Brian James Hellwig, also known as The Ultimate Warrior, was one of the most memorable wrestlers of all time. It has been a little over three years since he died of a heart attack walking with his wife in Scottsdale, AZ. I have been watching tons of old wrestling promos lately and I wanted to circle back to a documentary I saw a few years ago called The Self-Destruction of the Ultimate Warrior.
Two time WWF Intercontinental Champion and a two time WWF Heavyweight Champion, The Ultimate Warrior was explosive and unpredictable. He would run from backstage into the ring and instantly get right down to business like a man who just got done with two eight balls minutes before. While in the ring he would pull on the ropes like a caged animal, ranting and raving the most insane bullshit; all things you would come to expect a guy from “Parts Unknown” to do. While most wrestlers at the time revolved around some sort of gimmick, the Ultimate Warrior revolved around total lunacy. He was aggressive, angry, loud, and was built like a brick shithouse.
But according to the very one sided documentary titled The Self Destruction of the Ultimate Warrior, things between the WWF (Or now WWE) and The Ultimate Warrior were never really smooth. A better title for this documentary would be, “Most of the WWF hated the Ultimate Warrior like a Motherfucker.” Apparently, the Ultimate Warrior was offered to take part in the production of the documentary, but he declined. That was surely a big mistake, because this film is geared toward how many didn’t like him, and how his lack of experience (and skill) put many wrestlers in harms way. It details how the Warrior shook down Vince McMahon for more cash during Wrestlemania VI, hours before he was slated to be fighting Hogan in the ring. During the commentary by some of wrestling’s greatest legends, it seems that everybody was very quick to take shots on him below the belt.
As far as I can tell, The Warrior must not have been very well liked because everyone included on this documentary has no issue with talking shit on him. Though McMahon and Hogan seem to take a much more logical and subtle approach, Bobby “The Brain” Heenan wasn’t impressed on how dangerous and careless the Warrior was in the ring and he rips the Warrior apart. Other haters included in the alumni of pissed off dudes are Ted “The Million Dollar Man” DiBiase, Jerry “The King” Lawler, Chris Jericho, and Triple H. He even pissed off Andre the Giant, to the point of Andre breaking 
character introducing The Warrior to the Giants huge fist square between The Warrior’s eyes to bring him back a few notches.
Regardless whether The Ultimate Warrior was really such a poor wrestler, or if his attitude, business morals, and ego were way out of line, The Ultimate Warrior made his rise when most of us were still young children. When he beat the Honky Tonk Man for the Intercontinental Championship at Summer Slam in 1988, I was eleven years old. Did I notice his poor wrestling skills? No way! I noticed a guy who was raging nonstop in and out of the ring. When Papa Shango blew the voodoo powder in The Ultimate Warriors face, sending him into convulsions backstage, I was worried he was hurt. You have to remember; when I was a kid I still believed wrestling was 100% real! Sure, his interviews were off the wall (McMahon said it right when he said The Ultimate Warrior was almost speaking in tongues or in a trance) but I was young and expected crazy from a guy who was supposed to be crazy. If I recall “Macho Man” Randy Savage and “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan never really made any sense either. And come on, who ever understood a single word that came out of Andre the Giant’s mouth? The Ultimate Warrior brought a high speed, high intensity, over the top, and sort of maniac persona to a sport that needed some crack cocaine!
The myth that the Ultimate Warrior died of a steroid overdose before he returned to the ring is also cleared up. Yes, he had shorter and lighter hair, and he was a little more stacked. But Hellwig was the only person to play the Ultimate Warrior. It’s an urban legend that many believe to be real. He is still alive and well. What is true is that Hellwig changed his name legally to Warrior. He won a lawsuit vs. The WWE to keep the name to use for his own promotion. I think it’s funny that everyone makes a big deal about it. Shit, Mr. T legally changed his name to Mr. T, but I wouldn’t say anything to him about it that’s for sure!
Regardless, the documentary still very entertaining, even if it is all on one side of the ropes. It was interesting to see his career from start to finish (He got fired three times from the WWE!) and listening to some of my childhood heroes reminisce about the old school. I learned that the Warrior and Sting were tag team partners back in the day. Who knew. I also totally forgot about when he first appeared his name was The Dingo Warrior. If the Warrior pulled some of the shady business transactions that are talked about on this documentary, well I don’t blame them for ripping him apart. Vince McMahon and staff built the Ultimate Warrior, gave him four championship belts, marketed the shit out of him; essentially, they made him into a star. And, if the Warrior felt the need to bite the hand that fed him, he deserves to be bulldozed as much as he is in this video.
Let me add: The Ultimate Warrior had a gym in Scottsdale when I first moved here. I remember getting breakfast in some café in Pinnacle Peak one morning and seeing his autograph picture on the wall. He signed the picture, “Always Believe.” A friend of mine came out from NJ to visit me and got a week-long pass to work out at the gym. He came back with all kinds of cool memorabilia The Warrior gave him. He happened to be there that first day my buddy worked out. My friend said he was a really nice and humble guy. May he be watching over Parts Unknown! RIP
This is a good interview Chris Jericho did with The Ultimate Warrior’s widow regarding WWE pretty much turning the documentary into a smear campaign.
