"The Best Pound For Pound Boxer In The World" Floyd Mayweather Jr showed up at WWE's "No Way Out" pay per view and legitimately broke 7-foot tall giant Paul "Big Show" Wight's nose in a Sports Center Moment that will be used to promote Mayweather's participation, most probably in a Wrestler vs Boxer Match against Wight for Wrestlemania XXIV on Sunday, March 30th Live from Orlando, Florida.
Floyd Mayweather Joins WWE for Wrestlemania (Image: Wenn)
Wight, who has been ironically training to be a boxer since leaving WWE in December 2006, returned looking to be in fantastic shape. The only wrestler to ever hold the WWE, WCW, and ECW World Titles came out and did an interview after the already-injured Rey Mysterio (torn biceps) lost to Smackdown Champion Edge. Big Show's interview made him a fan favorite ("babyface" in wrestling jargin), but he quickly turned villain ("heel") on Mysterio. As Big Show set up Mysterio for a chokeslam, Mayweather got involved. This was a great wrestling moment, as Mayweather busted Show's mouth and splattered his nose in one of the most memorable wrestling confrontations in recent memories.
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Mayweather's involvement was arranged by Shane McMahon, who has been trying to put the Wrestlemania deal together for several months. At one point, Mayweather was going to team with Smackdown villain MVP as part of a big tag team match featuring Mysterio, with Mayweather being a villain. But it's obvious now that Mayweather sees the huge merchandising potential with a WWE "babyface" tie-in, especially since "Money May" will be fighting Oscar De La Hoya later this year.
The storyline unfolded on this last pay per view before Wrestlemania perfectly, and Big Show, who signed what is believed to be a $1,000,000 a year contract with World Wrestling Entertainment, has returned in the biggest way possible. Mayweather, who is still the WBC World Welterweight Champion, will increase his already large profile, especially on the biggest wrestling pay per view of the year.
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In a related story, Big Show's former on-air agent/manager Paul Heyman will debut "The Heyman Hustle" with the UK SUN later today. The 6 minute video show features the former ECW owner and WWE writer/producer on the streets of New York City with his camera crew after CBS Network pulled all press credentials from the Survivor Season Premiere Cast Party.
The Sun has hyped this debut episode in a big way, as they have inserted a countdown clock right into the middle of their wrestling splash page.
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