During the latest edition of his “What Happened When” podcast, AEW broadcaster Tony Schiavone discussed his ROH debut at Final Battle 2023, his relationship with The Ultimate Warrior, and more.
You can check out some highlights from the podcast below:
On how his ROH debut came about: “I’m backstage. I think the Zero Hour had already started, and Sonjay comes by me. He says, ‘Have you checked your texts?’ I went, ‘No.’ We got these text threads. I don’t know why I didn’t check it because I check it all the time. It said, it was from Sonjay, Sonjay said, ‘Tony wants you to do an interview on this pay-per-view.’ I went, ‘God…’ It’s not that I don’t want to do it, it’s just like, okay, what is it gonna be about? So I gotta rush around. I don’t have a Ring of Honor jacket. I just have an AEW jacket. I don’t think that’s appropriate.”
On their costume designer getting him an ROH jacket: “I go to see our buddy Clint, one of our costume designers, and he said, ‘Well, I’ve got a jacket. I think it’ll fit you, and I’ll put a Ring of Honor patch on it.’ He did, and I did the interview with Bryan Keith and Orange Cassidy to set up the match. So it was the first time I’d ever been on Ring of Honor. How about that? Last-minute type shit [laughs]. I made my Ring of Honor debut when Bobby Cruise was the ringer announcer on his twentieth Ring of Honor [Final Battle].”
On The Ultimate Warrior: “As an announcer and an adult at that time, I really liked Jim, a lot of people didn’t like Jim Hellwig at all. A lot of people did not, backstage, he was not the friendliest guy but he was always really nice to me. He wasn’t overly talkative; we had a good relationship. But I never did get the Ultimate Warrior character. […] His promos were like ‘What the f—k is he saying? Where is he going?’”
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The Ultimate Warrior was one of the most iconic and enigmatic figures in the world of professional wrestling. Known for his intense energy, vibrant face paint, and wild promos, he left a lasting impact on the industry. In a recent episode of his podcast, AEW broadcaster Tony Schiavone shared his thoughts on his debut at ROH Final Battle 2023 and his relationship with The Ultimate Warrior.
Schiavone revealed that his ROH debut came about unexpectedly. While backstage during the Zero Hour, he received a text from Sonjay informing him that Tony wanted him to do an interview on the pay-per-view. Schiavone admitted that he was initially caught off guard and had to rush around to prepare for the interview. As he didn’t have a Ring of Honor jacket, he sought the help of Clint, one of their costume designers, who provided him with a jacket and added a Ring of Honor patch to it. This impromptu arrangement led to Schiavone making his Ring of Honor debut, which he found quite amusing.
During the podcast, Schiavone also shared his thoughts on The Ultimate Warrior. He mentioned that while many people backstage didn’t like Jim Hellwig (Warrior’s real name), he personally had a good relationship with him. Schiavone admitted that he didn’t fully understand the Ultimate Warrior character, particularly his promos. He described them as confusing and often wondered what Warrior was trying to convey. Despite this, he respected Warrior’s presence and appreciated their cordial relationship.
The Ultimate Warrior was known for his unique and intense persona inside the wrestling ring. His high-energy entrance, muscular physique, and colorful face paint made him instantly recognizable to fans. However, his promos were often criticized for being nonsensical and difficult to follow. Nevertheless, Warrior’s popularity and impact on the wrestling industry cannot be denied.
Tony Schiavone’s insights into his ROH debut and his relationship with The Ultimate Warrior provide a glimpse into the behind-the-scenes world of professional wrestling. It highlights the unexpected nature of the business and the diverse personalities that make up the industry. As fans, we can appreciate the contributions of both Schiavone and The Ultimate Warrior to the world of wrestling.