WWE: Would Big Show Fare Better with a More Cerebral Gimmick?

Gimmicks are a tricky thing.

Most workers do all they can to get over in the gimmick they have chosen or that has been given to them. Some are fairly easy to manage and the talent in question finds a way to make it work fairly quickly at times.

Others are more difficult and take a little more effort to become as relatable, and as relevant, as possible. In those cases, the end result, if successful, is largely attributed to the man or woman using the gimmick and their ability to stay the course as well as see it forth to a positive outcome.

Then there’s Big Show, who is just really, really big.

For the majority of his career, Show’s biggest gimmick—indeed, his only gimmick—has been his size. One look at him and fans are hard-pressed to find any other reason to really care about him.  

And, to be honest, most of that is not his fault.

From the very beginning, back in WCW to his present run in WWE, Big Show has been put in front of the fans, who have basically been told that they should care about him because he is the world’s largest athlete.

And, that’s about it.

For other WWE superstars, this is not the case of course, as some of the best we have ever seen have personalities that evolved through various gimmicks up to the level that they currently enjoy.

The WWE champion, CM Punk, began his career under Vince McMahon as the young rebel, a man with a smile on his face and a hunger for the business. He marched to the beat of his own drum and he was just there to wrestle.

Punk’s straight edge lifestyle was soon incorporated into his gimmick and eventually became the driving force in his career. As the Straight Edge Savior, he took his way of thinking to whole new level, believing himself to be superior to everyone around him.

He later translated that gimmick as the leader of the New Nexus, in which he ruled with an iron fist, telling the superstars around him that they needed to believe in him, to follow him, to be successful.

His rebellious, self-righteous attitude then became the foundation for his decision to begin dropping pipe bombs in the business that he loved and on the company that he felt was letting him down. This eventually led him to turn face, as fans began to appreciate what he was saying and why he was saying it.

Now that he has apparently turned heel again, fans await the explanation for his actions on the 1000th episode of Raw.

What will he say? What is his reasoning? No matter what it may be, fans will likely be fully focused on his every word, knowing that once again, he has added another layer to his already complex character.

By contrast, Big Show has had two different phases of his character. One is the big, lovable guy who smiles for fans and does hokey impressions. The other is the big nasty giant, who runs over everyone like a steamroller.

But, no big deal, right? This is the way it’s always been for Show. Nothing has really changed. Fans are used to it, right? Yes. And, some fans are pretty tired of it.

Tired, and bored.

But, perhaps not anymore.

Two weeks ago on Raw, I saw a side of Big Show that was a bit unexpected. This was not the Big Show who cracks jokes or who just goes around throwing a huge right hand at the first available skull. This was a Big Show who was not physical, but very cerebral.

Look out, Triple H.

“As usual, John Cena was in the right place, at the right time, when the handle broke on that briefcase.  Come on, Punk, think about it. If you left the WWE tomorrow, I give these people about a week, before they move on to the next big thing. Trust me, I know. You think you’re special? We both know, this company revolves around one man. You’re not special Punk. You’re just another cog in the machine.”

This was just part of the conversation that Show had with CM Punk on the July 16th edition of Raw.   Not exactly the words of a ferocious, rage-filled monster, right?

Show’s rant only became more interesting at the end of the program when he spoke to Cena.

“How long has it been since you’ve been WWE Champion? Isn’t that the WWE Championship that you designed, the one with the spinner? That’s your championship, John! We’ve got a referee here, now.  You would be a fool not to cash in that briefcase now. You’ve got to do it.”

Two simple promos. Short, sweet, to the point and perhaps largely forgotten about since that night. But, for me, it could very well be a prelude to a more interesting character twist for the one superstar who desperately needs a change of pace.

Imagine a Big Show who is the mastermind instead of the muscle, a superstar who uses a good deal of his time playing mind games with his opponents. Rather than getting extremely physical and brutal in his approach, he instead chooses to use psychology, to get into the heads of those around him.

At this point in his career, it is the last unexplored avenue that he has.

He has done the rest of it. He is very good at playing the happy clown. He is excellent at playing the heartless giant. Maybe it’s time for him to be allowed something different.

For me, it’s an idea whose time has come. The only question now is, will WWE creative pursue this character change at some point or will Big Show be destined to always play either one of two roles?

One of Show’s first appearances in WWE saw him wearing a black T-shirt emblazoned with the phrase “No gimmick needed.” Perhaps. Or, perhaps he just needs a better one.