6.14.2011

#42: Big Show

Real Name: Paul Donald Wight, Jr.
Other Aliases: The Giant
Biggest Fan: John Rohner "He's a big monster. He's wild. He was in a tag team with the Undertaker. And he's a legend."

When you make your wrestling debut touted as the son of André the Giant, it would be an understatement to say that you have big shoes to fill. But, Paul Wight, who WCW called The Giant when he arrived in 1995, comes about as close as you can with his size 22s. The Giant battled Hulk Hogan right off the bat, in some kind of monster truck showdown initially, then in a wrestling match for the WCW World Heavyweight Championship. The Giant defeated Hogan and was awarded the title, becoming the youngest person to ever hold the title at only 23 years old.

The Giant would be a major player in WCW for the next four years, winning the World Heavyweight a second time from Ric Flair, feuding with the enormous Kevin Nash, joining the nWo and capturing tag team gold on three occasions. Unfortunately, like many of the younger wrestlers on the WCW roster, Paul Wight felt that the old guard of aging superstars were limiting his opportunities and causing him to be underutilized. In February of 1999, WCW's loss was the World Wrestling Federation's gain, and at their St. Valentine's Day Massacre pay-per-view, Paul Wight appeared to assist Mr. McMahon in his steel cage match against Steve Austin.

The Big Show's WWF career is still going strong after more than a decade. He has held both the ECW World Heavyweight Championship and the WWF Championship (on two occasions). He has been Hardcore Champion, United States Champion and WWF Tag Team Champion with four different partners. Big Show has competed in some memorable WrestleMania matches, as well. He took part in the exciting fatal four-way at WrestleMania 2000 for the WWF Championship, battled Akebono in a sumo match at WrestleMania 21, and took on Floyd Mayweather, Jr. in a No Disqualification Match at WrestleMania XXIV.

One of the biggest superstars of all time, the funny and personable Big Show has put together a solid career worthy of a place on our Top 100 list.

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