Vader to be inducted into WWE Hall of Fame

Vader has been announced for this year’s WWE Hall of Fame class, first reported by Bleacher Report.

He joins The Undertaker as the other inductee already announced.

Real name Leon White, Vader passed away at the age of 63 in 2018. 

After spending most of 1993 as WCW World Champion, he was voted Wrestler of the Year, Best Heel, and as having the Best Wrestling Maneuver (his moonsault) in that year’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards. In 1999, he would win Most Improved.

Vader’s career spanned four decades and included three runs with the IWGP Heavyweight Championship, another three with the WCW World Heavyweight Championship, and he was twice AJPW Triple Crown Heavyweight Champion as well. 

He made an immediate impact upon arriving in New Japan Pro Wrestling in 1987. His debut match saw him challenge Antonio Inoki in Sumo Hall after Inoki had already defeated Riki Choshu that night. Vader needed less than three minutes to disperse of Inoki, causing fans in the building to riot. 

NJPW would be banned from running events in the venue as a result of the aftermath, although the ban would be lifted in early 1989. 

Vader signed with WCW in 1990. In addition to his three runs with the company’s world title, he also won the United States Championship on three occasions. He headlined many big events for the company, including against Ric Flair at Starrcade ’93. 

Vader worked for WWE from 1996 until 1998, but his time with the company was not as successful as his WCW and NJPW runs. His most notable match while with the company took place at SummerSlam ’96 when he challenged Shawn Michaels for the WWF Championship. 

He was voted into the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame in 1996.