10 Most DANGEROUS Wrestlers Ever

6. WCW’s Big Van Vader (1990-1995)

Randy Orton WWE 2009
WWE

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.

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Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.