The Great Khali

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The Great Khali
Statistics
Ring name(s)	Giant Singh[1] The Great Khali
Billed height	7 ft 3 in (2.21 m)[2]
Billed weight	420 lb (190 kg)[2]
Born	August 27, 1972 (1972-08-27) (age 35)[1][3] Dhirana, Himachal Pradesh, India[3]
Resides	Atlanta, Georgia, USA[4]
Billed from	The jungles of Punjab, India
Trained by	APW Boot Camp[1]
Debut	October 7, 2000[1]

Dalip Singh Rana^[3] (born August 27, 1972) better known by his ring name The Great Khali, is an Indian professional wrestler, actor and former powerlifter who won Mr. India in 1995 and 1996.^[5] He is currently signed to World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) wrestling on its SmackDown! brand. Before embarking on his professional wrestling career, he was an officer in the Punjab state police; he was also a labourer.^[6]

Singh is a one-time World Heavyweight Champion, and has appeared in the films The Longest Yard^[1] (2005) and Get Smart (2008).

Contents 1 Career 1.1 New Japan Pro Wrestling (2001-2002) 1.2 World Wrestling Entertainment 1.2.1 WWE Debut (2006) 1.2.2 Feuding with The Undertaker (2006) 1.2.3 ECW brand (2006) 1.2.4 Feuding with Kane (2007) 1.2.5 Chasing WWE Championship (2007) 1.2.6 World Heavyweight Champion (2007) 1.2.7 2008 2 In wrestling 3 Championships and accomplishments 4 Filmography 5 Brian Ong incident 6 Personal life 7 References 8 External links

Career

Under the ring name Giant Singh, Dalip Singh first became a professional wrestler for All Pro Wrestling (APW) in the United States of America, making his first appearance in October 2000, when teaming with Tony Jones against the West Side Playaz.^[1]

New Japan Pro Wrestling (2001-2002)

In August 2001, Singh was brought into New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) by Team 2000 leader, Masahiro Chono, as Giant Singh, along with another big man, Giant Silva.^[1] They were the tallest tag team in pro-wrestling history at an average height of 7 ft 2 1/2 in, and a combined weight of 805 lb. The two teamed up for the first time at the Tokyo Dome in October, labeled "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.^[7] Singh suffered his first loss in a tag match at the Tokyo Dome in January 2002, being cradled by Hiroyoshi Tenzan.^[8] 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 when, after a falling out, he was pinned by Silva in a singles match.^[1]

World Wrestling Entertainment

WWE Debut (2006)

On January 2, 2006, Singh became the first Indian professional wrestler to be signed to a contract by WWE;^[6] he was assigned to the Deep South Wrestling developmental territory for training.^[1][9] 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.^[10]

Feuding with The Undertaker (2006)

The next week he was introduced as The Great Khali. Daivari explained that he now finally had a client that would destroy The Undertaker (after Muhammed Hassan and Mark Henry had failed previously).^[11] Khali made his in-ring debut on the April 21, 2006 edition of SmackDown!, defeating Funaki.^[12]

On the May 12, 2006 edition of SmackDown, JBL put Khali against World Champion Rey Mysterio. Khali had a height advantage of two feet and a weight advantage of 250 pounds, and gained an easy victory over Mysterio.^[13] In his match against The Undertaker at Judgment Day 2006, Khali landed a series of blows to his opponent, and finally defeated The Undertaker with a kick to the head after receiving some illegal help from Daivari during the phase when The Undertaker had him under control.^[14][15] Khali continued on a rampage for several weeks, winning handicapped matches,^[16] beating superstars up in a display of power,^[17][18][19] and mocking The Undertaker's signature pin and victory pose.^[19]

Khali then challenged The Undertaker to a Punjabi Prison Match.^[20] The two were scheduled to meet in such a match at The Great American Bash, but Khali was removed from the match due to elevated liver enzymes and replaced by The Big Show.

Khali later received a clean bill of health, and the August 4, 2006 episode of SmackDown would see Khali being challenged by The Undertaker to a Last Man Standing match at SummerSlam.^[21] However, the match was moved to the SmackDown! just prior to SummerSlam and was won by The Undertaker, giving Khali his first definite loss in WWE.^[22]

ECW brand (2006)

By October of that year, news came that Khali would return to WWE, along with Daivari, to join its revived ECW brand. Khali then feuded with Tommy Dreamer, where Khali would assault Dreamer and chokebomb him on a regular basis. Sometimes it would be on the steel entrance stage,^[23] a steel chair,^[24] or the padded floor outside the ring.^[25]

Feuding with Kane (2007)

On the January 8, 2007, episode of RAW, Jonathan Coachman announced that Khali's contract with ECW had expired, he had signed with RAW (without his manager Daivari), and would battle John Cena in the main event. Khali won by disqualification after Cena took a steel chair held by Armando Estrada and hit Khali with it. After the match, Khali chokebombed Cena to the mat and left the ringside area, leaving Cena prone to an attack by Umaga.^[26]

On the February 19, 2007 edition of Raw, Khali demanded better competition after easily defeating The Highlanders.^[27] Four days later on SmackDown!, Khali sought for better competition, interfering in a Falls Count Anywhere, Money In The Bank qualifying match between Kane and King Booker. Khali cost Kane the match,^[28] leading to a match at WrestleMania. In his first appearance at the event, Khali defeated Kane at WrestleMania 23 after slamming him with a choke drop. Right after the match, Khali choked Kane with his own hook and chain.^[29]

Chasing WWE Championship (2007)

On the April 30, 2007 edition of RAW, The Great Khali attacked Shawn Michaels, Edge, and Randy Orton (all three top contenders to the WWE Championship at the time) backstage.^[30] He then attacked WWE Champion John Cena as well, sending a message that he wanted Cena's title.^[30] The next week on RAW, Khali defeated Michaels in a No. 1 contender's match for the WWE Championship at Judgment Day.^[31] At the event, Khali's efforts came up short as he lost via submission for the first time ever, tapping out to John Cena's STFU. However, at Judgment Day, Khali's foot was under the rope when he tapped out, which went unnoticed by the referee.^[32] The next night on RAW, Khali expressed his outrage via his translator over the outcome.^[33] At One Night Stand, Khali lost to John Cena after he was FU'd off a crane bed. This would be the first time that The Great Khali had ever been pinned.^[34]

World Heavyweight Champion (2007)

On the June 11 edition of RAW, as part of the WWE Draft, Khali was drafted from Raw to SmackDown! as SmackDown's first draft pick.^[35] He would soon enter a feud with Batista in July before The Great American Bash.^[36] The two were scheduled for a match on PPV on Sunday, July 22, 2007. However, because Edge vacated the World Heavyweight Championship due to an injury, Khali won a 20-man Battle Royal for the title on the July 20 (taped on July 17) edition of SmackDown!, eliminating both Kane and Batista in one move.^[37] Khali dominated and defeated both Batista and Kane that same week at The Great American Bash.^[38] Khali then debuted a new finisher called the "Khali Vice Grip" which he used to wear down Ric Flair, Batista and Kane. At SummerSlam he lost to Batista for the World Heavyweight Championship but was disqualified for the use of a chair, thereby retaining the title.^[39] Khali then began a feud with Rey Mysterio after Mysterio won a "Championship Competition" making Mysterio the No. 1 contender. On the September 7 edition of Smackdown!, after Mysterio defeated Chavo Guerrero in an I Quit match, Khali applied his Vice Grip on Mysterio until Batista came to the rescue. After the assault, General Manager Theodore Long informed Khali that he would be defending his World Heavyweight Championship against both Rey Mysterio and Batista in a Triple Threat Match at Unforgiven, in which Khali lost to Batista after receiving a Spinebuster.^[40] Khali would then lose his rematch at No Mercy when he failed to escape the Punjabi Prison before Batista.^[41] He was challenged by the Undertaker to a No Holds Barred match before Armageddon in an attempt to gain momentum before the event, which the Undertaker won via the triangle-choke.

2008

In 2008, Khali was put in a program with Finlay usually trying to assault Hornswoggle but with Finlay stopping him. Khali participated in the 2008 Royal Rumble but was eliminated in about a minute by The Undertaker. Khali participated in the Elimination Chamber Match at No Way Out. He was again eliminated by The Undertaker, who used his new submission finisher, the gogoplata. Khali participated in the 24-man battle royal in a Dark match at WrestleMania XXIV for getting an opportunity to challenge the ECW Champion Chavo Guerrero at the event, however he was not successful as the match was won by Kane (who eventually went on to win the championship). Khali then began a feud with The Big Show, where Khali lost to Show at Backlash via pinfall after a chokeslam. On the May 2nd edition of SmackDown, Khali was choked out by The Undertaker's gogoplata, thus kayfabe injuring him. Khali returned on the June 6th edition of SmackDown, coming out to a face reaction from the crowd and defeating both Deuce and Domino in a two-on-one handicap match.

In wrestling

• Finishing and signature moves
  • Khali Bomb^[5] (Two-handed chokeslam)
  • Khali Vise Grip^[5] (Two-handed clawhold)
  • Brain chop - 2006, used as a regular move from 2007-present
  • Big boot
  • Headbutt
  • Clothesline
  • Short-arm clothesline
  • Spin kick, usually to a charging opponent
  • Nerve hold
  • Repeated back elbow strikes to a cornered opponent
  • Delayed scoop slam
  • Leg drop

• Managers
  • Masahiro Chono
  • Daivari
  • Ranjin Singh^[42]

• Theme music
  • Dan.ger by Jim Johnston

Championships and accomplishments

• World Wrestling Entertainment

• World Heavyweight Championship (1 time)^[43]

Filmography

• The Longest Yard (2005) - Turley
• Scheduled to appear in Get Smart (2008)

Brian Ong incident

On May 28, 2001, Brian Ong died after receiving a flapjack from Singh.^[1] Ong had suffered a previous concussion during the session, but the trainers gave him a lower evaluation for not avoiding injuries and told him to continue training. In addition, it was proven that Ong did not receive any protective gear or supervision by APW staff. This second concussion ultimately proved fatal for him. As Singh inadvertently caused his death, Ong's family brought a lawsuit against All Pro Wrestling.^[1] They were found liable for recklessness after less than a day of deliberations, awarding the Ong family for damages of over $1.3 million.^[1]

Personal life

"The Great Khali" was born to Jwala Ram (father) and Tandi Devi (mother);^[44] he is one of seven siblings^[44], including a younger brother, Inder Singh.^[45] Singh married Harminder Kaur on February 27, 2002 ^[3] and says he is a vegetarian, abhoring tobacco and alcohol.^[6]

Singh suggested the ringname "The Great Khali" after the Hindu goddess Kali, who is said to be a destructive ruler.^[6]

References

External links

• WWE Profile
• Great Khali
• Dalip Singh at the Internet Movie Database

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