As a kid, I had seen Bam Bam at a local house show. He was a heel, and just giving everyone the mean face and act like hell punch you on his way to the back. Poor kid near us started crying, and he came over and hugged him and apologized. It was such a surreal moment to see
That is really cool. Especially after hearing how he saved those kids from that fire. Just goes to show what kind of guy Bam Bam was. I wished I could have appreciated him for the talent he was as a kid but at 10 years old we didn’t know the difference between a baby face or a heel. We just knew the good guys that we liked and the bad guys.
@puroTVI think it helped that the colour commentary slot with Michael Cole / Jonathan Coachman on Sunday night heat became available following Michael Hayes taking a more backstage role.
Like Jim said multiple times, Bam Bam was a great guy. I mean, he saved 3 kids from a burning house. He was unbelievable for his size, and he was also an actual hero.
The real story is it wasn't a house the kids were playing with fireworks and set the woods on fire and he saved them from the fire and got severely burned there are a couple Bam Bam shoot interviews on UA-cam where he tells the story
Born n raised in Bigelow’s real home town of Neptune, (not asbury) as a kid he was my soccer coach for a summer, we used to run relays in practice and as we ran back towards him he would lift us over his head like he was gonna slam us lol we loved it. Really good guy man, he definitely cemented my love for wrestling at an early age.
I played baseball with his son Shane (went to HS with him too). He coaches a few games for our team as an assistant when he was around. Super nice to all the kids, though on game in Wall against their all star team (we were trying to be the nj little league World Series rep team) some of the fathers were trying to start shit with him, he just smiled and laughed it off. Was clearly trying not to embarrass his kid or get into trouble.
Bam bam’s widow was great this episode. When they asked her if you saw him today what would you say she said, “You motherfucker” I died laughing. That felt like the most New Jersey answer ever lol
Best episode the season. But damn what always gets me is how the family members have more respect for the business and understand the business more than actual wrestlers today. Smh
It wasn't really a great episode, especially considering it's called DARK side of the ring. Bigelow was presented as the nicest guy around, because they skimmed over his jail stints as a teenager, his 9 month prison sentence for beating a teenager badly up, the rape case in 1985 and numerous other things from his crime-filled life.
@@ShadowAngel-lt8nwthey talked about him getting in trouble early in his life and how he was a trouble maker. It wasn’t a great episode to you because you wanted to hear about that kind of stuff
True. In a way the sons remind me of Jim Laurentis, not Johnny Ace's nephew, but yeah the Animal's son. I had spaced it out that Scott was in World Class at the same time as One Man Gang.
@@pleaseshutup7053 Well i mean the show is called DARK SIDE of the Ring. Not "Happy Side and Lies of the Ring" The whole purpose of that show is to talk about the bad stuff.
I love that his wife mentioned that he was in the Nintendo game! It was awesome a few years later when the Sega/Super Nintendo games came out and you heard his theme music with the voice.
King Kong Bundy was also pretty agile for his size. He might not have done moonsaults or anything like that, but the guy could move around in the ring like a 275 pounder, yet he was around 430 pounds.
Man i felt bad for his kids because they loved him so much especially his sons could tell they idolised him. But the pill problem just took over him like it has so many guys in wrestling and he was just another tragic story. But as a wrestler what a athletic big man probaly one of the best you'll ever see. I hope the wwe put him in the hall of fame and let his kids induct him because that would mean alot to them.
These piece of crap doctors are worse than drug dealers that sell crack because they pretend like they are helping these wrestlers I was so pissed watching that part of the episode
Yeah they truly loved him,even with his faults. I think the ex wife still loved him. She really came off as if he didn't choose the pills and got help she would have stayed with him. They where a family full of love,but addiction tore them apart. Just a shame he seemed to be a good guy and husband and father before the addiction. R.I.P Bammer and peace be with your family.
@@justin3415 yeah but she had to make the choice she did because him being on pills he just couldn't function as a father or a husband. But you could they all loved him but they just couldn't be around him anymore when he was choosing pills over them everytime
@@theboxingboy7422 Oh yeah i agree with you ur totally right, i was just saying if he had chosen to get help and tryed to get help and really wanted to get clean.He may have saved his marriage family and his life. Wasn't disagreeing with u.Just stating what I saw was she didn't want to leave or take the kids,but she had to cause of what he was doing. Totally agree with you.
Bam Bam was one of my favorites growing up. Watching him tag with Hogan was so much fun. They should have done more with him. He was champion material if you ask me.
It seems like everybody's takeaway from the episodes where somebody is mentioned as having a stint in the WWE is "why didn't they do more with ____?". Didn't you catch the part where he had heat with the vets for being pushed so high up the card despite the lack of exp? WWE actually went out of its way to do more with him in a short amount of time than they probably should have.
I remember seeing Bam Bam a few times as a kid and always wishing he was around more. He just looked like a monster. I loved the picture in the show of him getting his head tatts.
Bam Bam is kinda like Jake Roberts to me. He was uniquely talented as a professional wrestler. He is one of those guys that will always stand out due to his look, talent, and athleticism. He should have been a top guy, but between circumstances and substances, he just never got that opportunity. He should be in every wrestling hall of fame, and it is a crime that he isn't. Much like Roberts, Bam Bam is one of those guys that should be shown to newer generations in wrestling school. He was so believable, and everything he did looked good. He is the guy kids should be emulating. I hope he gets inducted one day. RIP
I mean he took Lawrence Taylor a linebacker and made him look competent. Way he was bumping around for him and stuff. For a big 300+ pound man he could sell and he could make anyone look good. Think the ECW stuff was alot for him tho in terms of wear and tear on his body
@Pogo113 I liked Vader but he was sloppy and stiff. You put celebrities in the ring with Bam Bam when you want to make them look like a million bucks and not get hurt. You couldn't put veterans in the ring with Vader without them losing an ear.
Bam Bam Bigelow, many have in their 2K games, but wouldn't understand how iconic this guy was. One of the greatest gordos in Wrestling, hate his backstory came to meet his fate in the end, but bell to bell, he gave you his best. Taz vs Bam Bam for the TV Title in ECW one of my favorite matches of Bam Bam.
I like the idea. Paul is interesting because it's not the devisive: some people love him, others want him dead. It's more, most love Paul, but at one point or another thought about killing him.
Actually the on nickname Bam Bam, yes it was indeed made famous by the television cartoon “the Flintstones” but was an old fashioned north eastern nickname for a “street tough” bam bam meaning a one two punch. This was probably the inspiration for the name of the kid in the Flinstones.
Bam Bam was a legend. I remember I had DDP on the day that Bam Bam died for an interview and then Kanyon killed himself not long later and we had one scheduled then. Page said to me, "Every time I talk to you, one of my friends dies." I didn't talk to him again until 2020! Then, the whole freaking world stopped turning. So, I'll cool it on DDP interviews for the good of the planet going forward! Bam Bam used to help my Aunt with her groceries if he was there. She was a little lady who smoked a lot and he was massive but for whatever reason, he apparently liked her. I got an autographed picture from her of him because she knew I was a wrestling fan. She lived in Port Momouth, NJ so the grocery store must have been somewhere reasonably near that. Anyway, always liked Bammer. He was the guy in ECW you kind of felt like singing the Billy Joel Piano Man like to, "Man, what are you doing here?" Because, he was probably too big to be there.
Bam bam is a big reason I got into wrestling. I didn't really follow it when I was younger, but I saw Bigelow would day and he drew me in. His appearance and his name was so cool to me
I first saw Bam Bam in his 1987 WWF run. I was 7 years old. When I got older, I learned to appreciate him so much more. I think he and Vader are the two best big men ever. For being as big as they were, everything was great and believable. And yes, I put Bam Bam and Vader above Taker and Kane 🤷♂️
@nicholashigley5566 Taue was 6'4 and about 270. That's not one of the "big men." Bigelow was 6'3 and about 360, Vader was 6'5 and 450. So, True may be great, but undersized in this chat.
This may have been my favorite episode so far. Loved that we got so much of his WWF and ECW runs and I agree this was the best selection of talking heads so far. Felt great to see Taz and Shane especially talk about their time working with him. My only knock would probably be that I wish we got a little bit more about his time in Japan and WCW. Bam Bam is in my top 5 best big men in wrestling.
Bam Bam Bigelow, Yokozuna, Big Van Vader are my top three, when it comes to the best "big men" in wrestling. Bam Bam, like everyone else in life, had his demons, but I commend him for putting his life on the line to save children from a burning home.
@@B3Band- Andrew? As in Andrew "Test" Martin? I'd add him to my personal list of best big men, as well as John Tenta. André The Giant, in my opinion, was not agile.
First time I saw Bam Bam I was completely blown away. He was a freak of nature and immediately became my favourite wrestler. He really looked like he could kill you stone dead by just one slap. 😅
My first ever PPV was King of the Ring '93, and I was terrified of Bam Bam. That show made me a fan of both Bret Hart and (in a different way that I wouldn't recognize until much later) Bam Bam.
Crazy how we can hate heels for so long because we believed in kayfabe not realizing that the heels worked us into hating him, making the magic of wrestling.
I watched every Bret Hart vs Bam Bam Match available on WWE network a few weeks ago. These two fantastic workers are so great together. They should've had a WrestleMania Main Event Championship Match.
Bam Bam was quite an exceptional wrestler. For a man of his size, it is uncanny how fast he can move, how extraordinary his agility was. The man was a pilot in the ring, he can fly in there.
This was one of the better episodes this season. Bam Bam was awesome at his peak. The Triple Threat was my favourite ECW faction. Another wrestling great gone far too soon.
Might be controversial, but I honestly think Bam Bam > Vader. Bam Bam was a better athlete and could get over working many different styles. Vader had to specifically work HIS style (AKA beating you up and stiffing the heck out of you) in order to get over. Bret Hart, my personal GOAT, says Bam Bam was better
This was an awesome episode of dark side of the Ring Bam Bam Bigelow was awesome Especially in ECW the Triple threat were awesome his Feud with Spike dudley in 1997 was great Bam bam throwing spike into the crowd was awesome Lawrence Taylor Vs Bam Bam Bigelow at wrestlemania 11 was a great match on an overall bad wrestlemania.
I like what Jim had to say about the production of the episode. Compared to Abby's. Scott had a family that he loved and loved him back. Unfortunately, a lot like Chris and Tammy, Gino Hernandez, etc etc, addiction ruined lives.
I would have liked to have heard about his issues with the clique. I thought it was a pretty plain story. As sad as it is, there have been too many drug stories in dark side, I’ve become desensitised to them.
I agree with you. While the drug portion of this needed to be covered it overwhelmed and I felt too much was left out that would have put more context to why he was a subject of the series. In addition to the clique they didn't cover his failed restaurant, the burns he suffered saving some people from a burning home nor his "disappearance."
Yeah I've seem the shoot interviews he did about them. He didn't like the Candido situation because he was bam bams friend and just how they acted because he saw himself as old school and they were just treating shit like a joke behind the scenes
Is Jim saying wrestlers getting addicted to drugs and dying prematurely is exclusive to ECW? Talk about letting your personal vendettas cloud judgement
@@pleaseshutup7053they had serious heat. He said he threatened all of them at the same time and Shawn ran to daddy to get rid of the mean man who was bullying him and his 3 friends.
Trivia for you Ted Petty was with Larry and Buddy when they started the Monster Factory ( It was originally to train Buddy's son) Teddy also was one the 3 wrestlers that Bam Bam wrestled at Studio 54. Bam Bam booked Teddy for New Japan as the Cheetah Kid. That's for another time.
I haven't seen any of these documentaries, but the Bash At The Beach 2000 one is gonna be the funniest one yet... I've seen, and read so much from that incident, much like The Plane Ride From Hell, that i don't expect to find anything new, lmao, that speech Russo made about Hogan was Excellent!!!!!!!!!!
I can’t understand how Jim claims he doesn’t like phony looking wrestling or the hardcore stuff, yet loves Abdullah The Butcher. The phoniest wrestling I have ever seen is Abdullah The Butcher walk fighting all around an arena. The guy is too corpulent to be believable and he couldn’t talk. Abby was only a draw because the time he was in. They didn’t have as many all night gas stations back then. Everything Abby is and everything he does is the stuff Jim claims to hate.
The end of that first WWF run... what a shame. They could have used him in so many ways. This is one of those episodes where it's not about a big controversy or event, but just another example of the life wearing people down and people drowning in self-medication. Seems like a lot of those this season.
As a kid Bam Bam Bigelow was my idol. To see a guy that big move like a cruiserweight was amazing. He would do a cartwheel into a drop kick and his timing was always perfect. Bam Bam Bigelow and King Kong Bundy, and Yokozuna were the best big men in the business. Rest in peace Bam Bam Bigelow 🙏🙏🙏🙏.
Bam Bam Bigelow was one of my favorites growing up. The dude had the look he had the attitude. It's a shame he never went any titles in the WWE loved him and Luna Vichon together perfect valet wrestler couple. Did not know the dude have that many problems. This is one of the problems I hate with the dark side of the ring They think in one hour they could tell the man's whole complete story.
Bam Bam was ridiculously agile for his size. He was so light on his feet and athletic. There’s been a lot of good big men, but no one quite like him. He’s under rated for sure.
Meltzer was especially bad and out of place in this episode, it felt like even he didn't believe half the stuff he was saying coz it was all information he heard second or third hand
It's just hard to watch most of the ECW matches today knowing what those hardcore matches did to those wrestlers and how most of them have passed away.
This is probably the first episode of Dark Side that I could resonate with because I am from Neptune, NJ. I remember as a kid when Bam Bam woukd come home to wrestle, he always was a draw. The guy was geniune and one of my favorites. It is sad how territory wrestling is dead in most places.
Int he early 2000s Bam Bam actually ran a restaurant in my hometown in Northeast rural PA. Didn’t last too long but it was always so cool to know that he lived in the same town I did
Their is a 3 hour shoot interview with Bam on UA-cam a little bit before he died. ECW was awesome not every match was hardcore. Lot of famous wrestlers came thru there.
This episode in my opinion, is the best episode of season 4. It had the right talking heads, had great reenacting scenes. It brought you insight of the man behind the wrestler. Love Bam Bam Bigelow.🔥
Yeah, I liked this one. I didnt know much about Bam Bam, honestly. It was cool how he reacted when someone slapped one of his kids in the audience - took him out the back and gave him a receipt. From the way his wife and kids spoke about him, he was clearly loved a great deal which is a beautiful thing - just a shame he passed so early.
@@pleaseshutup7053 he was supposed to be inducted in the 2013 class due to Mania in NY but they last minute scapped it. Either next year or 2025 for his 30th anniversary after WM 11 main event
This makes me appreciate even more how much truly underrated the wrestlers are and how much underpaid the wrestlers are compared to other sports. They put their body through hell for fan's entertainment while being on the road for majority of the year missing out on their children's lives and family time. Wrestling isn't fake but scripted. The bumps are real. And the detractors who calls wrestling fake wouldn't last a minute in the ring. No wonder the wrestlers becomes addicted to drugs and alcohol to subside their pain and loneliness. We seen with countless wrestlers with the likes of Dynamite Kid, Eddie Guerrero, Jeff Hardy and Mysterio and New Jack. Even Droz got paralysed neck down for life before passing. It shows how far they are willing to go to make a name in the business.
This is a great episode of Jim bitterness towards ECW can cloud your judgement. Ppl remember that promotion after 20 years and SMW is a fading memory. Fact of the matter is ECW had a ton of big names that went through that promotion and tons of popular wrestlers did hardcore and got over because fans wanted to see chaos. ECW isn’t to be blamed for the destruction of the business. Vince is. When Vince took WWE public and went PG it got incredibly hokey and stale that it ran off all those ppl that turned in for hard hitting matches and edgy storylines during the attitude era. It’s more popular PPV are things who’s inspiration is ECW like the TLC matches and Extreme matches. Don’t get mad because fans want to see chaos one in a while. Not to mention guys were doing high risks shit before and after that. There always been high flyers. ECW isn’t to be blamed for that. Also ECW isn’t to blame for WWE going stale, TNA allowing Russo to book his nonsense and AEW booking nonsensical matches and signing every 150 pound wrestler on the planet. THAT is what killed wrestling, not ECW. People liked what they were doing and went under because Heyman was trying to do too much too soon and it cost him. That’s the only gripe I had about a review that was otherwise very good. Get over it, Jim. They have a legacy for a reason: People liked what they were doing. Grow up
Bam Bam Bigelow was probably my favorite Dark Side of The Ring episode so far. He wasn't a criminal robbing banks, blowing up buildings, mutilating himself, trying to kill other wrestlers, beating up women, involved in gang activity or connected to the mob.
Brian is the same age as me. Surprised he got into wrestling in 89. I got onto it in 86. He missed out on that great build up to Hogan vs Andre. That was one of my favorite memories of being a wrestling fan.
I was too young to truly appreciate him. I only knew him from being a Smackdown VS Raw 2007 legend and when I found out he died in middle school, I recognized him and went on UA-cam to watch his matches. I'm a decade too young
I saw Bam Bam wrestle @ local NJ show. A bunch of bikers were sitting watching in the crowd. Young kids wanted their autographs. They started yelling, we aren't wrestlers.
I searched for Jim's full breakdown of the mania 11 match but was unsuccessful, any link available? Curious to hear his full thoughts about that evening.
As a kid, I had seen Bam Bam at a local house show. He was a heel, and just giving everyone the mean face and act like hell punch you on his way to the back. Poor kid near us started crying, and he came over and hugged him and apologized. It was such a surreal moment to see
He should have punched you
That's Cool!
That is really cool. Especially after hearing how he saved those kids from that fire. Just goes to show what kind of guy Bam Bam was. I wished I could have appreciated him for the talent he was as a kid but at 10 years old we didn’t know the difference between a baby face or a heel. We just knew the good guys that we liked and the bad guys.
One of the reasons Taz is of sane mind, because he retired at 38.
Yep. He knew his body was starting to go, which in turn likely saved a little more of his brain. And he’s done quite well.
Was his a forced retirement
@@RFNY315not really.. no one was using him and he made the most money with wwe so he just announced
@puroTVI think it helped that the colour commentary slot with Michael Cole / Jonathan Coachman on Sunday night heat became available following Michael Hayes taking a more backstage role.
@@zlinedavidhe could have done stuff but he was like No lol
Like Jim said multiple times, Bam Bam was a great guy. I mean, he saved 3 kids from a burning house. He was unbelievable for his size, and he was also an actual hero.
He was like 300-400 lbs and moved like a smaller guy which is amazing
The real story is it wasn't a house the kids were playing with fireworks and set the woods on fire and he saved them from the fire and got severely burned there are a couple Bam Bam shoot interviews on UA-cam where he tells the story
Yet Hulk Hogan stopped a ring from being burnt down and gets no credit. 🤷♂️
@@SAMagicand gave the man that burned it down a job. Saved his whole career 😂
@@SeaNylethat and the japan time zone 400 day lies are the best
Born n raised in Bigelow’s real home town of Neptune, (not asbury) as a kid he was my soccer coach for a summer, we used to run relays in practice and as we ran back towards him he would lift us over his head like he was gonna slam us lol we loved it. Really good guy man, he definitely cemented my love for wrestling at an early age.
I played baseball with his son Shane (went to HS with him too). He coaches a few games for our team as an assistant when he was around. Super nice to all the kids, though on game in Wall against their all star team (we were trying to be the nj little league World Series rep team) some of the fathers were trying to start shit with him, he just smiled and laughed it off. Was clearly trying not to embarrass his kid or get into trouble.
It was Bam Bam who said he used to watch HHH carry the Kliq’s bags lol
Actually that was Shane Douglas who said that.
@@jpmagnus6909 Look it up, it’s on yt
Bam bam’s widow was great this episode. When they asked her if you saw him today what would you say she said,
“You motherfucker”
I died laughing. That felt like the most New Jersey answer ever lol
Still can't believe he held no titles in WWF. Always sucks to lose a great man to issues like that.
He still main evented WrestleMania XI. That's a big accomplishment right there.
Yea he was over. That crowd loved him on those Saturday Main event tapings.
Love his cameo in Major Payne.
"Fe fi fo fum, what beanstalk YOU fall from?"
@@bellyOfaTiger "There ain't no pets allowed on this premises, Mr. Ace Ventura"
He was in Joe's apartment too for a split sec
U said u were gonna kick me n the face - BAM BAM
What u callin me a liar 🥾 - Payne
Major Payne is still a 🔥 movie lol
Bam Bam could really move for a big guy. He was very, very good in the ring and should’ve had a few world title runs.
Best name on UA-cam 😂
@@Mrderful Thanks lol
Yep he was one of my favorites
@@ithinkaboutthings9052 I was referring to world title runs. I’ll rephrase it so no one else gets a misunderstanding.
Hes really laid back in real life. Their is a shoot interview on you tube. A little bit before he died.
Best episode the season. But damn what always gets me is how the family members have more respect for the business and understand the business more than actual wrestlers today. Smh
It wasn't really a great episode, especially considering it's called DARK side of the ring. Bigelow was presented as the nicest guy around, because they skimmed over his jail stints as a teenager, his 9 month prison sentence for beating a teenager badly up, the rape case in 1985 and numerous other things from his crime-filled life.
Haters gonna hate.
@@ShadowAngel-lt8nwthey talked about him getting in trouble early in his life and how he was a trouble maker. It wasn’t a great episode to you because you wanted to hear about that kind of stuff
True. In a way the sons remind me of Jim Laurentis, not Johnny Ace's nephew, but yeah the Animal's son. I had spaced it out that Scott was in World Class at the same time as One Man Gang.
@@pleaseshutup7053 Well i mean the show is called DARK SIDE of the Ring. Not "Happy Side and Lies of the Ring"
The whole purpose of that show is to talk about the bad stuff.
I love that his wife mentioned that he was in the Nintendo game! It was awesome a few years later when the Sega/Super Nintendo games came out and you heard his theme music with the voice.
Yo Bam Bam was my favorite on Raw Is War, In Your House back n the day
BAM BAM🔥
Bam bam and Vader two of the best agile big man in wrestling history. RIP to both
I would add Kamala to that as well.
King Kong Bundy was also pretty agile for his size. He might not have done moonsaults or anything like that, but the guy could move around in the ring like a 275 pounder, yet he was around 430 pounds.
Jerry Blackwell also, especially during his early days
Ppl forget when andre was young he did standing drop kicks all the time. There's just no footage of it
Great tag team in Japan
Man i felt bad for his kids because they loved him so much especially his sons could tell they idolised him. But the pill problem just took over him like it has so many guys in wrestling and he was just another tragic story. But as a wrestler what a athletic big man probaly one of the best you'll ever see. I hope the wwe put him in the hall of fame and let his kids induct him because that would mean alot to them.
These piece of crap doctors are worse than drug dealers that sell crack because they pretend like they are helping these wrestlers I was so pissed watching that part of the episode
Yeah they truly loved him,even with his faults. I think the ex wife still loved him. She really came off as if he didn't choose the pills and got help she would have stayed with him. They where a family full of love,but addiction tore them apart. Just a shame he seemed to be a good guy and husband and father before the addiction. R.I.P Bammer and peace be with your family.
@@justin3415 yeah but she had to make the choice she did because him being on pills he just couldn't function as a father or a husband. But you could they all loved him but they just couldn't be around him anymore when he was choosing pills over them everytime
@@theboxingboy7422 Oh yeah i agree with you ur totally right, i was just saying if he had chosen to get help and tryed to get help and really wanted to get clean.He may have saved his marriage family and his life. Wasn't disagreeing with u.Just stating what I saw was she didn't want to leave or take the kids,but she had to cause of what he was doing. Totally agree with you.
Bam Bam was one of my favorites growing up. Watching him tag with Hogan was so much fun. They should have done more with him. He was champion material if you ask me.
Yeah it was a crime that twice politics played a part in him not succeeding....first time was Andre and second time was the Kliq
Im asking you which material would produce a good appearance on The Tonight Show or Arsenio Hall.
nobody asked you
He was pushed too early. That was not fair to him.
It seems like everybody's takeaway from the episodes where somebody is mentioned as having a stint in the WWE is "why didn't they do more with ____?". Didn't you catch the part where he had heat with the vets for being pushed so high up the card despite the lack of exp? WWE actually went out of its way to do more with him in a short amount of time than they probably should have.
Bam Bam was my favorite to use in the old WWF game on NES.
Ladder match with Hall on Nitro was fun. They both fall off and Bigelow asks "you okay BRUTHURR!?" loud enough for the popcorn jerk to hear.
I remember seeing Bam Bam a few times as a kid and always wishing he was around more. He just looked like a monster. I loved the picture in the show of him getting his head tatts.
Should have been WWE champion not Diesel!!!
He was in ECW, WWF, and WCW. He kicked ass just not the best cutting promos
Bam Bam is kinda like Jake Roberts to me. He was uniquely talented as a professional wrestler. He is one of those guys that will always stand out due to his look, talent, and athleticism. He should have been a top guy, but between circumstances and substances, he just never got that opportunity. He should be in every wrestling hall of fame, and it is a crime that he isn't. Much like Roberts, Bam Bam is one of those guys that should be shown to newer generations in wrestling school. He was so believable, and everything he did looked good. He is the guy kids should be emulating. I hope he gets inducted one day. RIP
Him Roberts and Regal
Bam Bam will always be in my top 5 "Greatest Giant Wrestlers" of all time.
Bam Bam & Goldberg
@OmegaRedFan Goldberg isn't a giant
@@michaelhauser6440 you're too young to know what I'm referring to
Bam Bam was one of my favorites. He could wrestle literally anyone and have a good match as a big man... what more can you say?
I mean he took Lawrence Taylor a linebacker and made him look competent. Way he was bumping around for him and stuff. For a big 300+ pound man he could sell and he could make anyone look good. Think the ECW stuff was alot for him tho in terms of wear and tear on his body
@@theboxingboy7422I was just about 2 say he made Lawrence Taylor look good n the ring
I love watching the Dark side episodes and then come listening to Jim review it.....He always adds the stuff they missed!
The late great bam bam Bigelow. To me the best big man ever. Great episode. Shame his career and legacy gets lost in pro wrestling.
He was one of my favorites as a kid.
Agreed best big man ever
I think him and/or Vader. I have no problem with either
@Pogo113 I liked Vader but he was sloppy and stiff. You put celebrities in the ring with Bam Bam when you want to make them look like a million bucks and not get hurt. You couldn't put veterans in the ring with Vader without them losing an ear.
He is the best big man. Love Vader but Bam Bam was doing thing that Vader couldn't and doing it more crisp than a lot of light heavyweights.
I must say his daughter might have the best memory of any 3 year old ever.
People tend to remember traumatic events or block them out completely
When it’s something like “The last time I talked to my father” , those moments tend to crystallize and become very vivid memories.
Also very clever for a 3 year old, how she faked needing to go bathroom just to stop car, the police asked her for her contact info though, shes 3😂😂😂😂
You'd be surprised...
She was actually 5-6 when it happened in 2004.
Bam Bam Bigelow, many have in their 2K games, but wouldn't understand how iconic this guy was. One of the greatest gordos in Wrestling, hate his backstory came to meet his fate in the end, but bell to bell, he gave you his best. Taz vs Bam Bam for the TV Title in ECW one of my favorite matches of Bam Bam.
Bam Bam's wife and kids seemed like really intelligent, kind people. And his wife was quite pretty haha
Very good looking wife! And all of the kids are good looking, too. 🙂👌
We need a Dark Side of the Ring: Paul Heyman episode
I like the idea. Paul is interesting because it's not the devisive: some people love him, others want him dead. It's more, most love Paul, but at one point or another thought about killing him.
Lol stealing from ecw talent yes we do
Episode begins: ladies and gentleman…… my name is Paul Heyman.
That’s not an episode, that’s a mini series.
@@Famousactormikeyp I love that last line.
Actually the on nickname Bam Bam, yes it was indeed made famous by the television cartoon “the Flintstones” but was an old fashioned north eastern nickname for a “street tough” bam bam meaning a one two punch. This was probably the inspiration for the name of the kid in the Flinstones.
I loved seeing his kids and his ex-wife in this. And this episode really gave me a newfound appreciation for Bam Bam.
Bam Bam was a legend. I remember I had DDP on the day that Bam Bam died for an interview and then Kanyon killed himself not long later and we had one scheduled then. Page said to me, "Every time I talk to you, one of my friends dies." I didn't talk to him again until 2020! Then, the whole freaking world stopped turning. So, I'll cool it on DDP interviews for the good of the planet going forward! Bam Bam used to help my Aunt with her groceries if he was there. She was a little lady who smoked a lot and he was massive but for whatever reason, he apparently liked her. I got an autographed picture from her of him because she knew I was a wrestling fan. She lived in Port Momouth, NJ so the grocery store must have been somewhere reasonably near that. Anyway, always liked Bammer. He was the guy in ECW you kind of felt like singing the Billy Joel Piano Man like to, "Man, what are you doing here?" Because, he was probably too big to be there.
Bam bam is a big reason I got into wrestling. I didn't really follow it when I was younger, but I saw Bigelow would day and he drew me in. His appearance and his name was so cool to me
I first saw Bam Bam in his 1987 WWF run. I was 7 years old. When I got older, I learned to appreciate him so much more. I think he and Vader are the two best big men ever. For being as big as they were, everything was great and believable. And yes, I put Bam Bam and Vader above Taker and Kane 🤷♂️
@nicholashigley5566 Taue was 6'4 and about 270. That's not one of the "big men."
Bigelow was 6'3 and about 360, Vader was 6'5 and 450. So, True may be great, but undersized in this chat.
Used to love watching him wrestle when i was a kid he was a beast 👏🤌💪
He was over and I popped because I never saw him overexposed and used too much. Bam Bam seemed special.
@nickl4326 yup , beast from the east
This may have been my favorite episode so far. Loved that we got so much of his WWF and ECW runs and I agree this was the best selection of talking heads so far. Felt great to see Taz and Shane especially talk about their time working with him. My only knock would probably be that I wish we got a little bit more about his time in Japan and WCW. Bam Bam is in my top 5 best big men in wrestling.
Agree I wanted to see more of him and Vader as a tag team
There weren't 1000 people in Tennessee that read the newsletters.
Me: their probably wasn't 1000 people in Tennessee that could read
Bam Bam Bigelow, Yokozuna, Big Van Vader are my top three, when it comes to the best "big men" in wrestling. Bam Bam, like everyone else in life, had his demons, but I commend him for putting his life on the line to save children from a burning home.
Just gonna pretend Andrew doesn't exist? Or are you like 22 and think wrestling didn't exist before 1990?
@@B3Band the internationally famous Andrew the Giant
@@B3Band It's ANDRE, NOT ANDREW, fool
@@B3BandIt’s subjective, you dork.
@@B3Band- Andrew? As in Andrew "Test" Martin? I'd add him to my personal list of best big men, as well as John Tenta. André The Giant, in my opinion, was not agile.
Remember BamBam’s role in the movie MAJOR PAYNE. I always loved that scene.
First time I saw Bam Bam I was completely blown away. He was a freak of nature and immediately became my favourite wrestler.
He really looked like he could kill you stone dead by just one slap. 😅
Corny as Pebbles makes this an instant classic.
My first ever PPV was King of the Ring '93, and I was terrified of Bam Bam. That show made me a fan of both Bret Hart and (in a different way that I wouldn't recognize until much later) Bam Bam.
Crazy how we can hate heels for so long because we believed in kayfabe not realizing that the heels worked us into hating him, making the magic of wrestling.
I watched every Bret Hart vs Bam Bam Match available on WWE network a few weeks ago. These two fantastic workers are so great together. They should've had a WrestleMania Main Event Championship Match.
Bam Bam was quite an exceptional wrestler. For a man of his size, it is uncanny how fast he can move, how extraordinary his agility was. The man was a pilot in the ring, he can fly in there.
Bam Bam Bigelow Was Amazing At Every Promotion
This was one of the better episodes this season. Bam Bam was awesome at his peak. The Triple Threat was my favourite ECW faction. Another wrestling great gone far too soon.
I think it also focused on the fact that he truly was Bam Bam. He was his character. He was a real 100% pro wrestler.
Bambam lived a town over from me and he was always courteous and cool guy when you encounter him in public
Wish they went over Bam Bam feuding with Ted Dibiase (wwf belt) and Andre in the house shows in 88
Might be controversial, but I honestly think Bam Bam > Vader. Bam Bam was a better athlete and could get over working many different styles. Vader had to specifically work HIS style (AKA beating you up and stiffing the heck out of you) in order to get over. Bret Hart, my personal GOAT, says Bam Bam was better
I think he was a notch below Vader
I don't think that's controversial at all because it's spot on.
Bam bam was better because he would really make it look good but not hurt the opponent. Vader was stiff as hell.
Bam Bam was the better worker of the 2, but Vader just had more physical charisma. It’s a 1A/1B for me.
@@Anuskasv0 Exactly. There’s no art in just hitting people hard IMO
This was an awesome episode of dark side of the Ring Bam Bam Bigelow was awesome Especially in ECW the Triple threat were awesome his Feud with Spike dudley in 1997 was great Bam bam throwing spike into the crowd was awesome Lawrence Taylor Vs Bam Bam Bigelow at wrestlemania 11 was a great match on an overall bad wrestlemania.
The tazz match was hilarious. I love how tazz was like I feel disgusted explaining this I’m old skool
@pleaseshutup7053 LMAO that was Hilarious 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
I like what Jim had to say about the production of the episode. Compared to Abby's. Scott had a family that he loved and loved him back. Unfortunately, a lot like Chris and Tammy, Gino Hernandez, etc etc, addiction ruined lives.
@@williammitchell4417agreed
@williammitchell4417 I Absolutely agree
Does anyone other than me remember the video for Morbid Angel Where the slime live? David Vincent is wearing an old ECW shirt.🤘
I would have liked to have heard about his issues with the clique. I thought it was a pretty plain story. As sad as it is, there have been too many drug stories in dark side, I’ve become desensitised to them.
Bam Bam makes mention of those issues on some of his old shoot interviews - presumably still available on UA-cam.
I agree with you. While the drug portion of this needed to be covered it overwhelmed and I felt too much was left out that would have put more context to why he was a subject of the series. In addition to the clique they didn't cover his failed restaurant, the burns he suffered saving some people from a burning home nor his "disappearance."
Yeah I've seem the shoot interviews he did about them. He didn't like the Candido situation because he was bam bams friend and just how they acted because he saw himself as old school and they were just treating shit like a joke behind the scenes
It's not ECW's fault that a bunch of hacks who didn't know what they were doing tried (and are still trying) to imitate it.
This episode was so good. Loved the Tazz stories.
Is Jim saying wrestlers getting addicted to drugs and dying prematurely is exclusive to ECW? Talk about letting your personal vendettas cloud judgement
"what a great guy"
he almost got hall and nash shot because he was acting like an idiot to some gang member.
I would have love to subscribed to a bam bam bigelow podcast in his retirement years.
I watched some shoot interviews he’s great and goes after the clique lol
@@pleaseshutup7053they had serious heat. He said he threatened all of them at the same time and Shawn ran to daddy to get rid of the mean man who was bullying him and his 3 friends.
I knew Bigelow, he was a great guy. I lived near his place in Florida, always a nice guy despite his badass look.
Trivia for you
Ted Petty was with Larry and Buddy when they started the Monster Factory
( It was originally to train Buddy's son)
Teddy also was one the 3 wrestlers that Bam Bam wrestled at Studio 54.
Bam Bam booked Teddy for New Japan as the Cheetah Kid.
That's for another time.
I haven't seen any of these documentaries, but the Bash At The Beach 2000 one is gonna be the funniest one yet... I've seen, and read so much from that incident, much like The Plane Ride From Hell, that i don't expect to find anything new, lmao, that speech Russo made about Hogan was Excellent!!!!!!!!!!
I can’t understand how Jim claims he doesn’t like phony looking wrestling or the hardcore stuff, yet loves Abdullah The Butcher. The phoniest wrestling I have ever seen is Abdullah The Butcher walk fighting all around an arena. The guy is too corpulent to be believable and he couldn’t talk. Abby was only a draw because the time he was in. They didn’t have as many all night gas stations back then. Everything Abby is and everything he does is the stuff Jim claims to hate.
Wanna see peak great Bam Bam watch his match vs Barry Wiindham at Starrcade ‘88. Barry bumped his ass off and Bigelow looked like a million dollars
The end of that first WWF run... what a shame. They could have used him in so many ways.
This is one of those episodes where it's not about a big controversy or event, but just another example of the life wearing people down and people drowning in self-medication. Seems like a lot of those this season.
I can only imagine the look on the face of that ECW fan who punched Bam Bam's kid when he realized whose kid he punched.
12:57 "I was at the China Club When Rick James asked Charlie Murphy what the five fingers said to the face!"
As a kid Bam Bam Bigelow was my idol. To see a guy that big move like a cruiserweight was amazing. He would do a cartwheel into a drop kick and his timing was always perfect. Bam Bam Bigelow and King Kong Bundy, and Yokozuna were the best big men in the business. Rest in peace Bam Bam Bigelow 🙏🙏🙏🙏.
Jerry Blackwell too, especially in his younger days.
When I get into conversations about who the best big man is I always say Bam Bam or Boss Man. I miss these guys so much. He was great in major Payne
Bam Bam Bigelow was one of my favorites growing up. The dude had the look he had the attitude. It's a shame he never went any titles in the WWE loved him and Luna Vichon together perfect valet wrestler couple. Did not know the dude have that many problems. This is one of the problems I hate with the dark side of the ring They think in one hour they could tell the man's whole complete story.
That thumbnail is supremely HILARIOUS!!!! 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
Bam Bam was ridiculously agile for his size. He was so light on his feet and athletic. There’s been a lot of good big men, but no one quite like him. He’s under rated for sure.
Meltzer was especially bad and out of place in this episode, it felt like even he didn't believe half the stuff he was saying coz it was all information he heard second or third hand
That's Meltzer in a nutshell.
That's why there needs to be a Dark Side of the Ring episode about Dave Meltzer.
@@roccojamison89gooker51 That would legitimize and acknowledge him, its best to just ignore him
@@RTJustice99. Well. Uhhggg. Ya know
@@blinkyjedi7771 I just want you to LEAARRRRRRRRRRRN
It's just hard to watch most of the ECW matches today knowing what those hardcore matches did to those wrestlers and how most of them have passed away.
Not hard for me. It was good shit and that’s all what matters.
Vince should of pushed bam bam as the American bad ass gimmick that undertaker had
This is probably the first episode of Dark Side that I could resonate with because I am from Neptune, NJ. I remember as a kid when Bam Bam woukd come home to wrestle, he always was a draw. The guy was geniune and one of my favorites. It is sad how territory wrestling is dead in most places.
Bam Bam was the kind of guy that saves kids from house fires...
Int he early 2000s Bam Bam actually ran a restaurant in my hometown in Northeast rural PA. Didn’t last too long but it was always so cool to know that he lived in the same town I did
Their is a 3 hour shoot interview with Bam on UA-cam a little bit before he died. ECW was awesome not every match was hardcore. Lot of famous wrestlers came thru there.
For a big guy bam bam could move
Always thought bam bam would've been great in the attitude era.
Bam Bam was awesome. hes long overdue for a hof induction.
This episode in my opinion, is the best episode of season 4. It had the right talking heads, had great reenacting scenes. It brought you insight of the man behind the wrestler. Love Bam Bam Bigelow.🔥
I'm so used to seeing Taz spots in Botchamania that hearing him on this legit reminded me how smart the dude was, lol. I love Taz.
Yeah, I liked this one. I didnt know much about Bam Bam, honestly. It was cool how he reacted when someone slapped one of his kids in the audience - took him out the back and gave him a receipt. From the way his wife and kids spoke about him, he was clearly loved a great deal which is a beautiful thing - just a shame he passed so early.
Hopefully Bam Bam be inducted into the HOF next year when Mania in Philly
Crazy how he is not in the hall of fame dude main evented wrestlemania
@@pleaseshutup7053 he was supposed to be inducted in the 2013 class due to Mania in NY but they last minute scapped it. Either next year or 2025 for his 30th anniversary after WM 11 main event
Yeah might as well wait to 2025 then
Bam Bam & this episode was damn good, R.I.P. Big Brother🙏thanks Corny & Brian! Travis you are just Incredible
I'm waiting for Marty Janetty
The last 2 episodes are gonna be bangers
Bam Bam being in SvR 2007 was great, but strange that they used him in an in game storyline after he had died
This makes me appreciate even more how much truly underrated the wrestlers are and how much underpaid the wrestlers are compared to other sports. They put their body through hell for fan's entertainment while being on the road for majority of the year missing out on their children's lives and family time. Wrestling isn't fake but scripted. The bumps are real. And the detractors who calls wrestling fake wouldn't last a minute in the ring. No wonder the wrestlers becomes addicted to drugs and alcohol to subside their pain and loneliness. We seen with countless wrestlers with the likes of Dynamite Kid, Eddie Guerrero, Jeff Hardy and Mysterio and New Jack. Even Droz got paralysed neck down for life before passing. It shows how far they are willing to go to make a name in the business.
Still boggles my mind that Bigelow was a real bounty hunter at one point. Got to see him a few times live, but, he's one I never got to meet.
Kinda surprised the was little to no mention of his beef with the cliq. Especially with Shane Douglas in the show
Im nervous about cornett's perspective of the next episode,lol.
Perspective on Russo lol
I can't wait for that review!😂
Next episode about bash at the beach gonna be 2 hour longer just for cornette to diss russo
Favorite memory in 1993, house show
Bam bam vs randy savage
This is a great episode of Jim bitterness towards ECW can cloud your judgement. Ppl remember that promotion after 20 years and SMW is a fading memory. Fact of the matter is ECW had a ton of big names that went through that promotion and tons of popular wrestlers did hardcore and got over because fans wanted to see chaos.
ECW isn’t to be blamed for the destruction of the business. Vince is. When Vince took WWE public and went PG it got incredibly hokey and stale that it ran off all those ppl that turned in for hard hitting matches and edgy storylines during the attitude era. It’s more popular PPV are things who’s inspiration is ECW like the TLC matches and Extreme matches. Don’t get mad because fans want to see chaos one in a while.
Not to mention guys were doing high risks shit before and after that. There always been high flyers. ECW isn’t to be blamed for that.
Also ECW isn’t to blame for WWE going stale, TNA allowing Russo to book his nonsense and AEW booking nonsensical matches and signing every 150 pound wrestler on the planet. THAT is what killed wrestling, not ECW. People liked what they were doing and went under because Heyman was trying to do too much too soon and it cost him.
That’s the only gripe I had about a review that was otherwise very good. Get over it, Jim. They have a legacy for a reason: People liked what they were doing. Grow up
Enjoyed this episode of Dark Side, but really surprised they didn’t showcase more of the Lawrence Taylor match. Missed opportunity?
ECW fans were like fans in a Roman colosseum
Bam Bam Bigelow was probably my favorite Dark Side of The Ring episode so far. He wasn't a criminal robbing banks, blowing up buildings, mutilating himself, trying to kill other wrestlers, beating up women, involved in gang activity or connected to the mob.
Brian is the same age as me. Surprised he got into wrestling in 89. I got onto it in 86. He missed out on that great build up to Hogan vs Andre. That was one of my favorite memories of being a wrestling fan.
Great episode. Taz was great. Dallas Page too.
*Page
@@theyamo7219 thanks.
I was too young to truly appreciate him. I only knew him from being a Smackdown VS Raw 2007 legend and when I found out he died in middle school, I recognized him and went on UA-cam to watch his matches. I'm a decade too young
Same here that’s wild how the year they added him to the game he died
@@pleaseshutup7053 And I didn't know until 5 years later
I saw Bam Bam wrestle @ local NJ show. A bunch of bikers were sitting watching in the crowd. Young kids wanted their autographs. They started yelling, we aren't wrestlers.
I haven't been able to watch it because it's not showing up on the ViceTV app on my Roku
I searched for Jim's full breakdown of the mania 11 match but was unsuccessful, any link available? Curious to hear his full thoughts about that evening.