The other side of Professional Wrestling news

WIGHT MAKES RIGHT: From Giant to Superstar

We've had a few weeks now to catch ex-Giant Paul Wight working for the WWF, so the question has to be raised:  Did he make the right move by leaving WCW and signing with the WWF?

To quote a certain wrestler we all know and love... "AW HELL YEAH!!!!"

Paul Wight has been thrown into the WWF Heavyweight Title picture right from the beginning, and the WWF is doing it smartly.  Rather than throwing him in the ring and having him demolish the opposition, they've made him into a smart and therefore dangerous worker.  His spots are carefully chosen in order to make the most impact.  Think about it.  For the very little wrestling we've actually seen him do, he's now been established as a viable opponent for Mankind, Steve Austin, and even possibly The Rock: the three biggest names in the federation!

That's quite a step up from jobbing to a rookie (Goldberg) at house shows every night.

What makes the story even more interesting is how it happened.  Word on the street says that Hollywood Hogan is the one who encouraged Wight to sign with the WWF, theoretically to get him out of the picture in WCW and earn more power for himself.

This makes absolutely no sense.  Can Hogan possibly be THAT stupid?

In the few months I've been working on this site, I'm come to learn that anything is possible in wrestling, both in the ring and backstage.  But this???  If this is true, then Hogan is not only an egomaniac, he's absolutely delusional.  He's sent one of his federation's biggest (and most misused) stars to the competition.  And for what?  To get rid of the personal competition backstage?  Is he really so desperate to be a big fish again that he's willing to drain the pond to accomplish this?

Sadly, it's entirely possible.  And it makes me wonder what will happen to Bret Hart when his contract with WCW runs out in November.  While he's publicly stated that he'd rather retire than return to the WWF, there have been a few folks who claim to have heard him talk in more personal settings, and these folks are saying that Bret thinks he could work the situation under which he left the WWF to turn himself into the fed's biggest heel ever.  And he's considering that to be a challenge he'd enjoy.

But back to Wight.  Is there any doubt that this guy will hold the WWF Heavyweight Belt?  It's just a matter of time.  On my highlights page from last week, I indicated where I thought this could be heading.  Referee Wight refuses to make a three count when Austin pins The Rock at Wrestlemania and goes to chokeslam Austin.   Austin turns it into a stunner.  Wight's old cold, and second referee Mankind makes the three count when Austin pins The Rock again.  Bam.  Instant Wight/Austin feud to be settled at Summerslam, with a few Wight/Mankind matches beforehand to help set things up further.

And when Summerslam is over, Wight walks off with the gold, which could lead to a jealousy angle with The Rock leading to the two having a match at the Survivor Series.   There are a lot of possibilities here, and Paul Wight is in the middle of every single one.

He made a huge impact in WCW when he first arrived, and now he's poised to make an even bigger impact with the WWF.  Congratulations, big guy.

And maybe with all the money you're making, you can buy up and burn all existing copies of the video "Reggie's Prayer", where you play a drug dealer who gets his ass kicked by Reggie White.  I'll bet you thought nobody remembered that one... :)

AK-47