Shaq vs Big Show at WrestleMania 28?

by Geno Mrosko on Dec 22, 2011 4:46 PM EST in WWE

Big Show (L) vs. Shaquille O'Neal (R) at WrestleMania 28 just might be happening.

That's what Shaq is saying, at least.

Wrestling Observer brings word that the former NBA great mentioned on the Abe Kanan show that he's currently in discussions with WWE to have a match at WrestleMania 28 against Big Show.

"The Granddaddy of Them All" is scheduled for April 1, 2012, at Sun Life Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.

O'Neal is a longtime pro wrestling fan and has been involved in appearing on screen as part back as 1994 when he was rubbing elbows with Hulk Hogan after he won the WCW world heavyweight championship from Ric Flair at Bash at the Beach.

Most recently he was a guest host on Raw and did an angle with Big Show that eventually saw Shaq get his hands a little dirty and execute a shoulder block. It wasn't the prettiest thing in the world, but it wasn't the worst.

For his part, Show was involved in a celebrity match back in 2008 at WrestleMania 24 with Floyd Mayweather Jr. The match was overbooked like crazy, of course, and I imagine if they went through with Shaq vs. Show it would be something similar but getting O'Neal to actually wrestle at 'Mania would be a pretty big deal.

Even though he's retired from the NBA, is there any doubt ESPN would roll footage on Sportscenter of the match the next day? Vince McMahon is already salivating at the prospect of it.

How do you Cagesiders like the idea of Shaq vs. Show at WrestleMania 28?

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The match has the potential to be pretty entertaining, I just wish that Big Show had more than a zero percent chance of winning it. Despite my hatred of immobile hosses, I actually like Big Show. He’s quite a good worker and athlete when he isn’t weighed down by a couple dozen extra pounds.

by *Asterisk* on Dec 22, 2011 4:53 PM EST reply actions

Yes

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by y2jayjk on Dec 22, 2011 5:13 PM EST reply actions

Big Show – Mayweather was awesome. There’s really no other use for Big Show besides these attraction matches at this stage in his career. He can’t credibly challenge Daniel Bryan for the title (nobody should ever believe that bryan would beat Show under any circumstance) and there isn’t much room for him anywhere else.

by thejasten on Dec 22, 2011 5:24 PM EST reply actions

"under any circumstance" is a little far

Like, what if Daniel Bryan had a gimmick where he was rebuilt as half cyborg, and he had, like, this crazy robot choke/clenching grip?

by evisruc on Dec 23, 2011 5:47 AM EST up reply actions

Omg that would be fucking awesome. I stand corrected, sir!

by thejasten on Dec 23, 2011 5:03 PM EST up reply actions

Who's taller?

Might sell more tickets, god does that sound dumb.

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by Brooklyn Dodgers Mets Fan on Dec 22, 2011 5:39 PM EST via mobile reply actions

No no a thousand times NO

1-Have these non-wrestler special guests actually increased PPV sales in the past? You see what little influence Dwayne had w/ his return, and he’s semi-godly in wrestling circles. How many asses did Pete Rose put in the seats?
2-thejasten points out the problem of believing Bryan over Show. Bryan is a trained wrestler, one of the best there is right now. Shaq is big. He also has never been trained as a wrestler, and is broken like the US economy. Are we expected to believe he has a chance in the ring?
3-It’s Wrestlemania. If you have to resort to bullsh!t like celebrity appearances to draw, you suck at your job. Save stuff like celebs for lesser PPVs that need a boost.

Gillberg...Gillberg...Gillberg...

by GoForthAndDie on Dec 22, 2011 6:34 PM EST reply actions

1- Yes they have an impact, see WM 1, 11, 14 especially
2- Would Frankie Edgar have a chance against Brock Lesnar?
3- Wrestlemania is built around celebrity involvement.

by thejasten on Dec 22, 2011 7:35 PM EST up reply actions

This is kinda my problem with being both a MMA and WWE fan. WWE tries to sell that all their wrestlers are more-or-less equally skilled, meaning that the big guys are almost shoe-ins to win. At this point in Show’s life, I think Frankie Edgar kicks his ass in a real fight, and there’s not a doubt in my mind that Anderson Silva or Jon Jones does.

I think they need to let the crowd know that guys like Show, Henry, etc, are big, tough motherfuckers but they’re not on the same level skillwise as guys like DB. It makes it at least a little bit less absurd to have a 180 pound man as your heavyweight champion.

by The so-called Beautiful on Dec 22, 2011 7:59 PM EST via mobile up reply actions

ehh…I dont give anyone below middleweight much of a chance in a legit fight with Big Show….and even then it’s still not a certainty. He’s just way to big for those guys.

But back to WWE, they could possibly pull some sort of “styles make fights” argument to justify it, but it’s such a stretch. That issue has pretty much plagued Big Show throughout his career. He’s a challenge to book credibly without killing off nearly everyone else.

by thejasten on Dec 22, 2011 8:57 PM EST up reply actions

GSP would wrestlefuck him

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by sun yue on Dec 22, 2011 9:11 PM EST up reply actions

gsps an exception, but still i duno… I remember reading a story about Lesnar and Angle both not being able to take Big Show down back in the days…

by thejasten on Dec 22, 2011 10:08 PM EST up reply actions

Royce Gracie submitted Akebono
Minotauro Nogueira submitted Bob Sapp
Fedor submitted Hong Man Choi

All of those guys have at least semi-legit skills and were beaten (and in Royce and Fedor’s cases, beaten handily), by smaller men. If WWE pushed the Big Show as a 400 pound monster with not much more than heart, a punch, and a chokeslam instead of an athlete at the pinnacle of his profession, it wouldn’t be inconceivable for him to get tapped out but a submission expert like Daniel Bryan.

by The so-called Beautiful on Dec 22, 2011 10:38 PM EST up reply actions

First off, that was in Pride, so we dont really know if those were legit.
Second, those were all natural heavyweights vs super heavyweights.
Daniel Bryan is about 170lbs and the big show is about 460. There’s a difference my friend. Under the right circumstances, angle and writing to support it, a program between the two could work, but I dont think WWE is capable of doing that in its current state.

by thejasten on Dec 23, 2011 12:15 AM EST up reply actions

1-Can you give me numbers?

Because I have a very hard time seeing LT and an 8-years-too-late Tyson affecting buyrates.
2-Don’t know Mr. Edgar. If he’s a trained fighter of some ability, then yes. Shaq has no wrestling training, and is arguably in worse shape than Kevin Nash. I know “It’s wrestling”, but that’s too much to ask someone to accept. Shaq may be entertaining, but not in the ring. And would they bring him in to lose a match? Doubtful. So what do you with " the world’s largest athlete" who was just punked-out by a half-crippled amateur? Way to make your guy look pathetic. I suppose face could be saved by using a run-in, the match would already be a joke.
3-Celebrity involvement doesn’t have to include in-ring wrestling. Let the guests do what they do best, and leave the wrestling to those who know how.

Gillberg...Gillberg...Gillberg...

by GoForthAndDie on Dec 22, 2011 9:40 PM EST up reply actions

Comparing WM to the previous year we see a significant rise in buyrate

1- WrestleMania XIII (1997)
Main Event: Sycho Sid vs. The Undertaker | Bret Hart vs. Steve Austin
0.77 buyrate (308,000 buys)

WrestleMania XIV (1998)
Main Event: Shawn Michaels vs. Steve Austin
2.3 buyrate (920,000 buys)

2- You don’t know Frankie Edgar? Wow, okay. And Nash just stole the show on Sunday being 52 years old….Shaq is way younger and a much much better athlete. If you feel he lacks legitimacy…Youtube his boxing match with Del La Hoya from last year. He’s no amateur.

3- You dont have to like celebrity involvement, that’s not the issue. My point is that Wrestlemania has and continues to revolve around celebrity involvement. That’s the gimmick. And from Mr T to Snookie, all celebrity matches have been at extremely entertaining at the very least.

by thejasten on Dec 22, 2011 10:07 PM EST up reply actions

Not a big surprise that he doesn't know who Frankie Edgar is

Hell, my casual fan friends don’t know who he is, MMA’s still in a bubble.

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by sun yue on Dec 22, 2011 11:37 PM EST up reply actions

You overlook one thing re: buyrates

Celebrity or not, you have a completely new Wrestlemania card every year. Some years have great cards, some years are absolute turds. I’m thinking the wrestlers involved have more to do with drawing an audience than Snooki.
Nash stole the show? What about the one before it? And the one before that? One match written specifically for a cripple isn’t especially impressive. Shaq/de la Hoya? I just watched some. Again, hardly impressive IMO.
I have naught against Shaq, he’s quite entertaining. He just has no business in a wrestling ring. I have no problems with musical guests, guest refs/timekeepers/announcers. They just don’t need to wrestle. But to each his own. Enjoy the show :)
And yeah, I don’t know Edgar. I prefer my violence to be make-believe.

Gillberg...Gillberg...Gillberg...

by GoForthAndDie on Dec 23, 2011 3:39 PM EST up reply actions

You know..

If this match happens, I would pay to watch it.. at Mania.. no other time.. and only with the card the way its looking.. this would be a match that would get me to fork over some extra cash. I’m being 100% serious as well. I loved Shaq at LSU & Orlando.. hated him at LA.. Liked him some at Miami.. Hated him in Cleve, loved him in Boston. I’ve always been a huge fan of his work when he was younger. So raw & talented.. and no doubt he’s got natural charisma.. something that maybe only Rock would outshine him on.

I think that match would be really fun & entertaining & I am honestly more excited about that than Cena/Rock..

On a side note.. I bet Mayweather NEVER gets another mention on WWe tv after his 90 days sentencing. All the money couldn’t keep him from getting locked down.

by Rawuncutnxrated on Dec 22, 2011 6:37 PM EST reply actions

LOL apparently you suck at your job if you book a celeb match at mania. Big deal , quit taking this shit so seriously.

by Chris Cutrer on Dec 22, 2011 6:41 PM EST via iPhone app reply actions

This match is a great idea and it will probably happen.

I think the seeds of a Big Show heel turn have already been planted with his emotional response during the Josh Matthews interview on Raw. I would think the heel turn would have to be completed if he is really going to fight Shaq.

by Kanenite on Dec 22, 2011 6:42 PM EST reply actions

*takes deep breath

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by WVPiratesfan on Dec 22, 2011 10:01 PM EST reply actions

I could care less if such a match has a positive effect on buyrates. All I care about is if I’m entertained. If someone thinks it’s an abomination for a celeb to be in a mania match then you must be new. Mania was created for celeb involvement.

by Chris Cutrer on Dec 23, 2011 10:50 AM EST via iPhone app reply actions

I've been watching wrestling for 35 years

Define “new”.

Gillberg...Gillberg...Gillberg...

by GoForthAndDie on Dec 23, 2011 3:41 PM EST up reply actions

I think he means if you dont understand celebrity involvement in Wrestlemania, you must be unfamiliar with the concept.

He’s absolutely correct when he says that Mania was created for celeb involvement. That’s a huge part of it, so while you may not be new, you may have not noticed….

by thejasten on Dec 23, 2011 4:56 PM EST up reply actions

Everyone talking about the buyrates is missing the point.

People who were on the fence aren’t going to buy this because of Shaq vs. Big Show. This is less about getting more people to buy than it is getting more “real world” coverage. The only time people like ESPN, Fox Sports, etc talk about wrestling is when someone dies. If Shaq is there, in an actual match? I’m pretty sure it’d get more than a passing mention.

Isn’t that the goal in all of this? To gain main stream acceptance? Even if this doesn’t accomplish that (it won’t), it puts it more in the public eye, and perhaps WWE gains a few more followers, increasing the buyrates of future PPVs. ‘Mania is going to do well because it’s ’Mania (and because of Rock Cena).

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by Kyle Rancourt on Dec 23, 2011 1:51 PM EST reply actions

Yep, that's what they're there for

And why would Vince want more real-world coverage? To boost buyrates and merch. Not just this event, but every future event.
Is WWE going to gain followers because Shaq has one match? MAYBE if he became full-time, but anybody watching only because Shaq is there won’t watch when he’s NOT there.
EVERYTHING Vince does is to increase his audience, we know that. Perhaps he should focus on improving the quality of the product (long-term benefit) instead of worrying about which celeb is hot this month (short-term quick fix that fixes nothing).

Gillberg...Gillberg...Gillberg...

by GoForthAndDie on Dec 23, 2011 3:53 PM EST up reply actions

Mania does well because its Mania. Absolutely.
And, what makes Mania, Mania is big matches…and CELEBRITY involvement.

We can nitpick all day about the little things we may think will make things better but in doing that we are only taking our own opinions into account.

Whos to say Shaq wrestling at WM won’t make new fans? And who really cares if it doesnt?

I believe these attraction matches have a place in wrestling, albeit a very small one. Wrestlemania is the platform designated for these spectacles and it really contributes to the “special” feel of the event. I think we can all agree on that, whether or not we enjoy these matches from a technical stand point really isn’t of any consequence.

by thejasten on Dec 23, 2011 5:01 PM EST up reply actions