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Post by hbkbigdaddycool on May 25, 2017 1:36:50 GMT -5
So lately I have been watching old WWF Superstars of Wrestling from 1988 on the WWE Network, and I.... wait a minute.... that's right, the WWE Network hasn't put any of those shows up on the Network yet! Silly me, for I thought being a wrestling network that they would be up on there for us to watch.
But back to my story, I have been watching old WWF Superstars of Wrestling that I have, and I am in the 1988 year. The fans were crazy during this time frame for WWE. But the one man the fans seemed to love the most (besides Hogan and Savage) was Bam Bam Bigelow!
The guy was super over. I know he was tagging with Hogan vs. Andre & DiBiase on house shows, and rumour had it that Bigelow was in line to win the WWE Title at Wrestlemania IV that year too, and I kind of believe it when watching his matches. The fan reaction he got was so loud and continuous.
So what's everyone think about Bam Bam Bigelow?? Did he deserve more in the wrestling business than he got??
He was only a 2 time WCW Tag Champion, WCW Hardcore Champion, ECW TV Champion and ECW World Champion. I am still shocked that even in his second WWE run that he didn't get the Tag Titles with either IRS or Tatanka during the Million Dollar Corporation days.
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Post by Brad on May 25, 2017 2:23:10 GMT -5
I'm a big fan of Bigelow. One of the best big men of all time. Never heard the rumor of him winning the strap.
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ClassicFan2
Main Eventer
Joined on: Oct 22, 2010 15:25:00 GMT -5
Posts: 3,257
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Post by ClassicFan2 on May 25, 2017 4:21:10 GMT -5
love bam bam. wish he'd won US title from windham
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Post by The Brain on May 25, 2017 8:05:05 GMT -5
I was always a fan of Bigelow. IMO him and Vader are the best big men ever in wrestling. I remember marking out when he won the ECW World Title as I always thought he was a main event caliber talent. Unfortunately He never got a run with the WWF Title but overall he had an awesome career with the belts he won in WCW/ECW and on top of that how agile he was for a big guy.
Without question he's HOF worthy in my eyes.
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Post by ricflair4ever on May 25, 2017 8:23:13 GMT -5
Bigelow seemed like he was on his way to bigger things, although I'm not sure that would have meant the title at Mania IV. I've heard that rumor over the years, but it doesn't go along well with the DiBease rumor which seems widely accepted. Honestly, i don't know if i believe that one either as Vince didn't seem keen on a heel walking out with the world title at Mania yet. I've always kind of thought that maybe Vince, or Patterson, were kayfabing several of the boys about that tourney. Telling guys like Bigelow and DiBease they were going over ,only to say plans changed later, when it was always going to be Randy. I will say a Bigelow run with the title from WM IV to a heel turn by WM V to drop it to Hogan does not sound far fetched at all. And his positioning on the card in late 87/early 88 in those tag matches with Hogan agaisnt Ted and Andre could very well have been the foreshadowing of that very push. For whatever reason that didn't materialize, but i think the bigger loss of opportunity was during hos second run from 93-95. He should have been a bigger deal to the company at that point than he was made. WCW missed the boat in 98 too. At the end of the day he ranks right up there with Vader and Big Show as the best of the big men to ever compete in the business in my opinion.
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Post by The Brain on May 25, 2017 10:00:59 GMT -5
I remember them pushing Bigelow hard when he was coming into the WWF with all the ''battle for Bam Bam'' vignettes over the managers who wanted to manage him. So that rumor of him winning the belt at WM 4 might have some truth to it.
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robbutler01
Main Eventer
Joined on: Feb 10, 2013 15:10:27 GMT -5
Posts: 1,267
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Post by robbutler01 on May 25, 2017 11:55:03 GMT -5
I've been watching the 87 Primetime wrestling episodes and the battle for bam bam this week. He was mega hyped for a relative newcomer - great way to bring in a new face with a bang.
I think they may have had big plans but I always thought he was at least worth an IC or tag run.
Genuinely could have seen him toppling Bret during his second run in 92-93 but by far wasted his potential in 95 when they DESPERATELY needed all the credible talent they could get their hands on, would have enjoyed bam bam v diesel, Razor or Shawn.
Great big man and loved the idea of him and Vader as a team (like they were in Japan) dominating a US fed if they had the chance.
Another one gone too soon
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REAL REVY
Main Eventer
1000 Posts
Joined on: Feb 8, 2012 16:27:26 GMT -5
Posts: 1,000
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Post by REAL REVY on May 25, 2017 13:47:16 GMT -5
love bam bam. wish he'd won US title from windham He Would Have Made A Great US Champ RIP |
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Post by ricflair4ever on May 25, 2017 14:10:13 GMT -5
love bam bam. wish he'd won US title from windham He Would Have Made A Great US Champ RIP I agree completely about Bam Bam being a great idea for US champ. And if i remember right, the promotion thought so too. Its hard to recall the details as to why it fell through, but it seems like it stemmed from a clash with Bigelows Japanese committments ,and his reluctance to sign an exclusive contract with JCP/WCW. Although he did make some appearances for the promotion thru 1989, he never went full time. At any rate, they did want to put the US belt on him initially. |
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Post by Glorydaysofwrestling on May 26, 2017 18:35:32 GMT -5
He was an unbelievable talent and I thought he was great throughout his career. From what I remember reading his push was derailed because of a knee injury, which led to him leaving wwf.
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Post by The Brain on May 27, 2017 15:31:15 GMT -5
He was an unbelievable talent and I thought he was great throughout his career. From what I remember reading his push was derailed because of a knee injury, which led to him leaving wwf. I remember reading that as well. They were teasing a feud between him and One Man Gang during that Summer but nothing came of it unfortunately since Bigelow left soon after. |
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TheEvilDoink1987
Main Eventer
Joined on: Feb 22, 2010 21:37:52 GMT -5
Posts: 2,631
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Post by TheEvilDoink1987 on May 28, 2017 13:22:55 GMT -5
I think that Bam Bam is the best big man the industry has ever seen. He was this monstrous powerhouse, but able to do incredibly agile and athletic maneuvers for a man of his size.
People overlook it because the event and match aren't held in the highest regard, but he carried an outsider with zero in-ring experience in Lawrence Taylor to a respectable main event match at Wrestlemania XI. That was all Bam Bam.
One of the more underappreciated talents of his era.
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Post by JokerFC on Jun 7, 2017 13:10:03 GMT -5
Vince missed a huge trick with Bam Bam in 1995.
He should have been left a revenge filled heel crazy to prove himself after his loss to LT @ WM11. He should have defeated RR in the final match of KOTR 95 to advance to Summerslam where he would have dethroned Nash.
He should have successfully defended his strap against Diesel in Sept @ IYH & Oct participates in a tag team ME. These matches could have been used to establish the enmity between UT & Nash. Nashs heel turn still comes at Survivors series when he costs UT the match against Bam Bam.
If Vince was set on Bret passing the torch to HBK? Bret defeats Bam Bam @ RR96(Survivors is too soon)
Bret vs Bulldog still headlines IYH:Seasons Beatings but its a 1# contenders match.
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Post by rollingthunder125 on Jun 7, 2017 13:35:24 GMT -5
Bam Bam was the man for sure. I always felt that ECW was the ish for realizing what they had in this man and that everyone else sucked for not seeing it. Think i remember reading something about him having some kind of issue with a Kliq memeber/members so maybe that had something to do with his second stint @ wwf not materalizing in a title run. But he was a HOF talent none the less.
Him and Taz had one of my favorite in-ring rivalries ever. Its ashamed that most of the regular wrestling crowd at the time where caught up in other things.
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Post by k5 on Jun 9, 2017 21:41:35 GMT -5
he was awesome in ecw because, like funk, he didn't need to be there but was helping heyman and the young developing guys out.
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Post by JC Motors on Jun 21, 2017 19:13:34 GMT -5
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Post by Jonathan Karate on Jun 21, 2017 22:18:22 GMT -5
Bigelow has arguably the most phenomenal matches out of any man ever. Vader is the only one to come close.
I never appreciated BBB when I was younger but I'm so glad I do now.
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marklud
Main Eventer
Joined on: Jun 5, 2009 21:10:30 GMT -5
Posts: 1,739
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Post by marklud on Jun 27, 2017 0:36:23 GMT -5
I was a huge Bam Bam fan as a kid. Always loved the guys that could work, even from a young age, and man he could work for a big man. I have two vivid memories of Bam Bam -- the first involved a show at tiny Melody Fair just outside my hometown of Buffalo. Was up in the balcony and I had a sign for Bam Bam, probably the only kid cheering for the heel, and he got pumped and pointed to the sign at one point. Second part, which I totally forgot about until a friend brought it up a month or so ago ... either at that show or another house show there, afterwards a ton of kids/people ran to try and get autographs from a few wrestlers after the show. I was probably 10 or so at the time, my friends were unlucky but I lucked out and got an autograph from Bam Bam. Great moment. RIP!
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