All Elite Wrestling: Paul Wight versus Shaq Finally Happens

It was a huge announcement when Paul Wight signed with All Elite Wrestling, no pun intended. Who knows what this means for him moving forward?

After spending twenty years in the WWE, most people expected that The Big Show would retire in the company. He has been a staple of the company image for many years. The shocking news that he has signed with All Elite Wrestling has thrown the wrestling world for a loop. Most of these sorts of announcements come with rumors. However, this signing caught everyone off guard.

Now that Paul Wight is All Elite, everything else suddenly makes sense. While people were confused about Shaquille O’Neal’s involvement with the company, the pieces have come together. The dream match between The Big Show and Shaquille O’Neal could be on the verge of finally becoming a reality, after years of being a rumor for WrestleMania.

Many have called this one of the most shocking signings in recent years. Perhaps it isn’t as shocking as we all think. Perhaps, this was all in front of our eyes the entire time. I mean, Cody Rhodes has been a judge on the show called the “Go Big Show.” Despite no longer using the name that he has became iconic with, Paul Wight is here to make his own name as large.

During his nearly thirty-year career, Wight has only used his real name once. He worked as Paul Wight when he first debuted in WWE, before being renamed to The Big Show. I believe it will be a relief for Wight to finally work as himself. With that being said, the potential fight between Shaquille O’Neal and Paul Wight has a better story outside of the WWE.

Paul Wight can tell the story of having to leave the other company in order to get his hands on Shaq. They have been back and forth for years and both publically addressed the dream match. The closest we ever got to the match was at WrestleMania 32 when Shaq entered the 3rd annual Andre The Giant battle royal. He had a momentary confrontation with Big Show but for many, it wasn’t enough.

They were both quickly out of the match and for many, like me, it left a bitter taste in your mouth. Now, we have a chance to make things right in All Elite Wrestling. He has a history with Cody from their time as rivals and allies in WWE. It would make sense for Wight to get involved with Shaq and Cody. It would be a quick solution to the problem with Shaq’s AEW story.’

The main thing that this feud needs to thrive is a deeper story to get the viewer’s interest. One way to easily do that is to make Shaquille O’Neal an outsider heel. Shaq needs to become the Hall of Fame Basketball player who believes he can just step into the world of wrestling and take it over. That would be a perfect way for Shaquille to gain heat from the crowd. A crowd that has no reason at this point to really boo O’Neal.

However, Shaq believing he is bigger than the business would turn fans against him. If Shaq begins to mock the business and thinks that he deserves more, then All Elite Wrestling will have money on their hands. Shaq would become the bad guy and people would look for somebody to take him down.

I would go as far as to say Shaq should fight Cody Rhodes and completely annihilate him in the process. Make Shaq a true threat before you pull the ace out of the sleeve. After Shaq is solidified as a real threat, bring out the big guns, all puns intended. Paul Wight can arrive as the savior of wrestling versus the Basketball legend.

No matter which way they go, Paul Wight versus Shaquille O’Neal needs to happen. There is a lack of dream matches left. If this match has potential, they need to jump on it.