WWE No Way out 2012: Why Big Show Has the Most to Prove

At first glance, The Big Show really has nothing to prove to fans of World Wrestling Entertainment.

A main-event talent, he will compete inside a steel cage against John Cena in the most hyped match of the No Way Out pay-per-view card. He is in the middle of the strongest push of his 13-year stint with the company and appears poised to take over the role of most hated villain in the company.

For that reason alone, The Big Show has the most to prove this Sunday night.

In years past, he has been the recipient of major pushes by Vince McMahon and the creative team within WWE.

In 1999, he was awarded the company's top championship but was unable to capitalize on the opportunity. In 2001, he returned to action at the Royal Rumble but could not keep his weight in check and, as a result, was demoted to Ohio Valley Wrestling. In 2002, he was the first Superstar to defeat Brock Lesnar. But clumsiness in the ring resulted in an injury to Lesnar, and just a month after capturing the WWE Championship, he lost it to Kurt Angle.

Those are only a few examples of disappointing results from failed Big Show pushes. It is safe to say that neither The Big Show, nor World Wrestling Entertainment, can afford another failure.

The company is severely lacking in star power. Suspensions and injuries have taken away a number of the top stars of Raw and SmackDown. As a result, the company has focused its energy in pushing the giant as its top heel opposition to John Cena. They are banking on him performing at a level to justify continuing his run at the top of the card.

If The Big Show excels and delivers a main event-worthy performance Sunday, the company will have been right in elevating him to the position he currently occupies. If he cannot live up to the hype, to all of the stellar promo work he has done leading up to the match against John Cena at No Way Out, then 2012 will go down in the history books as yet another year, another failed push for the so-called "World's Largest Athlete."