A Look Into Booking of Lawrence Taylor vs. Bam Bam Bigelow at WrestleMania XI
On the latest Something to Wrestle With, Bruce Prichard recalled NFL great Lawrence Taylor’s 1995 feud with Bam Bam Bigelow leading into WrestleMania XI. The feud between the two kicked off at the ’95 Royal Rumble when The 1–2–3 Kid and Bob Holly defeated Bigelow and Tatanka in the finals of a tournament to win the vacant WWF Tag Team Championship. After the match, in which Bigelow was pinned by Kid, the crowd heckled the big man and Taylor was laughing at Bigelow. Bam Bam responded by shoving Taylor, beginning the feud that would culminate in the main event of that ‘Mania.
Highlights from the discussion, and the full podcast, are below:
On the tag match being there to set up Bigelow vs. Taylor: “The whole match, everything about it was to get to Bam Bam and LT. The — going back and watching this match, God I marveled at just the agility and athleticism of Bam Bam Bigelow. You forget, he was a big bastard. And he could move like a lightweight, sold everything. It was just a really, really good match. Maybe a little bit too long. Eh, could have gone a few minutes shorter. But it was a means to an end. And at the end, the stuff with LT I thought was played to perfection. Especially on LT’s part, laughing at Bigelow and then being real, like, ‘Hey man, come on. You know, we’re professionals and put ‘er here, dude. I’m just f**king with you. Appreciate your s**t.’ And the shove, Bam Bam shoved the living s**t out of him. And he went through Deano and everybody all the way back to the third row. It was great s**t.”
On working with Taylor: “And LT … LT had just retired and he was still a big name in football and everybody knew who the f**k LT was. And it was gonna be a big deal in that New York market when we replayed that everywhere. But we’d gotten down — we stayed at Saddlebrook [Resort] in the Tampa area. And I remember that was so we could be close to LT, we could spend some time with him. Because all LT wanted to do, he didn’t give a s**t how many hours he had to work out. He didn’t give a s**t what you wanted him to do. He just wanted to be able to play 18 holes of golf every day. So we got him to Saddlebrook, we stayed at the resort, and he got his 18 holes of golf in. And then he was happy. And he would do whatever you wanted him to do. Just had to get that golf in first.”
On why Bigelow was chosen to face Taylor: “[Bigelow was] somebody that was big and impressive that you could put in the press and be able to hold his own with the New York press, and a formidable opponent. Someone who could look big and nasty, look the part. That you feel in a fight with LT would probably kick LT’s ass. LT had a reputation for being a badass. And so did Bigelow. It was, he looked the part. A different look with the bald head and the flames and everything. So the New York media’s gonna eat that s**t up. And it just worked, and also felt that Bam Bam was a good enough worker that he could carry LT to a good match. And those guys — again, I think of the talent and the outsiders that have come into our world and been able to adapt. LT was one that, first time you see somebody in the ring, if they’re comfortable. And LT rolled into the ring and laid on the mat, and got up and just kind of played. And it was like, ‘Holy s**t. He’s home.’ He felt at home in the ring the very first time he ever got in. And that’s when you know, ‘Okay, he’s gonna be okay.’”
