WWE Legend Opens Up On Moment They Knew Their Time In The Company Was Done

WWE

A WWE legend and current AEW name has opened up on when they knew that their time in the company had come to an end.

After over 20 years working with the promotion on and off, The Big Show (Paul Wight) made his final appearance for the company in January 2021.

A month later, it was announced that Wight had signed with AEW, where he has competed in a number of matches over the past five years, but now serves as a colour commentator.

Vince McMahon Calling Big Show ‘Paul’ Was Sign His WWE Career Was Over

Speaking to TMZ’s Inside The Ring, Wight opened up on the moment he knew his in-ring career in WWE was over, when he heard Vince McMahon call him ‘Paul’ ahead of an episode of Raw during the COVID era.

He said:

“I’ll tell you when I knew I was done with WWE. Vince called me ‘Paul’ one day during the COVID era. In all the years I knew Vince McMahon he never called me ‘Paul’. He always called me ‘Show’ or ‘Big Show’, he never called me ‘Paul’.

“We were doing something, I think it was during the Randy Orton angle, Vince said ‘Paul can do an interview here’, and in my brain I died a little bit in my soul, because I knew my opportunities to compete in the ring were pretty much done, because Vince didn’t see me as a talent anymore. Vince was going to start moving me into ambassador roles and all these other things that at the time I didn’t want to be a part of.

“So that was a lot of my decision, knowing and being around him long enough. There was nothing mean or malicious about it, I could have rolled into that nice role, but at the time I wasn’t ready to give up competing.

“That’s when I went to Tony Khan, and yeah sure I’ve had knee replacements, knee replacements, I’ve been through hell the last six years, I would have fired me three years ago if you want to be honest about it.”

If you use this transcription or any portion of it, please credit WrestleTalk.com and link back to this page.

More WWE Legends To Join AEW Soon?

Big Show leaving WWE to join AEW back in 2021 was a shocking move at the time due to the longevity that Show had as part of WWE, with him being seen as a ‘WWE lifer’.

However, in 2026, the concept of a WWE lifer is effectively dead, with some names that many thought they’d never see leave WWE now departing the company.

Among those names are Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods of the New Day, as well as Sheamus, all of whom could follow in the footsteps of other WWE legends like Christian, Edge and Mick Foley and leave WWE for AEW.

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• Paul Wight
• wwe
• Big Show

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