Honestly, if you were watching WWE back in 2006, you remember the exact moment. The Undertaker was in the ring, doing his usual "Lord of Darkness" routine, and then the music hit—or rather, the floor just seemed to shake. Out walked a man who didn't just look like a wrestler; he looked like a mountain that had decided to put on some trunks. That was Dalip Singh Rana, better known as The Great Khali, and he was essentially a walking cheat code for the next few years.
But here’s the thing about Khali that most people miss: his story isn't just about being 7 feet 1 inch tall. It’s actually a pretty intense survival story. Standing that tall isn't just a "gift" for sports; it's often the result of a serious medical condition called acromegaly. While fans were cheering (or booing) him for crushing skulls with the "Khali Vise Grip," the guy was literally battling his own biology to stay upright.
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What Most People Get Wrong About His Size
You’ll see it in YouTube comments all the time: "He was so stiff," or "He could barely walk." Well, yeah. When you’re billed at 347 pounds and your pituitary gland is pumping out growth hormone like a broken faucet, your joints are basically under constant siege.
Khali was born in Himachal Pradesh, India, one of seven siblings. His family was poor. He didn't grow up in some high-tech training facility; he was breaking stones for money as a laborer. It’s wild to think about. Eventually, he landed a job with the Punjab Police because, frankly, who is going to argue with a 7-foot cop?
The Medical Reality
Most giants in wrestling history, like Andre the Giant, faced a grim clock. Andre famously refused treatment for his acromegaly, which led to his heart failing at 46. Khali, however, took a different path. In July 2012, he underwent a massive brain surgery to remove the tumor on his pituitary gland. That surgery probably saved his life. It’s why, in 2026, he’s still around, active, and looking surprisingly healthy for a man of his stature.
The Brian Ong Incident: A Dark Chapter
We have to talk about the tragedy that almost ended his career before it even really started. In 2001, while training at All Pro Wrestling (APW), Khali—then going by Giant Singh—delivered a "flapjack" move to a fellow trainee named Brian Ong.
Ong had already suffered a concussion earlier in the session, but he was told to keep going. The move went wrong, and Ong tragically died. It was a massive legal mess, and the Ong family eventually won a $1.3 million lawsuit against the school. While Khali wasn't found personally liable in a criminal sense, that kind of weight—both physical and emotional—stays with a person. It’s a sobering reminder that pro wrestling, even the "fake" stuff, has very real stakes.
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Why He Left the Glitz of WWE
By 2014, Khali's body had enough of the 300-days-a-year travel schedule. His knees were shot. If you look at his later matches, you can see the struggle. He wasn't "lazy"; he was physically breaking down. He didn't just fade into the background, though.
He moved back to India and founded Continental Wrestling Entertainment (CWE) in Jalandhar. He basically took all that WWE money and built a factory for the next generation of Indian talent.
- Dilsher Shanky (who made it to the WWE main roster)
- Kavita Devi (the first Indian woman in WWE)
Both of them came out of Khali's school. He stopped trying to be the attraction and started being the architect.
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The 2026 Perspective: Legacy and Politics
Today, Khali is more than just a former World Heavyweight Champion. He’s a Hall of Famer (Class of 2021) and a massive social media presence. Seriously, his Instagram is a trip. One minute he’s doing a comedy skit, and the next he’s involved in high-level political activism with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
People used to mock his promo skills because of the language barrier or his deep, gravelly voice, but in India, he’s a folk hero. He proved that a guy from a tiny village in the mountains could go to America, beat The Undertaker clean, and come back to build an empire.
Actionable Takeaways for Fans and Athletes
If you’re looking at Khali’s career as a blueprint, here is what you should actually take away from it:
- Prioritize Longevity Over Ego: Khali got the surgery he needed. Unlike many giants who felt their "size" was their only value, he prioritized his health so he could have a life after the ring.
- Pivot When the Body Says Stop: He didn't try to wrestle into his late 50s. He shifted to promotion and training when his mobility declined.
- Invest in Your Roots: The CWE academy is a legitimate business that provides jobs and a path for athletes who otherwise wouldn't have a shot.
The Great Khali might not have been a technical wizard like Bret Hart, but he was a spectacle in the truest sense of the word. He navigated a life-threatening condition, a tragic in-ring accident, and the brutal world of sports entertainment to come out the other side as a billionaire-adjacent mogul in his home country. That’s a win in any book.
Next Steps for You:
If you want to see what the next generation of Indian wrestling looks like, check out the CWE YouTube channel. It’s raw, it’s chaotic, and it shows exactly how Khali is still shaping the industry from behind the scenes.