Paul Wight: WCW or WWE

[Mr. TM]

The Giant or The Big Show.

He has been on our television screen for years now, entertaining us a a comedic face, scaring us as a monster heel, punching people, choke slamming them, hitting moonsaults.

The man is 7 feet tall, and close to 500 pounds. He is a Giant who was once billed as Andre The Giant's son. In WCW, he would become champion, an NWO member, and a monster truck driver.

He would become one of WWE's biggest acquisitions in the war with WCW. He would also become one of the best wrestlers in the WWE over the past decade in drawing.

However, I argue that his career in WWE, despite being longer, was on a lower level than the WCW. In WCW, he was a monster, he beat hogan, he beat Flair. He is not some midcarder back then, losing to sumos, jobbing in fatal four ways, and getting beat up by 5 foot tall punchers.

So what do you think? WCW or WWE?

 

[NSL]

I like Paul Wight as "Big Show". He's done well for himself in the WWE, and has the laundry list of titles to prove it. But, I feel he was utilized the best in WCW. He was built up properly, and had a long run at the top of the card.

In WCW, he pulled off missile dropkicks and other top rope attacks, where in WWE, he's knocked down to punches and slaps. Sure, they're effective, but he really is athletic, and should be given some room to show it off. I also think he looked better with the scraggly beard and long hair. Made him more menacing.

 

[jayteeERA]

Nightshift I agree with you 100%. Paul Wright was used best in wcw. Beating alot of big names. He was more aggressive, they made him seem like the only way you beat this guy is knock him out cold. The only match that stopped all that momentum he had was whe he faced Goldberg, that killed it all.

Then after that went to wwe. He started off on the right track at first, even dominated the undertaker. Then lost it again, after that he begin jobbing to ppl like rhino, shane mcmahon, let kurt angle beat him for the title, but he did gave brock lesnar his first official loss. Every few years in wwe Big show gets this momentum going only to be shutdown by someone. I was pissed when he didn't win the fatal 4 way. He would of made a better heel champion than Orton, but right now he is in a good position. Giving him a punch as a knock out move and being a tag champion. I just hope the wwe doesn't ruin it.

So I think WCW knows how to work Paul Wright better. Just for the fact they made him seem unstoppable in a way.

 

[PEP3]

With his size, wrestling acumen and generally menacing appearance, Paul Wight would never be my personal choice for a comedy act. He's best suited as a monster heel, crushing opponents and leaving a path of destruction behind him. WCW provided exactly that during his tenure there.

The WWF saw him in a different capacity. At first, he received similar monster heel treatment. Then he started to change. He was jobbed out to guest-stars, used to put over much smaller performers and never had a truly dominant World Title reign. It hasn't necessarily served him as best it could, but his staying power remains strong.

Perhaps WWE realized that nobody can be 100-percent monster 100-percent of the time. Perhaps they realized that even "monsters" have other sides, and for him to have any kind of extended shelf life, he needs to explore those facets of his character?

Personally, I think WWE has done a great job of keeping The Big Show fairly fresh. As has been pointed out previously, he goes through cycles of being "hot" -- when they're using him really well -- and when he's "not." That's actually what has allowed him to stay relevant for so incredibly long.

While I think WCW used him better for the short-term, I believe that kind of booking can only go so far. WWE has found the key to how keep him fresh, new and evolving as a personality and character. To me, that's what it means to use a wrestler to his fullest potential.

 

[Dagger Dias]

In WWE he just has never seemed as dominating as he has the potential to be. His tag run with Kane and his ECW title reign were both good, but other than that.... look at how badly he has been used. Especially at Wrestlemania. The sumo thing at 21 wasn't great, at 24 he was made to look weak after the Mayweather match, and this year's when he was filler for a feud that was more about Cena and Edge. Then there's JeriShow. Great team, but that only happened because Edge got injured. Big Show has just not been used correctly by WWE.... and that is why I say the WCW version of him was better because he had better roles there.

 

[Big Nick Dudley]

Has probably had more success in WWE, seeing he's been there longer, but I prefered him in WCW. He was ripped, and looked ferocious. Now, he is fat, lazy, and doesn't seem to care. Might feel differently if he had been better utilized when first jumping ship; they really dropped the ball in WWE by not having he and Austin in a real feud.

 

[The Wolf]

Paul Wight was better in WCW bring back the Giant as a character angle, Have dressed the way he did yrs ago for a short period as a biker (which WWE stopped it so Taker could claim the biker look with the American Bad Ass angle) it will create the look as if he is saying f*ck Vince and tired of being held back.