With This Ring #23: Big Van Vader

In this month’s edition we weigh Big Van Vader’s GWCW ballot. We first talk about Leon White the man and how made his way into wrestling, then move on to his career taking off in Japan and his brutal matches with Stan Hansen and just how an eye can fall out in a wrestling match. Then the golden era, his first match with Sting and then the greatness that is The White Castle of Fear and the Beach Blast mini-movies. We talk about Cheatum’s short WCW career and how Vader packed much more sensibly than Sid Vicious. From there we look at Vader’s feud with the man known as Ray Traylor, the Boss, We conclude with Vader’s face turn and what could have been. 

Matches Include:

• VAN VADER VS Z-MAN (GREAT AMERICAN BASH 1990)
• VADER VS STAN HANSEN (WRESTLEWAR 1991) 
• VADER VS STING (02/15/92 POWER HOUR; 8:01)
• VADER VS RICKY STEAMBOAT (10/16/93 WCWSN; HUMAN CAGE; 24:06)
• VADER VS THE BOSS (SPRING STAMPEDE 1994)
• VADER VS STING VS GUARDIAN ANGEL (FALL BRAWL 1994, TRIANGLE ELIMINATION MATCH)
• RIC FLAIR & ARN ANDERSON VS VADER (CLASH OF THE CHAMPIONS XXXI)