The Ultimate Warrior was born as James Brian Hellwig on the 16th June 1959, in Crawfordsville, Indiana, USA, and was a professional wrestler who competed in the World Wrestling Federation (now WWE) and was a two-time WWF Intercontinental Heavyweight Champion, beating the famous Hulk Hogan along the way. Hellwig’s career started in 1985 and ended in 1998. He passed away in 2014.
Have you ever wondered how rich the Warrior was, at the time of his death? According to authoritative sources, it has been estimated that the Warrior’s net worth was as high as $1.5 million, earned through his successful wrestling career. The Warrior also appeared on television, including in various commercials, which improved his wealth.
The Ultimate Warrior Net Worth $1.5 Million
James Brian Hellwig was born the oldest of five children, and was raised by his mother after his father left in 1971. He went to Veedersburg’s Fountain Central High School and then studied at Indiana State University for a year. The Warrior started lifting weights when he was 11, and became an amateur bodybuilder when he moved to California, winning the 1984 NPC Mr. Georgia crown before forming a wrestling team with Garland Donoho, Mark Miller, and Steve Borden in 1985.
His professional career began under the pseudonym Jim “Justice” Hellwig as a member of Powerteam USA, trained by Rick Bassman and Red Bastien. They later changed their name to The Freedom Fighters, and The Blade Runners, but Hellwig left in 1986 to have his solo debut in Dallas at the World Class Championship Wrestling promotion, earning $50 for a night.
In 1987, Warrior competed in the WCWA Texas Heavyweight Championship, winning the title over Bob Bradley in February. He left the championship in April to work on house shows, when he adopted the name The Ultimate Warrior. In the late ‘80s Hellwig appeared in TV ads for Irving, Texas car dealership Westway Ford. The Warrior joined the World Wrestling Federation in 1987, and quickly fought his way into the wrestling elite in the next year. In 1988, Warrior won the Intercontinental Heavyweight Championship after defeating The Honky Tonk Man, which only increased his net worth. He later lost the title to Rick Rude, but regained it in 1989 against the same opponent. Hellwig won the WWF World Heavyweight Champion in 1990 after beating Hulk Hogan, who was wrestling’s biggest star at the time. He fought sporadically until 1998, when Warrior retired officially in November 1998, after which he became a public speaker, and maintained a personal blog.
Regarding his personal life, The Ultimate Warrior was married to Shari Lynn Tyree from 1982 to 1991, and he later married Dana Viale in 1999, with whom he had two. Only three days after his induction into the WWE Hall of Fame, Warrior died on 8 April 2014 in Scottsdale, Arizona. According to eyewitnesses, Hellwig collapsed after clutching his chest while walking towards his car with his wife. The autopsy revealed that he died of a heart attack caused by therosclerotic cardiovascular disease.
Every man's heart one day beats its final beat. His lungs breathe their final breath. And if what that man did in his life makes the blood pulse through the body of others and makes them bleed deeper in something that's larger than life, then his essence, his spirit, will be immortalized by the storytellers -- by the loyalty, by the memory of those who honor him, and make the running the man did live forever.
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Always Believe.
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Fact
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Warrior collapsed outside a hotel in Scottsdale, AZ at 5:50 PM on April 8, 2014, while walking to his car with his wife, Dana. He was transported to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
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WWE Hall of Famer.
3
Owns and operates Warrior university in Scottsdale, Arizona.
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Motivational Speaker around the country for Young America's Foundation. [2003]
Was born Brian James Hellwig but legally changed his name to Warrior in 1993.
7
Once while performing in El Paso, Texas, visited a well-known strip club called "Prince Machiavelli's." The manager offered him a job as the head bouncer in the event that his wrestling career didn't work out.
8
One of the longest-running pro wrestling myths states that he is actually the second wrestler to portray the Ultimate Warrior, as the original died of steroid use in the 1980s. Evidence used to support this myth is that the "second Warrior" had lighter hair and was bulkier in physique. However, this is just one of many pro wrestling myths with little factual basis. Hellwig is the only wrestler to portray the Ultimate Warrior in any form.
9
Ex-wife Sherri was a stripper at the renowned Million Dollar Saloon in Dallas, Texas.
10
Second daughter, Mattigan Twain Warrior, was born on 16th December 2002. She weighed 7lb 10oz.
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Was stripped of the WWF Intercontinental Championship after he won the WWF Championship at WrestleMania VI (1990).
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Was a tag team partner with Steve Borden (aka "Sting") from 1984 to 1986 as the Bladerunners. Warrior was then known as "Rock", Borden was called "Flash". Competed in World Class Championship Wrestling (home of the legendary Von Erich clan) under the name "The Dingo Warrior".
13
Won a five-year-long lawsuit against WWF/Titan Sports/Vince McMahon in 2000 regarding the use of his names "The Warrior" and "Ultimate Warrior". He legally changed his name to "Warrior" before the lawsuit, in fact, even before he joined the WWF, because he wanted to get back into wrestling after his father had died, and he didn't want to carry on his father's legacy (having fallen out with him many years before). The lawsuit was settled in 2001 (information courtesy of ringside collectibles shoot interview).
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Daughter, Indiana (Indy) Marin Warrior, born in 2000.
15
Invented the term, 'Warriorism'
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Legally changed his name to Warrior, so he could own the rights to that name, thus able to continue his gimmick in any wrestling federation he chooses.
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Former WWF World Heavyweight Champion
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Fomer 2-time WWF Intercontinental Champion
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Won Comeback Pro Wrestler of the Year Award in 1992.
Actor
Title
Year
Status
Character
Warrior: The Ultimate Legend
2014
WrestleMania XXX
2014
TV Movie
The Ultimate Warrior
WWE 2k14
2013
Video Game
The Ultimate Warrior (voice)
Nu Wrestling Evolution
2005
TV Series
Ultimate Warrior (2009)
WCW Monday Nitro
1998
TV Series
The Warrior
WCW/NWO Fall Brawl: War Games
1998
TV Movie
The Warrior
Firepower
1993
The Swordsman
Saturday Night's Main Event
1988-1992
TV Series
The Ultimate Warrior
WWF Superstars
1987-1992
TV Series
The Ultimate Warrior
WWF: Wrestlefest '91
1991
Video
The Ultimate Warrior
WWF Challenge
1987-1991
TV Series
The Ultimate Warrior
World Wrestling Federation
1990-1991
TV Series
The Ultimate Warrior
Royal Rumble
1991
Video
The Ultimate Warrior
Best of Saturday Night's Main Event
1991
Video
The Ultimate Warrior
Summerslam
1990
Video
The Ultimate Warrior
WWF: Wrestlefest '90
1990
Video
The Ultimate Warrior
Royal Rumble
1990
Video
The Ultimate Warrior
No Holds Barred: The Match/The Movie
1989
TV Movie
The Ultimate Warrior
Summerslam
1989
Video
The Ultimate Warrior
Fan Favourites
1989
Video
Ultimate Warrior
The Ultimate Warrior
1989
Video
The Ultimate Warrior
Royal Rumble
1989
Video
The Ultimate Warrior
The Brains Behind the Brawn
1989
Video
Ultimate Warrior
Spectrum Wrestling
1988
TV Series
The Ultimate Warrior
Summerslam
1988
TV Movie
The Ultimate Warrior
Best of the WWF Volume 16
1988
Video
The Ultimate Warrior
WWF: Wrestlefest 88
1988
TV Movie
The Ultimate Warrior
WWF Prime-Time Wrestling
1988
TV Series
The Ultimate Warrior
Odd Jobs
1986
Thanks
Title
Year
Status
Character
W.W.E. 24
2015
TV Series documentary dedicatee - 1 episode
The Goldbergs
2014
TV Series dedicatee - 1 episode
Self
Title
Year
Status
Character
Sting: Into the Light
2015
Video documentary
Himself / Rock
W.W.E. 24
2015
TV Series documentary
Himself
The Lost Journals of Huey Williams
2014
Short
Himself
WWE Raw
1996-2014
TV Series
The Ultimate Warrior
WWE Hall of Fame
2014
TV Special
Himself (as The Ultimate Warrior)
Ultimate Warrior: The Ultimate Collection
2014
Video
Himself (as Warrior)
Hannity & Colmes
2007
TV Series
The Ultimate Warrior
WCW/NWO Halloween Havoc
1998
TV Special
The Warrior
The Anti Gravity Room
1996
TV Series
Himself
King of the Ring
1996
TV Special
The Ultimate Warrior
WWF in Your House 7
1996
TV Special
The Ultimate Warrior
WrestleMania XII
1996
TV Special
The Ultimate Warrior
Summerslam
1992
TV Special
The Ultimate Warrior
WrestleMania VIII
1992
TV Special
The Ultimate Warrior
Summerslam
1991
TV Special
The Ultimate Warrior
WrestleMania VII
1991
TV Special
The Ultimate Warrior
Survivor Series
1990
TV Special
The Ultimate Warrior- The Ultimate Warriors)
Seriously... Phil Collins
1990
TV Movie
Himself (as The Ultimate Warrior)
Live with Kelly and Michael
1990
TV Series
Himself
WrestleMania VI
1990
TV Special
The Ultimate Warrior
Survivor Series
1989
TV Special
The Ultimate Warrior - The Ultimate Warriors
WrestleMania V
1989
TV Special
The Ultimate Warrior
Survivor Series
1988
TV Special
The Ultimate Warrior
WrestleMania IV
1988
TV Special
The Ultimate Warrior
Royal Rumble
1988
TV Special
The Ultimate Warrior
The 37th Annual Slammy Awards
1987
TV Special
The Ultimate Warrior
Archive Footage
Title
Year
Status
Character
WWE Raw
1996-2014
TV Series
The Ultimate Warrior Ultimate Warrior
Macho Man: The Randy Savage Story
2014
Video documentary
The Ultimate Warrior
WWE: The Legends of Wrestlemania
2014
TV Series
The Ultimate Warrior
The History of WWE: 50 Years of Sports Entertainment
2013
Video documentary
Himself
Legends of the Mid-South Wrestling
2013
Video
Bladerunner Flash
WWE: Best of WWE at Madison Square Garden
2013
Video
The Ultimate Warrior
WWE: The Best of WarGames
2013
Video
The Warrior
nWo: The Revolution
2012
Video documentary
The Warrior
WWE Saturday Morning Slam
2012
TV Series
Ultimate Warrior
Shawn Michaels vs. Bret Hart
2011
Video
The Ultimate Warrior
WWE All Stars
2011
Video Game
Ultimate Warrior
The True Story of WrestleMania
2011
Video
The Ultimate Warrior
WWE: Bobby 'The Brain' Heenan
2010
Video
The Ultimate Warrior
WWE: The Undertaker's Deadliest Matches
2010
Video
The Ultimate Warrior
Hart and Soul: The Hart Family Anthology
2010
Video
The Ultimate Warrior
WrestleMania XXVI
2010
TV Special
The Ultimate Warrior
WWE: Macho Madness - The Randy Savage Ultimate Collection
2009
Video
The Ultimate Warrior
WWE: Greatest Stars of the '90s
2009
Video
The Ultimate Warrior
WWE Legends of WrestleMania
2009
Video Game
The Ultimate Warrior
WWE: Summerslam - The Complete Anthology, Vol. 1
2009
The Ultimate Warrior
The WWE: The Best of Saturday Night's Main Event
2009
Video
The Ultimate Warrior
WWE: The History of the Intercontinental Championship
2008
Video
Himself (as Ultimate Warrior)
The Life and Times of Mr. Perfect
2008
Video
The Ultimate Warrior
WWE: Royal Rumble - The Complete Anthology, Vol. 1
2007
Video
The Ultimate Warrior
Hannity & Colmes
2007
TV Series
The Ultimate Warrior
Ric Flair & The Four Horsemen
2007
Video documentary
The Ultimate Warrior
WrestleMania 23
2007
TV Special
The Ultimate Warrior
Hulk Hogan: The Ultimate Anthology
2006
Video
The Ultimate Warrior
WWE: The History of the WWE Championship
2006
Video
Himself (as Ultimate Warrior)
Jake 'The Snake' Roberts: Pick Your Poison
2005
Video
The Ultimate Warrior
WWE WrestleMania: The Complete Anthology, Vol. 2
2005
Video
The Ultimate Warrior
WWE WrestleMania: The Complete Anthology, Vol. 3
2005
Video
The Ultimate Warrior
The Self Destruction of the Ultimate Warrior
2005
Video documentary
Himself (as Ultimate Warrior)
Hollywood Hulk Hogan: Hulk Still Rules
2002
Video documentary
Himself (as Ultimate Warrior)
WrestleMania X8
2002
TV Special
Himself (as Ultimate Warrior)
Biography
1999
TV Series documentary
Himself
WWF Supertape Vol. 3
1991
Video
The Ultimate Warrior
Known for movies
Royal Rumble (1991) as The Ultimate Warrior
Summerslam (1990) as The Ultimate Warrior
WCW/NWO Fall Brawl: War Games (1998) as The Warrior