News

Shaq Challenges Paul Wight To AEW Tag Team Match

By John Canton • Published 7th January 2023
shaq shaquille oneal big show paul wight wwe aew

Shaquille O’Neal (simply known as Shaq to some) wants to step into the AEW ring again for a tag team match opposite of a wrestling legend named Paul Wight.

During his legendary career as a Basketball Hall of Famer, O’Neal accomplished a lot on the court with 4 NBA Title, an NBA MVP Award, he was a 15-time NBA All-Star that was also named one of the NBA’s 75 Greatest Players in 2021. O’Neal played for six teams during his 20-year career, but is most known for his runs with the Orlando Magic, Los Angeles Lakers and Miami Heat.

In addition to his career on the court, Shaq is also one of the most well-known athletes in the world over the last 30 years due to the ridiculous amount of commercials he was in during his career and that he’s still a part of now after retiring over a decade ago. As a man standing at 7’1″ and that played basketball while weighing over 300 pounds in his career, he is also a natural for pro wrestling.

On the March 4th, 2021 edition of AEW Dynamite, Shaq competed in a tag team match with Jade Cargill to defeat Cody Rhodes and Red Velvet. The NBA Hall of Famer was impressive during the match and he also took a table bump as well.

At WrestleMania 32 in Dallas in 2016, O’Neal also competed in the Andre The Giant battle royal where he had a confrontation with Big Show. Shaq didn’t last long in the match because the other wrestlers ganged up to eliminate the two giants together.

In a video that appeared on Twitter, a wrestler named Diamond Sheik posted a video with Shaq, who said this.

“You know who I am. I’m the man who beat Cody Rhodes. You’re lucky you’re training with Cody. Anyways, I want to deliver two messages. Number one, nobody messes with The Diamond Sheik, and two, to present this new Diamond Championship belt.”

Shaq did some silly wrestling moves at that point as he continued.

“Cody, whoever else wants it, Big Show. As a matter of fact, oh no, he’s in LA. Tell you what, Diamond Sheik and Shaq vs. Big Show and whoever else you want. Let’s go, AEW.”

By saying Big Show, Shaq was referring to AEW announcer Paul Wight, who wrestled for WWE for 20 years as Big Show before going to AEW. Wight has only wrestled four matches in AEW with one of them taking place at AEW All Out 2021 when he easily defeated QT Marshall and three matches on AEW Dark Elevation.

Considering that Shaq currently works for the NBA on TNT, which is a popular studio show that’s part of the Warner Bros Discovery company, which also airs AEW Dynamite and Rampage on TBS and TNT, it makes a lot of sense for Shaq to wrestle for AEW if he’s physically up to it. At 50 years old, Shaq can still do it.

It’s also unknown if Shaq’s challenge is that serious or if he’s joking around because he is known for having a big sense of humor.