Getting a grip: Vader dies, Ronda Rousey delivers at Money in the Bank

Brian Fritz

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Getting a grip: Vader dies, Ronda Rousey delivers at Money in the Bank image

Each week, Sporting News runs down the biggest stories in the world of professional wrestling.

Vader dies

Few wrestlers struck fear into opponents or fans the way Vader did over a career that spanned more than 30 years.

He was frightening in his red-and-black leather striped mask, which intertwined with his snarling face. Sometimes his entrance included him sporting a metal, Middle Ages beast design with smoke coming out of it to create an even more ominous aura.

What was truly scary about him, though, was that he was so quick and agile in the ring even though he weighed about 450 pounds.

MORE: WWE 2018 PPV schedule

On Tuesday, one of Vader's sons announced on Twitter that the wrestling superstar — real name Leon White — died Monday at age 63 of complications from open-heart surgery in March.

White entered wrestling in the 1980s after his NFL career was cut short by knee injuries. He used an incredible physical style to become arguably the greatest super heavyweight wrestling has ever seen. He became a legend in Japan; he was the first gaijin (non-Japanese) wrestler to become IWGP heavyweight champion. White also was one of wrestling all-time tough guys, a position he cemented when he continued in a match against Stan Hansen after one of his eyes popped out of its socket.

Most of the U.S. audience saw just how good Vader was after he joined WCW in 1990. He became involved in memorable feuds with Cactus Jack and Sting; the latter included the infamous "White Castle of Fear" strap match. He later moved to the World Wrestling Federation, where he worked for a few years, and then returned to Japan. He spent the latter portion of his career floating around various promotions.

Vader openly lobbied the WWE in recent years to induct him into its Hall of Fame. He was obviously deserving and fans were behind his effort. Now, he won't be around to give a heartfelt speech when that induction takes place.

 

Money in the Bank/TakeOver rewind

More meaningful than Braun Strowman winning the men’s Money in the Bank match and the chance at a championship contract was Ronda Rousey’s performance in her first singles match.

Rousey again looked like a natural in the ring as she took on Nia Jax for the "Raw" women's championship. She exceeded expectations once more and only came up short after Alexa Bliss interfered. Bliss then cashed in her MITB case and defeated Jax for the title.

Rousey has met every challenge in WWE and is ready for bigger and better things, although the company would be wise to limit the former UFC champion's matches and make her a special attraction. She earned a 30-day "suspension” after attacking Bliss and “Raw” GM Kurt Angle on Monday, so her next appearance in the ring will probably come at SummerSlam in August when she will likely face — and defeat — Bliss and earn her first WWE championship.

There is no doubting WWE’s decision to go all-in on Rousey, who will be the centerpiece of the women’s division for the next few years.

AJ Styles and Shinsuke Nakamura had the best match in their series last weekend, with Styles outlasting his Japanese counterpart in a Last Man Standing match to retain the WWE championship, but it wasn’t the weekend's most outstanding match.

That honor goes to the knock-down, drag-out war between Tommaso Ciampa and Johnny Gargano at Saturday’s NXT TakeOver: Chicago event. The two again stole the show with an incredible performance in a physically demanding street fight. Ciampa pulled out the victory after connecting with a DDT onto the exposed board under the ring mat.

The rivalry between the former tag team partners has been nothing short of magical. They've had scintillating matches in each of the last two TakeOver events, with each man having scored a win.

Now, there must be a rubber match, and TakeOver: Brooklyn the night before SummerSlam looks like the perfect stage.

Considering how personal the feud has become, it feels as though only an I Quit match can truly decide who is the better man. 

Big Cass released

The timing felt strange when WWE announced Tuesday that Big Cass had been released. Just two nights earlier, he was part of Money in the Bank where he (again) tapped out to Daniel Bryan. Despite the loss, the company seemed to have pretty big expectations for the big man, who has returned from an extended absence following ACL surgery.

Maybe it was just an oversight, but the company did not wish him the “best in his future endeavors”; it instead issued a simple sentence: “WWE has come to terms on the release of William Morrissey (Big Cass)." 

The exact reason for the pink slip isn’t known, but there are several possibilities, from his immaturity to a report that he went off-script last month when he hit a little person who was dressed like Daniel Bryan.

Just a few years ago, Big Cass and Enzo were the hottest things going after being called up from NXT. Now, both are gone and their former manager, Carmella — who wasn’t part of their move to the main roster and was brought up to WWE later on her own — is in a prominent position as the “SmackDown” women’s champion.

Blocks set for NJPW G1 Climax 28

One of the best months of the wrestling year is coming up. The annual New Japan Pro Wrestling G1 Climax will begin July 14 and run through Aug. 12; the winner will become the No. 1 contender for the IWGP heavyweight championship.

The tournament includes 20 competitors who are split into two, 10-man blocks. The members of each block will face each another during the tournament, with points awarded for victories. The top point scorers from each block will square off in the G1 Climax final.

The “A” block includes Kazuchika Okada, Hiroshi Tanahashi, Michael Elgin, Togi Makabe, Jay White, YOSHI-HASHI, Bad Luck Fale, Adam “Hangman” Page, EVIL and Minoru Suzuki.

The “B” block includes Kenny Omega, Tetsuya Naito, Juice Robinson, Zack Sabre Jr., Hirooki Goto, Tomohiro Ishii, Toru Yano, Tama Tonga, SANADA and Kota Ibushi.

It's mostly a repeat of last year's lineup with the only difference being Page and White are in replacing Yuji Nagata and Satoshi Kojima. The challenge will be following up on what was arguably the greatest G1 Climax in NJPW history which ended with Naito defeating Omega in the final. The only difference this year is in the composition of the blocks.

The “B” block looks stacked with Omega and his Golden Lovers partner Ibushi in with Naito. That’s saying something, considering that the “A” block has Okada, Tanahashi and Suzuki.

Some of the more notable matchups to watch include Omega vs. Naito on July 15; Tanahashi facing Okada on Aug. 10; and Omega squaring off with Ibushi on Aug. 11 in a match that will probably determine the "B" block winner.

All of the shows will stream live — and with English commentary — on NJPWWorld.com.

News and notes

— AJ Styles will be on the cover of the upcoming "WWE 2K19" video game, it was announced Monday. That's rarefied air for a WWE wrestler, and the accomplishment is especially meaningful for reigning WWE champion Styles, who is a lifelong gamer.

2K Games is conducting a Million Dollar Challenge with this year’s game. One contest winner will win $1 million if he or she defeats Styles in the grand prize tournament. 

— Even though WWE doesn’t use Madison Square Garden nearly as much as it once did, the company gets very defensive about anyone else using it. After word last week that Ring of Honor was planning to run a show there — presumably during WrestleMania week — WWE has apparently flexed its muscle to shut down that event.

ROH chief operating officer Joe Koff told Mike Johnson of PWInsider.com that ROH "had a deal with [Madison Square] Garden and they then told us they were backing out after communications from the WWE.

“We are not able to get any other dates in any kind of discussion. I’m expecting that our lawyers will be contacting all the parties involved and the best we can hope is that we can find a resolution, so we can bring the kind of energy and excitement that ROH and our partner New Japan to a bigger audience and to bigger arenas and to the fans of New York City."

— The city of San Diego declared Wednesday "Rey Mysterio Day" in honor of one of the city’s most famous residents. Mysterio hinted during the ceremony that he may be returning to WWE soon. That tracks with reports that the two sides are hoping to reach a deal on a part-time schedule. Mysterio has committed to dates with New Japan Pro Wrestling that he wants to fulfill.

— WWE will be holding another megashow, the Super Show-Down, Oct. 6 at the 100,000-plus-seat Melbourne Cricket Ground in Australia. Like the Greatest Royal Rumble, this will be an "all hands on deck" production; the company says it will include the "largest roster of WWE superstars and legends ever to appear in the country."

WWE is advertising the final match between The Undertaker and Triple H, as well as appearances by Ronda Rousey, Shane McMahon, Daniel Bryan and Shawn Michaels, among others. Don’t get your hopes up on HBK returning to the ring, though.

Super Show-Down will air live on the WWE Network, but you’ll have to get up early to watch; start time is 4 a.m. ET.

— WWE also announced the launch of the NXT UK brand, featuring talent from the United Kingdom and Ireland. Tapings will take place on eight dates from July 28 through Nov. 25 at various UK locations. The UK championship and two new titles — the UK women’s championship and UK tag team championship — will be up for grabs.

One thing that hasn't yet been announced: when and where the show will air. Those are still being discussed.

— The Elite and The New Day finally squared off, but not inside the ring. Instead, they met at the 2018 E3 convention in Los Angeles, where they engaged in a hotly contested "Street Fighter" matchup that the WWE stars won. The biggest showdown took place between Kenny Omega and Austin Creed (Xavier Woods). Omega earned bragging rights and Creed had to choke down a hot pepper for taking the L.

— Big E had a fantastic matchup with Daniel Bryan on “SmackDown” to begin the gauntlet match, and WWE would be wise to give the powerhouse a singles push while keeping him in the group, but fans need to stop asking him about breaking up The New Day, fans.

— If you have the WWE Network, go out of your way to watch the excellent "WWE 24 The Hardys: Woken" documentary. Matt and Jeff were extremely open about the personal issues that nearly cost them everything. The most revealing part was watching Jeff address the problems he encountered while working for Impact Wrestling, including the time he went to the ring impaired for a match against Sting.

— Charlotte Flair is one of the 16 athletes who will be featured in this year's ESPN The Magazine Body Issue. The group also includes Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns, Hall of Fame wide receiver Jerry Rice, Giants rookie running back Saquon Barkley and WNBA star Sue Bird.

Brian Fritz can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @BrianFritz and listen to his Between The Ropes podcast on iTunes.

Brian Fritz

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Brian Fritz is a contributor with The Sporting News covering the NBA and NFL who previously worked at BasketballNews. He is a 20-year veteran of sports talk radio in Orlando, Florida, after graduating from the University of Central Florida. He now resides in Durham, North Carolina.