Big John Studd

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John William Minton United StatesUnited States
Big John Studd.jpg
Data
Ring name Executioner # 2
Chuck O´Connor
Captain USA
Captain America
Masked Destroyer
Big John Studd
height 201 cm
Fighting weight 127-175 kg
birth February 19, 1948
Butler , Pennsylvania
death March 20, 1995
Burke , Virginia
Announced from Los Angeles , California
Trained by Killer Kowalski
debut 1976

John William Minton (born February 19, 1948 in Butler , Pennsylvania , † March 20, 1995 in Burke , Virginia ) was an American wrestler who became known under the name Big John Studd . He is one of the few people who is a member of both the WCW Hall of Fame and the WWE Hall of Fame . He was best known in the wrestling league WWF , where he was regularly seen in their shows. In addition, he appeared in a number of films as a supporting actor.

Career

Minton was a relatively successful basketball player before he was discovered and coached by Killer Kowalski . Minton then appeared with Kowalski as a tag team called The Executioners under a mask. In 1976 they were allowed to win the WWWF World Tag Team title. After Kowalski resigned in 1977, Minton left the WWWF and worked for various regional leagues. In 1978 he was allowed to win the Mid Atlantic Tag Team title with Ken Patera as a partner. He also appeared for Atlantic Grand Prix Wrestling in Canada. He feuded with wrestlers such as Blackjack Mulligan , Dusty Rhodes and Barry Windham in the early 1980s . He even received some title fights against the NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair , but was not allowed to win the title. But his most famous feud was to follow.

In the mid-1980s, Minton returned to WWF and was allowed to hold body slam challenges. At his side he initially had "Classy" Freddy Blassie as manager, who offered money to the wrestler who managed to lift his protégé and throw them onto the mat. In fact, according to the WWF storyline, no wrestler succeeded in doing this. Until the day when Chief Jay Strongbow was supposed to try his luck, but André the Giant suddenly replaced him. Blassie sabotaged his attempts, and the giants' feud began.

Studd repeatedly emphasized in subsequent interviews that he was the real giant in wrestling. He had a few matches, including cage matches against André, of which the latter won the majority. Shortly before the first Wrestlemania, Minton cut André's hair off after overpowering him with Ken Patera. The feud would then culminate in the first Wrestlemania. Minton's new manager Bobby Heenan bet US $ 15,000 in cash that André would not be able to give his wrestler a body slam, while André should start his active career. André won, and that officially ended their feud. Minton formed a tag team with King Kong Bundy, who was also managed by Bobby Heenan and weighed over 200 kg, and also feuded against the then champion Hulk Hogan .

Studd then left the WWF again, only to return one last time in 1989, but this time as a crowd favorite. He eventually won the Royal Rumble in 1989 and teamed up with Hacksaw Jim Duggan . His last major appearance was at Wrestlemania V , where he acted as guest referee in Jake "The Snake" Roberts' match against his old arch-rival André the Giant.

In 1995 he died of Hodgkin's disease .

In 2004, his son John Minton Jr. accepted the WWE Hall of Fame on his father's behalf.

successes

Films (excerpt)

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Studd, Big John
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Minton, John William
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American wrestler
DATE OF BIRTH February 19, 1948
PLACE OF BIRTH Butler , Pennsylvania
DATE OF DEATH March 20, 1995
Place of death Burke , Virginia