The Heated Relationship Between Tag Team Partners Sting & The Ultimate Warrior, Explained
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Sting and the Ultimate Warrior were two of the most popular stars of the 1980s and 1990s. Sting was heralded as the face of WCW, and he has a legacy like few others in the sport. On the other hand, the Ultimate Warrior was not on top for too long, but his peak was unlike anyone else. He was the first guy to decisively beat superhero Hulk Hogan, and he accomplished this on the grandest stage of them all, WrestleMania 6.
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These two megastars actually worked together as a tag team for a few years. This was back in 1985 and both Warrior and Sting were looking to break into the main-event scene. Initially, they were part of a four-man faction by the name of Powerteam USA, but they soon broke off and partnered together as the Freedom Fighters. Warrior was known as Justice and Sting took the name of Flash. After a short while, they took on the name of the Blade Runners and dominated all tag teams that stood in their way.
Sting And The Ultimate Warrior Wrestled Together As A Tag Team In Their Early Years
Even back then, the two were popular and the tag team seemed destined for greatness, but they were only able to work together for two years. The Blade Runners disbanded quickly, and it wasn’t exactly a friendly parting. Sting himself admitted that, as a tag team, they were terrible and not very good at wrestling. During the short-lived partnership, Sting was dealing with an injured shoulder and Warrior, well, he wasn’t a very good wrestler in general.
On top of that, they were making 25 bucks a night. Warrior described this way of living as pretty miserable and while they worked together and lived under the same roof, Sting and Warrior were not really close friends. Their philosophies were different in every way possible. Sting saw wrestling as one thing and Warrior saw it as something else. Even when it came to life, Sting and Warrior were different people and maybe this led to the two being associates, but not close friends.
The Ultimate Warrior Stood Up To Bill Watts
One day, sick and tired from making peanuts, the Blade Runners set their sights on Mid-South and the person in charge there Cowboy Bill Watts. According to Warrior, Watts had a habit of breaking newcomers to see if they would be able to endure the business.
According to Warrior, Watts ordered him to get on all fours in the locker room and let the other guys beat him up. This was a common practice on part of Bill Watts to test the new wrestlers, and in most cases, the guy on the receiving end of the kicks would end up breaking a few ribs.
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Apparently, Warrior went up to Watts and told him that if he wanted him on all fours, he would have to put Warrior in that position by force. Watts backed off and the rest of the locker room stood in awe of Warrior as nobody had stepped up to Watts like that. As per Warrior, Bill Watts wasn’t “man enough” to do anything to Warrior.
The Ultimate Warrior And Sting Both Went On To Have Legendary Careers
Warrior then looked around the locker room and found Sting just standing there. This is what pissed him off as he felt that Sting, his tag-team partner, should have backed him up. Warrior felt betrayed, and their relationship quickly fell apart. In Warrior’s own words, he was never afraid to think for himself while Sting liked it if someone was there to “handle” him.
After this incident, the two did not speak to each other. Warrior later called World Class Championship Wrestling and went over there. In WCCW, he became the Dingo Warrior and soon moved to WWE, and the rest is history.
Sting went on to have a much better career, both in terms of in-ring success and career longevity. While Warrior clearly held a grudge against him, Sting didn’t. During one interview, Sting said that he didn’t get along with Warrior because Warrior was a little too paranoid of everyone.
However, Sting was happy that Warrior found his niche in pro wrestling and complimented him for the success he had achieved in the business. Upon the death of Ultimate Warrior, Sting mourned the loss, stating that he was forever grateful to the Warrior for pushing him to be the best he could be.
