Author Topic: R.I.P. The Road Warriors (WWE Hall Of Famers) (Read 553 times)

supa2520 · « **on:** September 23, 2020, 11:56:28 AM »

well guys for those who do know and dont know
ill put both stories and history on Hawk And Animal so here it is

Michael Hegstrand (Hawk) started his career as part of the Traveling All-Stars. He was billed as "Crusher Von Haig" and wrestled in Vancouver. Hawk soon grew weary of the road and would become homesick. He traveled back home with another Sharkey trainee, Rick Rude. In 1983 fate struck these two again. Animal's partner for the night would find himself in legal trouble. Needing a quick replacement, Ole Anderson gave Hawk a call. They would be paired together again, this time as tag team partners. Anderson gave them the name the Road Warriors. Neither man knew at the time that they would make wrestling history that day.

When Paul Ellering was looking to put together a stable of heels in Georgia Championship Wrestling called The Legion of Doom it was decided to pair Laurinaitis with Hegstrand and change their names to "Animal" and "Hawk" respectively; thus, The Road Warriors were born. To look more intimidating the two shaved their heads into Mohawks and started wearing studded dog collars, leather chaps, and face paint. The look and name was taken from Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior, helping to paint the two as no-mercy monsters. Their interview style was vicious, yet charismatic and a bit humorous. Hawk was known for often beginning his promos with his trademark yell of "WELLLLLLLLLLLLLL!..." and ending with his catch phrase of "OOOOOOOOOH, WHAT A RUUUUUUUUUUUUSH!"

The team was an instant hit, revolutionizing the tag-team scene with their power moves, no mercy attitudes, and innovative face paint that would spawn many future imitators in wrestling.In Georgia they won the NWA National Tag Team Championship four times before moving on to bigger promotions such as the American Wrestling Association in the US and All Japan Pro Wrestling in Japan, winning tag-team titles wherever they went.

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Joseph Michael Laurinaitis (Animal) grew up in Minnesota, having to work for a living from a very early age. He attended Irondale High School. Because of his size and love of power lifting, Laurinaitis was an imposing figure and thus a very effective bouncer. He worked as a bouncer at Grandma B's in the Twin Cities where he caught the eye of Eddie Sharkey, a well-known wrestling trainer. Sharkey thought that Laurinaitis and Mike Hegstrand, Richard Rood, and Barry Darsow could make it big in professional wrestling, and trained all four of them.

Animal returned to WWE in mid-2005 and decided to dedicate his entire run to Hegstrand, including his tag team title victory with Heidenreich at The Great American Bash.

On the March 28, 2011 episode of Raw, it was announced that the Road Warriors would be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2011. On April 2, 2011, the night before WrestleMania XXVII they, along with Paul Ellering were inducted into the Hall Of Fame by Dusty Rhodes.

Championships and accomplishments

The Road Warriors/Legion Of Doom

All Japan Pro Wrestling
NWA International Tag Team Championship (1 time)
American Wrestling Association
AWA World Tag Team Championship (1 time)
Georgia Championship Wrestling
NWA National Tag Team Championship (4 times)

Jim Crockett Promotions | World Championship Wrestling
NWA World Six-Man Tag Team Championship (3 times) - with Dusty Rhodes (2) and Genichiro Tenryu (1)
NWA World Tag Team Championship (1 time)
NWA Jim Crockett Sr. Memorial Cup winners in 1986.
NWA Iron Team Tournament winners in 1989.

WWF/WWE
WWF Tag Team Championship (2 times)
WWE Tag Team Championship with Heidenreich (1 time)
WWE Hall of Fame (Class of 2011)

Pro Wrestling Illustrated
PWI Tag Team of the Year award in 1982.
PWI Tag Team of the Year award in 1984.
PWI Tag Team of the Year award in 1985.
PWI Feud of the Year award in 1987 - Road Warriors & Super Powers vs. The Four Horsemen.
PWI Tag Team of the Year award in 1988.
PWI ranked them # 1 of the 100 best tag teams during the "PWI Years" in 2003.
PWI Top 5 Tag Team (No.1)

Other titles
i-Generation Tag Team Championship (2 times)
IPW Tag Team Championship (1 time)
PCW World Tag Team Championship (1 time)
WWZ Tag Team Championship (1 time)
Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards
Rookie(s) of the Year (1983)
Tag Team of the Year (1984)
Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame (Class of 1996)

The Hell Raisers
New Japan Pro Wrestling
IWGP Tag Team Championship (2 times)
Pro Wrestling Illustrated
PWI ranked them #50 of the 100 best tag teams during the "PWI Years"
L.O.D. 2005

The Hell Warriors
UWA Tag Team Championship (1 time)

Their Deaths:
Hegstrand died on October 19, 2003 in the early morning in his home in Indian Rocks Beach, Florida.He was 46 years old. His friends said that he and his wife Dale had recently bought a condominium near their current home and were packing their boxes the night before. Hegstrand said that he felt tired and went to take a nap. When his wife checked on him at about 1 a.m., he had died of a sudden heart attack. At the time of his death, Hawk and Animal were working on a book about their careers.

Joe Laurinaitis died on September 22, 2020, ten days after his 60th birthday. He appeared on the Legion of Raw podcast earlier in the day.

The WWE released the following statement regarding his passing:

WWE is saddened to learn that Joe Laurinaitis, known to WWE fans as Road Warrior Animal, has passed away at the age of 60. One of the most intense Superstars to ever step into the squared circle, the 6-foot-2, 300-pound Animal spent the majority of his career alongside his tag team partner, Hawk. Together, they formed what was arguably the most successful, popular and feared tandem of all time 2014 The Road Warriors. With their intimidating face paint, outfits covered in metal spikes and impressive array of power moves, the duo captured titles and destroyed opponents wherever they roamed. Their dominance made them so popular that the phrase Road Warrior has been used in locker rooms to describe particularly deafening reactions from the crowd ever since. The Road Warriors thrived in multiple stints with WWE, where they were known as The Legion of Doom. The team won the World Tag Team Titles on two occasions and were eventually enshrined in the WWE Hall of Fame. WWE extends its condolences to Laurinaitis family, friends and fans.

wow all I can say is b4 the hardy boys, Team 3D,the stinder bros, the hart foundation ,harlem heat,
the Road Warriors were one of the most legendary tag team that has ever step into the ring
and now the brothers are reunited in heaven

may they rest in peace