4 Wrestlers That The Road Warriors Loved (& 5 They Hated)

Widely considered to be one of the greatest tag teams of all time by fans and insiders alike, The Road Warriors were one of the most popular acts of the 80s and the 90s. Known for their fearsome look and intimidation factor, there was an authenticity to this team that few others possessed. All these years later, when people talk about the greatest tag team of all time, the Road Warriors are still brought up.

RELATED: 10 Quotes From The Road Warriors That Prove They Were The Most Brutal Tag Team In Wrestling History

Although they were a team, The Road Warriors made a few allies along their journey. They also made a few enemies for various reasons. Back in those days, it was definitely a different vibe in the backstage area, with many wrestlers primarily looking after themselves in a dog-eat-dog type of environment. Here are some wrestlers Hawk and Animal loved, and a few they had no love lost for.

9 Hated - Randy Savage

This beef falls more at Hawk's lap than Animal's, and this is one of those stories that's almost too wild to believe. As the legend goes, Hawk and Randy Savage first had an altercation backstage at a New Japan event. Now, Pro Wrestling Torch initially reported that this incident was over a slice of pizza! A more believable version would come out, that it was actually ignited by Hawk accusing Savage of checking out his wife.

The two would then have another altercation at a Kid Rock concert, that would see Hawk's aforementioned wife and Savage's then girlfriend, Stephanie Bellars get involved. According to those close to the situation, Hawk and Randy never actually buried the hatchet and took the grudge to their respective graves.

8 Loved - Kensuke Sasaki

Some modern fans may not be as familiar with Kensuke Sasaki, unless they are Japanese wrestling enthusiasts. In the 80s and 90s, Sasaki was one of the more popular Japanese wrestlers to cross over to America. The Road Warriors would team with Sasaki on several occasions, during their many tours of Japan.

In fact, in a controversial move, Sasaki would actually take Animal's place for a short time as a new version of the team in Japan. As for the man himself though, Hawk and Animal seemed to have nothing but love for the Japanese powerhouse of a man.

7 Hated - Heidenreich

In the mid 2000s, Road Warrior Animal made an unlikely and unexpected return to WWE. This was after Hawk had passed, and Animal was still in good shape, having wrestled for WCW a few years prior.

For some reason, management decided that Heidenreich would make a suitable replacement for Hawk. Animal disagreed, but he went along with the idea anyway. He would state years after the fact that he felt that Heidenreich had no business as a Road Warrior. While Animal may not have hated Heidenreich as an invidual, it was simply a case of the two being thrown in a bad spot.

6 Loved - Scott Norton

The Road Warriors had a lot in common with a big man like Scott Norton. There was the Minnesota connection, as well as all parties plying their trade in Japan. On the Dark Side Of The Ring episode detailing the North Korean event, Scott would describe his close friendship with Hawk.

These three would never appear onscreen together in America, but we now know that Scott Norton was certainly someone that The Road Warriors loved. As for the aforementioned North Korean event, that will come up later in the list as well.

5 Hated - Shawn Michaels

Early on in his career, it would be easier to find wrestlers that didn't like Shawn Michaels, than those who did. Apparently, The Road Warriors were no fans of The Heartbreak Kid during their initial WWE run. It was during a shoot interview that Hawk would make some decidedly critical remarks aimed at Shawn.

Related: 5 Times Shawn Michaels Was A Complete Jerk On-Screen (& 5 Times He Was One In Real Life)

Hawk would recount how Michaels got away with whatever he wanted during their first run with the company. He also suggested that Vince McMahon showed preferential treatment, which empowered him to exert his will without consequence. Needless to say, The Road Warriors probably didn't mesh well with HBK.

4 Loved - Ric Flair

Ric Flair was to Crockett Promotions what Hulk Hogan was to WWE in the Golden Era. He was the locker room leader so to speak, and he earned the respect of his peers thanks to his unrelenting schedule and his ability to draw fans to the arenas. The Road Warriors were no exception and shared a bond with Ric.

In fact, Hawk would defend Flair when another wrestler was criticizing him, but more on that later. When it comes to how The Road Warriors felt about Ric Flair, it's simply a matter of love and respect.

3 Hated - Ahmed Johnson

Try as he might, Ahmed just couldn't seem to get out of his own way, during his run with WWE. It was at WrestleMania 13, that Ahmed would enlist the help of Hawk and Animal in his ongoing feud with Nation of Domination. It was billed as a Chicago Street Fight, which of course played to The Road Warrior's strengths.

Ahmed would don the shoulder pads and spikes for the match, and apparently this didn't sit too well with Animal. It would seem that Ahmed didn't get Animal or Hawk's blessing to wear their gear to the ring, which is considered an infraction among the wrestlers.

2 Loved - Dusty Rhodes

Most would agree that the peak of The Road Warriors team came during their time in JCP, or Jim Crockett Promotions. They were as over as any act in the company, and in many ways, they were the most popular wrestlers on the roster. The booker for JCP, Dusty Rhodes, noticed this, and kept himself close to the flame that burned brightly, known as The Road Warriors.

Related: 10 Times A "Dusty Finish" Was Used In Pro Wrestling, Explained

No one can argue that The Road Warriors were never booked as well by Dusty as anyone else they worked with. Dusty was a visionary, and helped turn The Road Warriors into an indisputable phenomenon in the late 80s.

1 Hated- 2 Cold Scorpio

The acrimonious relationship between The Road Warriors, more specifically Hawk, and 2 Cold Scorpio, has been referenced throughout this list. During The Collision In Korea episode of Dark Side Of The Ring, several wrestlers would recall how Scorpio and Hawk had multiple physical altercations during the trip.

It allegedly stemmed from Scorpio being disrespectful towards Ric Flair, and Hawk taking exception to it. Things would come to blows between the two, and it was rumored that Hawk came up short in the fight, due to his physical condition at the time. It's been said that the two would eventually patch things up, but not before this situation got rather ugly.