4. Floyd Mayweather (WrestleMania 24)
WrestleMania 24 saw a true blockbuster attraction when one of the biggest names in combat sports, Floyd Mayweather, stepped inside the ring to take on The Big Show. The feud originally kicked off at No Way Out 2008, featuring a returning Big Show who began taunting an injured Rey Mysterio.
Mayweather, who was watching from ringside, jumped the barricade to intervene. This was already set to be a massive, viral moment due to Mayweather’s popularity, but what happened next inside the ring took the tension to another level. During the creative planning for the segment, Big Show reportedly asked Mayweather to punch him for real to ensure the confrontation felt completely authentic.
Floyd agreed, delivering a punch that legitimately broke Big Show’s nose and left the giant bloodied. This set the stage for their WrestleMania encounter in a No Disqualification bout, a clever stipulation that allowed WWE to mask the massive size discrepancy between the 5′ 8″ Mayweather and the 7′ 0″ Big Show.
The match was surprisingly fun, with Mayweather taking several hard chops to the chest and a sidewalk slam. Despite the punishment, Mayweather won the bout after an assistant handed him brass knuckles for the knockout blow.
