There is a new addition to WWE's Hall of Fame Class of 2022: Former WCW World Champion Vader!
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It had been a few weeks since WWE declared Undertaker would be the centerpiece of their 2022 Hall of Fame class, leading to suspicion that he would be the lone member of WWE’s 2022 Hall of Fame class. However, they unveiled a second individual who will be inducted at the post-SmackDown event in Dallas on Friday, April 1, and it’s a long-overdue recipient. Bleacher Report has learned that Leon White, often known as Big Van Vader or just Vader, will be joining Taker in this year’s class.
White, a former football player, worked for almost every wrestling business in the globe during the course of his 30-year career. He is most known for his work with WCW in the early 1990s and in Japan throughout the 1980s. White only worked for Vince McMahon for a few years as “The Man They Call Vader,” but during that time he worked with many of the WWF’s famous personalities, including the Dead Man.
BREAKING: As first reported by @BleacherReport, Vader will be posthumously inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame’s Class of 2022. #WWEHOF https://t.co/TUhbKIzUgQ pic.twitter.com/L3lizCgCcl
— WWE (@WWE) March 7, 2022
He had some crossover success on television, most notably in Boy Meets World. Vader, on the other hand, wrestled virtually until his death in 2018. He returned to Japan after having stints with TNA and on the indies. When he feuded with Will Ospreay on Twitter and in the ring in 2016, he was still innovating and creating headlines. That was also the year he made his last WWE appearance, inducting his great Japanese opponent Stan Hansen into the WWE Hall of Fame.
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His son Jesse, who wrestled in WWE developing as Jake Carter, is expected to accept on his late father’s behalf. White’s induction date has not yet been announced.
Vader debuted in 1990 but was hardly used until 1991. On July 7, 1990, Vader defeated Tom Zenk in under two minutes. Seven months later, he disqualified Stan Hansen at WrestleWar. The Butcher was electrocuted by Cactus Jack on his seventh visit. He missed two months of Starrcade’s Lethal Lottery, when he overcame Rick Steiner and The Nightstalker, advancing to the Battlebowl battle royal.
Vader was disqualified from Sting’s World Heavyweight Championship on April 12, 1992. Dr. Vader’s Vader Bomb broke Sting’s spine, yet he continued to participate sparingly while healing. Vader rematches Sting on July 12 and wins the WCW World Heavyweight Championship. He lost the title three weeks later to Ron Simmons, who replaced Sting after Jake Roberts assaulted him earlier that night.
