What’s the story?
Former WCW World Heavyweight Champion Big Van Vader announced his retirement from pro wrestling on Twitter. Here is the announcement:
In case you didn’t know....
The 62-year-old legend has been through the ringer ever since he was diagnosed with congestive heart failure. Sadly for the fans, the doctors initially gave him two years to live. However, the man known for his incredible toughness and willpower continued to wrestle across Japan and stated he would love to die in the ring.
He recently collapsed during a match in Japan which may have forced him to take the decision to hang up his wrestling boots.
The heart of the matter
For the convenience of the readers, Vader refers to wrestling as his first true love in the tweet, stating that he had no option but to give it up in order to see his grandchildren one day. While it’s a loss for the pro wrestling industry if this is indeed his official retirement announcement, we’re glad he has called it quits considering his worn down body.
Also read: 5 WCW stars that would have been great MMA fighters
His last match was a six-man tag team match with Keiji Muto and AKIRA against the team of Riki Choshu, Shiro Koshinaka and Fujinami back in April in Japan.
Impact
Vader is truly a pioneer in the world of professional wrestling as his hard-hitting style inspired a generation of brawlers. He was one of the few Super Heavyweights who could perform a splash off the top rope with remarkable ease after administering a deadly beat down on his opponents.
It's a sad day for pro wrestling but also a relief for the fans who just couldn't see him go through unnecessary punishment.
Author’s take
I'm relieved, to be honest. While I admire Vader’s spirit and dedication to the business, I just couldn’t watch him wrestle in his current state. He needs a miracle and I, for one, have been praying tirelessly for it to happen.
The entire pro wrestling fraternity is called upon to pray for his well-being. Miracles do happen!
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