Big Show signs with AEW, will serve as announcer for new AEW show (w/ Heydorn’s Analysis)

The Big Show (Paul Wight) has left the WWE stratosphere and signed with AEW. AEW announced the news this morning on their Twitter account. AEW President, Tony Khan, commented on the big signing as well.

Welcome to the team…@PaulWight is #AllElite

For the complete release click here https://t.co/Cru5OrCOdk

Watch #AEWDynamite TONIGHT at 8pm on @tntdrama pic.twitter.com/jYT2ltyZwv

— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) February 24, 2021

Welcome to @AEW, @PaulWight! Watch #AEWDynamite tonight for more info on Paul’s arrival here, and for more info on our new show AEW Dark: Elevation! It will be streaming soon every Monday night on AEW YouTube! pic.twitter.com/z5BaztjfF3

— Tony Khan (@TonyKhan) February 24, 2021

Though Khan has teased more news and detail around the signing of Paul Wight for tonight’s episode of Dynamite, AEW confirmed via a press release that Wight will serve as a commentator for the company’s new show, AEW Dark: Elevation, that will air Mondays at 7pm ET.

“Complementing AEW Dark on Tuesdays, AEW Dark: Elevation will air on Mondays at 7 p.m. ET on AEW’s YouTube channel, and will showcase AEW’s established and rising stars, as well as the top independent wrestlers within the industry, competing against each other in the ring in pursuit of wins. AEW Dark: Elevation will also maintain continuity with AEW DYNAMITE, AEW Dark, AEW pay-per-view shows and streaming events, with wins and losses factoring into each wrestler’s ranking in the company.”

Paul Wight has been a cornerstone member of the WWE roster since 1999. In this morning’s press release, Wight spoke on being involved with AEW and the potential of the AEW Dark brand. “It’s been amazing to watch what AEW has built in just a couple of years,” said Wight. “AEW Dark is an incredible platform to hone the skills of up-and-coming wrestlers, but I also love that established AEW talent can build out their personalities and showcase themselves in new ways on Dark. It’s no exaggeration when they say that AEW is boundless.”

Heydorn’s Analysis: This is truly a shocking turn of events. Not because AEW is getting a new star in their prime or anything, but because of what Wight meant to WWE. If there was one guy on the WWE roster that you would peg as a lifer for that company, Big Show was it. The move signals that AEW truly has become an alternative for WWE wrestlers and that the upstart company is offering something of value to potential signees. More will come out about what Wight’s role will be, but this is a big domino to fall and maybe the first that will make other WWE talent look that direction when contract time arrives.

CATCH-UP: 2/23 AEW DARK TV REPORT: Eddie Kingston vs. JD Drake, Johnson vs. Serpentico, and more