Leon White
Leon Allen White better known by his ring names Big Van Vader or Vader, is an American semi-retired professional wrestler. White is best known for his time with New Japan Pro Wrestling, World Championship Wrestling, WWE and All Japan Pro Wrestling in the 1990s. A super-heavyweight wrestler capable of aerial maneuvers such as the moonsault and the dropkick, White was both a face and a heel in several professional wrestling promotions. During his career, he became an eight time world champion, having won the WCW World Heavyweight Championship three times, the IWGP Heavyweight Championship three times and the AJPW Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship twice. Vader returned to Japan, wrestling at a NJPW Wrestle Land show. He also worked in the independent circuit as Big Van Vader, including a tag match against Samoa Joe and Dan Maff in Jersey All Pro Wrestling with Mike Awesome as his tag team partner. On May 12, 2007, Vader faced Brutus Beefcake at Spartan Slamfest, a World Wrestling Coalition charity show. The match was held at the Kingston Armory in Kingston, Pennsylvania. After wrestling his last match in 2007, White began working as a high school football coach. O April 29, 2010, White made a return to wrestling under his Vader ring name at the event Vader Time 5 Return of the Emperor. At the event, he teamed with his son Jesse and former tag team partner 2 Cold Scorpio to successfully defeat Makoto Hashi, Tamon Honda and Tatsumi Fujinami in the main event. In May 2016, Will Opsreay and Ricochet faced each other during the NJPW tournament Best of the Super Juniors. During the match, both wrestlers performed a high flying, fast paced sequence. When Vader saw the sequence, he complained in social media about the current direction pro wrestling is taking. During the following weeks, Vader and Ospreay feuded in Twitter, so England-based promotion Revolution Pro Wrestling (RevPro) booked a match between them. The match took place on August 12, 2016, where Vader defeated Ospreay. Two days later, he made an appearance in Colchester, England for the XWA Wrestling (XWA) promotion, where he defeated "Savvy" Sid Scala. On April 20, 2017, Vader made an appearance in Japan at Korakuen Hall as part of the Dradition show to celebrate the 45th anniversary of the debut of Tatsumi Fujinami. Following a six-man tag team match, Vader collapsed due to being dropped on his head during the match, but he was able to walk backstage under his own power and he remained in Japan as he was scheduled to work two more shows in Fukuoka and Osaka.[On April 22, Vader, Takuma Sano, and Yoshiaki Fujiwara lost a six man tag team match to Koji Kanemoto, Shiro Koshinaka and Tatsumi Fujinami. On April 23, Vader, Riki Choshu, and Tatsumi Fujinami defeated Shiro Koshinaka, Takuma Sano, and Yoshiaki Fujiwara. The final match of his career took place May 25, 2017 at WrestleJam V, where Vader defeated The Ironman. Return to AJPW (2011–2012) In the aftermath of the 2011 natural disasters in Japan, Vader and his son Jesse wrestled on special tribute cards for All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW) and Pro Wrestling Zero1. On December 7, 2012, Vader returned to AAJPW, teaming with Keiji Mutoh and Kenso to defeat Bambi Killer, Franz Dynamite and Mazada in a six-man tag team match.
Known For
Credits
- 2023 · Biography: Chyna as (archive footage)
- 2021 · Biography: WWE Legends as Big Van Vader (archive footage)
- 2015 · WWE Table For 3 as Vader
- 2014 · WWE: The Best of Sting as Vader
- 2014 · WWE United We Slam: The Best of The Great American Bash as Vader
- 2014 · WCW'S Greatest Pay-Per-View Matches Volume 1 as Vader
- 2014 · WWE: 150 Best Pay-Per-View Matches, Vol 1 as Vader
- 2013 · Bret Hart: The Dungeon Collection as Vader
- 2012 · The Best of WCW Clash of the Champions as Vader
- 2009 · The Rise & Fall of WCW as Big Van Vader
- 2009 · WWE: The History Of The World Heavyweight Championship as Vader
- 2009 · WWE: Greatest Wrestling Stars of the '90s as Vader
- 2004 · WWE: Mick Foley's Greatest Hits & Misses - A Life in Wrestling as Big Van Vader
- 1998 · Hitman Hart: Wrestling With Shadows as Vader
- 1998 · WWE Breakdown: In Your House as Vader
- 1998 · WWE Heat as Vader
- 1998 · WWE Heat as Vader
- 1998 · WWE Fully Loaded: In Your House as Vader
- 1998 · WWE King of the Ring 1998 as Vader (Appearance)
- 1998 · WWE No Way Out of Texas: In Your House as Vader
- 1998 · WWE Royal Rumble 1998 as Vader
- 1997 · WWE Survivor Series 1997 as Vader
- 1997 · WWE Badd Blood: In Your House as Vader
- 1997 · WWE In Your House 16: Canadian Stampede as Vader
- 1997 · Best Of Raw • Volume Six as Vader
- 1997 · WWE In Your House 15: A Cold Day in Hell as Big Van Vader
- 1997 · WWE WrestleMania 13 as Vader
- 1997 · WWE In Your House 13: Final Four as Vader
- 1996 · WWE Survivor Series 1996 as Vader
- 1996 · WWE In Your House 11: Buried Alive as Vader
- 1996 · WWE SummerSlam 1996 as Vader
- 1996 · WWE In Your House 9: International Incident as Vader
- 1996 · WWE King of the Ring 1996 as Big Van Vader
- 1996 · WWE In Your House 8: Beware of Dog as Vader
- 1996 · WWE WrestleMania XII as Vader
- 1996 · WWE Royal Rumble 1996 as The Man They Call Vader
- 1995 · WCW Bash at the Beach 1995 as Big Van Vader
- 1995 · WCW Slamboree 1995 as Vader
- 1995 · WCW Clash of The Champions XXX as Big Van Vader
- 1994 · WCW Spring Stampede 1994 as Big Van Vader
- 1994 · WCW SuperBrawl IV as Big Van Vader
- 1994 · WCW Clash of The Champions XXVI as Big Van Vader
- 1993 · Deadly Venom: The Best of Sting as Big Van Vader
- 1993 · WCW Fall Brawl 1993 as Big Van Vader
- 1993 · WCW Beach Blast 1993 as Big Van Vader
- 1993 · WCW Slamboree 1993 as Big Van Vader
- 1993 · WCW SuperBrawl III as Big Van Vader
- 1993 · WWE Raw as Vader (archive footage)
- 1993 · WWE Raw as Big Van Vader
- 1993 · WWE Raw as Vader
- 1993 · WWE Raw as Bull Power
- 1992 · WCW Clash of The Champions XX: 20th Anniversary as Big Van Vader
- 1986 · WWF Superstars Of Wrestling as Vader
- Future · Best Of Raw • Volume Four as Vader
- 2022 · WWE Hall Of Fame 2022 as Vader
- 2021 · Biography: Shawn Michaels as Self (archive footage)
- 2016 · RevPro: Uprising 2016 as Vader
- 2015 · Sting: Into the Light as Vader
- 2014 · WWE: Presents True Giants as
- 2014 · Timeline: The History of WCW – 1993 – As Told By Vader as Himself
- 2013 · WWE: The Best Of In Your House as Vader
- 2012 · JCW Bloodymania 6 as
- 2012 · WWE: Starrcade - The Essential Collection as Big Van Vader
- 2009 · Ringside with Big Van Vader as BIg Van Vader
- 2007 · WWE: The Best of Raw 15th Anniversary as Vader
- 2005 · WWE Taboo Tuesday 2005 as Vader
- 2004 · WWE: Shawn Michaels - Boyhood Dream as Vader
- 2001 · NOAH: Accomplish Our First Navigation 2001 - Day 9 as Vader
- 2000 · NOAH: Great Voyage as Vader
- 1999 · AJPW Super Power Series 1999 Finals as Vader
- 1998 · WWE Over the Edge: In Your House as Vader
- 1998 · WWE Unforgiven: In Your House as Vader (Appearance)
- 1997 · WWE One Night Only as Vader
- 1997 · WWE Ground Zero: In Your House as Vader
- 1997 · WWE Royal Rumble 1997 as Vader
- 1997 · WWE Action Zone! as Big Van Vader
- 1996 · Best Of Raw • Volume One as Vader
- 1996 · WWE In Your House 7: Good Friends, Better Enemies as Big Van Vader
- 1995 · WCW Clash of The Champions XXXI as Big Van Vader
- 1995 · WCW Uncensored 1995 as Big Van Vader
- 1995 · WCW SuperBrawl V as Big Van Vader
- 1995 · WCW All Nighter 1995 as
- 1994 · WCW Starrcade 1994 as Big Van Vader
- 1994 · WCW Clash of The Champions XXIX as Big Van Vader
- 1994 · WCW Halloween Havoc 1994 as Big Van Vader
- 1994 · WCW Fall Brawl 1994 as Big Van Vader
- 1994 · WCW Bash at the Beach 1994 as Big Van Vader
- 1994 · WCW Slamboree 1994 as Big Van Vader
- 1993 · WCW Starrcade 1993 as Vader
- 1993 · WCW Battle Bowl as Big Van Vader
- 1993 · WCW Clash of The Champions XXV as Big Van Vader
- 1993 · WCW Halloween Havoc 1993 as Big Van Vader
- 1993 · WCW Clash of The Champions XXIV as Big Van Vader
- 1993 · WCW Clash of The Champions XXIII as Big Van Vader
- 1993 · WCW Clash of The Champions XXII as Big Van Vader
- 1992 · WCW Starrcade as Big Van Vader
- 1992 · WCW Halloween Havoc as Big Van Vader
- 1992 · WCW The Great American Bash as Big Van Vader
- 1992 · WCW Clash of The Champions XVIII as Big Van Vader
- 1992 · WCW/New Japan Supershow II as Big Van Vader
- 1991 · WCW Starrcade 1991 as Big Van Vader
- 1991 · WCW Halloween Havoc '91 as Big Van Vader
- 1991 · WCW WrestleWar 1991 as Big Van Vader
- 1990 · WCW Great American Bash '90: New Revolution as Big Van Vader
- 1986 · AWA The Brawl in St. Paul as "Baby Bull" Leon White
- 1986 · AWA Blood on the Sand as "Bull Power" Leon White
- Future · Best Of Raw • Volume Three as Vader