Paul Wight has opened up about the “pressure” he faced during previous chapters of his wrestling career, while explaining why he believes AEW offers talent a “more authentic” experience.
The wrestling icon, formerly known worldwide as Big Show, is currently signed to All Elite Wrestling, where he works as both an in-ring competitor and commentator.
Speaking exclusively to Radio Times ahead of AEW All In: London, which takes place at Wembley Stadium on Sunday 30 August, Wight reflected on the difference between his current role and the demands he previously faced in the industry.
“I can’t explain what it’s like where I used to work, and the demands that were put on you – personally, professionally, the kind of pressure that was on you every day – it didn’t matter if it was 3am in the morning, you get a phone call, you better have your wits about you – to having a guy that is very cool and very appreciative and very comforting in the way he lets his talent explore their own identities… like he’s not micromanaging everything you do,” Wight said.
“Tony [Khan, AEW owner] is very encouraging for the talent to discover their own and that makes the product, to me, a lot more authentic.”
Wight joined AEW in 2021 after more than two decades with WWE, where he became one of the most recognisable stars of his generation under the Big Show name.
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But the 54-year-old admitted that adapting to a different role in wrestling was not immediately easy after years spent as a regular in-ring performer.
“I think at first it was a little hard to swallow, because I was fighting all the time, I was in the trenches, I was on the road with the guys all the time,” he explained.
He added that the physical toll of his career eventually forced a change, saying: “I had to have a hip replacement… I had a couple years, right? A major surgery every year, like the bill came due all at once. It was, you know, left hip, left knee, right hip, right knee.”
However, Wight said he has now found peace with where he is in his career and is focused on helping AEW’s roster develop.
“I’m at a place now where I’m actually really good with everything,” he said. “I know that, OK, I’ve done well. I’ve had a solid career. I’ve had a fantastic career. I’m grateful.
“What can I do now to be a part of the business, to contribute to my company and my talent and my fans? And I’m finding ways to do that.”
Part of that contribution, Wight explained, comes in his work with younger talent – although he stressed that he does not see his role as telling them exactly how to perform or shape their characters.
“It’s not for me to tell you how to go do your character. That’s not what I’m here for. I’m not going to tell you that. We’re going to talk about the choices you made, why you made them, what you were thinking.”
For Wight, the key to connecting with wrestling audiences is authenticity. “You have to come from an authentic place to make an authentic connection, because that’s what wrestling is,” he said.
“Not everybody gets to be Ric Flair, not everybody gets to be Hulk Hogan, not everybody gets to be Kenny Omega… How do we get the best out of you?
“You want to be the best version of you. I’ve done the best version of me. They’ve seen the best version of me. Let’s see the best version of you.”
Read more: How to watch AEW on TV and live stream in the UK
Wight also spoke about how the rise of social media has changed the environment for wrestlers, with fans now having greater access to backstage discussion, contracts, ratings and creative decisions than ever before.
But his advice to younger talent is to avoid getting too caught up in online noise. “Even with as much input as social media and all these things have now, I advise younger talent to pull a little back from that and stick to the nuts and bolts,” he said. “Get it done between the ropes.”
AEW All In: London 2026 will see AEW return to Wembley Stadium for another night of stadium-scale wrestling, following previous record-breaking events in the UK and US. Fans can expect high-impact action, dramatic title clashes, unpredictable brawls and a star-studded card, after past All In events delivered unforgettable moments involving the likes of Will Ospreay, Bryan Danielson, Mercedes Moné and Swerve Strickland.
AEW All In: London takes place at Wembley Stadium on Sunday 30 August – tickets are on sale now.
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