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CALDWELL: WWE's WrestleMania angle involving Big Show and Floyd Mayweather potentially significant Feb 18, 2008 - 12:01:08 AM
In 1998, it was Mike Tyson. In 2008, it's Floyd Mayweather.
Although not on the level of WWE acquiring Mike Tyson's services for WrestleMania 14 to be special enforcer for Steve Austin's WWE Title victory and the beginning of WWE's streak of amazing business, WWE bringing in Floyd Mayweather for a potential WrestleMania match with Big Show is a significant coup. How significant remains to be seen.
Mayweather is arguably boxing's top star right now. He brings instant attention to WWE, at a time when the company is about to take the WrestleMania hype into over-drive. And, the angle with Big Show at the No Way PPV will probably be remembered by viewers more than anything else on the PPV.
Some people will want to know what was scripted, and what wasn't planned ahead of time. Did Mayweather cross the line and take Show's pro-wrestling-heel-tactics personally? Did Big Show know a blow was coming?
It doesn't matter, unless it takes any deal off the table. What matters is that WWE has a red-hot angle involving a monster wrestler and one of the top fighters in the world. Mayweather certainly proved his fighting skill with an amazing three-punch combo that left Big Show spitting blood all over the ringside area.
Last year, WWE broke wrestling PPV records in Detroit for WrestleMania 23 behind the Donald Trump angle. They had $5.38 million in ticket sales and $32.6 million in PPV revenue. They tried to create a star in Bobby Lashley. They involved Steve Austin. They had a pay-off of Vince McMahon getting his head shaved.
This year, WWE will have a celebrity who can actually step inside the ring and have a match. Boxing? Wrestling? As long as it's not Brawl for All with cameo appearances from Butterbean and Bart Gunn, then we should be good.
The question is how much of an impact Mayweather will have on PPV business. Wrestling fans are ordering 'Mania because it's Mania. Sports fans who generally don't watch wrestling are going to be intrigued, but are they willing to spend money on wrestling? It should at least also force boxing fans to entertain the thought of ordering a wrestling PPV. After all, the Mayweather vs. De la Hoya II fight isn't until September.
The next few weeks will be interesting to follow, as we'll be able to gauge the level of mainstream interest in Mayweather appearing on a WWE-produced event. The start of the angle was brilliant. Follow-up and mainstream reaction will determine how much of an impact this angle will have on WrestleMania 24's business.
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