course of Wrestlemania weekend he and Hulk Hogan apparently buried the hatchet.  Same goes for Jake "The Snake" Roberts, Kevin Nash, and others.

Sadly Warrior died days later.  In the wake of his death, other wrestlers have come forward and apologized for how they had treated Warrior.  Bret Hart said he was too hard on him, calling Warrior a good guy.  Iron Sheik admitted he loved Warrior and his words toward him were a work.  I'm still shocked and sad, but I'm glad Warrior was able to get this resolution in his life before dying.

Wrestlemania main event 30 years later
Photo courtesy: WWE 

On a much lesser level, we saw another example of forgiveness at Wrestlemania 30.  I'm sure it was more storyline driven than personal, but it was nice seeing Hogan, Roddy Piper, Mr. T, and Paul Orndorff all shake hands and put the past behind them.  By all accounts, Piper had legit heat with Mr. T for years.  I don't know if all is really forgiven or if they just smiled and played nice for the camera, but I'm hoping the backstage segment at Mania was genuine. 

Forgiveness is easy to say, but much harder to practice.  WWE and some of its greatest legends are setting an excellent example.  I truly think we could all learn from it. 

What a Week

21-1

By Kevin Hunsperger
@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

I think the week of April 6, 2014 may go down as one of the most historic in professional wrestling.  Some of it good, some of it bad, but none the less, professional wrestling, specifically the WWE has been in the main stream media several times over the past seven days.

SUNDAY:
It all started Sunday at Wrestlemania.  The Undertaker's wining streak at the yearly event came to an end.  I'm still surprised by this, and posted a YouTube video earlier in the week.  

Me when the Streak started

Here's why it's a huge deal to me.  Just think about how long the Undertaker has been wrestling and winning at Wrestlemania.  When he wrestled at his first Mania in 1991, I was a senior in high school.  I'm now 41 years old.  That streak has followed me through college, three different TV stations, three kids, and my entire my marriage.   When I think about it in those terms, it really does blow my mind.  To say he's had 21 victories doesn't really put that emphasis on the amount of time that's behind the record.

Another significant moment out of Wrestlemania of course was Daniel Bryan finally getting his revenge on the Authority and Randy Orton and winning the WWE World Heavyweight title.  His reign is now seven days old and is almost seven times longer than his first two reigns as WWE Champion.

Karen Jarrett

MONDAY:
While not as talked about as the events of Wrestlemania and other WWE happenings, I think the announcement of Jeff and Karen Jarrett's new Global Force Wrestling will have an impact (pardon the pun) on the business.  Personally, I'm curious to see how things pan out.  More announcements are planned in the coming weeks.  So far all we really know is that the Jarretts are starting a wrestling company and they're on the hunt for talent.  Follow @GFWWrestling on Twitter to stay in the loop.

Raw had some pretty cool moments.  I was there, and I think that always makes it more fun.  The crowd loves Daniel Bryan and that's even more obvious in person.  Cesaro announcing he's a Paul Heyman Guy came out of left field.  I like this development,  as we all know Brock Lesnar won't be on every week, and right now the world needs Paul Heyman. Speaking of Heyman, his promo on Raw was one of the best I've heard from him and it helped sell me on the ending of the Streak.

Paige challenges AJ Lee

Paige winning the Divas title was a surprise as well.  She's just one NXT talent to debut on Raw, as Alexander Rusev beat Zack Ryder in his first match on Raw.  Plus they showed promos for the soon-to-be arriving Bo Dallas and Adam Rose.  It's an exciting time for WWE's younger talent right now.

Warrior makes his way to the ring

TUESDAY: 
Tragedy struck when the Ultimate Warrior collapsed and died at the age of 54.  Days later, I am still in shock.  I was fortunate enough to see him get inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame Saturday night and was in the crowd for his speech at Raw.  Those words seem haunting now.  Warrior, rest in peace and thanks for all the memories.

Eric Young, new champ
Photo courtesy: TNA

THURSDAY:
I don't really follow TNA like I should, but I do want to note that Eric Young has captured the TNA title.  Many are criticizing the move, comparing the quest for gold to Daniel Bryan's.  Since I haven't seen what they've done with Young, I don't think it's fair for me to comment.  I do wish TNA the best of luck and hope that they can become a competitive force in the wrestling wars, as I think GFW is going to be gunning for them.

Brie & Daniel
Photo courtesy: WWE

FRIDAY:
Maybe not major news, but congratulations to Daniel Bryan and Brie Bella on their marriage.  It's been a great week for the WWE World Heavyweight champion.  

Remembering The Ultimate Warrior

The Ultimate Warrior
Photo courtesy: WWE

By Kevin Hunsperger
@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

I am saddened to write that another wrestling legend has died.  The news is everywhere, including main stream media, that the Ultimate Warrior collapsed Tuesday evening in Arizona, less than 24 hours after appearing on Monday Night Raw.  Three nights earlier, he'd been inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.

Hall of Fame speech

I consider myself fortunate to have been in New Orleans and see the ceremony in person.  His speech was great.  I think many fans expected him to be crazy and bizarre like many of his promos from days gone by.  Warrior was appreciative, not just of the fans, but also the other men and women who worked with in the business.  He was inspiring throughout and proved that time does heal wounds. When fans chanted "One more match!" during the ceremony he said that wasn't going to happen, but he seemed legitametaly appreciative of the crowd response that night. \

Monday Night Raw

Sunday night, he came out on the stage to be recognized with the others from the Class of 2014.  Then on Raw Monday night, I was surprised to see him again.  His speech that night is eerie now, it's almost as if he knew the end was near for him.  

Here's part of what he said, "Every man's heart one day beats its final beat. His lungs breath their final breath. And if what that man did in his life makes the blood pulse through the body of others and makes them bleed deeper in something larger than life, than his essence, his spirit, will be immortalized."

Posing with his likeness at Axxess

I think it's safe to say Warrior's spirit has been immortalized.  The outpouring of love and respect online has been incredible.  I loved him as the Dingo Warrior in World Class and his ascension to the top of the WWF in the late 80's and early 90's.  He beat legends like Hulk Hogan, Andre the Giant, and "Macho Man" Randy Savage (which is my favorite Wrestlemania match of all time).

My thoughts and prayers go out to Warrior's two young daughters, his wife, and mother as well as his friends and fans.  I was excited when he announced Saturday night that he'd signed a deal to do more work with the WWE.  While I'm sad and even still shocked, I'm glad he received honor of going into the Hall of Fame and was able to make amends with others in the business.  His fans will truly miss him, but his legacy will live on forever.  Always believe...

The Ultimate Hall of Famer

The Ultimate Warrior!
Photo courtesy: WWE

By Kevin Hunsperger
@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

The WWE has announced the first inductee into the Hall of Fame for 2014, and it's none other than the Ultimate Warrior.  I avoided social media like the plague after hearing there were plans to announce someone on Raw.  I always enjoy being surprised and in a world full of spoilers, I knew being on Twitter or Facebook would likely rob me of that.

I figured the Warrior's induction would be coming sooner rather than later, as the tensions between he and the WWE have eased over the last few years.  His inclusion in the WWE 2K14 game all but guaranteed him going in at some point.  Some fans have criticized the decision, and honestly I don't understand that.

Let's remember, the WWE Hall of Fame is made up of men and women who achieved fame and success in a business with a pre-determined outcome.  I'm not undermining the HOF, it's one of my favorite parts of Wrestlemania weekend, which I'll be attending again this year.  While the Warrior wasn't the most talented guy in the ring, he was one of the most popular and successful ones in the late 80's and early 90's.

Dingo Warrior with Gary Hart

I first took notice when he was the Dingo Warrior back in his days in Texas.  He was a raw and rough heel, who destroyed the competition. I realize he and Sting teamed up prior to that, but I never saw any of those matches.  Anyway, it didn't take long for the fans to get behind him, and the Warrior turned face.  Of course his size and stature caught the eye of the WWE and soon he was in New York and became the Ultimate Warrior.  Other than longer hair, his look didn't really change, neither did his intensity, just his name.

Warrior shocked me when he pinned the Honky Tonk Man for the Intercontinental Title at the first SummerSlam event.  As a HTM mark at the time, I viewed this as the ultimate upset and miscarriage of justice.  He dropped the belt to Rick Rude only to recapture it before beating Hulk Hogan for the WWF Title in what may stand as the biggest unification match in the history of the company.  (Sorry John Cena and Randy Orton)  Now that I think of it, I guess it was more title vs. title, sorry for the wrong analogy there.

Warrior rules
Photo courtesy: WWE

I think a lot of people expected the Warrior to carry the torch for the WWF while Hogan was away.  For whatever reason it didn't work out and less than a year into his title reign, Warrior dropped the belt to Sgt. Slaughter of all people.  This time, I felt the Warrior had gotten screwed.  Two months later, he had what I still consider my favorite Wrestlemania match of all time against "Macho Man" Randy Savage.  Not long after that though, Warrior disappeared from the business only to return by Wrestlemania 8.  But again, he didn't last long and was gone before the end of 1992.  He reemerged again at Wrestlemania 12 and I thought he'd be around a while, but it wasn't to be, as he once again faded into the sunset.

Warrior vs. Triple H
Photo courtesy: WWE

After a brief run in WCW (mostly to put Hogan over for the Wrestlemania loss), Warrior left again.  We were able to follow him on social media and YouTube and hear his rants against many in the business.  Eight short years ago the WWE released a DVD entitled "The Self Destruction of the Ultimate Warrior."  The superstars and legends on that DVD rip the Ultimate Warrior to shreds, so this new association with the company tells me, like Vince McMahon always said "anything can happen in the WWE." and money, along with time helps heal all wounds.

No matter the motives or reasons for his induction into the WWE Hall of Fame, I'm happy to hear it.  The Ultimate Warrior deserves this honor and I'll be there listening and trying to understand his induction speech.  Now let's get Savage on the list this year too!