His run there may have been disappointing but at least he redeemed himself in Noah afterwards. His matches with Misawa & Kobashi are definitely worth tracking down.
Mostly All Japan just before the NOAH exodus, but yes. Vader was booked as the foreign monster heel that could only be taken out by the great Misawa. Those matches are prototypical AJPW: Stiff, dramatic, fantastic.
It seems like almost every career has a decline when they run into Hulk Hogan brother! You either do the job now or ya do the job later, but remember brother ya gonna do the job brother!
@@smittywerbenjagermanjensen4737 He DID say ALMOST every career. Rock was okay, and Shawn recovered. It took Bret almost a year to start recovering his career after what Hogan pulled at WM9.
I meet Vader at New Jacks retirement, he was one of the sweetest individuals I’ve ever meet, he was literally a giant teddy bear. He was a victim of Vince hates WCW booking, look at Dusty Rhodes, The Big Show, the list goes on, and on. So sad for fans that only know him from WWE. The Stan Hansen vs Vader match you mentioned from New Japan is a must see, his best match might of been with the Great Muta in New Japan.
@@ryanwebb5082 I think they're referring to the first several years pf Show. He didn't get popular with WWE booking to the point of titles until late 2000s etc etc
I've always heard Vader was told by a producer to act like that, but didn't want the host to know to make it look more real. Then the producer denied it to keep his own job after the cops were called. That's why undertaker never flinched
Perhaps but Vader would have been smarter to not go along with it, Far too many things could go wrong leading to the host being badly injured. And attacking a non-wrestler whose not trained to take hits safely can never be a good idea IMO.
I laughed so hard when WWE announced that "mask vs mask" match. My friends all looked at each other, and one of us finally spoke up, "sooo...Vader is going to lose that one, right?". Lol
But by 97 Shawn wasn't bending over the right way anymore. But in seriousness, Shawn was far too talented to get rid of and the only guy at the time aside form Bret Hart that was worthy of being the top guy plus there was WCW breathing down WWF's neck. That's why Vince was so lenient with him.
It's amazing how many people who have zero connection to any of this still believe this insane "Vince and Shawn were fuck buddies" silliness. Nobody has ever suggested that either of them were gay, but it's 2020, so why let facts get in the way of people's conspiracy fantasies 😂
Vader was used the same way every monster heel is used in WWE: A constant threat for maineventers but never a real maineventer himself. He went the same way like Yokozuna, Kane, Umaga or recently Samoa Joe. They were attractions for themselves and never needed big titles to be remembered. Could be worse. Dungeon of Doom and jobbing for Hogan for example.
Agreed, but part of it is Vader's fault, I heard he was a very stiff worker and guys like HBK at the time didn't want anything to do with that style so he never worked in the main event save for SS 1996 and that was it, he'd been sliding ever since then.
@Se Se I don't know if he tried to correct it, I don't remember hearing that any where, your sources? I agree with everything you said about Michaels, I don't know if Shawn had him "wrapped around his finger" at the time but he certainly was in Vince's ear at the time. Shawn was the champion and Vince catered to him because of that, remember business was down when Shawn was Champion and at the time Shawn could always play the WCW card, and he did at one point or he tried to. I heard that Vince talked him out of it. Any way I'm sure he got special treatment being Vince's Champion and main draw at the time. I think it was deserved no? Vader was a newcomer in the WWF and as I said Shawn had busted his ass to get to where he was at. Yeah I heard from Bret that Vader was a big teddy bear on the inside and you could hurt his feelings easily. I wonder if he deserves sympathy, there is the Kuwait incident which he (Leon) claims was a work, and Vader was a pro by the time he came to the WWE, so you think he'd have learned full well how to work and he shouldn't have had to "correct" anything, I don't expect perfection but he should have known how to work to the point where he wasn't hurting or injuring anyone or being "stiff", something Bret, prided himself on.
Vader was an amazing heel. His career in the WWF once and for all proved that Vince and company were not in fact geniuses, Vader had so much potential and quality. WWF dropped the ball big time.
Nah, man, the Mask Match still makes sense. You said it yourself, a masked wrestler's mask is a big deal - it is a major part of the identity, and losing it is a big blow to the Character. Even if we could already see most of Vader's face, his willingness to put the mask on the line still means something. In addition, this is a type of match that only Vader and Kane could have, and his reaction after the loss feels real - like a man that bet everything and then LOST everything. Although, I'll agree, they should have made him use a different Mask afterwards.
Vader was a victim of HBK and VKM in my eyes. Vince didn't like he wouldn't rename himself to Mastodon because Vince's moto was We don't hire Superstars, we Create them. Also HBK was HBK.. his politicking selfish self at the max at that point. What really pisses me off about this is as much of a Sham the WWE Hall of Fame is, Vince refuses to put Vader in it even after learning Vader was more or less going to die in a few years even despite Mick Foley pushing for it. Ohhh but he allowed Vader to induct Stan Hansen.
I think it's a good thing he's not in the WWE hall of fame because that shit is a pathetic joke, much like how the WWE cares about it's family, as seen in this recent disaster
@Mean Bob There are a lot of people who deserve to be there if they consider it an honor. However due to VKM being VKM they never will be or not till after they die which makes you wonder about Vince's ability to forgive, more so when things were his fault.. like all the wrestlers involved in the Concussion Law suit Vs WWE. Demolition and One Man Gang come to mind. You know OMG lost his house to a massive hurricane sometime back and not a peep from WWE about it? Someone mentioned it on Squared circle on Reddit and his family started a donation site for it.. the good news is They raised enough money to deal with the problem.. but it still pisses me off WWE didn't step up to help him.
@@PapaBear816 lmao…Why should Vince McMahon and the WWE help out OMG when he lost his home? Just because he USE to work for them? That’s not how it works, they paid him very well while he actually did work for them and they DON’T own OMG or any other past wrestlers a dime. Sounds harsh I know, but the WWE is NOT a charity, they’re a FOR PROFIT company. I use to work for Walmart, if I lost my home, I doubt they would help me, even though they’re a company that makes billions and I’ve worked for them for years, but I don’t work for them now, so they ain’t going to help. So again why should WWE be expected to help? Sorry mark, that’s not how the world works. Would it have been nice of them to help? Of course, but in no way are they obligated to do so, sorry to play “Devil’s advocate,” but sometimes that’s the role you play when you can perfectly understand the world isn’t nice.
@@Musiclover19 Ladies and gentlemen, Welcome to Conservative thinking Fort Width. A man who gave like the Gang did to WWE, and why should the multi billion dollar company he gave heart and soul to, Help him with 30k to get his house fixed. Yea, Such a kind soul you are. Keeping in mind WWE has done more for other superstars in the name of being " Good " You see that road over there, it leads to Fuck off Ville, can you go all the way down there and fuck all the way off? Thanks :)
Fun fact! My first ever WWE event was the night before taboo Tuesday 2005 haha, I got to see Vader trip up close and personal being in the front row. Best night of my childhood
Back in the Day when i started the wrestling training, my coaches said: "When you want to work Big Man Style, watch everything what Vader has done." In my opinion he was one of the Best Big Man who ever worked in the squared circle, but his WWF run was just a big disappointment. Rest in Peace
He tried working with pneumonia?? I’ve had pneumonia and I was incapacitated for 10 days and in hospital for 7 of those days on oxygen!! Sometimes you just have to say no and do what’s best for your health.
He was a Hall of Famer before he ever stepped foot in WWF. And he did have some great moments: attacking Monsoon, Final Four, shooting against the Kuwait reporter (which I thought was awesome).
One of the best parts of my week is coming home from work on Wednesday and sitting back to watch the new Brian Zane video while I unwind. Thanks for what you do man!
The amazing thing was the second he left WWF, he was putting on 4+ star classics in AJPW with Kobashi/Kawada/Misawa/Akiyama, and he had a great match with Inoki too in 99-00 area
Holy shit finally a long form video. I honestly only watch this and classical ppv reviews. I could care less about current wrestling. Thank you, your comedy has been missed.
As a guy from Bremen, My older brother told me all about the stories of Vaders (at that time called Bull Power) time in Otto Wanz's CWA. He together with Fit Finlay and Jushin Thunder Liger would walk the streets constantly and sign autographs to anyone who asks. Bremen was kinda like the New York of Germany in the 80s and early 90s, as there was no bigger crowd for Wrestling in this country and we could also be considered a bit smarky. Too bad everything went to shit by the late 90s. But in any case, Vader will always be my favorite big man of all time.
I think I've mentioned before that Vader squashing Monsoon is still a moment that makes me feel genuine revulsion. Because I loved Vader, but I also loved Monsoon, and that moment was not just shocking, but it's also the last we saw of Monsoon on screen before his death. But it was also a fantastic moment for Vader himself, because it was the one time where the company really took the cuffs off of him and let him be just the straight up monster he was meant to be. I honestly think the company's style in '96 really hampered him. Vader, in WWE, would have worked better in the Attitude Era, where he could have violent bloody brawls that were also paced out enough to let him do the athletic shit he could do. He could powerbomb people into thumbtacks, Vader Bomb them, then hit a moonsault on them just for the fun of it. 1996 WWE was still playing by PG rules though. And Vader just wasn't a PG wrestler. Dude got big in Japan during a time where everyone there wrestled stiff as fuck. That's what Vader did best, because that's how he was taught to wrestle. Finesse the showy moves, but otherwise just beat the hell out of your opponent. Sadly, the Attitude Era is the time they decided to just give up on him. Debuted for them too early, and by the time the right era arrived for him, they'd squandered him.
I have the rock bottom paper view video I'm looking at it as we speak in about to try to Upload it! Would it be blocked if I tried to because it's a WWF product or would that not matter since their WWE now?!?
Imagine had they booked him well in 1996, Vader would've been one of the biggest heel in the company by 1998. An Austin vs. Vader program in 1998 would be so great to watch.
Im so used to watching a wwe/aew show then going straight to Brian Zane to get his take on things an feel lost this week with no raw review. Keep up the great work.
To be fair to Shawn (just barely since this is 1996 HBK we're talking about), Bret Hart also hated working with Vader because of how stiff he was. He was really better suited for Japan than North American wrestling. It's a shame things didn't work out in the Federation for him, but he still has his legacy intact despite this lackluster run.
Shawn has been a massive douche for his whole career but I don't think 'Can you not stiff me?' is exactly politicking or particularly unreasonable. A lot of that whole thing has been blown up by Corny, bless the guy, who tends to decry things done by guys he hates but lauds them when they're done by guys he likes. Bruiser Brody acts unprofessional, shows the fans he's there but doesn't wanna work to show his displeasure with the producer? Hahaha, classic Brody! Shawn Michaels does the same basic thing but in the back stage? Unprofessional douchebag. So when the stories of Vader being politicked out of a good career in WWF are hitting the rounds, take it with a grain of salt. It's likely! It's very believable, and probably true, but if the reason he was 'politicked' out of a good career is 'refusing to NOT stiff top stars'... well. No one's ever praised Bob Holly or JBL for it either.
Video series idea what about a retrospective of wrestlers who were significant names who did better in WWE than where they spent years. Some examples are: Hogan, HBK, Austin, Eddie, Rey, Benoit, Daniel Bryan, Punk, and AJ Styles. I would exclude guys who were very briefly in other promotions that came to WWE like: Taker and HHH
@Wrestling With Wregret Great video Zane! Vader was a favorite of mine as well. I agree with the rest of the feed, the new cuts, transitions, and layers are superb; your videos just keep getting better. You could recut early series works with updated talking points & new elements for a "remastered" look. 😂👌 P.S. Fuck Buck Zumhofe
I hate Shawn so bad it makes my blood boil, espically knowing how he acted in the 96 match with Vader. What a complete baby. Vader should of got up and blasted him.! What makes it worse is how people talk about Shawn being the greatest of all time. Yeah, greatest baby of all time. He messed with so many peoples spots back then, by crying and wingeing to Vince. He should be ashamed of himself. But its okay cuz HBK found God we should all forgive him..... NOT I hate you Shawn....!!!!!!!!!
Just like Michael Jorden or Floyd Mayweather. Assholes people but you got to respect that they were the best in that sport. I hate early Shawn as a person too. The Kilq burns my blood too. What's even more crappy is as a kid I loved Shawn and Deisel. Only to find out they were the two biggest assholes back then. My heart hurts for guys like Vader and anyone Hogan screwed over.
@@bOObies2 i agree but, Jordan and Mayweather never cost people there jobs, thats the difference. These wrestlers had famlies to feed. But aslong Shawn was okay who cares. He was and still is a JERK, and will never have my RESPECT..!
SamBo And look who's also crying? Don't blame it all on Michaels, Vince is the one you should be blaming and there were others like Hogan who was far worse than him. Atleast Michaels put over people in later years, something Hogan would never be proud to do
Nobody ever seems to bring this up, but i think a big part of the problem here was the WWF not allowing Vader to work as stiff as he usually did. That was such an important part of his aura and helped get him over basically everywhere else in the world... For those who don't know, Vader even did Japanese shoot-style pro wrestling (a "worked MMA" of sorts but got popular well before real MMA did in Japan) and was a massive draw there as well. His feud with Nobuhiko Takada sold out baseball stadiums, for a promotion that didn't even have a TV show!
there were moments in wwf but surely if you want to see the Mastodon at his monster heelish you have to stick to the late 80s early 90s wcw and japan runs. it is amazing how wwf can take a person who seemed utterly devastating everywhere and make him a vulnerable teddy bear
When Vader first debuted in the WWF, this was the first time I had seen him, and he sacred the hell out of me. And I was shocked when he attacked Gorilla Monsoon the following night. He was on a hot streak up until he ran into a wall against Shawn Michaels. However Cornette has said that Vader was his own worst enemy at times too. He said in a shoot interview that Leon didnt help his case b/c he was kind of a whiner.
Vader talked about his fight with Paul Orndorff in another vid here on YTube. Long story short, he hit Paul, then got nervous because he just laid out his boss so he went limp and let Paul take his anger out on him in the hopes of saving his job - according to Vader anyway. The Kuwait story, he claims that he was told the host was in on the deal... again only according to Vader.
Exactly why I never bought into any Shawn Michaels growing up. I seen how he treated Vader. You can be the best preformer ever but when people just don't care or like you then you end up world champ during the least eventful years of wwf. What a legacy
Amazing new production, Zane. Also I remember Austin telling the story of finding out about Orndorff beating up Vader from Pillman. Pillman said (imagine a deep voice) "He had flip flops on, Steve! If he was wearing boots he would have killed him!"
It's a travesty that Vader was severely misused in WWF. They had a monster heel that could have had a world title reign and instead he got lost in the shuffle and buried
Dudes prolly one of the most light footed big guys in wrestling and apparently a sweetheart on top of that. Love most of his matches with Foley and funk etc. Extra cool points for the chappelle reference, always welcome ❤
I don’t know if the whole Kuwait deal was planned or not, but in general I feel like it sets a dangerous precedent if the company were to reward someone on TV for manhandling a reporter, no matter how stupid their questions lol
In that shamrock vs vader match in fmw, vader accidentally injured badly shamrock since he was competing in broken ribs and ended up bleeding profusely after that
Yeah, Gary Hart mentioned that in his autobiography. Apparently, Inoki really liked the Dingo Warrior and wanted him to come to Japan as Big Van Vader -- but Vince got in first with the big bucks, took Warrior to New York, and Inoki settled for Leon White instead. I'd like to peek into the alternate universe where Hellwig went to Japan and see how that ended up...
Vader vs Kane on paper sounds like am absolute monster showcase. Kane at his Start vs An aging Vader Has the old monster still got what it takes to knock off the New monster
I rewatched Vader Vs Cactus Jack at Halloween Havoc '93 last night. Two absolute icons in my eyes, but sadly only one got the true respect and adulation he deserved. R.I.P Leon. Sadly missed alongside so many of your peers.
The new editing/editor is so dope, definitely breathing life into this new season
Well the old editing was nothing more than basic cuts
@@chabbab6698 Fair enough 😅, but a little flair goes a long way
Thanks, I agree!
@@ghostiegoogoo Is it better than Wondershare? That's what I use to make videos.
I kinda miss Windows Movie Maker. :(
@@WrestlingWithWregret YEAH Dude! You need to keep this style! It's perfect..
His run there may have been disappointing but at least he redeemed himself in Noah afterwards.
His matches with Misawa & Kobashi are definitely worth tracking down.
Mostly All Japan just before the NOAH exodus, but yes. Vader was booked as the foreign monster heel that could only be taken out by the great Misawa.
Those matches are prototypical AJPW: Stiff, dramatic, fantastic.
The lesson to take here seems to be to avoid wrestling for Vince if you became famous somewhere else
Ryan Parreno AJ Styles debuted at the Royal Rumble in 2016 and he’s doing good stuff since
Danny Blxck2 one of very few.
Danny Blxck2 Because AJ is too good to be held down. It didn’t look good early on,remember they kept comparing him to a pitbull cause he was short.
It seems like almost every career has a decline when they run into Hulk Hogan brother! You either do the job now or ya do the job later, but remember brother ya gonna do the job brother!
Flow_ Easy the rock was okay after
And when that bell rings brother ohhhhhhh brother!!!
@@smittywerbenjagermanjensen4737 He DID say ALMOST every career. Rock was okay, and Shawn recovered. It took Bret almost a year to start recovering his career after what Hogan pulled at WM9.
Brock lesnar did just fine
Did Hogan get his win back from Angle after he made him tap at KOTR 2002?
Can't remember if he did.
I meet Vader at New Jacks retirement, he was one of the sweetest individuals I’ve ever meet, he was literally a giant teddy bear. He was a victim of Vince hates WCW booking, look at Dusty Rhodes, The Big Show, the list goes on, and on. So sad for fans that only know him from WWE. The Stan Hansen vs Vader match you mentioned from New Japan is a must see, his best match might of been with the Great Muta in New Japan.
His feuds with Sting are legendary, top 10 feud of all time.
@@ryanwebb5082 I think they're referring to the first several years pf Show. He didn't get popular with WWE booking to the point of titles until late 2000s etc etc
Vader's lackluster run in WWE had nothing to do with WCW. Steve Austin also came over from WCW at around the same time and look how he turned out
I've always heard Vader was told by a producer to act like that, but didn't want the host to know to make it look more real. Then the producer denied it to keep his own job after the cops were called. That's why undertaker never flinched
Perhaps but Vader would have been smarter to not go along with it, Far too many things could go wrong leading to the host being badly injured. And attacking a non-wrestler whose not trained to take hits safely can never be a good idea IMO.
Glad he got honored in the Hall Of Fame this year. He deserves to be praised.
I laughed so hard when WWE announced that "mask vs mask" match. My friends all looked at each other, and one of us finally spoke up, "sooo...Vader is going to lose that one, right?". Lol
That had to be the most predictable match ever besides any Hulk Hogan match
Lmaooo
I believe Vince macmahon was in love with Shawn Micheals in the mid 90's. He would do anything to make Micheals "keep his smile"
I really think they had a sexual relationship going on.. Shawn did what he wanted to do when he felt like it without no consequences..
They were definitely “in a relationship” so many people have come out to speak about it.
I heard that about Hogan,Austin,and Cena
But by 97 Shawn wasn't bending over the right way anymore. But in seriousness, Shawn was far too talented to get rid of and the only guy at the time aside form Bret Hart that was worthy of being the top guy plus there was WCW breathing down WWF's neck. That's why Vince was so lenient with him.
It's amazing how many people who have zero connection to any of this still believe this insane "Vince and Shawn were fuck buddies" silliness. Nobody has ever suggested that either of them were gay, but it's 2020, so why let facts get in the way of people's conspiracy fantasies 😂
When I was a kid I thought Vader was really scary and then I saw Kane beat him up and then Kane replaced him as the scariest wrestler
Such a heartfelt story lol. Thank you for giving me a good laugh 😎
Vader was done for good in WWF once Kane hit the scene.
@@MrM-u3h What a tag team those two would have made. Two masked giants, both agile.
Before I watch.. something something Shawn Michaels something something politics?
Thats every story of misused talent during 1997
You aren't wrong lol
It's true! Shawn will tell you himself in so many words..
Harieth Velasco also he was too THICC
Vader was a big baby from what I heard.He could dish it out but couldn’t take it
Vader was used the same way every monster heel is used in WWE: A constant threat for maineventers but never a real maineventer himself. He went the same way like Yokozuna, Kane, Umaga or recently Samoa Joe. They were attractions for themselves and never needed big titles to be remembered. Could be worse.
Dungeon of Doom and jobbing for Hogan for example.
Nothing could of been worse than what I just watched
Apparently the name “Baby Bull” caught on because that’s the name of a character in the MDickie games
Love the MDickie games. The parody names are great
TheMehgend love it
Yeah I remember. Baby Bull is a wrestler on Federation Online....... I never realised the name was actually used by Vader
Braden S they suck
@@LS-kk3yu welcome to the incorrect opinion saloon. Do you have any other opinions you would like to share with the guys?
Wwf completely misused Vader. He was a made star. Atleast he had a great match against Taker.
did you even watch the video?
It was a mix of himself and Shawn. This, just like Kennedy, was one of the times Vince WANTED to push the guy, but things got in the way.
Should have just gone back to NJPW after WCW at least he knew they would use him properly.
Agreed, but part of it is Vader's fault, I heard he was a very stiff worker and guys like HBK at the time didn't want anything to do with that style so he never worked in the main event save for SS 1996 and that was it, he'd been sliding ever since then.
@Se Se I don't know if he tried to correct it, I don't remember hearing that any where, your sources? I agree with everything you said about Michaels, I don't know if Shawn had him "wrapped around his finger" at the time but he certainly was in Vince's ear at the time. Shawn was the champion and Vince catered to him because of that, remember business was down when Shawn was Champion and at the time Shawn could always play the WCW card, and he did at one point or he tried to. I heard that Vince talked him out of it. Any way I'm sure he got special treatment being Vince's Champion and main draw at the time.
I think it was deserved no? Vader was a newcomer in the WWF and as I said Shawn had busted his ass to get to where he was at.
Yeah I heard from Bret that Vader was a big teddy bear on the inside and you could hurt his feelings easily. I wonder if he deserves sympathy, there is the Kuwait incident which he (Leon) claims was a work, and Vader was a pro by the time he came to the WWE, so you think he'd have learned full well how to work and he shouldn't have had to "correct" anything, I don't expect perfection but he should have known how to work to the point where he wasn't hurting or injuring anyone or being "stiff", something Bret, prided himself on.
Whoa, beard. I must have been away from this channel for a while.
Vader was an amazing heel. His career in the WWF once and for all proved that Vince and company were not in fact geniuses, Vader had so much potential and quality. WWF dropped the ball big time.
Who beats people up while wearing flip-flops? Ask the undefeated Chael Sonnen.
*I CANT LET YOU GET CLOSE*
THE WRESTLER REVIEW WHEN
Sorry I’m being impatient, I am glad Vader is getting his due on this channel
Nah, man, the Mask Match still makes sense. You said it yourself, a masked wrestler's mask is a big deal - it is a major part of the identity, and losing it is a big blow to the Character.
Even if we could already see most of Vader's face, his willingness to put the mask on the line still means something. In addition, this is a type of match that only Vader and Kane could have, and his reaction after the loss feels real - like a man that bet everything and then LOST everything.
Although, I'll agree, they should have made him use a different Mask afterwards.
What happened to Vader in WWF. You thank Shawn Michaels for that
I appreciate your steady presence these days, Z-Man
Charlie Griner very much so, getting the RUclips notification puts a smile on my face
Vader was a victim of HBK and VKM in my eyes. Vince didn't like he wouldn't rename himself to Mastodon because Vince's moto was We don't hire Superstars, we Create them. Also HBK was HBK.. his politicking selfish self at the max at that point. What really pisses me off about this is as much of a Sham the WWE Hall of Fame is, Vince refuses to put Vader in it even after learning Vader was more or less going to die in a few years even despite Mick Foley pushing for it. Ohhh but he allowed Vader to induct Stan Hansen.
I think it's a good thing he's not in the WWE hall of fame because that shit is a pathetic joke, much like how the WWE cares about it's family, as seen in this recent disaster
Damn that Voodoo Kin Mafia.
@Mean Bob There are a lot of people who deserve to be there if they consider it an honor. However due to VKM being VKM they never will be or not till after they die which makes you wonder about Vince's ability to forgive, more so when things were his fault.. like all the wrestlers involved in the Concussion Law suit Vs WWE.
Demolition and One Man Gang come to mind. You know OMG lost his house to a massive hurricane sometime back and not a peep from WWE about it? Someone mentioned it on Squared circle on Reddit and his family started a donation site for it.. the good news is They raised enough money to deal with the problem.. but it still pisses me off WWE didn't step up to help him.
@@PapaBear816 lmao…Why should Vince McMahon and the WWE help out OMG when he lost his home? Just because he USE to work for them? That’s not how it works, they paid him very well while he actually did work for them and they DON’T own OMG or any other past wrestlers a dime. Sounds harsh I know, but the WWE is NOT a charity, they’re a FOR PROFIT company. I use to work for Walmart, if I lost my home, I doubt they would help me, even though they’re a company that makes billions and I’ve worked for them for years, but I don’t work for them now, so they ain’t going to help. So again why should WWE be expected to help? Sorry mark, that’s not how the world works. Would it have been nice of them to help? Of course, but in no way are they obligated to do so, sorry to play “Devil’s advocate,” but sometimes that’s the role you play when you can perfectly understand the world isn’t nice.
@@Musiclover19 Ladies and gentlemen, Welcome to Conservative thinking Fort Width. A man who gave like the Gang did to WWE, and why should the multi billion dollar company he gave heart and soul to, Help him with 30k to get his house fixed. Yea, Such a kind soul you are. Keeping in mind WWE has done more for other superstars in the name of being " Good " You see that road over there, it leads to Fuck off Ville, can you go all the way down there and fuck all the way off? Thanks :)
Fun fact! My first ever WWE event was the night before taboo Tuesday 2005 haha, I got to see Vader trip up close and personal being in the front row. Best night of my childhood
Back in the Day when i started the wrestling training, my coaches said: "When you want to work Big Man Style, watch everything what Vader has done." In my opinion he was one of the Best Big Man who ever worked in the squared circle, but his WWF run was just a big disappointment.
Rest in Peace
Don't forget Bam Bam Bigelow, one of the best SuperHeavy wrestler and very underrated.
Yeah, Bam Bam was great, but Vaders Matches with Foley and Hansen were something else
Dont forget about Keith Lee hes a beast whos a Super Heavyweight that moves like a man half his size
It’s so weird seeing Undertaker with a headband BEFORE his biker gimmick, or even the Attitude Era
He tried working with pneumonia?? I’ve had pneumonia and I was incapacitated for 10 days and in hospital for 7 of those days on oxygen!! Sometimes you just have to say no and do what’s best for your health.
He was a Hall of Famer before he ever stepped foot in WWF. And he did have some great moments: attacking Monsoon, Final Four, shooting against the Kuwait reporter (which I thought was awesome).
One of the best parts of my week is coming home from work on Wednesday and sitting back to watch the new Brian Zane video while I unwind. Thanks for what you do man!
Stan Hansen: *exists*
Vader's eye: IGHT IMMA HEAD OUT
Vader: No you ain't.
@@napalmblaziken Vader's eye socket was all like *_schloop_*
@@ivanvukasovic1371 LOL
The amazing thing was the second he left WWF, he was putting on 4+ star classics in AJPW with Kobashi/Kawada/Misawa/Akiyama, and he had a great match with Inoki too in 99-00 area
Always cracks me up how chill Taker is when Vader grabs the reporter.
Holy shit finally a long form video. I honestly only watch this and classical ppv reviews. I could care less about current wrestling. Thank you, your comedy has been missed.
As a guy from Bremen, My older brother told me all about the stories of Vaders (at that time called Bull Power) time in Otto Wanz's CWA. He together with Fit Finlay and Jushin Thunder Liger would walk the streets constantly and sign autographs to anyone who asks. Bremen was kinda like the New York of Germany in the 80s and early 90s, as there was no bigger crowd for Wrestling in this country and we could also be considered a bit smarky. Too bad everything went to shit by the late 90s.
But in any case, Vader will always be my favorite big man of all time.
I think I've mentioned before that Vader squashing Monsoon is still a moment that makes me feel genuine revulsion. Because I loved Vader, but I also loved Monsoon, and that moment was not just shocking, but it's also the last we saw of Monsoon on screen before his death. But it was also a fantastic moment for Vader himself, because it was the one time where the company really took the cuffs off of him and let him be just the straight up monster he was meant to be.
I honestly think the company's style in '96 really hampered him. Vader, in WWE, would have worked better in the Attitude Era, where he could have violent bloody brawls that were also paced out enough to let him do the athletic shit he could do. He could powerbomb people into thumbtacks, Vader Bomb them, then hit a moonsault on them just for the fun of it. 1996 WWE was still playing by PG rules though. And Vader just wasn't a PG wrestler. Dude got big in Japan during a time where everyone there wrestled stiff as fuck. That's what Vader did best, because that's how he was taught to wrestle. Finesse the showy moves, but otherwise just beat the hell out of your opponent. Sadly, the Attitude Era is the time they decided to just give up on him. Debuted for them too early, and by the time the right era arrived for him, they'd squandered him.
I have the rock bottom paper view video I'm looking at it as we speak in about to try to Upload it!
Would it be blocked if I tried to because it's a WWF product or would that not matter since their WWE now?!?
Yeah.
@@TheRacingGenius88 yeah what ?
It would be blocked or I could upload it?!?
3:45 that flipflop story awesome
That "Keeping It Real" reference caught me completely off guard😂
Vader is one of many of wrestlers that were booked strong before coming into the WWE to be practically neutered for that exact reason.
Imagine had they booked him well in 1996, Vader would've been one of the biggest heel in the company by 1998. An Austin vs. Vader program in 1998 would be so great to watch.
Man so many wrestlers dying this year. RIP Danny Havoc.
What.....?
@@Isaac-cm7zg Besides of Danny Havoc former WWE wrestler Shad Gaspar and Stardom wrestler Hana Kimura have already died this year.
Thats what I said when I saw the tribute
Im so used to watching a wwe/aew show then going straight to Brian Zane to get his take on things an feel lost this week with no raw review.
Keep up the great work.
I always loved watching the Boy Meets World episodes with Vader.
To be fair to Shawn (just barely since this is 1996 HBK we're talking about), Bret Hart also hated working with Vader because of how stiff he was. He was really better suited for Japan than North American wrestling.
It's a shame things didn't work out in the Federation for him, but he still has his legacy intact despite this lackluster run.
Shawn has been a massive douche for his whole career but I don't think 'Can you not stiff me?' is exactly politicking or particularly unreasonable. A lot of that whole thing has been blown up by Corny, bless the guy, who tends to decry things done by guys he hates but lauds them when they're done by guys he likes. Bruiser Brody acts unprofessional, shows the fans he's there but doesn't wanna work to show his displeasure with the producer? Hahaha, classic Brody! Shawn Michaels does the same basic thing but in the back stage? Unprofessional douchebag.
So when the stories of Vader being politicked out of a good career in WWF are hitting the rounds, take it with a grain of salt. It's likely! It's very believable, and probably true, but if the reason he was 'politicked' out of a good career is 'refusing to NOT stiff top stars'... well. No one's ever praised Bob Holly or JBL for it either.
I hated hearing Vader call himself a "big fat, piece of shit." It was like a shot to the damn heart. Excellent video by the way.
"Who kicks someone's ass wearing flip flops?!"
Chael P. Sonnen would like a word
I CAN'T LET YOU GET CLOSE
idk if this is the first video with it or not but the new intro and editing is clean man keep it up
Vader and Raven were both massively wasted in WWF.
Video series idea what about a retrospective of wrestlers who were significant names who did better in WWE than where they spent years. Some examples are: Hogan, HBK, Austin, Eddie, Rey, Benoit, Daniel Bryan, Punk, and AJ Styles. I would exclude guys who were very briefly in other promotions that came to WWE like: Taker and HHH
That flower background music when Vader grabs the interviewer is hilarious 😂😂
Brian Zane beard been growing since then what u use for your beard to grow fast
Its called no barbers are open cream
Time
"I'm so BIIIGGG!" That cracked me up. Thanks for the laughs in these difficult times BZ
Really loved the opening package / narration. Hope this format continues
I’m from Philly so I love the Rocky reference at the top of the art museum steps in the intro!
@Wrestling With Wregret Great video Zane! Vader was a favorite of mine as well. I agree with the rest of the feed, the new cuts, transitions, and layers are superb; your videos just keep getting better. You could recut early series works with updated talking points & new elements for a "remastered" look. 😂👌
P.S. Fuck Buck Zumhofe
Look the only person who tore Shawn Michaels apart was Vince McMahon
I liked seeing him on Boy Meets World.
I hate Shawn so bad it makes my blood boil, espically knowing how he acted in the 96 match with Vader. What a complete baby. Vader should of got up and blasted him.!
What makes it worse is how people talk about Shawn being the greatest of all time. Yeah, greatest baby of all time. He messed with so many peoples spots back then, by crying and wingeing to Vince. He should be ashamed of himself. But its okay cuz HBK found God we should all forgive him..... NOT
I hate you Shawn....!!!!!!!!!
Just like Michael Jorden or Floyd Mayweather. Assholes people but you got to respect that they were the best in that sport. I hate early Shawn as a person too. The Kilq burns my blood too. What's even more crappy is as a kid I loved Shawn and Deisel. Only to find out they were the two biggest assholes back then. My heart hurts for guys like Vader and anyone Hogan screwed over.
@@bOObies2 i agree but, Jordan and Mayweather never cost people there jobs, thats the difference.
These wrestlers had famlies to feed.
But aslong Shawn was okay who cares. He was and still is a JERK, and will never have my RESPECT..!
SamBo And look who's also crying? Don't blame it all on Michaels, Vince is the one you should be blaming and there were others like Hogan who was far worse than him. Atleast Michaels put over people in later years, something Hogan would never be proud to do
Nobody ever seems to bring this up, but i think a big part of the problem here was the WWF not allowing Vader to work as stiff as he usually did. That was such an important part of his aura and helped get him over basically everywhere else in the world...
For those who don't know, Vader even did Japanese shoot-style pro wrestling (a "worked MMA" of sorts but got popular well before real MMA did in Japan) and was a massive draw there as well. His feud with Nobuhiko Takada sold out baseball stadiums, for a promotion that didn't even have a TV show!
Heath Slater, Edge and Vader have all had matches against each other which is a strange trifecta 😂
Creative control, brother was running wild with HBK.
That headgear Vader used for awhile was sick!!
Vader pushing his eye back in is insane!!
there were moments in wwf but surely if you want to see the Mastodon at his monster heelish you have to stick to the late 80s early 90s wcw and japan runs.
it is amazing how wwf can take a person who seemed utterly devastating everywhere and make him a vulnerable teddy bear
That Heath Slater match was the strongest Vader ever looked.
15:26 this Goldust costume looks like the inspiration for Dr. Rockso
When Vader first debuted in the WWF, this was the first time I had seen him, and he sacred the hell out of me. And I was shocked when he attacked Gorilla Monsoon the following night. He was on a hot streak up until he ran into a wall against Shawn Michaels. However Cornette has said that Vader was his own worst enemy at times too. He said in a shoot interview that Leon didnt help his case b/c he was kind of a whiner.
I feel like Samoa Joe is going to have a similar route minus the politic stuff
Joe’s doing fine even if he’s getting injury prone
Joe is going to be an announcer.Joe was never as stiff as VaderS
Vader talked about his fight with Paul Orndorff in another vid here on YTube. Long story short, he hit Paul, then got nervous because he just laid out his boss so he went limp and let Paul take his anger out on him in the hopes of saving his job - according to Vader anyway.
The Kuwait story, he claims that he was told the host was in on the deal... again only according to Vader.
Exactly why I never bought into any Shawn Michaels growing up. I seen how he treated Vader. You can be the best preformer ever but when people just don't care or like you then you end up world champ during the least eventful years of wwf. What a legacy
The way Shawn changed position mid air so fast and lands.on his feet is impressive.
Amazing new production, Zane. Also I remember Austin telling the story of finding out about Orndorff beating up Vader from Pillman. Pillman said (imagine a deep voice) "He had flip flops on, Steve! If he was wearing boots he would have killed him!"
Vader was a legit world champion, holding world titles in Germany and japan and Mexico simultaneously. Has anyone else even come close?
It's a travesty that Vader was severely misused in WWF. They had a monster heel that could have had a world title reign and instead he got lost in the shuffle and buried
so basically shawn michaels is why he failed in wwe.
I love hearing Jim Ross popping a blood vessl being so happy about Ron Simmons winning the world title
Dudes prolly one of the most light footed big guys in wrestling and apparently a sweetheart on top of that. Love most of his matches with Foley and funk etc.
Extra cool points for the chappelle reference, always welcome ❤
There's something to say a lot how Vader was a mere CAW part (and movelist) in WWF War Zone.
(Also, obligatory "Brock Lesnar in NJPW when?" post.)
Dam! That part @ 5:20 with El egianta back hands Taker over the top rope ONE chop
Vader is most definately in my Top 10
Best thing about vaders wwf run was we got him in bend ems and bone crunching form 😃
I don’t know if the whole Kuwait deal was planned or not, but in general I feel like it sets a dangerous precedent if the company were to reward someone on TV for manhandling a reporter, no matter how stupid their questions lol
vader's WCW run was one of the best ive seen. love it
Thanks for cranking out some content during tough times
In that shamrock vs vader match in fmw, vader accidentally injured badly shamrock since he was competing in broken ribs and ended up bleeding profusely after that
Vader is a beast, Rest In Peace legend
Tiny side note:the original Gimmck for "Big Van Vader" was actually made for,of all people, The Ultimate Warrior
Yeah, Gary Hart mentioned that in his autobiography. Apparently, Inoki really liked the Dingo Warrior and wanted him to come to Japan as Big Van Vader -- but Vince got in first with the big bucks, took Warrior to New York, and Inoki settled for Leon White instead. I'd like to peek into the alternate universe where Hellwig went to Japan and see how that ended up...
Love that shoveling segment. Please make it a regular occurrence.
Shawn Michaels the man who changed Vader’s career
I would say, only his WWE career. Michaels will never touch his NJPW and WCW runs.
Yo zayn you're killing it with the beard homie!
I didnt even know he was WCW champ i just remembered vader from WWF with the fued with HBK
Vader vs Kane on paper sounds like am absolute monster showcase.
Kane at his Start vs An aging Vader
Has the old monster still got what it takes to knock off the New monster
Season 10 is looking amazing ‼
Vader is goat level Big Man, easily top 5 big ever. It's Time! It's Time! It's Vader Time!
Bro why did it take you so long to do this video? Either way thx, I'm a big Vader fan.
Must watch this now just finished his debut at the Rumble
It's time...it's Vader time!
That mastodon helmet was so fucking dope!!! Never understood why they dropped it
It’s eerie that the last few shows Havoc worked were called live fast die young and ready to die
I rewatched Vader Vs Cactus Jack at Halloween Havoc '93 last night.
Two absolute icons in my eyes, but sadly only one got the true respect and adulation he deserved.
R.I.P Leon. Sadly missed alongside so many of your peers.
Ken shamrock and Vader loved working together in the pro wrestling ring
You know, I remember requesting this just a few weeks ago.
Japan loved him as he inspired SNK to create Big Bear (Raiden) and Capcom to create Alexander The Grater (Sheep the Royal).