Eric Bischoff explains why he let the Big Show leave WCW for WWE
Eric Bischoff was a WCW executive when Paul Wight, aka Big Show, became one of the company's top attractions in the 1990s. In a recent podcast episode, the Hall of Famer explained why he allowed the seven-foot star to join WWE.
Wight, known in WCW as The Giant, won several titles with the company, including the World Heavyweight Championship on his debut against Hulk Hogan at Halloween Havoc 1995. In 1999, he joined WWE after four years in World Championship Wrestling.
On his 83 Weeks podcast, Bischoff told host Conrad Thompson he struggled to tell stories with Wight due to his larger-than-life presence:
"I didn't believe, and still don't, that you can build an entire promotion around a guy like Paul Wight. He's too freaking big. He's too big to be a good heel, he's too big to sell and be a good babyface. In terms of laying out story and laying out matches with somebody as physically dominant as Paul Wight, it's incredibly difficult." [1:46 – 2:15]
Wight became known as the Big Show when he joined WWE. More than two decades on, the 52-year-old is widely viewed as one of the greatest big men in wrestling history.
How Eric Bischoff could have kept Paul Wight
Former WWE Chairman Vince McMahon paid Paul Wight a guaranteed $1 million per year after signing him in 1999.
Eric Bischoff had the chance to give Wight a better deal in WCW, but he decided to let the former nWo member join WWE:
"When Paul came to me and said, 'Vince offered me a million dollars a year, guaranteed minimum,' he gave me an opportunity, if I wanted to have beat that, I could have. I didn't. I wasn't happy to see him go, but I was happy for him." [3:20 – 3:36]
Wight won the World Heavyweight Championship twice and WWE Championship twice during his two decades in WWE. In 2021, he joined AEW as an ambassador, commentator, and occasional wrestler.
Do you think Eric Bischoff could have built WCW around Paul Wight? Hit the discuss button and let us know.
Please credit 83 Weeks and give an H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the transcription if you use quotes from this article.