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WCW, 1998
In 1998, WCW was starting to lose its grip on
wrestling fans. The nWo had all but run its course, new stars
weren't being created, and the WWF was starting to pull away
in the ratings.
Oddly, this mirrors the situation in 1996 when
WCW was laying weekly beatings on the WWF in the ratings war.
And even more ironically, both promotions chose to go to an ass,
errr, I mean ACE in the hole in their attempt to turn the tide.
Both promotions turned to the Ultimate Warrior.
And both paid the price.
And thus was the case during Warrior's ballyhooed
entry into WCW in '98. Warrior's presence on WCW TV did turn
the ratings war...for all of a week, at least. Then the goofieness
began and all WCW was left with was a big paycheck to sign.
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You see, Jim Hellwig isn't just a nutcase in
the ring...he is apparently a nutcase behind the cameras as well.
In addition to the outrageous salary demands, he likes coming
up with crazy storylines, such as giving a voodoo master magic
powers (Papa Shango) or deciding that he should be the next coming
of Batman.
First up, there was the Warrior Signal. Look
familiar? If not, how about Warrior's (idiotic) new
catchphrase? 
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Of course, Hulk Hogan had been one of the goofballs
championing the idea to bring Warrior in, if for no other reason
than to finally get revenge for Warrior pinning him clean at
Wrestlemania VI.
The feud started off just fine and dandy - that
is if your idea of "fine" and/or "dandy"
include Ed Leslie. That's right, Warrior kidnapped Hogan's long-time
lackey (who at this time was known as the Disciple)...
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...and pulled him around arenas in all kinds
of weird, S&M positions.
Hey, didn't he do that to Santa Claus in his
comic? I believe he did!
What is it with this guy?
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Anyway, in the Ultimate act of betrayal, Ed turned
his back on Hogan and joined the One Warrior Nation.
See, it was like the nWo, but it was OwN! Get
it? Isn't that clever?
Did I ever mention how stupid it was to have
all these factions in WCW during this time? We had the nWo, the
nWo Black & White, nWo Wolfpac, the lWo, and probably a couple
of others that I don't want to remember. Sheesh.
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Back to the Warrior. In addition to his ability
to lure jobbers into Homo Erotic Sex Slave Army of the Night,
he could disappear at will! Audiences thrilled as Warrior would
enter a ring, be doused with fire extinguishers, then magically
disappear.
Audiences may have loved it (well, actually,
they didn't), but the wrestlers hated the trap doors that were
embedded in the rings for Warrior's tricks. In fact, Davey Boy
Smith landed incorrectly on one of the doors and spent months
in the hospital.
Eric Bischoff then fired the Bulldog via Fed-Ex
while he was still in traction. What a champ.
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In the storyline, Warrior was playing all kinds
of mind games on Hogan. After stealing away the Booty Butcher
Man With No Face, he set Hogan's dressing room on fire... |
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...and appeared to him in the infamous Magic
Mirror.
Now here's a gimmick - Warrior appeared to Hogan
in the mirror, and no one else could see him. It was the Ultimate
Mind Game!
Except, of course, for the fact that everyone
saw Warrior in the mirror - Hogan, the fans at home, Larry Zybysko,
Tony Schiavone, Bobby Heenan, Ray Charles. Everyone saw Warrior
in the mirror except for Eric Bischoff, who looked like a total
tool (yes, even more than usual!) as he
asked Hogan what he was looking at!
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All of this led up to Warrior - Hogan II at Halloween
Havoc '98. While every second of their Wrestlemania VI match
had been plotted out in minute detail, this one wasn't...and
boy could you tell.
To quote Scott Keith over at TheSmarks:
"Nothing personally offensive meant to anyone, but if you
liked this match you're a goddamn crack-smoking braindead moron."
Couldn't have said it better myself.
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Warrior and Hogan go through a really boring,
mid 80's style match (complete with restholds a plenty), before
the big climax - Hogan lights a fireball and...
I said, Hogan lights a fireball...
ummm...it seems that the Hulkster is having problems
getting his fireball to light. So he keeps trying for like two
minutes straight while the Warrior fumbles around the ring...
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...until finally Hogan gets the fireball lit!
Except, of course, it goes off in Hogan's hand, and nowhere near
Warrior's face.
Damn, at this point Terry Bolea will never get
his fire safety patch.
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But even a misplaced fireball isn't enough to
put Warrior down...no, for that you need HORACE! Yep, Hogan's
nephew runs in and hits Warrior in the back so the Hulkster can
even up his rivalry with Warrior at 1 to 1. |
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And that's about it. Warrior got upset with his
treatment in WCW (no way, get out!) and vanished shortly after
this, probably into a big cloud of smoke.
Outside of a couple of indy appearances, he hasn't
been seen - thankfully - to this day.
Ultimate
Warrior: "Same Warrior Time...Same Warrior Place...Same Warrior Channneelllll!"
Hollywood
Hogan: "It's that Warrior..."
Tony Schiavone: "Look!
Look at that!"
Larry Zybysko: "What
the..."
Eric Bischoff: "What's
the matter with you, man?"
Zybsyko: "He's in
the wall!"
Heenan: "He's in the
mirror!"
Hogan: "Oh, real funny!
You think it's funny?!"
Bischoff: "Who are
you talking to?!"
Hogan: "Look at him
- it's the Warrior!"
Bischoff: "Look at
WHAT?! LOOK AT WHAT??!!!"
Footage on this Page
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