Paul Big Show Wight signs with AEW

[Guest]

So big show eh, some lad 

[Carbomb]

On the WWE/Vince thing, it's very simple: it's not in the wrestling business any more, it's in the marketing and merchandising business. This is evidenced by the sheer unassailability of its brand, which very much is the selling point of it now rather than any individual stars, and which is now seen as inextricable from wrestling. It's further proven by the fact that, no matter what they do with their wrestling offerings, they continue to post higher profits than ever. It will only go back to being a wrestling business when its profits are dependent on the wrestling product being what sells it.

Back on topic, I think it's always going to be interesting when a long-term WWE employee signs with AEW, because we'll finally get to see them outside the tight controls of WWE production. It may get even more interesting, like Jericho, or it may not stay interesting for long, like Cardona. But until Paul Wight shows up on the product, it's always going to be intriguing, and I think it's likely that AEW will be able to get a fair bit out of him between the ropes, as Andre proved that giants can continue to wrestle as long as they can get up the ring steps (and even if they can't, they can still wrestle if the promotion gives them a ring ramp).

I think one could argue that Paul Wight is probably the best giant wrestler ever in terms of ability, even if Andre was much more iconic. He's a decent talker, is well experienced, and will undoubtedly be an asset to AEW in one form or another.

[seph]

7 hours ago, Carbomb said:

On the WWE/Vince thing, it's very simple: it's not in the wrestling business any more, it's in the marketing and merchandising business. This is evidenced by the sheer unassailability of its brand, which very much is the selling point of it now rather than any individual stars, and which is now seen as inextricable from wrestling.

That's not the depressing thing, as this is what Vince has been after since Day One. What really hits home is that should a cultural revolt akin to the Monday Night Wars happen things are far less likely to change in the WWE product as NBC has paid / is already paying ridiculous money for the brand itself, and I imagine that they'd have their own spin merchants assuming they know the product more than their own customers.

In addition the nostalgia income isn't remotely under threat unless something grotesque relating to yesteryear blows up and colours peoples' feelings about the old days en masse. Hogan's racism hasn't done that, the Ring Boy scandals haven't done that, nothing on Dark Side has done that. Yet.

Edited March 3, 2021 by seph

[LCJ]

Sorry, still off topic here. It just annoyed me how Bischoff and Heyman were blamed for Smackdown and Raw’s failings and ultimately, Vince has final say on both. Both shows are still poor (Smackdown is slightly better from what I gather but Raw is just as bad as it was when Heyman was “in charge”). If the money coming in from Fox and Peacock is the only important thing, then why was Bischoff dismissed and Heyman demoted? Both shows still suck because guess what? Vince has final say. Seems that every positive thing that happens such as increased revenue, Vince takes credit for. But if Raw and Smackdown underperform in terms of quality and falling ratings (which might still be important if heads still roll for low numbers), then it’s nothing to do with Vince and two people lose their jobs over it.

[BomberPat]

Because that's what investors and shareholders want to hear. The corporate opinion is still very much "Only Vince McMahon Can Make Money From Wrestling". It remains to be seen if AEW will make any impact on that belief, but WWE stock always performs badly at any suggestion that Vince's involvement is getting reduced - and absolutely tanked after the "selling RAW to Donald Trump" angle. 

It's less a "Vince taking credit for everything" story as a "reassuring the money men" story by saying "look, it's okay, Vince is still here". Heyman and Bischoff were likely the other side of the same coin - brought in as a reassuring gesture that there are experienced hands at the wheel, and sacked off when they didn't need them any more; Bischoff in particular was to strengthen the case for the FOX deal, more than anything else. 

They've been doing a reasonable job in positioning Triple H and Stephanie as the media-friendly face of the company's future, but it will be fascinating to see how the company performs once Vince is out of the picture, assuming he hasn't sold up completely by then.

Edited March 3, 2021 by BomberPat

[garynysmon]

9 hours ago, Carbomb said:

But until Paul Wight shows up on the product, it's always going to be intriguing, and I think it's likely that AEW will be able to get a fair bit out of him between the ropes, as Andre proved that giants can continue to wrestle as long as they can get up the ring steps (and even if they can't, they can still wrestle if the promotion gives them a ring ramp).

I think one could argue that Paul Wight is probably the best giant wrestler ever in terms of ability, even if Andre was much more iconic. He's a decent talker, is well experienced, and will undoubtedly be an asset to AEW in one form or another.

I suppose the question is if its too late to rehab the allure of a 49 year old Paul Wight after being so lazily mismanaged and booked as almost a regular sized wrestler for most of his WWE tenure. Scandalous really.

What he has on his side is that due to his sheer size, no one is expecting him to perform any flashy or even athletic moves.

If booked right there's no reason why he can't be protected and extend his career, just looking menacing compared to some of the midgets already on the roster could be a spectacle in itself.

But how that matches up with him presumably cracking jokes on colour commentary is another question entirely.

Edited March 3, 2021 by garynysmon

[The Gaffer]

I wonder what the rationale is for Vince wanting to sell. For most of my life as a wrestling fan I'd have told you that was slightly more unthinkable than Undertaker losing his streak. Maybe I've been worked and I'm severely underestimating the power of mo money, but the guy's already got more cash than he can spend for the rest of his weird life and they've always trumpeted WWE being a family run business. It's been a publicly traded behemoth for years - granted - but actually selling the company and bringing it under the umbrella of a larger entity is a different ball game. 

Doubtless the McMahon/Helmsley regime will retain executive control over the creative direction of the product - they're after all the only ones who can actually understand and operate WWE to the suits minds - but selling really widens the possibilities of where WWE could go and what could happen to it. It'd be as big a story as Vince passing. 

Maybe he's a businessman first and foremost, and selling your company for an astronomical sum to an astronomical entity is still one of the gold medals of business, regardless of how proud of it he is. It's interesting.  

[Michael_3165]

11 minutes ago, garynysmon said:

I suppose the question is if its too late to rehab the allure of a 49 year old Paul Wight after being so lazily mismanaged and booked as almost a regular sized wrestler for most of his WWE tenure. Scandalous really.

What he has on his side is that due to his sheer size, no one is expecting him to perform any flashy or even athletic moves.

If booked right there's no reason why he can't be protected and extend his career, just looking menacing compared to some of the midgets already on the roster could be a spectacle in itself.

But how that matches up with him presumably cracking jokes on colour commentary is another question entirely.

I'd argue that him being there would just highlight how small most of their roster is. Most of them don't look like wrestlers which doesn't help. 

[Michael_3165]

17 minutes ago, Gay as FOOK said:

I wonder what the rationale is for Vince wanting to sell. For most of my life as a wrestling fan I'd have told you that was slightly more unthinkable than Undertaker losing his streak. Maybe I've been worked and I'm severely underestimating the power of mo money, but the guy's already got more cash than he can spend for the rest of his weird life and they've always trumpeted WWE being a family run business. It's been a publicly traded behemoth for years - granted - but actually selling the company and bringing it under the umbrella of a larger entity is a different ball game. 

Doubtless the McMahon/Helmsley regime will retain executive control over the creative direction of the product - they're after all the only ones who can actually understand and operate WWE to the suits minds - but selling really widens the possibilities of where WWE could go and what could happen to it. It'd be as big a story as Vince passing. 

Maybe he's a businessman first and foremost, and selling your company for an astronomical sum to an astronomical entity is still one of the gold medals of business, regardless of how proud of it he is. It's interesting.  

I think it's the fact for decades he has put his brand on a pedastal w the history etc. I have no doubt he has little emotional connection to wrestling, its all about the money. 

[Merzbow]

30 minutes ago, Michael_3165 said:

I'd argue that him being there would just highlight how small most of their roster is. Most of them don't look like wrestlers which doesn't help. 

That's just not true in the slightest, it's lazy Cornette talk that everyone on the roster is some midget that looks like a fan.

 

[Carbomb]

12 minutes ago, Merzbow said:

That's just not true in the slightest, it's lazy Cornette talk that everyone on the roster is some midget that looks like a fan.

 

Yep. Off the top of my head, I can name Jericho, Omega, both Rhodes, Page, Cage, Wardlow, Luchasaurus, Silver, FTR, PAC, SCU, Jungle Boy, Hardy, Santana, Ortiz, Lucha Bros, Butcher & Blade, and MJF. I'm sure I've missed a load more.

[garynysmon]

3 minutes ago, Carbomb said:

Yep. Off the top of my head, I can name Jericho, Omega, both Rhodes, Page, Cage, Wardlow, Luchasaurus, Silver, FTR, PAC, SCU, Jungle Boy, Hardy, Santana, Ortiz, Lucha Bros, Butcher & Blade, and MJF. I'm sure I've missed a load more.

That's true. Just because there are SOME wrestlers that don't look like they belong in a wrestling ring, doesn't mean you tar the whole roster with the same brush.

[Merzbow]

Hobbs, Archer, Moxley, 10, Trent, Miro, Sting, Starks and even little Darby due to the way he carries himself. And there's more of the Dark lot that look good too.

[garynysmon]

1 minute ago, Merzbow said:

Hobbs, Archer, Moxley, 10, Trent, Miro, Sting, Starks and even little Darby due to the way he carries himself. And there's more of the Dark lot that look good too.

Personally I find Darby Allin too small by far to be featured in the spot he is. 

[Merzbow]

He wrestles with an intensity unlike anyone on the roster, I can believe that he'll try to kill himself to beat anyone on the roster and succeed. I've said it before but he's one of the few flippy guys that looks like he's trying to hurt people when he flies.