The Legacy & Tragic Death Of WWE Legend Bam Bam Bigelow, Explained (2024)

Wrestling history is full of wrestlers who were not just talented but intimidating. For example, who would have ever messed with the likes of Jake “The Snake” Roberts, Haku, or The Undertaker in real life? Another name on that list who could make you fear him just by his imposing presence was WWE legend Bam Bam Bigelow. He may have borrowed his name from a Flintstones character, but there was nothing cartoonish about Bigelow. He will forever be remembered for his massive physique and the tattoos, especially the flames that ran across his bald head. While he may have been scary, he was also a great wrestler, but he left us way too soon.

Bam Bam Bigelow’s Wrestling Legacy

Scott Bigelow began his wrestling career in 1985 at the age of 24. A year later he would adopt the moniker of Bam Bam, which he carried with him for the rest of his life. Another year later, in 1987, Bigelow’s career would start to take off with stops in New Japan, and most notably WWE, debuting with the latter at Survivor Series as part of Hulk Hogan’s team. In one short year he worked with the likes of One Man Gang, Ted DiBiase, and Andre the Giant.

He left the promotion for WCW in 1988, where he was quickly put in a feud with Ric Flair. His stay there was short, and after short runs with various promotions, Bigelow came back to WWE for a three-year stay starting in 1992. The biggest success of his career came in a loss. At WrestleMania 11, Bigelow took on Lawrence Taylor, the defensive icon from the New York Giants. Though it’s regarded by many as the weakest main event in WrestleMania history, it spoke to how highly Bigelow was thought of, that he was chosen to headline WWE’s biggest show. It was also a showcase not just of his offensive abilities as a wrestler, but his ability to sell and carry someone who wasn’t a wrestler.

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Bigelow would have a couple of stints in ECW, where he became the ECW Champion, before spending the last few notable years of his career in WCW. His first order of business saw him challenging Goldberg for the WCW Championship, before later becoming part of The Jersey Triad, a stable consisting of Bigelow, DDP, and Kanyon. When WCW folded in 2001, Bigelow would wrestle for several small promotions, but for most fans, his work in WCW was the last they ever saw of him.

Bam Bam Bigelow Had A Troubled Life Behind The Scenes

So much led to Bam Bam Bigelow’s death. He had lived a troubled life that only seemed to get worse through the years. Before his wrestling days, he was a Mexican bounty hunter, even getting shot and spending half a year in prison. Later in life he was involved in a car accident as well as a motorcycle accident. He had seizures, heart issues, diabetes, and chronic back pain.

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If that wasn’t enough, Bigelow was also severely burned over half of his body in 2000. Bam Bam may have made many mistakes in his life, but in this instance, his injuries were received when Bigelow rescued three kids from a fire, risking his own life. Bam Bam Bigelow was a hero and should always be remembered for that. The burns and injuries received led to Bigelow becoming addicted to painkillers, an all too common reality for many wrestlers of his era. And just as so many wrestlers died young due to their addictions, so did Scott “Bam Bam” Bigelow.

Bam Bam Bigelow Lost His Life To A Drug Overdose

On January 19, 2007, the world lost a troubled but heroic man in Bam Bam Bigelow. Early in the morning his girlfriend found him dead in his home in Hudson, Florida. An autopsy revealed results that were tragic but not surprising. Bigelow had high levels of anti-anxiety medications and cocaine in his system. It was also found that he had heart disease. The combination of a failing body, the pain he lived with, and the drugs he used to numb it all proved to be too much, ending his life.

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Bam Bam Bigelow will be remembered for many things. It’s that look, the tattoos across his head that many will remember first. We shouldn’t forget his accolades either. He’s one of the few men to main event WrestleMania. What he should be remembered most for is his selflessness when it mattered most. When he saw people in need, he risked his life and nearly lost it. It’s an absolute shame that WWE hasn’t recognized him by putting him into the Hall of Fame. Bam Bam Bigelow is one of the greatest big men in history and deserves to be recognized for all he gave to the business that took so much from him.

Bam Bam Bigelow's Tragic Death Was An Accident

When looking at the details surrounding Bam Bam Bigelow’s death, it is important to know that a lot was going on leading up to it. As noted, there were several injuries and addictions that dominated his later years. For instance, he suffered from seizures - which would lead to him nearly causing a serious car accident, he had quite a bad motorcycle crash, and he also suffered from arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease and diabetes, in addition to having surgery for back issues which led to his height decreasing by two inches.

The specific anti-anxiety meds found in Bigelow’s system were benzodiazepines, though it must be noted that the Medical Examiner did deem this death an accident rather than anything else, per PWInsider. Bigelow passed at the young age of 45, but he did manage to leave behind a strong legacy that should really be awarded down the line with a Hall of Fame induction. Although he didn’t win any gold in WWE, he was notably an ECW World and Television Champion, in addition to being a two-time WCW Tag Team Champion and a WCW Hardcore Champion.

Bam Bam Bigelow's Dark Side Of The Ring Episode

Bam Bam Bigelow was both a beloved individual and one that was shrouded in a lot of controversy too, with a lot of his fellow wrestlers having a mixed bag of opinions to say and share about him in stories that they’ve detailed in recent times since his death. For instance, the Dark Side of the Ring episode centered on Bam Bam Bigelow saw wrestlers share an array of bizarre tales about Bigelow’s life, including him saving people from a burning building and formerly being a bounty hunter, his attitude issues, addictions, and more.

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The episode of Dark Side of the Ring wasn’t all doom and gloom, as his former wife Dana spoke fondly of Bigelow, comically noting how she only saw him 10 times a year due to the intense schedule of life on the road. She noted how she loved seeing him on TV though, competing in front of millions. She even told a story of how he went back on the road less than 24 hours after the pair got married! This showed his commitment to the business he loved so dearly. Dana would go on to talk about how despite Bigelow’s many ups and downs, he was someone who cared deeply about his family and children, and much of that real side of him is how she managed to come to terms with his passing.

Not everyone was a fan of Bigelow unfortunately, as Ted DiBiase noted in an interview with Wrestling Inc. that Andre the Giant simply did not take to Bigelow, and even once tried to legitimately choke him out during a match. DiBiase did note during the interview that Andre’s treatment of Bigelow did help him to sort out some of his attitude problems a little, which is something that got him into some trouble over his years in the business.