WWE News WWE WrestleMania 24 press conference: Floyd Mayweather steals and saves the show By Jason Powell Feb 25, 2008 - 02:06 PM Email This Article | Printer Friendly Page Send Us News & Results | Back to Main Listing WWE aired the WrestleMania 24 press conference live on WWE.com. I took the following notes while watching the live webcast. Jonathan Coachman welcomed fans to the press conference and introduced Vince McMahon, who received a mix of cheers and boos. He pointed out to the media that WWE includes its fans in everything they do, including the press conference. Vince described WWE as “perhaps the last variety show” on television. He vowed to entertain the fans at WrestleMania. “We entertain our audience and we love doing it.” Vince looked back to the first WrestleMania and recalled Hulk Hogan and Mr. T teaming up to go against Roddy Piper and Paul Orndorff. He ran through a short list of celebrities who appeared at WrestleMania and claimed that 93,000 fans packed the Pontiac Silverdome for WrestleMania 3. He noted that holding the event outdoors will give them a chance to do things they can’t do indoors. He promised WrestleMania will be more extraordinary than ever before. “And now I’m going to put the spotlight where I should on the superstars of World Wrestling Entertainment.” Powell’s POV: I don’t think anyone should be surprised that Vince didn’t open it up to questions from the media. If the SummerSlam ’99 press conference I attended is any indication, he may field questions later and could meet with reporters after the press conference. With the Benoit family tragedy still on the minds of everyone, I won’t be surprised if he only takes questions off camera. Coach introduced John Cena as the personification of sports entertainment. Cena received his usual mixed reaction with plenty of squeals from the females in attendance. Cena said he usually hates Vince’s guts, but he had to “thank him for putting this thing together.” Cena thanked his supporters and “you guys who are out here telling me I suck.” The crowd responded with a big, “You suck,” chant. Cena put over WrestleMania and said he was going to do everything he could to bring the belt home. Powell’s POV: Pretty much what you’d expect from Cena. I really admire the way he deals with the negative reactions. There have been plenty of wrestlers in the past who couldn’t handle it when fans booed their babyface personas, but Cena clearly gets it. Cena took a seat a the table behind the podium while Randy Orton was introduced by Coach. Orton heeled it up big time while Cena rolled his eyes in the background. Standard stuff. The live crowd ate it up. Coach introduced Triple H. Hunter said he likes to think that WrestleMania is bigger than the Super Bowl. Very basic, in character comments from Triple H. Up next were Maria and Candice Michelle. Coach said they would take part in the first-ever Playboy Bunnies match at WrestleMania 24. Candice spoke briefly about returning from her injury and told the crowd it’s Maria’s birthday. They responded by singing happy birthday to her. Coach introduced Edge. Short promo. He vowed to end Undertaker’s streak. Coach introduced Rey Mysterio and noted that he would not be competing at WrestleMania 24. He noted that Rey overcomes the odds “like Floyd Mayweather.” Coach noted that Mysterio would help Mayweather train for his match with Big Show. Mysterio discussed his injury and said they take risks whenever they get inside the ring. The live crowd chanted something in Spanish that Rey acknowledged by responding with a few words in Spanish. “If (Mayweather) needs any king of help or preparation” for his match against Big Show “I’m them for him.” A couple boos. Rey said his surgery is no scheduled for Wednesday, but that won’t help him from helping Mayweather. Coach introduced Mike Adamle, who said Mayweather would be speaking shortly. Adamle said that the person who came up with the old adage that a good big man beats a good little man every time never met Mayweather. Adamle introduced Shane McMahon as the man whose “promotional skills brought the Big Show and the Pretty Boy together.” He said the McMahon family is proud to bring together two pay-per-view juggernauts in WWE and Mayweather. He said people such as DirecTV, HBO, Time Warner, etc. are nervous whether the risk is worth the reward (alluding to the possibility that Mayweather could get hurt). “You will see truly the biggest and the best that our industry has to offer,” Shane said. “And speaking of the best...” Some in the crowd chanted for Cena, which led to a Triple H chant. Orton and Edge responded by raising their title belts. Shane introduced Mayweather as the greatest fighter in the world today. Mayweather walked out wearing a New York Yankees hat and jacket. The crowd chanted “De La Hoya.” Floyd played into it by clapping along with them and pulling a wad of cash out of his jacket. “I got all day,” he said. He thanked the McMahon family, WWE, the fans, and the wrestlers behind him. The crowd interrupted with more chants for Oscar. Floyd clapped and shadowboxed briefly. A Big Show chant broke out. Floyd pulled out the wad of cash again and teased throwing it to the crowd. He told them to keep chanting for Oscar. He said he’s the big show now. He walked away from the podium and tossed some cash into the crowd. He heeled it up big time. He walked back and forth in front of the crowd and soaked up their taunts. He threw another pile of cash into the crowd and the people scrambled to pick it up. “I run this show,” Mayweather said. “Pay-per-view, March 30, be there or be square.” Corny. “It used to be WWE, but we’re going to turn those W’s upside down and change it to Money Mayweather Entertainment.” He bragged about his money and how all the girls love him. The crowd continued to taunt him. “I run this show, you dig,” he said. “You seen me stomp Ricky Hatton, you seen me stomp De La Hoya. This is my city now. I’m going to take over L.A. Put your money where your mouth is.” “Who run the WWE?,” he asked the crowd. “I run the WWE. I look so good. I make so much money.” He asked the crowd who the champ of WWE is. He said he’d give them money if they said his name. Floyd called for the Big Show and demanded that his own music be played. He danced. Wow. Powell’s POV: Wow, what a display. Mayweather took over the press conference and delivered a total heel performance. Very funny. I’m not sure if that’s what WWE was looking for, but I got a kick out of it. Adale introduced Big Show and the feed was interrupted briefly. By the time it was restored, Show was already at the podium. He leaned down to Mayweather and threatened that wrestling does hurt and can be “very real.” Show threw the podium aside. Mayweather stood on a chair and they had a staredown where the podium had been positioned. Show said his fist is bigger than Floyd’s head. He offered Floyd a free shot, but Mayweather sat down and ignored him. Big Show sat down at a table next to Shane and the screen faded to black briefly. Coach thanked the crowd for coming and said they would see them on March 30 for WrestleMania 24. Coach was cut off in mid-sentence by the black screen. Powell’s POV: If WWE wants Mayweather to be a babyface, they won’t be able t show the press conference footage tonight on Raw because he was a total heel in this segment. He didn’t cut a typical heel wrestling promo, but his antics fun because you never knew what he was going to say next. Let’s face it, he was the only thing that saved this press conference from being a total bore. Unless I missed something, WWE did not announce what type of match Mayweather and Big Show will have at WrestleMania 24. I’m pretty sure Coach said that they would be making people available for interviews with the media after the press conference, but it was hard to know for sure because of the technical glitches at the end. 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