Big John Studd

[Big John Studd GALLERY]

[Big John Studd & King Kong Bundy]

Check out Big John Studd’s WWE Alumni profile here!

Title History

• WWA (Indianapolis) World Tag Team titles w/Ox Baker defeating Crusher and Dick the Bruiser (March 13, 1976);
• WWWF Tag Team titles w/Killer Kowalski defeating Louis Cerdan and Tony Parisi (May 11, 1976);
• NWA Texas Tag Team titles w/Bull Ramos (1977);
• NWA (World Class) American Heavyweight title defeating Bruiser Brody (July 25, 1977);
• NWA Hawaii Tag Team titles w/Buddy Rose defeating Bill and Russ Francis (May 17, 1978);
• NWA (Hawaii) North American Heavyweight title Awarded (June 1978);
• NWA Mid Atlantic Tag Team titles w/Ric Flair (June 30, 1978);
• NWA Mid Atlantic Tag Team titles w/Ric Flair defeating Paul Jones and Ricky Steamboat (October 30, 1978);
• NWA Mid Atlantic Tag Team titles w/Ken Patera defeating Paul Jones and Ricky Steamboat (January 1979);
• NWA (Tennessee) Southern Heavyweight title defeating Blackjack Mulligan Jr. (July 24, 1981);
• NWA (Toronto) Canadian Heavyweight title defeating Angelo Mosca (September 20, 1981);
• NWA (Florida) Global Tag Team titles w/Jim Garvin won a tournament (1982);
• NWA (Georgia) National Tag Team titles w/Super Destroyer Awarded (March 1982);
• EWU (South Africa) World Super Heavyweight title defeating Jan Wilkens (Febuary 13, 1984);
• WWF (World Wrestling Federation) Royal Rumble Winner (1989);

Career Highlights

In The Beginning:

• Big John Studd was trained by Killer Kowalski.
• 1976: John Studd and Killer Kowalski (as the masked Executioners) won the WWWF Tag Team titles.

Mid-Atlantic, AWA, Grand Prix and Others:

• John Studd was known as “Chuck O’Connor” and “Captain USA” and “The Masked Superstar II” at certain points in the Mid-Atlantic.
• July 1977: John Studd defeated Bruiser Brody for the American Heavyweight title, but was defeated two months later by Ox Baker.
• 1978: John Studd moved on to the Mid-Atlantic, where he teamed with Ken Patera to win the Mid-Atlantic Tag Team titles.
• John Studd also made occasional trips to Canada to wrestle in Emile Dupre’s Atlantic Grand Prix Wrestling.
• May 25, 1980: Masked Superstar #2 (John Studd) was unmasked after a match with Blackjack Mulligan in Toronto.
• John Studd once teamed with Jerry Blackwell in the American Wrestling Association.
• ~~~While working in the AWA, Studd feuded with Canadian legends Dino Bravo and Mad Dog Vachon.
• John Studd received several title shots at AWA champ Verne Gagne, but was unable to win the coveted strap.
• September 1981: John Studd defeated Angelo Mosca for the Canadian Heavyweight title.
• John Studd engaged in a bitter feud with Blackjack Mulligan in the Mid-Atlantic territory.
• Early 1982: John Studd gained several title shots at NWA champion Ric Flair but was never successful.
• John Studd feuded with the Fabulous Freebirds and Leroy Brownin the Georgia area.

Florida:

• John Studd was brought into Florida by J.J. Dillon and feuded with Dusty Rhodes, Barry Windham and Sweet Brown Sugar.
• John Studd’s gimmick was bringing a stretcher the ring and he’d beat his opponents so bad they’d be taken out on the stretcher.
• Late 1982: John Studd teamed with Jimmy Garvin to win a Florida tournament crowning the first Global tag team champions.
• ~~~After roughly two weeks, Studd and Garvin lost the belts to the team of Ron Bass and Barry Windham.
• John Studd left the Florida territory shortly afterwards.

World Wrestling Federation – w/Fred Blassie:

• Big John Studd signed with the World Wrestling Federation and took on Fred Blassie as his manager.
• ~~~Blassie guided John Studd to WWF title shots at then-champion Bob Backlund, but Studd was unable to win the title.
• ~~~Blassie went on a mission to prove that John Studd was the ‘biggest’ man in wrestling.
• ~~~Blassie began holding weekly bodyslam challenges on WWF television to see if anyone could slam the big man.
• ~~~To the winner would go $10,000 in cash — No wrestler was able to accomplish the feat until.
• ~~~Studd’s next challenger was to be “Chief” Jay Strongbow, but Andre the Giant was a last minute replacement!
• ~~~Studd and Blassie were furious when Andre walked down the isle for the challenge.
• ~~~Andre was set to scoop Studd up, Blassie grabbed onto Studd’s waist to prevent the Giant from slamming him.
• ~~~Andre tried to hoist Studd up twice, and noticed Blassie’s interference the second time.
• ~~~Andre charged at Blassie, took the money, and threw it out to the crowd.
• ~~~Studd snuck up and grabbed it back before taking off for the locker room with Blassie.
• ~~~This incident led to the start of a very bitter feud between Big John Studd and Andre The Giant.
• ~~~Summer 1983: The wrestlers had a series of cage matches that saw the Giant not only win, but repeatedly bodyslam Studd.

World Wrestling Federation – w/Bobby Heenan:

• Mid-1984: Bobby Heenan made his way into the WWF and convinced John Studd to join the Heenan Family.
• September 22, 1984 – MSG: Big John Studd defeated Hulk Hogan (WWF Champion) by count-out.
• Big John Studd eventually rekindled his bitter feud with the Andre The Giant.
• November 13, 1984: Big John Studd and Ken Patera defeated Andre The Giant and Special Delivery Jones in a tag team match.
• ~~~After the match, Studd and Patera shocked the wrestling world by cutting off pieces of Andre’s trademark hair!
• ~~~The Giant first disposed of Ken Patera, easily beating him in a Madison Square Garden match.
• March 10, 1985 – House Show: Andre the Giant defeated Big John Studd by disqualification when King Kong Bundy interfered.
• March 31, 1985: WrestleMania I: Andre The Giant defeated Big John Studd in a special $15,000 Body Slam challenge.
• August 18, 1985 – Toronto: Andre the Giant defeated Big John Studd by disqualification when King Kong Bundy interfered.
• ~~~Andre was beaten down by Bundy and Studd, sustaining a splash from Bundy that “broke” Andre’s sternum.
• John Studd formed a tag team with King Kong Bundy, wrestling teams such as the British Bulldogs and the Machines.
• September 29, 1985 – House Show: Andre the Giant and Hulk Hogan defeated Big John Studd and King Kong Bundy.
• October 3, 1985 – Saturday Night Main Event: Andre the Giant and Tony Atlas w/Lou Albano defeated King Kong Bundy and Big John Studd w/Heenan by disqualification.
• October 21, 1985 – MSG: Andre the Giant and Hillbilly Jim vs Big John Studd and King Kong Bundy ended in a double disqualification.
• October 31, 1985 – Saturday Night Main Event: Hulk Hogan and Andre the Giant w/Lou Albano defeated King Kong Bundy and Big John Studd by disqualification.
• November 9, 1985 – House Show: Andre the Giant and Hillbilly Jim and Lou Albano beat King Kong Bundy and Big John Studd and Bobby Heenan.
• November 14, 1985 – House Show: Andre The Giant and Tito Santana defeated King Kong Bundy and Big John Studd.
• November 24, 1985 – House Show: Andre the Giant and Hillbilly Jim defeated King Kong Bundy and Big John Studd in a Texas Tornado match.
• December 7, 1985: Andre the Giant and Junk Yard Dog beat King Kong Bundy and Big John Studd and Bobby Heenan in a handicap match.
• Early 1986: Junk Yard Dog and Hillbilly Jim defeated King Kong Bundy and Big John Studd by count-out.
• WrestleMania II: Andre The Giant won a huge battle royal which featured Big John Studd and several NFL football players.
• ~~~Studd was emberassed by football great William “The Refrigerator” Perry.
• ~~~Perry was eliminated by Studd, but tricked “Big John” into reaching down to shake hands, and pulled Studd out too!
• April 1986: The British Bulldogs defeated King Kong Bundy and Big John Studd by disqualification to retain.
• June 24, 1986 – Championship Wrestling: Hulk Hogan and Paul Orndorff defeated King Kong Bundy and Big John Studd w/Bobby Heenan by disqualification.
• ~~~After the match, Paul Orndorff turned on Hulk Hogan and joined the Heenan Family.
• July 12, 1986 – MSG Network: King Kong Bundy and Big John Studd defeated Sivi Afi and King Tonga.
• August 1, 1986 – House Show: King Kong Bundy and Big John Studd defeated B. Brian Blair and Jim Brunzell (Killer Bees).
• August 17, 1986 – House Show: The Machines defeated King Kong Bundy and Big John Studd.
• August 20, 1986 – House Show: King Kong Bundy and Big John Studd defeated Giant and Super Machine by disqualification.
• August 25, 1986 – MSG Network: King Kong Bundy and Big John Studd defeated Big and Super Machine by disqualification.
• August 28, 1986 – The Big Event: KKB and BJS and Bobby Heenan defeated Big and Super Machine and Lou Albano by disqualification.
• September 6, 1986 – Superstars: The Heenan Family (Big John Studd & King Kong Bundy) defeated Corporal Kirchner & SD Jones.
• September 22, 1986 – MSG Network: Super and Big Machine and Hulk Machine beat KKB and BJS and Bobby Heenan.
• October 4, 1986 – NESN: Super and Big Machine and Piper Machine beat KKB and BJS and Bobby Heenan.
• October 11, 1986 – Superstars: The Heenan Family (Big John Studd & King Kong Bundy) defeated Dick Slater & Ricky Hunter.
• October 23, 1986 – House Show: Hulk Hogan and The Crusher defeated King Kong Bundy and Big John Studd.
• November 15, 1986 – Superstars: The Heenan Family (Big John Studd & King Kong Bundy) defeated The Machines (Big Machine & Super Machine).
• By the end of 1986, Studd was gone from the WWF.

World Wrestling Federation II:

• Late 1988: John Studd returned to the WWF, turning on former manager, Bobby Heenan and becoming a good guy.
• ~~~Studd, of course, rekindle his feud with Andre The Giant (who was with Heenan now).
• January 15, 1989 – Royal Rumble: Big John Studd won the Royal Rumble match, eliminating Ted DiBiase last.
• February 11, 1989 – Superstars: Big John Studd defeated Jim Atkinson & The Black Knight in a handicap match.
• WrestleMania V: Jake Roberts defeated Andre The Giant with Big John Studd acting as special guest referee.
• March 5, 1989 – Wrestling Challenge: Big John Studd defeated George Skaaland.
• April 22, 1989 – Superstars: Big John Studd defeated Mitch Casey.
• May 6, 1989 – Superstars: Big John Studd defeated Andre The Giant by disqualification in a dark match.
• May 7, 1989 – Wrestling Challenge: Big John Studd defeated King Haku by disqualification.
• May 27, 1989 – Wrestling Challenge: Big John Studd defeated Al Burke.
• WWF TV: Jim “King” Duggan was being triple-teamed by Bobby Heenan, Haku and Andre, when Studd ran in to make the save!
• ~~~Studd knocked the Giant out of the ring and to the floor.
• ~~~Andre tried to get back in, and was again knocked down with one shot from Studd.
• John Studd and Jim Duggan began teaming up in matches around the globe against Andre and Haku.
• Unfortunatly, a high-profile one-on-one match between “Big” John and Andre the Giant never took place.
• Summer 1989: Big John Studd was, once again, gone from the WWF, this time for good.

Semi-Retirement:

• John Studd went into semi-retirement, wrestling only a few indy dates.
• John Studd came out with his own line of workout and vitamin supplements.
• John Studd also trained several wrestlers including Ron Reis, who debuted in WCW as “Big” Ron Studd.
• Early 1990s: John Minton was diagnosed with Hodgkins Disease and fought the disease for several years.
• March 20, 1995: “Big” John Studd (John Minton) lost his battle, and died at the age of 47.
• March 13, 2004 – WWE: Big John Studd was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame during a ceremony in New York City!
• ~~~John Minton’s son (John Minton Jr.) was on hand to accept the honor in place of his father.
• March 14, 2004 – WrestleMania XX: Big John Studd was honored with all the other Hall of Fame inductees during the Pay Per View.
• March 20, 1995: Big John Studd passed away at the age of 47.