
The wrestling legend Big Van Vader collapsed in the ring last night after he was dropped on his head.
Japanese audiences watched on in horror as the 61-year-old former world heavyweight champion from Linwood, California, fell unconscious during a ring performance at the Dradition show in Tokyo.
Korakuen Hall played host to the six-man tag team match in which Vader was competing. He was tagged with Keiji Muto and AKIRA, against the formidable opponents, Tatsumi Fujinami, Riki Choshu and Shiro Koshinaka.
Vader Collapsed at #Dradition show pic.twitter.com/yPBQLp2Ako
— Dedy Silveria – ?™ (@dedysilveria) April 20, 2017
Vader – born Leon Allen White – who passed out after the match as the show paid tribute to the 45th anniversary of the debut of Tatsumi Fujinami, otherwise known as The Dragon.
Fans showed concern for Vader, considering his recent health woes, which he revealed last year on Twitter.
He wrote:
Told by 2.heart Drs at this time that my heart is wore out from footbal&wrestling I have 2 yrs to live , conjestive hesrt failure reality. I am only now allowing this as part of my reality.
last night the first match for Fujinamis 45th anneversary show in Tokyo Sold out Did the opening spot with Fujinami I dropped on my head
— Big Van Vader (@itsvadertime) April 20, 2017
The main event match@ Koreguen Hall Tokyo in a spot with Fujinamii Iwas dropped on my head which knocked me out giving me a concussion
— Big Van Vader (@itsvadertime) April 21, 2017
It had absolutely nothing to do with my heart but rather my head&Yes i did collapse in fact I was out cold thank uforld jap Wrest i love it
— Big Van Vader (@itsvadertime) April 20, 2017
However, after recovering from ‘concussion’ Vader reassured his Twitter followers the collapse was not connected to a pre-existing condition.
In a later tweet, he said, ‘I feel great’. We wish Vader a speedy recovery.

A former emo kid who talks too much about 8Chan meme culture, the Kardashian Klan, and how her smartphone is probably killing her. Francesca is a Cardiff University Journalism Masters grad who has done words for BBC, ELLE, The Debrief, DAZED, an art magazine you’ve never heard of and a feminist zine which never went to print.