Just got done with watching part 3 of WWE's 4-part tribute to Ultimate Warrior on WWE Network and I have to admit, I've gained a new level of respect and admiration for the headline inductee of the Hall of Fame 2014. More so than that, as a die-hard, (at times over) opinionated fan of pro-wrestling: I've had to take a look at my own stringent viewpoints on a bonafide WWE legend.
I was never much of a Warrior fan.
He had an amazing look and presence maybe, but as far as his in-ring ability and off-the-record dealings went: I can't say that I was part of the Warrior Nation. I most definitely believed that he had a place in the history of sports entertainment/pro-wrestling but I never 'rated' him personally.
However, if his sudden passing on April 8th 2014 did anything for me as a fan, it most definitely made me re-evaluate my position on probably one of the most iconic stars of the past 30 years. I can't argue that he was a megastar in the late 80s and early 90s. I can't argue that at one point in time he was indeed outselling Hulk Hogan in terms of drawing power and merchandise sales. OK, his ring work wasn't sublime and he would never be known for his technical classics in the way that stars like Ric Flair, Ricky Steamboat or Kurt Angle would be, but come to think of it: his ring work was exactly what it needed to be for him.
Short, sharp, abrupt, high-adrenaline bouts. Frenzied, relentless, hard-hitting offense and the ability to call on sheer guts, belief and resiliency to rise up from a beat down. Isn't that really all he needed to do for his character to work and inspire countless youngsters across the world watching him perform?
Seeing a man who was so sold on his character and what it stood for had, until watching the Warrior Week tributes, pushed me to the mindset of thinking that the guy was a loon. Now, after watching the complete outpouring of emotion from wrestling fans, entertainment entities, industry performers and watching candid, no holds barred interviews with the key players of the whole story, I have been left with little option but to eat my words and change my mind on his validity and importance as a cultural institution in the world of sports entertainment.
It was almost fate and impeccable timing, maybe even devine intervention, that resulted in a series of events transporting over WrestleMania XXX weekend in New Orleans. After an 18 year hiatus, personal demons and attacks on all fronts, rivalries and snobbery was buried for a performer to take his rightful place amongst the elite of his profession. He was celebrated, given a stage to tell his truth and receive the praise and adoration that was overdue and deserved.
Whilst certainly not pretty to watch on times, his matches will forever stand the test of time because of the stories he was trying to tell between the ropes. His epic encounters with names like Hulk Hogan, Andre the Giant, Macho Man Randy Savage and Ravishing Rick Rude will take their place in the annals of sports entertainment because they had that big match, larger-than-life feeling to them all. His promos were wild and baffling, but entertaining and intriguing, and he may not have been Chris Jericho or Rowdy Roddy Piper on the stick, but he made people pay attention.
Maybe more than anything else, the man born Jim Hellwig will be remembered as an inspiration, who believed in the values and stories his character exhibited, and as some who not just gave it his all: he gave it his ultimate all.
Let me know your thoughts on Ultimate Warrior, his career, legacy and passing on Twitter: @markabraham89
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