However, these giants have also been beaten and brought down to size by their fellow competitors. Various superstars over the years have displayed the courage and the audacity to destroy these humongous men and have earned the reputation of being a giant slayer. These wrestlers have proved to the world that more than size, it is the technique which matters more.
Following is a list of five such wrestlers who have decimated ‘giants’ in WWE.
#5 Hulk Hogan slew Andre the Giant
Hulk Hogan is perhaps the greatest legend to have ever emerged from the WWE. Throughout his career, he has headlined several pay-per-views and has fought hundreds of wrestlers. He has shown to the world that age is just a number, whereas, the zeal to perform is the most crucial thing in pro wrestling.
During his tenure, he has won dozens of championships and has achieved various accolades that other wrestlers dream of obtaining. However, what the world will forever remember, is the epic clash between him and Andre the Giant.
Andre and Hulk were very good onscreen friends in the WWE. The feud started when Andre started becoming jealous of Hulk (kayfabe) and thus turned heel in the process. He attacked Hulk and this led to a WWF Championship match between the two at WrestleMania 3. Throughout the match, both the wrestlers did everything possible to annihilate one another. In the end, Hulk Hogan body slammed the monstrous giant and performed a running leg-drop. This helped Hogan win the match and retain the WWF Championship.
This match is perhaps the most talked about WrestleMania matches of all time. It generated a notion that even giants can be defeated and Hogan stood out as an example.
#4 Cesaro slew Khali
On 26th December 2012, in an episode of the show Main Event, The Great Khali battled and won a 20 man Battle Royal match and earned his right to face Cesaro for the United States Championship. The championship match took place on 2nd January 2013 episode of the Main Event. In this match, Khali had the advantage of his monumental size and physique over Cesaro, while Cesaro had the skill and agility to outsmart Khali.
Throughout the match, Khali dominated and gave very limited opportunity to Cesaro to strike back. Cesaro performed a number of uppercuts on Khali while Khali laid chop after chop on the body of Cesaro. In the end, however, Cesaro stunned the entire WWE Universe when he lifted the 420 lb Khali and performed the ‘Neutralizer’. This helped Cesaro win the match and retain his title, and also gave him the tag of being a giant slayer.
#3 Bobby Lashley slew Viscera
Bobby Lashley is undoubtedly one of the most physical and powerful men to have ever competed in WWE. He could single-handedly destroy any number of wrestlers, no matter their size. Though there are many such instances, here is one example to show why he is a giant slayer.
In an episode of RAW, Lashley was made to compete against the vicious Viscera, who weighed a massive 487 lbs. But Lashley was not intimated and kept his cool. He lifted the 221 Kg man with just his two hands and performed a body slam. Lashley then performed a deadly spear upon ’the world’s largest love machine’, and pinned him to secure his victory. This match is certainly an example to solidify his stature as a giant destroyer.
#2 Brock Lesnar slew The Big Show
The Big Show is a huge man who fears none and has caused injuries to a lot of players throughout his career. However, exceptions are always there, and Brock was one such case. It goes back to 2003 in an episode of SmackDown when Lesnar did something impossible and bewildered the audience in the entire arena. He performed a gigantic superplex on the Big Show from the top of the turnbuckle.
Lesnar and Big Show had an immense rivalry over the WWE Championship. Both of them would utilize any opportunities to have a go at one another. During a match featuring both of them on SmackDown, Big Show tried to choke-slam Lesnar from the top of the turnbuckle. However, Lesnar countered the move and performed a superplex from the top and both of them landed in the ring with a massive force. Almost 800 lbs crashed in the ring and the very next moment, the ring imploded, leading to one of the most iconic moments in SmackDown history. Thus the match ended in a no result.
This goes on to show the enormous strength of Lesnar and why he is a giant slayer.
#1 Braun Strowman slew The Big Show
In WWE, until a few years ago, the Big Show was considered the most intimidating figure in the company. However, the scenario changed once the world caught a glimpse of the enormous power of Braun Strowman. Strowman is a legitimate ‘monster among men’, and has given every wrestler he has come across, the beating of their lifetime. Eventually he crossed paths with WWE’s resident giant, The Big Show.
On 17th April 2017, Big Show and Strowman faced each other in the main event on RAW. Both the players were going toe-to-toe and were constantly giving each other a tough time. It was then that Strowman decided to suplex the Big Show from the turnbuckle. Both of them landed with tremendous force and the entire ring just crumbled immediately.
What truly made look Braun dominant though, is the fact that after this brutal encounter Big Show was accompanied by medical practitioners, but Strowman stood tall and raised his hand high in the air and walked out without support. Thus, he was established as the most dominant giant slayer in WWE.
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