Deceased WWE legend threatened Vince McMahon that he would miss SummerSlam? Fiasco that was avoided

SummerSlam is WWE's second-biggest event of the year after WrestleMania. The company pulls off all the stops to pierce together memorable shows to maintain the prestige and integrity of the long-lasting tradition.

WWE's dedication was visible during the controversial summer of 1991 when a deceased Hall of Famer threatened to miss SummerSlam if Vince McMahon didn't pay him half a million dollars.

The Ultimate Warrior was one of the most polarizing figures in professional wrestling. Much of the disdain and disapproval of his bold actions in the final weeks leading up to SummerSlam 1991.

Hulk Hogan and Ultimate Warrior were advertised to face The "Triangle of Terror"- Sgt. Slaughter, General Adnan, and Colonel Mustafa. Hogan and Warrior were not on the best of terms in real life at the time, but the latter struck a nerve with Vince McMahon a month before The Biggest Party of The Summer.

SummerSlam Season! Today's shot is from the "Match Made in Hell" main event in 1991. ☀️ #WWE #WWF #Wrestling #SummerSlam #TriangleofTerror #SidJustice #UltimateWarrior #HulkHogan https://t.co/zVUt71GlNO

The deceased Hall of Famer sent a letter enlisting an insane list of demands, including a hefty sum and a set schedule. Warrior felt he was on the same level as The Hulkster and thus thought he deserved more privileges.

In the documentary The Self Destruction of The Ultimate Warrior, the 77-year-old businessman described the events.

“Ultimate Warrior basically came to me and figuratively held a gun to my head and said, ‘Hey, I’m not going to perform unless you pay me x number of dollars.”

According to Slaughter and other media outlets, the amount was a whopping half a million dollars.

Mr.McMahon, committed to producing what was advertised, obliged. At WWE SummerSlam 1991, The heroic Americans in Warrior and Hogan prevailed over the villains as expected.

However, as the two-time Intercontinental Champion went backstage, McMahon suspended him, and Warrior's career was never the same. He returned eight months later for a brief stint but would never go on to become the massive superstar many had pegged him to become in the late 1980s.

Despite their falling out at WWE SummerSlam 1991, Warrior and McMahon mended fences

“Do in your life what will live forever!” - Ultimate Warrior #WWE https://t.co/giPLZDVu49

The real-life rivalry between Warrior and McMahon quickly escalated from betrayals to lawsuits to documentaries. However, the two parties, fortunately, mended fences and buried the hatchet many years later.

The one-time WWE Champion was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2014. He delivered a final emotional address to the fans on the night after WrestleMania 30. This would be the Warrior's last public appearance as he died of a heart attack the next day.

In honor of his legendary career and spirit, WWE introduced the Warrior Award in 2015, which has become a staple in Hall of Fame induction ceremonies.