The wrestling world is mourning, as it has been reported that former WWE Champion Sycho Sid, also known as Sid Vicious and Sid Justice, has passed away. Sycho Sid was a larger-than-life attraction who awed fans with his impressive power moves and very unhinged character.
His natural charisma was always entertaining and eventually got him through the door at WCW.
Beginnings of the Master and Ruler of the World
In 1987, Sid signed with WCW and went on to be involved with memorable groups such as the Skyscrapers and The Four Horsemen. It was a short, interesting stint that led WWE to see the potential in the man from West Memphis.
When Sid first broke into WWE, he quickly shot up the card. He had the size and look that Vince McMahon loved, so it made sense that he would be pushed to the top, but it didn’t end up the way many expected.
If some interviews are to be believed, Sid was more interested in becoming a monster heel than the babyface that McMahon had pushed for. This led to a pivot in plans, and he was soon paired with Hulk Hogan to main event WrestleMania VIII.
The match was not great. It was slow, and both men showed little interest in putting on a good match. Combine that with a dodgy finish, and it was a poor showing for WWE. It was a match that shouldn’t have been the main event and a poor start to Sid’s main event run—a run that wouldn’t last the year.
Time in World Championship Wrestling and Return to the Federation
Sid made his return to WCW, but not much happened with him there, prompting him to make his return to WWE in 1995 and go on his most memorable run with the company.
He started as a bodyguard for Shawn Michaels. A lucrative gig that got him plenty of time to show the world his lunatic character.
The promos were amazing and allowed HBK to lean into his heel persona. It was also a great gig because it produced a classic Raw moment when Sid turned on his mentor, thus turning HBK babyface and propelling him to realize the boyhood dream.
After Sid turned on Michaels, he engaged in a WWE Championship feud with champion Diesel. It wasn’t a program that would set the world on fire, but it was one of the reasons that WWE was struggling so much during that time.
The matches weren’t great, and no one cared much about the feud. Once again, Sid was gone from the company not long after Diesel got the best of him.
However, Sid was gone for a while, and by the latter stages of 1996, he was back with WWE. When there he managed to nab two runs with the WWE Championship. One was at the expense of his former protectee, Shawn Michaels, and the other against Bret Hart.
In both instances, he was more of a transitional champion, but seeing him with the winged eagle around his waist was a great sight.
Following his dropping the big title to The Undertaker, Sid stuck around for a while but didn’t reach the heights that he had enjoyed in his previous runs. He had some PLE matches, but none of them were great, and most were stuck on the undercard.
By 1997, Sid was dealing with various injuries, with a neck injury putting him out of the company.
When he left WWE, he went back to WCW, but by this time, the company was in disarray and needed some main-event talent. While there, he had high-profile feuds with the likes of Kevin Nash and Randy Savage.
Sid even managed to squeeze out two reigns as the WCW Champion. It was during one of his championship reigns that his life changed forever.
During a title match, Sid suffered a horrific leg injury. An injury that many of us will remember as one of the hardest to watch. An injury that would effectively end his full-time wrestling career.
Sid was not one to lie down, though, and he continued to appear on various promotions throughout the world. Sid was still a name that would get a great reaction and was top-billing on many cards. He bounced around promotions until 2008 when he stepped away from the action.
After that, he returned home to spend more time with his family and enjoy softball and big game hunting. The last time we saw Sycho Sid in a ring, he made his return for the lead-up to the Raw 1000 special. It got a great pop, and the entire world was able to enjoy one last massive powerbomb.
It was quite the career for a man who used to be known as Lord Humongous. Not many men could claim to have the notable moments and championship reigns that he enjoyed with two major wrestling promotions. It was a sad day indeed to hear about his passing at the young age of 63. Sid was a legend and will forever be remembered as one of the craziest men in professional wrestling history.
From all of us from Last Word on Sports, we issue our sincerest condolences to the family and friends of Sid Eudy, more famously known as Sycho Sid.
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