LEGACY
THE IMPACT IN THEIR WAKE
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THE IMPACT IN THEIR WAKE
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THE MAIN EVENT TAG TEAMThere are wrestling stars whose name value alone qualifies them to headline any lineup. Across the decades, talents who won world championships and made the most of their television time can not only fetch a hefty fee for their appearances, but can draw fans to arenas for the chance to see them perform.
While many such names have existed in pro wrestling since the 1980s, only a handful of tag teams can stake their claim among that group, and the at the top of the list is The Road Warriors. In the 1980s and 1990s, no other tag team had the attention and adoration of fans such that they could be the main event for a live/”house show” event, a televised card, or even a pay-per-view spectacle. Not only did The Road Warriors accomplish this task, they did so across the globe, night after night, and left the fans thirsting for the return of Hawk & Animal to their town. |
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Non-wrestling fans often know the names of a few wrestlers, usually singles stars such as Hulk Hogan, Andre the Giant, Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Rock, or John Cena. This is likely due to the mainstream exposure of these stars, such as appearances in movies or television series beyond the scope of pro wrestling.
When asked about tag teams in wrestling, few members of the general public will offer any other name besides The Road Warriors/The Legion of Doom. Their distinctive face paint, spiked shoulder pads, amazing physiques, and larger-than-life persona set Animal & Hawk apart from other teams, not only in the eyes of serious wrestling fans, but in the memories of the general public. When Jim Crockett Promotions engaged with Cineplex Odeon Television for the Canadian TV sitcom, "Learning The Ropes", wrestlers from the National Wrestling Alliance were set to appear in each episode. Starring football great Lyle Alzado as a high school teacher who moonlights as masked professional wrestler "The Masked Maniac", the show only lasted a single season, but The Road Warriors were featured in not one but two episodes, and are the most prevalent wrestlers in the show's opening. In 1990, Animal even took part in the WCW vs. GLOW episodes of the game show Family Feud, appearing alongside team captain Sting, Lex Luger, Scott Steiner, & Rick Steiner. To leverage the popularity of The Legion of Doom, the WWF even put Hawk & Animal on boxes of cereal, as part of a series that also included boxes featuring Hulk Hogan and The Ultimate Warrior. |
“We were in San Antonio, and this was a great time in the business. This was a great time in the wrestling business.”
“Hogan waved at me when Vince wasn’t looking and gave me the thumbs up,” said Animal. “I looked at Hawk and said, ‘Bro, let’s give Vince a Doomsday.’ So I got behind Vince and got him on my shoulders, and Hawk literally jumped on the stage at a male dance place—with female dancers, mind you—and the dancer moved aside, because she probably wasn’t used to seeing a 275-pound man with traps coming out of his ears. Then Hawk came running off the stage and clotheslined Vince off my shoulders.”
“You can only imagine all of us doing this right in the middle of a dance club, but it was all done in fun. Shortly after, we were all escorted out.”
![]() Unlike most tag teams with years of longevity, The Road Warriors never faced each other one-on-one. In fact, if you omit "every man for himself"-style matches such as The Royal Rumble, The Bunkhouse Stampede, and other battle royals, Animal and Hawk only ever stood across from each other for a single match in their careers.
At WCW Slamboree 1996 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, the Lethal Lottery made its return, this time by "randomly" determining the tag teams who would face off during the show. The winners of each tag team match would qualify for the Battlebowl battle royal at the end of the night, with the winner being named Lord of the Ring and gaining a shot at the WCW World Heavyweight Championship. The first match of the Lord of the Ring tournament saw Booker T & Animal take on Lex Luger & Hawk. The match ended in a double count out, with neither team advancing to the battle royal. Animal and Hawk never faced off during the match, and it was in fact their solidarity as a team that led to the match's end. When Hawk came in to help Luger, Lex shoved Hawk, and they began brawling. Unable to see his partner being attacked, Animal ran in to attack Luger, and within seconds, Hawk & Animal were working together to attack Booker T & Luger, to the great cheers of the crowd in The Riverside Centroplex. The brawls spilled outside, and both teams were eventually counted out. After Luger and Booker T left the fray, Animal & Hawk returned to the ring, high-fived each other, and the crowd began to chant "L-O-D" in support of the duo's unity. |