I never saw Hellwig take anything but he has admitted to using in the past. But -- when he became the Ultimate Warrior upon coming to the WWF he created one of the most entertaining and intense characters the wrestling world had ever seen. He was simply electric out there in the ring. No one brought the energy and uncaged fury that the Ultimate Warrior did when he raced at full-speed to get into the ring. Unfortunately, he had an acrimonious departure from the WWF and so bitter were the feelings that Vince McMahon said he would never see the Warrior back in the WWE. They say that in wrestling, anything is possible.
So this last weekend, Vince shook off his grudge and the Warrior shook off his grudge and the two of them buried the hatchet once-and-for all. After many years, the Warrior was finally inducted into the WWE Hall-of-Fame last weekend and the crowd was just as electric for his speech as they were for any wrestling match he ever took part in. Ultimate Warrior also announced that he signed a Lifetime "Legends of Wrestling" contract with the WWE over the last week and would be making appearances on behalf of the WWE.
Like so many others in this grand arena, his life ended just way too short. Just 24-hours after he addressed the crowd on live-TV, Jim Hellwig passed away from a massive heart attack. The signs were all there - he was sweating profusely at the Hall-of-Fame speech and even mentioned it in his induction. His walk was measured and slow. He was winded and having a hard time catching his breath. The warning signs were all there - but the biggest one of all was the culture he was raised in. No one will ever truly know what caused this 6'4" 290 lb manic beast to succumb in life, but one thing is certain - wrestling was a whole lot more fun with him in the ring than outside of it. I hadn't thought much about the wrestling pictures I did back in the 80s and early 90s because I never took it seriously and didn't always follow it. But Warrior's passing made me pause and think about how fortunate it was that he finally got the recognition that was long overdue from the WWE. Clearly, it could not have come at a more crucial time.
In his final speech on Monday night, he told a raucous crowd that his legacy was not defined by anything he did, but rather by the fans, who took him in and helped him define an unforgettable character. In a world of imagary and make-believe, I am inclined to think his words were real and his appreciation, most genuine.
Read more at http://www.wrestlinginc.com/wi/news/2014/0413/574136/guest-editorial-meeting-the-ultimate-warrior-early-in-his-career/#jDIs0yAwT5psctvB.99
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