10 Greatest Moments Of The Big Show's WWE Career

The Big Show is the greatest giant of all time. There, I said it.

While I would class the likes of The Undertaker and Kane - men who are ONLY

nearly

seven feet tall - as 'very big men', Show is the greatest in a class of professional wrestler that includes the likes of The Great Khali, Giant Gonzalez, and yes, Andre The Giant... hear me out.

Andre definitely is a bigger legend in the business with a mystique and iconic status arguably not matched by anyone, but Show was just a better athlete and wrestler. That's all I've got there... that's not to discredit Andre's athleticism from his younger years before the miles put on his body by the business took hold... I'm just digging myself a GIANT hole here...

I believe that Big Show has been a victim of his own health, willingness to work, and willingness to put the company before himself. Andre was an attraction in the territory age where he would pick and choose his spots so he wouldn't be seen too many times throughout the year by the same sets of eyes. This meant that when he came to town it was always a special occasion, a luxury The Big Show never had access to. With the way the business evolved, all seven feet of Andre's son - lol, WCW - was seen three or more times a week on occasion meaning the novelty that is the sheer size of the man was lost pretty quickly. Seeing him hit an Elbow Drop off the top turnbuckle or leap over the ropes just to get into the ring, for example, was a spectacle lost quicker than it should have been due to the regularity of his appearances in front of a global audience.

Then we have the turns - oh my goodness the turns... Show's ego, or lack thereof, meant that he didn't mind filling a role no matter what role it was or if it made much sense. He's been a real team player for so long even though he himself will admit that being more selfish would have helped his cause in the eyes of a pretty damning WWE Universe - aye, I heard you chanting "please retire" at him, you bastards!

They often say that you don't know what you have till it's gone and if the rumours are indeed true that Big Show's last WWE contract ended with no fanfare at the end of February and he hasn't re-signed, surely that famous saying will ring true when it comes to the World's Largest Athlete in time.

I just really like The Big Show, OK?! I feel he's terribly underappreciated, much like oxygen. Here are his 10 best WWE moments from a pretty eventful 19-year run - and no we're not focussing on the bad stuff like Bossman interrupting his father's kayfabe funeral, Eddie Guerrero giving him the trots or that time he cried like I do most evenings just before bed.

10. Destroying The Titantron With Stone Cold Steve Austin

Michael Cole described the Raw Titantron as "the crown jewel of Mr McMahon's Corporation" and I'm not sure how I feel about that. It's a projector that you can buy from the shops...

After Stone Cold Steve Austin had his WWF Championship taken from him by The Corporation, Shane McMahon teased the Texas Rattlesnake by having an image of the iconic Smoking Skull design showing on the tron.

'Balls to this,' Steve thought to himself, telling Jim Ross that if Shane did that again he would cost the WWF hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Later in the night, Big Show was facing The Corporation's Triple H and The Rock before Chyna got involved in the action. The run-in forced Stone Cold to come out to defend Big Show, and in turn, saw Simba - as Shane was nicknamed back then - display Austin's title on the tron once more.

'Balls to this,' Steve thought to himself as he and Show walked up to the top of the ramp. Show pulled down the tron - even though it was quite clearly a man with a button backstage was doing all of the heavy pulling down for him - which allowed Austin to rip the big screen to bits with a very long black pole.

The visuals at the end of this little segment really did look pretty cool and gave new meaning to Steve Austin being shredded... almost. That was terrible. Sorry.

9. Pushing Over A Jeep

BIG SHOW SMAAAAASH! I know, the opening two moments here aren't painting a very pretty picture of The Big Show but as the famous Cyndi Lauper song goes, '

Big Lads Just Want To Destroy Big, Expensive Things

.'

I want you to forget the fact that after five minutes of trying to push over this jeep WWE's production team was forced to let air out of the tyres on the far side to make it easier for Show to complete this impressive feat of strength. I also want you to forget that Michael Cole claimed this jeep was 4400 pounds, because that simply can't be true. The last thing I want you to forget that despite pushing over such a heavy jeep, Big Show couldn't push over Akebono at WrestleMania 21.

With all of the horrible stuff out of the way, let's just rejoice in the fact that Big Show pushed over a really heavy thing - something Braun Strowman pays tribute to most weeks on Raw these days. Remember that Big Show proved to Akebono that he could push over a really heavy thing here by pushing over something that weighed a hell of a lot more than his Sumo Grand Champion 'Mania opponent.

Pushing over heavy things gets you far in life, apparently...

8. Throwing Mankind Into An Open Grave

(I'm looking at this moment strictly in kayfabe terms because I'm sure it's Mankind who deserves all of the credit for making such an impressive leap into an open grave possible.)

Forget about the physics of this move for a second, because the combination of sheer power and precision Show displayed here to throw a 300-pound man several feet from the stage to a grave area - even getting a little bounce in for great effect - makes my mind completely boggled.

This fantastic feat of throwing prowess - I'm not quite sure what else to call it - took place during a Buried Alive Tag Team Match on SmackDown where our Big Nasty Bastard teamed with The Undertaker to take on Tag Team Champions, The Rock and Mrs Foley's Baby Boy. The match would end with Show partly burying Foley with dirt before Triple H came out to smash the seven-footer in the back with a sledgehammer, only to finish the job for him after doing so.... bemusing.

Stone Cold then came out, put The Game in the back of an ambulance and tried to murder him by ramming said ambulance with a huge truck.

7. Breaking The Ring With Brock Lesnar

We'd seen Superstars put through the mat, we'd seen Superstars destroy turnbuckles, but never before had we seen two Superstars collapse an entire WWE ring.

I know Show has done it two more times since, and I know he sent The Undertaker through the mat with an impressive delayed Chokeslam before this mammoth occasion happened, but when it comes to ring breaking moments and our lovable seven-footer nothing tops the time a Brock Lesnar Superplex saw the SmackDown ring collapse.

In the words of Taz, "holy sh*t! What the hell?!"

While we're here, it's worth mentioning that this moment was planned. Unfortunately, it wasn't a shoot, brother, it was supposed to happen with the clever use of airbags under the ring making it possible. Sorry for ruining your day with this news.

6. The Showster

There's nothing I like more than a good Hulk Hogan impression. The Big Show has one of those, and then some.

This was a rivalry that came down to one deeply concerned

friend

attempting to get his massive mate to pull his massive finger out of his... well... massive arse. Kurt Angle and Big Show were set to have a shot at the WWF Tag Team Championships when Show came out dressed as a Scotsman eating and drinking what we can only presume were Scottish things - this was all because the BNB wanted to go 'Hollywood'. He wanted to have a dance, he wanted to have some fun, he wasn't taking things seriously and Kurt didn't like it.

Let's not beat around the bush here, the giant was going through somewhat of a midlife crisis in 2000 where he would dress up as a different character each week. We saw him dressed as Rikishi, we saw him dressed as Val Venis, and then at Backlash, we saw him dressed as Hulk Hogan. LOL, I guess...

So after lambasting America, Kurt was confronted with a Real American who rather surprisingly won with aplomb. "He likes to have fun but you don't want to piss him off." Oh, Jim Ross, I miss you...

5. His Match With Roman Reigns At Extreme Rules 2015

Heading into Extreme Rules 2015 WWE really stacked the deck up against The Big Show.

The had transformed this once big friendly giant into a horrible old thing that just ruined everything seemingly for nothing more than the lolz which resulted in large sections of the fanbase chanting "please retire" whenever he appeared - see 2015 Royal Rumble. They had him up against Roman Reigns who not too many people were fond of at the time - see 2015 Royal Rumble. And finally, they had this match taking place in Chicago in front of arguably the most anti-WWE crowd within the WWE Universe - you know what I mean by that.

Heading into the night nobody wanted to see Roman Reigns vs. The Big Show - 

especially

after the Rumble debacle. However, against all of the odds and naysayers, Show - and Roman to be fair to him - wrestled that match as if it was his last. Some of the bumps he was taking simply shouldn't have been happening to a man of his size, vintage, and with those hundreds of thousands of miles on the clock.

The pair held nothing back in a highlight reel that I fully suggest you go and watch after reading this article. It's as if Show just said

F**K THE H8RS 

and quite literally killed himself in barnstorming fashion in spite of their mere existence.

Big Show silenced the doubters that night and it was bloody lovely to watch...

4. Breaking Up Brock Lesnar And Paul Heyman

Could you imagine... no, you couldn't.

But it happened, though. Somehow, someway, Big Show came between Brock Lesnar and Paul Heyman. It's a thing that happened and some 16 years later I still have no idea how.

In the buildup to Survivor Series 2002 Paul Heyman was giving Big Show way too much credit when you consider how the giant's WWE career had panned out to that point. A 10-year contract had been signed but much of the promise that had been shown in WCW hadn't been seen in WWE. Instead, Show put on weight and was sent down to OVW to lose it - a fact I'm sure didn't exactly have The Next Big Thing at the time, hot off a massive SummerSlam win against The Rock and Hell in a Cell triumph against The Undertaker, quaking in his boots.

Paul thought Show was too big for Brock to handle. Paul thought Show was too strong for Brock to cope with. Paul Heyman revealed that he loves only the biggest and the sweatiest of men!

Anyhow, even though he used a steel chair - something the ref who replaced a stricken Mike Chioda would have seen on the monitor he was watching backstage yet he still didn't call for the DQ when he appeared - Show not only defeated Brock but got Paul Heyman's services as well. Earlier in the match, Happy Heyman flattened Chioda with a right hook and I still can't believe this is a thing that happened.

We're still wondering just how he did it... Paul might not have been exclusive to Brock for his entire WWE run but only one really large man has forced The Advocate to turn his back on his client, a feat nobody has achieved since.

3. Murdering Kurt Angle

Upset at not winning the Kurt Angle Great American Award and a shot at Eddie Guerrero's WWE Championship, and then losing a match against the liar, the cheater,

and

the stealer which resulted in him quitting WWE because that's what he said he'd do if he lost, Big Show decided it was a good idea to throw Torrie Wilson off a high ledge.

Obviously annoyed at the prospect of having a murder on his watch as SmackDown General Manager, Kurt Angle intervened, called Show a "big jerk", and was unceremoniously dumped down to the concrete floor below. His ankle up by his head, blood pouring from the back of his head, Kurt Angle was dead.

(He wasn't actually dead wrestling angles like this aren't real most of the time lol)

After being written off television so he could undergo knee surgery, Teddy Long reinstated Show to the SmackDown roster because he

really

hates Kurt Angle for some reason...

2. Having Floyd Mayweather Legitimately Break His Nose

"I told him to do it. I said: 'Here's the deal. You need to break my nose'. Don't shove my nose through the back of my head. But you need to break it. Don't break your fist or hurt yourself. If you break my nose, we will be able to get people emotionally invested.

"People love storylines. They love them because at some point the talent will get people emotionally invested."

And that's the story of how Floyd Mayweather legitimately broke The Big Show's nose when he threw the punch heard around the world. It's also worth mentioning that Show told Floyd to run, run as fast as he could after completing the hit, otherwise he would have killed him (not literally). It's fair to say the money man did just that, and good for him too. I wouldn't like an angry, murderous giant on my tail!

Professional wrestling is always better when it feels like real life, isn't it? Credit to The Big Show for taking one hell of a whack for the team for the betterment of a storyline.

1. Having Vince McMahon's Head In His Arse

It's something that Big Show will be able to dine out on for the rest of his life. How many people have had Vince McMahon's head up their arse? (don't answer that.)

"So, grandad, how good were you at

the wrestling

?"

"Well little Jimmy, I had the head of

the

wrestling God, a man who defeated

the actual

God

and

the United States Government, in my arse."

"Oh, you must have been canny, then." Yes, Big Show's grandkids will be from Newcastle upon Tyne.

Big Show had Vince McMahon's head up his arse. Big Show lived the dream of many men and women from all over the world - not in a sexual way, mind you. I'm talking about the men and women who were enemies of Vinnie down the years. Just like those lads who have been to the moon, Big Show has been in a position not many of us mere mortals will ever be.

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Moose

IMPACT Wrestling

Let me start off by saying that, irrespective of whether you like him or not, Moose has enjoyed the year of his career in 2021.

What makes it even sweeter is he perfectly fits the character that you simply do not want to see do well - but you can’t deny him when he does.

I could point to so many of Moose’s moments in the last 12 months but I will simply go with the conclusion of Bound For Glory 2021, when Moose snatched away Josh Alexander’s perfect celebrations by taking the IMPACT World Title from him while his family was in the ring.

Fans absolutely detested the moment. And guess what guys? That was the whole point!

Moose has mastered his role in IMPACT Wrestling and is now ‘the guy’ in the company for it. He has earned your hatred, and should be celebrated.

Nominated By: Mitch Waddon - Editor-In-Chief

Vince McMahon

WWE

While only recently returning as an on-screen character with a weird fetish for eggs and Austin Theory, it has been Vincent Kennedy McMahon's actions behind the scenes (and those of his cronies Bruce Prichard, John Laurinaitis and Nick Khan) that have made the WWE chairman the biggest heel in the business in 2021.

McMahon has dished out releases like he’s streamlining the company for a possible sale in 2021, firing over 80 wrestlers including beloved stars like Keith Lee, Bray Wyatt and, briefly, Samoa Joe.

Who can forget that McMahon has also destroyed what NXT had been for the last four years, turning it back into a development brand and removing all that potential for classic matches and feuds in the process.

At least we have Monday Night Raw. God help us.

Nominated By: Aidan Gibbons - Chief News Writer

Bobby Lashley

WWE

What a career turnaround Bobby Lashley has had over the last year and a bit.

After binning off Lana and getting serious with the Hurt Business, Lashley went from being a decent enough midcard player to a main eventer once more.

While his association with MVP and co. and the strong booking helped, big bad Bobby deserves a tonne of credit for his authoritative work on the microphone and in the ring.

He has been a proper heel, too, doing nothing to endear himself to the audience (besides ending The Miz’s WWE Title reign).

Lashley beats up the babyfaces (and their sons), and dominates in convincing fashion, while MVP does most of his talking for him.

He’s an ass-kicker but not a ‘cool heel', and people genuinely wanted to see someone take the WWE Title off him.

Big E was the beneficiary of that, with The Real Deal doing a brilliant job during the New Day man’s successful cash-in.

Nominated by: Lewis Howse - Features & Script Writer

Miro

All Elite Wrestling

When Rusev left WWE and rocked up in AEW, we all collectively waited to see him truly unleashed as an unstoppable monster.

And wait we did.

After an underwhelming run as ‘The Best Man’ with Kip Sabian, it was when Miro became the frankly terrifying ‘Redeemer’ that he truly found his calling, maiming anyone in sight as he clung to his precious TNT Championship, while cutting amazing promos about his God and his ‘flexible wife’.

So good was Miro’s run with the title that we all believed he could/should have broken Bryan Danielson’s undefeated streak at Full Gear, and if AEW can keep up Miro’s momentum, then don’t be shocked to see him get some huge wins in 2022.

Get that TNT Title back around his waist for starters.

Nominated By: Jack Atkins - News & Script Writer

Roman Reigns

WWE

A few years ago, we could have sarcastically nominated a babyface Roman Reigns for this category without raising too much of a fuss. The Big Dog’s incessant push dominated WWE discourse for half a decade, and not in a positive way.

Now well into his rebrand as the Tribal Chief, Reigns has completely transformed his career, rapidly developing into wrestling’s most complete villain.

Honourable mentions must be given to The Usos and the masterful Paul Heyman, whose respect and fear have given Roman a Godfather-esque menace.

On the mic and in the ring, the Universal Champion exudes arrogance and control, making his rare moments of panic all the more beneficial to his babyface rivals. Still, none have been able to unseat him, so the story must continue. I’m certainly not complaining.

Nominated By: Jack King - Presenter & Features Writer

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