3T's Epic Fails

Epic Fail: #2

In this Epic Fail, I'm going to examine Big Van Vader (aka Leon White).  For my evidence, I will present his extensive title history, other accomplishments, his strengths.  This will prove that as far as the rest of the world was concerned, Big Van Vader was a wrestling legend.  You may be overwhelmed with what this man has accomplished.  I believe many people were/are impressed...In the long list of ex-football players that became pro wrestlers, Big Van Vader may be the best. 

Born in 1957, this future super-heavyweight was a high school, college and professional football player before eventually becoming a wrestler.  With a long list of accomplishments in football, including All American Honors in high school and college, Leon White was drafted by the LA Rams in the third round of the 1978 NFL Draft.  During his second season, he played in Super Bowl XIV against the Steelers.  The next year, he was cut, and went into real estate.  On day, at a local gym, he was spotted by somone who recommended that he look into professional wrestling.

After joining AWA, he changed his name to Bull Power, and learned the ropes.  He became good enough to challenge Stan Hansen for the AWA World Heavyweight Championship, but failed.  At this point, NJPW took notice of him, and brought him overseas.  This is where his star began to rise.

Catch Wrestling Association

CWA Intercontinental Heavyweight Championship (1x)
December 21, 1991 - 1992 (as Bull Power, defeated Tatsumi Fujinami to become the first champion)

CWA World Heavyweight Championshionship (3x)
March 22, 1987 - July 1987 (as Bull Power)
August 21, 1989 - June 30, 1990 (as Bull Power)
December 22, 1990 - July 6, 1991 (as Bull Power) (defended this title while simultaneously defending his IWGP Heavyweight Championship)


New Japan Pro Wrestling

IWGP Heavyweight Champion (3x)
April 24, 1989 - May 25, 1989
August 10, 1989 - August 19, 1990 (374 days)
January 17, 1991 - March 4, 1991 (defended this title while simultaneously defending his CWA World Heavyweight Championship)

IWGP Tag Team Championship (1x)
March 1, 1992 - June 26, 1992 (w/ Bam Bam Bigelow)

Super Grade Tag League (1991)
(w/ Tatsumi Fujinami)


Universal Wrestling Association

UWA World Heavyweight Championship (1x)
November 22, 1989 - December 9, 1990 (382 days)


Union of Wrestling Forces International

UFWI Heavyweight Championship (1x)
August 18, 1994 - April 20, 1995


World Championship Wrestling

WCW United States Heavyweight Championship (1x)
December 27, 1994 - April 23, 1995

WCW World Heavyweight Championship (3x)
July 12, 1992 - August 2, 1992
December 30, 1993 - March 11, 1993
March 17, 1993 - December 27, 1993


Pro Wrestling Illustrated
PWI Wrestler of the Year (1993)
PWI Years (Ranked #27 of 500)


Wrestling Observer Newsletter

Awards
Best Heel (1993)
Best Wrestling Maneuver (Moonsault) (1993)
Wrestler of the Year (1993)
Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame (Class of 1996)


So, as we can see, Big Van Vader traveled the world, winning titles, and becoming a legend.  He won titles in Europe (CWA), Japan (NJPW), Mexico (UWA), and the United States (WCW).  He defeated many greats in a short amount of time, earning respect and admiration the (wrestling) world over.  He even engaged in a brutal fued with Cactus Jack, one that would stretch through multiple promotions, and be emblazoned in the history books by producing one of the most-discussed matches ever.  In Germany, Cactus Jack and Vader fought, and fought, and fought.  During this match, Cactus Jack loses an ear.  he also breaks his nose, and the tlevision broadcast had to be edited heavily to hide the bloodshed.  He was a monster, and everyone took notice.  Not only that, but by the end of 1993, he was considered THE BEST wrestler in the world.

Impressive, right?  Apparently, WWE didn't think so.  Well, enough to hire him.  That's about it.  Big Van Vader debuted at Royal Rumble 1996.  He eliminated four opponents before being eliminated by Shawn Michaels.  After his elimination, Vader reenters and destroys everyone.  The next night, Vader was suspended for assaulting then-WWE President Gorilla Monsoon.  Vader is eventually reinstated, with his first appearance an attack on Yokozuna at In Your House 6: Rage in the Cage.  Instead of WWE giving us Yokozuna vs Big Van Vader at Wrestlemania XII, we get: Vader, Owen Hart, and The British Bulldog vs Yokozuna, Ahmed Johnson, and Jake Roberts.  Vader wins his debut WM match by pinning Roberts.

Vader's next target is the WWE Champion, Shawn Michaels.  He assaults him, setting up a title match at SummerSlam 1996.  Vader wins, by count-out.  Jim Cornette (Vader's manager) gets the match restarted.  Vader wins again, this time because Michaels intentionally gets disqualified.  Cornette gets the match restarted, again.  Right about the time we think Vader will become WWE Champion, Michaels does the impossible and pins the mighty Vader.  At King of the Ring, Vader makes it all the way to the finals, before losing to Jake Roberts.

At Royal Rumble 1997, Vader and Undertaker faced off.  During this match, Paul Bearer appears and attacks the Undertaker, aligning himself with Big Van Vader as his new manager.  Later in the night, during the Royal Rumble match, controversy reigns when an already eliminated Austin returns to the ring.  As the referees did not see Austin get eliminated, he stayed in the match, eliminating Vader, Undertaker, and Bret Hart, to win the Royal Rumble.  As a result, a Four-Way Elimination match was set as the Main Event of In Your House 13: Final Four.  The winner of this match would headline Wrestlemania against the WWE Champion, Sid Vicious.  Vader was bloodied and eliminated by the evenutual winner - the Undertaker.

At Wrestlemania 13, WWE gave Vader another chance at a championship, pitting him and enemy Mankind against the Tag Team Champions, Owen Hart and the British Bulldog.  Vader and Mankind failed, and Vader started slipping down the ladder.  Later this year, during an interview, Vader was asked if wrestling was fake.  After an angry outburst and attack, Vader was arrested.  When he returned, he fueded briefly with Ken Shamrock, before becoming WWE's resident jobber. 

Somehow, someway, Vader a title shot, but couldn't fell the Undertaker.  He was Tombstoned, and pushed back down the ladder.  He eventually become a babyface, and led Team USA against Team Canada at Survivor Series.  After Goldust refused to tag in, Vader was eliminated, starting a fued with Goldust.  This continued to the Royal Rumble 1998, where Vader defeated Goldust, and once again lost a Royal Rumble.

Vader's next fued was with Kane.  Vader was the clear loser of this fued, only making his mark once.  During Undertaker and Kane's Inferno match, Vader interrupted, forcing Kane back to the ring.  Kane got even, though, defeating Vader in a Mask vs Mask match.  This was the end of Vader's WWE push.  Mark Henry beat him in qualifying matches for King of the Ring.  For some reason, WWE couldn't establish him as the monster everyone else saw.  They started farming him out, with repeated jobs against lower-mid-carders.  Finally, after a loss to Al Snow, WWE released Vader from his contract. 

After three years in the WWE, Vader had nothing to show for it.  Oh, yeah.  He won a Slammy in 1996, for the Crime of the Century.  It was on to greener pastures for the Mastodon, and he crossed to oceans to find it, ending up in AJPW.


All Japan Pro Wrestling

AJPW Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship (2x)
March 6, 1999 - May 2, 1999
October 30, 1999 - February 27, 2000

AJPW Unified World Tag Team Championship (1x)
February 20, 2000 - April 7, 2000 (w. ("Dr. Death" Steve Williams)

Champions Carnival (1999)
Defeated Kenta Kobashi to win the tournament

During this time, Vader got another award from the Westling Observer News Letter, for Most Improved Wrestler (1999)


Impact Zone Wrestling

IZW Heavyweight Championship (1X)
September 22,  2005 - March, 18 2006


Pro Wrestling Noah

GHC Tag Team Championship (1x)
October 19, 2001 - November 30, 2001 (w/ Scorpio)


So, as I have shown, Vader was an immense success everywhere he appeared.  Holding multiple world titles, some for a year or more at a time.  He held four major titles on three different continents.  Why was he not granted the same measure of success in WWE?  We may never know. 

What could have been different?  Vader could have crushed Michaels, ending his reign, and dominating the WWE for the next 16 months.  He could have been the most dominant WWE Champion of the late 90s.  Unfortunately, WWE chose not to use him this way.

Interestingly enough, WWE DID remember Vader.  They brought him back in 2003, as a special guest for Jonathen Coachmen's street fight with Batista.  Vader and former enemy Goldust both received spinebusters, and that was the end of that.  Vader left WWE, eventually retiring in 1996 after sporadically participating in various matches.
(Pub Note: It was 2005 that he was the special guest not 2003)

What I do know, is whoever made the decisions surrounding Vader's WWE career, should have been fired for this EPIC FAIL.

I've been 3T, and you've been all that.  Thank you for reading.

Comments

1. Comment #1

   I hear Vader was eventually let go for weight problems (they were harping on Mark Henry too at the time) and anger and agressive problems prevented him from getting his push.

   Posted by WildFire on Tuesday, August 10, 2010

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