Last week, we spoke to Paul Wight (FKA The Big Show) about his role in Netflix's Fast & Furious: Spy Racers South Pacific. The show returns on August 13, but while we had the legendary wrestler on the phone, we couldn't help but wonder if he's creating a wish list of opponents in his head as he continues to call the action on AEW Dark: Elevation.
There's certainly a lot of excitement about Wight stepping back into the ring, and while Shaquille O'Neal is an obvious first opponent, he's made it clear in the past that there's a lot of AEW talents he hopes to battle. As you might expect, that's only continued to grow in recent weeks.
Asked about that potential wish list, Wight immediately named the current AEW World Champion.
"One I’m blown away by, and I can say this hopefully without ruining kayfabe, but Kenny Omega is amazing. Just to watch him work in the ring and the way he hustles and bumps and feeds...the guy is really next-level talent, especially as a heel with the way he works," Wight stated. "The Young Bucks are brilliant. I’ve really enjoyed watching those guys in the tag team division, especially with their heel turn. It’s been great. Hangman Adam Page is just a red hot babyface in the making; this guy can definitely carry that AEW Championship and do something with it."
"The Murderhawk Lance Archer...he’s really, really come into his how with that whole Murderhawk gimmick. He’s intense in the ring and wrestles a lot bigger than he is. I really like his presence in the ring," he continued. "Darby Allin is probably my top pick if I was a heel. Anyone who is a heel right now that has a chance to work with Darby, that’s the perfect babyface to work with right now. He exemplifies what a babyface is today. He’s a little eccentric, a little different, but he’s just in your face every time coming back for more. I really appreciate him."
"Some other talents in AEW are coming along. Jungle Boy is another babyface you’d love to work with. I always tease him and call him 'grizzled' because I think he’s had the most matches in AEW. It’s like 53 or 54 so far which is crazy when he’s as young as he is, but he’s got really good ring presence and he’s another one I think in the right program could really accelerate to that next level superstar babyface with the right heel behind to push him. There’s a lot of younger talent there I’ll hopefully get chance to work with like Hobbs and Luchasaurus, this incredibly athletic big monster. For me, I see a lot of potential line-ups."
"It’s funny that you ask that, but there are a lot of guys I’m ticking off in my head I want to wrestle," Wight concluded. "I can keep myself busy for the next three or four years [Laughs]."
If even half these matches happen, we should be in for a treat. Wight looks like he's in the best shape of his career, and there's a lot he can bring to the table as a veteran talent in AEW. There are some real dream matches here, though Wight taking on Omega, Archer, and Jungle Boy are perhaps most intriguing.
Let's just hope AEW keeps him busy over the three or four years he mentions here, eh?