Mayweather-Big Show Could Turn into a Disaster
Following last weeks near brawl that took place between the posse for Floyd Mayweather and WWE wrestlers following the weigh-in for the Mayweather-Big Show match for WrestleMania XXIV, tensions will for sure be running high tonight for RAW. I would expect Mayweather to not be on the show tonight, or if he is only to be on and have little or no contact with Show after last week. The angle can only be protected so much, and with two live TV's left before Mania, they really have to watch how this thing goes or it could be a disaster.
A lot of people will be holding their breath when the bell rings at Mania between Mayweather and Show. There is no question that anytime you put a non-wrestler in a match with this much exposure, there is cause for concern. In the past the company has been somewhat lucky that others have been able to pull it off, but with Mayweather, there has been this underlying tone since the start that this thing could explode, and if it does, the company will have major egg on its face.
The biggest "non-wrestler" that ever headlined a Mania was NFL Hall of Famer Lawrence Taylor, who was in the main event at WM XI. The big difference between where Taylor is and where Mayweather is comes from the stance that Taylor was a total team player in the feud, working with his opponent, the late Bam Bam Bigelow, in the weeks leading up to the match to make it as good as it can be. Of course Taylor blew out in about 4 minutes, but overall it was a good enough match to seem real and get over with the fans.
The stakes now are so much higher, that the company cannot afford for this thing to bust. They have sold an estimated 65,000 for the Citrus Bowl in Orlando, will have millions more watching on PPV, and with Mayweather involved, there is more mainstream coverage of the even that otherwise would not garner it. There has been talk of having the match on last as the true "main event," but I feel that would be a mistake just in case it IS a total bomb. You put the WWE triple threat title match on last as a protection so that fans can still walk away happy.
A lot of people will be holding their breath when the bell rings at Mania between Mayweather and Show. There is no question that anytime you put a non-wrestler in a match with this much exposure, there is cause for concern. In the past the company has been somewhat lucky that others have been able to pull it off, but with Mayweather, there has been this underlying tone since the start that this thing could explode, and if it does, the company will have major egg on its face.
The biggest "non-wrestler" that ever headlined a Mania was NFL Hall of Famer Lawrence Taylor, who was in the main event at WM XI. The big difference between where Taylor is and where Mayweather is comes from the stance that Taylor was a total team player in the feud, working with his opponent, the late Bam Bam Bigelow, in the weeks leading up to the match to make it as good as it can be. Of course Taylor blew out in about 4 minutes, but overall it was a good enough match to seem real and get over with the fans.
The stakes now are so much higher, that the company cannot afford for this thing to bust. They have sold an estimated 65,000 for the Citrus Bowl in Orlando, will have millions more watching on PPV, and with Mayweather involved, there is more mainstream coverage of the even that otherwise would not garner it. There has been talk of having the match on last as the true "main event," but I feel that would be a mistake just in case it IS a total bomb. You put the WWE triple threat title match on last as a protection so that fans can still walk away happy.
Labels: floyd mayweather, the big show
