OT - WWE's Ultimate Warrior dead at age 54...

[Deano]

My favorite moment in wrestling history is at the end of Wrestlemania 8 when he rescued Hulk Hogan from Sid Justice and Papa Shango. 10-year-old me just completely lost my mind.

"Wait a minute... THAT'S THE WARRIOR'S MUSIC"

I had forgot all about that. Thanks for posting that.

 

[Col. Bleep]

Just saw him on the live show Monday night at RAW. Very strange. He definitely looked very fragile but to be dead 24 hours later? Strange.

So many wrestlers die young. It's an incredibly demanding job, on top of the lifestyle so many live/used to live. Steroids, alcohol, drugs.

That's George "The Animal" Steele's take: If it was just steroids more steroid poppers in other sports would be dropping dead.
It's the roids in combination with the painkillers ...plus add drugs and booze and the lifestyle on top.

 

[Fireball Jr.]

That's George "The Animal" Steele's take: If it was just steroids more steroid poppers in other sports would be dropping dead.
It's the roids in combination with the painkillers ...plus add drugs and booze and the lifestyle on top.

 

[thebigeast44]

I haven't followed wrestling in 25 years. But back in the day, the Ultimate Warrior was my favorite. He was quite a showman. I saw him at the Onondaga War Memorial in the late 80's - fun time. Rest in peace Warrior.

 

[victor]

That's George "The Animal" Steele's take: If it was just steroids more steroid poppers in other sports would be dropping dead.
It's the roids in combination with the painkillers ...plus add drugs and booze and the lifestyle on top.

One of my favorite all time wrestlers. Loved it when he ate the the turnbuckles.

 

[NineOneSeven]

it is not just the steroids; they are probably even a minor contributor. Wrestling is a rough racket. There is no off season. If you want to make it in the business, you have to be on the road 300 days a year (only the rare few at the very top like Hogan and Dwayne Johnson get to take extended leaves of absence). If you get injured, then your story line falls by the wayside and you have to claw your way back up, so you take painkillers to keep going out there. You take uppers to get up for the match and downers so you can get to sleep. You don't get proper treatment for your injuries because you can't afford to take the time off.

RIP to Helliwig, but man, he was the worst. I mean, he had a great gimmick and was really rolling with the characterization part of the business back in the 80s-early 90s. But he was a terrible wrestler. Worst cardio in the business. He'd come out all jacked up, race around the ring a couple times, jump in and shake the ropes, then have to go into a rest hold 60 seconds into the actual match.

Wrestling is the most misunderstood/misinterpreted form of entertainment out there. Nothing drives me more nuts (okay I exaggerated) than people who just dismiss wrestling and say "oh my god it sucks it's totally so fake". Here is what is scripted/fake: the outcome, the kicks, the punches. But you're totally right, that moonsault the guy just did off a 10 foot ladder onto another human being was totally fake. Totally.

You nailed it on the head in your first paragraph- these guys have a tough way to make a living. You have to absolutely love the business to be able to do it. The travel is insane. The work is insane. The athleticism, strength, agility, and endurance of some of these guys is on par with the best professional (sports) athletes.

 

[Col. Bleep]

One of my favorite all time wrestlers. Loved it when he ate the the turnbuckles.

Jim Myers (The Animal's real name) is one of the most interesting, articulate and friendliest athlete's around. That's a little surprising because of his ring persona.

And that green tongue thing started when he coincidentally ate some mints before a match that left his tongue discolored. Crowd loved it...so the schtick stayed.

 

[OrangeOnions]

This is my favorite video of Warrior. There is a better version of this with commentary in between the clips but this is still great.

 

[OrangeTown]

went to a wrestling show once at the Aud. the dingo warrior comes flying out and murders a guy in a few seconds. i recognized him from the sh!tty wrestling they had on ESPN after school with the great kabuki spitting green barf that magically incapacitated opponents. i was psyched that he was in the wwf. then i got leaping lanno poffo's autograph. for this i was also psyched. what a dork

At the Utica Aud? I think I was at that show. Probably in like 1988 or so?