Big Show Didn't Compete in Greatest Royal Rumble Because of a Hole in His Leg

The Big Show was among the more notable WWE stars absent from the Greatest Royal Rumble last month, and he explained he had to back out of the event for health reasons.

He discussed the situation on The Steve Austin Show (h/t Pro Wrestling Sheet's Austin Kellerman). He said he needed minor surgery to address an infection stemming from hip surgery. The procedure left a 3.5-centimeter hole in his leg.

The former world champion added he had recovered enough to wrestle in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, but that Triple H told him to stay home instead.

The Big Show hasn't wrestled since losing a steel cage match to Braun Strowman on the Sept. 4, 2017, edition of Raw. WWE ring announcer Mike Rome announced a week later the wrestler was set to undergo hip surgery:

The Big Show previously said to Sports Illustrated's Justin Barrasso he was winding down his in-ring career and that he didn't envision wrestling beyond the expiration of his WWE contract this past February. However, he confirmed in April he had signed a three-year extension with WWE.

Speaking with Austin, The Big Show said his new contract doesn't mean he'll resume full-time wrestling duties.

"There's not a lot of pressure on me to have to be there every week and get people over or carry two or three segments," he said. "I can kind of show up, help the younger guys here and there, and I get to pursue outside projects that are important to me."