Scott Charles Bigelow (September 1, 1961 – January 19, 2007) was an American professional wrestler, better known by the ring name Bam Bam Bigelow. Recognizable by his close-to-400-pound frame and the distinctive flame tattoo that spanned most of his bald head, Bigelow was hailed by Ryan Murphy (a writer for Bigelow's former employer WWE) as "the most natural, agile and physically remarkable big man of the past quarter century", while former co-worker Bret Hart described him as "possibly the best working big man in the business."
Bigelow is best known for his appearances with promotions New Japan Pro-Wrestling, the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), World Championship Wrestling (WCW), and Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) between 1987 and 2001. Over the course of his career, he held championships including the ECW World Heavyweight Championship, the ECW World Television Championship, the IWGP Tag Team Championship, the WAR World Six-Man Tag Team Championship, and the WCW World Tag Team Championship. Bigelow headlined seven pay-per-views: the first Survivor Series in 1987, Beach Brawl in 1991, King of the Ring in 1993 and 1995, WrestleMania XI in 1995, and November to Remember in 1997 and 1998.
Early life Bigelow was born on September 1, 1961, in Mount Laurel, New Jersey, United States. He attended Neptune High School in Neptune Township, New Jersey. While he did not graduate, he earned varsity letters in football and wrestling. He placed third in the 1979 New Jersey state wrestling tournament in his sophomore year, but missed his senior season due to a cyst in his lower back. In his late teens, Bigelow competed in arm wrestling tournaments. After dropping out of high school, Bigelow held various jobs including a bodyguard, a bouncer, and a bounty hunter. Bigelow stated that while working as a bounty hunter in Mexico, he was shot in the back by a fugitive and imprisoned for six months in Mexico City.
Professional wrestling career Early career (1985–1987) After being released from prison in Mexico, Bigelow decided to train as a professional wrestler, reasoning "there wasn't much else I was qualified for." In May 1985, he began training at Larry Sharpe's Monster Factory wrestling school in Clementon, New Jersey, with Sharpe regarding him as his prize student. He made his professional wrestling debut on August 23, 1985, at a show held at the Studio 54 nightclub that was promoted by Paul Heyman.
In mid-1986, Bigelow began wrestling for the Memphis, Tennessee-based Continental Wrestling Association under the ring name "Bam Bam Bigelow", with Sharpe acting as his manager. He was quickly established as a monster, competing in multiple handicap matches and regularly being disqualified for illegally jumping off the top rope. Bigelow won his first championship on July 28, 1986, being crowned the new AWA Southern Heavyweight Champion after winning a battle royal. He lost the championship to Jerry Lawler on September 8, 1986, in a Texas Death Match. Following the loss, Bigelow departed the CWA for several months before returning to form a tag team with Lawler and feud with Austin Idol and Tommy Rich. Bigelow continued regularly appearing with the CWA until March 1987. He made brief returns to the CWA and its successor, the United States Wrestling Association, in 1989, 1990, 1991, and 1994.
In late 1986, Bigelow wrestled for the Texas-based World Class Championship Wrestling promotion using the ring name "Crusher Yurkov", portraying a Russian. During his run, he won the WCWA Television Championship. Readers of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter voted Bigelow "Rookie of the Year" for 1986.
New Japan Pro-Wrestling (1987–1992) Beginning in January 1987, Bigelow began making lengthy tours of Japan with New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) under the ring name "Crusher Bam Bam Bigelow", with Larry Sharpe again serving as his manager, reuniting the trainer with Bigelow. During NJPW's "New Year Dash", "Blazing Cherry Blossoms", and "Summer Big Fight Series" events in 1987, Bigelow repeatedly faced Antonio Inoki in a series of matches, including unsuccessfully challenging him for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship in the Ryōgoku Kokugikan in Tokyo in August 1987.
In January 1989, Bigelow formed a tag team with Big Van Vader known as "Big, Bad, and Dangerous" which lasted until May 1989. He unsuccessfully challenged for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship on several occasions, including a bout against incumbent champion Vader in September 1989 billed as the "Super Power Battle In Osaka". Bigelow and Vader reformed their tag team in 1990. In June 1990, Bigelow also appeared with All Japan Pro Wrestling, competing in its Super Power Series against opponents such as "Dr. Death" Steve Williams, Terry Gordy, Toshiaki Kawada, and Kenta Kobashi.
In March 1991, Bigelow and Vader defeated Doom in the Tokyo Dome as part of the WCW/New Japan Supershow I. In March 1992, Bigelow and Vader defeated Hiroshi Hase and Keiji Muto for the IWGP Tag Team Championship. Their reign lasted until June 1992, when they were defeated by the Steiner Brothers. Bigelow made his final appearances with NJPW in October 1992, participating in the Super Grade Tag League with Keiji Muto, before leaving Japan to return to the WWF. Bigelow was unable to return to NJPW later in his career due to an exclusivity agreement signed between NJPW and World Championship Wrestling (WCW).
World Wrestling Federation (1987–1988)
Bigelow debuted in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) in May 1987 as "Bam Bam Bigelow". He spent several months wrestling exclusively in dark matches and on house shows before making his televised debut. Upon his debut, Bigelow featured in a storyline in which various heel managers such as Jimmy Hart, Johnny Valiant, Mr. Fuji, Bobby Heenan, and Slick vied to have him as their client in what was dubbed "the Battle for Bam Bam", only for Jesse Ventura to tell them that they were out of the running for Bam Bam. The storyline culminated in September 1987 when Bigelow denounced the last manager in the running, Slick and announced that his manager would be Oliver Humperdink, establishing him as a face.
In September and October 1987, Bigelow won a series of battle royals. He made his pay-per-view debut at the inaugural Survivor Series, teaming with Don Muraco, Hulk Hogan, Ken Patera, and Paul Orndorff in a loss to André the Giant, King Kong Bundy, Butch Reed, One Man Gang, and Rick Rude; Bigelow was the last man eliminated for his team. Following the bout, he faced One Man Gang in a series of matches. At the 1987 Slammy Awards in December, he received an award for "Best Head"; later in the evening, he joined the rest of the WWF roster to sing "If You Only Knew". He began feuding with Ted DiBiase in January 1988 (at one point, facing him in a match where DiBiase was announced as the WWF Champion), on several occasions teaming with Hogan to face DiBiase and André the Giant. At WrestleMania IV in March 1988, Bigelow took part in the tournament for the vacant WWF World Heavyweight Championship, losing to One Man Gang in the first round. Bigelow went on to face One Man Gang in a further series of matches throughout mid-1988.
In June 1988, Bigelow lost to André the Giant in a Madison Square Garden bout airing on WWF on MSG Network in which Bret Hart stated that André "practically killed him" by working stiff due to tension between them; immediately following the match, Bigelow returned to the locker room, collected his bag, and left the Garden. Bigelow left the WWF in July 1988 due to a combination of knee injuries (tears to both anterior cruciate ligaments) and heat from other members of the roster resentful of the push he had received despite being a rookie.
World Championship Wrestling (1988–1989, 1990)
Bigelow debuted in Jim Crockett Promotions in September 1988, shortly before its rebranding as World Championship Wrestling (WCW). He was managed by Oliver Humperdink who had also joined the promotion. Bigelow quickly began feuding with The Four Horsemen. In November 1988, he unsuccessfully challenged Ric Flair, the leader of The Four Horsemen, for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship in a dark match in the Charlotte Coliseum. In late 1988, he began challenging Horseman Barry Windham over the NWA United States Heavyweight Championship; he lost to Windham by count-out at Starrcade '88: True Gritt in December 1988 after being attacked by the Horsemen's manager, J. J. Dillon. Bigelow was unwilling to sign an exclusive contract with WCW due to his touring commitments with New Japan Pro-Wrestling, and he left the company in January 1989.
Bigelow returned to WCW in April 1990, once again reuniting with Oliver Humperdink. During this stint he wrestled primarily on house shows and occasionally on NWA Power Hour and NWA Main Event. He joined the villainous "Sullivan's Slaughterhouse" stable with Kevin Sullivan and Cactus Jack. At the Capital Combat pay-per-view in May 1990, Bigelow teamed with Sullivan and Cactus Jack in a loss to Norman the Lunatic and the Road Warriors. At Clash of the Champions XI: Coastal Crush, he lost to Tommy Rich via disqualification after refusing to break a choke. Bigelow's second stint with WCW lasted until August 1990 when he once again returned to New Japan Pro-Wrestling.
Universal Wrestling Federation (1991) Bigelow joined the fledgling Universal Wrestling Federation in March 1991, making several appearances on UWF Fury Hour. During his time in the promotion, he had a short feud with "Cowboy" Bob Orton. His final appearance with the UWF was in June 1991 at the Beach Brawl pay-per-view, where he lost to Steve Williams in a main event bout to determine the inaugural UWF SportsChannel Television Champion.
Universal Wrestling Association (1992) In February 1992, Bigelow began wrestling in Mexico for the Universal Wrestling Association, appearing on its UWA TV program. He primarily wrestled in six-man tag team matches, with his regular allies including André the Giant (with who he reconciled following their altercation in 1988), the Samoan SWAT Team, and Rambo and his opponents including El Canek, Fishman, and Villanos III, IV, and V. He was one of a series of foreign challengers to face El Canek. Bigelow did not enjoy working in Mexico, and he left the UWA in May 1992.
World Wrestling Federation (1992–1995) Alliance with Luna Vachon (1992–1994) Bigelow returned to the World Wrestling Federation in October 1992, scoring a series of wins on WWF Superstars and WWF Wrestling Challenge. He made his pay-per-view return in January 1993, decisively defeating Big Boss Man at the Royal Rumble. Throughout early 1993, Bigelow wrestled primarily on house shows, including tours of Europe in February and April. He repeatedly unsuccessfully challenged Bret Hart for the WWF World Heavyweight Championship. A scheduled match between Bigelow and Kamala at WrestleMania IX in April was cancelled due to time constraints. In June 1993, Luna Vachon was introduced as Bigelow's valet and "main squeeze" (love interest). Bigelow defeated Typhoon on the May 10 episode of Monday Night Raw to qualify for the first-ever televised King of the Ring tournament; at the King of the Ring pay-per-view on June 13, Bigelow defeated Jim Duggan in the quarter-finals and received a bye in the semi-finals, but lost to Bret Hart in the tournament final in what was his third pay-per-view main event.