Throughout his years as the head of WWE's Talent Relations department, commentator Jim Ross dealt with a long list of larger-than-life personalities, so it shouldn't be surprising that Ross has plenty of memorable stories about the job. Speaking on his podcast, "Grilling JR," Ross recalled the company encouraging WWE Hall of Famer Vader to get in better shape, but the end result was not what they had in mind.
"I sent him to the Duke weight-loss clinic," Ross said. "He ended up gaining weight while he was there, sneaking out and getting chicken."
At the time, the company was receiving regular updates on Vader's weight and they became well aware that the numbers were increasing, but Ross didn't reveal how they found out about the wrestler's fried chicken excursions. As a result of the failed attempt to improve his in-ring conditioning, Vader was moved down the card.
"Nobody was a bigger fan of Vader than me," Ross continued. "I believe that he was one of the great attractions of all time. An athletic big man will draw money more often than not, but he showed no commitment to losing weight and getting himself in shape."
Ross noted that Vader was an impressive athlete, going from a professional football career to learning under some of the industry's greats. However, he let himself go over time, and Ross expressed his regret over the fact that WWE officials didn't get to work with Vader as much as they could have.
Vader lost his mask in a 1998 feud against Kane, and his run with WWE ended shortly thereafter. He continued wrestling outside WWE on a part-time basis until 2017. After being diagnosed with congestive heart failure, Vader wrestler died the following year at the age of 63.
If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit "Grilling JR" with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.
