JR On Mayweather's Pay, The Rock/WM24, Flair, More

Jim Ross has posted his latest blog entry on his official website. Below are the wrestling-related highlights:

Damn, that's a boat load of cash that Floyd "Money", "Pretty Boy", "The Greatest Fighter on Earth" Mayweather, Jr. is apparently getting to step in the ring with the Big Show at Wrestlemania 24. Twenty million dollars will buy "Money" a bunch of J.R.'s Bar-B-Q, let me tell you and even a few "I've Got Big Nuts" T-shirts, which you should be ordering today for yourself. I still don't know what the match stipulations will be, but considering that Big Show is going to box an exhibition bout on the next Monday Night Raw, one could assume that the Mayweather-Show attraction at WM24 will be a boxing contest. However, we all know what happens when one assumes, especially in the wrestling biz, don't we?

Many boxing purists have expressed concerns about Mayweather venturing into the world of sports entertainment, as if professional boxing was pristine. Mayweather's decision to perform against the 400 pound Big Show could send shock waves through the boxing world if Floyd were to get injured and for one to say that can't happen could be considered Pet Coon goofy. For the record, how much publicity is enough to cover a $20M tab? I don't have that answer, but if 1,000,000 fans world wide buy the pay per view on March 30 then the investment in Mayweather most likely would have been a good one. The investment in Mayweather and the P.R. it will garner after WM24 is worth a bunch. One thing is for sure and that is Mayweather has a lightning rod-like personality that motivates many fans to dislike him and that is not likely to change between now and WM24.

I spent Sunday night in Phoenix celebrating with Ric Flair, not only his induction into the WWE Hall of Fame, of which he is sincerely excited about, but also Ric's 59th birthday. We have actually spent a few of his birthdays together over the years and this one was rather subdued compared to some of our "all nighters," but it did last a few hours on the patio of a local Phoenix establishment. As a matter of fact, we celebrated both Sunday and Monday night before Ric left for Germany to do some public relations work for the WWE and I headed back to Norman to sell some Bar-B-Q. BTW if anyone finds my glasses at the Hyatt in downtown Phoenix please turn them into lost and found. Thank you. Perhaps I am lucky that is all I lost after the birthday celebration.

Ric and I got into a discussion with other WWE personnel about legit, tough guys in wrestling and someone asked who was tougher, Harley Race or Wahoo McDaniel, and the answer was an easy one for both of us and especially for Flair, Race. Wahoo was one bad dude and an amazing athlete who played football at Oklahoma and still holds the record at OU for the longest punt. Wahoo ran with a young quarterback in New York by the name of Joe Namath while both were playing for the NY Jets, until it was discovered that Wahoo was taking the impressionable young QB out virtually every night enjoying the many saloons and lovely ladies of the Big Apple. Linebacker Wahoo would be traded and Namath would eventually lead the Jets to a Super Bowl title.

I thought that Dwayne Johnson, aka The Rock, did a super job on the Oscars Sunday night. The Great One's opportunity to be a presenter is amazing exposure for the bona fide movie star, who has the wrestling business in his blood. The Rock looks like he is in immaculate physical condition and it will be so special to see him induct his grandfather and his father into the WWE Hall of Fame on Saturday, March 29 in Orlando's Amway Arena.

I don't expect Rock's hectic schedule to allow him to make an appearance at WM24 but seeing him on Saturday at the HOF ceremony will be memorable and having The Rock back on "WWE soil" is long overdue.

It looks as if a JBL-Finlay match may be in the making for WM24, or so it would seem, with the interesting news about Hornswoggle's DNA Monday night. The term DNA has slowly creeped onto a wrestling show. Now that, friends and neighbors, is a long way from a Harley Race head butt.

A limited number of tickets are still available for WM24, but my sense is that they will begin rolling out the door quickly, now that the card is taking shape. Over 60,000 tickets have been sold and if you are planning on attending WM24, whatever you do, don't miss the opportunity of a lifetime to witness history at the WWE Hall of Fame Ceremony. This year's HOF is going to make the 25th Anniversary Hall of Fame Ceremony have a tough act to follow. 2007 HOF tickets become available to the general public this Saturday, March 1.