Leon White
Biography
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.
Known For
Vader
Hitman Hart: Wrestling With Shadows
Vader
WWE Royal Rumble 1998
Big Van Vader
WWE Action Zone!
Vader
WWE WrestleMania 13
Vader
WWE Hall Of Fame 2022
Vader
WWE Royal Rumble 1997
Vader
WWE Badd Blood: In Your House
Vader
WWE Breakdown: In Your House
Big Van Vader
WCW Great American Bash '90: New Revolution
Vader
WWE In Your House 9: International Incident
Vader
WWE SummerSlam 1996
Vader
WWE In Your House 11: Buried Alive
Vader
WWE Survivor Series 1996
Vader
WWE In Your House 13: Final Four
Big Van Vader
WCW WrestleWar 1991
Big Van Vader
WWE In Your House 15: A Cold Day in Hell
Vader
WWE In Your House 16: Canadian Stampede
Vader
WWE Survivor Series 1997
Vader
WWE Over the Edge: In Your House
Vader
WWE Fully Loaded: In Your House
Big Van Vader
WCW Halloween Havoc '91
Big Van Vader
WCW/New Japan Supershow II
Big Van Vader
WCW Great American Bash '92
Big Van Vader
WCW SuperBrawl III
Vader
WWE Taboo Tuesday 2005
Big Van Vader
WCW Slamboree 1993
Big Van Vader
WCW Beach Blast 1993
Big Van Vader
WCW SuperBrawl IV
Big Van Vader
WCW Spring Stampede 1994
Big Van Vader
WCW Fall Brawl 1993
Vader
WCW Starrcade 1993
Big Van Vader
WCW Fall Brawl 1994
Big Van Vader
WCW Halloween Havoc 1994
Big Van Vader
WCW Starrcade 1994
Vader
Best Of Raw • Volume One
Big Van Vader
WCW SuperBrawl V
Big Van Vader
WCW Uncensored 1995
Vader
WCW Slamboree 1995
Big Van Vader
WCW Bash at the Beach 1995
Vader
Best Of Raw • Volume Three
Vader
Best Of Raw • Volume Four
Vader
WWE: Shawn Michaels - Boyhood Dream
Vader
Best Of Raw • Volume Six
BIg Van Vader
Ringside with Big Van Vader
Self (archive footage)
Biography: Shawn Michaels
Big Van Vader
Deadly Venom: The Best of Sting
Vader
WCW'S Greatest Pay-Per-View Matches Volume 1
Himself
Timeline: The History of WCW – 1993 – As Told By Vader
JCW Bloodymania 6
Vader (Appearance)
WWE Unforgiven: In Your House
Vader (Appearance)
WWE King of the Ring 1998
Vader
RevPro: Uprising 2016
WWE: True Giants
Vader
WWE: Greatest Wrestling Stars of the '90s
Vader
WWE No Way Out of Texas: In Your House
Vader
WWE: The Best Of In Your House
Vader
WWE: The Best of Raw 15th Anniversary
Vader
The Best of WCW Clash of the Champions
Vader
WWE: 150 Best Pay-Per-View Matches, Vol 1
Vader
Bret Hart: The Dungeon Collection
Vader
WWE: The History Of The World Heavyweight Championship
Big Van Vader
WWE: Starrcade - The Essential Collection
Big Van Vader
WWE: Mick Foley's Greatest Hits & Misses - A Life in Wrestling
Big Van Vader
The Rise & Fall of WCW
Vader
WWE United We Slam: The Best of The Great American Bash
Vader
WWE: The Best of Sting
Vader
Sting: Into the Light
Big Van Vader
WCW Clash of The Champions XXII
Big Van Vader
WCW Clash of The Champions XX: 20th Anniversary
Vader
AJPW Super Power Series 1999 Finals
Big Van Vader
WCW Clash of The Champions XVIII
"Bull Power" Leon White
AWA Blood on the Sand
"Baby Bull" Leon White
AWA The Brawl in St. Paul
Big Van Vader
WCW Clash of The Champions XXXI
Big Van Vader
WCW Halloween Havoc '92
Big Van Vader
WCW Starrcade 1992
The Man They Call Vader
WWE Royal Rumble 1996
Vader
WWE WrestleMania XII
Big Van Vader
WWE In Your House 7: Good Friends, Better Enemies
Big Van Vader
WCW Starrcade 1991
Vader
WWE In Your House 8: Beware of Dog
Big Van Vader
WWE King of the Ring 1996
Big Van Vader
WCW Clash of The Champions XXIII
Big Van Vader
WCW Clash of the Champions XXIV
Big Van Vader
WCW Halloween Havoc 1993
Big Van Vader
WCW Clash of the Champions XXV
Big Van Vader
WCW Battle Bowl
Big Van Vader
WCW Clash of The Champions XXVI
Big Van Vader
WCW Slamboree 1994
Big Van Vader
WCW Bash at the Beach 1994
Vader
WWE Ground Zero: In Your House
Big Van Vader
WCW Clash of The Champions XXIX
Vader
WWE One Night Only
Big Van Vader
WCW Clash of The Champions XXX
Vader
NOAH: Accomplish Our First Navigation 2001 - Day 9
Vader
NOAH: Great Voyage
WCW All Nighter 1995
(archive footage)
Biography: Chyna
Vader (Appearance)
WWE In Your House 6: Rage in the Cage
Personal Info
Known For
Acting
Known Credits
99
Gender
Male
Birthday
1955-05-14
Place of Birth
Lynwood, California, USA
Also Known As
Big Van Vader