The Big Show credits Vince McMahon for changing the culture and landscape in professional wrestling.
The wrestler, real name Paul Wight, went on 790 The Ticket in Miami and talked about how the wrestling industry has changed. Long gone are the days of the promoter speeding off with the money from the gate, and checks not cashing, according to Wight.
Wight said the paradigm shift happened after McMahon bought out competing promotion WCW.
"Right after he (Vince) acquired the biggest rival, then he started to put his plan into motion of, 'okay, I'll make an investment into the talent'. A (professional) wrestling career back in the day for most guys was two to three years (or) four years. If you were lucky, you made some fame and some promise, but you weren't on top, but you built a little bit of a name so you could still work and do other things. Vince is smart enough, and Hunter too, Triple H, as well,” Wight said.
The former WCW talent turned WWE guy sung the praises of McMahon and Triple H, saying the duo care about their talent.
“Both of them are so friggin smart to understand the more they put into talent, to have the talent have a better career, a longer career, a healthy career, the longer the investment pays off. We know it’s business, but with those two, you definitely get the feeling that it is because they care about the athlete. Because wrestling for so many years back in the day was very carnival, haphazardness business,” Wight said.
The 7 foot tall superstar has not been on TV much lately. He was drafted 22nd overall by RAW in the WWE Draft July 19. He is scheduled to face Shaq at WrestleMania 33 in Orlando.
