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The
Wrestling World Loses A Road Warrior...
10-16-03
The wrestling
world lost another long-time star on Sunday with the death
of Mike Hegstrand, aka Road Warrior Hawk. He had been packing
for a move when he began feeling ill and took a nap. When
his wife came in to wake him, she found him dead.
Hegstrand,
along with partner Animal (real name: Joe Laurinatis), was
one of the most important figures in 1980s wrestling. The
Road Warriors tag team was one of the most influential of
all time, ushering in an era of muscle-bound brawlers, with
little to no wrestling skill, who would run in and destroy
their opponents. The spiked-leather outfits and face paint
made them a prototype for the types of wrestlers that would
get over in the late 80s and early 90s, including Demolition,
the Powers of Pain, and The Ultimate Warrior.
They
first made their name in Georgia Championship Wrestling, as
a part of a league of wrestlers called the Legion of Doom.
Eventually, that team fizzled and they began competing as
the Road Warriors full time. They caught fire in the NWA when
Jim Crockett seized control, but also had a simultaneous run
in the AWA where they were the Tag Team Champions, eventually
losing the belts the Gorgeous Jimmy Garvin and Mr. Electricity
Steve (don't call me Stephen) Regal. They had memorable feuds
with The Rock 'n Roll Express, the Russians Ivan and Nikita
Koloff, The Midnight Express, and the Four Horsemen. They
were also an important part of the first two War Games / The
Match Beyond in 1987, and in the famous, and awful, Starrcade
1986 Scaffold match.
At the
same time they were tearing up rings in Japan working for
All Japan Pro Wrestling. They were All-Asian Tag Team Champions
and frequently defended the World 6-Man titles there. They
remained a popular attraction after Animal returned to action
in the late 1990s.
They left
for the WWF and had a decent run, though they were certainly
toned down. Hawk and Vince had a falling out and they left
after a few years. They returned during the height of the
Monday Night Wars. They were WWF tag champs again, but they
faded after several stupid angles and further injuries to
Animal.
After
his partner's injuries, Hawk was a frequent singles competitor
for New Japan Pro Wrestling, often teaming with Kensuke Sasaki
as the Hell Raisers. I believe they had a run with the IWGP
Tag Titles, which would mean that Hegstrand would be the only
man to have held the Tag Team Gold in the AWA, WWF, NWA, WCW,
All Japan, and New Japan. He was also popular in Europe's
Catch Wrestling Federation and on the indy circuit.
Hegstrand
was heavily into steroids, so there are many rumors going
around to the effect that will come out to be the cause of
death. Nothing will be known for weeks, but there are many
who are calling this yet another wake up call to an industry
that has seen many of its stars die far too young.
Hegstrand
was 46.
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