Ring name(s) Bam Bam Bigelow,Bruce Bigelow,Crusher Bigelow,Crusher Yurkof
Height 6 ft 3 in (191 cm)
Weight 360 lb (163 kg)
Born September 1, 1961,Asbury Park, New Jersey
Died January 19, 2007,Hudson, Florida
Billed from Asbury Park, New Jersey
Trained by Larry Sharpe
Pro wrestling debut August 23, 1985
Retired November 19, 2004
Scott Charles Bigelow (September 1, 1961 – January 19, 2007) was an American professional wrestler, better known as Bam Bam Bigelow. He was most recognizable due to the tattoo which covered his head. His ring name came from Bamm-Bamm Rubble, a Flintstones character.
Bigelow trained as a wrestler at Larry Sharpe's "Monster Factory" in Gloucester Township, New Jersey. He debuted in Memphis, Tennessee in 1985, and was named Crusher Yurkov by Fritz Von Erich so he could play the character of a Russian heel. When he left Memphis, Bigelow adopted various ring names before finally settling on Bam Bam Bigelow.
In late 1987 he he went to work for the WWF. The storyline upon his debut was that the various heel managers were all vying for Bigelow's services. The angle was thus dubbed "The Battle for Bam Bam". Bigelow in the end wound up a babyface when he denounced all the heel managers and announced that his manager was going to be Oliver Humperdink. Bigelow was part of Hulk Hogan's team at the first Survivor Series in 1987. He wrestled in the WWF for a year before leaving to have knee surgery. He then went to Jim Crockett Promotions briefly to challenge Barry Windham for the NWA United States Heavyweight Championship, and then to Japan to work for Antonio Inoki in New Japan Pro Wrestling, where he formed a tag team with Big Van Vader, and won the IWGP World Tag Team Championship. In 1992 he left NJPW and wrestled for several other Japanese promotions, such as WAR.
In late 1992 Bigelow returned to the WWF and took on Luna Vachon as his manager a few months later. He feuded with Tatanka and Doink the Clown. In mid-1994, he joined Ted DiBiase's Million Dollar Corporation and engaged in a highly-publicised feud with American football player Lawrence Taylor. Bigelow was defeated by Taylor at WrestleMania XI in a match for which Bigelow was paid $250,000 and Taylor $1,000,000. Shortly thereafter, Bigelow quit Ted DiBiase's Million Dollar Corporation, turned babyface, and teamed with Diesel.
Bigelow left the WWF in 1995 and made a few appearances in Extreme Championship Wrestling in early 1996, feuding with Tazz. On November 17, 1996 Bigelow competed in a "U-Japan" mixed martial arts event against Kimo Leopoldo. Bigelow was dominated throughout the match, being mounted within the first 10 seconds. He lost to a rear naked choke in the first round.
He returned to ECW in 1997, where he eventually joined the reformed Triple Threat with Chris Candido and leader, Shane Douglas. He was a dominant force in ECW, carrying out feats of strength such as hurling Spike Dudley out of the ring and into the audience and slamming Tazz through the ring. He held the ECW World Television Championship and the ECW World Heavyweight Championship during his stay there.
On November 16, 1998 Bigelow debuted in World Championship Wrestling. He initially feuded with WCW World Heavyweight Champion Goldberg before competing in the WCW Hardcore division along with fellow ECW alumni Raven and Hardcore Hak. He formed a stable with Diamond Dallas Page and Chris Kanyon known as the Jersey Triad in May 1999. After the Triad disbanded, Bigelow began feuding with Mike Awesome, who defeated him in an ambulance match at StarrCade 2000.
Bigelow remained with WCW until the company was purchased by the WWF in March 2001, then waited until his Time Warner contract expired in June 2002. Bigelow announced his retirement in November 2002 but returned to the ring, making several appearances for USA Pro Wrestling, before retiring on November 19, 2004.
Bigelow came out of retirement in 2006 to work for ACW wrestling in Florida. In his final wrestling match he won the ACW Tag Team title with partner Ralph Mosca. After his passing the match was made available free online.
In his death, Bigelow is considered to be one of the best and most agile "big men" in the history of professional wrestling. He is, also, by many natives, considered to be a hero to the state of New Jersey and a pioneer to the New Jersey professional wrestling explosion. In his most profitable years, he earned between $750,000 and $1.2 million USD.
In 2000, Bigelow and his wife, Dana Fisher, with whom he had several children, divorced. In 2005, Fisher sued Bigelow for non-payment of child support.
Also in 2000, a story was floated that Bigelow had heroically saved children from a burning home. Bigelow had been returning home from an ECW show in Japan and discovered a house on fire near his home. Hearing children screaming inside, he burst into the house and rescued three kids, burning 40% of his body with second degree burns in the process. He spent two months recovering in a hospital.
Upon his retirement, Bigelow moved to Allenhurst, Pennsylvania and opened the eponymous Bam Bam Bigelow restaurant, located in nearby Hamlin Township along State Route 590, which later closed down. He then relocated to Florida, with even his close friend Shane Douglas unaware of his whereabouts.
In May 2004, Bigelow was charged with endangering the welfare of a child through reckless driving. He attributed the incident to a seizure he had suffered and the charges were dropped two months later. In August 2004, he was convicted of possession of cannabis.
On October 2, 2005, Bigelow was hospitalised with a broken nose and several lacerations after crashing his Harley-Davidson motorcycle in Spring Hill, Florida. His passenger at the time, Janis Remiesiewicz (Bigelow's girlfriend), suffered severe injuries and was declared to be in "critical" condition. Larry Coggins, a spokesman for the Florida Highway Patrol, stated that Bigelow would be the focus of a homicide investigation should Remiesiewicz expire, and stated that Bigelow would likely face charges based on "the factors...that led to this crash". Remiesiewicz eventually made a complete recovery, and was still in a relationship with Bigelow up until his death
On the morning of January 19, 2007, Bigelow was found dead in his home by Remiesiewicz at around 10 A.M. in Hudson, Florida.
Preliminary autopsy results did not show signs of foul play, but a cause of death will not be known until toxicology tests are completed in a few weeks, Pasco County sheriff's spokesman Doug Tobin said.
Bigelow had been struggling with a persistent infection and diabetes, his brother said.
