The Death & Legacy Of The Road Warriors Hawk & Animal, Explained

Highlights

• The Road Warriors, consisting of Hawk and Animal, were one of the most dominant and iconic tag teams in professional wrestling history.
• They had a legendary career, winning numerous titles and competing against other legendary tag teams.
• Despite their tragic passings, the Road Warriors left behind a lasting legacy and were highly respected by their fellow wrestlers.

When fans think of the very best tag teams to ever step into the ring, there are numerous names that come to mind. They include teams such as The Dudley Boyz, The Hardy Boyz, The Young Bucks, and many more. Included in the top tag teams of all time also includes the legendary Road Warriors. Consisting of Hawk and Animal, the dominant duo began their run in the 1980s. From there, they wrestled any and everywhere in promotions such as the NWA, WCW, AJPW, AWA, WWE, and more. They quickly became huge stars and carried immense star power wherever they went. Tragically, both members have passed away. However, Hawk and Animal have left a legacy in professional wrestling that very few other teams can contend with.

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The Road Warriors Legendary Wrestling Career

Hawk and Animal became a tag team in 1983 when they were both wrestling in Georgia Championship Wrestling. It was also there where they came up with the iconic face paint and shoulder pad look that defined them throughout their careers. Paired with incredible in-ring work and chemistry, the duo went on an unstoppable run. Wherever they went, they were presented as a dominant and powerful team. Paul Ellering was very valuable to The Road Warriors as their manager. Their Doomsday Device finisher guaranteed them numerous victories. All of this resonated with the fans, who came to love the pairing of Hawk and Animal. “The Road Warrior Pop” even came into the terminology of fans when referring to the cheers that they received daily when they were wrestling.

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Despite some disputes between Hawk and Animal at points, they would find their ways back to each other and continue their runs of dominance. The duo won countless titles with each other, including the NWA International Tag Team Titles, the NWA National Tag Team Titles, the NWA World Tag Team Titles, the AWA World Tag Team Titles, and the WWE World Tag Team Titles. They also competed against numerous other legends in tag team matches, including The Midnight Express, The Hart Foundation, The New Age Outlaws, and more. Hawk and Animal continued to work together as a team up until 2003, wrestling their final match in July 2003 in Japan against The Crushers. The final time that fans saw them compete in WWE happened earlier that same year when they challenged Kane and Rob Van Dam for the World Tag Team Titles in a losing effort.

Hawk And Animal's Tragic Passings

Tragically, Hawk passed away on October 9, 2003. The cause of death was due to a heart attack. Animal would continue to wrestle following the passing of Hawk. He had a brief stint in WWE in 2005, even winning the WWE Tag Team Titles with Heidenreich. However, he did not stay in WWE for too long. He went on to wrestle in Japan. In 2011, The Road Warriors and Paul Ellering were inducted into the WWE Hall Of Fame.

The next year, Animal wrestled his final match ever against Heath Slater on an episode of SmackDown. He continued to make one-off appearances in professional wrestling in various different ways, including at the All In show in 2018. On September 22, 2020, Animal passed away due to a heart attack.

The Legacy Of The Road Warriors In Tag Team Wrestling

The Road Warriors have left behind one of the most truly legendary and iconic careers of any tag team in professional wrestling. They became tremendous stars in the business, beating any and all who dared to challenge them. A highly decorated duo, they were incredibly respected by their fellow wrestlers as well. Arn Anderson said in an interview with ARN (h/t 411Mania), “...the main thing is, those guys were a huge attraction. A Road Warrior pop is a very real thing. It’s a reaction coming through the curtain that’s at a different level. It’s a badge of courage that those guys have taken on their next trip with them. Anyone that saw them come through the curtain and were lucky enough to be in the ring waiting to be their opponent and to experience something that you’ll probably never experience again – they were special and they were good human beings. They’re gonna be missed. They were both taken away way too soon.”

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Tag team wrestling is incredibly important to professional wrestling. Without the contributions of Hawk and Animal to the business, it is safe to say that it would not be the same as fans know and love it today. They were truly two of the greatest competitors of all time who came together to create a truly great tag team.