Few casual wrestling fans realize the full impact that Vader had on puroresu during his career. The first wrestler to win the All Japan Triple Crown and the IWGP Heavyweight Championship, Vader also is one of only three wrestlers to hold the Heavyweight Tag Team Championship in New Japan, All Japan, and NOAH (the others being Yuji Nagata and Yoshihiro Takayama). Vader holds pinfall victories over Antonio Inoki, Akira Taue, Jun Akiyama, Kenta Kobashi, Mitsuharu Misawa, Toshiaki Kawada, Shinya Hashimoto, Riki Choshu, Masahiro Chono, Keiji Mutoh, Tatsumi Fujinami, and countless others. Arguably one of the most dominate American wrestlers in puroresu history, Vader left a legacy that will never be forgotten. Below is a summary of his wrestling career, including his exploits in Japan, the US, and other countries around the world.

1984 - 1987

After playing football for the Los Angeles Rams for five years, and after being a sparring partner for former WBA Heavyweight boxing champ, Mike Weaver, Leon White decided that he wanted to become a professional wrestler. Leon White started wresting with Verne Gagne's AWA promotion in 1984. White originally wrestled under the name “Baby Bull,” but was later changed to Leon "Bull Power" White, as he weighed in at about 350 lbs. Leon White was trained by Brad Rheingans, and White quickly adapted to a power-style wrestling technique, as he was training to become a super heavyweight inside the ring. After several months of hard training, White wrestled his first match under the American Wrestling Association banner. White would ultimately receive a shot at the AWA world title, which at the time was held by a future nemesis, Stan Hansen. In 1987, still wrestling under the name “Bull Power,” White won the Catch Wrestling Association World Heavyweight Title from champion Otto Wanz, while Wanz was touring the states. The win was a great upset, for Wanz had held the title since 1978. White traveled to Austria and Germany, to defend his CWA title. Wanz won the title back four months later. New Japan offered White a spot in late 1987.

1988

Wrestling for New Japan, White was given the name Big Van Vader, and wore a full mask (instead of the partial mask he wore for the rest of his wrestling career). Being brought in as a slightly inexperienced, but very intimidating force, New Japan was attempting to get Vader over with the tough Japanese wresting fans with his combination of agility and monstrous size. With his size (now over 400 lbs.) and speed, Vader quickly became a legendary figure while wrestling for New Japan pro wrestling. Vader debuted against the legendary Antonio Inoki, handing Inoki his first singles defeat in more than four years, defeating the legend in under three minutes. The match set off a fan riot that would get New Japan indefinitely banned from the Sumo Hall, and overnight Vader was catapulted to superstar status in Japan. Even though the fans were outraged at the upset, it gave the foreigner Vader instant credibility as an indestructible force. In late 1988, Vader made it all the way to the finals if the IWGP Grand Prix tournament, perhaps the most prestigious title in pro wrestling at that time (and definitely in Japan), before bowing out to Tatsumi Fujinami.

1989 - 1990

After being turned back by Tatsumi Fujinami in several IWGP Heavyweight Title matches in 1988, Vader finally broke through on April 24th, 1989 at New Japan's first Tokyo Dome card. A tournament was held, to determine the new holder of the vacant IWGP Heavyweight Champion. In the first round of the tournament Vader defeated Masa Chono, and in the semifinal he devastated Tatsumi Fujinami. In the final of the tournament, Vader faced Shinya Hashimoto, and after a grueling match Big Van Vader was declared the new IWGP Heavyweight Champion. A month after his victory, Vader dropped the title to Russian suplex master, Salman Hashimikov.

Even after Vader’s loss to Hashimikov, Vader still dominated New Japan, and he received another title shot on August 10 against Riki Choshu, who Vader defeated to lift the IWGP Heavyweight Title for a second time. After winning the title, Vader fended off many other challengers, including Riki Choshu, Salman Hashimikov, Riki Choshu, Scott Norton, & Shinya Hashimoto. After his victory over Choshu, Vader traveled back to Germany to wrestle as Bull Power against Otto Wanz for the CWA World Heavyweight Title. Vader won the match, and now was the champion in two different federations in two different continents. During the next year, Vader traveled back and forth between Japan and Germany whenever he had to defend one of his titles.

In November 1989, Vader traveled to Mexico to face El Canek in the Universal Wrestling Association for the UWA World Heavyweight Title. Once again Vader was victorious, which made him the first man ever to hold three World titles from three continents. That alone was a great accomplishment, but he also managed to accomplish this feat while holding all three belts at the same time. After his accomplishments in Japan, Mexico, and Germany, Vader had finally caught the attention of the NWA/WCW in America. Vader debuted July 1990, and his reign of terror in America began.

1990 - 1991

Vader's success in Japan, Germany, and Mexico made NWA/WCW interested in acquiring him, and on July 7th, 1990 Vader made his debut at the Great American Bash, where he demolished Tom Zenk. Vader made his entrance to the ring in full mask, and with his giant metal helmet. The fans at the arena sat in amazement as Vader removed his helmet and smoke shot out of the top. During the match, Vader went basically untouched, never being knocked off his feet. His debut left an impact on the fans of WCW. His early push in WCW was inconsistent, in part due to his commitments to other promotions around the world, and also due to the instability of WCW's booking teams in that era. Unsure of what to do with him, and unable to use him full time, they would book Vader on only one additional PPV or Clash match for the next year and a half. That one match was his third singles match against Stan Hansen, the final in a unique series of battles between the top gaijin of the New Japan and All Japan promotions. The matches were notable first for their stiffness, including Vader suffering legitimate eye damage to the bones around his eye in the first match (his eye actually popped out of the socket during the match, but Vader continued the match), and secondly for their non-finishes due to political considerations between their Japanese promotions.

With Vader’s new partial commitments to NWA/WCW, he no longer could travel to Japan, Mexico, and Germany to defend his other titles on a regular basis. Vader dropped the CWA World Title to Otto Wanz on June 30th, 1990, and then dropped the IWGP Heavyweight Title to Riki Choshu on August 19th, 1990. Vader now only had the UWA World Title, but El Canek relieved him from it December 9th, 1990. At the end of 1990, Vader went back to Germany and defeated Rambo in a tournament final to lift the vacant CWA World Title for a third time. In Japan Vader also found success again, as he defeated Tatsumi Fujinami to win the IWGP Heavyweight Title for a third time. He also teamed with rival Riki Choshu to win New Japan's 1991 Super Grade Tag League.

On March 4th, 1991, Fujinami ended Vader's regain of the IWGP Heavyweight Title, and Rambo ended Vader's regain of the CWA World Title on July 6th, 1991. Less then a month later, Vader formed one of the most devastating tag teams in New Japan's history when he teamed with Bam Bam Bigelow. Together, weighing over 800 lbs., they would capture the IWGP tag team titles by defeating Scott Norton & Rick Steiner in March of 1991. Vader also continued his dominance of the CWA as he won the CWA Intercontinental Title by defeating Tatsumi Fujinami, but when Vader signed a contract with WCW 1992 the title was declared vacant. By late 1991 WCW started using Vader more regularly on pay-per-view, and he became more a fixture on American television.

1992

In January 1992, WCW thought that a tag team of Vader and Mr. Hughes would be a good idea, but the idea was soon scraped after a loss to the Steiner Brothers in January, 1992. Through the business relationship with New Japan and WCW, Vader was able to work for both companies on their shows. When Lex Luger jumped to the WWF, at the end of February 1992, Vader was moved up into the spot of being Sting's top rival for the WCW World Title, including being given Luger's manager, the legendary Harley Race. Vader and Harley Race stalked then WCW World Champion Sting, which was the beginning of one of the hottest feuds in WCW. On April 12, Vader got a shot at Sting's title but Vader didn't get the win since he hit the referee with a punch. Sting cracked two ribs in the match, and instead Vader was programmed with Nikita Koloff, who Vader, strangely enough, couldn't beat. Together with fellow super heavyweight Bam Bam Bigelow, Vader were able to win the IWGP Tag Team Title from the high flying team of Hiroshi Hase and Keiji Mutoh, on March 1, 1992. In May, Vader and Keiji Mutoh clashed in Japan, where Vader suffered a serious knee injury, which was a factor when the two big men, after almost 4 months as champions, were defeated by the Steiner Brothers. Vader also continued to wrestle regularly abroad through mid-1992, holding the IWGP and CWA Titles each for the third time. After the loss of the IWGP Tag Team Titles, Vader was more focused on winning the WCW World Title from Sting, a match was signed and it happened on July 12, 1992, at the Great American Bash. At the Great American Bash in July, Vader would win the WCW World Heavyweight title by soundly defeating Sting with a devastating power bomb. In a great match, where Sting missed a "Stinger Splash" and was hammered with a powerbomb for the three count, Vader was declared the new WCW World Champion. In April, Vader severely injured the ribs of WCW World champion Sting in a tag team match. His victory over Sting assured Vader a place in history, for Vader had held major World Championships in 4 countries - on 3 continents (Mexico, Japan, Austria, and The United States), in addition to the IWGP tag team titles.

Strangely enough Vader's reign only lasted three weeks, when he lost the title to Ron Simmons, August 2nd. The match was original meant to be Vader vs Sting, but Sting wasn't able to make it, because of a sneak attack by Jake Roberts. Vader got some rematches, but he wasn't able to topple the new champ. Vader underwent a knee operation in the fall, and the scene began to take a brutal approach, when Vader broke the back of wrestler Joe Thurman. Others also felt the wrath of Vader, Rick Steamboat and Nikita Koloff to name a few. The feud between Sting and Vader heated up again when the two clashed at Starrcade in the King of Cable Final, where Sting came out on top. But two day later Vader was wearing gold again, Vader defeated Ron Simmons to lift the WCW World Title for a second time, during the match Vader worked on Simmons' injured shoulder and finished the job with a vicious shoulderbreaker, which injured Ron Simmons. Back in Japan, with New Japan using Scott Norton as a top of the card monster gaijin, the front office believed they could create new top gaijin almost at will, and that their crew of workers were talented enough to get them over to the fans. Vader stewed over being asked to put over Norton and another new top gaijin, Tony Halme, in singles matches. In the summer and fall of 1992 the promotion repeatedly freed White of bookings to allow him to get surgery on an injured knee, even agreeing to pick up the expenses. When Vader wouldn't get the surgery and instead accepted more bookings from WCW, New Japan stopped booking him entirely. By now, Big Van Vader was wrestling primarily in WCW, but under the name "Vader" (New-Japan held the rights to "Big Van" Vader). Vader's career in WCW took off as his relationship with New Japan disintegrated. In the course of 1992 in WCW, Vader dealt many legitimate injuries, included to Sting (ribs), Nikita Koloff (neck), Ron Simmons (shoulder), and prelim wrestler Joe Thurman (broken back).

1993

With Vader as World Champion at the beginning of 1993, Sting again came challenging for the title. Vader and Sting fought each other on many occasions, and in March Vader and the rest of the WCW crew took off to England, where Vader lost his WCW World Title to Sting on March 11th. But Vader got the last laugh, when he defeated Sting on March 17 in Dublin, Ireland to become WCW World Champion for a third time. Probably the most memorable and brutal encounter between Vader and Sting was at SuperBrawl III in a Strap Match. Vader won the match but it wasn't without injuries, he sustained a lacerated back and a ruptured artery in his ear that required hospitalization. Sting also was lacerated during the match. This match ended, for the time, the feud between Vader and Sting.

With all of the opponents Vader had to face, Vader soon met his match in an unorthodox opponent named Cactus Jack. Cactus Jack challenged Vader on WCW Saturday Night in April of 1993, and the two had an incredible match, which Cactus Jack won by countout, after delivering a somersault onto Vader from the ring apron to the arena floor. However, Cactus' doctors' report would make him look like anything but a winner. He suffered a concussion, a broken nose, 2 black eyes, and 27 stitches in his face. Still, the two would have a rematch one week later, but this time, Vader would win by countout after, legitimately, seriously injuring Cactus Jack with a powerbomb on the concrete floor. Vader also defeated Cactus Jack in a brutal match at the Clash of the Champions XXIV, with a helping hand from Harley Race. After Cactus returned from injury in September, the infamous Texas Death Match at Halloween Havoc took place. Vader and Harley Race knew that Cactus Jack wasn't an easy man to beat, so Race brought an electric prodder to the ring. It was a brutal match, which lived up to ECW standards using chairs and tables, both men were bleeding. Race used the prodder on Cactus Jack and this gave Vader the victory, because Cactus Jack wasn't able to respond to the 10 count.

Vader also started a feud with former partner Sid Vicious, but it was never ended because Sid was fired by the WCW due to the scissors stabbing incident with Arn Anderson, instead Ric Flair took Sid's place as a contender for Vader's title. The angle was played out like it was the ruthless monster (Vader), who wanted to rip the head of the legendary, but old hero (Flair). But before it got that far Vader won the Battlebowl 1993, which was a tournament where wrestlers would be combined in tag teams and the winners would advance to a battle royal. Vader was teamed with his old nemesis Cactus Jack, and these two hadn't forgotten their feud, they hit each other on any given opportunity, but still they were able to win the match against the team of Charlie Norris and Kane. In the battle royal Vader dominated and he got the win when he avoided a Stinger Splash from Sting who thereby was easy pickings for Vader. In Japan, Vader jumped to the UWF International promotion and was built towards an inevitable match with Nobuhiko Takada. The world champion vs. world champion match between the two took place 12/5/93, drawing 46,168 fans to Jingu Baseball Stadium in Tokyo to watch Vader submit to Takada's cross armbreaker.

At WCW Starrcade it was time for a special match between Vader and Flair, Flair stated that if he didn't win the match he would retire. Flair won the match, and regained the WCW World Title. 1993 marked the high point of Vader's career as he dominated the WCW World Title throughout the year with defenses against major WCW competitors like the Davey Boy Smith, Dustin Rhodes, Ricky Steamboat, Cactus Jack, and more matches with Sting, which included the title briefly changing hands in Europe. Vader's career year won him the PWI Wrestler of the Year award. Vader would hold the WCW world title for all but 12 days in 1993, having the belt briefly dislodged by Sting in March.

1994

Vader continued to feud with Ric Flair into early 1994, but WCW was anxious to bring their newest acquisition, Hulk Hogan, into the mix, and as a result Vader found his value to the company decreasing as Hogan was programmed straight into main event matches with Flair. Vader and Flair did continue their feud until SuperBrawl IV where they clashed in a Thundercage Match with the Boss (Ray Traylor) as special referee. The Boss didn't handle the job very well, as he was handcuffed to cage by Harley Race, and when Ric Flair got Vader in the figure four leglock, the Boss declared Flair the winner, but Vader didn't give up. Vader then entered into a long feud with the Big Bossman that opened strong, then faded as repetition led to apathy for both the workers and the fans.

In late February, Vader signed an eight-date deal with the Union of Wrestling Force International (UWFI, shoot fight), where he competed under the guise of Super Vader. With the trio of Takada, Vader and Gary Albright at the top of UWFi's cards, the promotion averaged more than 14,000 fans per show in 1994. His greatest triumph under the UWFI banner was when he won the Best of the World Tournament, which started April 3 and ended August 18, 1994. Vader first defeated Salman Hashimikov, and then defeated Masahito Kakihara. In the semifinal Vader defeated Kiyoshi Tamura and in the final he defeated Nobuhiko Takada to win the tournament and the UWFI World Title.

At Fall Brawl 1994, Vader defeated the Guardian Angel and Sting in a Triangle Match to conclude his feud with Traylor. The impressive victory didn't bring Vader back to a title shot, so he started to look for a less prestigious title, namely the WCW US Title, who would make him the no. 1 contender for the WCW World Title. Vader defeated amongst others Dustin Rhodes at Clash of the Champions XXIX to get to then WCW US Champion Jim Duggan at Starrcade 1994. Duggan was no match for Vader who defeated him to win the WCW US Title. With the US Title Vader was the no. 1 contender for the WCW, but the WCW World Champion did anything in his power to avoid the mastodon.

But Vader took matters in his own hands at Starrcade 1994 after Hogan won the WCW World Title, Vader confronted Hogan and told him that he couldn't avoid the monster, and after a short shoving match Vader left. But all didn't go as Vader planned.... at Clash of the Champions XXX Vader attacked Hogan after his match and hit him with the powerbomb, but Hogan got up and threw Vader out of the ring.

1995

At SuperBrawl V, 1995, Vader and Hogan finally met in a singles match. Vader was handedly winning the match, and even when Hogan landed the Legdrop on Vader, he kicked out on one. The referee was knocked out accidentally by Hogan before Vader hit him with the powerbomb, and Ric Flair then stormed to the ring and stomped on Hogan, which caused Vader to be disqualified. The Vader vs. Hogan wars didn't end there though, but accelerated at Uncensored, where they clashed in a Strap Match, where again Ric Flair's interference made Vader lose the match. Vader and Flair then teamed up for awhile to take on Hogan and Savage, but they had as much luck as Vader had in his single matches against Hogan.

Vader was stripped of the WCW US Title on April 23, 1995, because of some violent attacks against fellow wrestlers and referees, so the commissioner Nick Bockwinkel didn't have any choice. Without the US Title Vader got another shot at Hogan's World Title, this time at Bash at the Beach in a Cage Match. It wasn't a very good Cage Match, neither of the participants looked to be very interested in the match, and Hogan won the match and thereby stopped Vader's chances for another World Title in WCW. Vader was getting sick and tired of Flair's constant interference in his matches, and Flair was mad because Vader wasn't able to destroy Hogan. After Hogan had defeated Vader, Flair ran down to the ring and yelled at Vader, who responded by pounding Flair to the ground, Arn Anderson then came to the rescue of the Nature Boy. After finishing the series with Hogan, WCW turned Vader face and aligned him with Hogan, including having him be one of the faces to run in to save Hogan during the infamous "Dungeon of Doom" skit in the 8/95 Clash of the Champions. Vader was even able to defeat Flair and Anderson in a Handicap Match a Clash of the Champions XXXI.

The victory got Hogan interested in Vader. Hogan feuded with Kevin Sullivan's Dungeon of Doom at the time and Hogan needed a strong ally, so Hogan asked Vader to be on his team at Fall Brawl, which Vader accepted. But it never got that far, a week or so later was fired from WCW due to a locker room brawl with Paul Orndorff. In this anti-climatic fashion, Vader’s run in WCW was over, and he never came back to work for them again.

1996

Vader decided that he would take some time of to heal some nagging injuries, so not much was heard from him. But at January 4, 1996, Vader wrestled his first match since he was fired by WCW. His opponent was Antonio Inoki. Inoki was over fifty year old. Vader and Inoki had one of the best matches of 1996. The match lasted nearly 14 minutes, with Vader just pummeling Inoki into the ground, but Inoki won the match.

At the Royal Rumble 1996, January 21, Vader made his debut under the management of Jim Cornette. The WWF hyped his appearance for weeks before the event, and the expectations for Vader were huge. Even though Vader didn't win the Rumble, he showed that he was just as brutal as before and he didn't care about the rules... when Vader was eliminated he got back into the ring and cleaned house. Vader and Yokozuna also started their feud at the Royal Rumble even though they were both managed by Jim Cornette.

The next night at Monday Night Raw, Vader squashed Savio Vega and a few officials before President Gorilla Monsoon came to ring, but Vader didn't care he Vader Bombed Gorilla Monsoon. After the incident Vader was suspended from the WWF. While Vader was suspended, he underwent surgery to correct a shoulder injury. At In Your House 6, in February, Vader returned at the Free For All, where Jim Cornette stated that Vader would make an impact in the event, and he did. In the match between the British Bulldog and Yokozuna, where Yokozuna was about to pin the Bulldog, Vader attacked Yoko and handcuffed him to the ring and then started to pound on him.

This was the setup for a planned match between Vader and Yokozuna at WrestleMania XII, but it was later changed into a six man tag team match, pitting Vader, Bulldog and Owen against the team of Yokozuna, Ahmed Johnson, and Jake Roberts. After Wrestlemania, his honeymoon in the promotion was over, and by the following night when he was jobbed cleanly to the Undertaker in a short dark match at a RAW taping. By May, he was also jobbing around the circuit to the likes of Ahmed Johnson, the Ultimate Warrior, Shawn Michaels, and Yokozuna at a time he'd yet to get his major TV and PPV push as a WWF World Title challenger. Finally, at In Your House 7, Vader defeated Razor Ramon before the feud with Yokozuna heated up again, as the two mammoths clashed at In Your House 8, where Vader defeated Yokozuna in the match which was aired on TV.

Vader qualified himself for the King of the Ring 1996 by defeating Ahmed Johnson with a helping hand from Goldust. Vader was the favorite to win the King of the Ring, but in the semifinal where he clashed with Jake Roberts, Vader was dominating Jake, when suddenly Jake was about to hit Vader with the DDT. Vader saw it coming and pushed the referee away causing him to be disqualified. Vader then took out his anger on Jake Roberts. The same night Bulldog faced Shawn Michaels for the WWF World Title. After Shawn defeated the Bulldog, Vader hit the ring and attacked Shawn, thus starting the feud between the two. At In Your House 9, Vader, Owen, and Bulldog defeated the team of Shawn Michaels, Ahmed Johnson, and Sid. Vader pinned Michaels. Vader also pinned Shawn in a tag team match, but at Summer Slam, Vader wasn't able to get the pin. Vader first won the match by count-out and disqualification, but Jim Cornette demanded the match to continue, until Michaels pinned Vader.

After the defeat to Shawn, Vader sat out in the cold for a while, but with the return of Psycho Sid, former ally and enemy, the WWF pointed the two men against each other. Vader and Sid fought each other at In Your House 11, where the winner would face Shawn Michaels at the Survivor Series. Many expected Vader to win the match, but it was Sid who came out on top. After being pushed down the ladder, Vader went on to briefly feud with the Undertaker for whom he took his former manager, Paul Bearer. Once again Vader was left out in the cold, but he got some measure of revenge, when he defeated Bret Hart at December 30, 1996, at Raw is War. Vader was then put up against the Undertaker, who tombstoned Jim Cornette on an episode of Superstars leaving Vader without a manager, before their meeting at the Royal Rumble 1997.

1997

The two big men put up a strong performance, where they both showed what they are capable of. During the match Paul Bearer came to the ring, and in the end Bearer made sure that Vader won the match, when he smacked Undertaker with the urn and rolled him back into the ring, where Vader pinned the phenom. Vader also participated in the battle royal, where he was illegally eliminated by Steve Austin, which was the setup for the Final Four Match at In Your House 13. At the Final Four Vader again put up a great performance and was clearly the star of the night, even though he didn't win the match, but in the match he suffered an eye injury. After the loss at the Final Four, Paul Bearer set Vader and Mankind's eyes on the Tag Team Titles, but to no avail.... Vader and Mankind used just as much time on hitting each other as hitting the Champions, Owen Hart and the British Bulldog.

The WWF toured Kuwait in April. Vader and the Undertaker appeared on a television program. The presenter of Good Morning Kuwait, asked Vader if wrestling was fake. Vader responded by grabbing the presenter, Bassam Al Othman, by the tie, used an expletive & then gave him a shove, knocking chairs and a table over in the process. This was Vader's way to get the presenter to respect the work the wrestlers do in the ring. Vader was subsequently arrested and charged with assault and using obscene language. Vader then spent ten day's under house arrest. When he returned to the US, a press conference was held in New York, during which Vader said that he would not apologize to Othman. He then accused Othman of extortion. The WWF said that Othman had agreed to drop the charges for $35,000, but then upped it to $400,000.

When Vader returned to the ring, the WWF used his arrest as an angle. After a match on Raw, Jim Ross interviewed Vader. Vader lost it and was about to crush Jim Ross when Ken Shamrock arrived on the scene. He belly to belly suplexed Vader, and thereby saved Jim Ross. This was the setup for the Vader vs Ken Shamrock at In Your House 15, A Cold Day In Hell. The match was a No Holds Barred Match, where Vader showed that he is able to carry a match. It was easy to see that Shamrock had some difficulties adapting to the WWF style of wrestling, but he was able to beat Vader. Vader came out of the match with several injuries, he had broken his nose in four different places, and he couldn't walk for several days, because of the beating his legs took. When Vader returned his career went downhill, as he began losing to almost every superstar in the WWF. Later he received a World Title shot, but the Undertaker was able to defeat the mastodon with a tombstone.

At Raw is War, Vader wrestled The Patriot. The Patriot won the match and then went after Bret Hart, who came to the ringside during the match. Vader attacked the Patriot, and then brought him back into the ring, where he went for the Vader bomb. Bret came into the ring and laid the Canadian flag over the Patriot. Vader got down , picked up the Canadian flag, broke it and started a brawl with Bret Hart. This turned Vader into a baby face and got him involved into the USA vs Canada feud. The Hart Foundation then hit the ring and attacked Vader, but the Patriot then came to Vader's aid.

On Friday Night's Main Event, Vader and Bret had a match. Both men took some big time shots, with Bret suffering a concussion. Again the Hart Foundation hit the ring to attack Vader and again The Patriot came to save the day. At Ground Zero, during The Patriot vs Bret Hart match for the WWF World Title, the British Bulldog came down to the ring to attack the Patriot. Vader came down, stopped the attack and threw Bret into the steps. At In Your House 18 Vader teamed with the Patriot to take on Bret Hart and the British Bulldog in a Flag Match, but it was the heels who came out on top. When the Patriot got injured, Vader was the leader on team USA, but the team didn't have much luck at the Survivor Series. Vader was the only one making an effort, but it was to no avail,. When Goldust wouldn't tag with Vader. Vader got mad and heaved Goldust into the ring, which Goldust responded to by walking away from the ring. Vader couldn't hold up against the force of team Canada and was then eliminated.

Vader confronted Goldust with his actions at the following Raw is War, Goldust said it was because of his broken hand, but Vader didn't accept it, so Goldust received a powerbomb for his troubles. Some weeks later Goldust was pushed to ringside by a nurse, Vader wanted to confront Goldust, but the nurse, who turned out to be Luna Vachon threw alcohol in his face, and Vader was the recipient of a beating. Shortly before Christmas The Artist Formerly Known As Goldust came to the ring dressed as a Christmas tree to recite a poem, but suddenly Santa came to ring and he smacked TAFKA Goldust with his sack, and Santa turned out to be Vader.

1998

Vader defeated TAFKA Goldust at the Royal Rumble with a tremendous Vader bomb, which he executed even though Luna Vachon was hanging on his back. Vader also entered the battle royal, but delivered a sad performance. Vader then collided with Kane. In a match against TAFKA Goldust at Raw is War, Vader destroyed him, when suddenly Kane came to ring and tombstoned Vader. The following week Vader saved a jobber from the wrath of Kane, when he used a fire extinguisher on Undertaker's sibling. The two fought at In Your House 20, No Way Out, in a great match. Kane won the match and continued to attack Vader after the match with a massive wrench. Vader was carted away... this was because of the injury Vader suffered at the Final Four, he now took some time off to get an operation. The surgery went well, and Vader soon returned.

Vader made a return to the WWF at Unforgiven, in the Inferno match pitting the Undertaker against Kane. Kane was about to walk away from the ring, when Vader appeared and fought him back to the ring, so the match could continue. At Raw is War, May 11th, Vader had his first match after his surgery, Vader squashed Barry Windham. After the match it was revealed that Vader would face Kane at In Your House - Over the Edge, where the loser would have to ditch his mask. The feud with Kane continued at the Raw is War program from May 25th, when Kane attacked Vader. Rumors were spreading that the WWF wasn't too pleased with Vader's physical condition.

Vader lost his match at Over the Edge, which means he had to say good-bye to his mask, Vader wasn't too pleased about it calling himself a fat piece of shit. The WWF actually got Vader to say the remark about himself, because they don't think he deserves the push he has been promised. At Raw is War, June 15th, Vader chances of advancing to the King of the Ring were destroyed by Mark Henry, who interfered in Vader's match against Rocky Maivia. Later that evening Vader attacked Mark Henry, setting up a feud between the two. The next week on Raw is War, Vader made sure that Mark Henry wouldn't advance in the King of the Ring tournament as he attacked Henry in his match against Ken Shamrock. Vader also attacked Mark Henry at King of the Ring, when Henry went after X-Pac of Degeneration X.

Mark Henry defeated Vader at Fully Loaded, during the match Vader didn't look too pleased with himself. The defeat got a more aggressive Vader to defeat D-Lo Brown by count-out at Raw is War from July 27. Vader was definitely going in another direction at Raw is War, August 10. Vader was supposed to lock up with Kama, but he offered Vader three "hoes" instead of the fight. Vader accepted but was knocked out by Bart Gunn. At Sunday Night Heat, August 30, Vader teamed up with Bradshaw to take on DOA, but the team of Vader and Bradshaw didn't work very well together. Vader accidentally clotheslined Bradshaw, who retaliates and nailed Vader, who was then rolled up for the pin. Vader and Bradshaw continued to pound on each other, which was the start of a new feud. At Raw is War, September 5, Vader fought Val Venis. Vader was clearly in control of the match, but Bradshaw entered the ring, and also Kane and the Undertaker came down and took Vader out. Vader got a taste of revenge when he went after Bradshaw at Sunday Night Heat.

Vader had been out of sight lately and also skipping quite a few house shows. His doctor took him off the road due to erratic blood pressure caused by the new weight loss and workout regimen. Vader returned to action at Breakdown, looking in much better shape, where he faced off Bradshaw in a No Holds Barred Match. Vader lost the match after putting on a great effort, but his future was still uncertain. The next day at Raw is War, Vader went up against Al Snow. Slaughter was encouraging Vader, but to no avail since Snow got the victory. Finally, the WWF released Vader of his contract. Vader continued to work for the WWF until October 25, then he went to All Japan Pro Wrestling, where he will team up with Stan Hansen.

1999

In Japan, Vader and Stan Hansen are an incredible duo and they wrecked havoc in the Real World Tag Team Tournament. All Japan was trying to make Vader into the monster, just like he was a couple of years ago, by letting him dominate current All Japan Champion Mitsuharu Misawa in one of the tag matches. The team of Vader and Stan Hansen dominated the tournament and made it to the final, but here the team of Kobashi and Akiyama won the tournament on December 5. Vader now butted heads with Kobashi. Vader got a big feather in his cap on January 15, where he dominated and defeated Kenta Kobashi in a good match. This match got Vader the number 1 contender spot. Vader's roll in Japan continued on March 6, 1999, where he defeated Akira Taue to win the vacant Triple Crown Heavyweight title in a great match, which Vader ended after a power bomb. Vader became the first man in history to win both the Triple Crown title and New Japan's IWGP Heavyweight title.

Vader's success continued in All Japan. In All Japan, Vader made his way to the final of the Champion Carnival by defeating Shinzaki, Akiyama, Taue, Omori, Albright, Takayama and Ace, but during the tournament he drew with Kenta Kobashi and lost Misawa. In the final Vader squared off against Kobashi, and again Vader got the best of Kobashi and won the Champion Carnival on April 16. At the Giant Baba Memorial show on May 2, Vader squared off against Mitsuharu Misawa, it was a hard fought match, but in the end Misawa came out on top after he nailed Vader with a running elbow smash and won the Triple Crown. On September 4, 1999, Vader defeated Misawa, but didn't win the title. Vader however kept on going after the Champion and Vader was crowned Triple Crown Champion for a second time, when he defeated Mitsuharu Misawa at October 30 in Tokyo.

2000 - Present Day

Vader teamed up with Steve Williams to defeat Kenta Kobashi and Jun Akiyama to win the All Japan Tag Team Title on February 20, 2000. Vader lost the All Japan Triple Crown on February 27 to Kenta Kobashi after a thrilling match, which ended when Kobashi pinned Vader after a brutal lariat. In early April Vader suffered a serious shoulder injury, which led to All Japan stripping Vader and Steve Williams of the titles. After recovering from his shoulder injury, Vader moved on to NOAH, along with his recent enemies Kobashi and Misawa. Vader gained some success there, including winning the GHC Heavyweight Tag Team Championship with Scorpio. After returning to America to allow more of his injuries to heal, Vader moved on to have a few appearances on NWA:TNA. In January 2004, Vader made another appearance as he lost via countout to Shinya Hashimoto at the Zero-One Hustle 1. Vader still does very occasionally make more appearances, such as at a JAPW show and in December 2004 during an All Japan event. Vader has also been in the ring for DDT in the summer of 2005, participating in tag team action. After years of inactivity, Vader wrestled in the spring of 2010 in his own promotion in Japan, teaming with his son Jesse White.

Without a doubt, Vader is one of the greatest heavyweights in wrestling history. Both hard hitting and agile, Vader proved to be able to have great matches in a variety of atmospheres against a variety of wrestlers. His only "failed" run was in the WWF, but that was also the only promotion that tried to reel Vader in and not allow him to fully wrestle in the style that he had perfected in Japan and in WCW. Once he was unleashed again, he proved in All Japan during his run in 1999 and 2000 that he hadn't lost the ability to wrestle and more importantly entertain a crowd. Vader paid for his style, however, as he has had over 20 surgeries on his knees and will never be able to walk without pain again. But that is a price that many wrestlers are willing to make for wrestling and he has never shown any regret for putting his body through so much for his fans. From his awesome debut against Antonio Inoki to his feud with Kenta Kobashi in 2000 to him crushing Suwama in 2004, Vader had a long and successful career in Japan and it is unlikely that any American wrestler will ever be able to match his accomplishments.