Tag: Bam Bam Bigelow

February 14, 2007 Observer Newsletter: Bam Bam Bigelow bio, EliteXC

Posted on by Dave Meltzer

Scotty Bigelow, as his friends called him, had absolutely nothing going for him when he stumbled into pro wrestling except great athletic ability. And soon after the ride of some 15 years of stardom had expired, he ended up being the latest high-profile statistic.

“I destroyed my youth, my health and my marriage, lost my fortune,” he said in a Tampa Tribune article a few months before his death, as he was trying to give advice to wrestlers at an area independent show. “I’m trying to teach these guys about the mistakes I made. There are ways to do things without getting hurt. I don’t want them to feel like I do at 45.”

Scott Bigelow’s physical pain and financial condition, which friends said paled to the emotional pain of losing contact with the children he adored, ended when he was found dead by his girlfriend at her home in Hudson, FL, on 1/19.

Subscribers can read this issue here.

January 27, 2007 Observer Newsletter: Bam Bam Bigelow, Yoshihiro Akiyama

Posted on by Dave Meltzer

Bam Bam Bigelow, who was the most agile near 400-pounder to ever come into pro wrestling when he debuted in 1986, passed away on 1/19 at his girlfriend’s home in Hudson, FL at the age of 45.

Bigelow was an international headliner for most of the next 15 years, with several stints in promotions like WWF, WCW, UWA in Mexico and New Japan Pro Wrestling.

Born Scott Charles Bigelow on September 1, 1961, he was a great natural athlete, with near sprinter speed and incredible agility while carrying 325 pounds in high school, which nobody in the 80s had. But he fell in with the wrong people and out of sports. He wound up as a bounty hunter, and then ended up as the most famous student of Larry Weil (Pretty Boy Larry Sharpe), who, largely through Bigelow’s success, his Monster Factory became the most famous pro wrestling school in the country.

But in recent years, the fall from stardom was hard. He went through a messy divorce. For a long period of time, he disappeared after a sandwich shop in Pennsylvania went bankrupt. He lost contact with his three children and ended up on terrible terms with his wife, and hadn’t paid child support in years.s

Subscribers can read this issue here.

Wrestling Observer Radio: Vince McMahon surgery, AEW news, UFC 291 preview

Posted on by Garrett Gonzales

Dave Meltzer and I are back with Wrestling Observer Radio going over all the news in the latest issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter and a few things that have happened since it came out.

We discussed the following:

  • Vince McMahon’s spinal surgery
  • The latest on Kenny Omega, Hangman Page, and the Young Bucks
  • AEW Dynamite ratings
  • Updates on Jade Cargill, Jamie Hayter, Jim Ross and Thunder Rosa
  • AEW Collision
  • Thoughts on the Bam Bam Bigelow Dark Side of the Ring episode
  • Update on Thursday’s NJPW G1 Climax show
  • Impact pay-per-view numbers being way up
  • Gable Steveson’s in-ring debut Sunday
  • WWE Survivor Series tickets sell out
  • How AEW markets their ticket sales for All In

Click here to listen (website subscription needed) or watch on YouTube (with video subscription)

Karl Stern’s Classic Wrestling July Marathon: The Complete Collection

Posted on by Karl Stern

Every year, Karl Stern embarks on a month-long journey taking listeners through a daily dose of classic wrestling goodness. This year was no different as the Dragon King did 32 shows over 31 days with focuses on well-known guys like Lex Luger, Arn Anderson, and Jushin Liger, while also spotlighting enhancement workers, wrestlers who paint their face, and even the late, great Muhammad Ali.

Below, you’ll find all of Karl’s July Classic Wrestling Marathon in alphabetical order, available now for subscribers. Enjoy!

To listen to more Stern, head to our Radio Show archive page, select ‘Dragon King’ and pick a month. 

DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Marathon: Bam Bam Bigelow

Posted on by Karl Stern

Today, Karl Stern looks at the Beast from the East.

Bam Bam Bigelow started out his wrestling career as a highly acclaimed student of the Monster Factory. He soon showed up in Memphis with his manager and trainer Larry Sharpe, where he battled Jerry Lawler, Bill Dundee, and all the top stars in Memphis for a short period of time.  

From there he spent time in World Class as the ill-named Crusher Yurkov and had a short stint in WCW before he had a couple big runs in WWF, including a WrestleMania main event. He also became a star in Japan and ECW.

Bigelow’s career was often marred by injury and jumping from promotion to promotion, but he became one of the best big men in wrestling.

Today’s show is about a man who seemed to have tremendous potential and seemed destined to become one of the biggest stars in the world. He had a tremendous look and agility for a big man, but questions remain if he really lived up to his potential.

Time is running out to order the Super Stern Stick 16gb wrestling history flashdrive.  If you would like to order you need to order soon.  $20 with free shipping world wide.

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