Will the Big Show have the same status as Andre?

[KBeef]

Hello, Now before I get torn to shreds let me explain, I know Andre The Giant is A legend, the 8th Wonder of the world and one the biggest draws of all time.

I was watching an old Andre DVD that was released around 2004 and his ring work was very good for his time. I'm not sure who on these forums is old enough to have seen Andre in his prime, but I will say that i wasn't and I'm 26.
So going off footage and stories and urban legends I will say he is who he is and that's very amazing.

As for the Big Show, watching his match with Daniel Bryan a few weeks and ago and the bumps he was taking and still takes are amazing for his size.
I think he has more charisma than Andre did, way more athletic and better talker (I know English wasn't Andre's first language).

J.R said on one the panels they used to do with all the legends, that the reason he wont overshadow Andre is because we see the Big show all the time so the mystique isn't really there and with Andre he would swing by a territory once every few months to a year.

He is right, because how many of us on here have watched Big Show non- stop since about 1995? I get the over saturation of his character and how it may be stale.

I believe when its all over he will have surpassed Andre not in status or legend, But as a performer and a wrestler.

 

[Jerichoholic8894]

No. Simple reason is what JR said. Big Show got stale quite quickly. We saw him as a heel, and a face and everything in-between and back and forth. It got boring real fast.

There is only so much someone of that size can do in the ring, which is why JR's reason is spot on, we saw the same thing week after week and Big Show's marketability relied on his character, which also got stale quickly.

Not knocking Big Show, he's one of the more respected guys due to how long he's been around the block, but the generations of wrestling fans later in life won't think of Big Show like Andre, because Big Show wasn't the first true giant in the wrestling world. I'm not old enough to know if Andre was or not, but i'd assume he was.

 

[Rhodes2TheFuture3313]

I think the flipflopping between Heel and Face has hurt Big Show more than anything the past few years. His last heel run was very good and I was hoping his "face turn" would be short-lived. Big guys for the most part are just naturally heels. They rely on their feats of strength to get them through most matches. It's a rarity when an Undertaker or Kane can really get the fans behind them. Batista was also a very good Face. The Animal once they let him talk and break out from being the muscle of Evolution was an awesome transformation. Diesel was great, but he was more of a babyface; a guy who did bad things, but still got cheered by the crowd.

 

[ThePrawnCurry]

One difference is that Andre never had to job to lil Rey Rey

The run as talent enhancement will always hold against Show in terms of status

Plus, heel or face, Show has never been the top-draw in the roster


compare that to Andre, he was 2nd behind Hogan but ahead of Taker

 

[PaulEnglish]

While I am too young to have seen Andre in his prime (depending on what one calls his prime), I have been fortunate enough to have seen him twice. The first time was at a show in Maple Leaf Gardens when he wrestled Big John Studd (after the show I actually met Andre as well, and I have a photo of him towering over a 5 year old me).
The second time I saw him live was at a little show called WrestleMania 3, in Pontiac, Michigan.
I've also seen Big Show wrestle numerous times. I was at the Joe Louis Arena when he won his first WWE (WWF at the time) title (the same night that Stone Cold was "hit by the car"). I've seen him wrestle on Raw, Smackdown, Sunday Night Heat, Pay-Per-Views, and house shows.
So, I've been lucky to have seen both men, at various points in their respective careers.
That said:
It's hard to say just how special Andre was. Everyone knows that by the time WrestleMania 3 rolled around, Andre was essentially winding down his career. He wasn't the Andre that people talk about in the 70's and early 80's. He was slow, seemed to struggle and seemed in pain (go back and watch when Hogan slams Andre and that look of pain on his face as Heenan consoles him seems very real). All that said, Andre still seemed *special*, and because he WAS special. As J.R has said, he was booked differently and made to seem different. Until WWF rolled around, he didn't stay in one territory long enough to become stale, and even when he got into the WWF, he was booked in angles with people like John Studd and of course, Hulk Hogan.
Contrast that with Big Show, who started out hot in the WWF, but shortly after that, was thrown into such amazing storylines as the bit with the Big Bossman, or his lampooning other superstars (Showkiski anyone?)
In short, no. Andre will always be held in a much higher regard than the Big Show. Part of that is that Show has always been there, part of it is that Show has been booked terribly, but most of it is due to the fact that Andre was made to seem as special as he truly was.

 

[GameOver]

Big Show is a joke, he was impressive to start with and has glimpses of greatness but on the whole he was a joke, Andre was dominant and faced everyone top star of the golden era and had the respect and fear of everyone in the locker room not to mention he drew interest in all but the last 3 years he was alive.

No comparison for me. Andre is a legend, Big Show is just a Andre wannabe who because of the era he was in was given titles that Andre never went for

saying that i do agree when he was on fire like doing the parody gimmicks and certainly in terms of athleticism Big SHow far surpassed Andre in but once again for over 15yrs Andre was relevant, Big Show only has brief moments and the turning him heel then face over and over, same with Kane it just kills any respectability they could have if they just stuck with something for the default multiple years b4 turning them again

 

[ecwsux~!]

No, Andre had a certain mystique to him, while Big Show is just another guy who appears too much on TV. Dropping Show off his feet means diddly squat while Hogan bodyslamming Andre will live in infamy. That's basically the difference.

 

[berlinbrawler]

Different times, different standards.

If Andre had not been around in the 70s and 80s but instead would co-exist with the Big Show today, pretty much everyone would agree that Big Show is much much better. The IWC would absolutely sh*t all over Andre's promo skills and would point out at every chance that Big Show is the superior athlete. If Andre was around today, he would make Big Show look amazing by contrast.
Andre could barely talk, had the face of a Neanderthal and was very slow. I'm not saying Andre would be as universally rejected as the Great Khali, but he would never achieve the legendary status that is his legacy today.

As KBeef pointed out, back then there were territories. That means it was a lot easier to make a giant something special. Wherever Andre went, he inspired awe due to his size alone and he could keep that up for years and years. These days there is only one game in town (plus TNA) and once the fans have seen it, it can never be new again. And since the show is on 1-3 times a week you get old fast. Being a giant only gets you so far. Whole different ball game.

Big Show, at any rate, is vastly underrated by the IWC. Yes, he has been damaged by the way too frequent face/heel turns. Hell, it's almost as if every year they throw a couple of darts at a calendar to see when it would be time to randomly turn him again. Also, for a couple of years there, Show lost way too many matches to way too small guys. That's not his fault, though. that's shoddy booking.
What rarely gets acknowledged, however, is that his wrestling skills have actually greatly improved over the years. In recent years Show has had amazing matches with guys like Daniel Bryan, Sheamus and Mark Henry, displaying some of the best in-ring work of his career.

Alas, Andre was there first and he was there when giants were still awe inspiring just by being giants. I dare say that the Great Khali would have been way more successful in the 70s. Unlike Khali, however, Andre was not completely useless in the ring. He could go well enough for the times. So his ring skills, his being the undisputed king of the territories and his Wrestlemania 3 moment have build Andre a legendary status that the Big Show can never hope to achieve. Legends are often bigger than the man, especially in an environment like wrestling, where perception is reality.

 

[KBeef]

I do agree and I did forget to mention the terrible booking with Big Show.
I know that has hurt him but his character is very believable, im not saying to us because we know what the deal is. I'm talking about fans like my brothers who are teens and still believe everything we used to believe, To fans like that belief is all that matters.
I know Andre is one the greatest legends of all time and Big Show will not be seen as that which is unfortunate, but that is the day and age we live in.

There are a lot of guys and girls who 20 years ago would have towns on fire, but today they hear crickets.

 

[TheOneAndOnlyGOAT]

Big Show might not have been a big star like Andre but he worked with the best of the best: Rock, Austin, Hogan, Savage, Hennig, Taker, Hunter, Shawn, Flair, Goldberg, Lesnar, Kane, Jericho, Van Dam, Eddie, JBL, Edge, Batista, Orton, Cena, Punk, Bryan, pretty much every big name in wrestling.

 

[Matty~!]

Simple answer is no.

Andre was an attraction plain and simple he only really became over exposed later in his career but even then he was still a huge attraction. He travelled the world and didn't stay anywhere too long so every time he went back people were excited to see him.

Big Show was over exposed before he turned up in the WWE let alone after 14 years of being one of the leads characters when he's been with the promotion. It's not a bad thing he will never be considered in the same realm as Andre they were used vastly differently by the people that booked them.

 

[sufyaan05]

Yes,

He's done more than Andre,

And it's only because Andre was in the WWE for a limited amount of time and is now dead that people look up to him so much.

Regardless of how boring I find Show at times and would love for him to disappear, he's been loyal for too long and a maint eventer on too many occasions not warrant being regarded in the same name or higher than Andre.

 

[LemmyXX]

"I believe when its all over he will have surpassed Andre not in status or legend, But as a performer and a wrestler" he already did. big show overall is a much better performer than andre ever was. no question about it. we all know the answer to why big show will never have the same status as andre and some of you wrote it already so Im not gonna write it again. how about this, would andre be a bigger star than big show if he was wrestling right now?

 

[Matty~!]

Andre was a more versatile performer in his earlier years it's just that the footage of him isn't readily available. He was pretty agile for his size in the 70's and could throw dropkicks, by the time the wrestlemania era came around the giantism had taken its toll not too mention his legendary aptitude for drinking

 

[BillAlfonsos_Whistle]

Not a chance in hell IMO.
Andre is part of the biggest moment in Wrestling history and was an absolutely champion and legend for YEARS before donking the belt to Hogan. He was larger than life to children and just awe inspiring for anyone.


I actually have a shitload of respect for the Big Show. He has been effective in about 80% of the half-baked gimmicks and storylines he has been put in over the years (starting with Kevin Sullivans stupid ass stable in WCW). He is a great in-ring worker for his size. Roughly 3x better than Andre but those goes for all wrestlers of all sizes. They just keep getting more and more talented and innovative.


Bottom line: NO he will not be looked as an equal to Andre. But being the third best big man in wrestling history is nothing to scoff at...(1. Andre. 2. Bam Bam 3.Big Show)

 

[ecwsux~!]

I think the question is unfair though, Andre didn't have to be on TV every week and get over exposed. Show if used correctly could be an asset to any company.

 

[Mustang Sally]

I believe when its all over he will have surpassed Andre not in status or legend, But as a performer and a wrestler.

I suppose it depends on what criteria we use to measure our legends.

As a wrestler, it's impossible to say who was better unless you're old enough to remember Andre as a young ring performer. After all, the guy retired (and died) 20 years ago. All I can recall of his active ring career was seeing a huge-bellied, virtually crippled man stumbling around the ring.....and being disposed of in 30 seconds by the Ultimate Warrior. That's hard to equate to Big Show moving with surprising speed for someone his size. Face it, neither man would be effective in the ring without their opponents standing in front of them, offering themselves up for punishment.

Yes, as a wrestler, you can go by a list of Andre's accomplishments, but as a man who always bounced around between federations, he was never really a good candidate to be set up as any company's world champion. Besides, since it's all pre-arranged entertainment anyway, it's like Bill Goldberg telling WCW he deserves more money because of his "undefeated streak." A wrestler's list of titles is more the doing of management, not the performer. Big Show has been a world champion, but it's because Vince McMahon said he should be.

In any case, as a wrestler, I would think Big Show is miles above Andre.....but as a legend, Andre will always be bigger.....because he was the first; the prototype of the giant in a wrestling ring. He blazed the trail that Big Show followed.

 

[Cerebral Cyber Assassin]

I agree with what berlinbrawler said: "Different times, different standards."

Even though Show debuted in WCW only two years after Andre passed, they still exist in different eras of professional wrestling history. Andre was not required to appear on weekly television and constantly change his character to keep up the entertainment. His shear size and, a fore mentioned, mystique carried his career.

Also I feel that WWE should have dedicated a small portion of Show's career, preferably the beginning, to Andre. What I mean by this is that at some point they should have given Show a Andre-like run with a major title or at least gave him an undefeated streak for a notable period of time. They also dropped the ball with turning The Great Khali into a big joke. (Heel) Khali and Andre seem to share more similarities than Show and Andre. We've seen a smiling Big Show way to many times, and that softens the fact that the man is 7'0" and 425 lbs. As another poster said, he has even lost to the likes of a 5'6" Rey Mysterio, as well as many other smaller, less interesting wrestlers.

Too sum it all up, no, no Big Show will not have the same status as Andre the Giant, but hopefully he has cemented his own status/standard for big men in wrestling. Show is more athletic, charismatic, and diverse than Andre, he was just a victim of the times and with the attention span of most wrestling fans being very short, Show couldn't have maintained a serious monster character for as long as Andre did.

 

[robbo316]

Andre could barely talk, had the face of a Neanderthal and was very slow.

Unfortunately, you are basing that opinion on his performances in the late 80's onwards. You should really try to rootle out some videos of his matches in the mid 70's, at that point he was probably somewhere around 400~ and could throw dropkicks and was seriously agile - not agile for a 7 footer, agile full stop. As for his looks, in case you aren't aware he had a lifelong illness called Acromegaly, this condition essentially means that the bones never stop growing. Seriously, just look it up under pictures on google, Andre looked fairly "normal" for someone with his condition. As for his speech, please record yourself talking in a language that isn't yours. I'm sure, of course, that you would be perfect wouldn't you?

I know everyone is entitled to an opinion, but it is not a right that should necessarily be exercised; at least, not without the knowledge to back it up.

 

[DocHollywood]

As "Robbo316" stated.. this is what I was going to post in essence. Andre The Giant had things going for him that The Big Show will never have. Trust me.. I'm a fan of both guys and have always been amazed with the big guys in the Sport of Kings. Something I think the modern day product could use more of.. but getting back on point.. The Big Show would come off as amazing and inspiring if we just didn't see him as much as we do.

Having David beat Goliath now and then is ok.. I recall Jake Roberts having the same effect on Andre as Rey and Big Show may have had on the audience. Two different things but essentially the same story in what I said.

I feel like Andre and Show are not truly a match-up in status level.. maybe more so Big Show and King Kong Bundy? Andre and Kahli?

By the way it's awesome to finally register myself with WrestleZone.. I've been here for years watching and reading.. today this conversation finally pushed me to register.. Hello everyone!

 

[Tyrant25]

The Big Show is better than Andre the Giant. Yeah, I said it.

Andre the Giant was a product of good timing. He wrestled in an era where wrestlers of his size were extremely rare and a definite attraction. Of course, any logical human being would pay to see a man of his size fight, or at least I know I would. The spectacle between Andre the Giant and Hulk Hogan at Wrestlemania 3 happens all the time today and unfortunately, it's just not as impressive. Big Show is a better talker, a better storyteller, an all-around better wrestler and, had HE been in Andre's place in the 80's, he would've had that same attraction complex. Show's vastly underrated when it comes to these factors.

 

[Aquaman6686]

Big Show is a better wrestler than Andrè, and has had an infinitely more successful career. However, he won't be remembered as a legend the same way Andrè is. Andrè was wrestling's first true giant, and I think too many people are biased against Big Show because his early career was a poor reflection of Andrè's. I think it's a shame that Big Show won't be remembered in the same light as Andrè, because in all honesty I think he's FAR better than Andrè ever was.

 

[robbo316]

As "Robbo316" stated.. this is what I was going to post in essence. Andre The Giant had things going for him that The Big Show will never have. Trust me.. I'm a fan of both guys and have always been amazed with the big guys in the Sport of Kings. Something I think the modern day product could use more of.. but getting back on point.. The Big Show would come off as amazing and inspiring if we just didn't see him as much as we do.

Having David beat Goliath now and then is ok.. I recall Jake Roberts having the same effect on Andre as Rey and Big Show may have had on the audience. Two different things but essentially the same story in what I said.

I feel like Andre and Show are not truly a match-up in status level.. maybe more so Big Show and King Kong Bundy? Andre and Kahli?

By the way it's awesome to finally register myself with WrestleZone.. I've been here for years watching and reading.. today this conversation finally pushed me to register.. Hello everyone!

Of course, the way they made the Jake and Andre situations work was by scripting a morbid fear of snakes for Andre, so giving Jake the upper hand. It was a tactic that worked so well that they also used it in the feud with John Tenta (Earthquake). Although they took it a step further with the snake being squashed and so opening the way for a larger, albino(if memory serves) python to make it's appearance.
It always seemed more realistic to have a smaller guy exploit a weakness in someone who was seemingly unbeatable.

 

[THTRobtaylor]

Utlimately, Show is gonna go down as the #2 giant in history. Andre was more of an icon than Show ever can be. Look at the Obey/Posse stuff or that he is known as Fezzik to many outside of wrestling.

That's not a knock on Show, he's had a very good career and has entertained for perhaps longer, and more consistantly than any other big man has who could be called a Giant... His place is assured in the HOF and he's a guy that will always be welcomed back or able to take on other roles. He had his surgery done young and that should hopefully prolong things for him but he clearly is the wrong end of 40 and Andre was gone by 45... Show will likely hang it up after this big run and who could blame him? But the one thing he has done is help more guys get over than Andre ever did/could... From Cena to Bryan, to Edge to Christian... all of them got better cos they worked with show, and it helped them work with other big men.

He'll go down as an A- level star rather than the A* icon of an Andre... but that in itself isnt' to be sniffed at - Andre was a near impossible act to follow - to have done this well is a real testament to Paul Wight as a man.

 

[GameOver]

No, Andre had a certain mystique to him, while Big Show is just another guy who appears too much on TV. Dropping Show off his feet means diddly squat while Hogan bodyslamming Andre will live in infamy. That's basically the difference.

Very true

Except after Hogan did it and beat him then every man could do it wheras b4 that noone could even come close Andre had lost most of his dominance after Survivor Series that year, Warrior also slammed Andre years later but that didn't mean a damn thing by that point.

when Goldberg picked up the Giant in the jackhamer that meant something, after that it was irrelevant cause the impossible had been done and i would think thats far more impressive a feat then slamming a 520lb man that wasn't actually 520lb's, hell Luger almost slammed a 600lb man (apparently).

so Big Show did have that appeal initially, the difference is Andre went over 15yrs b4 he started becoming irrelevant, The Giant became irrelevant in a third of that time.