Leon 'Big Van Vader' White dies at 62.

[RaginRonic]

https://twitter.com/itsvadertime/status/1009447703418408960

The info is contained in this tweet.

My condolences to his family.

=(

[Vastardikai]

R.I.P. Vader

[Destor]

easily in my top 5 all time fav workers list. Really nice guy too. One of those rare occasions where when people tell you never meet your heroes and you're not disappointed.

[Big Vic]

It was Vaders Time. RIP.




If they made a live action Sonic movie in the 90s Vader prob would have been Robotnik

[Jordan]

RIP Vader. One of the best.

[SlickyTrickyDamon]

Vader Time is Over :(

RIP.

[Gerard]

Seems he was right about having 2 years left to live :(

[Evil Vito]

Nooooooooooo :(

[Sixx]

Seemed like a totally nice guy. This is sad.

RIP

[Simple Fan]

Damn, Vader was one of my favorites. First wrestler I ever seen and I thought he was amazing and I've been s wrestling fan since. RIP.

[Danny Electric]

I remember legitimately being scared of him as a kid, he played his character well and was one of the big men that I enjoyed watching wrestle.

RIP

[The MAC]

Well he wasnt working us after all.

[Emperor Smeat]

:( RIP

Really great star that I didn't realize until years later since I only saw the stuff from his poor WWF run during his career at the time.

[dronepool]

RIP

[Jordan]

My favorite Vader matches were with Cactus Jack, Sting, Flair and Stan Hansen. I haven't seen enough of his Japanese stuff to know the full level of stardom he made it to there but everything I have seen was fantastic and he was truly a beast.

[Jordan]

If you think about it you can name more great matches that Vader had than Bret Hart.

[Destor]

Easily.

[Evil Vito]

Vader fucking ruled :(

[Bad News Gertner]

The Vader vs Sting matches are incredible. Very sad to hear. R.I.P Vader.

[#1-norm-fan]

When I was a kid, Vader was the only heel I was genuinely worried about beating my favorites. I was a WWF mark first and foremost and I always felt like Hogan would always win in the end but when Sting faced Vader, I was scared shitless.

[slik]

RIP

[Shisen Kopf]

RIP you fat piece of shit

[Lock Jaw]

RIP. Always loved as a kid when I would come across some old Vader matches in WCW.

Also, "The Mastadon" one of the most badass rassling nicknames ever.

[Ol Dirty Dastard]

When I was a kid, Vader was the only heel I was genuinely worried about beating my favorites. I was a WWF mark first and foremost and I always felt like Hogan would always win in the end but when Sting faced Vader, I was scared shitless.

Dude when he beat up Gorilla and Yoko I was so scared.

[Ol Dirty Dastard]

RIP you fat piece of shit

A touching tribute from #TeamToxic's spirit animal.

[BigCrippyZ]

One of the most legit bad ass looking and athletically gifted big men in the industry.

Always felt like he was truly underrated and underappreciated by most, including a lot of the folks in charge in WWE and WCW.

[Sepholio]

RIP Vader.

[My Final Heaven]

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6ZdGZ52_k8k" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe>

He was the man. :(

[RP]

This hits close to me and opens my eyes because i read he had CHF and i have CHF also. I loved Vader, but the first big man i became enamored with was Undertaker. Still love Vader. though. RIP Vader.

[Gerard]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Vader asks Shamrock to ease up on his strikes but Ken doesn't listen so Vader asks him a second time. <a href="https://t.co/wXepTAiWpe">pic.twitter.com/wXepTAiWpe</a></p>&mdash; MaffewBotchamaniaGuy (@Maffewgregg) <a href="https://twitter.com/Maffewgregg/status/1009500197225975826?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 20, 2018</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>


:lol:

[Ol Dirty Dastard]

KEN! EASE UP!

[Ol Dirty Dastard]

lol Vader could not move for days after that match. Shamrock thought Vader was trying to double cross him.

[Cool King]

I've just found out about his passing. :(

R.I.P

[DaveWadding]

I have said it a few times over the years, but even in his last couple years with health problems and the like, I still would not have wanted to run into Vader in a dark alley anywhere. A legitimately scary, tough dude.

[xrodmuc316]

Sucks that he just had heart surgery a month ago and it didnt help in the end. R.I.P. Vader

[A.J.K]

My first introduction to Vader was his match with Stan Hanson at wrestle war 1991.

I was in awe of his agility. A man of his size moving like he did was just awesome to watch.

Rest in peace Vader.

[Rammsteinmad]

R.I.P.

[RP]

So he died of Pneumonia.

Fuck man. I had Pneumonia but i wasnt his age obviously.

[RP]

I've had Pneumonia twice. It's not good. I'm lucky. But i'm young.

[DAMN iNATOR]

Vader Time is Over :(

RIP.

It will forever go on in my heart. :(

pJ1AcGtM41s

[Sixx]

I've had Pneumonia twice. It's not good. I'm lucky. But i'm young.

It's one thing to just get pneumonia, it's another to get pneumonia when your heart and basically your whole body is on it's last legs.

[LibSuperstar]

It's one thing to just get pneumonia, it's another to get pneumonia when your heart and basically your whole body is on it's last legs.

Way different!

[slik]

Mick Foley going off on WWE not inducting Vader into the HOF, apparently it's the one thing Vader wanted most in life and WWE knew it...or something along those lines...



Every year, most of those WWE HOF slots are filled by wrestlers who didn't draw a fraction of the money, or contribute to the wrestling business on nearly the level that Leon White/Vader did. No matter how many times I talked with Leon, the conversation would eventually turn to the Hall of Fame, and I would constantly tell him that no one or no thing, not even his absence from the WWE Hall of Fame could take away from what he had accomplished around the world. - Mick Foley


https://www.reddit.com/r/SquaredCircle/comments/8sn0a3/every_year_most_of_those_wwe_hof_slots_are_filled/

[Destor]

The Hall means fuck all and I hate that he was worked by it.

[Ol Dirty Dastard]

Meh. You know how Mick gets. Strong in his convictions even when they're meaningless.

[Fignuts]

Meh. You know how Mick gets. Strong in his convictions even when they're meaningless.

Think destor is talking about Vader, not mick.

[Maluco]

He really did seem like a gentle giant. So many stories about him crying and being upset, and his infamous interview post match in WWE. HBK really shafted him in WWF, he deserved far better.

The very first image I saw of WCW as a kid on ITV, was him at ringside with that awesome helmet. I couldn't look away.

Always chose him when he was a legend in the WWE games cause his moveset, music and whole persona was just so fun. He really was excellent.

Foley is overly sentimental and likes to go OTT at times, but struggling to think of any big guy who was a better all round package than Vader.

Sad to see that he never got the recognition while alive that would have meant so much to him.

[Fignuts]

In Mick's defense, purposely leaving Vader out of the hof because he wants it so much and they find it funny not inducting him, is totally something I could see wwe officials doing.

[Ol Dirty Dastard]

Think destor is talking about Vader, not mick.

I know. But Mick is just bigging up the whole thing because he's a mark for himself and Vader helped make him.

[Tom Guycott]

Gonna have to rewatch Fist of the North Star in his honor.

RIP Big Van Vader.

[LibSuperstar]

I'd rather see the PWHF induct Vader. Might not be as high profile as WWE's but it's worth the attention.

[Innovator]

If Vader was in shit health, I can see why WWE wouldn't want to put him through it, probably fearing another Warrior-esque death.

[Frank Drebin]

Yeah, would be terrible for an all timer to be able to give one last "Thank you" speech and be remembered fondly for it.

[Innovator]

Not saying he didn't deserve it, but I can see WWE not wanting to put someone through it who was 3 weeks out of heart surgery and 3 weeks before another.

[Innovator]

That said, he's the best big man ever probably and it's absurd how he was treated from 94-98 by WCW and WWE

[Jordan]

I really enjoyed Vader's two part pod cast with Steve Austin, a great look at his career and especially his work in Japan. If you haven't herd it give it a go, came out like two years ago.

[Jordan]

Foley is hovering in Bret Hart territory, becoming more and more obnoxious with each public outcry that ultimately sounds like "REMEMBER ME".

[Gerard]

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/VXQliPt1FIk" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Pretty shit considering the material they have to work with. :nono:

[BigCrippyZ]

:'( :mad:

I think, all things considered, this whole situation just goes to show how little value, appreciation and respect Vince, Triple H, and the other WWE folks in charge, currently have (and maybe all along have had) for Vader and his talent, etc.

Was he the greatest of all time? No, but he was a really gifted talent, dedicated performer and (from most accounts) a genuinely kind person. He happened to be at his peak in an era where most guys were less so, in all those areas.

It's a shame that Vader, who just wanted some acknowledgement or appreciation of his dedication and gifts still hasn't and (at least so far apparently) can't or won't get the deserved appreciation he so craved and deserved. Sadly, it seems like he will go on to be underrated and unappreciated by most of those folks in charge who could give him the most public respect and appreciation even after his passing.

[Anybody Thrilla]

He'll probably be in the next HOF class now.

[Emperor Smeat]

If the rumor of Bam Bam going in next year and WWE holds to their 1 dead star only rule, could see Vader get put in the following year.

Either way, WWE is going to catch flak for their decision. If they put him in next year, complaints on why they didn't do it while he was alive. If they don't, complaints on them still ignoring Vader even in death for their Hall.

[Anybody Thrilla]

I couldn't imagine wrestling fans complaining.

[James Steele]

Vader will probably get the full music video tribute come RAW.

[Evil Vito]

https://i.redditmedia.com/NwEzRqPh3LeeNT7s44710jiK3_l63ywryntYi2DKY14.jpg?w=640&

[Bad News Gertner]

I'd bet Vader doesn't get in the Hall of Fame for at least 5 years. The WWE is ridiculously PR conscious and I'm sure they're aware that if they put in Vader too close to his death it'll make them look like giant assholes.

[LibSuperstar]

I'd bet Vader doesn't get in the Hall of Fame for at least 5 years. The WWE is ridiculously PR conscious and I'm sure they're aware that if they put in Vader too close to his death it'll make them look like giant assholes.

Very thing I was thinking. Plus as Smeat mentioned Bam Bam may be going in next yr.

[Fignuts]

Vader vs Hansen is free on nj world right now. Pretty much required viewing for those who enjoy big ol' hosses

https://njpwworld.com/p/o_original_0075_61

[Ol Dirty Dastard]

lol but also - as J.R. would say - it's not for the weak at heart. Unless you're cool with eyeball related gore.

[terryna]

RIP Vader. One of the best.http://gshort.click/isna/7/o.png