Paul Donald Wight II aka Big Show attends the Premiere Of HBO’s “Andre The Giant” at The Cinerama Dome on March 29, 2018 in Los Angeles, California – Source: Getty
Former WWE wrestler Big Show is going viral on Facebook after the news of his supposed death spread on the social media platform. Big Show, whose real name is Paul Donald Wight II, has also acted in numerous films and shows and has appeared on several reality shows.
Big Show has not passed away. There are no credible sources to confirm the death hoax. A similar rumor spread in 2016 when a blog reported that the wrestler had passed away in a car accident.
As he was under contract with WWE back then, its spokesman, Chris Bellitti, told AP News that the news was fake and thatWight was healthy and doing well.
The professional wrestler is currently signed to AEW, and he is now taking a break from wrestling. Paul Wight’s last official match was in 2024. In an interview last year, he shared updates on his health and the reason why he decided to take a break.
More details on Big Show and his temporary withdrawal from wrestling
Growing up in Aiken, South Carolina, Paul Wight was interested in sports from childhood. He played basketball and American football in high school. While he quit playing football in high school, he continued to play basketball throughout college.
Notably, the professional wrestler attended Northern Oklahoma Junior College, Wichita State University, and Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.
In other news, last year, Paul gave an interview with SiriusXM’s Sam Roberts, and he shared that he had back surgery done and was not completely in shape. He noted that he was getting treatment and medical support from some of the best people in South Florida.
Big Show also briefly mentioned Tony Kahn, the President and CEO of AEW, saying he was being “extremely supportive.” He stated that he was not ready to retire and had no plans to be in the rink if his health is not up to the mark.
“The last thing I’m gonna do is go out in the ring and have people go, ‘Aw, poor Paul. They should just kill him like Old Yeller or something… If I’m not out there humping and bumping and getting after it and slapping people’s souls out of their chests and carry that presence, then it’s time to hang up the boots. I’m not ready to hang up the boots yet,” the wrestler said.
While Big Show is temporarily taking a break from wrestling, he has continued to work in films and shows. He voiced in the 2024 animated film, No Time to Spy: A Loud House Movie. Last year, he even acted in a small role in the fourth season of the sitcom Ghosts.
Stay tuned for more updates on Big Show.
