The Ultimate Sensationalist

Ultimate Warrior’s untimely death opens door for scandal-mongering Nancy Grace.

The news of pro-wrestling icon The Ultimate Warrior’s death shook the wrestling world late Tuesday night. Just 24 hours removed from Warrior’s return to WWE television, the 54-year-old collapsed outside an Arizona hotel while walking to his car with his wife. His death came mere days after his heartwarming public reconciliation with WWE — he was the main attraction at their Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Saturday, and appeared in front of 75,167 strong at WrestleMania XXX on Sunday — making the news all the more heart wrenching for WWE fans and performers alike.

Sunday afternoon, to prepare for WrestleMania XXX, I rewatched his fabled bout with Hulk Hogan at WrestleMania VI, and got those familiar goose bumps when he beat the WWF Champion with his signature splash. Later that night, I didn’t see the face-painted, tasseled-up superhero of ‘80s and ‘90s fame, but a man content. A gracious, proud father of two who finally made peace with the company that allowed him to inspire legions of fans around the world.

So, like many wrestling fans, Warrior’s death hit me hard. Outpours of love and remembrance lit up my Twitter feed as I tried to process the news. His promo on Monday Night Raw suddenly weighed more on my mind. I thought of his two daughters, whom he praised in his Hall of Fame speech. Yet, somewhere, in the back of my mind, one thought loomed over the rest.

I hope to God Nancy Grace doesn’t get a hold of this.

Images of her accusatory, uninformed tirades following the Chris Benoit double murder-suicide flashed back into my mind, knowing full well that the vile yellow journalist would soon be back to her wrestling-slandering ways. In that summer of 2007, the former prosecutor attempted to both schmooze with the wrestlers she had on her HLN show — apparently, inaccurate information about a guest’s profession is her tactic for flattery — while ripping down their profession at the same time. “Could it be roid rage?” she’d pry in her Georgian drawl. “He must have been under the influence of steroids!” she’d cry.

Side note: Studies on Benoit’s brain by Harvard graduate, former wrestler, and president of Sports Legacy Institute Chris Nowinski indicate that Benoit suffered from a brain condition called CTE, or chronic traumatic encephalopathy. Repeated concussions over a twenty-year career rendered Benoit’s 40-year-old brain similar to that of an 85-year-old Alzheimer’s patient. Steroids likely had nothing to do with it.

In the years since the Benoit tragedy, WWE has implemented one of the most stringent drug testing policies in all of sports. The policy places a ban on over 30 performance-enhancing drugs, in addition to masking agents, illegal drugs, and abuse of prescription medication. One strike, 30-day unpaid suspension. Two, 60 days without a check. Strike three, and you’re out of a job.

Yet their efforts aren’t all about bringing the hammer down. WWE offers drug and alcohol rehabilitation, free of charge, to any formerly signed talent. Each year, they reach out to ex-employees who are a product of an era where these vices were more prevalent in the business. The overall improvement of the sports entertainment culture, in recent years, put Grace’s anti-wrestling agenda on hiatus.

I’d imagine an alarm sounded in Nancy Grace’s bedroom when Warrior was pronounced dead. The flip phone version of “I Wish I Was In Dixie” awoke her in the night, alerting her that at last, another wrestler died young. Finally, she could take a step back from attacking abductees and the parents of abducted children alike, and relax in the comfortable circle of condemning professional wrestling. “Mah gawd,” she probably said in the dark. “This is too easy!”

Her show Wednesday, to no one’s surprise, featured a segment on the fallen legend. “Tonight, a major WWE Superstar dead,” she began, putting an “I told you so” emphasis on the final word. “Accusation of illegal steroids and drugs,” she went on. “What killed the WWE Superstar?”

While it was surely a slip of the tongue, I found it appropriate that she said “accusation,” in its singular form. I’ve been following the updates on Warrior’s death rather closely, and it seems that no one of importance accused Warrior of dying of drug use. Besides, of course, Mrs. Grace herself.

“Now, I don’t quite recognize you with all your clothes on, but I’ll try to get past that,” she casually sexually harassed former WCW and WWE star Diamond Dallas Page before cutting right to the uninformed chase. After once again mentioning the “swirling” accusations of steroid use, she brings up a list of wrestlers who died young.

Of the 23 men listed, 9 of their deaths weren’t linked to drugs. D.J Peterson died in an auto accident, as did both Joey Marella and Brady Boone. Gary Albright suffered a heart attack in the ring. Big Dick Dudley’s kidneys failed. Brian Pillman and Mark Curtis had heart disease and stomach cancer, respectively. Chris Candido died from complications due to surgery, and Owen Hart died from a failed stunt that I thought everyone knew about.

While fourteen dead wrestlers due to drugs is fourteen too many, Grace and her cronies felt that a few more names, regardless of circumstance, wouldn’t hurt — so long as they served their purpose of sensationalizing an issue. At one point, she called back to the graphic, saying, “Let’s see that scroll please, Justin,” as if to once again shock the world with mind-blowing statistics.

Yeah, hit those idiot wrestling fans with some misleading information, Justin.

She then brought in the experts. One was a doctor from Kate Regional Medical Center, a robot-like creature who reminded us that, yes, steroids can kill you. Another was Alexis Tereszcuk from the esteemed RadarOnline.com, who cited sources that described Warrior’s death as a “catastrophic medical event.” While Grace’s eyes widened, hopeful that this could mean he tripped and fell on his syringe, Tereszcuk said it might just mean heart attack.

Grace tried her damnedest — aided by Ultimate Warrior’s admitted steroid use during his career in the ‘80s-‘90s — to perpetuate it into a problem of today, despite the most recent death on her list happening ten years ago. “Why do so many die at such a young age? I mean you’ve got to take into account the steroids and drugs.”

“For starters, I think you have to look at where [wrestling’s drug problem] is today,” Page managed to squeeze in. “Where we are is that the WWE has way stricter policies than the NFL, the NBA or the MLB. They are not just looking for steroids and illegal drugs. They’re looking for painkillers and muscle relaxers… and the reason why guys like Jake ‘The Snake’ Roberts and Scott Hall, and the guys who might have been gone earlier … [they get them] into rehabilitation programs. Their wellness program is off the hook. They have stepped up.”

Page did his best to balance out Grace’s one-track, buzzword obsessed stance. Yet he, like many of her guests, was overshadowed by Grace’s domineering personality and loaded questions. I can’t say this surprised me.

Since her interview, she reclaimed her rightful spot as wrestling’s public enemy number 1. #CancelNancyGrace trended on Twitter for much of Wednesday. I can’t say this surprised me, either.

Wrestling fans, as much as anybody, know how bad conditions once were. We watched our heroes leave our lives too early, our idols fall victim to their vices. Yes, there was a time when a wrestler dying of an overdose hardly raised an eyebrow anymore.

But now, in this new age, we are seeing how far conditions have come. We smile as men like Jake Roberts and Scott Hall use resources provided by WWE to evade the grim path that was once par for the course. Yet we still can’t turn on the TV without seeing finger-waving sensationalists clinging to problems long rectified.

Yes, Nancy Grace, steroids were once a major issue in professional wrestling. Ultimate Warrior may as well be a poster boy for that. Yet, with the news of his passing, that past issue should be nowhere near it. This isn’t the story of a current WWE Superstar dying due to his reckless ways. This is the story of a man who passed away just as he embarked on a new beginning in his life. This is the story of the untimely death of an inspiration to many. This is the story of a wife who lost her husband. This is the story of two young girls who will now live life without a dad.

I get it, Nancy. You’re a muckraker. That’s your gimmick. But open your eyes. There’s no muck left to rake — stop laying the dirt down yourself.

If you’re in the mood to make yourself angry, watch Grace’s interview for yourself.