The Big Show has made a shocking physical transformation ahead of his rumored WrestleMania 33 showdown with NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal. The 44-year old is heavily regarded as one of the most popular big men in the realm of professional wrestling. However, it looks as though he is now looking to shed this image by showing off his ripped physique on social media.
The Big Show, whose real name is Paul Wight, posted the photo on his Twitter where it has now garnered over 9,000 likes as well as over 2,000 retweets. It shows him in the gym, lifting up his shirt to reveal his newfound muscle. With this type of dedication, he surely is not considering his opposition to be a pushover.
It was Wight who issued the challenge to O' Neal, which the latter readily accepted, CBS reported. O' Neal is actually a big fan of professional wrestling and even made an appearance at World Championship Wrestling (WCW) back in 1994. He was there to present the championship belt to the winner of the Ric Flair vs. Hulk Hogan match that took place at that year's "Bash at the Beach" pay-per-view.
WWE officials have yet to confirm whether the matchup between Wight and O'Neal will take place. However, their recent spats on social media have slowly been adding to the speculation that it is only a matter of time before the bout is confirmed. The caption of Wight's now viral photo also suggest the match will take place.
O' Neal already has WWE experience under his belt after being a surprise entrant at last year's Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royale at WrestleMania 32, the Mirror reported. The 7-foot basketball superstar definitely looked in his element while in the wrestling ring, but was still knocked out of his debut match by the eventual winner Baron Corbin.
If this match just so happens to follow through, it will only be O' Neal's second bout in professional wrestling. In spite of this, the feud between him and Wight was actually started around seven years age. It stemmed from a confrontation turned choking contest they had when O' Neal was officiating one of Wight's matches.
Watch Big Show officially challenge "Shaq" in the video below: