Loading color scheme
Yes we know that this man should NEVER have had the WCW World Heavyweight Championship and the booking at that promotion’s timeframe could be considered among the worst in wrestling history. Still, David Arquette’s cross promotion did bring attention to WCW and his on screen persona was better than half of the roster at the time. Arquette likely knows he had no business being the Champion but considering that he at least respected the industry and that the WCW World Title had a small fraction of worth left, it could have been much worse. Actually, wasn’t it when Vince Russo was the champ?
When the WWE began the program that saw Floyd Mayweather take on the Big Show at Wrestlemania, wrestling fans worldwide let out a collective groan. How could this match be any good, people wondered and who did Paul Wight anger in his return to the WWE to be forced to work with a boxer who was 300 pounds less than him? Shockingly, the match turned about to be very entertaining and though it was far from a wrestling clinic, it was damn entertaining and the Big Show looked good in the expected loss. Mayweather took a lot of shots in the match and proved he really wanted to make the event look good. He probably didn’t earn the major payday he reportedly received, but he was “Money” on that night.
Much like Vince McMahon, Donald Trump is a master of self promotion. Trump and McMahon had no issues using each others resources to further their own agendas. As such, Trump may have brought more mainstream media attention to the WWE in the last few years than any other non wrestling performer. Throw in hosting two Wrestlemanias, and a solid working relationship with Vince, and there is a really good chance for a place for Trump in the Hall.
In what has to be the first logical celebrity inductee, “Iron” Mike Tyson was the focal point of Wrestlemania 14 as the Special Enforcer, and unlike many celebrities brought in for that role, Tyson WANTED to be there. A lifelong wrestling fan, Tyson did not just appear at Wrestlemania, he participated in two months of televised angles leading up to it and undoubtedly spiked the Pay Per View buys for the event. The joy that Tyson had when accepting his induction to the Hall of Fame was all you needed to see to know that this was a celebrity induction that made sense.