Every WCW Heavyweight Champion: Where Are They Now?

19. Big Van Vader

Before he was being buried both backstage and in the ring by a peak-d**khead Shawn Michaels in the WWF, Big Van Vader was a monster in the wrestling world, one of the most legit tough guys in the industry and a believable titan of the ring. It's no wonder WCW slapped their World Title on the big unit three times after NJPW had done the same in Japan.

His first two reigns were nothing to write home about, but his third and final run with the belt ran nearly the entirety of 1993, fending off some of WCW and the NWA's greatest stars of the era including Ric Flair, Sting, Ron Simmons, Lex Luger and more.

After his WCW tenure, the Moonsaulting big man went back to Japan, hitting up UWF and NJPW before making his long-awaited debut in the WWF. It turned out to be a disappointing and short stay with the company.

After that he continued to make sporadic appearances in companies around the world, returning to WWE and Japan on occasions while running through the independent scene well into his 50s, even wrestling Will Ospreay in 2016 at the age of 61!

Tragically, Leon White would pass away in 2018 at 63, leaving behind a legacy of physical dominance in the ring, and being one of the great big men of the industry.