Leon White, better known to wrestling fans as Vader, has passed away aged 63-years-old. According to tweets made by his son via Vader’s social media platform, White had been diagnosed with pneumonia around a month ago.
White died on Monday night, leaving behind a lasting legacy as one of the most successful wrestlers in history. A college football star who played in the Super Bowl for the Los Angeles Rams, White took up professional wrestling after his football career ended due to injury.
White was quickly sounded out to be natural at wrestling, and gained prominence in the Chicago based American Wrestling Association, before becoming a major star in Japan. Advertisement if(window.adverts) { adverts.addToArray({"pos": "mpu_mobile_top"}) } Advertisement if(window.adverts) { adverts.addToArray({"pos": "mpu_tablet"}) } Given the name Big Van Vader, with a mask and character originally intended for The Ultimate Warrior, White defeated Japanese icon Antonio Inoki in his very first match. Vader soon became IWGP Heavyweight Champion, and his success in Asia led him to WCW in America, where he became world champion in 1992 against Sting.
Known for his intensely physical style, and surprising athleticism for such a large man, Vader had brutal bouts with Mick Foley and Sting, before signing for WWE in 1996. While White’s WWE run was not as successful, he challenged Shawn Michaels for the WWE title at Summerslam that year, and tagged with his former foe Mick Foley at Wrestlemania 13. The career of Vader faded by 2000, and he though he made sporadic appearances in various promotions, he lived a semi-retired life for many years. In August 2016, he battled British star Will Ospreay at York Hall, while he collapsed during his last match in Japan last year.
Health issues frequently occurred for White in the latter stages of his life, and he was diagnosed with congestive heart failure in 2016.
Metro.co.uk
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