WRESTLER PROFILES

[Big John Studd Gallery]	Wrestler: Big John Studd (1948-1995) Real Name: John William Minton Birthday: February 19, 1948 Hometown: Los Angeles, California Marital Status: Height & Weight: 6'10" - 364 lbs Trained by: Killer Kowalski Debut: 1977 Previous Names: Chuck O'Connor Captain USA Executioner #2 Masked Superstar #2 Finishing Move: Reverse Bear Hug Favorite Moves: Back Breaker Double Underhook Suplex The Heart Punch Notable Feuds: Gino Hernandez Bruiser Brody Fritz Von Erich Dino Bravo Maddog Vachon Blackjack Mulligan The Freebirds Leroy Brown Dusty Rhodes Barry Windham Sweet Brown Sugar Andre The Giant The Machines Hulk Hogan
WWA (Indianapolis) World Tag Team titles w/Ox Baker defeating Crusher & Dick the Bruiser (March 13, 1976); WWWF Tag Team titles w/Killer Kowalski defeating Louis Cerdan & Tony Parisi (May 11, 1976); NWA Texas Tag Team titles w/Bull Ramos defeating ??????? (????, 1977); NWA (World Class) American Heavyweight title defeating Bruiser Brody (July 25, 1977); NWA Hawaii Tag Team titles w/Buddy Rose defeating Bill & Russ Francis (May 17, 1978); NWA (Hawaii) North American Heavyweight title Awarded (June ??, 1978); NWA Mid Atlantic Tag Team titles w/Ric Flair defeating ??????? (June 30, 1978); NWA Mid Atlantic Tag Team titles w/Ric Flair defeating Paul Jones & Ricky Steamboat (October 30, 1978); NWA Mid Atlantic Tag Team titles w/Ken Patera defeating Paul Jones & Ricky Steamboat (January ??, 1979); NWA (Tennessee) Southern Heavyweight title defeating Blackjack Mulligan Jr. (July 24, 1981); NWA (Toronto) Canadian Heavyweight title defeating Angelo Mosca (September 20, 1981); NWA (Florida) Global Tag Team titles w/Jim Garvin won a tournament (????, 1982); NWA (Georgia) National Tag Team titles w/Super Destroyer Awarded (March ??, 1982); EWU (South Africa) World Super Heavyweight title defeating Jan Wilkens (Febuary 13, 1984); WWF (World Wrestling Federation) Royal Rumble Winner (1989);
In The Beginning Big John Studd was trained by Killer Kowalski.. 1976: John Studd & Killer Kowalski (as the masked Executioners) won the WWWF Tag Team titles.. Mid-Atlantic, AWA, Grand Prix & Others John Studd was known as "Chuck O'Connor" & "Captain USA" & "The Masked Superstar II" at certain points in the Mid-Atlantic.. July 1977: John Studd defeated Bruiser Brody for the American Heavyweight title, but was defeated two months later by Ox Baker.. 1978: John Studd moved on to the Mid-Atlantic, where he teamed with Ken Patera to win the Mid-Atlantic Tag Team titles.. John Studd also made occasional trips to Canada to wrestle in Emile Dupre's Atlantic Grand Prix Wrestling.. May 25, 1980: Masked Superstar #2 (John Studd) was unmasked after a match with Blackjack Mulligan in Toronto.. John Studd once teamed with Jerry Blackwell in the American Wrestling Association.. ~~~While working in the AWA, Studd feuded with Canadian legends Dino Bravo and Mad Dog Vachon.. John Studd received several title shots at AWA champ Verne Gagne, but was unable to win the coveted strap.. September 1981: John Studd defeated Angelo Mosca for the Canadian Heavyweight title.. John Studd engaged in a bitter feud with Blackjack Mulligan in the Mid-Atlantic territory.. Early 1982: John Studd gained several title shots at NWA champion Ric Flair but was never successful.. John Studd feuded with the Fabulous Freebirds and Leroy Brown in the Georgia area.. Florida John Studd was brought into Florida by J.J. Dillon and feuded with Dusty Rhodes, Barry Windham and Sweet Brown Sugar.. John Studd's gimmick was bringing a stretcher the ring and he'd beat his opponents so bad they'd be taken out on the stretcher.. Late 1982: John Studd teamed with Jimmy Garvin to win a Florida tournament crowning the first Global tag team champions.. ~~~After roughly two weeks, Studd and Garvin lost the belts to the team of Ron Bass and Barry Windham.. John Studd left the Florida territory shortly afterwards.. World Wrestling Federation - w/Fred Blassie Big John Studd signed with the World Wrestling Federation and took on Fred Blassie as his manager.. ~~~Blassie guided John Studd to WWF title shots at then-champion Bob Backlund, but Studd was unable to win the title.. ~~~Blassie went on a mission to prove that John Studd was the 'biggest' man in wrestling.. ~~~~~Blassie began holding weekly bodyslam challenges on WWF television to see if anyone could slam the big man.. ~~~~~To the winner would go $10,000 in cash -- No wrestler was able to accomplish the feat until.. ~~~~~Studd's next challenger was to be "Chief" Jay Strongbow, but Andre the Giant was a last minute replacement! ~~~~~Studd and Blassie were furious when Andre walked down the isle for the challenge.. ~~~~~Andre was set to scoop Studd up, Blassie grabbed onto Studd's waist to prevent the Giant from slamming him.. ~~~~~Andre tried to hoist Studd up twice, and noticed Blassie's interference the second time.. ~~~~~Andre charged at Blassie, took the money, and threw it out to the crowd.. ~~~~~Studd snuck up and grabbed it back before taking off for the locker room with Blassie.. ~~~~~This incident led to the start of a very bitter feud between Big John Studd and Andre The Giant.. ~~~~~Summer 1983: The wrestlers had a series of cage matches that saw the Giant not only win, but repeatedly bodyslam Studd.. World Wrestling Federation - w/Bobby Heenan Mid-1984: Bobby Heenan made his way into the WWF and convinced John Studd to join the Heenan Family.. September 22, 1984 - MSG: Big John Studd defeated Hulk Hogan (WWF Champion) by COUNT OUT.. Big John Studd eventually rekindled his bitter feud with the Andre The Giant.. November 13, 1984: Big John Studd & Ken Patera defeated Andre The Giant & Special Delivery Jones in a tag team match.. ~~~After the match, Studd & Patera shocked the wrestling world by cutting off pieces of Andre's trademark hair! ~~~The Giant first disposed of Ken Patera, easily beating him in a Madison Square Garden match.. March 10, 1985: Andre the Giant defeated Big John Studd by DQ when King Kong Bundy interfered.. March 31, 1985: Wrestlemania I: Andre The Giant defeated Big John Studd in a special $15,000 Body Slam challenge.. August 18, 1985 - Toronto: Andre the Giant defeated Big John Studd by DQ when King Kong Bundy interfered.. ~~~Andre was beaten down by Bundy & Studd, sustaining a splash from Bundy that "broke" Andre's sternum.. John Studd formed a tag team with King Kong Bundy, wrestling teams such as the British Bulldogs & the Machines.. September 29, 1985: Andre the Giant & Hulk Hogan defeated Big John Studd & King Kong Bundy.. October 3, 1985: Andre the Giant & Tony Atlas w/Lou Albano defeated King Kong Bundy & Big John Studd w/Heenan by DQ.. October 21, 1985 - MSG: Andre the Giant & Hillbilly Jim vs Big John Studd & King Kong Bundy ended in a DOUBLE DQ.. October 31, 1985: Hulk Hogan & Andre the Giant w/Lou Albano defeated King Kong Bundy & Big John Studd by DQ.. November 9, 1985: Andre the Giant & Hillbilly Jim & Lou Albano beat King Kong Bundy & Big John Studd & Bobby Heenan.. November 14, 1985: Andre The Giant & Tito Santana defeated King Kong Bundy & Big John Studd.. November 24, 1985: Andre the Giant & Hillbilly Jim defeated King Kong Bundy & Big John Studd in a Texas Tornado match.. December 7, 1985: Andre the Giant & Junk Yard Dog beat King Kong Bundy & Big John Studd & Bobby Heenan in a handicap match.. Early 1986: Junk Yard Dog & Hillbilly Jim defeated King Kong Bundy & Big John Studd by COUNT OUT.. Wrestlemania II: Andre The Giant won a huge battle royal which featured Big John Studd and several NFL football players.. ~~~Studd was embarassed by football great William "The Refrigerator" Perry.. ~~~Perry was eliminated by Studd, but tricked "Big John" into reaching down to shake hands, and pulled Studd out too! April 1986: The British Bulldogs defeated King Kong Bundy & Big John Studd by DQ to retain.. June 24, 1986: Hulk Hogan & Paul Orndorff defeated King Kong Bundy & Big John Studd w/Bobby Heenan by DQ.. ~~~After the match, Paul Orndorff turned on Hulk Hogan and joined the Heenan Family.. July 12, 1986: King Kong Bundy & Big John Studd defeated Sivi Afi & King Tonga.. August 1, 1986: King Kong Bundy & Big John Studd defeated B. Brian Blair & Jim Brunzell (Killer Bees).. August 17, 1986: The Machines defeated King Kong Bundy & Big John Studd.. August 20, 1986: King Kong Bundy & Big John Studd defeated Giant & Super Machine by DQ.. August 25, 1986: King Kong Bundy & Big John Studd defeated Big & Super Machine by DQ.. August 28, 1986 - The Big Event: KKB & BJS & Bobby Heenan defeated Big & Super Machine & Lou Albano by DQ.. September 22, 1986: Super & Big Machine & Hulk Machine beat KKB & BJS & Bobby Heenan.. October 4, 1986: Super & Big Machine & Piper Machine beat KKB & BJS & Bobby Heenan.. October 23, 1986: Hulk Hogan & The Crusher defeated King Kong Bundy & Big John Studd.. By the end of 1986, Studd was gone from the WWF.. World Wrestling Federation II Late 1988: John Studd returned to the WWF, turning on former manager, Bobby Heenan and becoming a good guy.. ~~~Studd, of course, rekindle his feud with Andre The Giant (who was with Heenan now).. Royal Rumble 1989: Big John Studd won the Royal Rumble match, eliminating Ted DiBiase last.. Wrestlemania V: Jake Roberts defeated Andre The Giant with Big John Studd acting as special guest referee.. WWF TV: Jim "King" Duggan was being triple-teamed by Bobby Heenan, Haku and Andre, when Studd ran in to make the save! ~~~Studd knocked the Giant out of the ring and to the floor.. ~~~Andre tried to get back in, and was again knocked down with one shot from Studd.. John Studd & Jim Duggan began teaming up in matches around the globe against Andre and Haku.. Unfortunatly, a high-profile one-on-one match between "Big" John and Andre the Giant never took place.. Summer 1989: Big John Studd was, once again, gone from the WWF, this time for good.. Semi-Retirement John Studd went into semi-retirement, wrestling only a few indy dates.. John Studd came out with his own line of workout and vitamin supplements.. John Studd also trained several wrestlers including Ron Reis, who debuted in WCW as "Big" Ron Studd.. Early 1990s: John Minton was diagnosed with Hodgkins Disease and fought the disease for several years.. March 20, 1995: "Big" John Studd (John Minton) lost his battle, and died at the age of 47.. March 13, 2004 - WWE: Big John Studd was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame during a ceremony in New York City! ~~~John Minton's son (John Minton Jr.) was on hand to accept the honor in place of his father.. March 14, 2004 - Wrestlemania XX: Big John Studd was honored with all the other Hall of Fame inductees during the Pay Per View..