Paul Wight (formerly known as The Big Show in WWE) has revealed how Hulk Hogan helped him when the pair first clashed over the WCW World Heavyweight Championship.
Then known as The Giant, Paul Wight faced Hulk Hogan at Halloween Havoc 1995 for the World Heavyweight Championship in his very first WCW match. Wight would emerge victorious in a stunning upset.
In a recent interview with Michael Morales Torres of Lucha Libre Online, the WWE legend explained how nervous he was at the prospect of facing Hulk Hogan.
Given Wight's inexperience, he was relieved when Hogan helped him during certain moments in the match. The Hulkster talked Wight through the relevant spots and reassured him when Wight thought things were going wrong.
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"I was 22 or 23 years old and just absolutely terrified the entire time out there. I remember one time in the match, I had Hulk in the corner and I didn't have any corner offense. I didn't have a chop, I didn't have a knee, I didn't have a shoulder. I didn't have any corner offense. Not even the big boot to the throat to stretch somebody in the corner. I had nothing. I think Hogan saw that deer-in-the-headlight look (on me), which when you're out there, you think: ‘Oh my God! Everybody in the building knows something is wrong!’ They don't. Hogan grabbed my hand and started fighting with it and he goes: ‘No brother. Don't choke me’. He put my hand on his throat and he was just super cool."
Paul Wight says the patience Hulk Hogan treated him with was "incredible"
Wight would continue, saying he felt the way Hulk Hogan treated him during their World Title encounter was "incredible," especially considering how new to the business he was.
"Just looking back now to have that kind of faith and somebody like me that was that green and that strong and that agile was pretty brave. I've gotten my dose of green guys over the years and I still go back to the patience that Hogan had with me, which was was pretty incredible."
Paul Wight recently parted ways with WWE, signing for rival promotion AEW.