AEW Champ Samoa Joe Names Mt. Rushmore Of Big Man Wrestlers

The spectacle of pro wrestling as we know it today was built on the backs of big men. During the 1980s, Vince McMahon took his relatively niche sideshow into the mainstream thanks to larger-than-life attractions like Andre the Giant, Big John Studd, King Kong Bundy, and Hulk Hogan. Fast forward to the modern era, and the first impression most wrestling fans might give on current AEW World Champion Samoa Joe might be "That's a big dude." Tipping the scales at nearly 300 pounds, Joe has enjoyed championship success across multiple promotions over the years, so it stands to reason that he would have a few opinions on big man wrestlers himself. 

These days, when wrestlers sit down for interviews with podcasters and radio personalities, "What's your Mount Rushmore" has become a fashionable question to throw at them. Appearing on 98.5 The Sports Hub, Samoa Joe was asked about his Mount Rushmore — specifically in regards to the best big men to ever step into the squared circle. 

"I think Vader's definitely on that list," Joe said. "I'd put Mark Henry on there, man. Mark's a guy who just consistently — I mean, strong as all get-out. Haku... y'know, I think he should qualify as a big man. [Bam Bam] Bigelow, more than deserving of a big man spot on that list."

Despite Mount Rushmore's obvious four-head layout, Joe couldn't help but name a fifth man. "When you talk about a guy who defined a genre, I think [Undertaker]'s definitely on there, too." 

Interestingly, The Undertaker himself ruminated on this very same topic for his "Six Feet Under with Mark Calaway" podcast. He also chose Vader, along with Yokozuna, Kane, and Andre the Giant.