The wrestling world just learned that Big Show has left WWE and signed with All Elite Wrestling.
According to PWInsider, Big Show’s deal was coming due and when the financial teams were not reached between the two parties, he became a free agent. Nothing new or spectacular about that. It happens every day with sports athletes, entertainers, etc. if you don’t renew your contract, you are free to look elsewhere. With AEW Dark Elevation starting up on Youtube soon, that show needed a fresh batch of characters and its own commentators. Welcome 49 year old legend Big S! A recognizable name and face for the past few decades, even ranging back to WCW…on the Turner networks. Imagine that, huh?
While the deal is for announcing, let’s be real. This will lead to Show stepping back into the squared circle. With that assumption out of the way, I have five dream matches with Big Show that immediately sprang to mind in AEW…
- Sting – May as well get this out of the way because of the WCW connection. Big Show was The Giant in the 1990’s and all over TNT and TBS. Sting was Sting, of course. Well, both are in AEW right now wrestling a limited schedule, and their main show Dynamite airs on TNT every Wednesday night. Pretty easy to sell the nostalgia trip here. I may not want to see and to be clear, I do NOT want to see this…however, others might.
- Chris Jericho – I know their Jeri-Show tag team is the money. I know that. Still, you have to eventually get to that pairing. Why not throw the WWE crowd a bone? If you are looking for ratings and viewership, you use your bigger names. No doubt about it, AEW is not paying Big Show to sit behind a commentary desk. He is there to grab attention. Based on him trending at number one worldwide earlier, I would say mission accomplished. At least so far.
- Cody – Yep, another established name in the wrestling world. Rekindle their 2012 feud over the IC Title? Good times. Sorry but outside of a few guys on the AEW roster, I don’t really care about the newer crop. Sorry, I just don’t. I will name drop one in a few seconds. Outside of that punchline, I would stick to the former WWE crew. Just how it is and would make Big Show feel safe and secure rather than go out there with a couple of younger/newer/inexperienced guys flying all over the ring.
- Marko Stunt – OH COME ON! You know you want to see this. In the ‘small’ amount of clips I have seen of Marko, he has definitely shown the ability to be a great lawn dart. Big Show could literally throw him from one side of the ring all the way to the other. Probably OUT of the ring if he really wanted to! This would be must-see TV at its’ finest. The biggest versus the smallest…
- Shaq – I am cheating here a bit as Shaq is not technically on the All Elite Wrestling roster. He is simply in cahoots with Turner due to the NBA on TNT cross-promotion. AEW Dynamite airs on the same network, plus Shaq is already in there mixing it up. Makes perfect sense to take their ‘big man’ story line from WWE all those years ago and just move it over to AEW. Despite them clashing at WrestleMania 32, the two never did have their long awaited one on one match. Maybe it can now happen? We’ll see.
Bottom line: Big Show is there to do commentary work. However, he is also a Hall of Fame worthy name who will no doubt make a few appearances and wrestle a couple of dream matches while under the AEW banner. May as well make the most money with him and cash in. Then he can move over to TBS and help out with their new hit competition series The Go Big Show…
…okay, or not.
BY JUSTIN WATRY (Twitter: @JustinWatry)
