"I was kicked off the plane ride home" – When WWE legend was not allowed to travel with Hulk Hogan
It is well known that Hulk Hogan received more perks than most wrestlers throughout his career. In the 1990s, The Hulkster flew back to Tampa, Florida, via a private plane after WCW Nitro episodes as part of his lucrative contract.
Paul Wight, also known as The Giant and The Big Show, was initially allowed to ride on Hulk Hogan's plane. However, his weekly travel arrangements with the wrestling icon did not last very long.
In 2016, Wight recalled on radio station Sports Talk 790AM that he used to impersonate Hogan and Randy Savage in a romantic relationship together. Brian Adams, formerly known as Crush in WWE, encouraged the up-and-coming star to perform his impression in front of the two legends:
"I'm a dumba** rookie, so what do I do?" Wight said. "[In Hogan's voice] 'Whatcha gonna do, Macho, when the largest python in the world comes for you, brother?' [In Savage's voice] 'Ooh yeah, Hulkster. Go to infinity and beyond. Give me the beef, Hulkster.' And believe me, I'm cleaning it up for radio." (H/T Wrestling Inc. for the transcription)
Wight thought his impression would receive laughs, but Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage did not see the funny side:
"I had a big grin on my face, and, I mean, I'm getting a dead stare from Hulk [and] a dead stare from Randy. Brian looks at me and goes, 'Oh, I can't believe you did that.' Completely threw me under the bus!"
The following week, the pilot cited turbulence as the reason why Wight was not allowed to travel on the plane. However, the seven-foot star suspected he had been kicked off future flights due to his mocking of Hogan and Savage:
"The pilot, Captain Ron, comes and says, 'Hey, Giant, I just want to let you know that there are [sic] a lot of turbulence going home this week, so if you don't mind, can you catch a commercial flight tomorrow? Because we're concerned about the weight,' and I'm like, 'Yeah, yeah, yeah, no problem.' So it's like [for] two months, I was kicked off the plane ride home," Wight added.
The former WWE Superstar is not the only wrestler who was not allowed to travel with a specific co-worker. In 2003, Triple H banned Mark Jindrak from riding in cars with himself, Randy Orton, and Ric Flair.
Paul Wight made his name in WCW against Hulk Hogan
Although he is best known as WWE's The Big Show, Paul Wight's first big break in the wrestling industry came as The Giant in WCW.
At Halloween Havoc 1995, the towering superstar defeated Hulk Hogan in his first televised match to win the WCW World Heavyweight Championship. The two later joined forces as part of the legendary nWo faction.
Wight now works for AEW as an ambassador, commentator, and occasional in-ring performer.
What is your favorite wrestling travel story? Let us know in the comments section below.