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Showing posts with label Warrior Award. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Warrior Award. Show all posts

March 29, 2023

Tim White to be posthumously inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2023

April 5, 2021

Titus O’Neil to receive 2020 Warrior Award at WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony

From WWE.com:

WWE Global Ambassador Titus O’Neil has been named the recipient of the 2020 Warrior Award. Named after WWE Hall of Famer The Ultimate Warrior, The Warrior Award is presented to an individual who has exhibited unwavering strength and perseverance and who lives life with the courage and compassion that embodies the indomitable spirit of The Ultimate Warrior. The news was first reported by the Tampa Bay Times.

The Warrior Award presentation will be part of the WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, streaming tomorrow, Tuesday, April 6 at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. ET exclusively on Peacock in the U.S. and on WWE Network everywhere else.

Titus O’Neil is one of the most philanthropic Superstars in WWE history.  A fixture in the Tampa Bay community and passionate about giving back to families in need, O’Neil founded The Bullard Family Foundation, an organization that provides families and children in need with special moments, programs, and resources to help build character, develop relationships, and strengthen communities around them. In addition, O’Neil is an Ambassador for WWE, helping thousands of individuals through various nonprofits and WWE partners including Susan G. Komen, Boys & Girls Clubs of America and Special Olympics. His passion for community and uplifting others inspired him to write his first book, “There’s No Such Thing as a Bad Kid: How I Went from Stereotype to Prototype,” in 2019. O’Neil is a Tampa Bay native and graduated from the University of Florida where he was a standout football player for the Gators.

March 13, 2017

Eric LeGrand to receive Warrior Award at 2017 WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony


Eric LeGrand, a former standout for the Rutgers University football team-turned-motivational speaker, has been named the recipient of the third annual Warrior Award. The news was first reported by ESPN.com.

Named after WWE Hall of Famer Ultimate Warrior, The Warrior Award is presented to an individual who has exhibited unwavering strength and perseverance, and who lives life with the courage and compassion that embodies the indomitable spirit of Ultimate Warrior.

The award will be presented to LeGrand by Dana Warrior, widow of Ultimate Warrior, at the 2017 WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, which will broadcast from Orlando, Florida’s Amway Center live on WWE Network at 8 ET/5 PT on Friday, March 31. USA Network will also broadcast a special presentation of the ceremony on Monday, April 3 at 11 p.m. ET/PT, immediately following Raw.

LeGrand was a key player on the Rutgers University football team, before a spinal cord injury sustained during a game in October 2010 left him paralyzed from the neck down. LeGrand’s tremendous courage and unwavering strength throughout his rehabilitation captured the attention of the nation. He resumed his college classes via Skype and launched his sports broadcasting career as an analyst for Rutgers Football Radio Network. LeGrand founded the charity Team LeGrand of the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation in 2013, and is now a highly sought-after motivational speaker. In support of LeGrand’s mission – raising funds for research to find a cure for paralysis and to help improve the quality of life for people with spinal cord injuries – WWE will make a $25,000 donation to Team LeGrand.

March 29, 2016

WWE Takes Over Dallas For WrestleMania Week


Fans from around the world will descend upon Dallas for a week-long lineup of festivities in celebration of WrestleMania, taking place in front of a capacity crowd at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on Sunday, April 3 and live on WWE Network at 7 pm ET/4 pm PT. WWE will also host more than a dozen community outreach events designed to give back to the local region. WrestleMania Week begins tomorrow, Wednesday, March 30, and includes the following events:

• WWE Community Caravan – Wednesday, March 30
WWE Superstars AJ Styles, Sin Cara and Sami Zayn and WWE Divas Paige, Naomi and Tamina will visit the Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children and Children’s Medical Center Dallas.

WWE Superstars Mark Henry, Darren Young, Goldust and Jack Swagger and WWE Diva Eva Marie will visit Ronald McDonald House of Dallas and North Texas Youth Education Town.

WWE Superstars and Divas will visit children and families, take pictures, sign autographs and donate action figures, WWE 2K16 video games and WWE Network subscriptions for the facilities’ play rooms.

• Be a STAR TM Anti-Bullying Rally – Thursday, March 31, East Dallas Boys & Girls Club
Earlier this year, WWE and The Boys & Girls Clubs of America launched a multi-year partnership focusing on youth development and bullying prevention efforts around Be a STAR, WWE’s anti-bullying initiative (#BeaSTAR). WWE Chief Brand Officer Stephanie McMahon, WWE Superstars The Miz®, R-Truth and Sin Cara, WWE Diva Natalya®, WWE announcer Corey Graves and representatives from the Boys & Girls Clubs of America will speak about the importance of bullying prevention to members at East Dallas Boys & Girls Club.

• WrestleMania Axxess – Thursday, March 31 through Sunday, April 3, Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center
WrestleMania Axxess (#AXXESS) is the ultimate fan experience for the WWE Universe. This year’s WrestleMania Axxess will take place from Thursday, March 31 through Sunday, April 3, at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center. Fans will have unprecedented access to meet their favorite WWE Superstars, Divas and Legends through a host of interactive fan experiences, including autograph signings and live NXT matches. For the first time ever, WWE will broadcast The Stone Cold Podcast with special guest Mick Foley from WrestleMania Axxess, which will air live on WWE Network Thursday, March 31 at 10 pm ET.

March 28, 2016

2016 WWE Warrior Award Recipient Announced


WWE released the following press release earlier this morning:

Joan Lunden to receive 2016 Warrior Award at 2016 WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony

Joan Lunden, an award-winning journalist, best-selling author and breast cancer survivor, has been named the recipient of the second annual Warrior Award, which will be presented at the 2016 WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Saturday, April 2 from American Airlines Center in Dallas, live on WWE Network at 8 ET/5 PT. The announcement was made by WWE Superstar John Cena on NBC’s “TODAY.”

The Warrior Award is given to someone who has exhibited unwavering strength and perseverance, and who lives life with the courage and compassion that embodies the indomitable spirit of WWE Hall of Famer The Ultimate Warrior. The award will be presented to Lunden by The Ultimate Warrior’s widow, Dana Warrior. In June 2014, Lunden was diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer, which required chemotherapy, surgery and radiation. Lunden made the decision to take her battle public and has since shared her journey through cancer treatment, becoming a prominent voice in the breast cancer community.

“It is truly humbling to be honored by WWE and receive this year’s Warrior Award at the 2016 WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony,” Lunden said. “After being diagnosed with cancer, my first thought was to survive, but soon after, I changed my focus from my cancer to the fight against cancer and my life took on a whole new purpose. WWE has welcomed me into their family, offering me warmth and support, as have so many of the WWE fans from around the world. It is a privilege to receive this honor.”

“On behalf of my family, we are proud to present this year’s Warrior Award to Joan Lunden,” said Dana Warrior. “Joan embodies all that this award was meant to capture. She is a testament to the strength of the human spirit and the quintessential Warrior woman. It will be an honor to recognize her at this year’s WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony.”

“Joan Lunden has been an incredible role model to so many people and it is an honor to recognize her as the second annual Warrior Award recipient,” said Stephanie McMahon, WWE Chief Brand Officer. “The will and perseverance she gracefully displayed in her fight against breast cancer is an inspiration to millions of women around the world.”

An eternal optimist, Lunden decided to turn her diagnosis into an opportunity to inspire others in the breast cancer community. Through her website, JoanLunden.com, and her social media channels, Lunden has created an online community dedicated to people living with and surviving from breast cancer. From her consistent journaling throughout her breast cancer treatment, Lunden wrote her most recent book, “Had I Known: A Memoir of Survival,” which documents her battle with cancer and provides a reflective look back at her life and career. Lunden continues to be an advocate for those diagnosed with the disease, making trips to Capitol Hill, and as a special correspondent for “TODAY’s” Pink Power series.

Last year, the Warrior Award was presented for the first time ever to Connor Michalek, a Pittsburgh native and passionate WWE fan who passed away from cancer. In his honor, Connor’s Cure was created as a fund within Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh Foundation to support pediatric brain and spinal cord cancer research. To date, Connor’s Cure has raised $1 million and assisted more than 100 families around the world.

The 2016 WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony airs live on the eve of WrestleMania, Saturday, April 2, at 8 ET/5 PT, only on WWE Network.

April 3, 2015

WWE Issues Response to Justin Roberts' Blog on Connor Michalek's WWE Hall of Fame Induction


WWE issued the following statement in response to the blog on Connor Michalek that former WWE announcer Justin Roberts posted last night:

“It is offensive to suggest that WWE and its executives had anything but altruistic intentions in honoring Connor and his legacy with The Warrior Award. In conjunction with Connor's father, Connor's Cure was established by Stephanie McMahon and Paul Levesque to raise awareness and funds for pediatric cancer, and to honor a boy that so many people within the WWE family came to love. The fund is managed by the Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh Foundation and has already raised more than $200,000 for pediatric cancer research.

In addition, following the Ultimate Warrior's impassioned Hall of Fame speech last year encouraging WWE to recognize its unsung heroes, the Warrior Award was established in his memory to honor those who exhibit unwavering strength and perseverance, and who live life with the courage and compassion that embodies the indomitable spirit of the Ultimate Warrior. With the full support and input of Ultimate Warrior's widow, Dana Warrior, Connor Michalek was the first recipient of the Warrior Award, and moving forward the award will be given annually to acknowledge other unsung heroes among WWE's employees and fans.

WWE is proud to use our global platforms to raise awareness for important social causes, including Connor's Cure as well as our longstanding partnership with Make A Wish, our on-going partnership with Susan G. Komen, which has resulted in more than $1.5 million in funds raised, and our international partnership with Special Olympics.”

Justin Roberts Felt WWE Handled Connor “The Crusher” Michalek Story Without Sincerity


Former WWE ring announcer Justin Roberts has opened up in a heartfelt blog titled "Believe Half of What You See and Portions of What You Hear" over at his Medium.com blog which includes photos.

The longtime ring announcer who was was employed by WWE from 2002 until his release in 2014 discusses his thoughts and feelings on his friend Connor “The Crusher” Michalek, WWE and his recent Hall of Fame induction, which from his perspective wasn't told the way he experienced it - It's a long but insightful read, that will bring a tear to your eye.

Hi, my name is Justin Roberts. I was an announcer at World Wrestling Entertainment for about 12 years. Sometimes when you’ve worked there and you speak up about something company-related, it’s easy to be painted as a bitter, ex employee. What’s strange is that my unhappiness at this dream job didn’t start after I left; it started while I was there.

The last time I wrote a blog here, it was about how I loved professional wrestling. I was with the company at the time and loved (and I still love) professional wrestling. There were reasons why it wasn’t titled “I love WWE.” My unhappiness started in my last couple of years with the company and I was actually just as happy when they decided not to renew my contract as I was on the day that I signed. They told me I wasn’t getting fired, there was nothing that I did wrong, that they were going a different direction and the door was always open. I politely closed it behind me and with that said, I’ll now share one of the contributing factors on why I wouldn’t want to go back to this company.

I have always been a fan of the movie “Basic” where “telling the story right” is the theme. WWE also tells a story, week after week. Sometimes their stories seem “real” and we forget that they’re a company… that tells stories. Remember “Macho Man” Randy Savage’s jealousy over Elizabeth and Hulk Hogan? Matt Hardy and Edge battling over relationship reasons, CM Punk taking the title and leaving the company? Daniel Bryan overcoming the evil bosses who did everything to keep him down? These were memorable, reality-inspired storylines, but overall, they were stories that WWE told us fans.

This past weekend at the WWE Hall of Fame ceremony, they told a story. While using real life people and real stories, they did what they do best: they told a story and they didn’t let the facts get in the way.

Last year, just days before his unfortunate, sudden death, the legendary Ultimate Warrior suggested during his Hall of Fame induction speech that WWE should honor the hardworking people who work behind the scenes at the company. He spoke about those people who worked there: “Some of them for years, 20–25–30 years,” he continued, “To have a category in the Hall of Fame where you honor these people.” Unfortunately, the WWE track record shows that many people who work there and give their lives to the company for 20–30 years don’t get rewarded, they get released once they’ve been there for too long.

I can name numerous employees that I worked with at WWE who would be deserving of such an award. Those people devoted all of their time and energy to WWE, because they loved their jobs and thought they were working for a good cause. A guy like Mark Yeaton who was let go on the eve of what would have been his 30th anniversary. He was the guy that worked all morning and afternoon in the production office of the TV shows, then sat at ringside and rang the bell for the show, while communicating on headset with the bosses to make sure everything ran smoothly. Then he would return to the production office where he made sure the operations ran as they should while accommodating everyone who approached him about needing something done. Then he would go through the locker rooms to make sure no one left anything behind. He even cleaned up the towels and did anything else asked of him. Mark would take a bullet for the company and would have made an excellent and deserving award recipient, but he was let go for a budget cut. (You probably won’t hear much from Mark publicly as far as saying anything negative about the company, or the many others like Mark, as their employee contracts prevent them from speaking out. Mine doesn’t.).

Who else could be a good nominee? Lots of folks. There are so many hardworking men and women that work behind the scenes at that company. How about Sue, who arranges all of the great Make-A-Wish events, Adam who manages fan services…All of these people deserve recognition by the company, and that’s what the Warrior was trying to say. But the question is, how much publicity could those awards make for the company? Or how could you market that award to mean something to the public?

So rather than honor those people that you don’t see or hear about , who work hard to put on the shows that we all love, the company decided to tell a different story. This year, they spliced and spun the Warrior’s speech to make the award about “warriors” outside of the company, because that might make for a better story — and for better publicity.

March 9, 2015

Connor 'The Crusher' Michalek To Receive Warrior Award At 2015 WWE Hall Of Fame Induction Ceremony


WWE fan Connor Michalek to receive first-ever Warrior Award at 2015 WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony

Connor Michalek, a Pittsburgh native and passionate WWE fan who passed away last year from cancer, will be the first-ever recipient of the Warrior Award, which will be presented each year at the WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony.

The Warrior Award will be given to someone who has exhibited unwavering strength and perseverance, and who lives life with the courage and compassion that embodies the indomitable spirit of WWE Hall of Famer, The Ultimate Warrior. This year, the award will be presented by The Ultimate Warrior's widow, Dana Warrior, and WWE Superstar Daniel Bryan to Steve Michalek, Connor's father.

With the love of his family and WWE Superstars, as well as the tremendous care by Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC, Connor battled cancer like a true warrior for as long as he could, and his charisma made him a local celebrity in Pittsburgh. Connor's spirit inspired WWE Chief Brand Officer Stephanie McMahon and WWE Executive Vice President of Talent, Live Events & Creative, Paul "Triple H" Levesque to launch "Connor's Cure," a fund dedicated to furthering Pediatric cancer research. Donations can be made by visiting givetochildrens.org/CONNORSCURE.

"On behalf of my family, we are truly humbled and honored that WWE will present an award in my husband's name each year at the WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony," said Dana Warrior. "Connor displayed all of the positive traits that Warrior stood for, and he is the perfect recipient for this inaugural award. I am sure that Warrior is smiling today, knowing that this award is being given to a true warrior."

"My family is forever grateful for the gift that WWE, its Superstars, Divas and executives gave to Connor," said Steve Michalek. "They made him smile and encouraged him to continue fighting. His visits backstage, and his time in the ring with Daniel Bryan, brought Connor true joy and undoubtedly extended his life, giving us more time with him. Now, with this award and Connor's Cure, Connor's legacy will live on."

"Connor Michalek had a profound impact on so many people," said McMahon. "His spirit and love of life were so strong, you would have never known he was sick. I can think of no better way to honor Connor, than by recognizing him with our highest honor, the first fan to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame, as a Warrior."

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