Former WWE Superstar Shad Gaspard to Be Given 2022 Warrior Award Posthumously

WWE announced Friday that late WWE Superstar Shad Gaspard will be given the Warrior Award on April 1 as part of the WWE Hall of Fame's Class of 2022 ceremony.

Gaspard died at the age of 39 in May 2020 trying to save his son from a rip current while swimming at Venice Beach in Los Angeles. Lifeguards saved Gaspard's son but were unable to save the former pro wrestler.

The Warrior Award has since been given annually since 2015 to those who have "exhibited unwavering strength and perseverance and who lives life with the courage and compassion that embodies the indomitable spirit of The Ultimate Warrior."

Gaspard will be part of the 2022 WWE Hall of Fame class, which also includes The Undertaker, Vader and Sharmell. The ceremony will be held at the American Airlines Center in Dallas.

Gaspard first signed with WWE in 2002 and remained with the company until 2007. He later had a second stint from 2008 to 2010.

His greatest success came as one half of the tag team known as Cryme Tyme along with JTG. While Cryme Tyme never won the WWE Tag Team Championships, they were consistently among the most popular acts in the company.

Cryme Tyme's most memorable match may have been at SummerSlam 2009, when they fell just short of beating Chris Jericho and Big Show for the tag team titles.

They also played a role in John Cena's feud with JBL in 2008, backing up Cena and helping him destroy JBL's limo.

After departing WWE in 2010, Gaspard had several movie roles, including parts in the popular Will Ferrell and Kevin Hart comedy Get Hard and the DC Films movie Birds of Prey.

Shad will be the eighth recipient of the Warrior Award, joining Connor "The Crusher" Michalek, Joan Lunden, Eric LeGrand, Jarrius "JJ" Robertson, Sue Atchison, Titus O'Neil and Rich Hering.