Guest Report post Posted April 4, 2002 Just watches the WM9 match between Undertaker and Giant Gonzales and it got me thinking. Gonzalez in question could have been a legit Monster wrestler and not the subject of such ridicule that we enjoy doing about him, if he only learned how to wrestle. Giant could do was, Big forearm, Punch, Headbutt, Kick, and Claw (more like smothering someone with his hand.) If he went to a fricken Wrestling Camp and trained to learn how to do Giant moves he probably would have worked out better. He didn't even attempt to Pick up the Undertaker. He was 7'8 somewhere around 380-400 pounds he was certainly thick enough and strong enough. And back then he was Considerably Young. He could have went and trained. Figured out how to Bodyslam, press Slam, Side Slam etc. Hell Even a Chokeslam from him would be believable. but Vince, and WCW before him, only hired him because of his size and never bothered to train him. just told him Hey...Giant someone attempts to hit you, you pretend you got hit.. Welp enough of that rant. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Some Guy Report post Posted April 4, 2002 He did use a chokslam all though it sucked for a guy his size, it was like Hall's. He had no mobility or mic skills, he was just really fucking tall. That shit doesn't draw anymore, with Taker and Vader redifining what a big man needs to work like to get over he didn't stand a chance in the post Hulkamania days. He might have drawn against Hogan in the 80s but then again Hogan drew with anyone then. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest El Gigante Report post Posted April 4, 2002 He should of came into the WWF as El Gigante...well he shouldnt of came into the WWF at all but thats not important. Instead we got him as this A big hairy man. Smell the ratings! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest dreamer420 Report post Posted April 4, 2002 He is so slow that he probably wasn't worth teaching real wrestling to. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Tony149 Report post Posted April 5, 2002 Wasn't he a player for the Atlanta Hawks basketball team, but when he wasn't that good Turner thought he could make it in WCW? Does anybody know if his mini-feud with Flair in 1991 really drew some big crowds at house shows? I've heard that's true. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest RetroRob215 Report post Posted April 5, 2002 Wasn't he a player for the Atlanta Hawks basketball team, but when he wasn't that good Turner thought he could make it in WCW? I thought that was how they found the Giant. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Tony149 Report post Posted April 5, 2002 Wasn't he a player for the Atlanta Hawks basketball team, but when he wasn't that good Turner thought he could make it in WCW? I thought that was how they found the Giant. I think The Giant was found that way too, but I think it was a pick-up game or something. Did Turner ever own the Hawks? I know I heard the rumor where Gonzalez wasn't a good player so Turner decided to see if he could cut it as a wrestler. I think his contract was cheap too. Since around 1990 WCW started cutting costs. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest dreamer420 Report post Posted April 5, 2002 Hogan discovered the Giant I believe and got him into the business after seeing Paul Wight playing in a basketball (not pro) game. Gonzalaz was never a basketball player, probably due to his lack of mobility. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest J*ingus Report post Posted April 5, 2002 Also, with a guy that freakishly tall, he might not have been strong enough to do giant-type moves. People who are THAT huge often tend to have heart attacks because they can't move their own bodies around, let alone move someone else's body. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Report post Posted April 5, 2002 Gonzalaz was never a basketball player, probably due to his lack of mobility. Gonzales was indeed a basketball player. He was in Argentina's national team and was a 3rd round NBA draft but he just didn't cut. He was way too slow and his height couldn't make up for that. I've also heard that story about Turner moving the investment from one division (the basketball team) to another (i e WCW) when the NBA thing didn't work out. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Report post Posted April 5, 2002 when he first showed up at royal rumble 93 to beat up undertaker, he wore that terrible furry body suit with the drawn-on muscles. i seem to remember gorilla & bobby trying to convince us it was real hair sprouting out over his shoulders and pee-pee. i didn't think a wrestler could possibly look any dumber until they changed the costume and painted the hair onto the suit as well so he was just wearing an all-over naked-looking body stocking. that was horrible. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest dreamer420 Report post Posted April 5, 2002 i can't believe this guy played b-ball. what team drafted him? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest swan Report post Posted April 5, 2002 i can't believe this guy played b-ball. what team drafted him? I believe it was the Hawks. Thats how the whole WCW/Turner thing came about for him. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest dreamer420 Report post Posted April 5, 2002 Crazy. Had the Hawks never seen him play before drafting him or something? I'm trying to picture what Gonzalez would look like trying to run in my mind. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Tony149 Report post Posted April 5, 2002 I'm not really surprise he was a basketball player. His height probably got him drafted. I knew he got into WCW after working for Turner. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest dreamer420 Report post Posted April 6, 2002 Anyone know what Gonzalez is up to now? Is he still alive? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Tony149 Report post Posted April 6, 2002 He's still alive and lives back in Argentina (Sp?). Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest dreamer420 Report post Posted April 6, 2002 Do you know what he does for a living now? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest evenflowDDT Report post Posted April 6, 2002 Giant could do was, Big forearm, Punch, Headbutt, Kick, and Claw (more like smothering someone with his hand.) Hey, that's already more moves than Maven. The problem with really really tall guys like Giant Gonzalez is, like mentioned before, they're often not very strong, and their abnormal height comes at a cost of weak bones and hearts and such. Like the world's tallest man, who was 8'11", he died in his early 20's I think? He couldn't fully stand up for his entire life. I would've liked to see Giant Gonzalez trained and taken seriously. Although it's good to hear he's still alive and well. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest dreamer420 Report post Posted April 6, 2002 I've always been curious about his personal life since I first seen debut at the Royal Rumble 9 years ago. I was always curious as to what his house would looks like, or what kind of car her drives, and also if being that big is affecting his health. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest DragonflyKid Report post Posted April 6, 2002 I remember him being on Baywatch as a hermit who lived under a pier, carved pelicans from wood and befriended Hobie. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites