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Big men in wrestling have been a major part of many storylines since the beginning of the business. These forces of human destruction are usually used as dastardly heels to beat down babyfaces, or heroes who swoop in to save the day.
Over the years, we have seen some of the best big men in history grace the squared circle, and wrestling today is full of highly capable and highly talented big men. Men like Braun Strowman, Lance Archer, and even the late, great Brodie Lee are regarded as some of the best big men in the business.
Recently, SK Wrestling spoke to former WWE superstar Mike Knox, who spoke on his time working with Big Show, even going as far as saying "He was the best big guy that I'd seen in the ring". With Knox's comments in mind, we're going to be looking at WWE's best 'big men' in the company's history. Be sure to let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
#5. Kane
Glenn Jacobs debuted in 1992, and while his first few gimmicks were duds, when Kane debuted at Badd Blood: In Your House, it was the beginning of something special. "That's gotta be Kane!" screamed Vince McMahon, as the fans in attendance were shocked at the size of the Big Red Machine.
In general 'big man' fashion, Kane ripped the door off of Hell in a Cell and stood toe to toe with his brother, The Undertaker. Kane would Tombstone The Undertaker, signaling the destruction that was to come.
Kane was the quintessential big man. At 7'0" tall and 300 pounds, he was a monster of a human. He was uniquely powerful and would beat down his opponents as a big man should; Big boots, strong slams, and hard-hitting strikes. Even through his gimmick changes (subtle and not so subtle), Kane never lost his star factor and remained one of the best big men in WWE.
#4. Yokozuna
When talking about big men in wrestling, you won't get far in the conversation without talking about Yokozuna. At 6'4" and over 500 pounds, Yokozuna was one of the most powerful big men in the WWF in the 90's. Originally, Yokozuna wrestled in the AWA under the name Kokina Maximus, and was billed as the "biggest Samoan wrestler ever".
But when he made his way to the WWF, Vince McMahon decided to rebrand his heritage from Samoan to Japanese and turned him into a Japanese sumo wrestler. With Mr. Fuji and Jim Cornette as mouthpieces, Yokozuna quickly showed how dominant he was, squashing many competitors, before winning the 1993 Royal Rumble.
Yokozuna won the WWF World Heavyweight Championship from Bret Hart at WrestleMania IX. Despite a crazy finish, this was the beginning of the sheer dominance we would see from Yokozuna.
One major worry that comes with 'big men' in the wrestling business is the fear they may hurt their smaller opponents. That was definitely not the case for Yokozuna, as many wrestlers over the years have said he was one of the safest workers they ever shared the ring with.
Although his reign at the top wasn't that lengthy, Yokozuna left a lasting impression on the business and the fans. When it comes to dominant big men in the WWE/F, Yokozuna definitely belongs in the conversation.
#3. Big Show
Big men's careers are normally short-lived. That is not the case with Big Show. Paul Wight debuted in 1995 for WCW as The Giant and was billed as the son of Andre the Giant, for about 5 minutes, before WCW realized how ridiculous it was.
Wight had a strange career in WWE, when you look at how other big men have been booked. Big Show would flip flop between heel and babyface at an alarming rate. It seemed that every few months Big Show would turn on someone, so much so that it's one thing the internet still talks about today.
Big Show was also used in many different ways during his career. He went from being a tag team wrestler to being a comedy act, and even fought Floyd Mayweather at WrestleMania XXIV.
But because of his ability to connect with the fans, despite all the changes he's gone through, Wight has had one of the most successful 'big men' careers in the WWE. He's a 2-time WWE Champion, a 2-time World Heavyweight Champion, and a 5-time WWE Tag Team Champion. Wight is a triple crown champion, and a grand slam champion in the WWE, and won the second Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal at WrestleMania 31.
#2. Andre the Giant
Much like Yokozuna, when talking about big men in wrestling you don't get far without talking about Andre the Giant. As a matter of fact, the conversation probably starts with Andre. If you're a wrestling fan, you've probably heard all the stories from everybody in wrestling and have to marvel at his career.
At 7'4" and over 500 pounds, Andre was the main attraction for many traveling wrestling fans. He would easily beat down multiple men in the ring and the fans would love it. But even though he was huge, he was the definition of a gentle giant. It's also a wrestling legend that Andre had a 15-year undefeated streak, which is absolutely crazy to think about.
As is unfortunately the case with many big men, Andre's career was a very rough one. Alcohol problems and general wear and tear on that huge frame of his was just too much for Andre to handle as he, unfortunately, passed away at age 46.
Although he died way too young, the legend of Andre the Giant will never disappear. Be it through his wrestling career, his acting career, or just the legend around his name, he will live on. As stated earlier, when you talk about big men in wrestling, Andre the Giant will always be part of the conversation.
#1. The Undertaker
The Undertaker is such a great in-ring performer that he can easily be forgotten in the conversation for best big men in WWE history. But make no mistake about it, The Undertaker is the best big man in the history of the company.
Wrestling at 6'10", and over 300 pounds, The Undertaker is easily the best character in wrestling history for a multitude of reasons. The gimmick was exceptional and Mark Calaway played it better than anybody ever could have. When it comes to big men, none of them moved around like The Undertaker when it came to in-ring ability.
21 straight WrestleMania victories is something we may never see again in the WWE. Despite the loss to Brock at WrestleMania 30, the streak will always be an incredible accomplishment. The majority of his wins at WrestleMania were absolute classics with names like Shawn Michaels, Kane, Triple H, and Randy Orton all appearing on the list.
The Undertaker was also instrumental in building the careers of many of the greats in the WWE. Guys like Batista, Edge, and his kayfabe brother Kane can all thank The Undertaker for the careers they've had. He is, undoubtedly, the best of all the big men in WWE history.
