Big Show is signed to All Elite Wrestling as an in-ring performer, and as a commentator for its web television show, AEW Dark: Elevation, under his real name of Paul Wight.
126 Facts About Big Show
2.
Big Show is best known for his tenure with World Championship Wrestling from 1995 to 1999 as The Giant and his tenure with the World Wrestling Federation from 1999 to 2021 under the ring name Big Show.
3.
Big Show won the 60-man battle royal at World War 3 and the 30-man Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal at WrestleMania 31.
4.
Big Show had lead roles in the WWE Studios comedy film Knucklehead and the Netflix sitcom The Big Show Show.
5.
Big Show was born with acromegaly, a disease of the endocrine system that causes accelerated growth.
6.
Big Show underwent successful surgery in the early 1990s on his pituitary gland, which halted the growth.
7.
Big Show played basketball and American football in high school at Wyman King Academy in Batesburg-Leesville, South Carolina.
8.
Big Show was a standout center for the basketball team and a tight end for the football team.
9.
Big Show quit football after his freshman year because of disputes with the coach.
10.
Big Show continued to support the team by joining the cheerleading squad as a sophomore, partly from spite.
11.
Big Show attended Southern Illinois University Edwardsville from 1992 to 1993, was a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II Cougars basketball team, and is a member of the Xi Beta chapter of Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity at Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville.
12.
Big Show later met Bischoff there and came to a deal.
13.
Big Show paid Larry Sharpe's Monster Factory $5,000, but due to Sharpe's gout at the time, he was only very minimally trained.
14.
Big Show debuted in May 1995 at Slamboree, where he was billed as the son of Andre the Giant and accordingly used the ring name "The Giant" as a member of Kevin Sullivan's Dungeon of Doom stable.
15.
Big Show won the match after Hogan's manager, Jimmy Hart, purposely got Hogan disqualified and then turned on him.
16.
Big Show was one of the final six combatants, being eliminated simultaneously with Sting and Lex Luger by Hogan.
17.
Big Show fought against the nWo along with Sting and Luger, winning the WCW World Tag Team Championship twice.
18.
Big Show debuted on February 9,1999 under the name "Paul Wight" at St Valentine's Day Massacre: In Your House, establishing himself as a member of Vince McMahon's villainous stable, the Corporation.
19.
However, Big Show incapacitated Mankind and was disqualified in the process, losing the match.
20.
Big Show later turned heel by teaming with Undertaker, wrestling against X-Pac and Kane at SummerSlam, and they won the WWF Tag Team Championship twice.
21.
Big Show then took on Big Boss Man, Prince Albert, Mideon and Viscera at Survivor Series in a 4-on-1 elimination match.
22.
Big Show's feud was poorly received, winning the Wrestling Observer Newsletter's "Worst Feud Award" and he won the match after Big Boss Man was counted out.
23.
Later that night, Big Show participated in a Triple Threat match against The Rock and the WWF Champion, Triple H, winning the title.
24.
At No Way Out, Big Show defeated The Rock when Shane McMahon interfered, knocking out The Rock with a chair shot.
25.
Big Show was the first man eliminated from the match at WrestleMania after the other three competitors worked together against him.
26.
Big Show returned two months later, apparently intending to gain revenge on Shane.
27.
Big Show was sent to Ohio Valley Wrestling, a WWF developmental territory, to lose weight and improve his cardiovascular fitness.
28.
Big Show returned at the Royal Rumble, but was eliminated by The Rock.
29.
Big Show then began competing for the WWF Hardcore Championship and at No Way Out, Big Show defeated Raven to win the championship.
30.
Big Show lost to Kane in a Triple Threat match for the Hardcore Championship that included Raven at WrestleMania X-Seven.
31.
Big Show faced Shane McMahon, the on-screen owner of WCW, in a Last Man Standing match at Backlash and was defeated following interference from Test.
32.
Big Show was part of the victorious Team WWF at Survivor Series, though he was the first man eliminated.
33.
Shortly after WrestleMania X8, Big Show was drafted to the Raw brand.
34.
Big Show won the WWE Championship by defeating Lesnar at Survivor Series, ending Lesnar's undefeated streak with help from Paul Heyman.
35.
Big Show lost the title to Kurt Angle a month later at Armageddon.
36.
At the Royal Rumble, Big Show lost a Royal Rumble qualifying match to Brock Lesnar.
37.
Big Show renewed his feud with Lesnar, wrestling him four times for the WWE Championship, but was unsuccessful in his attempt to regain the title.
38.
At No Mercy, Big Show defeated Eddie Guerrero for the WWE United States Championship.
39.
Big Show was eliminated by Chris Benoit at the Royal Rumble.
40.
Big Show abandoned a departing Lesnar immediately before WrestleMania XX.
41.
At WrestleMania XX, Big Show lost the United States Championship to John Cena.
42.
Big Show lost to Guerrero after Guerrero performed a Frog Splash, and, believing that Torrie Wilson had laughed at him for losing, upended her car and threatened to throw her off a ledge.
43.
Big Show had a choice to face either Guerrero or Angle at No Mercy, choosing to fight Angle, turning face in the process.
44.
Big Show chokeslammed JBL through the ring and broke the lock on the door but JBL crawled from under the canvas and won.
45.
Big Show attacked JBL but The Cabinet attacked Big Show until Batista attacked The Cabinet and John Cena attacked JBL as he crawled away.
46.
At WrestleMania 21, Big Show faced Sumo Grand Champion Akebono in a worked sumo match; the match was added to the show to attract a strong pay-per-view audience in Japan, where Akebono is considered a sporting legend.
47.
Big Show subsequently feuded with Carlito and his bodyguard, Matt Morgan, losing a match to Carlito at Judgment Day after Morgan interfered.
48.
Big Show successfully pinned Gene Snitsky in a tag team match, which turned into a singles match when both men's partners brawled backstage.
49.
At Taboo Tuesday, Big Show teamed with Kane to defeat Lance Cade and Trevor Murdoch for the World Tag Team Championship.
50.
Big Show lost to his opponent, Shawn Michaels, by disqualification after Triple H hit Michaels with a chair, intentionally costing Big Show the match and the title shot.
51.
At New Year's Revolution, Triple H defeated Big Show after striking him in the head with his sledgehammer and a Pedigree.
52.
Subsequently, Big Show was one of eight participants in the 2006 Road to WrestleMania Tournament, the winner of which would receive a shot at the WWE Championship at WrestleMania 22.
53.
The ensuing feud between Kane and Big Show culminated in a match at Backlash that ended in a ruling of no-contest.
54.
Big Show won the match for ECW by eliminating Randy Orton.
55.
Big Show then appeared at ECW One Night Stand, attacking Tajiri, Super Crazy and The Full Blooded Italians after their tag team match.
56.
The fans almost rioted when Big Show won the title, throwing drinks and empty cups into the ring as Heyman and Big Show celebrated, turning heel in the process.
57.
Big Show is the first non-ECW Original to hold the title.
58.
Big Show had a brief feud with Sabu, whom he defeated at SummerSlam to retain the ECW World Championship.
59.
Big Show became further involved in the McMahons' feud with D-X when he teamed with Vince and Shane against Triple H and Shawn Michaels in a 3-on-2 handicap Hell in a Cell match at Unforgiven, which was won by DX.
60.
At Cyber Sunday, Big Show faced John Cena and King Booker in a Champion of Champions match.
61.
However, Big Show failed to win the match, which was won by King Booker after pinning Cena following interference from Kevin Federline, who was just beginning a feud with Cena himself at the time.
62.
At Survivor Series, Big Show competed in the traditional 10-man Survivor Series tag team match which he lost after being pinned by Cena, the final survivor of the match along with Bobby Lashley.
63.
Big Show stated that "Big Show" was his slave name and that he did not want to be owned anymore.
64.
On February 17,2008, at No Way Out, Big Show made his return to WWE television, attempted to attack Rey Mysterio after his World Heavyweight Championship match with Edge but got into a physical confrontation with boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr.
65.
At One Night Stand, Big Show defeated CM Punk, John Morrison, Chavo Guerrero, and Tommy Dreamer in a Singapore Cane match.
66.
Big Show turned heel by siding with Vickie Guerrero in her ongoing feud with The Undertaker by attacking him at Unforgiven and later interfering in many of Undertaker's matches on SmackDown.
67.
However, Big Show lost to Undertaker in a fan-voted Last Man Standing match at Cyber Sunday and a Casket Match at Survivor Series.
68.
At WrestleMania 25, Big Show was involved in a Triple Threat match for the World Heavyweight Championship featuring champion Edge and eventual winner Cena.
69.
At Backlash, Big Show interfered in a Last Man Standing match for the World Heavyweight Championship between Cena and Edge when he threw Cena into a spotlight, thus resulting in Edge winning the title and Cena being seriously injured.
70.
Big Show then feuded with Kingston over the United States Championship and earned himself a spot in the six-pack challenge at Night of Champions.
71.
At Night of Champions, Big Show was introduced as Chris Jericho's new tag team partner due to Edge needing time off to tend to an injury, thus taking Big Show out of the six-pack challenge for the United States Championship.
72.
Together, Jeri-Big Show were able to successfully defend the Unified WWE Tag Team Championship against The Legacy.
73.
Jeri-Big Show successfully defended the titles against Cryme Tyme at SummerSlam, MVP and Mark Henry at Breaking Point and Rey Mysterio and Batista at Hell in a Cell.
74.
At Bragging Rights, Big Show represented Team Raw, but he betrayed and attacked his teammates, which led to Team SmackDown winning, so that he could receive an opportunity at the World Heavyweight Championship.
75.
Big Show received his title shot at Survivor Series in a triple threat match against The Undertaker and Jericho, but the Undertaker successfully retained his title.
76.
Jeri-Big Show lost the Unified WWE Tag Team Championship at TLC: Tables, Ladders and Chairs to D-Generation X in a Tables, Ladders and Chairs match.
77.
Later on in the night as part of the 2010 WWE draft, Big Show was drafted back to the SmackDown brand.
78.
Big Show crashed Swagger's achievement celebration and cost him his match with Kofi Kingston in the next week.
79.
Big Show defeated Swagger via disqualification at Over the Limit, but did not win the title.
80.
At Fatal 4-Way, Big Show faced Rey Mysterio, CM Punk and Swagger for the World Heavyweight Championship, but Mysterio won the title.
81.
Two weeks later on SmackDown, Big Show saved Rey Mysterio, whose ankle was injured by the same move, from Swagger.
82.
Later that night, Big Show fought Swagger to a double count-out.
83.
At Bragging Rights, Big Show was counted out with Sheamus during the match but his team ultimately won with Edge and Rey Mysterio left on the team.
84.
Big Show was on Rey Mysterio's team for Survivor Series where he was a survivor along with Mysterio.
85.
The next week, Big Show faced Barrett and won via disqualification when former Nexus members Heath Slater and Justin Gabriel attacked him.
86.
At Elimination Chamber, Big Show participated in the Elimination Chamber match for the World Heavyweight Championship, eliminating Wade Barrett before being eliminated by Kane.
87.
Big Show feuded with The Corre in the following weeks.
88.
Big Show was drafted back to the Raw brand as a part of the 2011 WWE draft.
89.
Big Show returned during a match between Kane and Del Rio, attacking both Del Rio and Rodriguez.
90.
Big Show then attacked Big Show with the cage door, breaking the cage viciously.
91.
At Vengeance, Big Show fought Henry to a no-contest after the ring collapsed following a superplex from Henry, similar to his match with Brock Lesnar in 2003.
92.
Big Show ended up being taken out on a motorized cart with a flatbed.
93.
Big Show challenged Bryan for the World Heavyweight Championship on the January 6,2012, episode of SmackDown, but Bryan retained his title by disqualification when he goaded Mark Henry into attacking him.
94.
The next week on SmackDown, Big Show received a rematch for the title contested under no disqualification, no count-out rules.
95.
Bryan again retained his title as the rematch ended in a no-contest after Big Show accidentally crashed into AJ at ringside, injuring her.
96.
At the 2012 Royal Rumble, Big Show faced Bryan and Henry in a triple threat steel cage match for the World Heavyweight Championship, but Bryan escaped the steel cage to retain his title.
97.
At the Elimination Chamber event, Big Show failed again to capture the World Heavyweight Championship in an Elimination Chamber match after he was eliminated second by Cody Rhodes.
98.
At WrestleMania XXVIII, Big Show defeated Rhodes to win the Intercontinental Championship.
99.
Big Show then began highlighting embarrassing moments in Rhodes' career.
100.
Six days later, Big Show returned at Over the Limit, seemingly to help John Cena in his match against John Laurinaitis; instead, he knocked Cena out with a WMD and allowed Laurinaitis to win the match by pinfall, turning heel in the process.
101.
Big Show went on to lose that match at No Way Out and as per stipulation, Laurinaitis was fired.
102.
At Money in the Bank, Big Show faced Cena, Kane, Chris Jericho, and The Miz in the WWE Championship Money in the Bank ladder match, but was unsuccessful as the match was won by Cena.
103.
Big Show continued the attack on Cena until The Rock made the save.
104.
At SummerSlam Big Show was unsuccessful as Punk retained the title.
105.
Four days later on SmackDown, Big Show defeated Randy Orton to become the number one contender to the World Heavyweight Championship.
106.
Four days later on SmackDown, Big Show again assisted Sheamus and Orton in warding off The Shield, though he hit Sheamus with a KO Punch and was hit with an RKO by Orton in return.
107.
Later that night, Big Show saved the two from an attack by The Shield and was immediately recruited as their partner.
108.
Big Show then faced Orton for the WWE Championship at Survivor Series but failed to win.
109.
At TLC: Tables, Ladders and Chairs, Big Show teamed with Rey Mysterio to unsuccessfully challenge Cody Rhodes and Goldust for the WWE Tag Team Championship in a four-way match, involving RybAxel, and The Real Americans.
110.
Big Show subsequently started a feud with Brock Lesnar, which was settled at the Royal Rumble, where he was defeated.
111.
Big Show turned heel when joined the Authority at Survivor Series when he turned on John Cena and caused him to be eliminated from the Survivor Series elimination match against the Authority.
112.
Later in the event, Big Show attacked Cena during his match with Seth Rollins but was then confronted by Roman Reigns, leading to Cena winning the match.
113.
Big Show went on to win the 2nd Annual Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal at WrestleMania 31.
114.
However, Big Show lost to Reigns in a Last Man Standing match at Extreme Rules.
115.
Big Show challenged Ryback for his title at Money in the Bank, winning the match by disqualification after The Miz attacked Big Show.
116.
Big Show was defeated by Brock Lesnar in the main event of Live from Madison Square Garden.
117.
Big Show was drafted to Raw as part of the 2016 WWE draft.
118.
At the Royal Rumble on January 29,2017, Big Show entered the Royal Rumble match at number 9, but was eliminated by Braun Strowman.
119.
Big Show wrestled Strowman two weeks later on Raw, where the ring collapsed after Strowman superplexed him, resulting in the match going to a no contest, similar to his matches with Brock Lesnar in 2003 and Mark Henry in 2011, respectively.
120.
Big Show made his final WWE appearance on the January 4,2021, edition of Raw for Legends Night.
121.
On February 24,2021, All Elite Wrestling announced that Big Show, now known in AEW by his real name, Paul Wight, had signed with the company and would be providing commentary alongside Tony Schiavone for their new YouTube series AEW Dark: Elevation, which premiered on March 15.
122.
Big Show has been featured in infomercials for Stacker 2 with former NASCAR drivers Kenny Wallace and Scott Wimmer, NASCAR Xfinity Series driver Elliott Sadler, retired crew chief turned Fox Sports broadcaster Jeff Hammond, and 2002,2005, and 2011 Sprint Cup Champion Tony Stewart.
123.
Big Show is the only contestant to appear on two versions of the game show in two different countries.
124.
On March 31,2012, Big Show won the first-ever Slime Wrestling World Championship at the Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards, defeating The Miz after throwing him into a tub of slime.
125.
In 2018, The Big Show appeared in the Wizards of the Coast's Dungeons and Dragons stream "Stream of Many Eyes Day Three - Jocks Machina" alongside Joe Manganiello, Travis Willingham, cross fit athlete Ron Mathews, and Mike Mearls as Dungeon Master.
126.
Big Show was later named WWE Goodwill Ambassador for the 2015 Special Olympics World Games in Los Angeles.