The GOAT of boxing Floyd ‘Money’ Mayweather was once involved in a spine-chilling angle with The Big Show.
It was the PPV event of No Way Out, 2008. WWE’s largest athlete, The Big Show made his return to the ring after a match between Rey Mysterio and Edge that Mysterio lost. The Big Show had been missing in action for a year and came to the ring to address the fans that he was back with a vengeance. That he was leaner and meaner than he ever was.
While cutting his promo on the mic, Big Show noticed that Mysterio was being helped up by the officials outside the ring after his grueling match. Big Show wasted little time by climbing down the ring and getting ahold of Mysterio in hopes of making an example out of him.
When Show got his hands on Rey, he noticed the VIP guest in the front row seat, The boxing legend, Floyd Mayweather. Being the consummate heel that Show is, he started prodding Mayweather by striking Mysterio on his injured arm, trying to provoke Floyd to do something about it as Rey and Floyd were friends.
Vexed by Floyd’s imperviousness, The Big Show prepared to Chokeslam the life out of Mysterio. Floyd immediately jumped the barricade and made his way into the ring helping Rey avert the devastating chokeslam.
The fans went wild. After Show released Rey from his vice-like hands, he tried to compel Floyd to fight him. Due to the disparity in size, Floyd was shoved back to the corner by the Big Show. The prodding continued as the Big Show got down on one knee to Floyd’s level.
What the fans witnessed next blurred the line between reality and kayfabe. Floyd unloaded a series of “million-dollar” punches on the Big Show breaking the giant’s nose and immediately bolted out of the arena with his entourage.
This would set the scene for their next official meeting at the grandest stage of them all, WrestleMania XXIV. The duo went to blows in a no-disqualification match in which Floyd emerged as the victor with a little help from the ol’ brass knuckles.
Was this a work or a shoot?
The Big Show entered the equation after the original angle that consisted of Dave Batista and Rey Mysterio facing Mayweather was nixed due to Batista’s injury.
Speaking on The Sam Roberts Wrestling Podcast in 2017, Show revealed that he had asked Floyd to make the angle seem as real as it could get. Paul Wight, better known as Big Show, also told Submission Radio that it was a shoot, meaning the script didn’t require Floyd breaking Show’s nose. It was something that both men agreed upon covertly.
“There are certain times in this business where you have to whether you take one for the team. Or take one for the fans, or take one for your career, or however you want it,” said Big Show.
The incident looked too real for kayfabe. Show and Mayweather gave the fans one of the craziest storylines they’ve witnessed in WWE history.
The Big Show left the WWE in 2021 and signed with AEW as an in-ring performer and a commentator.
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