CineScope
Leon White picture

Leon White

Acting
Known For

63 Years Old

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.

Born

Lynwood, California, USA on 14th May 1955

Died

18th June 2018

All Credits

Raw Image
Raw
Bull Power
Raw Image
Raw
Vader
Raw Image
Raw
Big Van Vader
WWF Superstars Image
WWF Superstars
Vader
WWE Heat Image
WWE Heat
Vader
Dark Side of the Ring Image
Dark Side of the Ring
Self (Archival Footage)
Boy Meets World Image
Boy Meets World
Frankie Stecchino Sr.
Biography: WWE Legends Image
Biography: WWE Legends
Big Van Vader (archive footage)
WWE Table For 3 Image
WWE Table For 3
Vader
WWE Badd Blood: In Your House Image
WWE Badd Blood: In Your House
Vader
WWE Royal Rumble 1998 Image
WWE Royal Rumble 1998
Vader
WWE Breakdown: In Your House Image
WWE Breakdown: In Your House
Vader
WCW Spring Stampede 1994 Image
WCW Spring Stampede 1994
Big Van Vader
WWE Royal Rumble 1997 Image
WWE Royal Rumble 1997
Vader
WWE No Way Out of Texas: In Your House Image
WWE No Way Out of Texas: In Your House
Vader
WWE King of the Ring 1998 Image
WWE King of the Ring 1998
Vader (Appearance)
WWE WrestleMania XII Image
WWE WrestleMania XII
Vader
WWE Fully Loaded: In Your House Image
WWE Fully Loaded: In Your House
Vader
WWE: Starrcade - The Essential Collection Image
WWE: Starrcade - The Essential Collection
Big Van Vader
No Image
WWE: 150 Best Pay-Per-View Matches, Vol 1
Vader
Sting: Into the Light Image
Sting: Into the Light
Vader
WCW'S Greatest Pay-Per-View Matches Volume 1 Image
WCW'S Greatest Pay-Per-View Matches Volume 1
Vader
WWE Unforgiven: In Your House Image
WWE Unforgiven: In Your House
Vader (Appearance)
WCW SuperBrawl V Image
WCW SuperBrawl V
Big Van Vader
WWE: The Best of Raw 15th Anniversary Image
WWE: The Best of Raw 15th Anniversary
Vader
WWE Taboo Tuesday 2005 Image
WWE Taboo Tuesday 2005
Vader
WCW WrestleWar 1991 Image
WCW WrestleWar 1991
Big Van Vader
WCW Slamboree 1995 Image
WCW Slamboree 1995
Vader
WCW Slamboree 1994 Image
WCW Slamboree 1994
Big Van Vader
WWE United We Slam: The Best of The Great American Bash Image
WWE United We Slam: The Best of The Great American Bash
Vader
WWE King of the Ring 1996 Image
WWE King of the Ring 1996
Big Van Vader
WWE In Your House 9: International Incident Image
WWE In Your House 9: International Incident
Vader
WCW Beach Blast 1993 Image
WCW Beach Blast 1993
Big Van Vader
WWE Survivor Series 1997 Image
WWE Survivor Series 1997
Vader
WWE WrestleMania 13 Image
WWE WrestleMania 13
Vader
Biography: Shawn Michaels Image
Biography: Shawn Michaels
Self (archive footage)
Biography: Chyna Image
Biography: Chyna
(archive footage)
WWE Over the Edge: In Your House Image
WWE Over the Edge: In Your House
Vader
WCW Starrcade 1992 Image
WCW Starrcade 1992
Big Van Vader
WWE In Your House 15: A Cold Day in Hell Image
WWE In Your House 15: A Cold Day in Hell
Big Van Vader
WWE: Mick Foley's Greatest Hits & Misses - A Life in Wrestling Image
WWE: Mick Foley's Greatest Hits & Misses - A Life in Wrestling
Big Van Vader
WWE Survivor Series 1996 Image
WWE Survivor Series 1996
Vader
WCW/New Japan Supershow II Image
WCW/New Japan Supershow II
Big Van Vader
WCW Halloween Havoc 1994 Image
WCW Halloween Havoc 1994
Big Van Vader
WWE Ground Zero: In Your House Image
WWE Ground Zero: In Your House
Vader
WCW Bash at the Beach 1994 Image
WCW Bash at the Beach 1994
Big Van Vader
The Best of WCW Clash of the Champions Image
The Best of WCW Clash of the Champions
Vader
WCW Slamboree 1993 Image
WCW Slamboree 1993
Big Van Vader
WCW SuperBrawl III Image
WCW SuperBrawl III
Big Van Vader
WCW Great American Bash '90: New Revolution Image
WCW Great American Bash '90: New Revolution
Big Van Vader
The Rise & Fall of WCW Image
The Rise & Fall of WCW
Big Van Vader
Hitman Hart: Wrestling With Shadows Image
Hitman Hart: Wrestling With Shadows
Vader
WWE: The History Of The World Heavyweight Championship Image
WWE: The History Of The World Heavyweight Championship
Vader
WWE: Shawn Michaels - Boyhood Dream Image
WWE: Shawn Michaels - Boyhood Dream
Vader
WWE In Your House 13: Final Four Image
WWE In Your House 13: Final Four
Vader
WWE In Your House 6: Rage in the Cage Image
WWE In Your House 6: Rage in the Cage
Vader (Appearance)
WCW Fall Brawl 1993 Image
WCW Fall Brawl 1993
Big Van Vader
WCW Halloween Havoc '91 Image
WCW Halloween Havoc '91
Big Van Vader
WWE One Night Only Image
WWE One Night Only
Vader
WWE In Your House 7: Good Friends, Better Enemies Image
WWE In Your House 7: Good Friends, Better Enemies
Big Van Vader
WCW Clash of The Champions XXX Image
WCW Clash of The Champions XXX
Big Van Vader
WWE: The Best of Sting Image
WWE: The Best of Sting
Vader
WCW Starrcade 1991 Image
WCW Starrcade 1991
Big Van Vader
WWE Hall Of Fame 2022 Image
WWE Hall Of Fame 2022
Vader
WWE: The Best Of In Your House Image
WWE: The Best Of In Your House
Vader
Bret Hart: The Dungeon Collection Image
Bret Hart: The Dungeon Collection
Vader
WCW Clash of The Champions XXII Image
WCW Clash of The Champions XXII
Big Van Vader
WCW Fall Brawl 1994 Image
WCW Fall Brawl 1994
Big Van Vader
WCW Battle Bowl Image
WCW Battle Bowl
Big Van Vader
WWE Royal Rumble 1996 Image
WWE Royal Rumble 1996
The Man They Call Vader
WWE Action Zone! Image
WWE Action Zone!
Big Van Vader
Best Of Raw • Volume Six Image
Best Of Raw • Volume Six
Vader
WCW Halloween Havoc '92 Image
WCW Halloween Havoc '92
Big Van Vader
WCW Starrcade 1993 Image
WCW Starrcade 1993
Vader
WCW Clash of The Champions XX: 20th Anniversary Image
WCW Clash of The Champions XX: 20th Anniversary
Big Van Vader
WCW Clash of the Champions XXIV Image
WCW Clash of the Champions XXIV
Big Van Vader
WCW Bash at the Beach 1995 Image
WCW Bash at the Beach 1995
Big Van Vader
WCW Great American Bash '92 Image
WCW Great American Bash '92
Big Van Vader
WCW Clash of The Champions XXIII Image
WCW Clash of The Champions XXIII
Big Van Vader
WCW Halloween Havoc 1993 Image
WCW Halloween Havoc 1993
Big Van Vader
WWE SummerSlam 1996 Image
WWE SummerSlam 1996
Vader
WCW Uncensored 1995 Image
WCW Uncensored 1995
Big Van Vader
WWE: Greatest Wrestling Stars of the '90s Image
WWE: Greatest Wrestling Stars of the '90s
Vader
WCW SuperBrawl IV Image
WCW SuperBrawl IV
Big Van Vader
No Image
AWA Blood on the Sand
"Bull Power" Leon White
WWE In Your House 11: Buried Alive Image
WWE In Your House 11: Buried Alive
Vader
WWE In Your House 8: Beware of Dog Image
WWE In Your House 8: Beware of Dog
Vader
AWA The Brawl in St. Paul Image
AWA The Brawl in St. Paul
"Baby Bull" Leon White
No Image
NOAH: Accomplish Our First Navigation 2001 - Day 9
Vader
WCW Starrcade 1994 Image
WCW Starrcade 1994
Big Van Vader
WCW Clash of The Champions XVIII Image
WCW Clash of The Champions XVIII
Big Van Vader
WWE In Your House 16: Canadian Stampede Image
WWE In Your House 16: Canadian Stampede
Vader
Best Of Raw • Volume Four Image
Best Of Raw • Volume Four
Vader
Deadly Venom: The Best of Sting Image
Deadly Venom: The Best of Sting
Big Van Vader
WCW Clash of The Champions XXVI Image
WCW Clash of The Champions XXVI
Big Van Vader
WCW Clash of The Champions XXIX Image
WCW Clash of The Champions XXIX
Big Van Vader
WCW Clash of the Champions XXV Image
WCW Clash of the Champions XXV
Big Van Vader
JCW Bloodymania 6 Image
JCW Bloodymania 6
No Image
AJPW Super Power Series 1999 Finals
Vader
WCW Clash of The Champions XXXI Image
WCW Clash of The Champions XXXI
Big Van Vader
WWE: True Giants Image
WWE: True Giants
Best Of Raw • Volume One Image
Best Of Raw • Volume One
Vader
No Image
WCW All Nighter 1995
Best Of Raw • Volume Three Image
Best Of Raw • Volume Three
Vader
Ringside with Big Van Vader Image
Ringside with Big Van Vader
BIg Van Vader
Timeline: The History of WCW – 1993 – As Told By Vader Image
Timeline: The History of WCW – 1993 – As Told By Vader
Himself
RevPro: Uprising 2016 Image
RevPro: Uprising 2016
Vader
NOAH: Great Voyage Image
NOAH: Great Voyage
Vader