The arrival of the New World Order in the spring of 1996 completely undermined everything that The Giant had done as the lead heel for WCW from his debut in 1995 until Scott Hall walked through the crowd on the Memorial Day edition of Nitro. More athletic than Andre the Giant had ever been, The Giant could deliver a missile dropkick from the top rope as easily as he could use his raw power to lift someone overhead for a chokeslam. Just under a year into his career, he had held the heavyweight championship on two separate occasions and recorded victories over Hulk Hogan, Randy Savage, Ric Flair, Lex Luger and Sting. It was clear that Eric Bischoff and the brain trust in WCW had seen big things ahead for the World's Largest Athlete. What they could not have foreseen was the industry-changing angle that would lead to the big man falling into the background and, eventually, into the hands of Vince McMahon. Following his second title reign, The Giant would join the nWo, then split. Then join again. One minute he was a babyface, the next a heel. It was never really clear exactly what the writing team's plans were for the young star because they changed weekly. There was the time he walked to the ring smoking a cigarette, giving the impression that he simply did not care about his conditioning or his work that night. Then there was the feud with Kevin Nash that never really reached a definitive conclusion due to Nash's spotty appearances. He won the tag titles and feuded with Diamond Dallas Page but was never treated like the star he had been previously. Frustrated, disheartened by his lack of importance to the overall product, Giant signed a 10-year deal with WWE and became a bigger star for Vince McMahon's company that he ever would have been allowed to be for WCW.
Erik Beaston is a freelance pro wrestling writer who likes long walks in the park, dandelions and has not quite figured out that this introduction is not for Match.com. He resides in Parts Unknown, where he hosts weekly cookouts with Kane, The Ultimate Warrior, Papa Shango and The Boogeyman. Be jealous.
