History of Big Show in Timeline
Paul Donald Wight II, better known by his ring names The Giant and Big Show, is an American professional wrestler and actor. He is currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW) where he wrestles and provides commentary. He rose to fame in World Championship Wrestling (WCW) as The Giant and later achieved significant success in World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment (WWF/E) as Big Show.
February 8, 1972: Birth of Paul Donald Wight II
Paul Donald Wight II, better known as Big Show, was born on February 8, 1972.
1991: Basketball at Northern Oklahoma Junior College
Big Show's basketball skills were evident during his time at Northern Oklahoma Junior College in 1991, where he earned all-conference honors.
1991: Wichita State University Basketball Team
In 1991, at the age of 19, Big Show was listed as 7'1" tall as part of the Wichita State University basketball team.
1992: Transfer to Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
Big Show continued his higher education at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville in 1992.
1993: NCAA Division II Basketball
As a member of the Cougars, Big Show played NCAA Division II basketball in 1993.
December 3, 1994: Professional Wrestling Debut
Big Show had his first professional wrestling match on December 3, 1994, at a World Wrestling Association (WWA) event in Clementon, New Jersey.
1994: Start of Wrestling Career
Big Show began his professional wrestling journey in 1994.
May 1995: Debut and WCW World Heavyweight Championship Pursuit
Big Show, known as "The Giant," made his impactful debut at WCW's Slamboree event in May 1995 and quickly challenged Hulk Hogan for the WCW World Heavyweight Championship.
November 1995: World War 3 Battle Royal and Feud with Hulk Hogan
The Giant participated in the significant 60-man battle royal at WCW's World War 3 event in November 1995 and continued his rivalry with Hulk Hogan.
1995: Big Show's WCW Debut
Big Show made his professional wrestling debut in World Championship Wrestling (WCW) in 1995, marking the start of his career.
1995: Wrestling Debut in WCW
Big Show, under the ring name "The Giant," debuted in World Championship Wrestling (WCW) in 1995.
1997: Feud with Kevin Nash
The Giant engaged in a memorable feud with Kevin Nash in 1997, marked by Nash's avoidance tactics.
October 12, 1998: Match against Goldberg
On October 12, 1998, The Giant faced Goldberg in a no-disqualification match, showcasing Goldberg's dominance.
December 1998: Big Show Arrested on Indecent Exposure Charges
In December 1998, Big Show was arrested in Memphis, Tennessee, for allegedly exposing himself to a female motel employee. The charges were later dropped due to insufficient evidence.
1998: The Giant's Neck Injury and nWo Reunion
A significant moment occurred in 1998 when Kevin Nash's botched powerbomb resulted in The Giant's legitimate neck injury, cleverly integrated into their storyline. This period saw The Giant rejoin the nWo.
1998: Big Show Involved in Altercation with Robert Sawyer
An altercation occurred between Big Show and Robert Sawyer in 1998, leading to assault charges against Big Show. He claimed self-defense, stating that Sawyer had been verbally and physically aggressive.
January 1999: nWo Merger and Tension with Hogan
In January 1999, the nWo factions reunited, leading to internal conflict, particularly between The Giant and Hulk Hogan over the "giant" role.
February 8, 1999: Departure from WCW
On his 27th birthday, February 8, 1999, The Giant chose to leave WCW after his contract expired, driven by dissatisfaction with his pay.
February 14, 1999: WWF Debut at St. Valentine's Day Massacre: In Your House
On February 14, 1999, Paul Wight debuted in the WWF under the name "Paul Wight" at the St. Valentine's Day Massacre: In Your House event. He aligned himself with Vince McMahon's villainous stable, the Corporation, and interfered in McMahon's cage match against Stone Cold Steve Austin, attacking Austin and establishing himself as a heel.
March 1999: Big Show Faces Assault Charges
Big Show was charged with assault by Robert Sawyer in March 1999 for an alleged incident that took place in 1998. Big Show argued self-defense, and the judge ruled in his favor.
1999: Move to World Wrestling Federation (WWF)
Big Show left WCW in 1999 to join the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), later known as WWE.
January 3, 2000: Loss of WWF Championship
On January 3, 2000, Big Show lost the WWF Championship back to Triple H on an episode of Raw. This ended his short reign as champion after winning the title in a Triple Threat match against Triple H and The Rock.
August 7, 2000: Feud with The Undertaker and Removal from WWF Television
On August 7, 2000, Big Show was thrown off a stage through a table by The Undertaker on an episode of Raw. This marked the end of their feud and led to Big Show being removed from WWF television for the rest of the year.
November 2000: Exclusion from WWF Video Games
In November 2000, Big Show was left out of the upcoming WWF video games, WWF SmackDown! 2: Know Your Role and WWF No Mercy. This indicated a lack of faith and plans for him within the company at the time.
2000: Big Show's Separation from Melissa Piavis
Big Show and Melissa Piavis separated in 2000.
2000: WrestleMania 2000 Main Event
In 2000, Big Show achieved the significant milestone of headlining WWE's flagship event, WrestleMania.
2001: Royal Rumble Return and Hardcore Championship Pursuit
In 2001, Big Show made a surprise return at the Royal Rumble and began competing for the WWF Hardcore Championship. He won the title from Raven at No Way Out but lost it back to Raven on an episode of Raw.
2002: Big Show in Stacker 2 Infomercials and Sisqó's "Thong Song" Remix
Big Show appeared in infomercials for Stacker 2 alongside NASCAR personalities and was also featured in Sisqó's "Thong Song" remix music video in 2002.
2002: Big Show's Divorce and Second Marriage
Big Show's divorce from Melissa Piavis was finalized in 2002. That same year, he married Bess Katramados.
2003: Big Show's Match with Brock Lesnar
In 2003, Big Show had a match with Brock Lesnar that resulted in a no contest due to a ring collapse, similar to a later match with Braun Strowman in 2017.
April 15, 2004: Loss to Eddie Guerrero and Hiatus for Knee Surgery
On April 15, 2004, Big Show lost a match to Eddie Guerrero on SmackDown! with the stipulation that he would quit if he lost. After the match, he attacked Torrie Wilson and Kurt Angle, leading to a kayfabe injury for Angle. This marked the beginning of a hiatus for Big Show, who underwent knee surgery on April 24.
2005: Big Show's Continued Stacker 2 Endorsements
Big Show continued his endorsements for Stacker 2 in 2005, appearing in infomercials for the brand.
2005: Travel Logistics Due to Size
By 2005, Big Show's size necessitated specific travel arrangements, leading him to lease a bus with a driver for practicality.
2005: WWE Draft and Feud with Gene Snitsky
In 2005, Big Show was drafted to the Raw brand and engaged in a feud with Gene Snitsky. He defeated Snitsky in several matches, including at Unforgiven and in a Street Fight on Raw.
2006: Road to WrestleMania Tournament
In 2006, Big Show participated in the Road to WrestleMania Tournament for a shot at the WWE Championship. He reached the semi-finals but lost to Triple H in a match that ended in a double count-out. He then competed in a Triple Threat match against Triple H and Rob Van Dam to determine the tournament winner, but Triple H emerged victorious.
February 8, 2007: Big Show's WWE Contract Expired
On February 8, 2007, Big Show's WWE contract expired after a two-month period of inactivity. This hiatus followed a series of intense matches, including a loss to Bobby Lashley at December to Dismember and an unsuccessful rematch on the December 5 episode of ECW, leading Big Show to take time off to heal his injuries.
April 27, 2007: Big Show vs. Hulk Hogan at PMG Clash of Legends
On April 27, 2007, after a two-month departure from WWE, Big Show, under the name Paul "The Great" Wight, replaced Jerry Lawler in a match against Hulk Hogan at the PMG Clash of Legends. Wight stated that "Big Show" was his slave name and expressed his desire for independence. Hogan won the match by bodyslamming Wight and pinning him following a leg drop.
February 17, 2008: Big Show's Confrontation with Floyd Mayweather Jr.
On February 17, 2008, at No Way Out, Big Show made his return to WWE television and got into a physical confrontation with boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. after attempting to attack Rey Mysterio. The confrontation ended with Mayweather breaking Big Show's nose with a series of punches. This incident led to a match between the two at WrestleMania XXIV.
April 26, 2010: Big Show and Miz Lost Tag Team Championship
On April 26, 2010, Big Show and his tag team partner The Miz, collectively known as ShoMiz, lost the Unified WWE Tag Team Championship to The Hart Dynasty on Raw. This event marked the end of Big Show and Miz's title reign.
January 7, 2011: Big Show in Fatal 4-Way Match on SmackDown
On January 7, 2011, Big Show participated in a Fatal 4-Way match on SmackDown to determine the number one contender for the World Heavyweight Championship. He lost the match due to interference by Wade Barrett, leading to a feud with Barrett and his newly formed faction, The Corre.
2011: Big Show's Ongoing Stacker 2 Partnership
Big Show's partnership with Stacker 2 continued in 2011, marking another year of his appearances in their infomercials.
2011: Big Show and Kane Reunite and Win Tag Team Championship
In 2011, Big Show and Kane reunited to take on The Corre, culminating in a victory at WrestleMania XXVII alongside Santino Marella and Kofi Kingston. On April 22nd, they defeated Justin Gabriel and Heath Slater to win the WWE Tag Team Championship for the second time.
2011: Big Show's Match with Mark Henry
In 2011, Big Show had a match with Mark Henry that ended in a no contest due to a ring collapse, similar to previous matches with Brock Lesnar and a future match with Braun Strowman.
January 6, 2012: Big Show's Championship Rematch Against Daniel Bryan
On January 6, 2012, Big Show challenged Daniel Bryan for the World Heavyweight Championship, but the match ended in disqualification after interference from Mark Henry. A rematch the following week with no disqualifications and no count-outs also ended in a no contest due to an accident involving AJ, Bryan's storyline girlfriend.
March 31, 2012: Big Show Wins the Slim Worlds Championship
On March 31, 2012, at the Nickelodeon 25th Annual Kids' Choice Awards, Big Show faced The Miz for the Slim Worlds Championship with Santino Marella as the special guest referee. Big Show won the match and the championship, continuing the tradition of sliming the winner.
2014: Big Show Supports Special Olympics USA Games
Big Show demonstrated his support for the Special Olympics by participating in the Opening Ceremony of the 2014 Special Olympics USA Games in New Jersey.
January 25, 2015: Big Show Participates in the Royal Rumble
At the Royal Rumble on January 25, 2015, Big Show entered the Royal Rumble match as the 29th entrant, eliminating five superstars before being eliminated by the eventual winner, Roman Reigns.
2015: Big Show Named WWE Goodwill Ambassador for Special Olympics
Recognizing his commitment to the cause, Big Show was designated as the WWE Goodwill Ambassador for the 2015 Special Olympics World Games held in Los Angeles.
January 28, 2016: Big Show Turns Face and Teams with Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose
On the January 28, 2016, episode of SmackDown, Big Show turned face by aiding Roman Reigns, Dean Ambrose, and Chris Jericho in fending off The Wyatt Family.
2016: Big Show Drafted to Raw
In 2016, Big Show was drafted to the Raw brand as part of the WWE draft. He transitioned to a part-time role, focusing on live events.
January 29, 2017: Big Show at the Royal Rumble
On January 29, 2017, Big Show participated in the Royal Rumble match, entering at number 9 but was eliminated by Braun Strowman.
April 6, 2018: Big Show Inducts Mark Henry into WWE Hall of Fame
On April 6, 2018, Big Show made a special appearance to induct his long-time friend and rival, Mark Henry, into the WWE Hall of Fame class of 2018.
2018: Big Show Becomes Global Ambassador for Special Olympics International
Big Show's involvement with the Special Olympics expanded in 2018 when he took on the role of Global Ambassador for Special Olympics International.
2018: Big Show Reflects on His Character Turns
By 2018, Big Show had become known for his frequent character turns, estimated to be around 34 since his 1995 debut. He acknowledged this while also stating he enjoyed the ability to play both roles effectively.
2018: Big Show Joins Dungeons & Dragons Stream
In 2018, Big Show participated in Wizards of the Coast's Dungeons & Dragons stream "Stream of Many Eyes Day Three - Jocks Machina" with other notable figures.
January 6, 2020: Big Show Returns from Injury
After recovering from injury, Big Show made his return as a fan favorite on the January 6, 2020, episode of Raw, teaming up with Kevin Owens and Samoa Joe.
November 22, 2020: Big Show Appears at Survivor Series
Big Show made an appearance at Survivor Series on November 22, 2020, during The Undertaker's retirement ceremony.
January 4, 2021: Big Show's Final WWE Appearance
Big Show's final appearance in WWE took place on January 4, 2021, during the Legends Night episode of Raw.
February 24, 2021: Paul Wight Signs with AEW
All Elite Wrestling (AEW) announced the signing of Paul Wight on February 24, 2021. He would be known by his real name and provide commentary for AEW Dark: Elevation.
2021: Departure from WWE
In 2021, Big Show's tenure with WWE came to an end.
June 27, 2022: Big Show Congratulates John Cena
On June 27, 2022, Big Show appeared on Raw via video to congratulate John Cena on his career.
November 1, 2023: Paul Wight Returns to AEW Television
On November 1, 2023, Paul Wight made his return to AEW Dynamite, aligning himself with Chris Jericho and Kenny Omega against the Callis Family.
