A shockingly agile big man and one of the best.  Vader has held World Championships in
several major wrestling territories and on several continents, North America, Central America,
Europe and Asia.  He is the master of the “Vader” Bomb and the moonsault.  Vader has also
competed as Super Vader, Big Van Vader and under his real name, Leon White.

  The Coloradoan made his professional debut in 1986.  He wrestled in the American
Wrestling Association for some time before venturing overseas.  White wrestled as Bull Power
in the Catch Wrestling Association.  He ended Otto Wanz’s extended reign as World
Champion on March 22, 1987 in Denver, Colorado, his hometown.  During the summer, Bull
Power was beaten by Wanz in a rematch.  New Japan Officials in Tokyo selected Vader to
wrestle Tatsumi Fujinami for the vacant IWGP World Heavyweight Title on May 8, 1988.  
Fujinami beat Vader to win the belt.

  Vader was a participant in the IWGP World Title Tournament on April 24, 1989 at the Tokyo
Dome. More than 50,000 fans were present to see Vader oust Masa Chono in the initial
round.  Vader pinned Fujinami, then beat Shinya Hashimoto to capture the championship.  
Victories over three tough opponents led Vader to one of the most respected titles in all of
the world.  He was also only the second American to hold the title after Hulk Hogan.  Vader
lost the title to Salman Hashimikov of Russia on May 25th in Osaka.  On August 10th, Vader
took his second IWGP Title from Riki Choshu in Tokyo.  He captured his second CWA World
Title from Wanz on August 21st in Vienna.  Vader traveled to Mexico City and on November
22, 1989, he beat the legendary El Canek to capture the UWA World Championship.  At that
time, he held three major World Titles on three separate continents at the same time.  An
unprecedented feat.  The wrestlers he beat for the belts were all legends as well…Choshu,
Wanz, El Canek.

  Vader had quickly established himself as one of the top few wrestlers in the world.  As far
as accomplishments go, he was number one in any book.  He remained the IWGP Champion
for more than a year.  Vader dropped the CWA World Crown back to Wanz on June 30, 1990
in Graz, Austria.  Wanz retired as the champion and the belt was put up in a tournament later
in the year.

  He made his National Wrestling Alliance debut as “Big Van Vader” during the Great
American Bash pay-per-view on July 7, 1990 in Baltimore.  Vader appeared with a huge
headdress, shocking many fans who had never seen him before.  The IWGP Champ beat
Tom Zenk.  He lost the IWGP Belt in Tokyo on August 19, 1990, back to Choshu.  In
Maebashi, Japan, Vader was defeated by Tiger Jeet Singh by disqualification on October
25th.  He beat Rambo in a tournament final on December 22nd in Bremen, Germany to
capture his third CWA World Title.

  Less than a month later, Vader regained the IWGP World Title from Fujinami in Yokohama
on January 17, 1991.  It was his third.  He returned to the United States to wrestle former
AJPW Triple Crown Champion, Stan Hansen on WCW’s WrestleWar pay-per-view on
February 24th in Phoenix.  The bout ended in a wild double-disqualification before 6,000
fans.  On March 4th in Hiroshima, Fujinami beat Vader for the belt.

  He teamed with Bam Bam Bigelow on March 21st  in Tokyo to beat former NWA World
Champions, Doom, Ron Simmons and Butch Reed.  Vader pinned the latter.  He lost to
another powerhouse, Scott Norton on September 23, 1991 in Yokohama, Japan.  Back in
WCW, Vader took former eight-time NWA World Champion Harley Race as his manager.  It
was a great choice.  Race had recently led Lex Luger to the WCW World Title.  Vader sided
with Abdullah the Butcher, Diamond Studd and Cactus Jack for a “Chamber of Horrors” match
at Halloween Havoc on October 27th in Chattanooga.  His team lost the bout to a team of fan
favorites.  He participated in the Lethal Lottery on December 29th.  Vader was lucky enough
to team with another member of Race’s stable, Mr. Hughes.  The two defeated Rick Steiner
and the Nightstalker to advance to the battle bowl.  Sting won the event over World Champ,
Lex Luger.  He competed against the 7’7’’ El Gigante on January 4, 1992 at the Tokyo
Dome.  The two wrestled to a double-disqualification.

  Vader teamed with Hughes on January 21st in Topeka against the Steiners at the Clash.  
Scott Steiner pinned Hughes.  Back in New Japan, he teamed with Bam Bam Bigelow to
capture the IWGP World Tag Team Title on March 1, 1992 during the company’s 20th
Anniversary Show.  Their win came over Keiji Mutoh and Hiroshi Hase in Yokohama.  On June
26th, they lost the belts in Tokyo to the Steiner Brothers.  Vader returned to the U.S. and was
about to change the way many American wrestling fans viewed him.

  On July 12th in Albany, he beat Sting for the WCW World Heavyweight Title during the
Great American Bash.  After 17:17, Vader pinned the champion for the belt.  He was the
WCW World Champion and the first to have held the CWA, UWA, IWGP and WCW World
Titles in a single career.  Less than a month later, on August 2nd, Ron Simmons beat him
and won the WCW Title in Baltimore.  Vader teamed with Rick Rude, Jake Roberts and the
Super Invader to beat Sting, the Steiners and Nikita Koloff on September 2nd in a special
elimination match.  The event was Clash XX in Atlanta.  Rude, who was the United States
Champion, allowed Vader to defend the belt for him against Koloff in a no-disqualification on
October 25th at Halloween Havoc.  He did successfully.  Vader pinned the challenger.  He
teamed with Dustin Rhodes during the 1992 Lethal Lottery and Battle Bowl at Starrcade in
Atlanta.  The two advanced, but the Great Muta won the eight-man battle royal.

  Vader regained the WCW World Title from Simmons in Baltimore on December 30th.  
Again, he was the head man in the promotion.  A dominate heel champion.  At the January
Clash in Milwaukee, Vader teamed with Paul Orndorff and Barry Windham, losing a cage
match to Sting, Cactus Jack and Rhodes.  He wrestled Sting in a “White Castle of Fear” strap
match on February 21st in Asheville at SuperBrawl and retained his belt.  

  Vader traveled overseas to Europe for a WCW Tour.  He lost the WCW Title to Sting on
March 11, 1993 in London at Wembley Arena.  On the final stop of the tour in Dublin, Ireland
on March 17th, Vader used a pair of brass knuckles to knock Sting out and land his
powerbomb, winning the WCW World Title for the third time.  On April 21st at the Center
State Theater in Atlanta, he powerbombed Cactus Jack onto the concrete floor twice.  Jack
suffered amnesia in the attack and would be forced from the ring for several months.

  The powerful Davey Boy Smith joined the organization during the winter and immediately
was a top challenger for Vader’s belt.  Many thought it was just a matter of time before the
WCW Title was being strapped around the newcomer’s waist.  During Slamboree on May
23rd, Vader wrestled Smith for the title and was disqualified.  Sid Vicious was also a man to
return to WCW.  The two formed a partnership and a tag team known as the “Masters of the
Powerbomb.”  He teamed with Vicious and Rude on Wednesday, June 16th in Norfolk to beat
Sting, Smith and Rhodes in a six-man bout.  At Beach Blast in Biloxi, Vader and Vicious lost to
Sting and Smith.  The world champ was pinned by Smith.

  Vader participated in the War Games main event of Fall Brawl on September 19th.  He
teamed with Vicious and Harlem Heat against Sting, Smith, Rhodes and the Shockmaster.  
Kole of the Heat was forced to submit by the Shockmaster.  He continued his personal war
with Cactus Jack.  The two wrestled on October 24th in New Orleans during the Halloween
Havoc pay-per-view.  Vader beat his challenger in a special “Spin the Wheel, Make the Deal”
Match, which eventually became a Texas Death Match.

  The “Nature Boy” Ric Flair decided to throw his hat back into World Title contention.  He
challenged Big Van Vader on November 10th in St. Petersburg.  Flair won by disqualification.  
On November 20th in Pensacola, Vader won the ’93 Battle Bowl with a final elimination of
Sting.  He lost to UWFI World Champion Nobuhiko Takada on December 5, 1993 in Tokyo by
submission.  He was originally scheduled to face Sid Vicious in Charlotte on December 27th
in the main event of Starrcade.  That scheduled match was changed in late October when an
out-of-the-ring incident between Vader and Arn Anderson took place.  Promoters elevated
Flair’s standing and the match was set.  Vader’s World Title would be on the line against Flair’
s career.  The night of Starrcade, Flair pinned Vader in Charlotte to capture the World
Championship.

  Vader lost an elimination match with Rude as his partner on January 27, 1994 in Baton
Rouge.  The winners were Sting and Flair when Vader was counted out.  He received a pay-
per-view rematch against Flair for the World Title in a cage on February 20th.  The Boss was
the special referee.  He got into it with the official and eventually lost.  The Boss/Guardian
Angel-Vader feud was just beginning.

  WCW returned to Europe for a tour.  Vader wrestled Cactus Jack in Munich on March 16th
when an unfortunate incident occurred.  Jack was tied up in the ropes when he slipped
through and two-thirds of his ear was torn off.  The match continued, amazingly enough.  
Vader wrestled the Boss before 12,000 fans at the Rosemont Horizon in Chicago on April
17th.  Vader won.  He lost to Sting at Slamboree for the vacant WCW International Title in
Philadelphia.  Around this same time, Hulk Hogan was in negotiations to sign with the
promotion.  When the pen went to paper, the entire wrestling world changed.  Vader beat the
Guardian Angel by disqualification on July 17th in Orlando, the night Hogan made his debut
and beat Flair for the WCW World Title.

  On September 18th in Roanoke, he entered a three-way contest to determine the number
one contender to the World Title.  Vader wrestled the Guardian Angel and Sting in a special
elimination match.  He pinned the Angel first and then pinned Sting.  Despite the win, the
World Title shot didn’t immediately happen.  Before an estimated 14,000 fans in Detroit on
October 23rd, Vader beat the Guardian Angel by pinfall to end their feud.  Fans expected
Vader to be announced as Hogan’s challenger at Starrcade in Nashville.  It never happened.  
He beat Dustin Rhodes in Jacksonville at the November Clash.  A man known as the
“Butcher” was granted the World Title shot against Hogan on December 27th.

  Vader’s ranking in the organization allowed him a United States Heavyweight Title shot
against “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan.  He pinned the champ and won the belt.  On February 19,
1995, he finally received his WCW World Title shot against Hogan.  He lost by disqualification
in front of an estimated 13,000 fans.  Vader was accompanied by Ric Flair during the March
18, 1995 edition of WCW Saturday Night to a match against preliminary wrestler, Tracy
Benton.  After pinning his opponent, Flair attacked Dave Sullivan, who was wandering around
the ringside area.  Sullivan was tossed into the ring to a waiting Vader.  He landed a
powerbomb, moonsault, and a big splash, in that order.

  Flair continued to punch Sullivan when Bobby Heenan and the WCW Commissioner ran out
to stop the attack.  Medical assistance was called with a stretcher.  Vader did not carry the U.
S. Title Belt for the match, but was still recognized as the champion when he went to the ring
the next night against Hulk Hogan at Uncensored.  The show was held in Tupelo, Mississippi.  
Hogan beat Vader in a special leather strap match.

  WCW Officials decided to strip him of the U.S. Belt for his attack of Sullivan on Saturday
Night.  Vader teamed with Flair on May 21st in St. Petersburg.  Their opponents were the
Mega Powers of old, Hogan and Randy Savage.  Hogan pinned Flair in the finals.  Vader lost
an important steel cage WCW World Title Match to Hogan on July 16, 1995 in Huntington
Beach, California.  On August 4th in Daytona, he wrestled both Flair and Arn Anderson in a
handicap match and was victorious.  Later in the month on August 29th, Vader got into a
behind-the-scenes altercation with Paul Orndorff in Atlanta during a television taping at the
Center Stage Theater.

  WCW suspended Vader for his actions and he later left the promotion.  Speculation of his
next move was rampant.  Vader didn’t surprise many when he signed a contract with the
World Wrestling Federation before the year was up.  He was announced by Vince McMahon
as one of the first few participants in the 1996 Royal Rumble during the January 1st Raw.  
Vader ventured to Japan for the big January 4th Tokyo Dome Show and faced the legendary
Antonio Inoki.  He was defeated.

  Upon returning to the U.S., he aligned himself with a veteran manager, Jim Cornette.  Vader
made his presence known at the February 18th In Your House in Louisville.  He attacked
former WWF World Champion Yokozuna during his match with Davey Boy Smith causing the
latter’s disqualification.  He appeared during the live edition of Raw on the 19th and stopped
a tag match before it could start when he attacked Barry Horowitz and Aldo Montoya.  Vader
was running loose on the WWF.  He attacked Yokozuna again on February 26, 1996 during
the latter’s handicap match against Owen Hart and Davey Boy Smith.  He caused the
disqualification loss for his stablemates.

  At WrestleMania XII in Anaheim, Vader teamed with Smith and Hart.  He pinned Jake
Roberts, who had teamed with Yokozuna and Ahmed Johnson, to win the match before an
estimated 18,000 fans.  Vader put Yokozuna out of commission during a match on April 8th.  
The referee was forced to stop the bout and paramedics were brought to the ring to assist.  
The next week, Vader and Cornette went to the ring for an interview with Vince McMahon.  
The conversation put over a feud with Razor Ramon and their match at the next pay-per-
view.  Vader beat Ramon by pinfall on April 28th at In Your House.  He also defeated Ahmed
Johnson on May 27, 1996 to advance in the King of the Ring Tournament.  He lost to Jake
Roberts in the semifinals on June 23rd in Milwaukee when he was disqualified.

  Vader teamed with Hart and Smith against Shawn Michaels, Ahmed Johnson and a longtime
friend and foe, Sid Vicious on July 21st.  He got a pin on the WWF World Champion, Michaels
to win the match.  Vader attacked Michaels on August 12th during the champ’s match with
Owen Hart.  A powerbomb was delivered.  Vader received a World Title shot against Michaels
at the August 18th pay-per-view in Cleveland, entitled SummerSlam ’96.  He lost by pinfall
after he missed a moonsault.  Finally the bout was signed.  The “Masters of the Powerbomb”
were matched-up in a singles contest.  Vader was defeated by Sid Vicious on September
22nd during In Your House X.  The match was not broadcast on the televised show.  Their
next contest was.  

  On October 20th, Vader again lost to Vicious by pinfall and with that he lost the rights to a
World Title match at the Survivor Series.  Sid went on to capture the WWF Title at the
November pay-per-view.  Vader pinned Bret Hart in a singles contest on January 6, 1997
during Raw.  He had some help from Steve Austin.  Vader beat the Undertaker on January
19, 1997 in San Antonio before 60,000 fans.  He also participated in the Royal Rumble.

  Gorilla Monsoon named Vader as one of the combatants in a four-way elimination match at
the February pay-per-view to determine the top contender to the WWF Title, on January
20th.  He brawled with the other members of the bout, Bret Hart, the Undertaker and Steve
Austin.  On February 16th, Vader was eliminated by the Undertaker during a four-way
elimination match for the vacant WWF Title.  Bret Hart eventually won the belt.  Later in the
month in Beyreuth, Germany, Vader challenged and lost to Hart on February 28th.  He
formed a team with Mankind to challenge former allies, Owen Hart and Davey Boy Smith for
the WWF World Tag Title at WrestleMania on March 23rd.  The bout ended in a double-
countout.  He was forced to submit by shootfighting champion Ken Shamrock by May 11th.

  By this time, the Undertaker had captured the WWF Title.  Vader challenged him at In Your
House on July 6th.  He was accompanied by the ‘Taker’s former manager Paul Bearer for the
bout, but in the end, Vader was pinned.  Vader beat Bret Hart, WWF World Champion, by
disqualification on September 8, 1997 during Raw Is War.  He beat Owen Hart in Birmingham,
England on September 20th.  Vader teamed with the Patriot on October 5th in a loss to Bret
Hart and Davey Boy Smith in St. Louis.  At the Survivor Series in Montreal, Vader teamed with
Goldust, Marc Mero and Steve Blackman against “Team Canada.” Late in the match, Goldust
decided not to enter the contest.  Angry, Vader slapped him and then pulled him over the
ring ropes.  Goldust  left the ring area.  Vader had a good showing for himself late, but he
was pinned by Davey Boy Smith.

  A grudge match between Vader and Goldust was held on January 18, 1998 in San Jose.  
He beat his opponent before a large crowd.  He lost to Kane in several pay-per-view
matches, then dropped a bout to Mark Henry at Fully Loaded in July.  Vader was beaten by
Justin Bradshaw on September 27th.  Soon left the WWF and returned to Japan.  Vader was
signed by All-Japan Pro Wrestling.  It wasn’t long before Vader was again wearing gold.

  On March 6, 1999, he defeated Akira Taue in Tokyo.  The match was for the vacant AJPW
Japanese Triple Crown.  Vader became the first man in history to have held both the IWGP
World Title and the All-Japan Triple Crown.  He won the 1999 Champion Carnival in April with
a pin over Kenta Kobashi in the final.  Vader lost the titles to Mitsuharu Misawa in Tokyo on
May 2nd, but regained the title on October 30th during the 27th Anniversary Show of All-
Japan.  He remained the Triple Crown Champion into 2000, but dropped the belts to Kenta
Kobashi on February 27th in Tokyo.  Vader has an amazing list of accomplishments and they
will never be equaled and definitely not surpassed.

TITLE HISTORY:

  -UWA World Heavyweight Title (1989-’90) defeated El Canek
  -A three-time CWA World Heavyweight Champion
          -Defeated Otto Wanz (1987)
          -Defeated Otto Wanz (1989)
          -Defeated Mark Rambo (1990) tournament final
  -A two-time IWGP World Heavyweight Champion
          -Defeated Shinya Hashimoto (1989) tournament final
          -Defeated Tatsumi Fujinami (1991)
  -Co-holder of the IWGP World Tag Team Title (1992) w/ Bam Bam Bigelow
  -A three-time WCW World Heavyweight Champion
          -Defeated Sting (1992)
          -Defeated Ron Simmons (1992)
          -Defeated Sting (1993)
  -UWFI World Heavyweight Title (1994-’95) defeated Nobuhiko Takada
  -WCW United States Heavyweight Title (1994-’95) defeated Jim Duggan
  -A two-time AJPW Unified Japanese Triple Crown Champion
          -Defeated Akira Taue (1999)
          -Defeated Mitsuharu Misawa (1999)
  -AJPW Champion Carnival Tournament (1999)




Research by Tim Hornbaker
Vader Wrestling History
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