Paul Wight has discussed creative changes that took place in the run-up to the first-ever Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal in 2014.
Wight stunned the wrestling world in February 2021 when it was announced he was joining All Elite Wrestling. Ending a 22-year relationship with WWE, Wight will provide commentary on AEW Dark: Elevation.
The giant star appeared on the Talk Is Jericho podcast hosted by AEWc colleague Chris Jericho. Wight recalled the lead-in to WrestleMania XXX and the inaugural tribute match to Andre The Giant. The former Big Show explained that originally he was due to win the match, but plans changed.
Wight elaborated:
“They weren’t building talent like they used to, it was newer is better. Every 2-3 weeks, something new. I went through that first battle royal and I was meant to win that. Then the day of, they went oh we’re going with Cesaro. I was like OK, Cesaro is an incredible dude, he speaks 5 languages, this is a guy I will get behind no problem. I will put him over the best way I could.”
“He slammed me over the top, I shook his hand at the end. That’s what you want to do in this business, you want to make guys. Then I watched Cesaro wither on the vine because they didn’t do anything with him. He was just a piece to give a chance for Paul Heyman to be on TV until Brock came back.”
Paul Wight then explained his disappointment that he did not get the chance to fulfil his ambitions the way he would’ve liked to:
“That was the stack of the cards to get to the talent that they wanted to use and depend on. I’m not bitter, but it’s one of those things where I feel a bit sad that I didn’t get to do all the things I could have done. After a while, when the opportunity came up, I got tired of trying to prove to them what I could do for them. I can’t walk down the street without being recognised. I’m a constant billboard of everything that I’ve done, and I feel like WWE never took advantage.”
Wight also discussed his desire to move into the food business during his time in WWE. However, the company wanted a super-sized payment to use the ‘Big Show’ brand.
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