AEW isn’t a promotion which boasts a lot of “big men”. In fact, the average size of competitors is smaller than that of say WWE, where competitors over the years have generally been larger. There are still some large individuals in AEW, though not every “big man” has been a hit.
For instance, Satnam Singh might be the biggest man on the AEW roster, but he is far from the best, having a terrible debut and underwhelming run overall. What constitutes as a “big man” in AEW won’t necessarily be the same as in other promotions, but this will still look at who the biggest (but best) have been in AEW history.
10 Paul Wight
Paul Wight hasn’t done a whole lot in AEW in terms of being an in-ring talent, but when he has been utilized it has been effective. In 2021, he came to the aid of Tony Schiavone and was presented like a dominant powerhouse.
Show laid out QT Marshall in a squash match at All Out 2021, and in other matches he has looked very strong too. It is a shame that he hasn’t been able to get in the ring much because he has the reputation of being one of, if not the best big man of all time in professional wrestling.
9 Big Bill
Big Bill has only just scratched the surface of his potential in AEW, but he has been on a consistent rise of the last few months, certainly setting him on the way to potentially becoming one of the best big men in AEW history.
Bill has a massive size advantage over most men in AEW, and he also now has an impressive physique to match. Since leaving WWE, he has worked hard on his look to make him appear as an absolute star. His time in The Firm wasn’t great, but recent work alongside Brian Cage and Ricky Starks has been brilliant. He can’t be ranked higher though due to not doing enough yet.
8 Brian Cage
Brian Cage doesn’t have the height that many of the other “big men” mentioned here have, but in terms of muscle mass and body size, he is one of the largest and most impressive for sure.
He can wrestle like a big guy but also matches that with insane agility and speed, making him feel superhuman. Cage has had several strong matches, though his time in AEW has been up and down with inconsistent booking and a year spent off TV, which means he isn’t ranked higher here.
7 Jake Hager
Jake Hager didn’t come across as especially large during his time in WWE due to the overall higher average size of WWE superstars, but in AEW he has a clear size advantage and has been booked fairly well over the course of his stay.
He has been a background character for the most part, but he has been very entertaining when given the chance, and in big man clashes against Wardlow for example, he has looked great. Hager should arguably be used a bit more than just being a Chris Jericho sidekick, but he is still among the better big men in the company.
6 Keith Lee
Keith Lee has arguably not had his full potential realized in AEW overall, but during his time teaming with Swerve Strickland, he was having a good run and their stint as AEW World Tag Team Champions was a success.
He may not be as quick as he once was, but he is very effective in the big man style he wrestles. It is never not fun to see him biel someone across the ring. His recent booking has unfortunately led to Lee’s prominence dropping, so he can’t be ranked higher.
5 Wardlow
When compared to most of the AEW roster, Wardlow is a bigger competitor, and he was brought into AEW as a bodyguard for MJF in a Diesel/Shawn Michaels type of partnership. Wardlow was great in this role, looking scary and dominant.
When he broke free of MJF he was on a roll too and it led to him becoming TNT Champion. Up until that point, he could’ve been in contention for being the best big man in the company, but a string of recent bad booking, underwhelming reigns, and poor storylines counteracts some of the good that AEW did with him previously.
4 Brody King
The House of Black’s Brody King has impressed a great deal over the course of his AEW career. Whilst he may not be as toned up as some of the other big men in the company, he has appeared more dangerous and dominant due to his hard-hitting style and undeniable presence.
He has had brilliant matches against the likes of Jon Moxley and Darby Allin in addition to his role in the House of Black’s Trios World Championship reign too. He has proven his worth for sure, and if AEW wanted, he could be a dominant singles star too.
3 Miro
Miro’s dominant reign as TNT Champion and character work as The Redeemer has put him among the best big men in AEW for sure. A year or so of not being booked though he robbed him of the top two spots here though.
When Miro is actually on-screen though he plays a monster heel perfectly, whilst also playing a dangerous bad-ass babyface too. He may not be as tall as some other “big men”, but he has a wide frame and still looks like a beast.
2 Luchasaurus
From day one of AEW, Luchasaurus has appeared as one of the best big men in the company. Whether it be as a loveable dinosaur in Jurassic Express or the silent and deadly monster heel alongside Christian Cage, he has been a constant presence.
Luchasaurus has reigned both as AEW World Tag Team Champion and TNT Champion – one of only two men who have held both these belts. Even with this success it still feels like Luchasaurus is a little underrated, but he is up there among the best big men in AEW history for sure.
1 Samoa Joe
Samoa Joe is another name who doesn’t necessarily have the height advantage over everyone in AEW, but his wide frame and style of wrestling makes him a great “big man”, and he is arguably the best in AEW history.
He feels like a legit dangerous competitor, and even at a growing age he is still getting more and more into his stride in AEW and ROH. His mic work, ring work, and ability to maintain an incredible aura even despite losses is an incredibly impressive thing. He has reigned both as TNT Champion and ROH World TV Champion since he left WWE.