10 Most DANGEROUS Wrestlers Ever
6. WCW’s Big Van Vader (1990-1995)
Yeah, so the intro said in-ring recklessness and a tendency to injure opponents wouldn't bag a spot on this list, but Big Van Vader's violence is different. Why? Well, Mick Foley actively encouraged the big grizzly to physically smash him during their time together in WCW during the early-1990s.
Vader was happy to oblige.
The masked man hit hard, but he didn't mind taking a beating back. If anything, Vader seemed to revel in the moment when opponents like Cactus Jack, Sting or Ric Flair began firing back live rounds here or there. This strike-heavy style gave Big Van's matches lots of oomph and a believable air missing elsewhere on WCW shows.
Arguably, Vader's aura lingered when he joined the WWF in 1996, but it didn't take long before he was just another dude on the roster. Leon White was anything but when knocking out teeth and busting eyebrows on WCW's side. He was a monster fans fretted about seeing their heroes go up against.