ironworks
06-04-2012, 12:38 AM
Feed Source: Bleacher Report
Big Show's rampage across RAW and SmackDown was supposed to give John Laurinaitis' regime a powerful devotee comparable to WWE superheroes John Cena, CM Punk and Sheamus.
On paper, Big Show's destructive conquests were an incredibly effective way to make Show look like a legitimate contender, however, the weight of history will be too much for this idea to succeed.
Wrestling fans have seen Big Show in this position too many times before and when everything is on the line, the Big Show does not deliver. The best evidence of this is his appalling WrestleMania record which was highlighted just a few months ago in his feud with Cody Rhodes.
Closer examination of the wrestlers destroyed by Big Show's rampage shows the echo of historical events where Big Show has failed. Taking out Brodus Clay was reminiscent of Show taking out Brock Lesnar and Kurt Angle and Undertaker and so many others who ultimately got the upper hand over the giant.
Eliminating tag-team champions Kofi Kingston and R-Truth is just a staple of Big Show's career. Former champions Epico and Primo were also taken out on an episode of RAW before Show's monster turn. This ability to overpower smaller men has never seen Big Show become a dominant champion, so why should it now?
For Big Show to be considered a threat to WWE's big three, he must establish a positive win-loss record against them. So far, Show has knocked out Cena twice in two nights and then forced him to miss the following RAW.
This seems like an impressive start until consideration is given to how the knockout punches happened; on both occasions Cena was blindsided by Big Show so he was unable to protect himself. These actions are expected from cowardly heels like Alberto Del Rio and Daniel Bryan, but this is not the behaviour of a dominant monster.
The history that has passed between Big Show and Cena could be the reason that Big Show is so cautious about attacking Cena, but behaving like this only emphasizes his past failures.
Their first feud famously put Cena on the map. The miraculous feat of strength Cena performed by lifting Show onto his shoulders and delivering the FU (now the Attitude Adjustment) was Cena's first WrestleMania moment.
Show's second crack at Cena was even less impressive, despite throwing Cena into a spotlight to ignite the feud. Big Show was comprehensively defeated by Cena on two consecutive pay-per-views, and then relegated to the mid-card.
Big Show may have made a greater impact had he attacked CM Punk or Sheamus on SmackDown. Instead, the monster destroyed comedy characters Santino Marella and Zach Ryder. Dominance over these wrestlers can only be expected and so adds nothing to the gimmick.
Even when Big Show does get involved with the superhero characters on the behalf of Laurinaitis, there will be memories of Show's previous attempts to assist authority figures.
Show's first major contribution to WWE was throwing "Stone Cold" Steve Austin through a steel cage. Unfortunately for Big Show, due to the stipulations of the matchup, this gave The Rattlesnake a title shot at WrestleMania much to the chagrin of Vince McMahon.
Several years later, Big Show would try and assist Shane and Vince McMahon against D-Generation X. Show's failure to get the better of Triple H and Shawn Michaels would eventually lead to Vince McMahon's head being shoved into Show's bottom.
The idea of giving Laurinaitis a giant who is capable of competing with Cena, Punk and Seamus is the right one, but Big Show is not the right wrestler for the role. Too much history will undermine a potentially brilliant feud.
Big Show's rampage across RAW and SmackDown was supposed to give John Laurinaitis' regime a powerful devotee comparable to WWE superheroes John Cena, CM Punk and Sheamus.
On paper, Big Show's destructive conquests were an incredibly effective way to make Show look like a legitimate contender, however, the weight of history will be too much for this idea to succeed.
Wrestling fans have seen Big Show in this position too many times before and when everything is on the line, the Big Show does not deliver. The best evidence of this is his appalling WrestleMania record which was highlighted just a few months ago in his feud with Cody Rhodes.
Closer examination of the wrestlers destroyed by Big Show's rampage shows the echo of historical events where Big Show has failed. Taking out Brodus Clay was reminiscent of Show taking out Brock Lesnar and Kurt Angle and Undertaker and so many others who ultimately got the upper hand over the giant.
Eliminating tag-team champions Kofi Kingston and R-Truth is just a staple of Big Show's career. Former champions Epico and Primo were also taken out on an episode of RAW before Show's monster turn. This ability to overpower smaller men has never seen Big Show become a dominant champion, so why should it now?
For Big Show to be considered a threat to WWE's big three, he must establish a positive win-loss record against them. So far, Show has knocked out Cena twice in two nights and then forced him to miss the following RAW.
This seems like an impressive start until consideration is given to how the knockout punches happened; on both occasions Cena was blindsided by Big Show so he was unable to protect himself. These actions are expected from cowardly heels like Alberto Del Rio and Daniel Bryan, but this is not the behaviour of a dominant monster.
The history that has passed between Big Show and Cena could be the reason that Big Show is so cautious about attacking Cena, but behaving like this only emphasizes his past failures.
Their first feud famously put Cena on the map. The miraculous feat of strength Cena performed by lifting Show onto his shoulders and delivering the FU (now the Attitude Adjustment) was Cena's first WrestleMania moment.
Show's second crack at Cena was even less impressive, despite throwing Cena into a spotlight to ignite the feud. Big Show was comprehensively defeated by Cena on two consecutive pay-per-views, and then relegated to the mid-card.
Big Show may have made a greater impact had he attacked CM Punk or Sheamus on SmackDown. Instead, the monster destroyed comedy characters Santino Marella and Zach Ryder. Dominance over these wrestlers can only be expected and so adds nothing to the gimmick.
Even when Big Show does get involved with the superhero characters on the behalf of Laurinaitis, there will be memories of Show's previous attempts to assist authority figures.
Show's first major contribution to WWE was throwing "Stone Cold" Steve Austin through a steel cage. Unfortunately for Big Show, due to the stipulations of the matchup, this gave The Rattlesnake a title shot at WrestleMania much to the chagrin of Vince McMahon.
Several years later, Big Show would try and assist Shane and Vince McMahon against D-Generation X. Show's failure to get the better of Triple H and Shawn Michaels would eventually lead to Vince McMahon's head being shoved into Show's bottom.
The idea of giving Laurinaitis a giant who is capable of competing with Cena, Punk and Seamus is the right one, but Big Show is not the right wrestler for the role. Too much history will undermine a potentially brilliant feud.