TNT is making some big moves yet again, both literally and figuratively. Today, All Elite Wrestling announced that Paul Wight, the former star of The Big Show Show on Netflix, has signed a long-term contract with the promotion.
There are no real other words for the signing than shocking. Many felt as though the artist formerly known as The Big Show would be a WWE lifer, and the move to All Elite was one that was immediately celebrated by pro wrestling fans far and wide.
I know – another Big Show face turn, right?
While Wight has officially signed on with the promotion as a commentator for their brand-new YouTube exclusive, AEW Dark: Elevation, there’s no sense in NOT throwing darts at the proverbial dream match wall with someone as unique as The Giant. Here are just a few off-the-cuff ideas for matches I’d like to see should he so choose to step inside the ring.
Shaquille O’Neal
Let’s just get down to brass tacks: I wanna see Shaq vs. Wight.
Many have pined for a face off between O’Neal and the former Big Show since their face-off at WrestleMania 33. AEW has proven their not afraid to play off of past WWE history: look no further than Mike Tyson’s one-off late last year.
The history is there! They’re both on the same television network! They’re two tall dudes!
The story writes itself, folks.
Shaq
Over the past few months, both WWE and All Elite Wrestling have brought in a number of celebrities in order to attract more ‘linear eyeballs’ to their respective products. Snoop Dogg’s glorious splash off the top rope and, of course, Bad Bunny’s run with WWE have earned headlines throughout 2021 in both wrestling and mainstream media. The prevalence of hip-hop artists in wrestling is certainly something to keep an eye on, and something that I wholeheartedly encourage to continue.
Saying that, why not bring in yet another popular rapper that already has a history with All Elite?
In 1993, Shaquille O’Neal released the smash hit album, Shaq Diesel. Of course, we’re still three years away from the 20th anniversary of the platinum-selling record, but it’s never too early to promote a major anniversary, right? If Shaq was smart, he’d be getting a leg up on the promotional bandwagon, and popular Netflix star Paul Wight (Big Show Show, 2020), is certainly one way to drum up some hype!
A member of the NBA on TNT Broadcast Team – preferably Shaquille O’Neal
Again, strictly speaking in the interest of promotion, I really think there’s money to be made in Wight squaring off against another personality from the TNT network of programming. Of course, you can find a natural tie in with nearly any piece of programming currently on TNT, but considering All Elite’s pride in presenting Dynamite with a sports-based approach, it’d only make sense to me for the brand to collaborate with another sports-related show.
Of course, this would only naturally lead us to the NBA on TNT, one of sports’ highest-rated programs and a tremendous potential launching point for any crossover feud. While there’s definitely something to be said for Charles Barkley getting into a wrestling ring, if we can be honest for a second, it’s a little unrealistic to picture a nearly sixty-year-old man stepping into the ring for the first time ever.
Might I suggest Shaquille O’Neal?
The former NBA star is still spry at the age of 48, and I’d hazard a guess that seeing as he has an upcoming match already scheduled, he feels more than ready to step inside the squared circle. Why not make him do it on a semi-consistent basis? As often as I hear the complaints about part-time workers in wrestling, I don’t hear anyone complaining about Shaq’s schedule, hey?
Align your values, everyone, and demand another Shaquille O’Neal match.
