WWE Legend the Ultimate Warrior has passed away, aged only 54. The shocking news broke this morning just hours after he made his first appearance on Raw in years. This followed his induction into the WWE Hall of Fame on Saturday, before appearing at Wrestlemania 30 with the other inductees. He is survived by his wife Dana and two daughters. Cause of death is still unknown but its been reported that Warrior collapsed on his way to his car, just hours after appearing on Monday Night Raw.
The WWE confirmed the tragic news on Twitter;
“WWE is shocked and deeply saddened to learn of the passing of one of the most iconic WWE Superstars ever, The Ultimate Warrior”
Thousands have taken to social media to pay their respects to the legend, with superstars including Triple H, Hulk Hogan, The Rock, Sheamus, Lita, Kevin Nash, Chris Jericho and Stephanie McMahon all paying their respects.
The Warrior (born James Hellwig) was a true icon of the sports-entertainment platform. Having defeated Hulk Hogan at Wrestlemania 6, a match still regarded by many as the greatest in the events history, he cemented his place into the elite. He was the first competitor to simultaneously hold the WWF Intercontinental and World Heavyweight championships and enjoyed the admiration of being one of the most loved legends of the WWE.
After numerous exits, The Warrior finally returned home to the WWE last year for their latest computer game release; WWE 2K14 (which was a huge success). He was then announced as the first inductee of the 2014 WWE Hall of Fame and signed a multi-year deal to be an ambassador for the WWE brand.
After the glitz of the HOF ceremony and his appearance at Wrestlemania 30 (to rapturous applause), Warrior returned to Raw. He greeted fans on his way down to the ring, shook the ropes, and delivered a great speech about the legacy of his character and what it meant to him. He thanked the fans, who all chanted his name before he left the ring. The WWE universe was fully expecting this to be the first of many appearances but just hours later, the greatest WWE champion of all time had died suddenly.
Ultimate Warrior was an icon of wrestling and brought a generation of fans together with his unbridled passion for the fight, his imposing physical appearance and his sheer charisma and magnetism. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends at this sad time.
