Vince McMahon nixed WrestleMania idea for Big Show because he 'did not stick up for himself'
Speaking on the latest episode of Steve Austin’s Broken Skull Sessions show on the WWE Network, The Big Show recalled that he made a “critical business mistake” early on in his career which forced Vince McMahon to scrap his idea to have a match between the 7-footer and Austin at WrestleMania.
Big Show, originally known by his real name (Paul Wight) in WWE, made an instant impression on his debut in February 1999 when he inadvertently helped Austin defeat McMahon in a steel cage match at St. Valentine’s Day Massacre.
One month later, he attempted to prove to his boss that he would be a team player for the company by suggesting that he should lose clean against Austin.
McMahon, who initially viewed Austin vs. Big Show as a possible WrestleMania match in 2000, agreed and decided to book the match on RAW in March 1999, with Austin picking up the victory.
“This is where I made a critical business mistake. Vince comes to me at catering and sits down and says, ‘After what happened, I want you and Steve to work.’ Vince wanted to try to get to you and I at ‘Mania the following year. That was his plan. He asked me what I want to do with you.
“Again, super green, don’t know what to say. I just know that I’m brand new here, I’m not a jerk, I’m ready to get along, which is the worst thing you can do in that place. ‘Listen, I don’t know, whatever you guys want to do. I’ll put Steve over.’ I was trying to show that I had a good attitude and I was a good business person when actually I was a sh***y business person.”
Big Show went on to say that, in his opinion, McMahon chose to "feed him to Steve" because he "did not stick up for himself", which is why the rivalry between the two men quickly ended.
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