VADER

Before ever stepping foot in a WWE ring, the man they call Vader earned a worldwide reputation as a bona fide tough man. At well over four hundred pounds, he possessed the power of a super heavyweight, while also owning the unbelievable ability to fly through the air like a cruiserweight.

The three-time WCW World Heavyweight Champion made his WWE debut at the 1996 Royal Rumble. Despite being eliminated by Shawn Michaels, Vader made a remarkable showing, eliminating an impressive list of Superstars. Following his debut, the mastodon assaulted both Superstars and WWE officials. He even attacked WWE President Gorilla Monsoon, which earned him a brief suspension.

VADER FEATURES

PHOTOS OF VADER AND HARLEY RACE BEFORE THEIR FIGHT AT A WRESTLING CONVENTION

HUNTER HEARST HELMSLEY (WITH CHYNA) VS. VADER: 144 07-28-97 WWF MONDAY NIGHT RAW IMAGES

Upon returning to the ring, Vader's path of destruction left many of WWE's biggest names laying the wake, including Yokozuna, Razor Ramon and Sycho Sid. His impressive victories over WWE's elite eventually earned him a WWE Championship Match against Shawn Michaels at SummerSlam. Vader defeated the champ at the event, but the victory came by countout, which meant the title could not change hands. Realizing his client would not be awards the title, James E. Cornette demanded the match be restarted. Vader won again, this time by disqualification. As expected, Cornette cried for another restart, which he received. However, this time HBK defeated Vader via pinfall to mark the official end of the wild encounter.

The following year, Vader traded in Cornette for Paul Bearer. The move proved to be a wise one, as his new manager helped him gain a huge victory over the legendary Undertaker at the 1997 Royal Rumble. Bearer also paired Vader with Mankind in an attempt to claim a tag team championship. The duo nearly dethroned Owen Hart and Davey Boy Smith at WrestleMania 13, but fell short after the match was declared a double countout. Following losses to Edge and Bradshaw in late 1998, Vader disappeared from the WWE scene completely.

Vader Shows Off His 60-Pound Weight Loss

Vader last appeared on Raw in 2012

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Possessing a hefty frame can be quite beneficial in the wrestling ring, but not so much when you're almost a senior citizen.

Former WCW World Heavyweight Champion Vader, now 59-years-old, is making great strides to take down his substantial size as he grows older. He revealed on Twitter last week that he now weighs 345 pounds after dropping 60 pounds.