WWE Elimination Chamber 2012 Predictions: Big Show Will Continue Slow Heel Turn

When Big Show began feuding with World Heavyweight Champion Daniel Bryan a few months ago, it seemed as though he was bound to turn heel. Instead, it was Bryan who turned, but at Elimination Chamber, Big Show will take a giant step toward doing the same.

Big Show defeated Mark Henry for the World Heavyweight Championship at TLC, but after the match Henry attacked him. This allowed Bryan to run to the ring and cash in his Money in the Bank contract. Bryan was successful, making Show the shortest-reigning world champion in WWE history, as he held the belt for less than a minute.

Rather than going crazy and turning heel, however, Bryan adopted a cocky persona and began to poke and prod the world's largest athlete. Big Show has dealt with Bryan's shenanigans to this point, but over the past couple weeks he has become increasingly ornery and has shown more of an edge.

On SmackDown, Big Show knocked out Henry for no good reason and then proceeded to tear apart Teddy Long's office. The previous week he and Randy Orton, both faces, engaged in a brawl after the show went off the air. Perhaps this is simply a means of adding more depth to Big Show, but it seems like the seeds have been planted for a heel turn.

Rumors persist that Big Show will take on NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal at WrestleMania 28. Although Shaq hasn't appeared on WWE programming to start the feud yet, they do have a history together. Big Show and Shaq had a standoff on RAW a couple years ago with O'Neal getting the better of it.

If this match is going to happen, then Big Show has to be a heel. Because of Shaq's fun-loving personality, he is obviously going to have the fan support. That is especially true since WrestleMania is being held in Miami, Fla., where Shaq won an NBA championship with the Heat.

There isn't much time left for Big Show to turn heel before wrestling's biggest event, so he's going to have to make a move during Elimination Chamber. The odds of him winning the Chamber match are slim, so Show will likely blow up after being eliminated. I could see something crazy happening like Santino eliminating Show with a roll up, leading Big Show to mercilessly batter Santino.

Since Santino is such a fan favorite, there would be plenty of backlash against Big Show. I realize that Big Show has turned countless times during his career, but he is pretty stale as a face currently, so a heel turn would be good for him, especially if it leads to a match against Shaq.

Plenty of guys on SmackDown right now deserve to be in the world title scene, including Bryan, Henry, Sheamus, Randy Orton, Wade Barrett and Cody Rhodes. When you take that into account, it's time for Show to go in a new direction and end his feud with Bryan.

Big Show may not complete his heel turn at Elimination Chamber, but he will make a major statement. Show has to feel as if he has been getting the short end of the stick during his feud with Bryan, as the champion has continually escaped with the title. Because of that, it's only a matter of time before Big Show snaps.