>>11474586He debuted and beat the equivalent of Hogan(Shit basically the 1A to Hogan's 1B) in his first match and it caused a riot so bad that NJPW was banned from the Sumo Hall. He had a fucking amazing entrance and look as well with that badass skull helmet.
I would say his peak is 87-94. His WCW run as the big heel in 93 is worth it because it basically builds to a great Flair Retirement match. It's a joke to think Flair would retire, but the build up is so good you actually think it can happen. Fucking Meltzer got worked by it because the angles were so well-done and Vader beat the shit out of so many people.
94-95 is when shit starts falling off. The Hogan feud is kind of a mess and really, Hogan should not have had the belt during it. I get that he didn't want to drop it and buyrates were good, but Vader chasing was a better idea. People meme the powerbomb no sell, but that's really the only part that Vader looked bad. They did try to protect him, it just didn't work because he was the one chasing.
I think by then, he falls off pretty hard and is racked with injuries and shit. WCW and WWE basically trade for Luger and Vader, and WCW actually win that one. Outside of the Michaels match, Vader is pretty shitty and it didn't help that Shawn didn't put him over so he kind of looked stupid as this big bad monster losing to him. Again, another time where he was better off winning the belt and having the face chase.
He doesn't really do that much after 96. He's kind of a guy, but not really. Sid comes back and takes that top spot from him... and it just works because Sid is always over.
In 99, he finally goes back to Japan and turns back the clock and for the next two years has some pretty good matches and feels like his old stuff. At that point, you should stop.
So, I would say,
watch his NJPW debut, watch his run with the IWGP belt, watch the 92-94 WCW stuff (he's basically the MC and the only person carrying them), and then his 99-2001 return to Japan.
