As most of you may have already found out, Leon White, more commonly known by his pro wrestling moniker, Vader, passed away yesterday at the age of 63 due to complications from heart failure and pneumonia. The news, unfortunately, didn’t come as a surprise, at least to me, because doctors only gave him approximately two years to live because his condition was so bad. That being said, this is a situation where we can learn to appreciate living legends while we still have them and not take them for granted.
What made Vader’s legacy on pro wrestling so influential is the fact that he was a pioneer for big men in pro wrestling. He clocked in at around 400 pounds in the ring, but he moved seamlessly like a unicorn. Across Japan and Atlanta based wrestling, he was an 8 time champion. He did enjoy a brief stint in WWE, but while he never held even a secondary title there, it was clear that Vader was a talent that didn’t need a title to make you appreciate how great he was. To fully appreciate Vader’rs life and his contributions to pro wrestling, it’s clear that we have to start from his humble beginnings.
If there’s one thing people know about the backgrounds of most pro wrestlers, its that the majority of them have a staunch background in either amateur wrestling or college football. For Vader, it was the ladder, as he enjoyed a full ride scholarship at the University of Colorado, making first team All-American in 1977. A year later, he was selected by the Rams as a third round draft pick in 1978. While his professional football career didn’t pan out due to injuries, it was clear that he had talent in wrestling, and he looked to get started on that journey in 1985, when he began training in Minneapolis. Minneapolis was the depository for the early AWA territories and stalwarts such as Curt Henning, Jesse “The Body” Ventura and the Road Warriors. However, his physicality and brute strength was like a match made in heaven for Japan. That’s where his moniker of “Big Van” Vader would come from, as he brought a big frame only topped by sporting a mask that spewed fog. He would become an instrumental part for New Japan Pro wrestling in the late 80s and early 90s.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZwGUsFm7_A
He’d enjoy feuds in Japan with the likes of Tatsumi Fujinami, Riki Choshu and maybe most notably, Stan Hansen (perhaps most notably considering his eyeball came out its socket due to a stiff punch in one of their matches). But to give you an idea of what a tough SOB he was, he merely replaced the eye, took off the mask, and presumed to wrestle 13 more minutes. What also earned the respect of wrestling fans across the world for Vader was his versatility in the ring. He could devastate you with his overwhelming power with one of the most devastating looking powerbombs in the business while gracing you with moonsaults from the top rope that normally would be reserved for cruiserweights.
If you don’t take my word for it, take the word of former NWA Champion Harley Race. “He was as round as Lex Luger was chiseled, but don’t be fooled because he was the most agile big guy I’ve ever seen. In fact, he could be the best big man to ever step foot in the ring.” Vader would sign with WCW in 1990, but he was really only used sparingly due to conflictions with his name and gimmick. The “Big Van” part of his name essentially belonged to Japan, but simply “Vader” and free reign across the wrestling landscape.
If you want an idea of just how powerful Vader was, he once powerbombed Sting so hard it gave him internal bleeding. Back in 1992, he faced Sting for the WCW Title which he lost by DQ, and in the process, he ruptured Sting’s spleen and cracked his ribs. Now, of course, you don’t like seeing fellow competitors hurt in the ring, but that just goes to show the versatility of Vader’s arsenal. He could beat you with a flurry of moves.
Now, you’re probably thinking with all this why he wasn’t able to ever rise to the level of Hulk Hogan, Shawn Michaels, Sting, Bret Hart, Goldberg or other prominent wrestling figures of the 90s. Well, unfortunately for Vader he was given the boot from WCW in 1995 due to a locker room incident with Paul Orndoff, and this was right before WCW struck gold with its legendary nWo storyline that would propel them to beat RAW in the rating war. As soon as Vader hit the pro wrestling free agent market, he was quickly snatched up by WWF, but unfortunately, his stint there wouldn’t amount to much. He’d become the victim of backstage politics and just like so many other talents that have come and gone in WWE, a big dominant monster eventually just became a guy who got paid to take the pin for other stars.
Over time, Vader’s health slowly began to deteriorate, but much like his life and his wrestling, he had a fighting spirit. He had enough energy to put over the next generation such as Ricochet and Will Ospreay. He would also even fine-tune his character on Twitter, giving us insight into backstage stories and hidden things we may not have previously known about the monster. Late in 2016, he was given the official word that he only had about two years left to live, but dammit did he ever live. The Man They Called Vader had fought through demons and struggles his entire life, and the fact that he made it to 63 years old belies his unbelievable resolve and strength.
When talking about some of the matches and feuds that will define his career in the ring, I’d like to go back with his feud against Sting in 1992 in back in WCW, as he would put on a great series of matches with the legendary WCW face figure at Great American Bash (which would result in his first WCW World Title), Starrcade and SuperBrawl III. Another great forgotten classic is his match against Japanese wrestling icon, The Great Muta in 1991 at G1 Climax and Mick Foley at Halloween Havoc in 1993. If you’re looking for more of his brutal matches, I’d say go a little further in 1996 when he went up against Antonio Onoiki in NJPW in 1996. There are of course a litany of other performances that would define his career.
Vader’s career and life proved to be a pioneering journey for big men in the pro wrestling business, as he would pave the way for the next generation. It’s a shame that he didn’t get inducted into the Hall of Fame before his death, and WWE will now all but certainly rectify that wrong next year, but only after his passing. But Vader’s legacy won’t be defined by his drinking issues, his lack of a HOF induction, his in-ring bullying or his short-lived in-ring career. It will be defined by pushing the limits of what a big man could do in the ring and the ability to overcome. So just remember the next time Keith Lee frog splashes someone or when Killian Dain suicide dives on the outside or when Lars Sullivan intimidates his opponents with his sheer presence, just remember, somewhere to this day, it will always be Vader Time.
