I'll admit that I was never a huge fan of the Ultimate Warrior. He was never a great technical wrestler and his physique was way too good to be true. However, I felt that he was a good entertainer and made a lot of money for the WWE. When I saw "The Self Destruction of the Ultimate Warrior", it played out as Vince McMahon's way of exacting revenge on the Warrior for tying up the WWE in litigation for years and all of the other stunts that he allegedly pulled. Given that Vince McMahon has a reputation for being ruthless and he was practically portrayed as a saint for tolerating the Warrior, it was hard to take this video seriously. The video is the equivalent of a husband trashing his ex-wife after she just cleaned him out in divorce court.
During the video, the Warrior is given almost no credit for becoming one of the most popular wrestlers in the business. First, McMahon states that he was responsible for changing the gimmick from Dingo Warrior to The Ultimate Warrior which was crucial in the Warrior's rise to fame. He then stated that the Warrior's opening music was also a huge reason why fans rooted for him. Rick Rude was given credit for helping the Warrior look good in the ring in his first high profile feud. Then, it was later stated that Hulk Hogan allowing the Warrior to beat him at Wrestlemania VI was what propelled the Warrior to super-stardom. The Warrior's credibility was further brought into question when it was mentioned that he had tested positive for steroids, which lead to his departure. Can you actually name a WWE star in the 1980s/early 1990s that didn't use steroids?
Most of the interviews were with former wrestlers and ring personalities that are still employed with the WWE and being paid by Vince McMahon. For example, Triple H's comments about the Warrior ruining his first Wrestlemania experience seem to hold no water given that he is married to McMahon's daughter and will likely inherit the company. While I'm sure that the Warrior was probably no picnic to work with, it would have been nice to hear his side of the story. Since he allegedly refused to participate in the video, it would have been nice to at least hear from someone was at least close to the Warrior. Without anyone defending the Warrior, this was the equivalent of beating a dead horse into the ground.
So the message that they use almost two hours to repeatedly drive home is as follows: The Warrior was a "flash in the pan" who was not successful because of his talent. He was successful because of Rick Rude, Vince McMahon, Hulk Hogan, a catchy name and gimmick, great entrance music and steroids. He was not liked by anyone especially people who still have ties to Vince McMahon and are most likely still on his payroll.
In 2014, McMahon would ultimately resolve his differences with The Warrior, induct him into the Hall of Fame and produce a more favorable video of his career. Sadly, it was all overshadowed by The Warrior's death within the same week of the video release and induction. So in the end, at least this 2005 video would not prove to be the final nail in The Warrior's coffin.
During the video, the Warrior is given almost no credit for becoming one of the most popular wrestlers in the business. First, McMahon states that he was responsible for changing the gimmick from Dingo Warrior to The Ultimate Warrior which was crucial in the Warrior's rise to fame. He then stated that the Warrior's opening music was also a huge reason why fans rooted for him. Rick Rude was given credit for helping the Warrior look good in the ring in his first high profile feud. Then, it was later stated that Hulk Hogan allowing the Warrior to beat him at Wrestlemania VI was what propelled the Warrior to super-stardom. The Warrior's credibility was further brought into question when it was mentioned that he had tested positive for steroids, which lead to his departure. Can you actually name a WWE star in the 1980s/early 1990s that didn't use steroids?
Most of the interviews were with former wrestlers and ring personalities that are still employed with the WWE and being paid by Vince McMahon. For example, Triple H's comments about the Warrior ruining his first Wrestlemania experience seem to hold no water given that he is married to McMahon's daughter and will likely inherit the company. While I'm sure that the Warrior was probably no picnic to work with, it would have been nice to hear his side of the story. Since he allegedly refused to participate in the video, it would have been nice to at least hear from someone was at least close to the Warrior. Without anyone defending the Warrior, this was the equivalent of beating a dead horse into the ground.
So the message that they use almost two hours to repeatedly drive home is as follows: The Warrior was a "flash in the pan" who was not successful because of his talent. He was successful because of Rick Rude, Vince McMahon, Hulk Hogan, a catchy name and gimmick, great entrance music and steroids. He was not liked by anyone especially people who still have ties to Vince McMahon and are most likely still on his payroll.
In 2014, McMahon would ultimately resolve his differences with The Warrior, induct him into the Hall of Fame and produce a more favorable video of his career. Sadly, it was all overshadowed by The Warrior's death within the same week of the video release and induction. So in the end, at least this 2005 video would not prove to be the final nail in The Warrior's coffin.