{{Short description|Argentina athlete and actor (1966–2010)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2024}} {{Infobox professional wrestler |name = Jorge González |birth_name = |names = El Gigante<ref name="WWEBio"/><br />Giant Gonzalez<ref name="WWEBio"/><br />El Yeti<ref name="WWEBio"/> |image = File:Gigante Jorge Gonzalez con Leon Najundel (cropped).jpg |image_size = 200px |caption = González in 1988 |alt = |height = 8ft 0 in<ref name="WWEBio"/> |weight = 460 lb<ref name="WWEBio"/><ref name="encyclopedia"/> |birth_date = {{birth date|1966|1|31|df=yes}}<ref name=warned/> |birth_place = El Colorado, Formosa, Argentina<ref name=warned>{{cite web|url=http://www.warned.net/GiantGonzalez.html|access-date=25 January 2008|title=Giant Gonzalez's Warned Profile|publisher=Warned|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080220015431/http://www.warned.net/GiantGonzalez.html|archive-date=20 February 2008}}</ref> |death_date = {{death date and age|2010|9|22|1966|1|31|df=yes}} |death_place = San Martín, Chaco, Argentina<ref name="Ole">{{cite news|url=http://www.ole.com.ar/basquet/dolor-Gigante_0_341365990.html|title=Un dolor Gigante|newspaper=Olé|language=es|date=24 September 2010|access-date=25 September 2010|archive-date=17 November 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151117023310/http://www.ole.com.ar/basquet/dolor-Gigante_0_341365990.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> |death_cause =Type 1 Diabetes |billed = The Andes Mountains<br />Argentina<ref name="WWEBio" /> |trainer = WCW Power Plant<ref name="Remembrances 2010">{{cite web|url=http://www.1wrestling.com/2010/12/31/ringside-remembrances-r-i-p-2010/|title=Remembrances 2010|access-date=23 September 2011|publisher=1wrestling|archive-date=20 February 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150220190539/http://www.1wrestling.com/2010/12/31/ringside-remembrances-r-i-p-2010/|url-status=usurped}}</ref> |debut = 1990<ref name="WWEBio"/><ref name="Remembrances 2010"/> |retired = 1996 }} '''Jorge González''' (31 January 1966 – 22 September 2010)<ref name=Clarin>{{cite news|url=http://www.clarin.com/deportes/Murio-Jorge-Gigante-Gonzalez-basquetbol_0_341366126.html|title=Adiós al Gigante González, un personaje de leyenda del básquet argentino|newspaper=Clarín|language=es|date=25 September 2010|access-date=25 September 2010}}</ref><ref name="Rajah">{{cite web|url=http://rajah.com/base/node/20284|title=WWE News, Rumors, Results & InformationFormer WWE Star Giant Gonzalez Passes Away|publisher=Rajah.com|access-date=28 September 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100928021446/http://rajah.com/base/node/20284|archive-date=28 September 2010|url-status=dead}}</ref> was an Argentine professional wrestler, basketball player and actor best known for his appearances in World Championship Wrestling under the ring name '''El Gigante''' and in the World Wrestling Federation under the ring name '''Giant Gonzalez'''.<ref name="OWoW">{{cite web|url=http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profiles/g/giant-gonzales.html|access-date=25 January 2008|title=Jorge Gonzales|publisher=Online World of Wrestling}}</ref><ref name="WWEBio">{{cite web|url=http://www.wwe.com/superstars/giant-gonzales|title=Giant González|publisher=WWE|work=WWE.com|access-date=29 April 2016}}</ref> González remains the tallest man to have competed for both companies and the tallest Argentinian to have ever lived.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://rlist.io/data/ujz4jko1/jorge-gonz--lez |title=Data view of Jorge González from Tallest Men dataset }}{{Dead link|date=December 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes}}</ref>

==Early life== Jorge González was born in El Colorado, Formosa, Argentina on 31 January 1966.<ref name=warned/> González suffered from gigantism.

==Basketball career== González was billed as being {{height|ft=8}},<ref name="WWEBio"/><ref name="Ole"/><ref name="Clarin"/> making him the tallest WWE wrestler and Argentine basketball player in history; his true height was {{convert|2.31|m|ftin|abbr=on}}, which still made him the tallest in wrestling and a tie for first place in basketball.<ref name="Clarin"/><ref name="Telam"/> He started his career with the youths of Hindú Club de Resistencia at the age of 16, standing {{height|m=2.19|precision=0}} tall.<ref name="Clarin"/> Subsequently, León Najnudel, then coach of the Argentine national team, recommended the board of Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata to sign the player for the team's Argentine second division roster.<ref name=Clarin/> During 1986, González helped Gimnasia achieve promotion to the Argentine first division.<ref name="Clarin"/> He then signed for Sport Club Cañadense, but saw little action due to an injury that left him off the court for nine months.<ref name="Clarin"/>

=== National team === Coach León Najnudel included González in the Argentine national team who took part of the 1985 South American Basketball Championship (bronze medal) and the 1988 Tournament of the Americas (5th place), where he attracted the attention of the Atlanta Hawks' scouts.<ref name="Clarin" /><ref name="Telam">{{cite news |url=http://www.telam.com.ar/vernota.php?tipo=N&idPub=199169&id=378180&dis=1&sec=1 |title=Falleció el basquetbolista más alto de Argentina |newspaper=Télam |language=es |date=24 September 2010 |access-date=25 September 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629221708/http://www.telam.com.ar/vernota.php?tipo=N&idPub=199169&id=378180&dis=1&sec=1 |archive-date=29 June 2011 }}</ref>

=== NBA career === González took part in the 1988 NBA draft, being chosen by the Atlanta Hawks in the third round (#54 selection). Along with Hernán Montenegro (drafted #57), they became the first Argentine players drafted in the NBA. The Hawks bought the player's rights from his Argentine team for a 30,000 Argentine australes fee.<ref name="Ole"/><ref name="Clarin"/> However, he was unable to adapt to the physical demands of NBA basketball, partly due to a serious knee injury.<ref name="Clarin"/>

== Professional wrestling career ==

===World Championship Wrestling (1988–1992)=== In 1988, Hawks owner Ted Turner offered González a job as a professional wrestler in World Championship Wrestling (WCW), which Turner also owned. After over a year of training, González was introduced to fans as El Gigante on 19 May 1990 at the pay-per-view Capital Combat. Wearing shorts, he competed as a fan favorite and was billed as being close to eight feet tall.

Over the next two years, he feuded with Ric Flair for the WCW World Heavyweight Championship, participated in a Chamber of Horrors match in 1991 and also had a date on TBS with Missy Hyatt. He also participated in a feud with Sid Vicious who stood 6&nbsp;ft 9 in and One Man Gang who stood at {{convert|6|ft|7|in|m}}. The point of the feud was to determine who the real "giant of WCW" was. He also had a cross promotional stint in the New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) promotion before signing with the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) in 1993.

According to Ron Reis, Gonzalez was set to make a return to the company at their 1995 pay-per-view Halloween Havoc in the role of "The Yeti", an insurance policy put in place to make sure Hulk Hogan did not retain the WCW Championship against The Giant. The plan behind his return was to set up an idea by Kevin Sullivan (who was the booker of the promotion at the time) had for the pay-per-view World War 3 the following month. It would be a three ring, 60 man, and over the top rope battle royal, with a giant occupying each of the three rings. But the idea fell through as González had a diabetic attack during preparation for his return at the Halloween Havoc pay-per-view leading him to having to be flown back to his birth country Argentina immediately, and Ron Reis had to take his spot in the role.<ref name="PWI">{{cite web|url=http://www.pwinsider.com/article/43214/the-yeti-ron-reis-reveals-wcws-original-plans-for-the-yeti-character-the-famous-star-he-replaced-in-the-booking-plans-yeti-returning-to-wwe-or-tna-and-more.html?p=1|title="The Yeti" Ron Reis reveals WCW's original plans for the Yeti character, the famous star he replaced in the booking plans, Yeti returning to WWE or TNA, and more|publisher=Pro Wrestling Insider|date=24 November 2009|access-date=9 December 2012}}</ref>

=== World Wrestling Federation (1993) === [[File:Jorge González (wrestler).jpg|thumb|172x172px|González (left) performing at Wrestlemania IX against The Undertaker in 1993]]

González competed as Giant Gonzalez during his time in the WWF. González grew a beard and wore a full body suit that featured airbrushed muscles with bushy hair attached. He was introduced at the Royal Rumble in January 1993, where he eliminated Harvey Wippleman's nemesis The Undertaker from the Royal Rumble match despite not being an official participant.<ref name="encyclopedia">{{cite book|title=WWE Encyclopedia|author=Shields, Brian and Kevin Sullivan|publisher=DK/BradyGAMES|year=2009|isbn=978-0-7566-4190-0|page=[https://archive.org/details/wweencyclopediad0000shie/page/112 112]|url=https://archive.org/details/wweencyclopediad0000shie/page/112}}</ref> At WrestleMania IX, González lost to The Undertaker by disqualification after he knocked out the Undertaker using chloroform.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Full WrestleMania IX Results|url=https://www.wwe.com/shows/wrestlemania/9/results|access-date=28 September 2021|website=WWE|language=en}}</ref> After another loss to The Undertaker at SummerSlam,<ref>{{Cite web|title=Full Event Results|url=https://www.wwe.com/shows/summerslam/1993/results|access-date=28 September 2021|website=WWE|language=en}}</ref> the feud came to an end, and after the match, Wippleman berated him, before González turned on Wippleman himself, turning face in the process.<ref name="encyclopedia"/> He lost to Randy Savage on WWF on TSN on 1 September.

The foundation was later set for a feud between González and Adam Bomb, but it never truly began. His last appearance in WWF was on 4 October episode of ''Monday Night Raw'' in a 20-man battle royal match for the Intercontinental Championship. After the match was started, González was the first eliminated by "Macho Man" Randy Savage, Diesel, Bastion Booger, 1-2-3 Kid, Marty Jannetty, Adam Bomb, and Bam Bam Bigelow. Three days later, WWF announced that González left the company after his WWF contract had expired on 7 October 1993.

===New Japan Pro-Wrestling and WAR (1994–1995)=== After his departure from the WWF, González wrestled in the Japanese promotions NJPW and WAR (Wrestle and Romance) until his retirement from wrestling, and used his old ring name El Gigante. His last singles match was on 8 February 1995, when he lost to The Great Muta. On 8 December 1995, González wrestled his final match, teaming with Kōji Kitao in a loss to Shinja and Typhoon by countout.

== Acting career == González played the role of Manny, a carnival sideshow giant in a 1993 episode of ''Baywatch'', who befriends Hobie, but later falls into the water and his large size makes it difficult to be rescued. González also had roles in the 1993 and 1994 ''Thunder in Paradise'' double-episode turned movies. In 1994 González made a short appearance as Eryx the Boxer in ''Hercules in the Underworld'', a television prequel film from the television series ''Hercules: The Legendary Journeys''.

==Personal life and death== {{Wikinews|Former professional wrestler Giant González dies aged 44}} In January 1996, González retired from professional wrestling due to serious health issues and returned home to Argentina.

After his retirement from wrestling, González lived on a ranch in Argentina in his later years.<ref name="pohn">{{cite web|url=http://rajah.com/base/node/17493|title=Whatever Happened To Giant Gonzalez?, Jim Cornette Speaks Out, Paul Orndorff|publisher=Rajah.com|access-date=28 September 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091101032335/http://www.rajah.com/base/node/17493|archive-date=1 November 2009|url-status=dead}}</ref> His former manager Harvey Wippleman would send his own money to maintain González and his family.<ref>{{Cite news | url=https://wrestlingnews.co/wwe-news/jim-ross-harvey-wippleman-was-sending-money-go-giant-gonzalez-before-his-death-so-he-and-his-family-could-eat/ | title=Jim Ross: Harvey Wippleman was sending money to Giant Gonzalez before his death so he and his family could eat| newspaper=Wrestling News| date=17 November 2019}}</ref> In October 2009, he began using a wheelchair, and also had to use a dialysis machine due to his failing kidneys.<ref name="pohn"/> The Argentine Basketball Federation also helped Gonzalez with finances in his final years, including donations of appliances for his house, clothes and medicine.<ref>{{Cite web|date=24 September 2010|title=El Gigante / Giant Gonzalez passes away|url=https://slamwrestling.net/index.php/2010/09/24/el-gigante-giant-gonzalez-passes-away/|access-date=3 June 2021|website=Slam Wrestling|language=en-US}}</ref> González was married and had one step-daughter.

=== Death === González died due to complications from diabetes type 1 and heart issues on 22 September 2010, in his hometown of San Martin, Argentina at the age of 44.<ref name=Clarin/><ref name="Rajah"/>

==Legacy== In the years since González's death, he has often been criticized for his lack of wrestling ability.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Lambert |first1=Jeremy |date=15 May 2024 |title=The Undertaker: Giant Gonzalez Made Great Khali Look Like Lou Thesz |url=https://www.fightful.com/wrestling/undertaker-giant-gonzalez-made-great-khali-look-lou-thesz |work=Fightful |access-date=16 May 2024}}</ref><ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KpDNE2NWJ7o |title=When Undertaker Flipped On Giant Gonzalez #13 |date=17 May 2024 |last=Six Feet Under with Mark Calaway |access-date=6 June 2024 |via=YouTube}}</ref> Mark Calaway revealed that he once shot on González for being careless in the ring<ref>{{cite news |last1=Duarte |first1=Jon |date=15 May 2024 |title=The Undertaker y sus problemas con Giant González |url=https://superluchas.com/undertaker-recuerda-sus-problemas-con-giant-gonzalez/ |work=Superluchas |language=es |access-date=16 May 2024}}</ref> and that his feud with González "took years off (Calaway's) career".<ref>{{cite news |last1=Rovere |first1=Marco |date=24 June 2020 |title=The Undertaker Says Matches With Giant Gonzalez "Took Years Off My Career" |url=https://www.wrestlinginc.com/news/2020/06/the-undertaker-says-matches-with-giant-gonzalez-took-years-671768/ |work=Wrestling Inc. |access-date=16 May 2024}}</ref>

==Filmography== {| class="wikitable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! Notes |- |1992|| ''Swamp Thing'' || M'tama || Episode: "This Old House of Mayan" |- |rowspan=3|1993|| ''Thunder in Paradise'' || Terremoto || |- | ''Baywatch'' || Manny/Pelican Man || Episode: "Blindside" |- | ''Thunder in Paradise'' || Mortador / Terremoto || 4 episodes |- |rowspan=2|1994|| ''Hercules in the Underworld'' || Eryx the Boxer || Television film |- | ''Thunder in Paradise II'' || Mortador || |}

==Championships and accomplishments== * '''''Pro Wrestling Illustrated''''' ** PWI ranked him No. 112 of the 500 best singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 1991<ref>{{cite web|url=http://profightdb.com/pwi-500/1991.html|title=Pro Wrestling Illustrated (PWI) 500 for 1991|publisher=The Internet Wrestling Database|access-date=25 August 2015}}</ref> ** PWI ranked him No. 498 of the top 500 singles wrestlers of the PWI Years in 1993<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.100megsfree4.com/wiawrestling/pages/pwi/pwi500yr.htm |title=Pro Wrestling Illustrated's Top 500 Wrestlers of the PWI Years |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080616064424/http://www.100megsfree4.com/wiawrestling/pages/pwi/pwi500yr.htm |archive-date=16 June 2008 }}</ref> * '''''Wrestling Observer Newsletter''''' ** Worst Feud of the Year (1993) {{small|vs. The Undertaker}}<ref name=WON2010>{{cite journal |last=Meltzer |first=Dave |author-link=Dave Meltzer |date=26 January 2011 |title=Biggest issue of the year: The 2011 Wrestling Observer Newsletter Awards Issue| periodical=Wrestling Observer Newsletter |location=Campbell, CA |pages=1–40 |issn=1083-9593}}</ref>

==See also== * List of premature professional wrestling deaths * List of tallest people

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * [https://web.archive.org/web/20160826054950/http://www.thetallestman.com/jorgegonzalez.htm The Tallest Man: Jorge González] (archived) * {{IMDb name|0327854|Jorge González}} * {{Professional wrestling profiles|cagematch=668|wrestlingdata=450|iwd=jorge-gonzalez-157}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gonzalez, Jorge}} Category:1966 births Category:2010 deaths Category:20th-century Argentine male actors Category:20th-century male professional wrestlers Category:20th-century Argentine sportsmen Category:Argentine expatriate basketball people in the United States Category:Argentine expatriate sportspeople in the United States Category:Argentine male professional wrestlers Category:Argentine men's basketball players Category:Argentine male television actors Category:Argentine wheelchair users Category:Atlanta Hawks draft picks Category:Deaths from diabetes in Argentina Category:Gimnasia y Esgrima de La Plata basketball players Category:People from Formosa Province Category:People with gigantism Category:People with paraplegia Category:WWE personnel