WWE Producer Calls Late World Champion ‘A First-Class A**hole’
A WWE producer has harshly reviewed their work relationship with a late world champion.
Speaking on the latest Something to Wrestle podcast, Bruce Prichard called The Ultimate Warrior ‘a first-class a**hole’ while reflecting on his personal history with him.
Warrior, real name James Hellwig, was one of the company’s top wrestlers in the late 1980s and early 1990s despite being highly controversial.
The then-WWF and Ultimate Warrior were engaged in a series of lawsuits in 1996 and 1998, both alleging legal ownership of their respective trademarks.
In 2005, WWE released a documentary, The Self-Destruction of the Ultimate Warrior, further exacerbating the relationship.
I first met Jim Hellwig when he was three months in the business in Mid-South, and from the very first interaction with him, he was a first-class a**hole. He was not a good person. He was difficult to work with. Thought he knew it all, and he was just a real jerk… I did not like the human being.
Prichard, who managed the talent budget at the time, recalled the setbacks the company suffered due to Warrior’s demands.
Warrior was the last one to be done, because I remember his kick the f**k out of the budget. So it wasn’t pretty for me, having to manage it, and just go, ‘What the hell?’
The Ultimate Warrior Returned To WWE In 2014
The Ultimate Warrior ended his first stint with WWE in November 1992.
Following his departure, he became semi-retired while taking up sporadic gigs in promotions like World Wrestling Superstars and National Wrestling Conference.
He returned to the Stamford promotion in 1996 for a brief feud with Hunter Hearst Helmsley, where he won a squash match at WrestleMania XII.
Following a 1998 stint in WCW, he called the curtains on his professional wrestling career.
He made a surprise return at WrestleMania XXX, where he was inducted into the Hall of Fame. He also appeared on the following Raw episode, which turned out to be his final public appearance as he died the following day.