Reimagined: Vader's WWE Run
In January of 1996, it was announced that former WCW stalwart, and fearsome Japanese competitor, Big Van Vader, would be entering the Royal Rumble. Of course, WWE modified his name, dropping the Big Van and shortening it to just Vader. While the real-life Leon White generated a healthy dose of buzz upon his first month with the company, things would slowly start to fizzle from then on. Most fans see Vader's WWE run as a major disappointment, citing backstage politics and poor booking as the culprit. For this article, we will be reimagining what Vader’s run with the company could have been, considering some of the original plans, with some artistic re-rendering.
Debut
For the most part, Vader’s debut was handled brilliantly. This extends to his first two nights with the company. The Monday following the Royal Rumble in 1996 would see what is still considered one of the most shocking and memorable moments in Raw history. One of the most respected figures in all of wrestling, let alone WWE, was Gorilla Monsoon. Gorilla had long been retired but was serving as an authority figure for the company during this period. While he was a fearsome competitor in his day, Monsoon was now a beloved grandfatherly figure who still possessed enough presence to maintain order in the WWE.
After trouncing Savio Vega, Vader manhandled two officials, giving the second one a stiff-looking powerbomb. This prompted Monsoon to hit the ring to confront Vader for his actions. Vader slapped Gorilla on the back, to which the latter react edby chopping the mastodon in a rare display of physicality. After some stalling, Vader splashed Monsoon from behind as he assisted the fallen referee, drawing genuine gasps from the crowd. Before he could do any more damage, Shawn Michaels and Razor Ramon hit the ring, but at that moment, an uncontrollable monster had been born.
Aftermath Of The Attack
We will start at the following Monday’s Raw. During the melee the prior week, Gorilla Monsoon had the ring announcer decree that Vader had been indefinitely suspended. This week’s show opens with Vince McMahon calling Vader’s manager, Jim Cornette, to the ring to address his client’s actions and the suspension. Cornette looks stressed as he enters the ring. McMahon starts by saying, “Mr. Cornette, I think we would all appreciate an explanation as to why your newest client chose to commit an unprovoked attack on three different WWE officials here last week.”
Jim Cornette responds, “As you and everyone else knows, McMahon, I only surround myself with the best that professional wrestling has to offer.” Vader is one of the most agile, and fearsome men in this sport, but he is also unhinged and as dangerous as they come.” “I will not condone what Vader did here last week, but I will say that when you poke a bear, don’t be surprised when you get mauled.” “The World Wrestling Federation boasts the finest athletes in the entire world, and that’s why Vader is here.” “Now, Vader is not in the building, but he is not far.” “He has asked me to appeal to the board of directors here tonight.” “He is willing to apologize, in order to have his suspension lifted.”
As the crowd begins to boo, Jake Roberts's music hits to a big pop. He makes his way to the ring with an expression of distressed and furious urgency. He takes the microphone from McMahon and directly addresses a nervous Cornette. “I want you to listen to me, you mousey scumbag.” “I have been a part of this company for the biggest part of my career, and there are few men I respect more than Gorilla Monsoon.” “I don’t know much about Vader, and I didn’t care, until now.” “But a snake is every bit as dangerous as a mastodon.” Jake looks at McMahon and says, “I don’t know who you need to talk to, but I am making my own appeal, that this sorry excuse be allowed to walk into this building tonight and face justice, the old-fashioned way.”
The crowd pops, and McMahon acknowledges Jake’s request with a gesture. After a return from the break, Vince announces that the suspension has been lifted and that in the main event, it will indeed be Jake Roberts vs Vader. Roberts goes right after Vader, but after an initial onslaught of offense, it’s clear that he is outmatched. Vader pummels Jake until his internal bleeding causes blood to trickle from his mouth. Jake almost connects with a DDT at one point, but Vader cuts him off. A Vader bomb later, and the match is over.
Vader doesn’t stop there, though, and continues his attack as the bell frantically rings. Cornette is beside himself, fearing that Vader will once again be suspended. Vader hits Jake with another Vader bomb, and as he climbs the ropes for a moonsault, Yokozuna hits the ring. He pulls Vader down, and turns him into three stiff punches, sending the mastodon scurrying from the ring. The show closes with Yoko daring Vader to get back in the ring.
This sets the stage for Yoko vs Vader at Rage In The Cage: In Your House. Yoko is relatively limited at this point, so the match is a short affair. Yokozuna has Vader positioned for the Banzai Drop at one point, but after a Cornette distraction, Davey Boy Smith blasts Yoko with the tennis racket. Vader recovers and gives Yoko a makeshift powerbomb, breaking the ring in the process! The commentators are hysterical, and the crowd is stunned.
The ring crew scrambles to repair the broken ring, as the replay of the break plays again and again. This also helps to explain how The Undertaker was able to come through the ring during the cage match Main Event. Cornette, Vader, and Davey Boy cut a promo backstage, with Cornette warning everyone in the company that Vader is on a path of destruction. “Not even the ring is safe from the Mastodon,” Cornette says, as Vader poses to the camera, exclaiming, “No Fear!” “No Pain!”
WrestleMania 12
Over the next couple of weeks, Owen Hart and Ahmed Johnson get involved, turning this into the rivalry/match that occurred. We will modify things a bit and turn this into an elimination match. It eventually comes down to Ahmed and Vader, and it looks as though Johnson will put the Mastodon away. Ahmed hits the Pearl River Plunge to a massive roar from the crowd, but due to the physical strain, he is unable to capitalize. Once again, Cornette interjects himself, distracting the referee long enough to allow Vader to recover. A splash in the corner and a Vader bomb later, Camp Cornette is successful at WrestleMania.
The next couple of months plays out precisely as they did in actuality for Vader. He works with Razor Ramon at IYH: Good Friends, Better Enemies. He still plays a pivotal role in King Of The Ring (more on that later.) Then he and Camp Cornette win over Team HBK at International Incident. All roads now lead to the SummerSlam, and many consider the moment that derailed Vader in WWE. We will reimagine the infamous Shawn Michaels and Vader Main Event for the WWE Championship.
SummerSlam 1996
SummerSlam 1996 is often viewed as among the worst examples of Shawn Michaels's petulance as a person and a performer. Rumor has it that this match was initially booked to be won by Vader. After feeling that he had taken liberties with him one too many times on the house show loop, Shawn decided not to “do business.” This was arguably the most damaging booking decision during Vader’s entire WWE run. We reimagine it now.
The build to SummerSlam in 1996 sees little physicality between Shawn and Vader. The two had mixed it up at International Incident throughout the 6-man, so it’s crucial to preserve their heat. Cornette goes after Michaels hard on the mic, continuing to accuse him of being an adulterer, and a fraud. At one point, there is a tag match between Shawn, Jose Lothario, and Cornette and Vader. Davey Boy and Owen lock Michaels in his locker room, and it looks as if Lothario is about to be decimated in a handicap situation. Shawn frees himself just in time and clears the ring with a chair. He and Vader have a stare-down that promises a night of violence come SummerSlam.
At the bell, Shawn rushes the Mastodon. He connects with a flurry of punches and then two flying forearms that stun Vader but fail to take him off his feet. Finally, HBK runs into a hurricanrana position, but Vader hits him with a devastating powerbomb. He covers Shawn, who kicks out at 1 to his ire. He picks Shawn up again and delivers another one, and this time the champion kicks out at two. Cornette screams at Vader to do it again, who attempts to comply, but this time, Shawn punches out of it. He hits Vader with four flying forearms, with the fourth one taking Vader off his feet. Shawn climbs the ropes and hits an elbow drop, he covers, but Vader kicks out at 1!
Shawn goes to the corner and begins to stomp his foot on the mat, signalling for Sweet Chin Music. With a call back to International Incident, Cornette distracts Shawn, but this time, Lothario is there to thwart the manager. Jose rocks Jim with punches, but the distraction allows Vader to splash Shawn in the corner. He climbs to the second rope for the Vader bomb, but after deliberating momentarily, he climbs to the top. Vader goes for the moonsault, but Shawn moves! Shawn again positions himself for the kick, and this time he blasts Vader with it, who doesn’t go down!! Shawn looks perplexed, and as he goes to hit another kick, Vader pulls the referee in the way.
With the official down, Owen and Davey Boy hit the ring, but Michaels disposes of them both. Once again, Vader takes advantage of the distraction and blasts Shawn with the tennis racket. He strikes him three times in the back, then hits not one but TWO power bombs. Vader covers, as another official rushes to the ring. One, two, but the champion once again kicks out. An enraged Vader pulls Shawn to the corner and finally delivers a Vader bomb, but once again, the resilient HBK kicks out. Vader looks momentarily uncertain, but he climbs the second rope and delivers another Vader Bomb. He trash-talks Shawn, who has blood trickling from his mouth, signalling internal bleeding.
Vader hits yet another Vader Bomb with full extension; this time, Michaels does not kick out. The man they call Vader is your new WWE Champion. The announcers put over Shawn’s gutsy performance and wonder aloud who can stop this uncontrollable monster. While the original finish to this match was undeniably clever and creative, it was done to protect Vader slightly but mostly appease Michaels. Vader needed a somewhat dominant win to embark on his reign of terror. Although, he and HBK are far from done with one another.
The Mastodon’s Reign
Changing the finish of the SummerSlam main event may suggest that we don’t get the incredible Shawn Michaels/Mankind match at IYH: Mind Games. However, we still do, but instead of being for the title, it’s a number one contenders match. Shawn wins after the same brilliant bout and is promptly attacked by Vader. The champion power bombs HBK through a table, much to the delight of the notoriously rough Philadelphia crowd. This puts HBK on the shelf for a few weeks, making the title match official for Survivor Series.
Vader is ordered to defend the title at the October IYH, though, and it will be against Psycho Sid. It’s not a technical masterpiece by any means, but Vader gets the win and stands tall to end the show. Over the next four weeks, we get the buildup to Shawn/Vader 2, this time in the hallowed grounds of MSG. Cornette does everything he can to psyche Shawn out, attempting to convince him that he cannot defeat Vader. It’s a solid lead into a highly anticipated match.
Survivor Series 1996
Much like it was, Survivor Series 1996 is an electric atmosphere. Madison Square Garden is known for having some of the most unforgiving crowds in all of wrestling, and they firmly support the champion on this night. The match follows a similar template as the one between Sid and Shawn that actually happened. Vader and Cornette attempt to exploit Shawn’s weak spot in Jose Lothario, and it causes the Boy Toy to snap. Shawn gets disqualified after wearing out Vader with a chair and super-kicking Cornette.
Shawn Michaels snaps at the sight of Jose Lothario being assaulted. He is promptly suspended for 30 days. Vader defends the title against Bret Hart at the December IYH and successfully retains it after Steve Austin interferes. Upon Shawn’s return, he goads Vader into defending the title again at The Royal Rumble in HBK’s hometown of San Antonio. Jim Cornette advises against the match, but Vader insists. This indicates a bit of tension between the champion and his manager.
Royal Rumble 1997
Vader drops the title to Shawn in a solid 12-minute main event. This time, the crowd is, of course, firmly behind Michaels. Jose Lothario even gets some vindication on Cornette, which causes a bit of a distraction for Vader. The following night on Raw, after another mishap costs Vader his rematch, he blames Cornette and gives him the Vader Bomb. Vader is now officially a free agent. Cornette vows revenge, and Vader turns babyface as we head into WrestleMania 13.
WrestleMania 13
Around this time, Mankind was also in the beginning stages of a gradual face turn. Considering the booking, the best match for Vader to have at WrestleMania is the one he actually did. He and Mankind face Owen and Davey Boy for the Tag Team titles. In this scenario, however, Vader and Mankind win the belts, much to his former manager’s chagrin. It’s a big moment, and the fans roar with approval at seeing the unlikely pair with a storied history as Tag Team Champions.
Vader and Mankind defend the titles against Owen and Bulldog at the April IYH in a rematch. After a miscommunication, Owen and Davey get the win. Vader turns on Mankind, giving him two power bombs on the concrete floor! This creates a match between the former title holders the following night on Raw, which features Ken Shamrock on commentary. This leads to the brutal but excellent match between Shamrock and Vader at the May IYH. Then would come the incident that again altered Vader’s path in the company.
Kuwait
So we know that we are altering the timeline a bit here, but let’s say the International Tour that covered the Middle East takes place in May instead of April. During a televised interview on a morning show, Vader landed himself in hot water by getting physical with the anchor. Vader would claim the incident was pre-planned, but the host still maintains that he had no idea what was coming. He asked the taboo question to Vader and The Undertaker, who also appeared on the show. As soon as the word “fake” left the host’s lips, Vader clutched him by the suit.
Looking back, it seems like another missed opportunity for the company not to have exploited the incident; in this reimagining, that is precisely what the WWE does. The ordeal makes headline news, and although Vader is allowed to leave the country, kayfabe is still alive and well. The WWE portrays Vader as still being detained in Kuwait. They even get a comment from President Clinton, who chimes, “Don’t call it fake.” The company shoots vignettes with Vader in a pre-recorded setting. It’s all very tongue-in-cheek in a sense, but Vader is hugely over as a result.
SummerSlam 1997
Vader is finally “released” from Kuwait in July, and upon his return to action, he is confronted by Del Wilkes, aka, The Patriot. The Patriot says Vader was disgraceful in his conduct and is not a good representation of the USA. He challenges the Mastodon to a match at SummerSlam. The match goes to a double count out, and while The Patriot moves on to face Bret Hart the following month, Vader works with Davey Boy Smith. Bret beats Patriot, and Vader beats Davey, setting up a match between Vader and Hart for the WWE Championship at Badd Blood.
Bret Hart gives Vader one of the better matches of his career. The Mastodon ultimately comes up short but earns Bret’s respect and vice versa. The following month is the Montreal Screwjob, of course, and Vader is one of the wrestlers who walks out in protest. He negotiates his return for The Royal Rumble, and we still get the match with Goldust, which features the memorable Luna Vachon spot. The following month, Vader also works the match with Kane, that sees the Big Red Machine temporarily shelf him with a wrench. Vader makes a surprise return at WrestleMania 14 to participate in the Tag Team Battle Royal with Bradshaw as his partner. The team ultimately comes up short.
Vader’s story from there mirrors his real-life one from the time. He has a mask vs mask match at the May PPV against Kane. This is where the infamous “I’m a big piece of shit” line was delivered as Vader removed his mask upon losing the match. There has been some conjecture that management was essentially mocking Vader with this angle. Whatever the case, it was time for Vader and WWE to part ways. The big man finishes up his dates with the company and exits quietly later in the year. It seems Vader may be gone from WWE for good until a particular hit-and-run storyline presents an opportunity….
Survivor Series 1999
In November of 1999, the scheduled main event for Survivor Series was supposed to be The Rock vs Steve Austin vs Triple H. Doctors had advised Austin that his neck issues had worsened. It was decided that he needed to be removed from the match and take an indefinite leave. In an angle still talked about, Austin was hit by a car in a backstage segment, and speculation began over who was responsible. One of the reasons that the angle is so scrutinized is that the company didn’t have a plan as to who would eventually be revealed as the one responsible.
About a year later, it was Rikishi who was labelled as being the one behind the wheel. The problem was that Rikishi was a dancing babyface beloved by the fans. It was a somewhat ill-advised heel turn that ultimately did Rikishi few if any favors. There is someone who might have worked better in the role. Someone who had something that might resemble logical reasoning for attacking Austin.
2000 Return
It’s October of 2000, and Steve Austin has Triple H handcuffed in the ring during the closing moments of Raw. Austin is confident that it was Hunter who ran him down a year prior, as he was the one who stood to gain the most. As Austin is about to strike The Game with a sledgehammer, he is struck from behind by an imposing individual. Everyone quickly realizes that it’s The Man They Call Vader! Jim Ross is beside himself as he wonders what is going on. Vader gives Austin the Vader Bomb before leaving the ring. The show goes off the air with a shot of Vader making his hand gesture.
The following week, Austin opens the show and calls Vader to the ring. But he is silent until finally, an unmistakably high-pitched voice rings out over the P.A. “Well, well, if it isn’t the ol rattlesnake himself,” says none other than Jim Cornette. Austin looks slightly confused but mostly perturbed as Cornette continues, “Steve, I’ve known you for years, but never have I seen you look so miserable and desperate.” “You’ve become a shell of what you once were, and you’ve always been too stupid to know when to quit.”
“It was just about four years ago, Austin, that you shook up the world of professional wrestling forever.” “You carried this company to its greatest victory, and you never stopped to look behind you.” “But like all egomaniacs, you crossed a lot of people to get where you are,” but I’m here to talk about one that you wisely avoided.” “That night in Milwaukee, Austin, that you truly arrived was more of a matter of luck than most people realize.” “But deep down, Steve, you know what I’m talking about.” “You tried to turn a fire-breathing Rocky Mountain monster into an afterthought,” if Vader hadn’t done you a favor and gotten disqualified, all of these shirts in this arena would have a V on them instead of a skull.”
At this point, Cornette has made his way into the ring, and Austin cuts him off verbally and delivers a profanity-laced tirade. Stone Cold delivers a stunner to Cornette. He then issues a warning and challenges to Vader for No Mercy. Vader does not appear during the segment, but the announcers wonder aloud if Vader will accept the challenge. Later in the night, it’s confirmed that Vader has accepted the challenge under one condition; it will be a parking lot brawl match.
In the coming weeks, Cornette is in a neck brace, and Vader gives some pre-taped interviews, admitting to the assault on Austin a year prior. Cornette says that Vader only agreed to the match at No Mercy if Austin agreed to drop any charges. Both men have also agreed that whatever transpires at No Mercy, neither man can hold the other accountable. The match will essentially be non-sanctioned. For His part, Austin guarantees that he will permanently maim Vader at No Mercy.
It's the night of the PPV, and Austin is waiting in the parking lot for Vader. A car comes speeding towards The Rattlesnake, but he dodges it. It’s revealed to be Cornette, and Vader suddenly attacks Austin from behind due to the distraction. The fight is on, and it’s a violent one. Vader bleeds heavily as Austin takes out a year of aggression on him.
After using every conceivable weapon on Vader, Austin straps him into a car similar to the one he struck him with. He gets into his pickup and barrels towards the vehicle, smashing into it at high speed. The announcers are hysterical as paramedics flood the scene. Austin looks on stoically and intensely. He has avenged the attacker that kept him out of action for a year.
2001-2002
Vader is off of television throughout the remainder of 2000. He returns as a surprise entrant at the 2001 Royal Rumble but is eventually eliminated by Austin. He competes at WrestleMania 17 in the Hardcore Championship match, making it a 4-way alongside Raven, Kane, and Big Show. He comes up short but adds another element to the match. Later in the year, he is a part of the Alliance team at the Invasion show due to his history with WCW.
Vader represents the Alliance throughout the year, feuding with Chris Jericho in place of Rhyno. He becomes the 5th man in the Survivor Series of that year (sorry, Shane.) Big Show eliminates Vader en route to a WWE team victory. After the Alliance dissolves, Vader Feuds with Big Show and enters the Royal Rumble. He is eliminated by Kurt Angle, setting up a match for WrestleMania 18. Kurt gives Vader one of the best matches of his career in what essentially ends up being the big man’s swan song. Back in 2000, when he returned, Vader signed on for a two-year deal.
Leon White finishes his contract with the WWE later that year. After WrestleMania, he only wrestles sparingly. In 2011, Vader gets officially inducted into the Hall Of Fame while still alive and well. One of the most innovative and fearsome super heavyweights to ever step in the ring can enjoy the fruits of his labor. Vader can live the rest of his life being recognized for his influence and achievements.
