WWE was setting up for one of the literal biggest WrestleMania matches of all time between NBA legend, Shaquille O’Neal, and WWE giant, The Big Show, with the 7-footers calling each other out for nearly a year in the hopes of colliding in the squared circle at the biggest wrestling event of the year, but sadly it never happened.
In the months leading up to the big event it appeared the match was falling through with both Shaq and Show slinging mud at one another as to why the heavily anticipated bout was in danger of failing. Today, Shaq opened up about the situation on “The Big Podcast with Shaq” on PodcastOne and pointed his finger squarely at Vince McMahon’s people, saying, “They messed it up.”
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“They kept playing,” Shaq said … “First, they said it was me and Big Show. Then, they said it was going to be 3-on-3. Then, they canceled it so when they canceled it, I made other arrangements.”
Shaq did say WWE called him back and tried to get a deal done, but it was too late.
“I just said, ‘I’m not going to do it.’ They messed it up.”
Shaq’s co-host, John Kincade, asked if he was afraid WWE wasn’t going to script him to win the match and Shaq shot that down saying he’s definitely willing to take a loss “for the kids.”
Instead of the battle of the behemoths, Big Show was unceremoniously dumped from the Andre The Giant Battle Royal on the WrestleMania pre-show. Show was rumored to be seething after the match as it was reported that WrestleMania 33 was set to be Show’s final WrestleMania before his WWE contract runs out.
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