51-year-old WWE legend had an abnormal diet at 14: What did he eat so much?

WWE Superstars mostly play a character for shows, but some of them are extraordinary as it is. One includes former star Big Show (AKA Paul Wight), who is known for his impressive size. However, he also needed more food than most for the same reason.

Big Show was born with acromegaly, a disease of the endocrine system that causes accelerated growth. This was the same medical condition Andre the Giant had. However, the former WWE star had surgery in the 1990s on his pituitary gland and managed his medical condition. Still, he had always been more special than most.

Paul was 6 ft 2 and weighed 220 lb (100 kg) when he was 12. At 14, he was 6 ft 8. He was listed as 7 ft 1 by the Wichita State University basketball team when he was 19. Due to his large size, he had an interesting diet.

In a 2011 WWE documentary titled Big Show: A Giant's World, Paul Wight revealed that he ate 14,000 calories daily in high school. This includes four Big Macs, two fish sandwiches, two large fries, and a large shake.

The former WWE star went on an incredible weight loss journey in 2016 and credits John Cena for helping him. From more than 500 pounds, Wight went down to 370 and is currently around 400.

Why was Paul Wight disappointed when he discovered he had gigantism?

Paul's latest WWE appearance was for the 2021 RAW Legend's Night

Being a large athlete like Wight has its ups and downs, and the wrestler mostly viewed it as positive. However, this somehow changed when he learned he had gigantism in college.

In the same documentary, Paul said that he was a freshman when he found out he had gigantism, which had hurt him. He explained that he never thought of it as an abnormality but only that he was just gifted and stronger than other kids.

"I realized when I was a freshman in college that I had giantism. It really hit me right in the stomach hard because I always thought I was just blessed. I never thought of it as an abnormality. I just thought I was just gifted with all this. As a young kid, I didn’t know. I just thought I was just stronger than all the other kids." (H/T Pro Wrestling Stories)

Where is WWE legend Big Show now?

Big Show was released from WWE in 2021 and has since found a home in All Elite Wrestling, where he is known under the name Paul Wight. He serves as a commentator and occasional wrestler. His latest match was in 2022.

Despite the hardships of Paul's condition, it's fortunate that he is still doing well and has managed to put on a successful and legendary wrestling career.