This Ultimate Warrior Blu-ray takes on a bitter taste since I was in the middle of reviewing it when Ultimate Warrior died at the age of 54 from a heart attack. I am happy to get to hear Warrior talk about his career, and tell his side of the story, at least this one time before he died.
This is a three-page review, with one page for each Blu-ray disc and the third page for the Blu-ray bonus features and my final thoughts.
The Blu-ray opens with Warrior talking and saying that, for 20 years, “they” have been trying to write a different story about the Ultimate Warrior and pretend there were not enough matches to make an “ultimate collection.” He then said that is a lie and now the Warrior will tell his own story.
The Blade Runners vs. Perry Jackson and Shaun O’Reilly
This was from Mid South Wrestling where Rock (Ultimate Warrior) and Sting were the Blade Runners. They were heels at this time in Bill Watts’ promotion and Warrior said that they based their looks and moves on The Road Warriors. They were also managed by Hot Stuff Eddie Gilbert at this time. Jim Ross was on commentary. This was a pure squash with Warrior dominating and then Sting came in and hit a splash for the pin.
The Dingo Warrior vs. Gentleman Chris Adams
Warrior said he left the Mid South because Sting liked to be told what to do but Warrior liked to take control of his own career. He headed to World Class, the Von Erich territory. They put him with manager Gary Hart but the fans started to cheer him and they had to turn him face. Warrior started with the advantage in this match because Adams was distracted by none other than Percival Pringle III (who would later become Paul Bearer). Chris was the WCCW world champion at this time and Warrior actually got the win in the match, although it looked to me like Adams kicked out before three.
Ultimate Warrior vs. Barry Horowitz
Ultimate Warrior vs. “The Brooklyn Brawler” Steve Lombardi
The WWF heard about Warrior and asked him to come and try out in a match with Jose Estrada. He impressed them and they signed him. These were typical Warrior squash matches where he no sold everything and just destroyed his opponents.
Ultimate Warrior vs. King Harley Race
Warrior had an interesting comment before this match about how Harley Race was very bitter at how professional wrestling was changing from wrestling into entertainment. This match wasn’t a squash, as Race got in a lot of his stalling and some solid offense, but Warrior won with a roll up. Warrior told a story about how he broke his ankle in a match against Race, and covered it up, but I couldn’t tell if this was the match it happened in or not.
Ultimate Warrior vs. Bobby “The Brain” Heenan
Warrior said there wasn’t a gimmick match he didn’t love and this was the match where, after Warrior knocked out Heenan with the sleeperhold, he put Heenan in the Weasel suit. This was classic Heenan and he was always at his best when being made the fool. Heenan made this match very enjoyable and the sleeper for the win was brilliant booking.
Intercontinental Championship: Honky Tonk Man vs. Ultimate Warrior
Intercontinental Championship: Ultimate Warrior vs. Honky Tonk Man
This was probably the greatest squash match in WWE history. For over a year, Honky Tonk Man cheated to win and took shortcuts. The fans were dying for someone – anyone – to beat him. No matter who fought him, no matter how good, Honky found a way to escape with his title. When Warrior’s music hit, the crowd went nuts and then he hit the ring and beat Honky in under a minute and the place exploded. Brilliant end to Honky’s title rein. The second match was the rematch between the two. Honky Tonk was a lot more competitive here, cheating throughout, but Warrior won when he threw Jimmy Hart onto Honky Tonk Man and covered him for the win.
Title vs. Title Match: Ultimate Warrior (IC title) vs. Macho Man Randy Savage (world title)
Warrior talked about how great it was to work with Macho Man Randy Savage, who he called one of the best in front of and behind the cameras. He said that Savage was inspiring because he would be in character when talking about the match before they ever went out to the ring. This was during the Mega Powers implosion. This wasn’t as good as their later retirement match but it was still a really good match. Ravishing Rick Rude came to ringside and kept posing while Warrior ignored him for about five minutes before going after Rude and getting counted out. It was a cheap ending to a good match.
Intercontinental Championship: Ultimate Warrior vs. Ravishing Rick Rude
This was the rematch for the IC title after Rude had won it from Warrior before. Warrior came into this match after getting hurt by Andre the Giant. I do wish the first match, where Rude won, was on here, but that was on the first Warrior DVD. However, this was a fantastic match as these two always worked well together. Rick Rude hit Warrior with like three piledrivers and still couldn’t pin Warrior. The end came when Rowdy Roddy Piper came down and distracted Rick Rude, allowing Warrior to get the win. Rude looked like a million bucks in this match.
Ultimate Warrior vs. Bob Bradley
Ultimate Warrior vs. Brian Costello
Ultimate Warrior talked about the jobbers at the old school TV tapings and how that is not an insult because these wrestlers were all great and helped make the stars into stars. In the Bradley match, Warrior tossed Bradley all over ringside, and into a table. He also wore his title belt through the first half of the match. There was also an Andre the Giant promo during the match about coming after Warrior. After the match, he stuffed Bradley under the ring. In the Costello match, he started looking under the ring for something, in a strange move. Dino Bravo cut the promo here about trying to win the IC title. He then picked up Costello, threw him over his shoulder and carried him to the back.
Brother Love Show: Bobby Heenan and Andre the Giant
Intercontinental Championship: Ultimate Warrior vs. Andre the Giant
Intercontinental Championship: Ultimate Warrior vs. Andre the Giant (Saturday’s Night Main Event)
Heenan and Andre talk about people thinking they are intimidating but that Warrior is nothing compared to Andre. Brother Love said that Warrior would be shaking in his boots. Warrior ran out, grabbed the mic and told Andre that when they wrestle, he will beat Andre one-two-three and then left as Andre looked frustrated. Warrior said that the matches with Andre were to get Warrior over. He said that Andre was so great as a character that his disadvantages in the ring never mattered because he was Andre. Warrior said that he was very honored that Andre would put over Warrior because Andre could do anything he wanted to do. He said that he always loved working with Andre and that he was always in a good mood when they were together, although Andre had no tolerance for those who “worked” the business. The Warrior vs. Andre match was a squash match with Andre trying to attack but Warrior running non-stop until he hit Andre with a clothesline and pinned him in under a minute. Andre said that the bell never rang to start the match. The second match ended with Bobby Heenan got Andre the Giant disqualified.
Ultimate Warrior Promo about Fighting Hulk Hogan
Warrior told the story about how they wanted to turn Warrior bad so he could fight Hulk Hogan, but he convinced them that the fans wouldn’t allow it.
Ultimate Warrior vs. Mr. Perfect
Title vs. Title Match: Ultimate Warrior (IC title) vs. Hulk Hogan (world title)
This match was the first loss for Mr. Perfect in the WWE, breaking his unbeaten streak, just two weeks before Warrior faced Hulk Hogan. They also showed the highlights leading up to their big match, where the two kept saving each other before their big match, which made the other mad every time. This then leads into the big Wrestlemania VI match. Warrior talked about how awesome the match was, good guy vs. good guy, Warriors vs. Hulkamaniacs. He also joked about not being able to lift Hogan all the way up in the press slam at the end of the match.
WWF Championship: Ultimate Warrior vs. The Million Dollar Man Ted DiBiase (In Japan)
WWF Championship: Ultimate Warrior vs. Ravishing Rick Rude
WWF Championship: Ultimate Warrior vs. The Million Dollar Man Ted DiBiase
WWF Championship: Ultimate Warrior vs. Sgt. Slaughter
Ted DiBiase was competitive in the first match, but at the end, Warrior just ran over him. The match with Rick Rude is interesting because, at this point, Rude was the only person to have beaten The Ultimate Warrior before. Unlike DiBiase, Rude was really, really strong, just like he always has been against The Warrior. Warrior ended up winning by count out.
The second DiBiase match was a ton better than the first and DiBiase fought a great match. It ended in a DQ finish when Virgil interfered. After the match, Macho King Randy Savage attacked Warrior and totally beat him down. The Slaughter match was for a Coliseum Exclusive, but not the match that Slaughter won for the WWF title. Once again, these title matches so far are proof that Warrior actually put on competitive matches during his title rein.
