Lawrence Julius Taylor (February 4, 1959) nicknamed "L.T." is an American former football linebacker, actor, who played his entire career with the New York Giants. He was inducted in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1999. Taylor's one and only professional match was a victory against Bam Bam Bigelow in the main event of Wrestlemania XI on April 2, 1995 in Hartford, Connecticut.
NFL career
Taylor was drafted out of North Carolina with the 2nd overall pick on the 1981 draft by the New York Giants. aylor won several defensive awards after his rookie season. Throughout the 1980s and early 1990s, Taylor was a disruptive force at outside linebacker, and is credited with changing the pass rushing schemes, offensive line play, and offensive formations used in the NFL. Taylor produced double-digit sacks each season from 1984 through 1990, including a career high of 20.5 in 1986. He also won a record three Defensive Player of the Year awards and was named the league's Most Valuable Player (MVP) for his performance during the 1986 season. He was named First-team All-Pro in each of his first nine seasons and was a key member of the Giants' defense, nicknamed "The Big Blue Wrecking Crew", that led New York to victories in Super Bowls XXI and XXV.
Pro Wrestling
World Wrestling Federation (1995)
After the end of his NFL career, he appeared at ringside at the Royal Rumble in Tampa, FL. Following a loss in the finals of a tournament to determine new WWF Tag Team Champions, Bam Bam Bigelow took exception to Taylor laughing at the fact that he was pinned by The 1-2-3- Kid and shoved Taylor. In the weeks that followed Bigelow would continue to mock Taylor and vice versa thus leading to a match. The match would take place as WrestleMania XI on April 2, 1995 in Hartford, Connecticut. Taylor was wrestling Bam Bam Bigelow who was accompanied by the members of DiBiase's Million Dollar Corporation and Taylor would recruite several NFL football players to accompany him to ringside to keep wrestlers from interfering in the match. Those players in Taylor's corner included Steve McMichael, Chris Speilman, Carl Banks, Ken Norton Jr., Rickey Jackson, and Reggie White. At a previous RAW, McMichael did guest commentary and would later brawl with Kama Mustafa, one of Bigelow's comrades. The fight was all over the arena floor and almost into the stands, soon being broken up by personnel.
In the match itself Taylor gained the advantage early and performed a clothesline that knocked Bigelow out of the ring. Once he returned to the ring, Bigelow took control of the match by kicking Taylor repeatedly and performing a Boston crab submission hold to hurt Taylor's back. Taylor got out of the hold and threw Bigelow with a suplex. Bigelow recovered and performed several headbutts on Taylor before executing a moonsault flip to knock Taylor down to the mat. Taylor began to take control of the match again, but Bigelow kicked him in the back of the head and then performed a headbutt from the top rope. Bigelow was unable to pin Taylor, however. Taylor climbed to the second rope, jumped off, and used his forearm to hit Bigelow. He then covered Bigelow to win the match.
Filmography
- In Hell (2003)
- Mercy Streets (2000)
- Shaft (2000)
- Any Given Sunday (1999)
- The Waterboy (1998)
