R.I.P. The Ultimate Warrior

James Brian Hellwig, better known to the world as The Ultimate Warrior, has passed away at age fifty-four. His cause of death has not been released.

The Warrior wasn’t a metal musician (although his get-up certainly fit in with the metal world’s fashion sense), and his connection to metal was tangential at best: he was at least partially the inspiration for the lyrics to The Red Chord’s “Floating Through the Vein,” he roasted Zakk Wylde, he tortured Asking Alexandria. But Vince and I were both huge fans when we were kids, and we know we’re not alone in the metal community, so it felt appropriate to take a moment to say our farewells.

R.I.P., Mr. Warrior. You will remain The Ultimate forever and all time.

Rest in power, Ultimate Warrior.

— Mike McKenzie (@gunface1) April 9, 2014

What The Ultimate Warrior did for his fans in that Final Speech is something MONEY CAN'T BUY. It Does Not Matter How He Died. Rest In Peace.

— Vernon Reid (@vurnt22) April 9, 2014

Warrior!! RIP :(

— Mark Hunter (@chimairamark) April 9, 2014

RIP #UltimateWarrior Big loss to the wrestling world…..

— Bumblefoot (@bumblefoot) April 9, 2014