Details on the Floyd Mayweather/WWE Deal
Posted by Larry Csonka on 02.25.2008
How did the deal come to be?
- The deal with Floyd Mayweather and the WWE was not one that was thrown together overnight. Shane McMahon had been pushing for the use of Mayweather for months, ever since the two had met some months ago. In the past Shane has wanted to do an angle with a shooter (a boxer or MMA guy) in the past. Shane is good friends with Chuck Liddell, and wanted him to do something for a while but Dana White doesn't want anyone under a UFC contract to participate in pro wrestling.
- Shane McMahon's original pitch was a tag team match featuring Rey Mysterio and Oscar de La Hoya as a "Latino Dream Team" facing Mayweather and a partner. Mayweather was a natural heel in his fights with Hatton and de La Hoya last year, and would have fit the mold perfectly in this case as well. Besides that WWE would have had a chance to play off of a boxing event that drew 2.4-million PPV buys. The idea was pitched to de La Hoya and his people with the idea that this would give him exposure on WWE TV and give them both a new fan base to play off of, as de La Hoya and Mayweather are re-matching in September. Oscar de La Hoya's people shot down the offer, wanting nothing to do with pro wrestling.
- There hasn't been a ton of mainstream media attention of the angle thus far. Last year's angle with Donald Trump didn't receive a lot of mainstream media attention early on but in the end was one of the more financially successful angles in the history of the company. There has been criticism of Mayweather, mainly from boxing media thus far, but not much else.
- While the Big Show appeared on TV with his nose taped up as was bleeding heavily at the No Way Out PPV, he actually did not suffer a broken nose. Mayweather did connect with his shots, but the company was very happy with how the angle came off. The angle came off just as it was planned in the previous night's rehearsal.
- With the injury to Mysterio WWE has had to change plans. They were heading towards Mysterio and Mayweather vs. Shane McMahon and the Big Show, but for now are pushing it as a singles match. Mysterio is likely to stay involved, possibly cornering Mayweather.
If they want Mayweather to be the face and big show the heel they better keep Mysterio in the corner because if monday was any indication Mayweather is going to be the heel real quick
Posted By: Jersey (Guest) on February 25, 2008 at 12:07 AM
Mayweather is definitely more of a natural heel, but in terms of drawing power he is perhaps the biggest star they could have got. Much more suitable than NASCAR guys.
Posted By: Tom (Guest) on February 25, 2008 at 12:36 AM
I'm with Jersey, but i don't think Rey is going to help that much when Mayweather gets a mic in his hand
Posted By: TWilliams (Guest) on February 25, 2008 at 12:46 AM
i dunno.. if they can make trump a face, mayweather is doable
Posted By: kev0 (Guest) on February 25, 2008 at 01:02 AM
that woulda been a decent angle. i would much rather Pretty Boy Floyd play off his natural cockiness instead of having him be some type of mighty mouse like hero. Floyd is a badass but his portrayal in WWE shows him being the "David" to Big Show's "Golliath."
Posted By: bighustle (Guest) on February 25, 2008 at 01:27 AM
The reason trump was a face is because of who his opponent was. You put anyone against McMahon and they are the face because they are the lesser of two evils
Posted By: Jersey (Guest) on February 25, 2008 at 01:39 AM
They can run an angle where PBF brings Eugene out, gives him a little hot sauce across the face and WHAM.. he's a normal person again!
Posted By: Guest#9680 (Guest) on February 25, 2008 at 04:44 AM
Here's an Idea...
McMahon and Big Show vs Mayweather and ... Batista!?
Posted By: Bobbay (Guest) on February 25, 2008 at 05:08 AM
"...he actually did not suffer a broken nose."
Wow- fooled me. Sure looked it when he was talking to Shane.
Posted By: cyks (Registered) on February 25, 2008 at 05:45 AM
when mayweather comes down to the ring to 50 cents' "i get money." that doesnt help fans want to cheer for him.
Posted By: rey (Guest) on February 25, 2008 at 05:56 AM
I don't follow it but is boxing really in any position to look down at wrestling?
Posted By: Scott (Guest) on February 25, 2008 at 06:32 AM
If think they need to push Big Show as the face here. On RAW, just have Rey come down with Mayweather. Floyd then says "I was there to support you, sticking up for you. But now - going against the Big Show, I don't need no cripple helping me - so just hit the road."
Posted By: BobbyC (Guest) on February 25, 2008 at 08:49 AM
Scott, just in terms of it being a 'real' sport while wrestling is 'fake'. Evidence from the past suggests that a lot of boxing is just as crooked as wrestling, so there should really be no mud slinging from the boxing camp. How many thrown fights, crooked refs, braindead judges have there been in boxing - too many to remember. For someone like De La Hoya though, who is honest, I can see why he'd look down at wrestling. Hell, I look down on wrestling sometimes - Katie Vick, Burchill's Incest-O-Rama, TNA.
Posted By: dennett316 (Guest) on February 25, 2008 at 09:20 AM
"terms of drawing power
he is perhaps the biggest star they could have got. Much more suitable than
NASCAR guys."
To be fair, I could take a shit that would draw more then a NASCAR guy. It would probably me more athletic then one of them too. God NASCAR fans are stupid.
Posted By: Champ (Guest) on February 25, 2008 at 09:40 AM
^Amen, brother. Historically, boxing has been the only sport to be more of a "work" than pro wrestling.
Posted By: Nick (Guest) on February 25, 2008 at 10:22 AM
Does your Raw recap guy realize yet Mayweather is a work? Or does he still think Big Show's nose was really broken?
Posted By: Kenny (Guest) on February 25, 2008 at 10:27 AM
I think a lot of us thought it was broken until reading this report. It looked crooked on the PPV. You also have to remember he was booed in L.A., De La Hoya's home. At the PPV he was cheered immensely. It'll work itself out.
Posted By: beezy (Guest) on February 25, 2008 at 11:59 AM
"There hasn't been a ton of mainstream media attention of the angle thus far" - I'd disagree, I'm in England and it's been all over the press, my non-wrestling fan housemate had heard all about it, I think word is getting around.
Posted By: Guest#6254 (Guest) on February 25, 2008 at 12:51 PM
Why not have George Clooney show up in his Batman costume and take on Big Show?
Dam, I'm a booker now.
Posted By: HoosierJim500 (Guest) on February 25, 2008 at 12:58 PM
Beezy - the PPV was in Mayweather's hometown of Las Vegas. I have no idea how it'll play in Orlando for WrestleMania but I feel like wrestling fans will root for Big Show because he's a wrestler and Mayweather's an outsider.
I think the problem for the WWE is that most of the boxing establishment doesn't like Mayweather and doesn't feel like promoting him. And he makes way too good of a heel. His performance in those HBO shows were great, saying that he loved playing the bad guy and he didn't give a f*ck.
Posted By: O'Dog (Guest) on February 25, 2008 at 01:22 PM
They should have him be a heel and team him with MVP.
Posted By: Rollie (Guest) on February 25, 2008 at 01:58 PM
I read on Yahoo! that Mayweather is gettin' 20 million for his WWE appearance...
Posted By: Guest#6222 (Guest) on February 25, 2008 at 09:02 PM
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