"Boy, they were terrible" – WWE Hall of Famer on Sting and The Ultimate Warrior
Sting and The Ultimate Warrior were more like bodybuilders than wrestlers when they broke into the wrestling business, according to WWE legend Bushwhacker Luke.
Known as The Blade Runners, Flash (Sting) and Justice (Warrior) worked in Memphis at the start of their careers in the mid-1980s. They were managed by Dutch Mantell, who has been outspoken about the duo's lackluster in-ring skills.
On the Cheap Heat Productions podcast, Luke recalled how both men were "terrible" wrestlers:
"I knew him before he became The Ultimate Warrior. I knew him when he was with Sting and they were called The Blade Runners. And, boy, they were terrible. They were trained by a well-known guy on the west coast who trained a lot of guys, but these were two bodybuilders." [10:34 – 11:02]
Sting and The Ultimate Warrior later became huge stars as singles competitors in the NWA/WCW and WWE, respectively.
In case you missed it, you can check out the Smackdown results here.
If you're interested in sports betting, the New York Giants play the Minnesota Vikings this weekend! Don't miss out. Claim the offer and place your bets below!
Get up to $1,000 in free bets if your first bet loses at Fanduel.
Bushwhacker Luke explains why The Ultimate Warrior succeeded
While Sting significantly improved as a wrestler, The Ultimate Warrior was never known for possessing impressive in-ring ability.
Load the spaceship with the rocket fuel, load it with the Warriors! - Ultimate Warrior #TeamWarrior #WWE https://t.co/nKMqxob0p7
In Bushwhacker Luke's opinion, Warrior only succeeded because former WWE Chairman Vince McMahon liked his superstars to have bodybuilder physiques:
"Warrior only worried about his body, even in WWF [WWE]. That's what he was there for, to get paid to work out and his body. He didn't care so much about the wrestling. They were terrible. Sting was the much better worker. He learned the business properly. Warrior, he was lucky that Vince loved bodybuilders otherwise he wouldn't have been booked anywhere." [11:03 – 11:41]
Warrior passed away in 2014, three days after his WWE Hall of Fame induction. Bushwhacker Luke and Sting also joined the Hall of Fame in 2015 and 2016, respectively.
What do you make of Sting and Warrior's wrestling careers? Let us know in the comments section below.
A new book about Butch and Luke, The Bushwhackers: Blood, Sweat & Cheers, is available now.
Please credit the Cheap Heat Productions Podcast and give a H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling if you use quotes from this article.