Big Show says out-of-shape Shaq to blame for cancellation of Wrestlemania match

"Does he want the world to know how fat and out of shape he is?" Big Show asked.
Big Show says out-of-shape Shaq to blame for cancellation of Wrestlemania match
Big Show says out-of-shape Shaq to blame for cancellation of Wrestlemania match /

The long-rumored fight between seven-footers Shaq and The Big Show at Wrestlemania 33 is off, and according to Big Show it’s all on Shaq.

In an interview with ESPN’s Matt Wilansky, the 45-year-old repeatedly ripped the NBA Hall of Famer for gaining weight and causing the match to fall through.

“Maybe he doesn’t want to put on spandex and show the entire world that Shaquille O’Neal, one of the greatest basketball players of all time, looks like Jabba the Hutt,” the wrestler said. He also questioned whether or not Shaq was “too busy riding around singing karaoke with John Cena and going to Krispy Kreme and getting fatter every week.”

The comments came on the heels of a claim by Shaq on his podcast that WWE was to blame for the match’s cancellation. “It’s not my fault,” he said.

“He’s got to be what, 440, 450 pounds?” Big Show said in the interview with ESPN. “He's gotten pretty fat. Me on the other hand? I just weighed in this morning — 379 pounds.”

Big Show recently appeared in the main event of Monday Night RAW looking much slimmer, and working a match with Braun Strowman that was received very well by fans. His contract with WWE is up in Feb. 2018, so it’s possible this year is his last chance at a one-on-one Wrestlemania match. If Shaq is truly to blame for the match not materializing, he’d have every right to be upset.


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Kenny Ducey
KENNY DUCEY

Kenny Ducey writes baseball, basketball and off-beat stories for SI.com. He is a member of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America, and an editor at Baseball Prospectus.