Paul Wight is opening up about one of the wildest celebrity moments in WWE history, and according to him, Floyd Mayweather got so caught up in the chaos that he actually left the building after breaking his nose.
During a conversation with James Sweetnam, Wight reflected on his WrestleMania 24 storyline with Mayweather, which started when the boxing legend smashed his nose during their infamous confrontation at WWE No Way Out in 2008.
Sweetnam brought up Wight’s old story about throwing a cookie at a troublemaker while working security before wrestling, joking that he should have brought those same skills into the ring against Mayweather. That led Wight into a detailed explanation about what really happened during their physical altercation.
Wight revealed that the broken nose wasn’t an accident at all. In fact, he personally told Mayweather to break it in order to make the segment feel more believable to fans watching at home.
“Yeah. Well, he had a good reason to be. I mean, you know, I asked him to break my nose, but I did tell him, I said, ‘When you do, run, because there’s going to be about 10 seconds, if I get my hands on you, I’m going to pull your arms off of you. I’m going to pluck you apart like a Kendall.’”
According to Wight, Mayweather listened to the advice and immediately got out of dodge. However, Wight said his own reaction during the segment became so intense that Mayweather took things more seriously than expected.
“He was smart enough to do that. But I think I did such a good job on my end of being in the moment that he left the building. We had to call him to come back to let him know that everything’s okay and we’re off and rocking and rolling and doing business.”
The former WWE Champion then used the moment to explain what professional wrestling performers are always trying to accomplish when they step into the ring. Wight said the ultimate goal is creating moments that temporarily make people forget they are watching scripted entertainment.
“That’s the fun part of it. You know, those are crazy moments in time that you’re working hard. That’s the thing about pro wrestling that we try to do. Yes, there’s a predetermined outcome. Yes, it’s entertainment. No, you shouldn’t try this at home. This is a trained environment by trained professionals.”
Wight continued by explaining how wrestling works best when performers can emotionally pull audiences into the moment, comparing it to getting completely absorbed into a movie.
“But when we do our job, we are able to suspend belief just for that microsecond. You know, those are the moments you look for where you push the envelope because you want people to go, ‘Oh, wow. That was crazy. That was insane.’ That’s what we try to give. That’s what every wrestler that comes down that ramp, whether that moment happens or not, believe me, the heart and desire of everyone is to give everybody the best performance that we can.”
The Mayweather vs. Big Show feud remains one of WWE’s most memorable celebrity programs, eventually leading to their WrestleMania 24 match where Mayweather defeated Wight after using brass knuckles. Even years later, the segment where Mayweather shattered Wight’s nose is still replayed as one of the most shocking moments involving a mainstream athlete in WWE history.
What do you think about Paul Wight’s story about Floyd Mayweather leaving the building after breaking his nose? Do you think their WrestleMania feud still ranks among WWE’s best celebrity storylines? Let us know your thoughts and feedback in the comments below.