There is so much made about the fact that The Ultimate Warrior failed to maintain the huge audience that Hulk Hogan and Vince McMahon had built throughout the late 1980s that fans forget just how strong a champion he actually was. Working with the likes of "Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase and "Ravishing" Rick Rude, Warrior turned in some of the best work of his Hall of Fame career. He was sharper in the ring and worked harder than ever to prove to fans that he deserved the opportunity to run with the top prize in wrestling while, at the same time, repaying management's faith in him. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BfqV3xI8l_s One of the biggest detriments to the overall effectiveness and success of Warrior's title reign was the fact that he was consistently overshadowed by Hogan, who returned from a hiatus and was involved in a huge feud with Earthquake, a feud that was both stronger than Warrior's issues with Rude and hotter. Never before had a champion's reign been so adversely affected by the presence of another, superior Superstar in terms of presence and star power. It was incredibly difficult for Warrior to step out of the Hulkster's enormous shadow and make a name for himself as the top star in the industry and, at the same time, it was incredibly difficult for fans to buy into the face-painted madman as the very best in the land when the red and yellow of Hulkamania was still dominating headlines.
Erik Beaston is a freelance pro wrestling writer who likes long walks in the park, dandelions and has not quite figured out that this introduction is not for Match.com. He resides in Parts Unknown, where he hosts weekly cookouts with Kane, The Ultimate Warrior, Papa Shango and The Boogeyman. Be jealous.
