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Today January 19, 2007 is another dark day in the wrestling industry. Legendary wrestler Bam Bam Bigelow has passed away in Florida. Bigelow will always be considered in my book one of the best big men in the history of the business. Today I would like to write a column about the career of the Beast from the East Bam Bam Bigelow and what a career it has been for him. Scott Bigelow was born September 1st 1961 and would turn into one of the most successful wrestlers of the 1980s and 1990s. He was trained at Larry Sharp's Monster Factory in New Jersey. In 1985 he debuted in Memphis as Crusher Yurkov and was a monster Russian type character. The character did have success as he won the World Class Television title but after leaving the Memphis area he adopted his name Bam Bam Bigelow. Then in 1987 Bigelow started to become a house hold name when he signed with the World Wrestling Federation.

He started off in a big angle as all the heel managers wanted to sign him but ended up with Sir Oliver Humperdink. This run in the WWF was short but he had a great showing at the first Survivor Series when he was able to beat King Kong Bundy and One Man Gang before being defeated by Andre the Giant. He also was apart of the Wrestlemania 4 World Title Tournament but lost by count out in the first round. Soon after this Bigelow would suffer a knee injury and left the WWF. He then showed up in Jim Crocket Promotions and would feud with Barry Windham for the NWA United States title. Soon Bigelow decided to head over to the land of the rising sun.

Bigelow debuted in New Japan and would eventually team with another great big man in the business Big Van Vader. The team had two big highlights in their run including defeating WCW's Doom tag team in front of 64,000 fans. Also at the New Japan 20th Anniversary show Bigelow and Vader defeated Hiroshi Hase & Keji Mutoh to win the IWGP Tag Team titles. Also Bigelow would once again work for WCW again. However soon Bigelow decided to tour the rest of Japan and worked with organizations such as WAR. However by late 1992 the WWF came calling and Bigelow returned to the World Wrestling Federation.

When Bigelow returned to the WWF he was paired with Luna Vachon and became a big player in the WWF. Throughout 1993 and early 1994 Bigelow feuded with the undefeated Tatanka and Doink the Clown. By the summer of 1994 Bigelow joined the Million Dollar Corporation and was managed by the legendary Ted DiBiase. Joining this stable would lead to Bigelow's biggest feud and arguably biggest match. At the 1995 Royal Rumble Bam Bam Bigelow teamed with fellow stable member Tatanka and lost in the Tag Team Championship tournament finals to Bob Holly and 1-2-3 Kid. This lead to NFL great Lawrence Taylor laughing at Bigelow from the stands causing Bigelow to shove LT. This angle leads to a match at Wrestlemania 11 when Bam Bam Bigelow lost to LT in the main event of the PPV. This lost would cause Bigelow to leave the Million Dollar Corporation and feud with Sid. The feud ended when Bigelow beat Sid and Tatanka in a Tag Team Match with Diesel at King of the Ring 1995. However by the fall of 1995 Bigelow's run was just about over after losing to the debuting Goldust at Survivor Series 1995. This would prove to be his last big WWF Match.

Soon after leaving the WWE he debuted in ECW and wrestled Terry Bam Bam Gordy and won the battle of the Bam Bam's! Soon after this Bigelow would go on the independent scene and work in Japan. However by 1997 he returned to ECW where he joined the Triple Threat with Shane Douglas and Chris Candido. This would be the most successful run of Bigelow's career in professional wrestling. Bigelow is responsible for one of the most memorable moments in ECW history when he tossed Spike Dudley into the crowd and they crowed surfed Spike around the arena.

By October 1997 Bigelow won his first and only major heavyweight title when he beat Shane Douglas for the ECW Heavyweight Title! After losing his ECW title he moved into a feud with Taz and wrestled another legendary match when he and Taz broke the ring and Bigelow was able to win the ECW Television title. However this would soon mark the end of Bigelow's run as ECW's financial problems would force him to leave for the greener pasture of WCW. WCW would lead another successful run for Bigelow and would sadly be his last.

Bigelow debuted and feuded with WCW Heavyweight Champion Bill Goldberg and made for some memorable moments. At one point Bigelow ran into the 3 Ring World War 3 Battle Royal but Goldberg quickly got rid of him. When his feud with Goldberg finally ran its course he was place into the Hardcore Division. Then Bigelow would have his biggest success in the company when DDP, Kanyon, and Bigelow formed the Jersey Triad. They won the WCW Tag Team Championships and had a very successful reign and some great matches. The Triad however soon ran its course and Bigelow was soon back into the Hardcore Division of WCW. Bigelow won the Hardcore Title and would be his last major title in the business. As WCW was put out of its misery Bigelow feuded with The Wall, Mike Awesome, and Shawn Stasiak.

WCW would be the end of the line for Bigelow's career as he wrestled for a few independent shows. Bigelow finally announced his retirement on November 19, 2004 after beating Johnny Candido. This marked the end of an 18 year career in professional wrestling and the end of one of the best big men in Professional Wrestling History.

He was known as the Beast from the East and Bam Bam Bigelow but the man Scott Bigelow will always be remembered of as one of the greats. While Bigelow struggled with life after his career ended no one can deny the effect he had on the business. In the 80s Bigelow amazed crowds with his top rope moves and his over the top character. In the early 90s he gave WWF a strong big man who could work with just about anyone. In the late 90s he gave WCW and ECW a dependable veteran who helped make younger talent. In 20 years he gave fans years of memories and great matches. Whether it is his famous match with LT, him throwing Spike Dudley into the crowd, or being a man who proved that big men were capable of anything he gave wrestling fans memories to last a lifetime.

I will miss Scott "Bam Bam" Bigelow not just because he was a wrestler but because he was one of the best. When I think Bam Bam Bigelow I think a highflying big man who gave his best effort every night for the business. All I can say is thank you for the memories and Rest in Peace Scott, you did some great work.

Scott "Bam Bam" Bigelow
1961-2007

Until next time.

by Jason "XtremeFalls" Simmons (Submit your feedback here)..