Jim Ross was a commentator and executive of WWE talent relations when Paul Wight, known as Big Show, joined the company in 1999. The legendary announcer recently recalled how management often had problems with the weight of the former WCW star.
Big Show was announced like seven feet and two inches high and 500 pounds when debuting in WWE. Actually, the 53 -year -old fighter measures seven feet and his weight fluctuated between 383 and 537 pounds during his wrestling career.
Ross said in his podcast Grilling JR That the world's biggest athlete often ignored the fitness and nutrition advice of WWE's high controls:
“It is always the same problem with large types like him. How committed are they putting shape, staying in shape and being able to physically perform at a high level? And we knew that he had the capacity. It's only a matter of whether we can convince him that being in great condition and more thin is something good.” (37:39 – 38:02)
Big Show played university basketball before joining the wrestling business with WCW. In 1995, he defeated Hulk Hogan on Halloween Havoc to win the World Heavyweight Championship in his debut.
How did Jim Ross monitor the weight of Big Show?
According to Jim Ross, some inside WWE saw Big Show as the next André the giant. Announced about seven feet and four inches and 520 pounds, André was one of the main attractions of wrestling in the 1970s and 1980s.
Ross was so worried about Big Show food intake that he regularly measured the weight of the fighter before television recordings.
“I weighed many times on television just to see how I was and get a measure of it,” added the commentator. “He didn't like it, so I think what he said was that we didn't trust him with his weight. If the weight gets out of control, the descent has begun, and we didn't want that.” (39:03 – 39:24)
Big Show won several titles during his 21 -year -old association with WWE, including the WWE championship twice and the World Weight Championship twice. In 2021, he joined AEW as ambassador, commentator and occasional fighter in the ring.
