Where Are They Now? The Warlord

At 6-foot-5 and more than 300 pounds, The Warlord was a perfect fit inside the ring. This is true, but only came to fruition by chance. (PHOTOS)

It just so happened one night in 1986 that Terry Szopinski was working out at The Gym in Minnesota -- one owned by WWE legend Road Warrior Animal. The former World Tag Team Champion took notice of Szopinski immediately and after talking together, Terry was on the road to the ring.

"I went into training with Ed Sharkey and then Animal came back," recalled The Warlord. "We sat down and came up with a name, then he grabbed a couple pictures and brought them to Dusty Rhodes and the NWA."

Soon after The Warlord was born, getting his start in North Carolina's branch of the NWA. It was there, early in his career, that Szopinski joined forces with The Barbarian to become The Powers of Pain.

"We both were bad guys at the time and both our characters went along so well together, so we just fit really well as a team."

As a duo, The Powers of Pain achieved great success and had a notable rivalry with another legendary ring tandem.

"Working with The Road Warriors was incredible," stated the former Superstar. "To me, they are the best tag team of all time."

The Powers of Pain's peak success in NWA, and against Animal & Hawk, came not as a pair, but as a trio. The Warlord & The Barbarian enlisted in-ring legend Ivan Koloff to win the Six-Man Tag Team Championships.

"Ivan Koloff was a machine and could work forever," he remembered. "I learned a lot from him."

Unfortunately, The Powers of Pain's time in NWA was coming to a close. The instinct of self-preservation came into play when the intimidating duo were asked to face The Road Warriors in a series of Scaffold Matches -- bouts where competitors fight on a platform high above the ring with the loser being the one who falls from it -- in this case, The Warlord & The Barbarian.

"We knew we were going to be the ones taking the fall, and being 300-plus pounds, you're going to blow your knees out doing that."

When one door closes, however, another one opens. Before long, The Warlord and his tag team partner found themselves heading to World Wrestling Entertainment.

"We had a meeting with [Mr. McMahon] and Pat Patterson in Atlanta," Szopinski said, "and it was the first time I ever heard my partner talk. He asked, ‘When do you want us?' I looked at him and said, ‘Man, I didn't know you knew how to talk.'"

Upon entering WWE and immediately battling Demolition, The Powers of Pain found themselves in an unusual position -- they were the good guys.

"It was funny, that Saturday prior we were bad guys in Baltimore against The Road Warriors. A week later, we were with WWE going against Demolition. One week everyone hated our guts and the next they loved us. It was a crazy thing."

The love only lasted for a short time, though. Once WWE Hall of Famer Mr. Fuji betrayed Demolition to manage The Powers of Pain, they were back on the evil side of the action. This, unfortunately, did not work out for the pair and after a while, the duo were given new looks and split up.

"I liked the new look; it was kind of different," stated Szopinski. "The half mask and staff were very unique, so I enjoyed it a lot."

Despite the new look, things just weren't meant to be for The Warlord as a singles competitor. Within two years time, he and WWE parted ways.

Working on the road is no easy task, but sometimes you meet good people who make it easier along the way. By chance, after his time with WWE, Terry Szopinski -- a.k.a. The Warlord -- met an up-and-coming talent in Chris Jericho.

"Chris is a good guy and a great wrestler," The Warlord stated. "Now I see him in WWE as one of its biggest stars. He was a good kid and is an incredible talent."

Traveling overseas touring, Szopinski and Jericho met each other and spent a good amount of time together. With the toughness of sometimes not knowing when your next meal would be when traveling, The Warlord introduced the future Undisputed WWE Champion to a smart solution on their food issues.

"I took him to this place where they bring you plates of beef and you eat as much of you want," he explained. "Chris and I went through so much that when we went back they wouldn't let us back in. We did that the next night and continued to do so all over Japan."

Unfortunately, in 1996, things would change drastically for Szopinski , whose time in the ring was put on a prolonged hiatus following a bad car accident.

"It was bad," he remembered. "I herniated three discs at the base of my neck, and had a problem with my neck for a long time."

This didn't stop The Warlord, though. After several years, he had recuperated enough to return to battle inside the ring. But, that was just a brief time as another accident -- this time involving a motorcycle -- would set Szopinski back once again.

"I tried making a comeback in 2001, but I had a motorcycle accident that tore up my quadriceps and cracked my left knee cap in half," The Warlord said. "It's funny, the bad injuries didn't even happen in the ring. They happened in accidents."

Amazingly, The Warlord's work ethic led him to another complete recovery, while also starting on a new career path.

"I work private security for the Relief Group International," said Szopinski. "They handle the auto relief group and are about to start investment banking as well."

Now, several years after two devastating accidents, The Warlord is in the best shape of his life, still competing on the independent circuit, while also having his powerful hand in several other projects.

"I'm in better shape now than I was at the beginning of my career," stated the former NWA Six-Man Tag Team Champion. "I do the security work, I do bodyguard work and I'm beginning to train some starters from the Miami Hurricanes football team. I'm also going to class starting in May to become a bail bondsman. I've got my hand in a little bit of everything."

With his bodyguard work on the side, Szopinski has had the opportunity to work with several notable entertainment and sports figures, including rapper 50 Cent, NFL running back Thomas Jones and Mixed Martial Arts fighter Kimbo Slice -- who he will once again escort during Kimbo's upcoming May 8 fight.

"It's a lot of fun - all these MMA guys bow to you, as wrestling got their whole thing going," Szopinski said. "And Kimbo nicknamed me ‘The Wall' as I lead everyone out there, so I'm the wall."

Szopinski's career has certainly been an interesting one, with several ups and downs. Throughout that whole time, however, he has always cherished his fans.

"I keep every letter [the fans] send to me and put it up on my bulletin board. I've gotten a lot of fan mail and answer every letter back," he said. "I appreciate all the years they've followed me and it's always been amazing."

The honor given to him by one notable fan in particular has meant a lot to the former WWE Superstar, and he sends a specific thanks to that person for his kind words.

"Batista names me as his favorite of all time," said Terry Szopinski, The Warlord. "It's the biggest flattery I've ever had, and it really means a lot."