5 Most Athletic Big Men In WWE History

Wrestling has long been a showcase for the highest levels of athleticism with some of the largest men on Earth. Among these gargantuan beasts there are those whose sheer size and athletic prowess is absolutely mind bending, and for their unlucky victims, bone crushing.

We’ve compiled a list of the five most athletic giants in WWE history, wrestlers who have weighed over 300lbs yet are capable of flying through the air and astonishing crowds with their insane feats of Herculean strength and daring gymnastics.

 

5. The Big Show

Standing over 7’0 tall and weighing in at a whopping 500 pounds, ‘The Largest Athlete In The World’ is truly a giant among men. Capable of launching his massive body several feet into the air for a dropkick or even leaping over his opponents in feats that have to be seen to be believed, The Big Show is beyond an impressive athlete.

In his earlier days at WCW (known then as The Giant, paying homage to the legendary Andre The Giant, his kayfabe father), Big Show was able to fully leap over the top rope, do a handstand, and fly across the ring with the grace of a large cruiserweight. Upon entering the WWE, he marveled fans and wrestlers alike with his ability to kip-up similar to ‘The Heartbreak Kid’ Shawn Michaels, high-flying offense from the top rope and ridiculous dropkicks. Extra points for sheer immensity.

Although he rarely flies around the squared circle these days, and has slimmed down to a ripped 383 pounds, he remains much more mobile than nearly any man of his impressive size, including NBA legend Shaq, as shown during their multiple encounters in recent years where he was able to bend lower, be more agile and had a greater range of motion than the basketball icon.

 

4. Kane

‘The Big Red Machine’, ‘The Devil’s Favorite Demon’, the kayfabe brother of The Undertaker, and now mayor of Knoxville, Tennessee, is still to this day known for his brutal flying clotheslines from the top rope. Hurling his nearly 7 foot 320 pound body halfway across the ring on a regular basis is just another day at work for this impressive big man.

At the 1999 Armageddon pay-per-view, Kane climbed to the top of the steel cage surrounding the ring before jumping several feet through the air and blasting X-Pac with his famous clothesline, nearly crushing him in the process.

Also known as one of the strongest and most stable men in WWE history, Kane is a rare mix of raw power and athletic ability. This is one mayor you don’t want on your enemy list.

 

3. The Undertaker

WWE’s resident deadman, billed as 6’10 and over 300 pounds of undead fury, is a remarkable in-ring technician and highly capable athlete. His most famous feat of athleticism is his suicide dive over the top rope before crashing down on his unlucky foes.

One of his staple moves, Old School, requires ‘The Phenom’ to walk tightrope-like across the top rope before catapulting and smashing a heavy forearm across the back of his opponent. This is an impressive act of balance and awareness even for someone much smaller than himself.

Making a career of Tombstoning and Chokeslamming400 pound wrestlers on a regular basis has cemented this living legend, much like he did manager Paul Bearer; a gruesome tale for another time.  The Undertaker is one of the most physically gifted men in any era of wrestling.

 

2. Bam Bam Bigelow

One of the most intimidating wrestlers to ever lace up a pair of boots, this 390 pound bruiser was seen flying through the air nearly as much as he was walking.

Capable of devastating flying headbutts, jumping sentons, and ring-shaking dropkicks at any moment, Bigelow would often celebrate these moves with cartwheels and handsprings. One of the original high-flying big men of wrestling, this Florida native had an impressive career spanning over 2 decades that even includes a mixed martial arts bout, which he ultimately lost via submission to Kimo Leopoldo in Japan.

Hailed by many co-workers as one of the most agile big men in wrestling history, his untimely death in 2007 will be forever mourned by the legion of fans he entertained over his 21 year career.

 

1. Van Vader

Known around the world for his in-ring work for New Japan Pro Wrestling, World Championship Wrestling, World Wrestling Federation, and All Japan Pro Wrestling during the 90s, Vader captured imaginations worldwide with his gravity-defying aerial offense.

Night in and out he could be seen hurling his near 500 pound body through the air in jaw dropping moonsaults that tested the stability of every ring he entered. His massive frame back-flipping off of the top turnbuckle was truly a sight to behold, and was always met with an ear shattering pop from the shocked audience.

A traditional “hoss” wrestler, Vader was considered one of the most legitimately tough competitors of all time, especially after the infamous night he shoved his hanging eyeball back into socket and continued the match as if nothing had happened.