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Paul Wight Looks Back On WWE WrestleMania 24 Bout Against Floyd Mayweather

Posted by admin on May 13th, 2026

Never thinking he would get his stuff handed to him by “The Best Ever” in Floyd Mayweather Jr., former WWE star The Big Show (Paul Wight) was delighted to stand in opposition of the well-renowned boxer on “The Grandest Stage of Them All,” at WrestleMania 24, in 2008. In an interview with Gareth A. Davies, the former two-time World Heavyweight Champion recounts how the angle turned exhibition match was originally presented to them.

“It was supposed to be a tag… Floyd Mayweather and I against Batista and Rey Mysterio,” Wight revealed. “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!”

Before those two locked horns officially, Wight was on the receiving and viciously battered end of the fighting stick with Mayweather, as the now 50-0 elitist punched Wight in the nose (as part of a shoot), a moment most can’t unsee, yet were happy it didn’t happen to them. From there, the fight was on, as Mayweather (and his crew) showed up to Orlando, Florida, to take on the heavy hitter. Wight recalls the electricity and excitement from Mayweather before and during their match, and the overwhelming tongue-lashing he got from Mayweather’s grandmother after.

“We had to talk him out of stuff. His enthusiasm was so high. Like, dude, you’re worth half a billion dollars right now. I’m not choke slamming you through a table. I’m not press slamming you to the floor. Like, if you get hurt, I might get sued. You’re the golden goose. We’re going to take care of you and have fun,” Wight recalled. “At WrestleMania, I stood on him in the match. After the ‘Mania match…his grandmother pulled me off to the side, and was ripping me a new a** for standing on him…She’s intimidating. Floyd had to come over and say, ‘Hey, Nana, it’s okay.’ She said, ‘You stand on him like that, he’s small…I could have burst him’ or something…Oh, she was ready to fight.”

In that fight, Mayweather was truly the living embodiment of the adage that “it’s not the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog,” when he proved that the Big Show wasn’t that big for him.

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit “Gareth A. Davies,” with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.

Mason Rook Signs With NXT Following Chaotic Debut Segment

Posted by admin on May 13th, 2026

The May 12 episode of WWE NXT featured a contract signing segment that quickly turned into chaos, as a new name officially arrived on the brand.

Robert Stone stood in the ring with security positioned on the apron and a contract in hand. He addressed the audience by stating that the NXT landscape has changed, noting that talent from all over the world now wants to call the brand home. Stone then introduced the newest addition to the roster, Mason Rook.

Rook took the microphone and questioned who Mason Rook really is before outlining his background. He said he has traveled across Europe, competed in Japan, and performed around the world. According to Rook, wherever he goes, he turns heads. He added that even John Cena has taken notice, calling himself a “flying human tank” that is hard to ignore.

Rook continued by asking whether he should be satisfied with going viral or having people talk about him in pubs. He made it clear that he is not satisfied and wants more. That, he said, is why he has arrived in NXT. Rook declared that he is not just the best super heavyweight, but the best competitor at any weight, warning that anyone who steps in front of him will get crushed.

The segment took a turn when Tony D’Angelo’s music hit. Stone immediately tried to stop him, but D’Angelo came to the ring and confronted Rook. Tony stated that Rook had succeeded in getting his attention, but warned him about trying to build a name at his expense.

Before the situation could escalate further, Cam Hendrix attacked Tony D’Angelo from behind. The ambush shifted momentum, allowing Rook to take control. He followed up with a moonsault off the turnbuckles to the floor, taking out multiple security personnel in the process.

As the chaos unfolded, Rook signed his NXT contract in the ring. Stone appeared frustrated, telling him that was not how things are supposed to be done, but the deal was already complete.

The segment established Mason Rook as a forceful new presence on NXT, immediately placing him in the mix with established names.

Mason Rook Signs With NXT Following Chaotic Debut Segment

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Naraku Debuts On NXT With Dominant Victory Over Lince Dorado

Posted by admin on May 13th, 2026

The May 12 episode of WWE NXT featured a notable moment for fans familiar with New Japan Pro-Wrestling, as the former EVIL made his official debut under a new name. Now competing as Naraku, the veteran star stepped into a WWE ring for the first time and made an immediate impact.

Naraku’s new ring name carries a fitting meaning. Translated from Japanese, “Naraku” refers to “hell” or “abyss,” aligning closely with the dark persona he established during his time in NJPW. Known for his aggressive style and commanding presence, he entered NXT with a level of intrigue surrounding how he would be presented in WWE.

His first opponent was Lince Dorado, a familiar name to WWE audiences and a current competitor in AAA. The matchup gave fans an early look at Naraku’s in-ring approach under the WWE banner, and it quickly became clear what direction the company is taking with him.

The bout was largely one-sided. Naraku controlled the pace from the opening moments and delivered a dominant performance throughout. Dorado’s offense was limited, as Naraku dictated the action and showcased a physical, methodical style. At several points, Naraku slowed things down to further punish his opponent, emphasizing control rather than urgency.

Dorado’s performance helped highlight Naraku’s offense, making the debuting star appear as a serious threat. The match was presented as a decisive showcase, with Naraku dismantling his opponent before securing a clear victory.

With this win, Naraku begins his WWE run on a strong note. His background as a former IWGP Heavyweight Champion adds credibility, and his presentation on NXT suggests that WWE sees value in positioning him as a dominant force early on.

It remains to be seen how quickly Naraku will move into the NXT Title picture. However, with recent roster call-ups impacting the brand’s depth, his arrival comes at a time when new top-level talent is needed. His debut performance established him as a potential key figure moving forward.

Naraku Debuts On NXT

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Post UFC 328 Rankings Update, Sean Strickland Enters P4P Top 10

Posted by admin on May 13th, 2026

Jack Gorman/Getty Images

UFC 328 was one of the most noteworthy fight cards of the year so far, and with all of the action that took place in Newark, New Jersey, there has been some movement in the UFC rankings, particularly in the men’s pound-for-pound list.

Sean Strickland’s dramatic victory over Khamzat Chimaev via split decision to become the new UFC Middleweight Champion has naturally led to Strickland jumping into the top ten men’s pound-for-pound rankings, landing at number seven alongside former UFC Bantamweight Champion Merab Dvalishvili. Strickland is, of course, the highest ranked middleweight in the company right now, while Chimaev falls down to number ten on the list after sitting in the top three for some time. With Strickland’s addition to the top 15, someone had to drop out, and that someone ended up being Magomed Ankalaev.

Strickland and Chimaev’s fight has also caused some movement in the middleweight rankings as Chimaev is now ranked number one behind the new champion. This has caused Dricus Du Plessis and Nassourdine Imavov to move down to second and third respectively, while both Caio Borralho and Anthony Hernandez both move up to fourth and sixth as a result.

Back up in the pound-for-pound rankings, UFC Flyweight Champion Joshua Van made his first defense of his crown against Tatsuro Taira in a clash that ended up winning the Fight of the Night bonus. The performance from Van sees him move up to ninth in the pound-for-pound rankings, with the top contender in the flyweight division, the man Van took the title from in Alexandre Pantoja, drops down to 11th. However, given the strength of his own performance, Taira has kept his number three ranking in the flyweight division behind Pantoja and Manel Kape.

The other big movement in the rankings came in the welterweight division as Yaroslav Amasov earned himself a Performance of the Night bonus by defeating Joel Alvarez with an Arm Triangle. Amasov jumps up four spaces to finally crack the top ten at 170 pounds, sitting in tenth place and forcing those who were above him heading into UFC 328 to all move down a spot.

WWE NXT – 5/12/2026: 3 Things We Hated And 3 Things We Loved

Posted by admin on May 13th, 2026

We’ve talked a lot about loving newcomers to “NXT” like Lizzy Rain and Mason Rook, but there are quite a few other faces who are helping the developmental brand with its new, fresher feel who deserve some recognition. Those guys may not be immediately in the top title picture like Rook or Kam Hendrix, who is also after NXT Champion Tony D’Angelo, but they’re helping to pad out the roster after call-ups and departures, and just the general need for “NXT” to feature new talent.

Tate Wilder was involved in a really fun six-man tag team match alongside Sean Legacy, who also feels fresh having just recently returned from injury, and EK Prosper against BirthRight. Wilder immediately had an interesting story, as well, with not wanting to tag out to prove his worth to the other guys, with that failing, resulting in a loss. We’ll see him in singles action next week against Keanu Carver next week, which seems like it’ll be a good match.

While it looked like Naraku was going to also immediately gun for D’Angelo and the NXT Championship, it kind of now looks like he’s going to fight his way up and stack some wins. He took on Lince Dorado, who I feel like we haven’t seen in quite some time on WWE programming. I personally need to see a little more from the former IWGP World Heavyweight Champion, but he’s, again, a new, fresh face. Despite what I and others may think of him in the ring, his character is interesting, and it will be even more interesting to see him work to adapt to WWE’s style.

There were also some backstage appearances by other new faces, like Dorian Van Dux, who I’m really interested to see in the ring again. Thankfully, he said he’ll be ready to go by next week, and I can easily say I’m looking forward to that. Noam Dar was seen backstage with Romeo Moreno, a name I had already forgotten about, and after Dar’s loss, it looks like they could be involved in a story, with Moreno helping Dar remember exactly who he is after returning from a year-long absence.

There was Shiloh Hill and Tristan Angels, and anything Hill does is a win for me, as I really love his weird, quirky character. Putting him against the vibe I’m getting from Angels seems like it’ll be fun and ridiculous, and I’m here for it.

“NXT” is feeling new and fun on all levels, not just the top title scene. Tonight’s episode may not have had many stakes, but it set up a lot of interesting things for the new guys, which is sometimes all we can ask for.

Written by Daisy Ruth