PAUL Wight left WWE after decades with the company to sign a long-term deal with All Elite Wrestling in February of 2021.
The 7-foot athlete is a professional wrestler and actor who has earned millions of dollars in his career.
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Who is Paul Wight?
Wight, 49, was born Paul Donald Wight II on February 8, 1972, in Aiken, South Carolina.
He suffered from acromegaly, a disease of the endocrine system dealing with excess growth hormones.
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By the time the athlete was twelve years old he was 6-foot-2 and weighed 220 pounds.
Growing up he played high school basketball, and football at Wyman King Academy in his home state.
After high school Wight enrolled and played basketball at Northern Oklahoma Junior College, Wichita State University, and Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.
While in college he became a member of the Xi Beta chapter of the Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity.
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What is Paul Wight’s net worth?
According to Sportskeeda, Wight’s net worth is approximately $20million.
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His annual WWE salary was $850,000.
There is no report on how much Wight’s AEW deal is worth.
When did Paul Wight sign with All Elite Wrestling?
On February 24, 2021 AEW announced in a press release that the wrestling legend has signed a long-term deal with the company.
He will serve as a commentator for AEW Dark: Elevation.
The new show will air on YouTube Mondays at 7:00 pm, like its companion show AEW: Dark on Tuesdays.
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Wight said in the press release: “It’s been amazing to watch what AEW has built in just a couple of years.
“AEW Dark is an incredible platform to hone the skills of up-and-coming wrestlers, but I also love that established AEW talent can build out their personalities and showcase themselves in new ways on Dark.”
CEO, GM and Head of Creative of AEW Tony Khan says: “It’s no exaggeration when they say that AEW is boundless.
“Paul Wight is one of the most recognizable and impressive professional athletes in the world.”
When did Paul Wight begin his wrestling career?
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After college Wight worked several odd jobs as a bouncer, bounty hunter, and call operator.
After a chance meeting with Danny Bonaduce, he was connected to wrestling icon Hulk Hogan.
In 1994 Hogan brought him into the World Championship Wrestling (WCW) fold, and after impressing WCW vice president Eric Bischoff he was signed to a deal.
The next year Wight made his WCW debut, and was billed as legend, Andre the Giant’s son under the ring name The Giant.
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He won his first wrestling championship from Hogan at the Slamboree event but would lose it shortly after in storyline.
Throughout his tenure in WCW he was a member of the popular New World Order (NWO) faction and held the WCW World Heavyweight, and Tag Team championships for a total of five times.
The South Carolina native has been vocal about being paid a fraction of what other WCW stars like Kevin Nash and Scott Hall were, and was denied an increase by Bischoff.
How long was Paul Wight in WWE?
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Wight was with WCW for five years and on February 9, 1999 he signed a 10-year deal with WWE (then WWF).
His ring debut for the company was aligning with WWE CEO and on-screen villain Vince McMahon against Stone Cold Steve Austin at St. Valentine’s Day Massacre.
He was renamed The Big Show and had memorable feuds with Mankind, The Rock, Kane, Big Boss Man and countless other legends.
Over the years The Big Show’s onscreen persona has gone back and forth from menacing giant, and comical fun loving giant.
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The 7-foot athlete has been drafted and performed across all WWE brands: RAW, SmackDown, WWE ECW, and Wrestlemania.
He is known for participating in a sumo match at Wrestlemania 21 in 2005.
What has Paul Wight done outside of the ring?
Under The Big Show moniker he was able to parlay his wrestling fame into Hollywood.
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In 2020 he starred in his own Netflix series The Big Big Show, which ran for one season.
He has been an active supporter and Global Ambassador of the Special Olympics, and participated in the 2014’s Opening Ceremony.
Wight’s acting credits include The Waterboy, Cousin Skeeter, Saturday Night Live, Star Trek: Enterprise, Are you Smarter than a 5th Grader?, and the Kids Choice Awards.
He has been married twice to Melissa Piavis, and Bess Katramados. It is unknown if he is still married.
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