Paul Wight's career in professional wrestling has gone the way of a rollercoaster, starting at the top, then continuously moving up and down, usually with incredible heights and startling drops. Wight grew up in Saluda, South Carolina, where he was diagnosed early in life as having Acromegaly, more commonly known as Giantism. It was the same disease that Andre the Giant had, causing Wight to grow at a massive rate. Wight used his height to his advantage, playing one season of basketball at Wichita State University. In the early '90s, Wight had an operation to remove the tumor that was causing his Giantism, enabling Wight to stop growing (an operation that Andre never had). At the same time, Wight's metabolism slowed down, causing him to gain weight rapidly for a time. He soon became larger than life.

WCW: 1995

In 1995, at a charity basketball game, Wight was introduced to Hulk Hogan, who was a major star in World Championship Wrestling at the time. Hogan took one look at Wight and immediately contacted his boss, WCW President Eric Bischoff, taking Wight to meet him. It didn't take long for Wight to be brought into the WCW Powerplant, a training facility to help teach up-and-comers how to wrestle the WCW style. Wight only spent a short time with the Powerplant, as Hogan later mentioned in his autobiography that they didn't want Wight to become a great mat wrestler; he was meant to simply be a Giant, similar to Andre, Hogan's passed-on friend.

Wight, known as the Giant, made his debut at WCW's Bash at the Beach '95, claiming that he was the late Andre the Giant's son (which he is not), and blaming Andre's misery and death on Hogan, who was the WCW World Heavyweight Champion at the time. The Giant began a major feud with Hogan, joining up with Kevin Sullivan & the Dungeon of Doom. At Fall Brawl '95, the Giant struck early, running over one of the Hulkster's motorcycles with a monster truck. Later on, Hogan, "Macho Man" Randy Savage, Lex Luger, & Sting fought in a "War Games" Match against the Dungeon of Doom, namely Zodiac (formerly Brutus Beefcake), Shark (Earthquake in the WWF), Meng (aka Haku), & Kamala. When Hogan's team won, Hogan got 5 minutes with Sullivan, the leader of the Dungeon. But the Giant soon came out and attacked Hogan, injuring his neck before the rest of Hogan's team could come back to make the save.

This led to a combination of matches between the Giant and Hogan at Halloween Havoc '95. First, the two faced off in a "Monster Truck" match, with Hogan's truck pushing the Giant's truck out of the circle, technically getting Hogan the 'win'. The Giant, not satisfied, attacked Hogan, with the two fighting up to the roof, where Hogan knocked the Giant off! The Giant, though, still returned for the main event, looking stronger than ever. The match ended controversially, when Jimmy "Mouth of the South" Hart, Hogan's manager, hit the Giant with his megaphone, causing the disqualification. Hogan was then attacked by Hart & the Giant, with Savage & Luger coming out for the save. However, Luger turned on Savage, taking him out as well, as the bandaged Yeti (Ron Reese) appeared, another gigantic man, to attack Hogan. It was announced by Hart on the next Raw that he had joined the Giant. Not only that, but he had rigged the contracts, changing it so that the WCW World Title changed hands on a DQ! Therefore, the Giant was the WCW World Heavyweight Champion, less than a year after entering the business.

Unfortunately, the reign only lasted one week, as the WCW Committee vacated the title due to the controversial ending. The belt was then put up for grabs at World War III '95, where 60 wrestlers battled it out in 3 rings for the World Title. The Giant, as one of the three favorites (including Hogan and the Yeti) threw out many individuals, making it to the final 6, along with Hogan, Sting, Savage, Luger, and the One Man Gang. However, the Giant was double-teamed by Sting & Luger, and during the struggle on the ropes, Hogan dumped all three men out! The Giant, infuriated, then pulled Hogan under the ropes, keeping him preoccupied until Savage got rid of the Gang and was proclaimed the winner and the new World Champion. In the next month, the Giant teamed up with "The Nature Boy" Ric Flair to fight Hogan and Savage, continuing the now darker feud. At one point, the Giant shaved off Hogan's trademark mustache, making things very personal.

WCW: 1996

The Giant & Flair met up in a "Tag-Team" Match against Hogan & Savage at Clash of the Champions XXXII, with Flair surprisingly getting the pin on the WCW World Heavyweight Champion, Savage. Meanwhile, the Giant and Hogan continued their bitter feud, building up to Superbrawl VI, where they faced off against each other in a "Steel Cage" Match. The Giant had the advantage going in, as Hogan was suffering from an eye injury. But the Giant couldn't keep the Hulkster down long enough for him to escape, as Hogan shook off the Giant's Chokeslam and Hulked Up, managing to bodyslam the large man. Hogan eventually climbed the cage, kicking the following Giant off, to escape and win the match.

The Giant feuded with another large wrestler in Lock Ness over the next month, trying to decide who the better big man was. The Giant proved his worth at Uncensored '96, winning in only a few minutes with a Leg Drop. The next night on Nitro, the Giant earned a World Title shot against Ric Flair, Chokeslamming him to become a two-time WCW Champion. After winning the belt, the Giant began a feud with the duo of Lex Luger & Sting, going after Luger whenever possible. After chokeslamming Luger through a table, the Giant was challenged to a match by Sting. At Slamboree '96, the Giant and Sting went at it, with the Giant's World Title on the line. The Giant was very strong in the match, at one point planning to Chokeslam Sting through a table, only to have Luger stop it by putting the Giant's manager, Jimmy Hart, on the table instead. Back in the ring, Sting took control, landing several Stinger Splashes, then later getting the Scorpion Deathlock. However, Luger accidentally hit Sting with Hart's megaphone, allowing the Giant to recover and get the Chokeslam for the victory, retaining the title.

The Giant's next opponent was Luger, signing to face him at the '96 Great American Bash. Once again, Jimmy Hart tried to interfere, and once again, he was blocked, this time by Sting. But when Luger's back failed when trying to Torture Rack the Giant, the champion got the Chokeslam on Luger for the victory, keeping the gold. The Giant next joined his ally, Kevin Sullivan, in his war against the IV Horsemen, in particular Chris Benoit. The Giant & Sullivan faced Benoit & Arn Anderson Bash At The Beach '96, with the heels attacking Benoit & Anderson from behind to start the match. However, the Horsemen also had a plan, with Steve "Mongo" McMichael attacking the Giant, with the two fighting back out of the arena, leaving Sullivan in a "Handicap" Match of sorts against Benoit & Anderson. The Giant soon returned, though, and, after Sullivan took a lot of abuse, got the hot tag. As Sullivan and Benoit fought to the back, the Giant destroyed Anderson, winning another PPV match.

Another major event at Bash at the Beach was the turning of Hulk Hogan into Hollywood Hogan, as the long-time hero joined with Kevin Nash & Scott Hall to form the new World order. The Giant soon became a focal point for the trio, as he still held the WCW World Title. At Hogg Wild, Hogan got his title shot. The Giant had things under control, until the Outsiders (Nash & Hall) interfered. The Giant choked them down, but was left open for a foreign object shot by Hogan, who then got the pin and the victory, taking away the championship. The battles continued with the nWo for the next few weeks, while the Giant also had unfinished business with Sullivan's adversary, Benoit, beating him at Clash of the Champions XXXIII. It then seemed that the Giant was going to help the Dungeon of Doom in the war against the nWo. However, it was all a farce, as the Giant joined the new World order instead, thanks to a monetary offer from Ted DiBiase.

nWo: 1996

This led the Giant, now clad in nWo colors, to feud with one of the WCW heavy hitters, "Macho Man" Randy Savage. The two wrestlers met at Fall Brawl '96, with the Giant having the upper hand, thanks to the nWo's referee, Nick Patrick, being in charge of the match. The Giant dominated at first, slamming Savage on the concrete outside the ring. But Savage came back, getting his Flying Elbow Drop. However, Hogan then appeared, dragging the Giant out of the ring. As Patrick 'confronted' the Giant, conveniently distracted, the rest of the nWo attacked Savage, taking him out. The Giant then made the easy pin, with Patrick happily making the count. With Savage out of his way, the Giant focused on the WCW United States Champion, Ric Flair. However, when Flair was injured, the Giant stole the US Title, claiming that it was now his.

The Giant next feuded with Flair's short-term successor in the IV Horsemen, Jeff Jarrett. They faced off at Halloween Havoc '96, with Flair being in Jarrett's corner. Although Jarrett fought hard, the Giant was too strong, dominating the wrestler. But when the fight went to the outside, Flair gave the Giant a low blow right in front of the referee, causing the DQ win for the Giant, albeit a painful one. The feud with Jarrett continued into the next month, where the two wrestlers met at World War III '96. With some help from Sting, who surprisingly attacked Jarrett with the Scorpion Deathlock during the bout (Sting wasn't with the nWo at the time, but was randomly attacking superstars), the Giant got the big victory, Chokeslamming Jarrett for the win. The Giant then competed in the 60 man 3 ring Battle Royal, with the winner to receive a World Title shot. With the nWo's aid, the Giant survived until the end, tossing out Lex Luger to become the victor. However, the Giant temporarily turned down the title shot, since his leader, Hogan, was the champion.

The Giant and Luger continued fighting over the next few weeks, with Luger angry at being denied the title shot. At Starrcade '96, the two wrestlers again faced off. A WCW referee was in charge, keeping things even, but when he was accidentally taken out, nWo referee Nick Patrick ran down, giving the Giant a helping 'foot' by kicking Luger when he had the Giant in the Torture Rack. However, Sting then reappeared, coming to the ring and saying something to both men, before dropping his baseball bat between them. The two men scrambled for the black bat, but Luger got it first, knocking out the Giant and pinning the unconscious man, sending the Giant down in defeat. Later on that night, during Hogan's "Non-Title" Match with "Rowdy" Roddy Piper, the Giant came out to interfere, trying to Chokeslam Piper. But Piper managed to escape, knocking out Hogan with his Sleeper for the win. After the match, Hogan yelled at the Giant, showing some dissention in the ranks. It would all boil over soon after, when the Giant decided to ask for his earned title shot against Hogan. Hogan tried to order the Giant to Chokeslam Piper, but the Giant grabbed Hogan instead, causing the rest of the nWo to attack him, sending him out of the group.

WCW: 1997

The Giant then began going after Hogan at every opportunity, attacking any nWo member that got in his way. He was granted his earned title shot, going against Hogan for the WCW/nWo World Title at Souled Out '97. However, the odds were completely against the Giant, as the PPV was run solely by the nWo, including the announcers (Eric Bischoff & Ted DiBiase) and the referee, Nick Patrick. Although the Giant fought off Hogan's Leg Drop and got the Chokeslam, Patrick refused to count, with the rest of the nWo coming to the ring to attack him. The Giant Chokeslammed several wrestlers, but soon fell to the numbers, being spray-painted by the Outsiders. The match never officially ended, but was ruled a No-Contest.

The Giant soon started teaming with his former adversary, Lex Luger, against the nWo, with the two focusing on the men who had embarrassed the Giant, the Outsiders. The two teams were set to meet at Superbrawl VII for the Outsiders' WCW/nWo World Tag-Team Titles. However, Luger was diagnosed with a broken arm before the match (thanks to the nWo), which meant that the Giant had to go it alone against Hall & Nash. As if the odds weren't already stacked against the Giant, Syxx (Sean Waltman) was at ringside as well, giving the Outsiders more of an edge by hitting the Giant with the Cruiserweight Title at one point. The Giant fought hard against the odds, but was in serious trouble after a Powerbomb from Nash. Luger then ran to the ring, surprisingly rejoining his partner. He got the hot tag and destroyed the Outsiders, Torturing Racking Nash and making him tap out. Afterwards, the Giant also Chokeslammed and pinned Hall, making sure that the win would count, with the Giant & Luger becoming Tag-Team Champions. Alas, it wasn't meant to be, as crooked nWo member (and President) Eric Bischoff found a technicality (Luger's ineligibility to be there) to return the belts the next Nitro to the Outsiders.

The Giant & Luger, infuriated, continued their assault against the nWo, and were later joined by the Steiner Brothers. The group formed Team WCW, and went into Uncensored '97 to fight in a "Triangle Elimination" match against Team nWo (Hulk Hogan, Randy Savage, & the Outsiders) and Team Piper ("Rowdy" Roddy Piper, Chris Benoit, Jeff Jarrett, & Steve "Mongo" McMichael). Unfortunately, Rick Steiner was taken out before the match, leaving Team WCW with only three members. The Giant entered first for Team WCW, going against Hall and Benoit. Surprisingly, the Giant was the first man thrown out, as he was backdropped after charging Hall. The rest of the WCW team fought hard, but losing one of its biggest guns so early hurt their momentum, with Hogan becoming the final survivor after tossing Luger (who had tossed several nWo members beforehand).

The Giant and Luger both wanted another piece of Hogan, but had to earn the shot first. They faced off against Harlem Heat (Booker T & Stevie Ray) at Spring Stampede '97 in a Fatal Fourway match, with the winner to get the #1 Contenders spot to the World Title. The Giant had things in hand, preparing for the Chokeslam on Stevie Ray, then showed his heart, tagging in Luger, who Torture Racked Stevie Ray for the win, earning the title shot. This kept Luger & the Giant a strong team, which led to them challenging Hogan and his new friend, Dennis Rodman (from the Chicago Bulls basketball team) to a match at Bash at the Beach '97. The two teams brawled for a time, with the Giant being attacked by a "Sting" lookalike (Kevin Nash) during it. Despite this, Luger got the victory by racking Hogan. For the next few months, the Giant called out Nash for his attack on him. Nash, claiming injuries, did not show.

Instead, the Giant faced off against other nWo wrestlers, continuing the fight against the heel organization. At Road Wild '97, the Giant vented some frustration about Nash against "The Macho Man" Randy Savage. Although Savage did get in a few shots, he soon fell to the Giant's Chokeslam, getting a big win for a big man. Another nWo wrestler fell into the Giant's path at Fall Brawl '97, Scott "Flash" Norton. Norton's size gave him a little more chance against the furious Giant, but it didn't help, as the Giant landed another massive Chokeslam to take out Norton, sending another message to the hiding Nash.

The Giant's next big test was at World War III '97. The Giant, the winner of the event the year before, was a major favorite. He was also hopeful for his shot against Nash, who was supposed to be in the 60-man Battle Royale. However, Nash failed to show up before the match started. The Giant, although most likely annoyed, concentrated on the match, sending many wrestlers flying over the top rope. In the end, the Giant & Luger were in the ring with Scott Hall, apparently the only nWo member still involved. Before they could double-team him, though, Hall pointed to the back, and Hollywood Hogan came out as the 60th entrant! As Hall & Hogan were battling with the Giant & Luger, a wrestler dressed up as Sting descended from the ceiling, 'scaring' Hogan out of the ring. But "Sting" then hit the Giant with his baseball bat, knocking him out of the fight, and revealed himself to be Kevin Nash! Because of Nash's interference, Hall won the match (and a World Title shot). A few days later, during one of the Giant's matches, Nash reappeared in the Sting costume and attacked again, breaking the Giant's hand. The Giant, though, showed later on that he could still get the Chokeslam, with or without a sound hand, sending fear through the nWo locker room. The Giant was scheduled to finally get a singles match against Nash at Starrcade '97. However, Nash again no-showed the event, obviously still too worried to face the rage of the Giant. When Scott Hall came out and told the Giant that Nash wasn't going to be there, he was quickly Chokeslammed into the canvas, as the frustrated Giant walked out to the cheers of the crowd.

WCW: 1998

Going into the new year, the Giant pushed Nash to sign a Million-Dollar Contract, stating that if Nash no-showed at the next event, Nash would be forced to pay the amount. Nash agreed, as long as the Giant signed his own contract, saying that the Giant couldn't touch Nash until the pay-per-view. This left Nash taking advantage of the Giant's inability to fight, splashing hot coffee into the man's face at one point. At another time, Nash came out and taunted the Giant, who was wrestling against Hall. Nash goaded the Giant to attack him, thus voiding the contract. Instead, the Giant let out his fury by dismantling the ring with his bare hands, an incredible feat (you can see a picture of it above, or a larger picture of it here).

At Souled Out '98, the Giant and Kevin Nash finally met up, with Nash having no choice due to the nWo not wanting to lose a million dollars. The Giant had to fend off several outside forces, including Hollywood Hogan coming to the ring at one point and hitting the Giant with a chair. Later on, with the Giant in control, Eric Bischoff got on the apron to protest. The Giant quickly Chokeslammed the "President", but this left him open to a vicious Powerbomb from Nash (see a picture of it here). Unfortunately, Nash slipped while performing the Powerbomb, accidentally dropping the Giant on his neck and knocking him out. This put the Giant out of wrestling for a time, due to the neck injury. Nash, claiming that he meant to injure the man, began calling himself Big Sexy, the Giant Killer. It also led to Nash's Powerbomb being declared illegal.

The Giant returned after a month, wearing a neck brace. He seemed to heal up quickly, going after Nash once again. But Nash continued to avoid him, only agreeing to a match if his Jackknife Powerbomb was once again declared legal. At Uncensored '98 in March, the two massive wrestlers met up again. The Giant took the advantage and set up Nash for a Powerbomb, but then was attacked by the rest of the nWo, causing the DQ win. The nWo savagely beat the big man with baseball bats after the match, trying to severely injure him once again. The Giant came back soon enough, though, teaming with "Rowdy" Roddy Piper. The two men signed a "Baseball Bat" match against Nash & Hollywood Hogan at Spring Stampede '98. Although the Giant did get in a 'spanking' of Hogan, his team fell, as Hogan (with help from the Disciple) knocked out Piper and pinned him, despite problems between himself and Nash (Hogan ko'ed Nash with the bat after the match).

nWo: 1998

Soon after, Nash left Hogan and formed the nWo Wolfpac, combating against Hogan's nWo forces. The Giant, not caring about who Nash was aligned with, started teaming with Sting, and earned a Tag-Team Title match against the Outsiders at the next pay-per-view. A few weeks before the event, Nash and his Wolfpac allies were fighting against Hogan, when, surprisingly, the Giant came running out, attacking Nash again and rejoining the nWo! This made the match at Slamboree '98 between the Giant (nWo) and Sting (WCW) vs. the Outsiders (Wolfpac). Alligiances changed during the match as well, though, when Hall turned on Nash and sided with the nWo, helping the Giant & Sting win the Tag-Team Titles! While the Giant and Hall celebrated, Sting walked away.

For the next week or two, the Giant (who had taken up smoking in the ring around this time) pleaded with Sting to join him in the nWo, since they were the Tag-Team Champions. Sting ultimately refused, though, instead going to the nWo Wolfpac with his friend Lex Luger. A perturbed Giant tried to declare Bryan Adams as his new tag-team partner, keeping the belts. But WCW nixed that idea, saying that Sting had co-ownership of the belts. The two wrestlers faced off at the '98 Great American Bash, with the winner becoming the decider of who got the gold. The Giant tried hard to take down the Wolfpac member, but Sting wouldn't stay down, and eventually caught the Giant with a top-rope Scorpion Deathdrop to knock out him, winning away the Tag-Team Titles. The Giant could only watch as, adding insult to injury, Sting gave the other belt to the Giant's old nemesis (and the leader of nWo Wolfpac), Kevin Nash.

After a short feud with football player Kevin Greene, whom he destroyed with a Chokeslam at Bash At the Beach '98, the Giant turned his attention back to the Tag-Team Titles that had gotten away from him. In July '98, with help from Bret Hart, the Giant & Scott Hall defeated Sting & Nash to win back the gold, making the Giant a two-time WCW Tag Champ. The Giant next focused on WCW's newest threat, Bill Goldberg, feuding with him over the next month. At Road Wild '98, the Giant joined Hall, Curt Hennig, & Scott Norton as the nWo contingent against the nWo Wolfpac's Nash, Sting, Luger, & Konnan in a "Battle Royal". Goldberg got himself involved as well, making him the sole WCW representative. Surprisingly, Goldberg basically took out everyone, eliminating most of the wrestlers, then shrugging off a Giant Chokeslam to get an amazing Jackhammer Suplex on the Giant, getting the pin to win the match.

The Giant soon moved back to the Tag-Team Division, defending the gold with various nWo members, since Scott Hall was having personal issues at the time. At Halloween Havoc '98, Scott Steiner (nWo) was still having issues with his brother, Rick (WCW). Steiner set up a "Tag-Team Title" Match, getting the Giant to join him against Rick & his partner, 'former' nWo member Buff Bagwell. Bagwell, though, turned on Rick, allowing the Giant & Scott to double-team him. However, miscues from the nWo team allowed Rick to shockingly get the Giant with a Bulldog, winning the match and taking away the gold! The Giant continued to work with the nWo the next month, becoming a basic "hitman" who tried to help his teammates win. He also competed at World War III '98, lasting until the final 5, when he was attacked by everyone and thrown out. Nash got the victory and the title shot against Goldberg.

On a Monday Nitro at the end of November '98, Diamond Dalls Page was defending the United States Title against nWo member Bret Hart in a "No Disqualification" Match. The Giant came out to help Hart, Chokeslamming Page and costing him the belt. This led to a drawn-out feud between the Giant and Page. At one point in December, the Giant chokeslammed Page about 12 feet down, through a stage floor. The two met at Starrcade '98, in a match that was mostly controlled by the larger wrestler. DDP fought his way back, though, and despite interference from Hart, was able to turn a Chokeslam into a Super Diamond Cutter, getting the victory.

WCW: 1999

Surprisingly, the Giant would not appear again on a WCW pay-per-view. On the first Nitro of '99, Hollywood Hogan (nWo) faced off against the WCW World Champ, Kevin Nash (nWo Wolfpac). It was all a swerve, though, as Nash fell quickly to a single finger from Hogan, reuniting the two factions. Of course, there were still sore feelings between the Giant and Nash, with Hogan getting the the Giant's face the next Nitro, telling them that they only needed one "Giant" in the nWo! The Giant and Nash then fought one more time to decide who the better big man was. Unfortunately for the Giant, after interference from Scott Hall, Nash knocked out the Giant with a wrench (left at ringside by Eric Bischoff). Nash made the pin, ending the Giant's run in WCW.

WWF: 1999

In February '99, Paul Wight made his first appearance in the WWF. He came out during St. Valentine's Day Massacre, attacking "Stone Cold" Steve Austin during his "Steel Cage" match with Vince McMahon. Wight ended up throwing Austin through the steel cage wall (which got Austin the win, since he DID leave the cage first). Wight, referring to himself occassionally as "Big Nasty" (a shot towards Nash), then joined up with the Corporation, aiding Mr. McMahon against whoever came up against them. He also helped the Rock, his Corporate teammate, defeat Mankind for the WWF World Title. This started a feud between Mankind and Wight, who started calling himself "The Big Show". Wight and Mankind faced at Wrestlemania XV, with the winner to be the referee for the main event. Wight took control, chokeslamming Mankind onto two chairs in a fit of rage. Unfortunately, since it wasn't a Hardcore match, Wight was DQ'ed. Mr. McMahon, furious that Wight wasn't going to be the referee, slapped the Big Show. Wight then clobbered McMahon with a right hand, breaking his ties with the Corporation.

Wight was later arrested for his 'assault' on Mr. McMahon, but he was quickly out of jail and battling against the Corporation. He also continued to feud with Mankind, although their feud was sometimes put aside in the face of the Corporation. The two met in a "Boiler Room" Match at Backlash '99. After Wight was blinded by some steam from a broken pipe, Mankind escaped the room and was declared the winner. Wight and Mankind then began teaming together out of respect. They soon allied with Ken Shamrock & Test to form the Union. The group was soon feuding with the members of the Corporate Ministry, and met the force of Viscera, the Big Bossman, Farooq, & Bradshaw at Over the Edge '99. The Big Show put in another strong performance, eliminating Farooq with a massive chokeslam, then battling it out with Viscera. Both were counted out, and Mankind went on to win for his team by making the Bossman submit.

The Big Show began to gain prominence in the next few weeks, as the main force of the Union. He challenged the Undertaker, then the World Champion, at every opportunity, and finally got his title shot in June '99. The match was another great one, with the Big Show getting his Showstopper (Chokeslam) on the Undertaker, actually throwing him through the ring! The Corporate Ministry then came down to cause a No-Contest, attacking Wight, who fought them off. Next on Wight's list was the '99 King of the Ring Tournament. Wight first defeated Droz to qualify for the event. Before the PPV, the Big Show was forced to fight X-Pac by Mr. McMahon. Although Wight didn't want the fight, X-Pac insisted, attacking him. As expected, the Big Show started dominating the lightweight X-Pac, which brought out X-Pac's semi-tag-team partner, Kane. Kane attacked Wight, starting a feud between them which grew in intensity for the next few weeks. Wight also had a few battles with Hardcore Holly, who considered himself a "super-heavyweight". At one point, during a Hardcore match, Wight rolled a car off a ledge onto Holly, which got him the victory.

At the '99 King of the Ring, Kane and the Big Show faced off in the Quarter-Finals of the tournament. During the match, Holly came to ringside, trying to interfere, but was stopped by Kane. Kane the got the victory, managing to pin the ex-giant after a chair shot. The Big Show continued to feud with Holly and Kane after the PPV, while also battling against Kane's brother, the Undertaker, who came down to aid his brother in their battles. The Big Show and Holly patched up their differences along the way, with Wight saving Holly on various occasions from beatings. Kane and the Big Show faced off again at Fully Loaded '99, with Hardcore Holly as the special guest referee. Holly, of course, sided with Wight, attacking Kane at one point during the fight. The Big Show then got the Showstopper to get the victory. After the match, X-Pac came down to help his tag-team partner, attacking Holly. The Undertaker then rushed the ring and, surprisingly, attacked X-Pac.

At the next Raw, when Kane came down to help X-Pac against the Undertaker, the Big Show came out after him and joined with the Undertaker to destroy the duo. The Big Show & the Undertaker teamed up after that, fighting Kane and X-Pac for the WWF World Tag-Team Titles. The force of Wight & the Undertaker proved too much, earning them the tag straps, Wight's first gold in the WWF. The reign was a short one, as a week later, the two lost the belts to the Rock & Sock Connection (The Rock & Mankind), as the Undertaker walked away from the ring, leaving Wight to fight by himself. Wight & the Undertaker broke up for a short time, then reunited, later fighting the Rock 'n' Sock Connection in a Buried Alive match during a Smackdown. With the 'aid' of Hunter Hearst Helmsley, Wight & the Undertaker won out, winning the WWF World Tag-Team Titles for a second time. But the second reign lasted barely longer than the first, as the Rock 'n' Sock Connection beat the odds in a "Dark Side Rules" match, taking down the Big Show, Viscera, & Mideon to take the belts away again. Soon after, the Big Show & the Undertaker stopped teaming together, as the Phenom disappeared from the WWF scene for a time.

At Unforgiven '99, the Big Show finally made his way into the main event. A six-man title match was signed for the vacated World Title (due to a controversial finish between a Kane/Undertaker match caused by "Stone Cold" Steve Austin). It included Wight, the Rock, Triple H, Kane, Mankind, & the recently returned British Bulldog (taking the Undertaker's place in the main event). Although Wight fought hard against everyone in the bout, especially his old adversary, Kane, Triple H got the win, and the belt, by pinning the Rock. This left the Big Show at the crossroads of main event status, as he once again returned for one more brief encounter with Kane at WWF Rebellion '99, a show in the United Kingdom, where Kane came out on top in a No DQ match.

Paul Wight's next major feud came to be when his father apparently died, causing great heartache for the ex-giant (it was actually an angle, as Wight's father had been gone for years). The Big Bossman, one of Wight's former enemies, made light of the Big Show's pain, messing with Wight's family. The Boss Man even got involved at the funeral, dragging the Big Show's dad's casket from a car, as the Big Show tried to stop him. This deeply angered Wight, putting the Bossman squarely in his sights. At the '99 Survivor Series, the Big Show signed himself up for a Handicap Elimination match against the Bossman, Mideon, Viscera, & Prince Albert. The task looked daunting, even for the Big Show. But the match turned out to be a quick one, as Wight quickly disposed of Mideon, Albert, and Viscera within the first minute of the match. The Bossman, seeing the destruction, ran, getting counted out and giving the Big Show the unsatisfying victory.

Later on that night, the Big Show was given the biggest shot yet in his WWF career. When Steve Austin was apparently injured, run down by a car (later revealed to be a plan from Rikishi & Triple H), Wight took his place in the main event of the Survivor Series, fighting against the Rock and the WWF World Champion, Hunter Hearst Helmsley, in a Triple Threat match. Wight used his power to take down Triple H with a Chokeslam (after involvement from Degeneration-X and Vince McMahon), becoming another member in the WCW/WWF World Title Holders club. Even being the World Champion did not distract the Big Show from his objective, however, as he still wanted revenge on the man who defiled his father's memory. He defended the Heavyweight Title at Armageddon '99, destroying the Big Bossman and ending their feud. The Big Show then began feuding with Degeneration-X, and most importantly, the "Commissioner", Hunter Hearst Helmsley.

WWF: 2000

At the beginning of the new millenium, the Big Show was defeated by Triple H, losing the World Title. This sent the Big Show spiraling back into being a heel, as he savagely beat on many members of Degeneration-X. He also landed some shots on the Rock. Wight then entered the '00 Royal Rumble intent on becoming the new #1 Contender and get back to the top. He managed to eliminate Test, Gangrel, Edge, the Godfather, and X-Pac, proving his ability. But at the end, Wight and the Rock spilled over the ropes, with the Big Show hitting the outside first, allowing the Rock to get the victory. Wight immediately began complaining about the ending, and came to the arenas around the US, showing videotape that 'conclusively proved' that he won the Rumble, and should be the #1 Contender. The Rock let loose his own protests, and the two began to battle it out. At No Way Out '00, thanks to Shane McMahon being on his side, the Big Show defeated the Rock, apparently officially winning the contender spot, facing HHH at Wrestlemania.

However, things were not done between the Big Show and the Rock, who appeared at a Raw in the company of Vince McMahon. This formed a trio of McMahon-sponsored wrestlers: Shane(Big Show), Vince(the Rock), and Stephanie(HHH). A fourth was added when Linda McMahon appeared, bringing in her wrestler, Mick Foley, after a "Triple Threat" Match had taken place between the other three wrestlers on Nitro (with Triple H getting the win). The four men brawled in an Elimination match for the World Title at Wrestlemania 2000. The first man eliminated in the match, surprisingly, was the Big Show, who was taken out by the Rock, losing his chance to regain the gold The winner of the bout, after Vince turned on the Rock, was Triple H, retaining his title.

This loss changed the Big Show somewhat. He began wearing more colorful clothes, and came out occassionally dancing to different rhythms, seemingly just wanting to have a good time. He also impersonated other wrestlers, including Rikishi (Showkishi) and Val Venis (the Big Showbowski). This apparently sat wrong with "Olympic Hero" Kurt Angle, who thought that the Big Show was wasting his talent. The two wrestlers began to feud, setting up a match between the two at Backlash '00. Angle had another surprise coming to him, as "The Showster" (The Big Show impersonating Hulk Hogan) came out, even cutting a great-sounding interview, Hogan-style. The Showster also performed some of Hogan's moves, shaking off some of Angle's punches, then landing the Big Boot and the Legdrop for a near 2-count. But when Angle landed some shots and started trying to cheat, the humor wore off, as the Big Show disposed of the Hogan wig and took him out, landing the Chokeslam for the decisive win.

For a brief time afterwards, the Big Show teamed with Rikishi Phatu, another large man who liked to dance. The two defeated the Dudleys at Insurrection '00. But the pairing soon broke up, leaving the Big Show on his own, after Shane McMahon betrayed him. When the Big Show found out about McMahon's betrayal, thanks to a surprise taping of McMahon talking to his stooges, the stalking by Wight began. The two met at Judgment Day '00, in a "Falls Count Anywhere" Match. Not surprisingly, the Big Show dominated at the beginning, throwing McMahon around like a rag doll. But Shane-o-Mac had supporters as well, as Test, Albert, Trish Stratus, & Bull Buchanan all attacked the Big Show during the match. This allowed Shane to smash the Big Show with a cinderblock and get the pin, taking the upset win. The Big Show then disappeared for a time, due to needing to heal up a knee injury.

Two months later, the Big Show returned to the WWF, going after Shane McMahon for a few shows. However, when he finally caught McMahon, thanks to the aid of the Undertaker, the Big Show chokeslammed the Undertaker instead, rejoining with McMahon's group. The Big Show briefly joined up with Chris Benoit and Edge & Christian, feuding with the Undertaker and Kane. A few weeks later, though, the Undertaker attacked the Big Show with a chain, choking him out. The Undertaker then threw him off the stage into a table. This would be it for the Big Show in the World Wrestling Federation for many months, as he vanished for the scene, going elsewhere to try and lose some weight and become more physically fit.

OVW: 2000

At Ohio Valley Wrestling (a 'minor league' of the WWF), the Big Show first appeared at their August 4th show, Summerblast. He made a sizable first impression, coming down and brawling with the 6'7" Leviathan (later known as Batista), the Disciples of Synn, and Bolin Services. Leviathan won out, spearing The Big Show. After a month of working out and straightening out the details between himself and the federation, the Big Show returned in September, saying that he had demanded to be 'cut loose' from the WWF so that he could get some payback on Leviathan. He also Chokeslammed Kenny Bolin & Jerome Crony, who came to the ring to try to give the Big Show a contract to join the Bolin Services. The Big Show began teaming with B.J. Payne & Flash (Flanagan) against the Disciples of Synn, always going after Leviathan. At one point, there was a 6-man Tag match between the Big Show, Flash, & Payne vs. Judas, Damian, & Slash of the Disciples of Synn. The Big Show's team won via DQ, when Leviathan appeared to attack Wight. But Wight took control, and prepared to Chokeslam Leviathan, only to have a fireball thrown in his face by Judas. Later in the tv show, the Big Show threw Leviathan into a wall, creating a dent, then was fireballed again, thus sending him to the hospital.

At Night of the Demons on October 13th, the Big Show faced Leviathan in the main event. The Big Show held his own against the powerhouse, but then was ganged up on by the rest of the Disciples of Synn, which led to Leviathan getting the pinfall victory. After the match, the DoS beat on the Big Show, until Payne & Flash came out to help him. At the next card, while the Big Show was being interviewed and talking about revenge, "Iron Man" Rob Conway, the OVW Heavyweight Champion, came out and talked trash. The Big Show then challenged the champion to a match right then and there. The Big Show dominated the beginning of the match, until interference from Mr. Black allowed Conway to use a foreign object to take the advantage. But the Big Show came back, as just as he was going to get the Showstopper on Conway, the rest of Bolin Services came out to cause the DQ, attacking Wight en masse. This included former WWF star Mark Henry, who helped to suplex the 7'2" wrestler.

The Big Show was soon teaming with Brock Lesnar, Shelton Benjamin, & Nick Dinsmore (later known as Eugene in WWE) against the Bolin Services. The Big Show also continued his war with Leviathan, going after him whenever possible. At a November show, the Big Show battled against Mr. Black in the main event, with the Big Show dominating as usual. The match went to a DQ, when Mark Henry came out to assault him. The Big Show was aided by Flash & Payne, who made the save. The Big Show later fought Leviathan in a "Fan's Dream" Match, getting some revenge and cooling off their feud. The Big Show then began concentrating on Henry, with numerous battles with "Sexual Chocolate". The Big Show proved his strength at a December card, easily winning a Handicap match over the Andrettis.

OVW: 2001

Going into the new year, the Big Show continued to seek some revenge on Mark Henry, wanting to take him out before he could ever return to the WWF. At X-Rated: Bar Brawl '01, the Big Show & Nick Dinsmore faced Henry & Rico "Cobra" Constantino (later just Rico in the WWF) in a Grudge match. After Kenny Bolin accidentally knocked out Constantino with a briefcase, Dinsmore got the pin and the victory. After the match, the Big Show gave a "Stinkface" to Bolin, sitting on his face in the corner. It was a big win for the Big Show, and signaled greater things soon to come.

WWF: 2001

At the WWF's '01 Royal Rumble, the Big Show made his shocking return, competing in the event. The Big Show looked strong in the Rumble, giving many Chokeslams to almost everyone in the ring. However, the Big Show's Chokeslam attempt on the Rock was reversed, with the Rock managing to eliminate him! This caused the infuriated Big Show to drag the Rock outside the ring and Chokeslam him through a table, hurting his chances in the Rumble. A few days later, the Big Show finished off his feud with Mark Henry in the OVW, defeating him with a Showstopper. The Big Show then came back to the WWF to stay.

The Big Show feuded briefly with the Rock, Chris Jericho, and Chris Benoit, among others, for the next few weeks, before settling on the Hardcore division, facing off with the champion, Raven. The Big Show seemed to have Raven completely out-matched, despite the Hardcore Champion being able to use any weapons he could find. At No Way Out '01, the Big Show finally got his chance to go one-on-one with the Hardcore Champion. Since the Hardcore "24-7" rule was still in place, though, other wrestlers interfered during the match, including Billy Gunn, who pinned Raven to become the champion. Raven got him back, though, defeating him, then was squashed by the Big Show, who took the WWF Hardcore Title for the first time.

The Big Show spent the next month getting gang-attacked by many WWF wrestlers, all of whom wanted to get the Hardcore Title from him. The Big Show fought back, usually battling his way through the forces. Still, a few weeks later, Raven was able to get the title back, taking advantage of another brawl to pin the Big Show for the belt. The Big Show then met Raven and Kane in a "Three-Way Hardcore Title" Match at Wrestlemania XVII. The three wrestlers battled throughout the Astrodome, fighting through the crowd and into the backstage area. At one point, after Raven had been launched through a window, Kane and the Big Show both smashed through a wall. The trio soon fought back to the stage area, brawling in front of the fans. In the end, Kane dropped off the stage with a Leg Drop on the Big Show, then got the pinfall, becoming the Hardcore Champion.

At the next Smackdown, the Big Show was signed to fight against Jeff Hardy. It became a wild affair, as the Big Show ticked off everyone at ringside, including the referee, whom he shoved aside at one point. This caused the ref to allow the Hardy Boyz & Lita to get away with a Triple-Team, ending with all three pinning the Big Show while the ref made a very fast 3-count, giving the Big Show a humiliating defeat. Later on, the Big Show was angrily searching for the Hardys, bursting into a locker room. He quickly came back out, holding his head, and the two occupants of the room, Kane & the Undertaker, followed him out, beating him mercilessly into the ground. The Undertaker then told him to "knock next time". This started a running feud between the Big Show & the Grim Brothers, as he came out on the next Raw and attacked Kane during a Hardcore match with Kurt Angle. The Undertaker came to his brother's rescue, though. Later in the broadcast, the Big show faced the Undertaker in singles competition, but was remarkably Powerbombed off the turnbuckle and pinned cleanly.

At Smackdown, the Big Show was scheduled to face the Undertaker & Kane in a tag-team match, but couldn't find any partners, as teams like the aPa & a Sexay Blackman refused. He finally got Kaientai, tricking them, since they didn't know who his opponents were. When they got to the ring, while Kaientai was being decimated by the Grim Brothers, the Big Show simply left the ring. Kaientai, to get revenge, challenged the Big Show to a match at the next Raw. The Big Show accepted, and even told Shane McMahon, the owner of the new WCW, to watch him squash the little "gooks" (a minor slip-up that caused some controversy with racial groups). The Big Show first got assaulted, though, by the Acolytes, who had been paid off by Kaientai to weaken him. The Big Show came back, though, to catch both Taka & Funaki in mid-air, hitting a double Showstopper to get the victory.

At the next show, the Big Show was brought out by Vince McMahon during a confrontation with his son, Shane. Vince told Shane that the Big Show was the first wrestler for the new WCW, giving him to Shane. Vince then ran some clips of the feud between the Big Show & Shane, specifically focusing on what Shane had to say about the former Giant. Afterwards, Vince wanted to know where the Big Show stood. It looked like the Big Show's answer would be to Chokeslam Vince, but instead, he turned and grabbed Shane, slamming him into the canvas. Vince immediately thereafter announced that at the next PPV, the Big Show & Shane McMahon would face for one more match, this time in a Last Man Standing showdown. At the next Raw, during a match with Test, the Big Show was hit by a chair from Shane, who then ran. Later on, the Big Show took some revenge, brutally beating Test during a Hardcore brawl with Rhyno. The feud grew in intensity when Shane-o-Mac read a nursery rhyme during a show, talking about how the Big Show would fall.

At Backlash '01, the Big Show and Shane McMahon fought it out, with almost every advantage once again going to Wight. However, McMahon did have some tricks, nearly winning the match early on with a rag filled with ether, knocking the Big Show out. Vince McMahon came out and kept Shane busy, until the Big Show could recover and once again dominate the match. But after Vince left, Test came out and fought the Big Show, making it two-on-one. The Big Show continued to brawl with both men, though, eventually heading to the stage, where he started to follow Shane up a tower. He was pulled down by Test, though, and taken down. Shane then leapt from the tower, hitting an unbelievable 30-foot elbow drop! Test then raised the injured Shane on a camera structure, keeping him off the ground, while the Big Show was counted out, losing the match. For the next week, the Big Show "recovered" from injuries sustained in the match, not appearing on either Raw or Smackdown.

At Insurrextion '01, the England PPV in May, the Big Show came out and said that he wanted a fight. He called out Test, who made his appearance with badly bruised ribs (when this happened is unknown). The Big Show made short work of Test, tossing him around like a cow in a tornado, then called out anyone from the back. He got Bradshaw, who had mainly wrestled in tag-team competition with his partner, Farooq, in the aPa. During the match, Test came back, interfering with the Big Show enough to allow Bradshaw to get the Clothesline From Hell. Bradshaw then got the upset victory on the Big Show, pleasing the fans in Great Britain. The Big Show continued to feud with Test for the next few weeks, leading up to a match at Judgment Day '01. Rhyno also became involved, making it a Hardcore Title match. The fight didn't stay in the ring long, as the three wrestlers battled to the backstage area. During their time back there, Rhyno & Test double-teamed the Big Show, throwing him through some crates and burying him. Rhyno & Test then fought back to the arena, using whatever means necessary to win.

After Test and Rhyno went at it for a while, the Big Show returned, getting a huge chokeslam on the Hardcore champion. But Test then attacked, hitting his big boot on the Big Show, which was later followed up by a Gore from Rhyno. Test then used a fire extinguisher to his advantage, spraying both men. Rhyno came back, though, knocking Test out of the ring with a trash can lid, then throwing the lid to the Big Show and Goring him once again, allowing him to get the pin and the victory, retaining his belt. This lasted all of a day, as the next Raw, the Big Show demanded a rematch against Rhyno and got it. Although Rhyno was able to take some advantages by working on the Big Show's apparently-injured right arm, Show was able to Chokeslam him onto a trash can to get the pinfall victory. This made the Big Show a two-time Hardcore Champion. Unfortunately, the reign only lasted a week, as Chris Jericho managed to missile dropkick a set of ring stairs that the Big Show was carrying into his face, knocking him out long enough for the Lion Sault and the pin.

For the next few weeks, the Big Show became a tool of Vince McMahon's group, being put against Chris Benoit & Chris Jericho as "punishment". Unfortunately for the Big Show, both Benoit & Jericho found a way to win against him. Later on, the Big Show teamed with Rhyno against Jericho in a Handicap match on a June Raw. Although Jericho fought back, and got the Walls of Jericho on the Big Show at one point, the Big Show was able to come back and get the Chokeslam on him. However, before he could make the cover, the Big Show was surprisingly Gored by his own partner, Rhyno, who then made the cover and took the victory. Rhyno later said that he did it to make himself the #1 Contender to the World Title, in case Jericho won the belt at the next pay-per-view. This left the Big Show, once again, out in the cold.

The Big Show's next run came in the '01 King of the Ring Tournament, as he was entered into the brackets along with 15 other wrestlers. In the qualifying round, the Big Show used his power to devestate Raven, earning his place in the tournament with a dominating Showstopper. But in the next round, the Big Show faced Christian, who was aided by both Edge & Kurt Angle. While Angle distracted the referee, Edge came into the ring and hit the Big Show with a chair, stopping him from Chokeslamming Christian. The tag-team partners then did a ConChairTo shot to the Big Show's head, knocking him out and making the pinfall almost an afterthought, eliminating the Big Show from the KOTR. After the defeat, the Big Show did not show up at the PPV, taking the night off. At the next Raw, though, the Big Show was given a European Title shot against Matt Hardy, a lightweight.

The Big Show appeared at the Raw wearing a custom-made t-shirt, which said "Big Show" with an arrow pointing down. He showed it off to Trish Stratus, then convinced her to join him on a "European" vacation after he won the belt. During the actual match-up, the Big Show dominated the smaller wrestler, but Matt Hardy continued to fight back, going after the Big Show's still-injured arm. Trish added some distraction, kissing Matt at one point, but was then attacked and stripped by Lita. The Big Show grabbed Lita, though, and tossed her into the ring, then blocked a Hardy attack and lifted him for a Showstopper. Lita stopped it with one knee in the right place, causing the DQ win for the Big Show, but no title. Afterwards, a sore Big Show stood next to Trish, looking after Matt & Lita. For the next few weeks, Big Show teamed with Trish to go after the Hardy Boyz. However, it soon became clear that Trish was only using the Big Show to get closer to Jeff Hardy, and she soon left his side.

At the first Raw of July '01, the Big Show teamed up with Billy Gunn, as both wrestlers believed that the rest of the federation was against them. They informally became known as "Show Gunns", and proved to be a good team, surprisingly getting past the Hardy Boyz in tag-team competition. However, the tag-team duo was quickly buried under the ECW/WCW Invasion. Although the Big Show was one of the WWF wrestlers to be chosen for the 20-man WWF/WCW vs. ECW main event on the July 9th Raw, when WCW joined with ECW, the Big Show was brutally beaten by the numbers and tossed out along with the rest of the WWF fighters. For the next few weeks, the Big Show was not seen much on WWF television, although he did team with former adversary Mark Henry in Ohio Valley Wrestling, defeating Prototype & Mr. Black. The Big Show made his reappearance at WWF Invasion, teaming with Billy Gunn & Albert to take on the WCW wrestlers Hugh Morrus, Shawn Stasiak & Kanyon. Although the WWF team definitely had the size advantage, the WCW team surprisingly won, with Morrus pinning Gunn. After the match, an enraged Big Show chokeslamed all three WCW wrestlers, getting a measure of vengeance.

The Big Show & Gunn kept tagging together for a brief time afterwards (becoming known as Double Trouble), but the partners soon went their own ways, as the Big Show instead found a new partner in Spike Dudley (aka the Little Show). The two men soon became a popular team due to their differences, leading to them being part of the "Four-Way Elimination" Match for the WWF Tag Titles at Unforgiven '01, going against the Dudley Boyz, the Hardy Boyz, and Lance Storm & the Hurricane. At one point during the match, the Big Show used his partner, Spike, to take out almost everyone, launching Spike to the outside. The Big Show then seemed to want to try a leap to the outside himself, but, perhaps fortunately, was stopped by Bubba Ray. The first team eliminated was Storm & the Hurricane, thanks to the Big Show Chokeslamming Storm through the mat. But later on, the Big Show was on the outside looking in, as Spike got the Twist of Fate from Matt Hardy, taking their team out of the match. The Dudleyz later got the win, keeping the titles.

Soon after, due to Spike losing his girlfriend, Molly Holly, another Big Show tag-team broke up, leading to the Big Show finding yet another partner to go after the Dudleyz, namely Tajiri, who had rejected joining the ECW/WCW Alliance in order to stay with the WWF. It was another major big/small relationship, something that seemed to work for the Big Show. At No Mercy '01, the Big Show & Tajiri went against the Dudley Boyz (ECW) for the WWF Tag-Team Titles. Tajiri took a lot of the abuse in the match, as the Dudleyz definitely didn't want the Big Show to become a factor. However, Tajiri eventually made the hot tag, bringing in the former giant to terrorize the champions. Meanwhile, Tajiri put D'Von Dudley in the Tarantula, then tried to spit his Green Mist into Bubba's face. Unfortunately, he missed, hitting the ref instead. This meant that, after the Big Show Chokeslammed Bubba Ray, there was no one available to count, allowing another ECW wrestler, Rhyno, to come down and Gore the Big Show, taking him out. The Dudleyz then landed the 3-D on Tajiri, getting the pin to retain the titles.

Going into November '01, the war between the WWF and the Alliance was heading towards a conclusion, as both Mr. McMahon and the owners of the Alliance (Shane & Stephanie McMahon) agreed to a final face-off at the Survivor Series. Two teams were picked from each side. However, when Kurt Angle betrayed the WWF and joined the Alliance team, Mr. McMahon had to scramble to find a replacement. He got the best one he could, bringing the Big Show onto the team. At the '01 Survivor Series, the Big Show teamed up with Chris Jericho, the Rock, Kane, & the Undertaker to take on the WCW/ECW team of Angle, Shane McMahon, Steve Austin, Rob Van Dam, & Booker T. The Big Show was expected to be a major addition to the team, yet surprisingly, he was almost a non-factor, as he was caught by Angle's Angle Slam, Booker T's Axe Kick, RVD's Five Star Frog Splash, and Shane-o-Mac's Elbow Drop to be the first man eliminated. Despite the Big Show not coming through, however, the team still did, as (thanks in part to Angle coming back to the WWF), the Rock was the sole survivor.

The Big Show went back to his original goal after the demise of the Alliance, attempting to regain the WWF World Tag-Team Titles, which were still around the waists of the Dudley Boyz (they were saved from 'firing' due to having the gold). The Big Show found yet another partner for the job, this time going for size over speed, as he joined up with his WWF Team partner, Kane. The two monsters seemed to be a shoo-in to get the gold, gathering comparisons to the Big Show's old championship team-up with the Undertaker. However, there was dissention between the two big men, as they had trouble getting along as well as they should. At Vengeance '01, the two men worked together against the Dudleyz, at least until Kane accidentally hit the Big Show with a Flying Clothesline. Kane and the Big Show then argued, with the Big Show later 'accidentally' hitting Kane back, allowing the Dudleyz to take him down for the pin. Despite the ending, The Big Show & Kane continued to team together, although they weren't exactly pleased with the results.

WWF: 2002

The Big Show's next challenge came at the '02 Royal Rumble, where he went in, as usual, as one of the favorites. He also got a great draw, coming in at #27. He Chokeslammed Mr. Perfect, among others, basically taking out everyone in the ring. However, the Big Show's erstwhile partner, Kane, came out at #28, causing a confrontation between the two. The heaviest men in the ring went at it, with both contemplating the Chokeslam at one point. But Kane won out in the battle, shockingly lifting the Big Show up in the air and slamming him over the top rope! Unfortunately for Kane, he was soon taken out as well by Steve Austin, leaving both partners in the dust. Triple H went on to win the Rumble, earning the title shot at Wrestlemania.

On the following Raw, the Big Show & Kane teamed up again to take on Billy & Chuck. Once again, though, problems between the partners caused them to lose focus, as Billy & Chuck stole the victory. A similar ending occurred on Smackdown, as they lost a "Tables" Match to the Dudley Boyz, with the two partners breaking down. The Big Show fought against Kane on the next Raw, but Kane proved once again to be the stronger big man, taking out the Big Show for the win. After the defeat, the Big Show disappeared from the radar for the next month, once again working on getting back into shape. While the Big Show returned to television at the end of February '02, wrestling against several of the brand's champions, he was left off of Wrestlemania X-8, his first missed Wrestlemania in 4 years.

WWF Raw: 2002

A change for the Big Show was soon on the horizon, as it was announced that each show would have its own roster after a "Draft" took place, with Ric Flair running Raw, while Vince McMahon took over Smackdown. The Big Show was chosen by Flair as his 6th pick, sending the Big Show to Raw. The Big Show seemed to appreciate the pick, as he came out on the next Raw to help Flair physically eject Mr. McMahon from the building (McMahon was trying to get Austin to sign with him; Austin later signed with Flair instead). For the next few weeks, the Big Show squashed several wrestlers, including Mr. Perfect and Stevie Richards, making his mark on his new official brand. He also appeared in a "Dark" Match at Backlash '02, winning a "Handicap" Match over Richards & Justin Credible.

During this time, Flair was having issues with both "Stone Cold" Steve Austin and the reformed new World order (consisting of Scott Hall, X-Pac, and occassionally Kevin Nash). On the Raw after Backlash, Flair set up a match between Austin & Bradshaw and Hall & X-Pac. However, when Bradshaw was taken out before the match, Flair opted to find another person to join Austin, sending in the Big Show. It seemed like a great team, at least until Austin made the hot tag to the Big Show, who turned around the Chokeslammed Austin, turning on him and, for the third time, rejoining the nWo! Austin believed that Flair had set him up, while Flair swore that he hadn't been behind the Big Show's turn. Flair did send the Big Show on a tour of India the next week, to make sure that Austin didn't fight him.

WWE Raw: 2002

Around this time, at the beginning of May '02, the World Wrestling Federation "got the 'F' out", changing to World Wrestling Entertainment (due to a lawsuit with the World Wildlife Fund). Meanwhile, at the British PPV, Insurrextion '02, the Big Show and Austin went at it, with Flair as the special referee. Although Flair's problems with Austin were evident, he was still fair, counting to three after the Big Show felt a Stone Cold Stunner. On the following Raw, the Big Show talked about why he had rejoined the nWo, talking about how, at Wrestlemania X-6, he had been a main eventer, but was only at WWE New York for this year's special event. Joining the nWo was his way of getting back to the top. Later that night, the Big Show, X-Pac, & Hall were set to face off against Austin, Bradshaw, & Flair. There was a lot of suspicion before the match that Bradshaw might turn on his team, but it turned out to be a swerve, as Flair turned instead, joining the Big Show in the nWo!

On the next Raw, the Big Show & X-Pac (Hall had been fired from WWE) came out to try and help Flair win the Undisputed World Title from Hulk Hogan, only to have Bradshaw & Austin interfere to cost Flair the match. Flair, in anger, put the Big Show & X-Pac against Bradshaw in a "Handicap" Match, with the Big Show basically getting his team the win by striking Bradshaw with a steel chain, then Chokeslamming him. X-Pac got the pin, but it was clear who had done the work. Later on, a new member of the nWo was announced, as Booker T joined the group, facing Austin in a "Lumberjack" Match. The Big Show & X-Pac were part of the Lumberjacks, trying to help Booker T win, but Austin still pulled it off with his Stunner. Afterwards, though, thanks to help from Arn Anderson and Brock Lesnar, the nWo got Austin in the ring, with the Big Show contributing multiple Chokeslams to the cause, taking out the Rattlesnake.

At Judgment Day '02, the Big Show & Flair faced Austin in a "Handicap" Match, clearly giving the advantage to Show & Flair. However, it didn't work out the way they planned it, as, after a long match, Austin got a Stunner on the Big Show, followed by a Stunner on Flair, pinning Flair to steal the victory. This was just the start, as things began to fall apart for the nWo. On the next Raw, the Big Show & X-Pac took on the Hardy Boyz. Thanks in part to mistakes from Booker T, as well as the distraction of Goldust (who wanted Booker T out of the nWo), X-Pac was rolled up, losing the match. Afterwards, the nWo verbally had it out in the back, with everyone, including the Big Show, declaring themselves as the new leader of the group. X-Pac & the Big Show then came down during Booker T & Goldust's own match against the Hardyz, with X-Pac hitting Goldust to cost them the win. It seemed like the nWo was about to self-destruct, but Kevin Nash then made his return, re-uniting the group.

Nash made an ultimatum on the next Raw, saying that every nWo member would have a match, and if they lost, they were out. The Big Show defeated Bradshaw, keeping his place in the group, as did X-Pac and Booker T. Goldust won as well, wearing nWo facepaint, although he still wasn't considered an actual member of the group. Things got more interesting for the nWo the next week, as Shawn Michaels joined the group, thanks to Nash's involvement. But Michaels also later changed the dynamic, Superkicking Booker T and sending him out of the nWo! This led to a feud between the nWo and Booker T & Goldust, with the Big Show being a major factor in the feud. After Booker T helped cost X-Pac his spot in the '02 King of the Ring Tournament, the nWo returned the favor, costing Booker T his chance to move on. Afterwards, the Big Show gave Goldust a Chokeslam, then followed up by joining the rest of the nWo in beating down Booker T.

Surprisingly, none of the nWo appeared at the '02 King of the Ring PPV, opting instead to reemerge on Raw the next day, coming out 'fashionably late' during Vince McMahon's speech to the roster. Mr. McMahon soon set up a match between the Big Show & X-Pac and BookDust, with Michaels & Nash banned from ringside. During the night, the Big Show was humiliated during a funny skit from Goldust, who portrayed the Crocodile Hunter, coming in and focusing on a sleeping Big Show. X-Pac chased him from the room, but it was a set-up, as Booker T nailed X-Pac with a trash can lid. This embarrassment caused Nash & Michaels to tell the Big Show & X-Pac that, if they lost their match, they'd be in danger of a beatdown. Luckily, the Big Show came through, blocking a Shattered Dreams attempt to Chokeslam Goldust for the pin.

A week later, going into July '02, the Big Show confronted Goldust, who was dressed up like Darth Vader. When Goldust asked about the Big Show's father, the Big Show was quick to respond that his father was dead (both in storylines and in real life). Goldust denied this, though, saying that HE was the Big Show's father! Of course, the Big Show didn't stand for this, joining with Nash to beat down Goldust. Later on, the Big Show took on Booker T in a singles match, looking to take him out once and for all. It didn't work out, though, as Booker T knocked out the Big Show outside the ring with the ring steps, getting the countout victory! Afterwards, Nash swore that, since the Big Show didn't get the job done, he was going to beat him down. The two men met in the ring, with the Big Show not backing down from Nash. Michaels broke up the potential brawl, though, saying that they had to stay unified, since Triple H should be joining them on Raw soon. However, just as things had settled down, Michaels Superkicked the Big Show, taking him out!

Surprisingly, despite the kick, the Big Show stayed with the nWo on the next show, joining with X-Pac, Nash, Chris Benoit, & Eddie Guerrero against BookDust, Rob Van Dam, & Bubba Ray & Spike Dudley. This was the infamous match where Nash, making his return to the ring, tore his quad muscle, going back out on the injured reserve. This didn't stop the Big Show from having the largest impact, Chokeslamming Booker T to get the win for his team. It was the last hurrah for the nWo, though, as Vince McMahon dissolved them the next week to start off Raw, announcing that, with Nash's injury, the group was finished. This didn't stop the Big Show from continuing the feud with Booker T, however, facing him in a match that night. The Big Show was DQ'ed, though, when he lost it, hitting Booker T repeatedly with a chair, then throwing him through the announce table, leaving Booker T completely laid out. The Big Show approached the new GM of Raw, Eric Bischoff, later that night, getting a PPV match signed between him and Booker T, so that he could end it once and for all.

The two long-time foes met at Vengeance '02, with the Big Show planning to use his size and strength to put Booker T out of WWE. It turned into a Hardcore match, though, putting the Big Show at a disadvantage, as Booker T used chairs and monitors against him. He also Axe Kicked the Big Show through the announce table, before putting the Big Show back in the ring. Another Axe Kick followed, and soon after Booker T got the Harlem Hangover, pinning the Big Show decisively to the mat. A day later on Raw, the Big Show became a 'stooge' of sorts for Bischoff, being put into a match with someone who had angered Bischoff, the Big Show's old partner, Spike Dudley. The Big Show had no trouble with the lightweight, eventually setting up to put him through a table. Bubba Ray Dudley came down to save his 'brother', but the Big Show fought him off as well, Chokeslamming Bubba Ray through a table, while also getting Spike (who had been laying on the table), taking out both Dudleyz.

The next week on Raw, Bubba Ray & Trish Stratus were supposed to wrestle against Molly Holly & William Regal. However, since Molly said Regal was injured, she brought in a replacement: the Big Show! The Big Show seemed to want to take out Trish as much as Bubba Ray, but he couldn't stop Molly from being pinned by Trish. After the match, the Big Show tried to Chokeslam Trish through a table, with Bubba Ray making the save with a timely chair shot, enabling them to get away from the angry giant. The Big Show had a confrontation with his former nWo mate, Shawn Michaels, later on that night, but nothing ever came of it (Michaels was attacked that night on Raw by an 'unknown' person, with the Big Show being a suspect; it turned out to be Triple H). A week later, the Big Show faced Bubba Ray in a "Tables" Match. Due to a distraction from Stratus and an assault by a helmeted Spike Dudley, the Big Show was 3D'ed through a table by Bubba Ray, losing the match.

The Big Show teamed with Chris Jericho on the next Raw to take on Bubba Ray & Ric Flair. Jericho got the win for his team, forcing Bubba Ray to tap out to the Liontamer (Flair pants Jericho after the match). Surprisingly, this was about the end of the Big Show/Bubba Ray feud, as they never met at a pay-per-view. Instead, a week later on Raw, the Big Show challenged Rob Van Dam for his Intercontinental Title shot he had at the next PPV. GM Bischoff, worried about Van Dam (since the IC Title was currently on Smackdown), tried to stop the match, but when Van Dam insisted, the match was made, only not for RVD's title shot. Bischoff also told the Big Show to keep it clean, but the Big Show didn't listen, trying to use weapons to take out RVD. This brought out Bischoff, who told the Big Show he had "Three Minutes". This was Bischoff's call for his tag-team (Three Minutes, also known as the Island Boys), who both attacked the Big Show and took him out. Possibly because of this assault, the Big Show did not appear at Summerslam '02.

The Big Show returned to Raw at the beginning of September '02, complaining to Bischoff about sending Three Minutes after him. He also wanted to be the #1 Contender to the new Raw World Heavyweight Title, worn by Triple H. Bischoff told him to prove he deserved the contendership, putting him in a match against Tommy Dreamer. However, Dreamer seemed to prove more, by using a steel chair on the Big Show. Although this caused the DQ, the Big Show was the one laying on the canvas. Still, the next week on Raw, the Big Show was put in a "#1 Contenders Four-Way Elimination" Match against Rob Van Dam, Chris Jericho, and Jeff Hardy. Before the match, Jericho approached the Big Show, wanting them to team up together in the match. Johnny Stamboli advised the Big Show to do it, but the Big Show grabbed Stamboli by the throat, advising him to keep out of his business. In the match, the Big Show tried to earn his shot at Triple H. It didn't work out, however, as the Big Show was screwed over by Jericho, who hit Van Dam and Hardy with chair shots, then threw the chair towards the Big Show and fell down himself, causing a recovered ref to DQ the Big Show! Van Dam later won the #1 Contendership, leaving the Big Show, once again, out of the loop.

The Big Show spent a week on Sunday Night Heat afterwards, defeating Stamboli, then returned to Raw to face and beat Jeff Hardy with the Chokeslam, getting some momentum back. The two wrestlers faced off again a week later, due to Bischoff wanting to punish Hardy for working against him. However, Hardy dropkicked the Big Show over the guardrail, then scrambled back into the ring, winning via Countout! The Big Show's troubles continued a week later, when, due to the Raw Roulette Wheel, he was placed in a "Steel Cage" Match against Booker T. Although the Big Show had the upper hand in the match, he didn't escape, preferring to do damage to Booker. This backfired, as Booker T was able to knock the Big Show down long enough to climb up the cage, escaping to get the win. A week later, the Big Show came out during a Three Minute Warning assault on Pat Patterson & Gerald Brisco, making the save, due to his poor feelings with the tag-team. Later on, the Big Show had a "Falls Count Anywhere" Match with Booker T, battling all the way to the back, where they ended up fighting in the women's shower (with Trish Stratus covering herself in the background)! In the end, the match was decided by Chris Jericho, who hit his rival, Booker T, with a chair, allowing the Big Show to get the easy pin. The Big Show also appeared in the "Canadian Lumberjack" Match between Triple H and Rob Van Dam later that night, at one point tossing Van Dam back into the ring (Triple H ended up winning, thanks to Ric Flair).

At No Mercy '02, the Big Show was once again not scheduled for a match. He was, however, at the arena, where he was spotted by Bischoff talking to the Smackdown GM, Stephanie McMahon. Bischoff confronted the Big Show about it, telling him not to talk to her, but the Big Show responded with anger of his own, shoving Bischoff back and telling him that he needed to start putting the Big Show back in the main event, with Bischoff's neck on the line. A day later on Raw, Bischoff and the Big Show again talked, but this time Bischoff was ready, placing the Big Show in a "Handicap" Match against Rico & Three Minute Warning. But the Big Show was still in a bad humor, which worked to his advantage, as he Chokeslammed Rosey and pinned him, winning the match. Afterwards, though, while being interviewed by the Coach, the Big Show was informed by Bischoff that he had to leave the building, since he had been traded to Smackdown! When the Coach tried to tell the Big Show he was sorry, though, the Big Show shrugged it off, telling him that he was sorry the Coach still had to work for Bischoff.

WWE Smackdown: 2002

The Big Show set out to make a major impact on Smackdown a few days later, immediately challenging the Smackdown Heavyweight Champion, Brock Lesnar, to a match. Later on, after Lesnar and the Undertaker talked (they had faced off at No Mercy '02), the Big Show again came out, talking about how he was the reason that Lesnar had beaten the Undertaker, since he had beaten the Undertaker down so much over the previous years, he was vulnerable. The Undertaker responded by saying that he'd rather be a has-been than a never-was, before walking up the aisle. Although the Big Show, at first, went by the Undertaker to the back, he came back out when the Undertaker was saluting the fans, attacking the Dead Man from behind and throwing him physically off the stage, injuring him! The Big Show then headed to Lesnar's locker room, where Lesnar's manager, Paul Heyman, at first told the Big Show that he couldn't allow his client to accept the challenge. But Lesnar pushed Heyman out of the way and accepted it anyway, setting up a future match between the two.

The Big Show and Lesnar continued to feud for the next few weeks. During the Halloween edition of Smackdown, the Big Show interrupted a match between Lesnar and Rey Mysterio, throwing Mysterio deep into the audience! The Big Show then fought Lesnar, Chokeslamming him on the announce table! A week later, the Big Show again used the stage to his advantage, throwing Lesnar from the top to the floor. Lesnar continued to come after the Big Show, though, even despite the pleadings of his manager, Heyman. At the '02 Survivor Series, the Big Show got his title opportunity, going after the Smackdown Heavyweight Champion. After the match swung back and forth a few times, Lesnar did the impossible, lifting the Big Show into the air and dropping the 7'2", 500-pounder with the F-5! But just as it seemed that nothing could stop Lesnar, Paul Heyman betrayed him, pulling out the referee before he could finish the count. A furious Lesnar chased after Heyman, but this left him open to a chair shot from the Big Show. A chokeslam on the chair soon followed, and Lesnar was quickly pinned, with the Big Show, for the fourth time, becoming a World Heavyweight Champion.

The Big Show appeared on the next Smackdown with his new manager, Heyman, who told everyone that he now had someone who would actually listen to him. Heyman also said that Lesnar would never get another shot at the title. This led Lesnar to come out and attack the Big Show with a chair. Later on, despite the injury, the Big Show had to defend the World Title against Edge. It was a back-and-forth match, with the Big Show nearly losing after an Edge Spear, with Heyman getting involved to stop the pin. When Edge chased Heyman, the Big Show was able to recover, grabbing Edge and Chokeslamming him. However, Heyman told him not to pin Edge; instead, he was to think of Edge as Lesnar. The Big Show Chokeslammed Edge twice more, but before he could do anymore damage, Lesnar came out again, delivering another incredible F-5 to the champion!

Lesnar was suspended indefinitely by GM Stephanie McMahon the next week, watched with glee by Heyman & the Big Show. However, that didn't stop Lesnar from appearing again later on that night, when the Big Show was threatening to Chokeslam the Fabulous Moolah. Lesnar gave the Big Show a third F-5, putting him through the announce table for good measure! Security then came out to take Lesnar away. The next Smackdown, Lesnar was given permission to talk, via satellite, to explain his side of the story. He was interrupted, though, by Heyman & the Big Show, who taunted him. However, when Lesnar said that he'd be watching the "Four-Way #1 Contendership" Match that night in person, Heyman & the Big Show both looked nervous. Lesnar did not show up, though, even as Kurt Angle won the #1 Contender's spot by beating Chris Benoit, Eddie Guerrero, and Edge. After the match, the Big Show attacked Angle, Chokeslamming him in the ring to send a message to his new challenger.

The Big Show soon added another ally to his side the next week, with A-Train (aka Prince Albert) joining him & Heyman. But bad news soon came out, as it was announced that Angle was able to lift Lesnar's suspension, in exchange for Lesnar being in Angle's corner at the PPV! Later that night, the Big Show & A-Train took on Angle & Edge, with the Big Show getting a Chokeslam on Angle following a distraction from Heyman, allowing the Big Show's team to get the win. A-Train added to the punishment after the match, giving Angle the Train Wreck Backbreaker. At Armageddon '02, the Big Show was set to defend the Smackdown World Title against Angle, worrying about the presence of Lesnar. It seemed at first, though, that Lesnar was not going to be there, as Angle hadn't been able to find him. The two wrestlers went at it, with Heyman & A-Train in the corner of the Big Show, doing all they could to help him win. With the ref down, it seemed like it would happen, as A-Train attacked Angle. But Lesnar then ran out and attacked both men, once again F-5'ing the Big Show! Angle was able to get the pin, taking away the Big Show's World Title.

On the next Smackdown, Angle's full plot was revealed, as he brought out his new manager: Paul Heyman! It was all a ruse on Heyman's part, to keep Lesnar from getting the title. An angry Big Show came out, obviously unaware of the plan, but Heyman managed to convince him that they would work better as a group, even setting up a rematch between the Big Show and Angle the next week. Later that night, Angle was wrestling a "Non-Title" Match against Chris Benoit, but was caught in the Crippler Crossface. The Big Show came down and attacked Benoit, causing the match to end in a DQ. Lesnar came out to try for the save, F-5'ing Heyman. But the Big Show and Angle soon took Lesnar down, with the Big Show getting a thunderous Chokeslam on him, smashing him into the canvas. However, after the show ended, Lesnar regrouped and attacked again, managing to F-5 Angle into the steel ringpost legs-first, injuring him!

This led to GM McMahon cancelling the Big Show's title shot against Angle the next week, since Angle's knee was injured (Angle actually had to have surgery on the knee, which is why he was put out of action). Instead, the Big Show faced Benoit in a "#1 Contenders" Match, to decide who would face Angle at the next PPV. Surprisingly, even with Team Angle (Charlie Haas & Shelton Benjamin, who had been brought in to keep Angle safe) at his side, the Big Show lost the match, as Benoit reversed a Chokeslam into a roll-up pin, keeping the Big Show from being the #1 Contender. An angry giant joined with Team Angle in beating down Benoit, before dragging the semi-conscious wrestler in front of Angle, who taunted him as the Big Show dished out some more punishment, doing his best to injure the new threat to Angle's title reign.

WWE Smackdown: 2003

The Big Show started the new year with a bang, challenging Lesnar to a match at the next PPV, with the winner getting to be in the Royal Rumble. Lesnar accepted the challenge, but was then attacked by Matt Hardy & Shannon Moore, who had been allying with Heyman's group. Lesnar, though bloodied, took out Hardy & Moore in a match later that night, with the Big Show watching as Lesnar F-5'ed both men. The next week, the Big Show used his strength to easily beat another heavyweight, Rikishi. Heyman & the Big Show then talked about giving Lesnar a lesson that night. But, after Lesnar defeated A-Train and called them out, Heyman & the Big Show walked out of the building, laughing. They weren't laughing a week later, though, as Lesnar & his surprise partner, the returning Rey Mysterio, beat the Big Show & A-Train in less than a minute, thanks to Mysterio pinning A-Train. At the '03 Royal Rumble, the Big Show and Lesnar went at it, with the Big Show's goal to eliminate Lesnar's chance of ever getting a title shot. He nearly did, Chokeslamming Lesnar for a close 2 count. But Lesnar came back with an F-5 for the win. Lesnar would go on to win the Rumble match, while the Big Show was forced to watch from the back.

But the Big Show had other things to worry about on the next Smackdown, as it was announced that the Undertaker would be making his return, months after the Big Show threw him off the ramp, putting him on the injured reserve list. When Josh Mathews asked how the Big Show felt about his return, the Big Show grabbed the announcer by the face, shutting him up, then walked away. The Undertaker immediately called out the Big Show upon his return, but the Big Show sent A-Train down instead, with the Undertaker, after a tough match, beating him for his 1st victory since his return. The Big Show didn't appear on Smackdown the next week, as Heyman gave him the night off. Instead, Heyman had Brian Kendrick sing an apology (as a messenger) to the Undertaker, only to have the Dead Man give Kendrick the Last ride. Heyman tried again the next week, giving the Undertaker a present: his old manager, Brother Love. The Dead Man again wasn't impressed, Chokeslamming and Tombstoning Love. One week later, Heyman gave the Undertaker one more gift, having "Boy George" sing to him. "George" was actually Chris Kanyon, who attacked the Undertaker, only to be taken out.

On the following Smackdown, the same routine went down, as two crates were put in the ring for the Undertaker. In one was a puppy dog, which, for once, the Undertaker didn't beat up. As the Undertaker opened the other, however, the Big Show finally reappeared, attacking the Dead Man and Chokeslamming him in the ring, before leaving in a limo. The two wrestlers faced off at No Way Out '03, with the Big Show having help at ringside from A-Train. The Big Show also had his size to aid him, as the Undertaker failed repeatedly trying to Chokeslam him. The Big Show didn't have this problem, though, Chokeslamming the Undertaker for a close pin. But the Undertaker came back with a Triangle Choke, forcing the Big Show to submit. After the match, the Big Show at least had the satisfaction of watching A-Train Powerbomb the Undertaker, leaving him out on the mat.

On the next Smackdown, Heyman protested that the Undertaker had used an illegal chokehold to beat the Big Show. Heyman also led out A-Train & the Big Show to attack the Undertaker, beating him down in the ring, with Nathan Jones making the save. A week later, the Big Show was in A-Train's corner as he took on the Undertaker, who had Jones in his corner. Naturally, the Big Show and Jones both became involved, getting the match thrown out. The heels once again tried a beatdown, but this time Jones & the Undertaker cleared the ring. It was soon announced that the two teams would be facing off at Wrestlemania in a Tag-Team Match. The Big Show & A-Train 'trained' before the event, facing several tag-teams over the next few weeks, including Funaki & Tajiri and Chris Benoit & Rhyno. They also kept up a war of words with their two opponents, preparing to take them out and end the Undertaker's vaunted Wrestlemania winning streak.

At Wrestlemania X-9, the Big Show & A-Train showed up ready to dish out some destruction. Thanks to Heyman, they also had a plan. Before the match, during the Sunday Night Heat portion of the event, Nunzio stole Nathan Jones' wallet, causing a chase. Later on, though, when Jones caught up with Nunzio in a closet, the Big Show & A-Train were waiting, beating down Jones and taking him out the match! This made it a "Handicap" bout, pitting the Big Show & A-Train against the Undertaker. Things nearly went disasterously for the team, though, right at the beginning, as the Dead Man took exception to A-Train touching his motorcycle, Chokeslamming him for a close 2 count! The two large men eventually got the advantage, beating down on the Dead Man. Although the Undertaker kept fighting back, near the end, A-Train gave him the Big Boot, followed by the Big Show's Chokeslam. However, Jones then came out, running down the aisle, where the Big Show tried to intercept him. Jones took out the Big Show, though, with a spinkick, even as the Undertaker caught A-Train with a Tombstone Piledriver to get the win, continuing his Wrestlemania winning streak (while the Big Show dropped to 0-4 at the big event).

The Big Show & A-Train looked to get back on track on the next Smackdown, when they both entered into the Smackdown Heavyweight Title #1 Contenders Tournament. However, neither faired well, as first A-Train lost to Chris Benoit, then the Big Show was Gored twice by Rhyno, which led to A-Train's interference causing the DQ, eliminating the Big Show from the tournament as well. The Big Show got a little satisfaction by getting a Leg Drop on Rhyno, but his title shot was still gone. After taking a week off, the Big Show & A-Train got back to work, taking on Rey Mysterio & Tajiri in a tag-team match. The large duo got the victory, squashing Tajiri, but after the match, Tajiri surprised A-Train with the Green Mist. Meanwhile, the Big Show, while going after Tajiri, got caught by a Mysterio 619 around the ringpost, knocking him on his rear! A bitter Big Show was furious in the back later on, after being humiliated by a cruiserweight.

The next week, the Big Show caught Tajiri & Funaki watching a replay of his embarrassment on tv, causing the big man to smash the tv in a rage. The Big Show faced Tajiri in a match later on, trying to crush the much-smaller wrestler. But when Mysterio showed up, taunting the Big Show, he chased the much-faster wrestler, causing himself to be counted out! The Big Show planned to get his revenge at Backlash '03, getting a match signed with the cruiserweight. It was a David-vs-Goliath battle, with Mysterio putting up a good fight, landing multiple 619's. But the Big Show managed to catch Mysterio with a huge Chokeslam, pulling out the victory. Mysterio was hurting after the match, causing the EMTs to come out with a stretcher. However, after Mysterio was placed on the stretcher and secured, the Big Show came back and attacked, picking Mysterio (and the stretcher) up and swung him, baseball bat-style, into the ringpost, then sending him falling, helpless, to the floor. Mysterio landed headfirst, a sickening sight, as his arms were pinned to his sides by the harness. It was later revealed that the Big Show wasn't supposed to drop Mysterio, but couldn't hang on after the swing. Mysterio, fortunately, wasn't badly injured, but did take a few weeks off after the incident.

The Big Show bragged about his destruction of Mysterio on the next Smackdown, as well as talking about how everyone had been telling him to "pick on someone your own size". The Big Show didn't listen, bringing out Funaki to fight. Not surprisingly, the Big Show dominated Funaki, not even bothering to Chokeslam him. Instead, he Clotheslined Funaki for the win. The entire locker room seemed to be against the Big Show after this, but none more than the champion, Brock Lesnar, who called the Big Show out for a fight. The Big Show refused, though, saying he'd only do it with the title on the line. A week later, the Big Show & A-Train were set to face Lesnar & Chris Benoit, but the Big Show worked out a plan, having the Full-Blooded Italians trick Lesnar into getting locked in a room, allowing the Big Show to face Benoit in a singles match. Thanks to A-Train on the outside, the Big Show got the win. The duo set out, after the match, to add Benoit to the Big Show's "stretcher list" (he had written names of victims on a stretcher), but Lesnar finally came down to prevent the Big Show from slamming Benoit into the ringpost. Lesnar F-5'ed A-Train, but the Big Show caught him with a Chokeslam, sending another statement to the champion.

When Mysterio made his return on the next Smackdown, giving an interview about his future return to the ring, the Big Show interrupted, grabbing Mysterio and taking him to the ring! The Big Show was set to end Mysterio's career, bringing a stretcher with him, but Lesnar again made the save, this time F-5'ing the Big Show! Afterwards, a hurting Big Show glared at Lesnar, but this left the giant open to a Bulldog from Mysterio, who got some revenge for his injuries. The Big Show and Lesnar met at Judgment Day '03 in a "Stretcher" Match for the Smackdown Heavyweight Title. The Big Show seemed to have an advantage, as he didn't fit on the stretcher provided. He came close to winning several times, but each time he brought the stretcher down, Lesnar managed to get off in time. Late in the match, Mysterio appeared, going after the Big Show. The giant took him out, but this gave Lesnar a chance to go get a fork lift, bringing it to the ring! Lesnar then jumped off the top of the lift, smashing into the Big Show. Lesnar later gave the Big Show the F-5, then put him on the lift and drove to the back, causing the Big Show to lose the match, keeping him from becoming champion again.

The Big Show took a week off after the defeat, but returned in a shocking way a week later, as he replaced an 'injured' Nunzio in a "Handicap" Match, pitting himself, Chuck Palumbo, & Johnny Stamboli against Lesnar & the Undertaker! Late in the match, the Dead Man caught the Big Show in a Dragon Sleepr, but Nunzio broke it up with a chain shot behind the ref's back. The match broke down, with Lesnar taking out the FBI, only to be Chokeslammed by the Big Show, who pinned the Smackdown Heavyweight Champion! This gave the Big Show a lot of momentum going into June '03. On the first show of the month, the Big Show interrupted Kurt Angle's return speech, telling Angle to wait in line for a title show, since the Big Show would be facing Lesnar the next week. The two men came to blows, with Lesnar coming out to chase off the Big Show, saving Angle. The Big Show and Lesnar went at it for the Smackdown Championship the next week, but the match ended shockingly, as Lesnar landed a Superplex off the turnbuckle on the Big Show, which caused the ring to collapse! The match was ruled a No-Contest, as personnel came out to check on both men (as well as a shaken referee).

The two wrestlers faced off again for the Smackdown Heavyweight Title a week later, with the Big Show once again trying to 'reclaim' the gold. But when things started to look bleak for the Big Show, Team Angle (Shelton Benjamin & Charlie Haas), who had broken ties with Kurt Angle the week before, ran down to cause the DQ, attacking Lesnar and allowing the Big Show to Chokeslam him. Angle tried to make the save, Angle Slamming the Big Show, but the Big Show recovered during Angle's fight with his former allies, and came back to Chokeslam Angle as well. The Big Show finished the night by Chokeslamming Mr. America (Hulk Hogan) as well, when he tried to help out. This led to a Six-Man match signed for the following week, between the Big Show, Benjamin, & Haas and Lesnar, Angle, & Mr. America. The Big Show made a huge statement in the match, giving Lesnar & Angle a Double Chokeslam at one point. The Big Show then went at it with his long-time foe, with Mr. America getting distracted by Vince McMahon (who had Mr. America's ally, Zach Gowen, held hostage), allowing the Big Show to get another Chokeslam for the victory.

Going into July '03, the Big Show opted to be Mr. McMahon's personal hitman, taking on Gowen & Stephanie McMahon in a "No Disqualification Handicap" Match, with Gowen's WWE contract on the line. The Big Show had an easy time of it with both the one-legged wrestler and the female McMahon. However, just when the Big Show was looking to end it, Lesnar and Angle ran down to get involved, eventually taking out Mr. McMahon. This left the Big Show open to an F-5, an Angle Slam, and then a One-Legged Moonsault from Gowen, who pinned the Big Show to earn his WWE contract! It was soon announced that it would be the Big Show vs. Angle vs. Lesnar for the Smackdown Title at the next PPV, allowing the Big Show to cause some friction between the two friends, with Mr. McMahon helping by arranging a "Falls Count Anywhere Handicap" Match that night, with the Big Show, Benjamin, & Haas going against Lesnar. Mr. McMahon kept Angle from being a factor, keeping him away from ringside. Although Lesnar fought hard, the Big Show was able to reverse an F-5 into a Chokeslam through the announce table, getting another pinfall on the World Champion.

The same match was arranged the next week, only with Angle being the one against the three men, with Lesnar kicked out of the building. But Angle got some help in the form of Gowen, giving him a hand against the numbers. The Big Show still took out Gowen, dropping him on the guardrail, but this allowed Angle to KO the Big Show with the ringsteps. With the giant out of the way, Angle then made Benjamin tap out to the Ankle Lock, surprisingly winning the match. The Big Show, Benjamin, & Haas took on Lesnar, Angle, & Gowen a week later, with the Big Show almost tapping out to Angle's Ankle Lock. But miscommunication caused Lesnar to accidentally hit Angle while performing the F-5, allowing the Big Show to recover and Chokeslam Angle for another big victory. Afterwards, Lesnar knocked the Big Show out of the ring with a steel chair, then F-5'ed Haas. But Lesnar and Angle then became distracted with each other, arguing over the loss, which allowed the Big Show to return and Chokeslam both of them, laying them out!

At Vengeance '03, all three wrestlers came in thinking that they had a chance to win. At the beginning, Lesnar & Angle double-teamed the Big Show, returning the favor for the various handicap matches they'd been in put in. At one point, Angle put the Big Show through the Spanish Announcer's table with the Angle Slam, an unbelievable maneuver. With the Big Show down, Lesnar and Angle went at it, each exchanging some heavy blows. The Big Show finally returned to the ring and attacked, but suffered another Angle Slam for his trouble. When Lesnar charged in, though, Angle delivered an Angle Slam to him as well, and made the pin, winning the World Title away from Lesnar and keeping it, once again, from the grasp of the Big Show.

The Big Show & A-Train took on Lesnar & Angle the next week, with the Big Show looking for some redemption. It didn't happen, though, as Lesnar landed the F-5 on the Big Show, with Angle blind-tagging himself in to get the pinfall victory. Lesnar and Angle fought after the match, but it was little consolation to the giant, who was out of the title picture. The Big Show continued to team with A-Train afterwards, working as Vince McMahon's thugs against the Undertaker (who was angry about the treatment of Stephanie McMahon). At one point, the Big Show took on the Undertaker, and with the help of A-Train, the Big Show won via countout. Later that night, A-Train 'wrestled' Stephanie, with the Undertaker trying to interfere, only to be taken out by several chair shots from the Big Show. A-Train then took out Stephanie for the win, much to the satisfaction of Mr. McMahon. A week later, Mr. McMahon put the Big Show in an "Anything Goes Street Fight" Match against Angle (who was feuding with McMahon, due to Lesnar joining McMahon's team). Although the Big Show tried to put Angle away, he couldn't manage it, with Angle giving the Big Show an Angle Slam through a table for the victory. It was a tough defeat for the Big Show, who later had insult added to injury when he didn't have a match at Summerslam '03.

The Big Show got another shot to return to the top on the Smackdown following the PPV, as he faced off against Lesnar and the Undertaker in a "Triple Threat" Match to decide the new #1 Contender to Kurt Angle's newly-won title. Late in the match, Lesnar tried to Superplex the Big Show off the turnbuckle again, but the Undertaker blocked it, then gave Lesnar the Last Ride for the win, keeping the Big Show from the main event. For the next few weeks, the Big Show stayed with Mr. McMahon, basically being his bodyguard as Mr. McMahon managed to push Lesnar back up to the World Title (he defeated Angle in an "Iron Man" Match). The Big Show also appeared on Velocity, winning a couple of squash matches, without much of a story behind them.

Near the end of September '03, the Big Show began to resurface, attacking the United States Heavyweight Champion, Eddie Guerrero, before Guerrero's match with Charlie Haas (Guerrero still won). This started a feud between the two men, with the Big Show telling Guerrero that he had attacked him simply because he didn't like him. Later that show, the Big Show intercepted an order of burritos for Eddie, eating most of them while sending a spit-in burrito for Eddie. It was all a set-up by Latino Heat, though, as the Big Show had to be counted out of his match with Orlando Jordan, as he ran for the bathroom! Guerrero taunted the Big Show in the bathroom, saying that the delivery man was his cousin. A week later, the Big Show got some revenge, attacking Eddie during an interview. Chavo then called the Big Show to the ring in his uncle's honor, taunting the Big Show when he came out in his nice clothes. The Big Show eventually came to the ring for a match, but as soon as the bell rang, Chavo ran out, leading to a Countout. A confused Big Show was then caught in the ring, as Eddie drove out a sewage truck, eventually spraying the Big Show with sewage! On the Smackdown before the PPV, though, the Big Show got some major revenge, attacking Guerrero after he had won a match with Rhyno, slamming him into the car windshield, then Chokeslamming him on top of the car.

At No Mercy '03, the angry giant went after Guerrero again, this time with the United States Heavyweight Title on the line. The Big Show worked to use his brute strength and size advantage, but he also had to deal with Guerrero's trickery. At one point, Guerrero brought a chair out, which the ref confiscated. As he did so, Guerrero got a trash can lid instead, smacking the Big Show with it. Guerrero later used the US Title on the Big Show, then got the Frog Splash, but only got a 2 count from the woozy referee. Eventually, the Big Show shrugged off Guerrero's offense and got a huge Chokeslam, destroying Latino Heat. The Big Show quickly made the pin, winning the match and, for the first time (despite all his time spent in WCW and WWE), becoming the WWE United States Heavyweight Champion.

On the next Smackdown, the Big Show joined the Smackdown Heavyweight Champion, Brock Lesnar, against the Undertaker in a "Handicap" Match. If the Undertaker won, he would get his choice of match-ups. The match was set up by the new General Manager, Paul Heyman, in order to keep Heyman from being destroyed by the Dead Man. At first, Lesnar & the Big Show dominated the Undertaker due to the numbers, but then Lesnar made the mistake of ordering the Big Show to go to the top rope for a spike piledriver. The Undertaker knocked down Lesnar, then chokeslammed the Big Show from the turnbuckle, getting the victory. However, Paul Heyman then came out and announced that, due to his 'mistake', he forgot to mention that the match was 3 Falls. Later on, the Big Show was counted out, but once again Heyman changed the rules. It happened a third time after the Big Show hit the Undertaker with a chair. No Disqualification was enforced. This, though, worked into the Undertaker's favor, as he got his biker chain and managed to knock out Lesnar before Brock could land the F-5. After taking out the Big Show, the Undertaker made the pin, and somehow got the victory (he chose to face Mr. McMahon in a "Buried Alive" Match at the next PPV).

The Big Show and Lesnar each blamed the other for the loss the next week, nearly coming to blows, but this was stopped when Heyman called both men to the ring. There the majority of Lesnar's Survivor Series team was brought together, with Lesnar & the Big Show teaming up with newcomers Matt Morgan & Nathan Jones, making a giant team. Kurt Angle soon started putting together his own team, consisting of Chris Benoit & the APA. But the Big Show & Lesnar changed that, when they faced the APA in a match. The Big Show & Lesnar got themselves deliberately DQ'ed by attacking with chairs, eventually injuring Faarooq's knee and taking him out of the equation. The next week, Lesnar's team offered their final spot to John Cena, who turned it down with insults. However, Cena was then taken out by A-Train, who rejoined the Big Show and became the fifth member of the team.

Meanwhile, it was announced that Hardcore Holly would be taking the place of Faarooq, since Holly had a personal grudge against Lesnar, since Brock injured him due to a powerbomb a while back. Cena also joined Angle's team, finalizing the line-up. At the '03 Survivor Series, the two teams went at it. The first elimination came seconds into the match, as Hardcore Holly attacked Lesnar, shoving the ref out of the way. Holly was quickly disqualified. Shortly thereafter, Bradshaw eliminated A-Train with the Clothesline From Hell. The Big Show then grabbed Bradshaw and chokeslammed him, with the third quick elimination of the match. Angle brought his team back by eliminating Matt Morgan with the Angle Slam, then took out Nathan Jones with the Ankle Lock. But Lesnar took advantage of a distracted Angle and hit the F-5, eliminating him. Unfortunately, Lesnar then fought Benoit, who put on the Crippler Crossface. Lesnar was forced, once again, to tap out. This left the Big Show against two men, and although he fought hard, he fell to a huge F-U from Cena, with Cena & Benoit becoming the sole 'survivors.

The Big Show faced Cena on the next Smackdown, using the steel steps to attack him. This backfired in the end, though, as Cena kicked the Big Show in mid-shot, making the steps fall on the Big Show's head! Cena followed up with another steps shot, then made the pin, again defeating the Big Show. A week later, the Big Show competed in a "20-Man #1 Contender Battle Royal". The Big Show was strong at first, sending a lot of people over the ropes. Unfortunately, this worked against the giant, as the rest of the contenders decided to ally together and overwhelm him, sending the Big Show from the match (Cena & Benoit came out on top). Going into December '03, the Big Show continued to stay aligned with Lesnar's group along with his long-time partner, the A-Train. However, when A-Train placed bets against Lesnar, the Big Show later joined with Matt Morgan in turning on A-Train after he was upset in a match by Shannon Moore.

Later that same night, the Big Show challenged Cena to a battle rap, with the Big Show even wearing 'hip-hop' clothes for the event. Although the Big Show's rap wasn't bad, the fans were firmly behind Cena, especially when Cena ended his rap with a low blow to the Big Show! The two wrestlers continued to feud throughout the rest of the year, including wrestling in a "Non-Title" Match at the Christmas In Iraq show. With the troops watching, the Big Show fell to Cena's F-U, ending the year on a losing note, yet still going into the new year as a champion.

WWE Smackdown: 2004

On the first Smackdown of the new year, the Big Show made his presence known, interrupting Rey Mysterio Jr, who was talking on the mic in the ring after winning the Cruiserweight Title. The Big Show thought he had something more important, as he revealed the "hottest" new thing, the Big Show t-shirt, with the slogan "Chicks Dig It Big!" Mysterio, not happy about the interruption, grabbed the shirt from the Big Show and, after a few teasing moments, threw it to the crowd, causing the Big Show to attack the champ. Hardcore Holly (who was feuding with Show's ally, Lesnar), though, made the save, sending the Big Show from the ring. A furious Big Show was calmed by Heyman in the back, who arranged a match that night between Show and Holly in a Non-Title Match. During the bout, Mysterio came down to the ring to get involved, hitting Show with a chair when the ref was distracted. The Big Show came back, though, and was prepared to Chokeslam Holly, when Holly landed a low blow! The Big Show won via disqualification, not exactly the win he had in mind. It got worse as Holly attacked the Big Show with a chair, busting him open!

The Big Show got his wish on the next Smackdown, as Heyman set up a "Street Fight" Match between Show and Holly. Lesnar came down to ringside to watch as the two men went at it, which caused a distraction of sorts, due to Holly going after Lesnar at one point. Despite being able to use weapons and having Lesnar nearby, the Big Show couldn't get the win, as he was Choked with a chair to the throat by Holly and forced to tap out. A week later, an injured Big Show (wearing a neck brace) announced that he had a 50-feet Restraining Order against Holly. Lesnar said he'd stay by the Big Show to protect him, although obviously Lesnar just wanted to be safe from Holly himself. Despite the neck injury, the Big Show came through in his Royal Rumble Qualifying Match, easily squashing Funaki.

It didn't take long for the Big Show to grow tired of Lesnar following him around, in order to use the restraining order to his advantage. He told Lesnar off, saying that if Holly beat Lesnar, it'd just give the Big Show a different Wrestlemania opponent once he won the Rumble. Later that night, the Big Show was scheduled to team with Lesnar, Matt Morgan, & Rhyno in a "Handicap" Match against John Cena & Chris Benoit. The Big Show missed the start of the match, though, as he was locked in his dressing room by a forklift! Lesnar was later taken out of the match as well, when he was attacked by Holly. This left Morgan & Rhyno vs. Cena & Benoit, with Cena FU'ing Rhyno for the win. After the match, Cena & Benoit tried to take it to Heyman, but the Big Show finally reappeared, furiously Chokeslamming both men to get some revenge for being locked away.

At the '04 Royal Rumble, the Big Show was certainly considered one of the favorites in the main event match, due to his size and strength. He also received a great number coming down as the 24th entrant. The Big Show was a powerful force in the ring, although he was almost Jackhammered by Bill Goldberg (Lesnar ran down to F5 Goldberg instead, helping him to be eliminated). The Big Show soon found himself in a "Handicap" Match of sorts near the end, as all of the other wrestlers left opted to team up against him. But the Big Show surprisingly proved to be up to the challenge, fighting them off, then eliminating John Cena, Rob Van Dam, Chris Jericho, and Kurt Angle to reach the final two against the #1 entrant, Chris Benoit. The Big Show seemed to have everything going his way, but Benoit continued to fight back, even getting the Big Show to tap to the Crossface! But the Big Show couldn't be eliminated that way. He eventually came back and tried to toss Benoit over the top rope. But Benoit landed on the apron and held onto the Big Show's head, pulling with all his might. After a long struggle, the Big Show fell over the ropes to the floor, allowing Benoit to take away the victory. For the second time in his career, the Big Show was the runner-up, and not the winner, in the Rumble.

The Big Show got a break, though, on the next Smackdown, as Benoit had opted to jump to Raw to challenge for the World Title there. Instead, Heyman arranged for a 15-Man Rumble Match that night, with the winner getting the title shot against the Smackdown Champion. However, there was still a target on the Big Show's head, as, when he entered at #9, everyone in the ring stopped fighting and waited to attack him! The Big Show still was dominating, managing to fight off his foes and eliminate Tajiri and Bradshaw. The Big Show then hung around, fighting off assaults from men like Kurt Angle, John Cena, and even a Stinkface from Rikishi to keep in the match. The Big Show even managed to toss out one more, Cena. But again the crowd in the ring attacked the Big Show en masse, and, with Cena pulling from the outside, the Big Show had no leverage, falling out of the ring to again lose his chance to fight the champion! Eddie Guerrero went on to win the shot, as the Big Show blamed Cena for his defeat.

On the 1st Smackdown of February '04, the Big Show defended the United States Title, surviving a Fameasser to beat Billy Gunn with a Chokeslam. Later that night, both the Big Show and Kurt Angle appealed to GM Heyman for the Wrestlemania Smackdown Title shot (since Guerrero was challenging Lesnar at No Way Out). Heyman's announcement was then interrupted by Cena, who insulted both Angle & the Big Show. Both offended wrestlers wanted Cena in the match, and although Heyman didn't want to do it, he reluctantly made it a Triple Threat #1 Contenders Match at the next PPV! The next week, the Big Show was set to team with Lesnar against Angle & Guerrero. However, when Angle was mysteriously taken out in the back, Cena took his place. It was a tough fight, with the Big Show putting all his power into winning the match. However, Angle's return negated both the Big Show and Cena, as Angle attacked both men with chairs! Meanwhile, Guerrero rolled up Lesnar to get the pin, stealing the match.

At No Way Out '04, the Big Show, Angle, and Cena fought it out for the title shot at Wrestlemania. It was a tough match for all three, as several close pinfalls took place. At different points in the match, the Big Show felt the FU and the Angle Slam, but still came back to get Chokeslams on both men. In the end, though, the Big Show was suprisingly caught by Angle and Angle-Slammed out of the ring, taking him out of the equation. Angle then put the Ankle Lock on Cena's injured leg (he injured it falling out of the ring at the Rumble) to get the victory, becoming the #1 Contender at Wrestlemania. In the meantime, things weren't settled between the Big Show and Cena.

On the next Smackdown, the Big Show retained the US Title, beating down Hardcore Holly. Afterwards, though, the Big Show was challenged by Cena for a match at Wrestlemania, with Show's US Title on the line. The Big Show accepted, claiming that he was the most dominant US Champion ever. A week later, the Big Show teamed with Chavo Guerrero Jr against Cena & Rey Mysterio (a replacement for Eddie Guerrero). Cena's team won, with Mysterio pinning Guerrero after the 619. After the match, Chavo Guerrero Sr entered the ring and attacked Mysterio, but Cena intervened, hitting the FU on the veteran. However, this left Cena open to a clothesline from the Big Show, who then Chokeslammed Mysterio, followed by Cena, getting some measure of satisfaction. The Big Show watched a week later as Cena had to wrestle against the Big Show's ally, A-Train. Cena got the win, but injured his wrist, allowing the Big Show to have the momentum going into the PPV.

The Big Show and Cena finally had their long-built US Title Match at Wrestlemania XX. The Big Show controlled the beginning of the match, using his size and strength to dominate the challenger. Cena had to fight out of several painful submission holds to keep in the match, dealing with both his injured wrist and his recovering knee. Cena finally got the momentum back in the match with a dropkick that sent the Big Show facefirst into the turnbuckle. Cena then got a huge FU on the 500-pounder, but Show kicked out at 2. A frustrated Cena then went for his chain, but was stopped by the referee. While the ref was getting rid of the chain, though, Cena slipped on another foreign object and clocked the champ with it. He then picked up the Big Show for a second FU, then pinned him, taking away the Big Show's United States Championship.

On the following Smackdown, a furious Big Show said that Cena had stolen the title from him. However, the Big Show was able to work out a deal with Paul Heyman, getting himself put in as the last entrant in a "Gauntlet" Match to decide who would face Smackdown Champion Eddie Guerrero that night. The Big Show came out for that match to take on Rey Mysterio, who had already beaten Shelton Benjamin. The giant dominated the cruiserweight, but a distraction from Cena, who was taunting the Big Show, caused him to leave the ring to chase Cena, with the ref counting him out! Once more, Cena had cost the Big Show his opportunity. The Big Show didn't appear on the following Smackdown, after the WWE Talent Draft, although he did stay with Smackdown (instead of being drafted or traded to Raw). He did, though, lose a major ally, as Heyman, after being drafted to Raw, quit instead.

Going into April '04, the Big Show was entered into new GM Kurt Angle's Great American Trophy contest. The person whom Angle gave the trophy to would become the #1 Contender to the WWE Title. The Big Show defeated Rikishi to earn his place as one of the nominees, along with Booker T, John Cena, Charlie Haas, John Bradshaw Layfield, & Rob Van Dam. A week later, the Big Show & Haas faced Booker T & Van Dam in a tag match. Thanks in large part to Booker T leaving RVD on his own, the Big Show got the Chokeslam on Van Dam. Haas then snuck in and got the quick pin, making himself look better. At the end of the night, Angle came out to announce his choice. Surprisingly, though, Angle selected John Bradshaw Layfield, after Layfield showed a footage of himself stopping illegal immigrants. Angle revealed the trophy for Layfield, but Guerrero had switched it out for a fake. When Angle ordered Guerrero to bring down the real one, Guerrero did, only to break the trophy in the ring after chasing off Angle & Layfield.

The next week, Guerrero told Angle that he wanted his match against JBL that night. Angle was ready to accept, but Layfield turned it down, saying that he was too tired from 'campaigning', so Guerrero would fight the Big Show instead! The Big Show wasn't too pleased that the match against Guerrero was Non-Title, but he did promise to beat the champion down, even saying that he would quit if he lost. During the match, the Big Show dominated, but he got caught off-guards when the sneaky Guerrero planted a wrench in his boot, causing the referee to threaten to DQ him. While the Big Show argued, Guerrero came off the ropes with a Tornado DDT, then got the Frog Splash, pinning the Big Show 1-2-3! Afterwards, Guerrero had the fans sing goodbye to the crying Big Show, who walked slowly to the back. The night wasn't over for the giant, though, as he caught Torrie Wilson laughing (presumably at something else) and assumed she was laughing at him. The Big Show caught up to Torrie later on, smashing her car, then chasing her into the building! The Big Show eventually grabbed hold of Torrie on top of a ledge, about to throw her off, as GM Angle pleaded with him not to do it. For a second, the Big Show seemed willing to listen to reason, as he let Torrie go. But he then grabbed Angle and Chokeslammed him off the ledge instead! With Angle lying in a bloody pool below him, the Big Show walked off, leaving Smackdown behind for a time (as he needed knee surgery).

In September '04, vignettes began to run showing the return of the Big Show to Smackdown. It seemed that he would be coming back in a few weeks. However, on the September 9th edition of Smackdown, the Big Show returned early, surprising everyone when he came down during the aftermath of a "Lumberjack" Match between Kurt Angle and Eddie Guerrero. The Big Show was dominating, as he destroyed most of the locker room in attendance, including Chokeslams to Guerrero, Angle, and Angle's ally, Luther Reigns. A week later, the new GM of Smackdown, Teddy Long (who had replaced Angle), offered the Big Show two contracts: a match against Guerrero and a match against Angle. Although Angle tried to get the Big Show to accept the Guerrero match (which Guerrero was for as well), the Big Show signed Angle's contract, renewing the feud between the two men.

On the next Smackdown, the Big Show teamed with Guerrero against Angle & Reigns. The match ended surprisingly, as Mark Jindrak appeared and attacked Guerrero, causing the DQ. It turned out that Jindrak had joined Angle & Reigns, with the three beating down both wrestlers. Angle used a tranquilizer gun to take down the Big Show, then shaved him bald, getting some revenge for his injuries. Of course, this also fully focused the Big Show on decimating Angle and his allies for the loss of his hair. At No Mercy '04, the Big Show used his contract, furiously going after Angle. After some time, a worried Angle tried to leave, willing to be counted out. But GM Teddy Long stopped him, ordering him back to the ring. Angle then tried to use the tranquilizer gun, but the Big Show destroyed it, then got Angle with a Chokeslam, getting the victory.

The Big Show was willing to fight Angle again the next Smackdown, but Angle claimed that the doctors wouldn't clear him. Instead, Angle sent Jindrak against the giant. The Big Show still had to worry about both Angle and Reigns at ringside, although he got some help when Guerrero took out Reigns. The Big Show was then able to knock away Angle's attempted chair shot and Chokeslam Jindrak for the win. A week later, the Big Show returned the favor to Guerrero, keeping Angle's group from shaving Guerrero's head by clearing the ring. The next week, though, the Big Show didn't appear on Smackdown, instead easily defeating Akio on Velocity. The Big Show returned to Smackdown the next week at the end of October '04, getting involved with the Tough Enough contestants by giving them a Bodyslam Challenge, including dropping a knee on one of the cocky trainees.

Later on that same night, the Big Show approached Guerrero, who was working on putting together a 4-Man Team to take on Angle's squad at the next PPV. The Big Show demanded to be put on the team, and Guerrero quickly accepted, causing panic in the Angle locker room. Angle tried to have the Dudley Boyz take out the Big Show the next week, but the plan backfired, as the Big Show instead Chokeslammed both men through tables (while Spike Dudley ran away). The Big Show took on Angle in a match a week later, with Guerrero & Rob Van Dam on the Big Show's side, while Reigns, Jindrak, & Carlito helped Angle. Late in the match, with the rest fighting on the outside, the Big Show went for the Chokeslam on Angle. But Reigns & Jindrak entered the ring and took the Big Show down, causing the DQ. With Guerrero & RVD down outside the ring, Angle's team beat down the Big Show, trying to injure their biggest threat with a variety of submission holds.

Going into the '04 Survivor Series, the Big Show, Guerrero, & RVD were ready to take on Angle, Jindrak, Reigns, & Carlito. They also got a boost as John Cena, returning from injuries, joined their squad to get a piece of Carlito (the man who had supposedly injured him). Cena's effect was immediate, as Carlito was the first eliminated, running away from a fighting-mad Cena and driving away from the arena. Later, after Guerrero managed to make a tag, Van Dam scored his Five Star Frog Splash on Jindrak, but was then rolled up by the legal man, Angle, bringing it to 3-on-3. This didn't last long, as Guerrero rolled up Jindrak to eliminate him as well. The Big Show took care of Reigns with a Chokeslam, leaving Angle against 3 men. Angle tried to leave, but was stopped by RVD, who sent him back to the ring, where the Big Show caught him and tossed him in. Cena then got the FU on Angle, followed by a Guerrero Frog Splash. The Big Show then made the cover, finally ending the match.

On the Thanksgiving edition of Smackdown '04, the Big Show catered a spread out to the ring along with Joy Giovanni. He thanked several people, including the Smackdown announcers Michael Cole & Tazz, then started the serving of the food. Luther Reigns, though, interrupted the festivities, bashing the holiday. He came down to the ring and threw some mashed potatoes into Giovanni's face, causing the Big Show to attack Reigns, eventually kicking him out of the ring in the midst of a food fight (with Giovanni playfully throwing a pie into the Big Show's face later on). A week later, Angle, Reigns, & Jindrak asked Giovanni to the ring, with Angle making Reigns apologize for his actions. But when Reigns asked Giovanni to go out to dinner later on, Giovanni said that she had plans with the Big Show! When Angle's group threatened her, the Big Show came down for the save, taking out both Reigns & Jindrak, with Angle running to the outside.

Angle hosted his "Hometown Invitational" the next Smackdown in Greenville, South Carolina. Since it was the Big Show's home state, he came out as the hometown hero, only to have Angle refuse to fight him. Instead, the Big Show went at it with Jindrak, dominating the wrestler until Angle attacked the Big Show from behind, causing the DQ