The Giant's moonsault (lost footage of professional wrestling move; 1990s)

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Thegiantsmoonsault1.jpg

The Giant in WCW.

Status: Lost

Paul Wight, also known as "The Giant" or "The Big Show", is a professional wrestler who competed primarily within World Championship Wrestling (WCW), and World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment (WWE). He is famous for his large stature, coined as "The World's Largest Athlete" by the WWE, with him also winning seven world championships during his career. During his early years in professional wrestling, The Giant was able to perform athletic wrestling moves like missile dropkicks from the top rope. Additionally, footage of The Giant performing a moonsault exists.

Background

The Giant's significant size came from him being born with acromegaly, which led to excessive and accelerated growth.[1] He was measured at around 7ft 1in by the time he underwent surgery that halted his growth by fixing a pituitary gland.[1][2] He began training for a professional wrestling career in 1994, eventually being signed by WCW and working at its Power Plant.[3] Some wrestling giants and superheavyweights have garnered a negative reputation for being immobile compared to smaller professional wrestlers.[4] However, The Giant proved an exception to this rule, being deemed one of the most athletic of his era, and thus being able to execute moves generally performed by smaller competitors.[5]

For example, during his WCW years, The Giant was able to perform kip-ups, including during a WCW Nitro match against Curt Hennig.[6] On a few occasions, he also performed missile dropkicks from the top rope.[7] Although visually spectacular, The Giant was discouraged by other wrestlers from frequently using the move, out of concern that it would kill off the impact of smaller wrestlers performing the moves, as well as potentially damaging his "giant" gimmick.[7] On Episode 155 of Talk Is Jericho, Big Show also discussed how he performed a moonsault during a house show tour of Japan. This resulted in him receiving harsh responses from wrestlers including Hulk Hogan, who again strongly discouraged The Giant from using such moves. The Giant would ultimately utilise a moveset more appropriate for his size following feedback from other wrestlers, and the moonsault was never used by him during a televised match.[8]

Status

While none of The Giant/Big Show's televised matches featured him performing a moonsault, rumours persisted for years that footage was captured of him performing the move.[9] One such claim suggests a video was captured of him performing the high-flying move while training at the Power Plant, with a March 2010 article from Bleacher Report's Chris Mueller stating he remembered seeing the clip in question.[10] Others have detailed similar claims, although nobody was able to fully verify such claims at the time.[9]

That was until 21st May 2022, when Wight himself confirmed that a VHS recording was made that featured him doing the moonsault.[11] During the ET Canada interview, he clarified that the event indeed occurred during his tour of Japan, but that it was conducted in a training room hours before the show.[11] Wight wanted to do the moonsault during one of his upcoming matches, but those with creative control clauses, most notably Hogan, put a stop to that.[11][8] Ultimately, the tape has not resurfaced, with Wight speculating it has since ceased to exist.[11]

See Also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Comicbook detailing The Giant's acromegaly and surgery needed to stop it. Retrieved 22 Feb '22
  2. ↑ GiveMeSport noting The Giant's height by the time he was 18. Retrieved 22 Feb '22
  3. ↑ The Steve Austin Show where Big Show discussed his early career and signing for WCW. Retrieved 22 Feb '22
  4. ↑ WhatCulture noting how some wrestling "big men" are deemed immobile. Retrieved 22 Feb '22
  5. ↑ WhatCulture detailing The Giant's athleticism during his early years in wrestling. Retrieved 22 Feb '22
  6. ↑ Video of The Giant performing a kip-up. Retrieved 22 Feb '22
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Inside The Ropes detailing The Giant performing missile dropkicks and the negative reaction he got from other wrestlers. Retrieved 22 Feb '22
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Episode 155 of Talk Is Jericho where Big Show discussed performing the moonsault during a tour of Japan, and being forced to never use it again. Retrieved 22 Feb '22
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Freakin' Awesome Network discussing rumours of The Giant performing moonsaults and footage being captured of it. Retrieved 22 Feb '22
  10. ↑ Bleacher Report where Chris Mueller discussed his claim that he saw footage of the moonsault being performed. Retrieved 22 Feb '22
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 Fightful reporting on Wight's comments surrounding the moonsault being recorded in a training room during a tour of Japan. Retrieved 5 Nov '23
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