Former WCW President Eric Bischoff has revealed the mastermind behind a famous mid-90’s gimmick in the company.
Paul Wight debuted in WCW in 1995 as The Giant and was originally billed as the son of legendary WWE Hall Of Famer, Andre The Giant.
Bischoff has recently lifted the lid on the original creative for the character and credited Hulk Hogan with the original idea.
Eric Bischoff Reveals Hulk Hogan Responsible For Giant Gimmick
Speaking on a recent edition of his popular podcast 83 Weeks, Bischoff explained how Wight came to WCW’s attention:
“Hulk was the one that really brought Paul in. I can’t remember the details of how they came together, I think Hulk was at a charity basketball game in Chicago, and Paul was playing on that game.
Hogan caught sight of Paul and thought Paul was interested in wrestling. I don’t know enough of the details to even sketch it out, but at the end of that conversation it was Hulk Hogan who said, ‘Hey you got to see what I found.’ Hulk was so excited about Paul White.”
Bischoff noted that Hogan was the brains behind the original idea for Wight’s gimmick and believed that the former WWE and WCW Champion was merely sticking to a formula that had brought him huge success during his memorable previous run in WWE:
“Hulk or anybody else that’s been successful is going to go with what they know. What’s worked for me in the past? How do I recreate that?
Make it feel a little different, but do something that I believe the audience is going to respond to based on my experience in the past. Which is not a bad way to make a decision, generally.
Hulk wanted him to be the son of Andre, or whatever he was. That was all Hulk, so there was no discussion of maybe we should make him something else. That never happened.”
It would not be the last time Hogan recommended a gimmick for Wight, with the AEW Superstar revealing on The Sessions with Renee Paquette that the Hulkster saw potential in using a gimmick potrayed by White in Adam Sandler movie ‘The Waterboy’:
“The funny thing is when I did that in The Waterboy years ago, Hogan actually goes ‘Brother, you should get back into that, that gimmick is money. Captain Insano, that’s money brother.”
H/T: WrestlingInc for the above transcription
Don’t miss your opportunity to meet Eric Bischoff in the UK with Inside The Ropes this September as he heads across the pond for Controversy Creates Cash: An Evening With Eric Bischoff. Tickets are on sale now.