#7 – Vader
Between 1992 and 1994, the man they call "Vader" was the man to beat in WCW. The 450-pound mastodon (another of his nicknames) came to the US hot off a five year stint in New Japan Pro Wrestling and immediately broke the door down, winning the WCW World Heavyweight Championship within a few months of his full-time debut.
His first reign was short-lived, as a knee injury forced Vader to drop the championship to Ron Simmons, making him the "first ever African-American World Heavyweight Champion". There is much debate as to whether the WWE Hall of Famer would become champ without Vader taking time off, as the big man would recapture the gold upon returning, holding it for the majority of 1993, with only one major interruption in the form of "The Icon" Sting.
Matches to Watch:
- vs. Sting (WCW Great American Bash '92)
- vs. Sting (WCW Starrcade '92)
- vs. Sting (WCW Superbrawl III)
- vs. Davey Boy Smith (WCW Slamboree '93)
- vs. Cactus Jack (WCW Halloween Havoc '93)
- vs. Ric Flair (WCW Starrcade '93)
- vs. Shawn Michaels (WWE SummerSlam '96)