Every 'Next Big Thing' In Wrestling History: Where Are They Now?
10. Ultimate Warrior
The Ultimate Warrior was meant to be the successor to Hulk Hogan (who probably qualifies for the list but was already the big thing).
It was impossible not to get swept up in the mania Warrior created, through his crazed ring entrance and primitive bursts of impressive strength - provided you were a small child. Few acts have aged more poorly than the Warrior’s - there’s a corny yet earnest magic to Hulk Hogan’s, all these years later - but even by 1990, when he was WWF Champion, the fad had all but ended. A combination of his one-dimensional work and samey opponents ended any notion that he could actually replace Hogan on top. The general end of the boom didn’t help him, either.
There was obviously something to Warrior - he was brought back to the US mainstream by more than one promoter after the summer of ‘91, and the fans were always excited to see him - but his terrible attitude and short-term appeal always undermined it.
The Warrior passed away on April 8 2014 after speaking in sombre tones about his own mortality on Raw just one day prior. He suffered a heart attack brought on by atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.