Author: Originally a bodybuilder, Jim Hellwig turned to professional wrestling and was trained by Red Bastien and Rick Bassman to join a team which came to be known as Powerteam USA. This short-lived team both debuted and disbanded in 1985 in the California wrestling territories. Powerteam USA was managed by Rick Bassman and also consisted of bodybuilders ‘Flash’ Steve Borden ‘Commando/Major’ Mark Miller, ‘The Glory’ Garland Donoho and ‘The Fury’ Ed Brock as they tried to break into the wrestling business. Donoho and Miller didn’t last long and quit due to lack of success and business know-how.
Soon after, Justice and Flash, the Freedom Fighters, would be rebranded as The Blade Runners – Rock aka Jim Justice & Sting aka Flash Borden under the management of Dutch Mantel, which was a team that ran rampant in the Continental Wrestling Association and UWF until disbanding as a tag team in 1986.
After splitting, Hellwig moved on to World Class Championship Wrestling, where he became known as The Dingo Warrior, laying the foundation for his famous ‘Ultimate Warrior’ gimmick in the WWF & later WCW.
Sting remained in Mid-South and under the tutelage of Eddie Gilbert for a while before turning face. He would later move on to WCW, TNA and then, of course, WWE.
Can’t get enough pro wrestling history in your life? Sign up to unlock ten pro wrestling stories curated uniquely for YOU, plus subscriber-exclusive content. A special gift from us awaits after signing up!
Want More? Choose another story!
Be sure to follow us on Facebook, X/Twitter, Instagram, Threads, YouTube, TikTok, and Flipboard!
Pro Wrestling Stories is committed to accurate, unbiased wrestling content rigorously fact-checked and verified by our team of researchers and editors. Any inaccuracies are quickly corrected, with updates timestamped in the article's byline header.
Got a correction, tip, or story idea for Pro Wrestling Stories? Contact us! Learn about our editorial standards here.
This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. This helps us provide free content for you to enjoy!
