Recognizable by his close to 400-pound frame and the distinctive flame tattoo that spanned most of his bald head, Bigelow was hailed by Ryan Murphy (a writer for Bigelow's former employer WWE) as "the most natural, agile and physically remarkable big man of the past quarter century",[3] while former co-worker Bret Hart described him as "possibly the best working big man in the business.

[22] Following the loss, Bigelow departed the CWA for several months before returning to form a tag team with Lawler and feud with Austin Idol and Tommy Rich.

He unsuccessfully challenged for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship on several occasions, including a bout against incumbent champion Vader in September 1989 billed as the "Super Power Battle In Osaka".

[32] In June 1990, Bigelow also appeared with All Japan Pro Wrestling, competing in its Super Power Series against opponents such as "Dr. Death" Steve Williams, Terry Gordy, Toshiaki Kawada, and Kenta Kobashi.

Bigelow made his final appearances with NJPW in October 1992, participating in the Super Grade Tag League with Keiji Muto, before leaving Japan to return to the WWF.

[39] At WrestleMania IV in March 1988, Bigelow took part in the tournament for the vacant WWF World Heavyweight Championship, losing to One Man Gang in the first round.

[35] In June 1988, Bigelow lost to André the Giant in a Madison Square Garden bout airing on WWF on MSG Network in which Bret Hart stated that André "practically killed him" by working stiff due to tension between them;[4] immediately following the match, Bigelow returned to the locker room, collected his bag, and left the Garden.

[40] Bigelow left the WWF in July 1988 due to a combination of knee injuries (tears to both anterior cruciate ligaments)[41] and heat from other members of the roster resentful of the push he had received despite being a rookie.

[21] In November 1988, he unsuccessfully challenged Ric Flair, the leader of The Four Horsemen, for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship in a dark match in the Charlotte Coliseum.

[19][43][44] Bigelow was unwilling to sign an exclusive contract with WCW due to his touring commitments with New Japan Pro-Wrestling, and he left the company in January 1989.

[57] Bigelow defeated Typhoon on the May 10 episode of Monday Night Raw to qualify for the first-ever televised King of the Ring tournament; at the King of the Ring pay-per-view on June 13, Bigelow defeated Jim Duggan in the quarter-finals and received a bye in the semi-finals, but lost to Bret Hart in the tournament final in what was his third pay-per-view main event.

At Survivor Series on November 23, the "Million Dollar Team" (Bigelow, King Kong Bundy, Tatanka, and the Heavenly Bodies) defeated "Guts and Glory" (Adam Bomb, Lex Luger, Mabel, and The Smoking Gunns).

[35][74] In November 1994, Bigelow and fellow Million Dollar Corporation member Tatanka entered a tournament for the vacant WWF World Tag Team Championship.

[35] Bigelow made another appearance with Wrestle Association R in Japan in December 1994, winning a round robin challenge match at the WAR MEGA-POWER event.

[75][76][77] The World Wrestling Federation had approached former New York Giants All-Pro linebacker Lawrence Taylor about performing at WrestleMania XI in an attempt to generate interest.

Taylor initially declined the match, but after repeated insults from Bigelow, he accepted the challenge on February 27, 1995, at the WrestleMania XI press conference.

The buildup to the match included Taylor staging a public workout in a ring that had been erected in Times Square in New York City at which he was confronted by Bigelow, resulting in a brawl.

[42] In the main event of King of the Ring on June 25, 1995, Bigelow and Diesel teamed together to defeat Million Dollar Corporation members Sid and Tatanka.

[35] In late 1995, Bigelow negotiated an early release from his contract with WWF chairman Vince McMahon after becoming disillusioned by the creative influence of The Kliq.

[91] In June 1997, Bigelow appeared at the World Wrestling Peace Festival, an inter-promotional supercard staged at the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena by Antonio Inoki, where he faced Chris Jericho and Konnan in a three way dance.

[93] Bigelow debuted in the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania-based Extreme Championship Wrestling promotion in February 1996 at Big Apple Blizzard Blast, confronting Taz.

Over the course of his reign, Bigelow successfully retained the Championship in bouts with challengers including Al Snow, Chris Candido, Mikey Whipwreck, and Paul Diamond.

At Living Dangerously on March 1, 1998, Bigelow defeated Taz for the ECW World Television Championship in the Asbury Park Convention Hall in his adopted hometown.

[95][110][111] After defeating New Jack at Wrestlepalooza,[112] Axl Rotten at It Ain't Seinfeld, and Al Snow at A Matter of Respect, Bigelow unsuccessfully challenged Taz for the ECW FTW Heavyweight Championship in a falls count anywhere match at Heat Wave after both men fell through the entrance ramp.

[95] In November 1998, Bigelow abruptly left ECW after experiencing bounced checks,[115] signing what Brian Fitz and Christopher Murray described as a "lucrative"[108] two-year contract with World Championship Wrestling.

[124] On the May 31, 1999, episode of Monday Nitro, Bigelow and Diamond Dallas Page challenged Raven and Perry Saturn for the WCW World Tag Team Championship.

[126] Page and Bigelow lost the WCW World Tag Team Championship to Saturn and Chris Benoit on the June 10 episode of Thunder.

Later that month, he began feuding with The Wall after he developed a sadistic streak and attacked various younger wrestlers, including David Flair and Crowbar.

In November, he was paired with Mike Awesome in a "Lethal Lottery" tournament to determine the number one contender to the WCW World Heavyweight Championship.

[14][21] He later used a slingshot splash[150][151] and an over-the-shoulder reverse piledriver[144] that he named Greetings From Asbury Park in reference to his adopted hometown and the Bruce Springsteen album.