Best Big Men
In the world of professional wrestling there are many large, large men. Hulking mountains of muscle and bravado that drift through the ranks garnering sidelong glances of appreciation before flickering out and fading into the ether. However, some burn brighter than others and a rare few manage to stay relevant for a long time. I tried to keep the list to people taller than 6'5 for height and more than 350 lbs if weight was their main attribute. Enjoy.
Ernie "The Cat" Ladd
Standing 6'8" tall and weighing over 300 pounds, Ernie Ladd paved the way for future big men in the sport. As a former college football and AFL star, Ernie toyed with pro wrestling in the Los Angeles area before debuting with the World Wide Wrestling Federation in 1968. Following his football career, Ladd joined the pro wrestling world full time and travelled around the country working for different promotions. Known for his infamous taped thumb, athleticism and mic skills, Ladd was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 1995 and kicks off our list of the best big men in wrestling.
Abdullah The Butcher
At 430 pounds and 6'3", Abdullah the Butcher intimidated people with his size as well as his scarred forehead. Known for hardcore wrestling, Abdullah implemented his background in judo to entertain people in the ring. Wrestling for half a century, The Madman from Sudan originally hails from Canada and made his debut in 1958. He began using foreign objects at an early age and quickly gained reputation for being one of the most violent men in the world- and one of the biggest.
Yokozuna
At 6'4" and 500 plus pounds, Rodney Agatupu Anoa'i is one of the heaviest men to ever enter into the square circle. Born in Samoa, Anoa'i never actually competed in Sumo matches despite his ring name of Yokozuna. He held the WWE Championship twice during his time with the company, the first person of Samoan descent to achieve that honor.
Sid Vicious
Holding numerous championship in many different federations, 6'9" Sidney Eudy of Arkansas enjoyed a lustrous career in pro wrestling before a gruesome in-ring injury brought his career an abrupt end. Sid's size and intensity gave him instant cachet with wrestling fans. This two time WCW Heavy Weight Champion and two time WWF Championship may not have always been the most graceful worker in the ring, ask his fibia and tibia what they think, but Sid played the role of the dominant big man as well as anyone during his heyday.
Kane
Originally debuting as Dr. Isaac Yankem in the WWE, this 6'9", 300 pound bruiser made his mark on the wrestling as The Undertaker's younger half-brother Kane. Since his introduction as Kane, he has great success in tag teams and as well as a singles wrestler. The Big Red Machine won the tags belts 9 times with 6 different partners, including twice with Taker, Mankind and X-Pac. The behemoth born Glenn Jacobs reached the pinnacle of the wrestling world in 1998 at King of the Ring when he took the Heavyweight Championship Belt off Stone Cold Steve Austin in First Blood match.
King Kong Bundy
Born in Atlantic City, New Jersey in 1957, Chris Pallies, better known as King Kong Bundy, is the dictionary definition of barrel-chested. At an average of 400 pounds and 6'4" tall, Bundy looked as wide as he was tall on television. He is best known for his time in the WWE, including his cage match against Hulk Hogan at
WrestleMania 2 and the long feud with Andre the Giant. Prior to his time with the McMahon's, Bundy won the AWA Heavyweight Championship once and the NWA American Heavyweight Championship twice.
Batista
At 6'6" and nearly 300 pounds, Dave Batista's been near the top of the wrestling world since he broke in with the WWE in 2002. During his time, The Animal has captured the World Heavyweight Championship 4 times and been involved in many of the most prominent feuds in the company. His chiseled physique and dominant power make him an imposing figure that captivates fans' imaginations everywhere. In 2005, PWI awarded him wrestler of the year, a testament to his natural abilities.
Big John Studd
During his 14 years in the business, John William Minton used his power and size to intimidate his opponents and thrill audiences. The hulking Pennsylvania boy weighed in at an impressive 360 pounds in his heyday and stood 6'10' tall, making him a true big man. In one of his most highly publicized feud, Big John Studd claimed he was the true giant of the wrestling industry, challenged André the Giant had a $15,000 body slam match at the first
WrestleMania. To win the match, André had to body slam Studd, which he did after the two brawled it out in the ring. Later Studd would form a team with Bundy and feud with André for most of 1986. He retired from wrestling in 1990.
Brusier Brody
The tragic end of Bruiser Brody's life in Puerto Rico in 1988 is a dark shadow over an otherwise brilliant career. Brody played the role of a brawling big man to perfection, He toured around the regional circuits in the United States and was undoubtedly a star, but he reached the world during his time in Japan and Puerto Rico. His violent and stiff wrestling style influenced many wrestlers, though his greatest contribution to the history of wrestling may be helping to introduction two future legendary big men: Vader and The Undertaker.
The Big Show
We all know what Ric Flair thinks about The Big Show, but the fact is that the behemoth can put on a match. The 7 foot 400 plus pound giant, won the WWE Championship 2 times, the WCW Heavyweight belt twice and ECW belt once. He is a force in the WWE today and instant draw to a match. Last year's gimmick match against Floyd Mayweather is a testament to Paul Wight's ability in the ring.
Kevin Nash
Big Sexy gets his name for a very good reason. He's huge. Coming in at 6'10" and weighing 315 pounds, Kevin Scott Nash is the rare mixture of athleticism, size and personality. He's been at the top of the wrestling for years, winning major belts in major federations. He's best known for his stint in WCW as a member of nWo, but Nash found success wherever he went. He's surprisingly agile for a man his size, and when that's combined with his awesome strength and intelligence, it's no wonder he was five time world champ in WCW.
Bam Bam Bigelow
Hailing from Asbury Park, New Jersey, not many men had the speed and agility that Scott Bigelow did for someone his size. On this list, he is a mere 6'3' but weighed over 350 pounds in his performing day. He wrestled for numerous managers during his day, and, in the end, needed little help from the outside. Fans everywhere marveled at his abilities and fell in love with his trademark flamed-decorated ring attire and tattoos on his head.
Big Van Vader
Few big men were as entertaining, or as dangerous, as Big Van Vader. With his signature red and black ring attire and mask, Vader stood at an imposing 6'5" and weighed around 450 pounds in his wrestling days. He was well known for taking to the air and dazzling fans with his athletic ability and infamous for injuring other competitors in the ring. Vader was PWI wrestler of the year in 1993 and a three time Heavy Weight Champion in WCW. His charisma and dynamic in-ring abilities make him a stand out in long list of excellent big men.
Andre the Giant
No one epitomizes the big man like André René Roussimoff. The French born mountain of a man, stood over 7'4" tall and weighed up to 550 pounds. He played the role of the big man as good as anyone ever, though his lumbering size didn't always make him the best performer in the ring. He is as iconic a wrestler to the outside world as there has ever been in the industry and sets the bar for spectacle and ability to tell a story inside the ring. This, above all, is what earns André his status. The man knew how to sell a match and keep people involved and that, in the end, is the point of wrestling.
The Undertaker
Forget his unbeaten record at
WrestleMania or the four WWE Championship and two World Heavyweight Championships, and remember that The Undertaker is 6'10" and weighs nearly 300 pounds. What the man is capable in the ring, the speed and the agility, is unprecedented in the world of professional wrestling. I've never seen another 6'10" individual walk the top rope and that's for good reason. He's hands down the best big man to ever enter the ring, capable of putting on a great match, with a fantastic gimmick to boot.