Big Show Reveals FRUSTRATIONS With WWE Debut

Paul Wight, aka The Big Show speaks to Kenny McIntosh about frustrations with his initial WWE run, working with Stone Cold Steve Austin, learning what it took to become a top talent and how he advises the AEW locker room now. Subscribe to the channel for more clips of our live shows and interviews, and don't forget to like and comment too!
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#paulwight #bigshow #wwe

[@InsideTheRopes]

What did you think of Big Show’s WWE debut and how he was used for the first few weeks? Let us know in the comments.

[@deadman7628]

Wasted potential. WWE didn't know what to do with him. I love the feud with The Rock over the Royal Rumble 2000 and Big Show's outfit at the time with the long hair and that Big Show shirt with his face on it. After that it was quiet. They should have traded Bad Rikishi for Big Show. That would have meant an awesome storyline with Stone Cold and the Armageddon Hell in a Cell match. In 2001 he could have led WCW as GIANT with Austin. At Wrestlemania 19 he should have gone 1 on 1 against Undertaker. 2002/2003 with Brock Lesnar was perfect. After that it was closing time. Awesome tag team with Kane and Jericho. When Lesnar returned in 2012, Big Show could have been pushed a lot harder. As a tag team and as a single. Big Show and Lesnar together vs. Team Hell No. He may have been champion in 2012, but who remembers any great stories? His Wrestlemania history is W4 - L11. If WWE is using him as a backup then he should have at least had a Summerslam or Survivor Series as a main eventer.

[@nathanguffey4204]

Well him and Steve, Jericho and show team. Show and Eddie. Show as ECW champion Show v boss man Show v Floyd mayweyher. Show Brock He did so much both good and bad.

[@deadman7628]

@@nathanguffey4204 Show and Eddie, thats true. That was good. The Boss Man stuff, forget that.

[@cathallynch8269]

Giant physical characters are cursed. They can be presented as invincible but get boring if nobody ever beats them, but then get boring because they can be beaten. Big Show however was used badly a lot whenever they needed someone threatening without the ego or politics.

[@Ivantheterrible81280]

Props to Paul, for owning his shit, learning, and being able to speak from perspective.

[@alexwhite8666]

Wonderful interview Paul. We all appreciate everything you’ve done for wrestling! I saw you live as the giant and I remember watching your WWF debut on PPV.

[@NephilimHunter1959]

Being the size of the big show must be difficult because if you sell to much you lose alot of the impact that comes with being a giant, you don't sell you lose out that way, I remember watching the Big show and i just remember specially during his baby face runs he had an infectious smile that it put a smile on my face hearing his music.

[@jokertdk]

All of the multiple face/heel turns during his time in WWF/E, of course, didn’t help, but to me it was glaring that Paul lost much of his swagger and cockiness as The Giant in WCW, as opposed to his run with McMahon. Where he came across as if he was under a microscope and under pressure, rather than being relaxed and loose. His comments in this video are further indicative of this observation.

[@TheEWFX29]

But in WCW he wasn't special. He ended up being just one of the guys. That's why I think in WWE he never felt that special. He himself thought he was one of the guys. He never had that fire to be the force he could have been. With Rock and Austin as top stars and the Undertaker and Kane having size he was 5th in line at best. I think he didn't have it in him to be the guy who was just pushing his way to the top. But not everybody has to. He had a great career and made more money then he could spend in wrestling. He lived a good life and isn't that beaten up now. That a big plus in that line of business. So all in all he had a long prosperous career and didn't kill himself getting there. He seemed to have a good head on his shoulders. Had a wife and settled down pretty much on top of the world enough he could go to AEW and lose a bit of his notoriety in his last years. It could be by design but he had a great career and life. But he wasn't Andre.

[@jokertdk]

@@TheEWFX29 Giant was booked as a monster heel during his 1st year within WCW, and clearly wasn't just one of the guys, as he was in the world title mix, and held the belt during his first year. I honestly don't remember him losing all that much either. Not quite the Goldberg/Brock sorta push, but clearly not a push over either. Post-nWo, is where he got placed into the mid-card, but the Giant was notable to be the very first nWo member to defect back to WCW, as he was WCW born, and was a flag bearer for WCW along with Lex Luger during one of WCW's best years in 1997. His booking in WWF/E was pretty abysmal by comparison. I don't disagree that perhaps Paul never had the drive to be in a Austin/Rock/Undertaker level, but at the same time, the booking and multiple Face/Heel turns clearly did his character of Big Show absolutely no favors. Rather than being booked as an monster heel attraction like Andre, or in more recent times, Brock Lesnar, as Paul said it himself, he was essentially plugged into programs as a reliable substitute. Hence his character constantly being in a state of flux, overexposed, and lacking any integrity. Difficult for fans to latch onto a character like that, though it should be noted that much of Paul's stint within WWE was post-WCW/ECW buyout. Which i'm sure weighed heavily on Paul, and by his demeanor, it definitely showed.

[@TheEWFX29]

@@jokertdk He started out as a monster but he had matches with Nash where he got power bombed. He wasn't that special. He was booked high but wasn't at a level of Hogan and Savage and the main NWO during that time. He was strong initially with Hogan. But once Nash and Hall got there he just became another wrestler. He wasn't a force, just the next opponent. Andre only left his feet a couple of times in house shows that nobody saw. Show was on Nitro with neck collars on. His stock was down by the time he got to WWE. His response live was so-so. After that he was just another wrestler.

[@Ant.Legacy6]

I remember his debut... as a kid it scared the s**t out of me lol he was HUGE 😅 he made stone cold look like a scared child 😂

[@Adam-lw9xp]

Wow! Not even 2 months in, and he already had his first turn.

[@mattb6369]

I think Big Show still had a pretty amazing first year. It was really after Wrestlemania 16(/2000) and prior to his late-2002 run he had a long rough patch.

[@theconsigliere8463]

Im going to be honest, being the Austin fan boy that I was I couldnt like show because he was working with the corporate came in as the body guard, the enforcer whatever you want to call it but HOLY SHIIIIIT was he intimidating, not only was he the biggest guy i had ever seen and the biggest guy on the roster but he was jacked ( i didnt watch wcw ) so i didnt know him then. I was like this isnt even fair anymore, I was like austin already getting jumped and screwed out of matches now vince has this beast of a human to also back him and the corporate its OP. HAHA so at that time i hated it but I appreciate everything Show has brought to entertain us I do hate some of the things that the higher ups did to show on how some of his character developments played out making him look weak, when reality he could break 95% of the roster of then and now in half. knowing what i know today in my mid 30s i loved his debut. hearing him talk about the transition and how different the 2 companies operated and wanted We all can relate you can leave one job and go to another in the same field and what you already know isnt a bad thing but having to learn how the company youre at wants to do things and do it there way i think he did a good job at it and did what was asked of him whether he agreed ir not and whether fans agreed or not, which shows us the kind of person he is and thats a good thing. Respect to you show. one day I would like to meet him to thank him for years of entertainment and size up to him, cuz im only 5"10. 😅

[@AndrewsOpinion15]

BIG SHOW SO NICE ON INSIDE THE ROPES !!!!

[@oshikuru09]

When he mentioned stone cold helped it click in his brain.. was it the night he gave big show like 30 stunners to pop the crowd lol

[@crazistuff7051]

The Show is seriously one of the wisest wrestlers in the game right now. He has been through the ups and downs and is willing and humble enough to share them with us and the young ring talent. Paul Wight is a first class human.

[@unitexconquer375]

Anyone backstage not asking this man for advice. Is insane

[@nathanguffey4204]

So your saying the entire AEW looker room right

[@freshmontana22]

Although he admitted to faults I think Vince really dropped the ball with booking show. He had multiple spurts in his career where he could have been way bigger than he ever got

[@JamesWright-yw4lv]

He should have helped Vince win, and they could have figured out where to go from there. The fact that they did him like that within four months showed how petty they were

[@Snarka09]

I totally agree. Big Show should've remained heel for a long time as Vince's muscle, and the number one threat to Steve Austin. They both could've believably beaten as well as lost to the other, at least while Show was still pretty fit. Big Show might be the most significant waste of talent in the history of the WWF.

[@soulserrated]

i get, and respect everything paul said here.. he's more of a man than 99% of the card on tv today. but i dont know about the whole 'when i got to Steves level' thing.

[@HitmanHimmy]

I think he meant as far as knowing the art of wrestling

[@harleyjackson3708]

Big Show: Let's call a spade a spade... Me: Immediately falls down the spade vs. shovel rabbit hole

[@jotac87278]

He has a lot of freedom....now. it can change at any time. Of course they sold all those tickets, it's overseas. They don't go overseas much

[@HELPINGHAND03]

I’ve always told people that WCWs wrestling was sloppy …. The only division that was fluid and could fit WWE was the Cruiserweight division they had planned spots and all everything else was utter shit in WCW (match wise) looking back

[@seanodion7989]

I hated the name “Big Show“. And when he first got introduced as just Paul White I thought that was a mistake as well. WWF should’ve had a name and it should’ve been cool.

[@djlune]

Ok im confuse, Big Show just said that it took a couple of years to get to stone colds level..... no disrespect to the big show but since when was he in stone cold level? Is he talking about selling seats or he's referring in ring performance ?

[@ronhaggerty6209]

they sure missed the boat on you

[@MrPerfect2000Z]

Feels like he was brought in by WWE to be made a joke and embarrass WCW. Weird isn't it? You get this young guy who WCW made and instead of pushing him, you set out to make him look bad. His first night he was made to look like an idiot, they blew Austin Vs Giant the Raw before Mania when you could have easily done a PPV with them and after that, you could tell they had no idea what to do with him (Much like WCW) because they were turning him face and heel within the first six months. And yes, I know Kane was also turning regularly in his first year but that at least had a consistent story going on. Big Show turning regularly is because they couldn't think of anything consistent

[@50_shadesof_green88]

Should have kept him in his WCW attire and kept his character EXACTLY the same, okay they couldn’t use the name The Giant but Big Show was not a great choice of name at all. I enjoyed him as The Giant but soon as he came to WWE… meh 👀

[@theonlygoodonehere2259]

not a fan of stone cold

[@lastactionhero7541]

Not a fan because he help Big Show learn how to be better? Or because he brought the most eyes and money? Or because he saved WWF during the Monday night wars? Or just because your a fan of the horrible show on now?

[@theonlygoodonehere2259]

​@@lastactionhero7541 none of the above, lol, not a fan of him bc people give him too much credit for everything while disrespecting other talent guys that were with him in that era, not a fan of his in ring style either, if he was put in todays roster with his style, I would be bored, and so would prob many, I also think he is not that good on the mic, guys like cena and punk are more iconic on the mic for me, all and all its my opinion, and everytime I tune into watch wwe, I shouldn't have to hear stone cold's name 24/7 or him being shoved down my throat, I wanna hear the names of new guys

[@lastactionhero7541]

So you were a kid when John Cena was started and you can’t stand that people before were better. Sorry bud, all the people you like suck.

[@fmthebaron]

@@theonlygoodonehere2259 I was never a fan of Austin either. Shawn Michaels and The Undertaker are my all time favorites. Those two were in all the great eras of wrestling from the rock n roll 80's till recently.

[@theonlygoodonehere2259]

@@fmthebaron thank you, finally somebody who isn't like everyone else and is a stone cold fanguy, its nice to see people step outside of stone cold threshold and appreciate guys like undertaker and shawn michaels, guys who aren't appreciated enough for their attitude era run