AEW Signs Paul Wight (WWE’s The Big Show) for New Series

All Elite Wrestling broke the news on Wednesday morning that former WWE Champion and wrestling legend Paul Wight (better known as The Big Show) has signed an exclusive contract. In the process, the company announced that a new show, AEW Dark: Elevation, will soon be premiering on Monday nights with Wight as a commentator. The press release read, “As 2021 shapes up to be the year for AEW’s biggest shows yet, today the promotion announced that wrestling legend Paul Wight signed a long-term deal, adding yet another universally regarded name to AEW’s roster of stars, legends, and upcoming talent. Wight will have an extensive role within AEW, and on top of his return to the ring, he will serve as a commentator on AEW’s newest show, AEW Dark: Elevation.

Complementing AEW Dark on Tuesdays, AEW Dark: Elevation will air on Mondays at 7 p.m. ET on AEW’s YouTube channel, and will showcase AEW’s established and rising stars, as well as the top independent wrestlers within the industry, competing against each other in the ring in pursuit of wins. AEW Dark: Elevation will also maintain continuity with AEW DYNAMITE, AEW Dark, AEW pay-per-view shows and streaming events, with wins and losses factoring into each wrestler’s ranking in the company. With new wrestling programming now available three nights per week, AEW continues to solidify its position as the fastest growing and hottest promotion in professional wrestling.”

Both Wight and AEW CEO Tony Khan commented in the release.

“It’s been amazing to watch what AEW has built in just a couple of years,” Wight said. “AEW Dark is an incredible platform to hone the skills of up-and-coming wrestlers, but I also love that established AEW talent can build out their personalities and showcase themselves in new ways on Dark. It’s no exaggeration when they say that AEW is boundless.”

“Paul Wight is one of the most recognizable and impressive professional athletes in the world,” Khan added. “He wanted to come to AEW because he believes that we’re the best promotion in wrestling, and we believe that he has a lot to offer us, both in the ring as a wrestler, and also outside the ring as a commentator, host and ambassador for AEW.”

As Big Show, Wight was last seen on WWE programming back in mid-2020, taking part in an unsanctioned match with Randy Orton. He later assisted Drew McIntyre in beating Orton at Clash of Champions, prompting “The Viper” to attack him and a handful of other legends backstage on the following Raw.