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WWE Legends - Big John Studd

Young wrestling fans do not know about Big John Stud. His real name was John William Minton and was trained by well known legend of wrestling Killer Kowalski. Both of them started working together and Big John's first ever major title was the WWWF Tag Team title won in tag team with Kowalski. Both wrestlers wore masks and they wrestled as well known then Masked Executioners.

When Big John left the company he changed his ring name as well, using aliases like the well known Captain USA. Sweet Brown Sugar versus Big John Studd was just one of the important feuds of the wrestler during that time. Older fans of professional wrestling will always remember the heel gimmick that he had and the well hyped stretcher he came with in the ring. We also saw Big John in a feud against Ric Flair in 1982. At that time we got involved in one feud against one of all time greats, the champ of the time, Hogan. Bobby Heenan ended up managing John Studd and the pro wrestler had a feud that is unforgettable against none other than Andre the Giant. Andre the Giant had his hair shaved in a tag team match, only to lead to a huge feud ending. The professional wrestler was offering $15,000 to any person that could body slam him. This led to a huge feud with legend Andre the Giant and a conclusion at Wrestlemania 1. Andre the Giant got the money and the win after a memorable body slam on John Studd. The feud with Andre the Giant was probably the best feud that Big John Studd had in his wrestling career, at a time when the wrestler Sting was not even known to the public (so that you understand how long ago this was).

We also saw Big John wrestle in the Over the top wrestling Battle Royal held at Wrestlemania 2. John wanted to throw out William Perry even if Andre was also in the match. Battle Royal winned that night ended up being Andre the Giant. After a run with King Kong Bundy as a tag team, Big John did not wrestle in the WWF anymorefor 3 years. In 1989 Big John Studd won the Royal Rumble after also being involved in feuds against the Bobby Heenan family. This was the biggest highlight that John ever had. After a while we saw Studd as special referee in a wrestling match that took place at Wrestlemania V and saw Andre the Giant versus Jake The Snake, we started to see less of John. This is because growth hormones he had taken took its tow on him and he had to eventually retire. Unfortunately Studd died in 1995 because of liver cancer and Hodgkin's disease. Please remember that if it wasn’t for wrestlers like Big John Studd, working hard, there will be no popular wrestlers of the day, like John Cena or Rey Mysterio or Dave Batista.

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