https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWTCS4BKN_c Sumo challenges are a popular form of entertainment. In Japan. Not so much in the United States. Why Vince McMahon wasted his talented giant, the Big Show, in such a match at WrestleMania 21 in Los Angeles remains an unsolved mystery to this day. All of the pomp, circumstance and extravagance could not make up for the sight of Big Show's pasty white behind, which was on view for the entire world to see. The fact that the "match" consisted of the giant and his opponent, the great Akebono, charging at one another like two bulls for a few minutes before Show was unceremoniously dumped from the squared circle, did little to make the moment any better. The match was not necessarily an unmitigated failure but it did was a large blemish on an otherwise very good WrestleMania 21 broadcast. Akebono would never again appear on WWE programming. As for Big Show, he recovered quite nicely and has remained one of WWE's marquee stars. He has won the World Heavyweight Championship on several occasions and competed against the top competitors in the world, proving that it is easier to recover from a major blunder when one is a larger-than-life athlete.
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.