LEGACY
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THE IMPACT IN THEIR WAKE
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MAKING THE FANS BELIEVE
Babyface Curt Hennig's head became twisted in the ropes, giving The Road Warriors the perfect opportunity to brutalize the son of Larry "The Ax" Hennig.
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 The Road Warriors mercilessly pummel Curt Hennig
The size and appearance of Hawk & Animal was certainly intimidating, but seeing them in action made fans believe they were indeed the maulers they appeared to be. As with many other successful wrestling gimmicks, these weren't so much characters that Mike & Joe were playing, they were extensions of themselves, who they were in real life.
Working as bouncers at Gramma B's in Minneapolis, Minnesota, they were literally paid every day to manhandle and, when necessary, beat people up for a living. Becoming professional wrestlers took this to the next level, and they were true professionals in the field. The fans believed that The Road Warriors could beat anyone because they believed that Hawk & Animal could beat anyone *up*. This helped them garner not only the adoration of the fans, but the respect of their peers in the locker room, and their longevity in the business was largely due to their perception as, in Hawk's words, "..the two biggest cats walking this stinkin', rotten planet." |
HEELS YOU CAN'T HELP BUT LOVE
No matter how many times The Road Warriors jumped the babyface or local favorite, their sheer dominance made fans see them as a force to be reckoned with. As they became more widely known, both through wrestling magazines and by traveling between territories, fans began to identify with their outlaw nature and complete confidence in the face of all competition.
Fans soon began to cheer Hawk & Animal, despite them clearly being heels in nearly every situation. Rather than fighting the tide, promoters decided to capitalize on this popularity by placing them across the ring from their top heels, and the result was even more thunderous support for The Road Warriors, despite neither man changing their styles or tactics for the change.
From mid-1985's feud with The Russians, which positioned The Road Warriors as America's defenders in the midst of The Cold War, fans' support for Animal & Hawk was unwavering, and when they were turned heel in October 1988, fans continued to cheer them despite the carnage they inflicted upon top babyfaces like Sting and Dusty Rhodes. Their return to the babyface side commenced in February 1989, and they remained babyfaces throughout the remainder of their careers.
Fans soon began to cheer Hawk & Animal, despite them clearly being heels in nearly every situation. Rather than fighting the tide, promoters decided to capitalize on this popularity by placing them across the ring from their top heels, and the result was even more thunderous support for The Road Warriors, despite neither man changing their styles or tactics for the change.
From mid-1985's feud with The Russians, which positioned The Road Warriors as America's defenders in the midst of The Cold War, fans' support for Animal & Hawk was unwavering, and when they were turned heel in October 1988, fans continued to cheer them despite the carnage they inflicted upon top babyfaces like Sting and Dusty Rhodes. Their return to the babyface side commenced in February 1989, and they remained babyfaces throughout the remainder of their careers.
JOBBERS' WORST NIGHTMARE
When they were just starting out in wrestling, Joe & Mike took their street brawling into the squared circle, and with their limited experience, most of their moves were high-impact and brutal for their opponents. Though they would learn to "work" their strikes and lessen the damage to their opponents, their style remained smashmouth and violent.
Stories exist of jobbers showing up to TV tapings, seeing their names opposite The Road Warriors on the match board, and then walking right back out the door. Once their top rope clothesline finisher (later named "The Doomsday Device") was created, the desire to avoid injury became even more urgent. Thankfully, most squash matches involving The Road Warriors lasted less than five minutes, often less than two minutes, and one lucky jobber was tossed out of the ring as soon as the bell rang. No one wanted the short straw in those matches, but at least it ended quickly.
Despite the bumps and bruises that inevitably occurred, there is nothing on the books indicating abuse or serious injury at the hands of Hawk & Animal. While they were rough with their opponents, they still made sure to protect those on the receiving end of the punishment.
Stories exist of jobbers showing up to TV tapings, seeing their names opposite The Road Warriors on the match board, and then walking right back out the door. Once their top rope clothesline finisher (later named "The Doomsday Device") was created, the desire to avoid injury became even more urgent. Thankfully, most squash matches involving The Road Warriors lasted less than five minutes, often less than two minutes, and one lucky jobber was tossed out of the ring as soon as the bell rang. No one wanted the short straw in those matches, but at least it ended quickly.
Despite the bumps and bruises that inevitably occurred, there is nothing on the books indicating abuse or serious injury at the hands of Hawk & Animal. While they were rough with their opponents, they still made sure to protect those on the receiving end of the punishment.
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Concerning a match in Georgia Championship Wrestling against jobbers Randy Barber & Joe Young:
"The impact we made on our opponents left the audience feeling like they'd witnessed a disfiguring car accident." |
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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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HOUSEHOLD NAMES & INSTANT RECOGNIZABILITY
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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. |
OWNING THEIR NAMES
According to Animal and Hawk in various shoot interviews, the two men owned the trademark to both of their team’s names, “The Road Warriors” and “Legion of Doom” for use in professional wrestling. This meant that any use of either name would require their approval, which became especially lucrative when they joined the World Wrestling Federation in 1990.
Rumor has it that Vince McMahon chose to call them The Legion of Doom, rather than The Road Warriors, so that he might own the rights to the “Legion of Doom” moniker in his ever-expanding merchandising business. Instead, he was forced to lease the name from Animal & Hawk for the duration of their contracts.
Rumor has it that Vince McMahon chose to call them The Legion of Doom, rather than The Road Warriors, so that he might own the rights to the “Legion of Doom” moniker in his ever-expanding merchandising business. Instead, he was forced to lease the name from Animal & Hawk for the duration of their contracts.
NOT NEEDING BELTS TO DRAW
While the legacy of a given wrestler can be defined in many ways, the championships they won during their career are often sited as a measure of their success. Others achieve great renown based largely upon their characters, without the need for titles to establish or boost their credibility.
The Road Warriors have the distinction of falling into both of these categories. While regularly and consistently occupying spots near, and sometimes at, the top of the card (an incredibly rare feat for a tag team of any era), Hawk & Animal proved themselves as box office draws for many years without the benefit of championships for much of their time “on top”. They were considered by most fans to be the top tag team in the business, and titles were not needed to demonstrate their dominance.
The Road Warriors have the distinction of falling into both of these categories. While regularly and consistently occupying spots near, and sometimes at, the top of the card (an incredibly rare feat for a tag team of any era), Hawk & Animal proved themselves as box office draws for many years without the benefit of championships for much of their time “on top”. They were considered by most fans to be the top tag team in the business, and titles were not needed to demonstrate their dominance.
HALL OF FAME
On the March 28, 2011 edition of Monday Night RAW, it was announced that The Road Warriors and manager Precious Paul Ellering would be part of the WWE Hall of Fame’s Class of 2011. Fans were thrilled, and many felt that this was long overdue considering their impact on the industry.
On April 2, 2011, long-time partner Dusty Rhodes inducted the team, sharing stories of working with them in the ring, traveling with them across the country, and detailing the attributes that made them such an exceptional team. The video summarizing their legendary careers charged the audience with energy, and Dusty introduced the two surviving members of the threesome. Animal and Paul Ellering took the stage, joined by a Hasbro figure of Hawk on the podium in memory of their late partner and brother in the ring. Chants of “L-O-D” resonated from the crowd in attendance, demonstrating their respect and appreciation for the memories created and roads paved by the team. Both Animal and Paul told stories of life on the road and in the ring, shared memories of Hawk and his dynamic personality, and paid respect to the performers that helped them in their careers by teaching them the craft and working to make Hawk & Animal stars to have an impact on the business. Despite their legendary careers, the focus of their speech was gratitude and respect for the business and their forebearers. |
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VINCE TAKES THE DOOMSDAY DEVICE
Animal recounted to Sports Illustrated about the time they surprised Vince McMahon with their finishing maneuver, The Doomsday Device, in a Texas strip club.
According to Animal, the LOD were infamous for delivering their signature move, anywhere, anytime, and apparently, not even the boss was safe.
According to Animal, the LOD were infamous for delivering their signature move, anywhere, anytime, and apparently, not even the boss was safe.
“We were in San Antonio, and this was a great time in the business. This was a great time in the wrestling business.”
Most of the talent—which included Hulk Hogan, the Road Warriors, the Hart Foundation’s Bret Hart and Jim Neidhart, and the Warlord—were relaxing after a long stretch of shows, when Animal saw the cue from Hogan that McMahon needed to go up for the Doomsday Device, which saw Animal hoist a man up on his shoulders and then Hawk would leap from the top rope and clothesline him off.
“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.”
Hogan caught Vince so he did not have to take the flip from the clothesline.
“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.”
FACING EACH OTHER
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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. |