“The Big Show” Paul Wight has revealed that one of WrestleMania’s most memorable celebrity matches was originally planned very differently.
Speaking with Gareth A Davies, Paul Wight explained that his programme with Floyd Mayweather Jr. was initially set to be a tag team match before injuries forced a change. According to Wight, the original plan was for him and Mayweather to face Batista and Rey Mysterio. However, both Batista and Mysterio suffered injuries in the build-up, leading to a complete rethink.
“It was supposed to be a tag… Floyd Mayweather and I against Batista and Rey Mysterio,” Wight said. “Then both guys got hurt… so they asked me if I’d consider working Floyd in a singles match. At WrestleMania? At the time he’s the hottest boxer on the planet. Absolutely.”
The change led to the now well-known singles bout at WrestleMania 24, which followed their confrontation at No Way Out 2008, where Mayweather broke Wight’s nose.
Who Won In The Paul Wight Vs. Floyd Mayweather Jr. WrestleMania 24 Match?
Floyd Mayweather Jr. ultimately defeated Paul Wight via knockout at WrestleMania 24, using brass knuckles in one of the most talked-about celebrity matches in WWE history. It was reported around the time of Mania 24 that Mayweather earned a staggering $20 million for his 12-minute match with The Big Show, meaning her earned roughly over $1.6 million per minute.
Mayweather later reappeared in WWE in 2009 as a guest host of the August 24 episode of Raw, where he assisted MVP and Mark Henry in their match against Chris Jericho and Big Show.
