Big Boss Man facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Big Boss Man |
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Traylor in 2002
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| Birth name | Ray Washington Traylor Jr. |
| Born | May 2, 1963 Marietta, Georgia, U.S. |
| Died | September 22, 2004 (aged 41) Dallas, Georgia, U.S. |
| Spouse(s) |
Angela Traylor
(m. 1989) |
| Children | 2 |
| Professional wrestling career | |
| Ring name(s) | Big Boss Man Boss Man Big Bubba Big Bubba Rogers The Boss The Guardian Angel Ray Traylor War Machine |
| Billed height | 6 ft 7 in (201 cm) |
| Billed weight | 330 lb (150 kg) |
| Billed from | Cobb County, Georgia |
| Trained by | Ted Allen |
| Debut | 1985 |
Ray Washington Traylor Jr. (born May 2, 1963 – died September 22, 2004) was an American professional wrestler. He was best known for his time in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) as Big Boss Man. He also wrestled in World Championship Wrestling (WCW) under names like the Boss and the Guardian Angel.
During his career in the WWF, Big Boss Man won the WWF World Tag Team Championship one time. He also held the WWF Hardcore Championship four times. In 2016, Traylor was honored by being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. His wife, Angela, and his daughters, Lacy and Megan, accepted the award for him.
Contents
- Professional Wrestling Career
- Personal Life
- Death and Legacy
- Other Media
- Championships and Accomplishments
- Images for kids
- See also
Professional Wrestling Career
Starting Out (1985–1987)
Before becoming a wrestler, Ray Traylor worked as a corrections officer in Georgia. He started wrestling in 1985 for a company called Jim Crockett Promotions. At first, he was a "jobber," which means he usually lost matches to make other wrestlers look strong.
Soon, the company saw his talent. They gave him a new character called "Big Bubba Rogers." As Big Bubba, he played a "heel" (a bad guy) and was a silent bodyguard for manager Jim Cornette. He had big matches against popular wrestlers like Dusty Rhodes.
Universal Wrestling Federation (1987)
In 1987, Traylor joined the UWF. He quickly won the UWF Heavyweight Championship. He held this title for almost three months. He defended it against several wrestlers before losing it to "Dr. Death" Steve Williams.
Later that year, he also wrestled as "The War Machine." He took part in a famous "WarGames" match.
World Wrestling Federation (1988–1993)
The Big Boss Man Arrives (1988–1990)
In 1988, Traylor joined the WWF and became "Big Boss Man." This character was inspired by his real-life job as a corrections officer. He was a "heel" (bad guy) and was managed by Slick. After winning a match, he would often handcuff his opponents to the ring ropes.
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Big Boss Man had a big rivalry with Hulk Hogan. He also teamed up with Akeem to form a tag team called The Twin Towers. They had major matches against popular teams like Hogan and Randy Savage, known as "The Mega Powers." At WrestleMania V, The Twin Towers defeated The Rockers (Shawn Michaels and Marty Jannetty).
Boss Man also had several "Steel Cage" matches against Hulk Hogan. In one memorable match, Hogan performed a "superplex" on Boss Man from the top of the cage.
World Championship Wrestling (1993–1998)
New Names and Roles (1993–1995)
Traylor returned to WCW in 1993. He first wrestled as "The Boss." Due to legal issues with the WWF over the name, he was renamed "The Guardian Angel." He wore an outfit similar to the real-life Guardian Angels group.
In 1995, he became a "heel" (bad guy) again. He changed his name back to "Big Bubba Rogers." He had a notable match against Sting at the Uncensored event.
Return to WWF/E (1998–2003)
Hardcore and Tag Team Champion (1998–1999)
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In 1998, Traylor came back to the WWF as "Big Boss Man." He had a new look, wearing an all-black SWAT-style uniform. He became a bodyguard for Vince McMahon and was one of the first members of McMahon's "heel" group, The Corporation.
While in The Corporation, Boss Man won the Tag Team Championship with Ken Shamrock. He also won the Hardcore Championship four times. He had a big rivalry with Al Snow, which included a famous "Kennel from Hell" match at Unforgiven. In this match, the ring was surrounded by a cage, and dogs were placed around the ring.
Boss Man also had a major feud with Big Show over the WWF Championship. During this rivalry, Boss Man did some very disrespectful things, like showing up at Big Show's father's funeral. At Armageddon, Big Show defeated him to keep the title.
Later Years and Departure (1999–2003)
After his feuds, Boss Man teamed up with other wrestlers like Prince Albert and Bull Buchanan. He continued to wrestle on WWF's secondary shows. In 2001, he suffered an injury from a motorcycle accident, which kept him out of action for a while.
When he returned, he briefly teamed with Booker T. He also competed in the Royal Rumble match in 2002. His last WWE match was in May 2002. He was later released from WWE in 2003.
Later Career (2004)
After leaving WWE, Traylor wrestled a few more matches in 2004. He competed in a tournament for the IWA World Heavyweight Championship in Japan, making it to the final.
Personal Life
Ray Traylor was married to Angela, his childhood sweetheart. They had two daughters named Lacy and Megan.
In 2002, he was in a motorcycle accident when he hit a deer. He spent a year recovering from his injuries. In 2004, he ran for Commission chairman in Paulding County, Georgia, but did not win. He also owned a storage company.
Death and Legacy
Ray Traylor passed away from a heart attack on September 22, 2004, at his home in Dallas, Georgia. He was 41 years old. His family found him on the sofa.
In 2016, Ray Traylor was honored for his wrestling career. He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. His wife and daughters accepted the award on his behalf.
Other Media
Big Boss Man has appeared in many wrestling video games. These include WWF Superstars, WWF Attitude, WWF SmackDown!, and WWF No Mercy. He has also appeared in newer games like WWE 2K16, WWE 2K18, and WWE 2K24.
Championships and Accomplishments
- Pro Wrestling Illustrated
- Ranked #23 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 1992
- Universal Wrestling Federation
- UWF Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- World Wrestling Federation/WWE
- WWF Hardcore Championship (4 times)
- WWF Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Ken Shamrock
- WWE Hall of Fame (Class of 2016)
- Wrestling Observer Newsletter
- Most Improved (1987)
- Best Gimmick (1996) – nWo
- Feud of the Year (1996) New World Order vs. World Championship Wrestling
- Worst Feud of the Year (1999) vs. The Big Show
- Worst Worked Match of the Year (1999) vs. Al Snow at Unforgiven
Images for kids
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Traylor at a charity event in 2002
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Traylor at an autograph session in 1999
See also
In Spanish: Ray Traylor para niños
