WWE Rumors: Big Show vs. Shaquille O'Neal nixed due to monetary reasons
What’s the story?
Big Show facing former NBA player and current NBA analyst Shaquille O’Neal was a match that was rumoured to take place at this year’s WrestleMania, but the match has officially been cancelled.
Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter said on the Wrestling Observer Radio Podcast that one of the main issues with Shaq wrestling Big Show may have been the money he was offered by WWE.
In case you didn’t know...
Shaq and Big Show fighting at WrestleMania has been a match that has been an on-and-off rumour since Shaq and Big Show had a showdown back in 2009.
However, this year seemed to be the best chance for the match to take place as it would’ve not only been a likely retirement match, but it also was a follow-up to Shaq’s involvement with the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal at WrestleMania 32.
The heart of the matter
The Big Show claiming that Shaq not taking the match seriously was partially what lead to the match being called off, but Meltzer believed that the WWE offered him money that wouldn’t have made it a worthwhile endeavour.
This could indicate that Shaq was fine with the money he was offered for WrestleMania 32, but wasn’t fine with the money they were offering him for a singles match at WrestleMania 33.
What’s next?
Big Show announced on Monday Night Raw that he would return to the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal for the fourth year in a row. He won the match at WrestleMania 31 and isn’t likely to win this year.
Author’s take
In hindsight, it sucks that the WWE gave away the Braun Strowman-Big Show match for free on Monday Night Raw because both men had an enticing encounter. If that match was placed on WrestleMania and Strowman never lost clean to Roman Reigns, then that match could’ve been a big star-making moment in Strowman’s career plus it would give Big Show a worthwhile opponent.
With Big Show claiming he will retire in the next year or so, we hope that he can have one more meaningful feud before he hangs his boots up for good.
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