



Name : Dalip Singh
Nick Name : The Great Khali
Height : 230 cm (7 ft 6.5)
Sign : Virgo
Nationality : Indian
Birth Date : August 27, 1972
Birth Place : Dhirana, Himachal Pradesh( India )
Profession : WWE
Weight : 420 pounds
Weight : 420 pounds
There are some success stories which are not mainstream in the Indian sense, but still quite remarkable.There is another Indian success story of sorts brewing in the United States. It is not in the field of sports per se, but sports entertainment, i.e WWE (professional wrestling). No Indian newspaper or TV channel has picked up on it yet, but I am sure they will. The Indian media is usually desperate to connect to people with even the remotest Indian connections. This person is a bonafide India, a true rags-to-riches story if there ever was one.
Dalip Singh has made his WWE debut. He used to be a daily wage labourer in Punjab. That's right, he used to work on highways, breaking stones. He was later recruited into the Punjab Police Department, worked on his physique, won the Mr. India bodybuilding contest, and joined the Pro Wrestling circuit in Japan. He has rapidly moved up the Pro Wrestling Chain and has ended up at the WWE, the top most body of pro-wrestling.
Not only has he entered the WWE, but he's done so with a bang, debuting in a feud with the legendary wrestler 'The Undertaker'. Most wrestlers move up the hard way, by feuding with smaller stars, and as their popularity grows, they move higher and higher in the value chain, so to say. But once in a while, if a special "talent"(I use this term in the WWE sense, not as pure wrestling talent) comes along, with a potential to make a splash, he is pitchforked into the big league.
Whether Dalip Singh, who has been named 'The Great Khali', can actually stay in the big league and become a big star remains to be seen. I have been following WWE off-and-on since I was a kid, and the fact remains that the biggest names in the business are not necessarily those who are big, strong, and great wrestlers. The biggest names are those blessed with the gift of gab. In that regard, Dalip Singh may fall short.
Under the ring name "Giant Singh", Dalip Singh became a pro wrestler for All Pro Wrestling in the United States of America, making his first appearance in October 2000, when teaming with Tony Jones against the West Side Playaz 2000. On May 28, 2001, Brian Ong volunteered to receive a flapjack from Singh. Singh did this move with two others in the gym that night, including one of the trainers, so Ong could see how it was done. Ong botched receiving the move, as he grabbed Singh's shirt instead of pushing off his back as the coaches had instructed him. He landed wrong and incurred a severe injury. Ong had suffered a previous concussion, and this second concussion ultimately proved fatal for him. As Singh inadvertently caused his death, Ong's family brought a lawsuit against All Pro Wrestling and were awarded damages of over $1.3 million.
In August 2001, Singh was brought into New Japan Pro Wrestling by Team 2000 leader, Masahiro Chono, along with another big man, Giant Silva. They were the tallest tag team in pro-wrestling history at an average height of 7 ft 2 in, and a combined weight of 805 lb. The two teamed for the first time at the Tokyo Dome in October, labelled "Club 7" by Chono, and they defeated Yutaka Yoshie, Kenzo Suzuki, Hiroshi Tanahashi and Wataru Inoue in a Handicap Match when Silva pinned Tanahashi and Inoue at the same time. Singh suffered his first loss in a tag match at the Tokyo Dome in January 2002, being cradled by Hiroyoshi Tenzan. He suffered another big tag defeat during March, being pinned by Manabu Nakanishi, and falling to a German suplex hold. His most critical loss came in August at Tokyo Nippon Budokan though, when, after a falling out, he was pinned by Silva in a singles match.
On January 2, 2006, Singh was signed to a contract by WWE and assigned to the Deep South Wrestling developmental territory for training. With Daivari by his side, the un-named Singh debuted on WWE television on the April 7, 2006 episode of SmackDown!, attacking The Undertaker and leaving him out cold during his match with Mark Henry, and thus causing a no-contest. The next week he was introduced as "The Great Khali". He made his in-ring debut on the April 21, 2006 edition of SmackDown! defeating Funaki in a Squash match.
On the May 5, 2006 edition of SmackDown!, Khali signed a contract to face The Undertaker at Judgment Day on May 21, 2006. Later that night, he interrupted a WWE Cruiserweight Championship No. 1 Contender's Triple Threat Match between Super Crazy, Kid Kash and Nunzio, and attacked all three men, as well as Vito.
On the May 5, 2006 edition of SmackDown!, Khali signed a contract to face The Undertaker at Judgment Day on May 21, 2006. Later that night, he interrupted a WWE Cruiserweight Championship No. 1 Contender's Triple Threat Match between Super Crazy, Kid Kash and Nunzio, and attacked all three men, as well as Vito.
On the May 12, 2006 edition of SmackDown!, JBL put Khali against Rey Mysterio. Khali had a height advantage of almost 2 feet and a weight advantage of 250 pounds, and gained an easy victory over the World Heavyweight Champion. In his match against The Undertaker at Judgment Day 2006, Khali landed a series of blows on his opponent, and finally defeated The Undertaker with a boot to the head. Khali continued on a rampage for several weeks, winning handicap matches, attacking superstars in a display of power, and mocking the Undertaker's signature pin and victory pose. On the July 15, 2006 edition of Saturday Night's Main Event, Khali helped the The Big Show beat down the Undertaker with a Double Chokeslam.His replacement was the Big Show. Theodore Long made the announcement after an altercation between Big Show, Undertaker, and Khali backstage. During the course of the Punjabi Prison match at The Great American Bash, Khali did show up at ringside and watched in disbelief as the Undertaker emerged victorious over The Big Show. On the August 4 episode of Smackdown, Khali was challenged by The Undertaker to a Last Man Standing match at SummerSlam, however, it was announced on the August 11th episode of Smackdown that it will take place on the August 18th edition of Smackdown. This is due to his poor performance at house shows, and WWE's having to edit his actions on Smackdown (which is taped on Tuesday and aired Friday). It has been said that Khali cannot appear on live television.
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