This past weekend, WWE Survivor Series 2025 was held in San Diego, and fans were out in full force. Of course, when it comes to wrestling events, it’s also not uncommon to see a few famous faces in the crowd. Among the attendees was actually Danielle Fishel, the fan-favorite actress best known for her role as Topanga Lawrence in the beloved TGIF sitcom Boy Meets World. Fishel seemed hyped to be at the event, and she was also sporting a sweet shirt, which she’s since confirmed was an excellent nod to BMW.
It appears Danielle Fishel rolled up to Survivor Series wearing a T-shirt that bore the likeness of the late, great wrestler Big Van Vader (also known mononymously as Vader). Fans of Boy Meets World may remember that years ago, Vader – whose real name was Leon Allen White – appeared on a handful of episodes of the teen sitcom. Fishel took to Instagram to confirm her tribute to the WWE Hall of Famer following Survivor Series and, in the process, she also nodded at another famous wrestler BMW welcomed back in the day:
Nearly 30 years ago Vader joined my (boy meets) world and last night it was an honor to wear his shirt at Survivor Series. I became a wrestling fan in the 90's thanks to Vader, [Mick Foley] and a boyfriend who brought me to my first ever WrestleMania.
One of the goofiest BMW guest stars, Vader appeared in several episodes as Francis “Frankie” Stecchino Sr, who was essentially an exaggerated version of Vader himself. The father of Cory Matthews and Shawn Hunter’s imposing but empathetic friend Frankie Jr., Stecchino Sr. wanted his son to forsake poetry and become a wrestler. White wasn’t the only notable wrestler to remain on the show as Mick Foley appeared in his “Mankind” persona later in the show’s run. Check out Fishel’s celebratory post involving the pair below:
As noted in the post above, Danielle Fishel greatly appreciates professional wrestling, having gotten into it decades ago. It’s cool to read her thoughts about just how “lucky” she’s been to be present for some major in-ring moments over the years. As can be seen, Fishel also shouted out a host of wrestling personalities like Charlotte Flair and Liv Morgan, and she received some love from some notable talent and media personalities:
- 🥹❤️🫶🏻 - Charlotte Flair
- So happy you got to go!! And I agree there is nothing like watching your kids as they watch in awe at the wonder of WWE! - Trish Stratus
- It was great meeting you this past weekend. It's still a highlight for me! 'One of us! one of us!' 🙌🏽 - thewrestlingclassic
- 🥶🥶🥶🥶 - chancelemarie_
I love the former child star’s appreciation for wrestling and, as a sitcom fan, I also enjoy how she continues to honor the legacy of her ABC show. Fishel still has genuine affection for her uniquely named Topanga as well as Boy Meets World as a whole and even paid homage to Mr. Feeny during her recent stint on DWTS. She also currently co-hosts the Pod Meets World rewatch podcast with co-stars Rider Strong and Will Friedle. On that show, the trio share behind-the-scenes tidbits and weigh in on whether episodes are great or clunky.
Danielle Fishel’s love for the show is infectious as is her admiration for Big Van Vader. What’s unfortunate is that Vader – who died at the age of 63 due to pneumonia in 2018 – isn’t around to see how much love he still receives. Nevertheless, I’d like to think his legacy won’t be forgotten by Fishel, fans and professional wrestlers alike. And I surely won’t forget his humorous on-screen antics from BMW.
Those who want to check out Vader’s episodes of Boy Meets World can grab a Disney+ subscription and stream them.
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