Here's How Much The Ultimate Warrior Was Worth When He Died

James Brian Hellwig, better known by his ring name The Ultimate Warrior, was a famous wrestler and WWE Hall of Famer who got his start on the bodybuilding circuit. After his initial success winning the AAU Coastal USA and the Mr. Georgia tournament, he decided it was time to make a career change, via Last Word on Sports.

Following his fellow bodybuilder and future WWE Hall of Famer Steve "Sting" Borden into the ring, he made his first wrestling appearance with the Continental Wrestling Association as "Jim 'Justice' Hellwig" in Memphis, Tennessee in 1985. He then had a brief stint with the World Class Championship Wrestling, before signing with the World Wrestling Federation (WWF — later, WWE) in 1987, according to Sportscasting. Almost immediately, fans loved him. He became known for his flashy persona, over-the-top entrances, and ongoing feuds with other stars. He faced off against big names like Andre the Giant, Hulk Hogan, and The Undertaker, and before long The Ultimate Warrior had become a superstar in his own right, according to Wired.

Hellwig entered into semi-retirement in 1992 after having had a contentious relationship with the WWE for some time. However, The Ultimate Warrior couldn't keep away from the ring entirely. He continued to wrestle sporadically throughout Europe and around the United States until 1996, when he returned to the WWE. He continued to butt heads with Vince McMahon, the chairman of the WWE, most frequently over his contract and rights to the Ultimate Warrior character. A short time later, The Ultimate Warrior officially retired from wrestling, according to Forbes. 

In 2014, The Ultimate Warrior was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame, and his return to the wrestling spotlight unfortunately may have led to his untimely death. The week of his induction, Hellwig made promotional appearances on WrestleMania on April 6 and on Monday Night RAW the following day, April 7, per Celebrity Net Worth. Tragically, on April 8, 2014, he collapsed from a heart attack outside of his Scottsdale hotel just one day after his RAW appearance, and he died at a nearby hospital a short time later at the age of 54, per Sportscasting. At the time of his death, The Ultimate Warrior's net worth was around $1.5 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth.

The Ultimate Warrior will be featured on the June 6 edition of Biography's "WWE Legends" on A&E.