March 19, 2008 Observer Newsletter: Floyd Mayweather/Big Show feud continues, Jeff Hardy suspended
Recognizing the Big Show vs. Floyd Mayweather angle was miscast, WWE changed direction on the 3/10 three-hour Raw from Milwaukee with a double turn.
They also played upon how the UFC audience was and how their audience wanted it, making it an us vs. them angle, and trying to make it like it was a semi-shoot, and to a degree, part of what was on television was.
Mayweather played complete heel, acting like an arrogant punk instead of a fake smiley-faced character of the week before. He dressed in a T-shirt, with shades and gaudy jewelry, playing the arrogant rich guy. Show played the role as the WWE representative, which he should have been all along, including bringing out basically everyone on the roster who isn’t booked on Wrestlemania to be his seconds against Mayweather, who has his entourage as his second. The two sides had a big brawl, the level of realism depends on which version you choose to believe.
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Dave Meltzer is the founder and lead writer on the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, the weekly constant when it comes to news and reviews in pro wrestling and mixed martial arts for more than 40 years. Dave also co-hosts Wrestling Observer Radio with Bryan Alvarez and had had bylines for The National, Yahoo Sports, MMA Fighting and others.