It’s time for WWE to rename the Warrior Award.
Each year, WWE presents the Warrior Award at the Hall of Fame induction ceremony. It’s given to people who are courageous, honorable and have overcome adversity.
Over the past several years, wrestling fans have pleaded with WWE to name the award after someone else, anyone else, due to The Ultimate Warrior’s history of racist, homophobic, hateful and downright cruel public statements.
Ultimate Warrior’s Beliefs
The Ultimate Warrior had made many controversial statements before his passing on Apr. 8, 2014. He wrote blog posts and spoke publicly about his offensive personal beliefs.
Vice published an article with several quotes from The Ultimate Warrior, like mocking Heath Ledger’s and Bobby Heenan’s death. He also made offensive remarks regarding the LGBT community and the black community.
In 2005, The Ultimate Warrior shared some of his problematic beliefs with students at The University of Connecticut. A video of the speech was published on Youtube. He expressed that the LGBT community and Kwanzaa were illegitimate during his speech.
“…In the classrooms across this country, minds are being trained anti-truth, anti- discipline, anti-virtue, anti-American. We are training minds in this country and the schools across this nation literally to be anti-mine, and this continued idiotic assault to rationality and reason upside down on its head and supplant feelings for thinking so much so that every word of every concept in every act of every action no longer have any meaning has compromised not only our republic but our humanity altogether to an offensive of world relativity where everything is just as legitimate as everything else, where there are no absolutes. No right or wrong. No true or false,” said the Ultimate Warrior.
He continued, “… The broadest and most despicable illustration of this most destructive consequence of moral relativity is that barbarism today is as legitimate as civilization. Nothing subject to moral relativity is left out to these two extremes. That the bums is as legitimate as the businessman.” The Ultimate Warrior brought up homosexuality. However, a female student groaned in displeasure, and he made a sexist remark. He shared, “…Let me come down off my politically correct horse, that queers are as legitimate as heterosexuals. He also shared he believed homosexuality wasn’t legitimate. When asked why by upset students, he said “reality.” He also said “…That Kwanzaa is just as legitimate as Santa Claus at Christmas.”
Dana Warrior on Her Husband Past
The widow of the Ultimate Warrior, Dana Warrior, shared before his passing that he changed his heart thanks to his daughters. It’s unclear precisely what that means, but fans will never know if he changed his views or became accepting of others. Unfortunately for the Warrior Family, The Ultimate Warrior has a documented history of controversial and offensive comments.
Wrestling fans believe that WWE can have someone else’s name attached to the award.
Why Shad Gaspard Should be Considered
WWE announced that Shad Gaspard would posthumously receive the Warrior Award in the 2022 Hall of Fame. On May. 17, 2020, Gaspard and his son were caught in a strong current while swimming. When Lifeguards came to help, he instructed them to help his son first, and Gaspard disappeared at sea to be found dead days later. He passed away at 39 years old. He was beloved by his peers and fans, that also believed Gaspard should be honored by naming the award after him.
The company’s description of the Warrior Award is “…presented to an individual who has exhibited unwavering strength and perseverance and who lives life with the courage and compassion that embodies the indomitable spirit of The Ultimate Warrior.” Wrestling fans believe that Gaspard is a true embodiment of courage and compassion.
While The Ultimate Warrior is a wrestling legend, he has a problematic past. His past comments contradict what the WWE considers to be his character. Gaspard fits WWE’s criteria, and the company also believes because he’s receiving the award posthumously. Although it may come with WWE having to answer admit wrongdoing, the company should consider renaming the Warrior Award.
