The 1990s witnessed a surge in professional wrestling, marking the debut of numerous future legends, including Paul Wight in WCW, who would later gain fame as The Big Show in WWE. But Wight’s debut almost happened with a surprising addition.
A recent revelation during an AdFreeShows appearance by former WCW manager Sunny Onoo shed light on a surprising aspect of Wight’s almost debut. Onoo disclosed:
I found Andre the Giant’s mask, which I didn’t realise I had. That mask, we were gonna use it for Paul Wight, when Paul Wight was coming in.
The original plan involved Wight making his first appearance in WCW wearing Andre’s mask, a move intended to evoke shock and awe among the wrestling community, including Hulk Hogan. However, concerns about potentially confusing the audience led to the abandonment of this concept just before Wight’s debut.
Subsequently, the decision was made to portray Wight as Andre’s son, a storyline that was short-lived and possibly hampered by legal issues between WCW and WWE. Reflecting on this phase, Wight remarked that during that era, it was common to assign wrestlers fictional relationships to existing performers, aiming to immediately endear them to audiences.
What Were The Original Plans For Paul Wight At AEW All In?
Paul Wight was originally meant to make his in-ring return at AEW All In. Although Wight made an appearance at the event on the Zero Hour pre-show, he was supposed to face fellow giant Satnam Singh in a match.
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