OT: Wrestler Big Van Vader has died at 63.

[LionJim]

Scary big, big as a house, terrific bad guy, gave Sting some good bouts.

 

[dbbp]

What that guy could do in the ring at 450 pounds was simple amazing. Very athletic for a man of that size

 

[LionJim]

What that guy could do in the ring at 450 pounds was simple amazing. Very athletic for a man of that size

Yeah, he could move. WCW was always the more athletic of the two big groups, imo.

 

[dbbp]

That Vader bomb was something to see up close. I usually was able to get tickets about 3 row corner turnbuckle. Me and my buddies would leave school Friday at 3 be at are local uni mart at 3:18. Sit there all night and 8 am Saturday morning. Turn the ticket machine on 4 tickets please!!!! I have some great picks of the Vader Bomb!!

 

[michnittlion]

I enjoyed Vader. Very underrated wrestler. Solid villian - there was a true sense of menace and danger in the air when Vader was around.

And so athletic for his size.

That size was also tough on his heart though. His ultimate undoing. But a wrestling life well-lived: RIP big guy.

 

[LionJim]

 

[mrmk5110]

Vader in WCW was a tremendous talent, one of the most skilled big men ever in the business.

It is a shame WWF misused him as much as they did.

He was one of my favorites, RIP.

 

[Kmase21]

He was great in Boy Meets World. RIP

 

[LionJim]

Sting and BBV, a hell of a rivalry.

 

[PrtLng Lion]

Dude was a beast. Loved the Vader mask/helmet and should pads he used to wear to the ring in the early days of his prominence.

RIP

 

[jrd23psu]

Sting and BBV, a hell of a rivalry.

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Bullshit! That was a fast count! Vader was jobbed!

 

[diontechristmas]

Agree that he was a very athletic big guy, but did anyone actually get excited when Big Van Vader came to the ring? Looking back I respect his ability but never looked forward to his matches.

 

[LionJim]

Agree that he was a very athletic big guy, but did anyone actually get excited when Big Van Vader came to the ring? Looking back I respect his ability but never looked forward to his matches.

He was scary as hell. A large part of his role was being the foil to Sting, but he did that well.

I’m trying to think of iconic rivalries along the lines of Sting-BBV and drawing a blank.

 

[bison13]

All American OL for Colorado in the 70's

 

[diontechristmas]

He was scary as hell. A large part of his role was being the foil to Sting, but he did that well.

I’m trying to think of iconic rivalries along the lines of Sting-BBV and drawing a blank.

I pretty much only watched WWF back in the day. I was pretty young when Vader was in WCW or other promotions and didn’t see him there. Possibly a factor of my age and when Vader came to the WWF, but he was pretty blah for me.

 

[LionJim]

I pretty much only watched WWF back in the day. I was pretty young when Vader was in WCW or other promotions and didn’t see him there. Possibly a factor of my age and when Vader came to the WWF, but he was pretty blah for me.

To me his time in WWF/WWE is inconsequential. Go reread mrmk5110’s post in this thread for a similar perspective. Boy, WCW had such a superior product.

Whatever. Here I am, supposedly a serious professional in possession of a doctorate, ardently discussing modern-day professional wrestling.

 

[diontechristmas]

To me his time in WWF/WWE is inconsequential. Go reread mrmk5110’s post in this thread for a similar perspective. Boy, WCW had such a superior product.

Whatever. Here I am, supposedly a serious professional in possession of a doctorate, ardently discussing modern-day professional wrestling.

I was not able to appreciate the technical or more subtle aspects of the WCW in the late 80’s and early 90’s. I was like like 7-12 years old at the time and just liked the crazy characters and stunts in the WWF, which was really geared to my age group in that era.

Vader was just another fat guy to me at the time, as I didn’t understand his in ring skills. I liked KoKo BeWare cause he had a bird.. I was easy to please!