STW - Bam Bam Bigelow [Show Notes] (Patreon)

Today we’re here to talk about the “Beast from the East” Bam Bam Bigelow. Scott Bigelow was born in Mount Laurel, New Jersey on September 1st, 1961. This would’ve been his 60th birthday.

He was a high school wrestler who had some success but didn’t graduate and did various careers before getting into wrestling including a bodyguard, bouncer & bounty hunter. Lots of Bs kind of like Bam Bam Bigelow would eventually become. He’s said in the past that he was shot in the back in Mexico while being a bounty hunter and spent 6 months in prison. Did you ever talk with him about his past?

Bam Bam goes to Larry Sharpe’s Monster Factory in Clementon, New Jersey to become a wrestler because as he said, “there wasn’t much else I was qualified for.” He was considered Sharpe’s prize student at the time and debuted at Studio 54 on a show promoted by Paul Heyman on August 23, 1985. Bruce...what do you know about Larry Sharpe and the Monster Factory who’s produced people like Big Show and someone as recent as Matt Riddle?

His size is really what makes people take notice. 6’4” and 390 and still able to do high risk acrobatic moves.

He makes his way down to Memphis and the CWA where he’s pushed pretty high up the card and works programs with Jerry Lawler. Is this when you first heard of Bam Bam?

When does he acquire the flames on his head tattoo? Before or during wrestling?

He moves to World Class Championship Wrestling as Crusher Yurkov...portraying a Russian. How natural is this big gigantic guy to be a heel?

Bigelow was voted Rookie of the Year by the Wrestling Observer readers in 1986. The heat for Dave aside, that's a big deal back in 1986 is it not?

He gets noticed enough to get booked in New Japan Pro Wrestling in January of 1987. This guy is barely 16 months in the business and to get booked by New Japan has to show either his character or work is already at a top level does it not?

He’s only there for 4-5 months before he debuts with the World Wrestling Federation on May 26th, 1987 in Asbury Park, New Jersey and defeats Sivi Afi. So he debuts in his home state and in the town that he’s announced from for his whole career. Is that a coincidence or is that when you guys were able to get your first in person look at him?

How does Bam Bam in the WWF come to be?

Was he ready for prime time at this point?

When you see Bam Bam you envision him as this killer heel right?

A storyline begins on July 20th on Prime Time Wrestling where Bobby Heenan is doing commentary and has claimed to have signed Bam Bam. Then Jimmy Hart in an insert during a Honky Tonk match claims to have signed him, then Mr. Fuji during a Demolotion match and the next week it’s Johnny V during an Islanders match, then Slick during a One Man Gang match. Why was this the angle used to introduce Bam Bam and was the inspiration taken from the Randy Savage/Miss Elizabeth debut?

It narrows down on August 29th to where all the managers have been ruled out except for one Slick and it’s announced that the next week Slick & Bam Bam will make their first appearance together. But in a swerve...he turns down Slick and it’s Sir Oliver Humperdink named as Bammer’s manager and he’s now a babyface and goes on to defeat Nikolai Volkoff. Was this the original plan to begin with and why Humperdink?

Bam Bam on TV is winning squashes in impressive fashion with a slingshot splash and on the road is winning lots of battle royals. His ring attire though...the flames...who came up with it and do you think it presented him as a star?

It was said that Bigelow was brought in to be Hulk Hogan’s understudy and tag team partner to help Hulk in reducing some of the work in his matches and give Bigelow the rub. Is that how you remember it?

He makes his pay-per-view debut on Hulk’s team at the Survivor Series teaming with Hogan, Don Muraco, Ken Patera & Paul Orndorff in a losing effort to the Heenan Family of Andre the Giant, King Kong Bundy, Butch Reed, One Man Gang & Rick Rude. He is the last babyface standing after Hulk Hogan is counted out and pins Bundy and One Man Gang before getting pinned by Andre. That’s a big fucking deal isn’t it Bruce?

He gets a big win over Hercules on Saturday Night’s Main Event on November 28th, 1987...is the push too much too fast?

Do you think it would’ve been better for Bammer to be a heel for maybe the first year before turning him babyface?

In late 1987 he wins a Slammy for…”Best Head.” You guys just loved getting away with shit like this didn’t you?

To begin 1988 Bam Bam is teaming with Hulk Hogan at MSG, he’s taking on Andre the Giant & Ted DiBiase but in my research it looks like he was substituted for a lot on some arena shows. Did he have issues making shows at this time?

He blows his knee out in Hartford in March of 1988 against Dino Bravo and is taken off the road and replaced by Jim Duggan. Was his injury what caused One Man Gang to beat him in under 3 minutes at WrestleMania IV in the first round of the WWF Title Tournament? Seems odd as he’s a guy who’s being pushed at a high level to lose in that form and fashion.

There’s talk that Bigelow has some big time heat in the company. From the Observer: “Bigelow also had gotten the superstar attitude from Japan, and rubbed some people the wrong way, who resented his being used on top immediately. He was roughed up on a couple of occasions, once by Andre the Giant, and another time by Sika of the Wild Samoans, who busted his nose. He grew up with nothing and fell in with a bad crowd. He got rich and famous very quickly, but made a lot of bad choices. He really didn’t handle the fame, the money or the women very well, and went into a downward spiral.”

Is that how you remember it? Is this what led to his eventual exit in 1988? What were the issues with Andre & Sika?

Bigelow makes his last MSG appearance on June 25th in a loss to Andre the Giant for close to 5 years. Bret Hart has said that Andre “practically killed him” and that Bam Bam grabbed his bag and left. How do you remember hearing about this and what is Vince’s reaction? Was there heat to Andre over this?

Do you know if Bam Bam and Andre ever got back together and mended fences before Andre’s death??

Bam Bam heads over to JCP but won’t sign an exclusive contract due to his New Japan tours. Were you in contact with Bam Bam at the time or keeping track?

Bam Bam joins the UWF...that’s right Herb Abrams UWF...and working Japan & Mexico before making his way back to the World Wrestling Federation.

How does Bam Bam make his return back to the WWF? He’s being pushed very heavily in New Japan as a tag team partner of Keiji Muto. Are you part of that negotiation? Does he come to you or do you come to him?

On Halloween 1992 Bigelow is promoted as returning on Superstars and in late November he returns and defeats Jerry Fox in 1:59. What was different about Bam Bam here in 1992 compared to 1988?

It’s announced that Bam Bam will take on Big Bossman at Royal Rumble 1992. Was this so he got a big return win on pay-per-view?

It’s kind of crazy when you think about this that Bam Bam’s win over Bossman at Royal Rumble 92 is his first singles pay-per-view win in the WWF. From the Observer:

“3. Bam Bam Bigelow pinned Big Bossman with a head-butt off the top rope in 10:10. Bossman has gained a lot of his previously lost poundage back. Lots of people went to the popcorn stand during this match. Crowd was way down because they were following such a hot match. *”

Not the impressive showing I’m sure you were hoping for but Bossman was a step slow at this point.

Bigelow is scheduled for WrestleMania IX against Kamala but the match is cut due to time. Bigelow has been around for a while but was he or Kamala upset about this and what ran long to have the match cut?

Did we miss anything?

Luna Vachon is put with Bigelow. Was it the similar looks? Who’s idea was it and how did both feel regarding it?

It’s portrayed as Luna being his “main squeeze” but it’s never really gone into that they’re attached romantically. Why is that?

Bam Bam’s first singles match main event on a pay-per-view is at the King of the Ring against Bret Hart which we have covered in the archives. Is a match like this what gives the office hope that Bigelow can be a top heel?

Bam Bam and Tatanka are matched up after King of the Ring and it leads to Sherri Martel & Tatanka coming together against Luna & Bigelow and Bam Bam is part of Sherri’s last WWF appearance in Wilkes-Barre, PA when Luna & Bigelow attack Sherri but Tatanka saves. We’ve covered Sherri in the archives but was it important to her to put the rub on Luna here on her exit?

Bigelow is putting over Tatanka a lot as Tatanka is on an undefeated streak. Did Bigelow have any issues putting him over considering he was in a top spot in Japan and left for the WWF and here he is putting him over?

It’s announced that at SummerSlam 93 Bigelow will team with the Headshrinkers to face Tatanka & the Smoking Gunns. From the Observer:

9. Smoking Gunns & Tatanka beat Head Shrinkers & Bigelow in 11:15. Gunns are noticeably green on offense but they worked hard. Shrinkers can carry them okay. Overall this match was well-paced and good. Highlight was the heels all missing attempts at simultaneous head-butts off the top rope on Tatanka. Billy & Bart each did plancha dives onto Bigelow and Fatu, while Tatanka schoolboyed Samu for the pin. **3/4

Bigelow is kind of floating in the mid card and it’s about to get worse. He transitions to a feud with Doink which will lead to one of the all-time classic awful matches at Survivor Series but before we get there...who enjoyed writing all the Doink and Bigelow segments? Did Vince enjoy all this?

Well the Survivor Series Bruce. It’s the last pay-per-view in the Boston Garden. It’s promoted as Bigelow, the Headshrinkers and Bastion Booger against four Doinks and the four Doinks are...Men on a Mission & the Bushwhackers. Yup. From the Observer:

“4. The Four Doinks, who turned out to be Men on a Mission & Bushwhackers beat Bam Bam Bigelow & Head Shrinkers & Bastion Booger in 10:58. Samu had Butch pinned, but Oscar threw some food into the ring, Samu went to get it and Butch pinned him in 3:02. Booger had Butch pinned but saw a banana on the mat and got off Butch, the Whackers did the battering ram on him and Mable pinned Booger with a legdrop in 3:00. Fatu had Mo pinned but got up and slipped on a banana peel and was pinned in 2:31. Finally with all four against Bigelow, they just piled on him for the pin in 2:25. DUD”

Bruce...what in the hell is this?

After the match there’s Doink on a video wall and mocking Bigelow. This is voted as the worst match of the year by Observer readers. Disagree?

Bastion Booger turns face by kissing Luna because the world needed to see Bigelow vs Bastion right?

Bigelow is the substitute for Ludwig Borga who was injured and in fact never returns to the WWF at the Royal Rumble in a loss to Tatanka. Do you remember what happened to Borga and why he never came back?

We’re not done with Doink and Dink now as WrestleMania X at MSG will feature Bigelow & Luna against Doink & Dink. From the Observer…

“2. Bam Bam Bigelow & Luna Vachon beat Doink (Ray Apollo) & Dink in 6:09. This was meant as a breather after the first match, but Bigelow and Doink worked hard and worked well together but because of what they were following they had a hard time getting heat. Bam Bam knocked Dink off the apron and destroyed Doink, pinning him with a head-butt off the top rope. After the match Bam Bam & Luna went for a double splash on Dink, who moved except Luna's splash still hit him because he didn't move fast enough in a blown spot. A lot better than their house show matches. *¾”

This was what it needed to be. Was this an attempt to re-establish Bam Bam as a strong monster heel compared to what he was doing before hand?

Is Bam Bam saying hey what’s going on with my creative and when am I going to get pushed?

Look at Bam Bam here at WrestleMania 10 compared to where he’ll be in a year...what changed?

Bam Bam is paired with the Million Dollar Corporation when DiBiase purchases his contract from Luna. Why was it time to move on from Luna?

Did Bam Bam fit in the stable?

During this time in the summer of 94 Bigelow was allowed to go back to Japan and work. What was it about him going back to Japan was allowed for the WAR company?

Bigelow will team with IRS at SummerSlam in a win over the Headshrinkers and then the Million Dollar Corporation of Bigelow, King Kong Bundy, Tatanka & the Heavenly Bodies defeat Adam Bomb, Lex Luger, Mabel & the Smoking Gunns at the Survivor Series. Have you decided at this point Lawrence Taylor will be a part of WrestleMania and who he was going to face?

How does Bam Bam come into the conversation?

The ball begins moving when Bam Bam & Tatanka enter the WWF World Tag Team Title Tournament after the Smoking Gunns are forced to vacate it to due to an injury. They defeat Men on a Mission & the Headshrinkers to get to the finals at the Royal Rumble where they lost to 1-2-3 Kid & Bob Holly. From the Observer:

4. 1-2-3 Kid & Bob Holly won the WWF tag titles in the tournament final over Bam Bam Bigelow & Tatanka in 15:32 (Kid & Holly lost the titles the next night in Palmetto, FL at the live Raw show to Smoking Gunns). They portrayed Kid & Holly as the underdogs to the point that the commentary left little doubt they were going to end up as winners. They particularly sold Kid vs. Bigelow as such a mismatch that they gave away Kid would pin Bigelow to take the match. The hottest move early was Bigelow throwing Kid high in the air and Kid taking Bigelow down with a Frankensteiner ala Rey Misterio Jr. Most of the bout saw the heels work over Holly. Kid made the hot tag at 13:30 including doing a somersault plancha and a dropkick off the top rope that busted Bigelow's mouth open. However, Bigelow pressed Kid overhead and threw him to the floor. As he got back in, Bigelow went for the moonsault but at the same time Tatanka went for an elbow drop and went into the ropes, Bigelow fell off the top backwards and Kid rolled onto him for the pin. The announcers sold the idea that Bigelow would be laughed at by everyone because he was pinned by Kid and Bigelow was running around ringside (Tatanka & DiBiase had already walked off) and Lawrence Taylor laughed at him and Bigelow gave Taylor a great shove probably to build up a Wrestlemania confrontation. Lawrence Taylor should have done anything but laugh during his angle with Bam Bam Bigelow. ***¾

*The Lawrence Taylor angle with Bam Bam Bigelow must have been great because many people who were calling after the show thought it was a shoot because of how Vince McMahon sold it. On Monday Night Raw they really played it up as if it were a shoot with Vince McMahon apologizing for it and announcing Bigelow as being suspended without pay, then bringing Bigelow out for an apology. It was obviously an angle because it fit perfectly into the storyline at the show with people laughing at Bigelow for losing to Kid. They mentioned Taylor being there giving a reason far too many times for them not to be running an angle with him. The giveaway live was that Taylor was laughing about it afterwards, and that the following night they made too many mentions of it. If McMahon had done the apology and it would have been dropped and forgotten, that would have been one thing, but the second time it was brought up made it obvious they were doing a Japan style angle. Since WWF has never done Japan style angles, it looks like this will work because a lot of people were buying it.”

Who put this all together? Do you agree that Taylor laughing at Bam Bam made him seem weak? Was this the first time a thought process of running a shoot with a celebrity in this era was considered?

When it’s all put together...Bam Bam has to know he’s going to lose. Any issues or was the payday and main event spot promise just too much?

The build to WrestleMania is really unlike anything we’ve ever seen. It’s based around the Million Dollar Corporation and all the NFL players that LT is going to have at ringside. What was LT like to deal with and was he difficult?

Is anybody breaking Bam Bam’s balls about having to put over an NFL player and is he having an issue with it closer to game time?

How much did Pat Patterson have to do with putting the match together and is that why he was the referee for it?

Were there any times that LT was threatening to pull out or was it all smooth sailing? Was LT easy to deal with?

What was Bam Bam promised to put LT over? Did you expect him to become a top babyface coming off him putting LT over and leaving the Corporation?

At the WrestleMania press conference in New York LT finally accepts Bigelow’s challenge for a match “any time, any place.” Did you see an uptick in tickets or just media requests at that point?

The public work out in Times Square we’ve talked about in the Archives for the Diesel episodes but it’s a huge gathering that has LT & Bam Bam turn into a gigantic brawl which is just a great visual. Who put all this together and how did you get the Times Square spot?

Any last minute issues or qualms going into the match with LT? How about Bam Bam?

Well in Hartford, CT Lawrence Taylor and Bam Bam Bigelow met in the main event of WrestleMania. From the Observer:

“7. Lawrence Taylor pinned Bam Bam Bigelow in 11:42. Salt'n'Peppa did a special version of "Whatta Man" prior to the match. The cornermen were introduced one at a time. Pat Patterson was the special ref for this match (to make sure LT didn't get lost). Taylor wore a football jersey with "LT" on the front at the WWF logo on the sides. It would be inaccurate to call this a technically good match, but LT was better than any non-wrestler I've ever seen put in such a situation. They had a staredown during the intros and teased a brawl with the corner men. Bigelow shoved LT and LT slapped Bigelow, which got the biggest pop of the entire show. Bigelow did a terrific job of selling for LT to get him over, including taking a backwards bump over the top to the floor after a clothesline. The two teams again nearly got into it on the floor. LT's psychology and selling were impressive for a first-timer. Bigelow took over and locked on a resthold as Taylor blew up. Bigelow sold his knee after missing a top rope move and LT used a less then perfect looking jackknife. Bigelow got a near fall after a head-butt off the top. LT used a shoulderblock and a forearm off the middle rope for the pin. As Bigelow walked back to the locker room, DiBiase was yelling at him and calling him an embarrassment for losing to a football player. The match was entertaining and both deserve credit for keeping it from being bad. **¾”

How impressed is everyone with LT for this match? He obviously blew up but Bigelow carried him tremendously wouldn’t you say? If this is a terrible match does Dennis Rodman, Mike Tyson, all these celebrities after the fact get a chance?

What does Vince tell Bammer when it’s over? GREAT SHIT, PAL?

Sooo according to the Observer...the pay-per-view tanks.

“While the World Wrestling Federation at its post-WM press conference claimed the company expected it would be the largest grossing wrestling event of all-time (which at no point was a realistic prediction), the final buy rate appears to have fallen short of even the most conservative predictions. Depending upon which source one choose to believe, estimates vary from 1.3 to 1.8 percent. At a major cable convention this past week in Los Angeles, the fact that the show "flopped" despite so much mainstream publicity was a leading topic of discussion with estimates ranging from "1.3 to 1.5 tops," based on almost across the board responses that buys were down about 15 percent from last year (which did about a 1.7) for a show that had almost no mainstream publicity going in. Other sources have pegged the figure only slightly higher, with another national survey of major markets coming in at a 1.56 buy rate (365,000 buys) which would be approximately a $5.8 million gross to Titan Sports--well behind the Larry Holmes-Oliver McCall fight six nights later. The live gate in Hartford, CT was in the $750,000 range with a sellout of 15,000--more than double the largest house show gate in the United States since Wrestlemania X in Madison Square Garden and seventh largest ever in the United States. Business in Canada, while we don't have a number, was said to be much lower than in the U.S. which is probably because Taylor has minimal name value as a celebrity in that country and they built the show around him. Total revenue between the Wrestlemanias X and XI will probably wind up very close to one another because of the increase in price from $29.95 to $34.95.”

When the final numbers came in...was it a disappointment?

From the Observer… “The idea was that after Bigelow put over Taylor, that they were to have mutual respect. Bigelow was to turn babyface and it would lead to SummerSlam where they would form a tag team. But after doing one wrestling match, Taylor decided against another. Whether it was the bad publicity or he saw himself as sullying his career, Taylor would later say doing WrestleMania was a decision he regretted.”

LT is really never seen again on WWF TV. Was that always the plan? Did Bigelow ever expect getting the job back? Or was the plan that Meltzer’s talking about the goal? When does the WWF find out Taylor wasn’t interested in returning? Is Bam Bam blamed for the lackluster pay-per-view numbers?

Bigelow is fired from the Million Dollar Corporation and turned babyface after losing to Diesel on the April 24th edition of Monday Night Raw. Bam Bam & Diesel are put together against Sid & Tatanka for the main event of King of the Ring 1995 in Philadelphia. While that show is really talked about because of the Mabel crowning Diesel & Bam Bam are winners...from the Observer:

“8. Diesel & Bam Bam Bigelow beat Tatanka & Sid in 17:35. Bigelow worked most of the early portion. When Diesel tagged in, the heels went to work on his bad elbow for several minutes. Bigelow did the hot tag in but after a brief flurry, was distracted by DiBiase and cut off. Sid gave him some lame looking punches from behind and a choke slam off the middle rope. Tatanka used a back suplex. When Bigelow was in with Tatanka the match was good, but the rest of the time it was bad. Bigelow went for a slingshot over the ropes but Tatanka grabbed his foot and dragged him to the floor. Bigelow was pounded on until Diesel hot tagged in at 11:20. Diesel used an elbow drop but then started selling his elbow and immediately tagged out. Bigelow was worked over including Tatanka doing a nice leaping DDT. Bigelow made a comeback with an Edouardo Carpentier somersault splash and an enzuigiri leading to tag to Diesel. Diesel gave Tatanka and side slam and foot to the nice and a very sloppy jackknife. Diesel picked Tatanka up at two and signalled he wanted Sid to tag in. Sid simply walked to the dressing room to build up their rematch next month leaving Tatanka alone to be pinned after an elbow drop. Finish was flat and did wonders for Sid as a killer heel, making him more a Buddy Landel/Lawler type of coward heel. *½”

There’s talk of the Kliq sabotaging Bigelow’s career where they’re shitting on his work and his push and use this match as part of that. Was that real or was it Bigelow being paranoid?

What was it about Bigelow in the WWF that didn’t work?

Shawn Michaels really turns at the same time as Bam Bam...did that overshadow Bigelow’s turn?

He continues his feud with the Million Dollar Corporation leading to a pay-per-view match against Henry Godwinn who is trying out to be a member and he gets his last pay-per-view win in the WWF at In Your House 2. He would lose to the British Bulldog on In Your House 3 and supposedly afterwards negotiates a release from Vince McMahon to end his contract early. What do you remember about how quickly the downfall of Bam Bam in the WWF happens? No one has ever main evented WrestleMania and left the WWF in the same calendar year. Was the Kliq really to blame? Did Vince lose trust in him? What’s the real story?

He finishes up putting Goldust over at Survivor Series 1995 and that’s it. The end of his run in the WWF.

He goes on to be a big player in ECW before jumping to WCW and is introduced by attacking Goldberg but very quickly he’s moved down the food chain. Did you ever talk to Bam Bam after he left the WWF or to talk about coming back or was it just understood it wasn’t the best fit?

WCW is purchased by the WWF while Bam Bam is under contract and he rides out his Time Warner deal and never works for a major promotion again. He sadly passes away on January 19th, 2007 due to a drug overdose.

What is Bam Bam’s legacy in your mind not just in the WWF but in wrestling?