WrestleMania 22 Blog

WrestleMania 22 Blog Extra - WrestleMania 22 DVD Features

2006-04-25T14:39:00.000-05:00

The WrestleMania 22 DVD is scheduled for a May 23rd release date, and here are the extras that will be included:

Wrestlemania Weekend
The Chicago Buzz
18-Man Inter-promotional Battle Royal

Hottie Video Exclusives
Mick Foley getting stitches
Rey Mysterio Celebration

WWE.Com Exclusive
Wrestlemania Post Show

The Next Night
John Cena Addresses the Chicago Fans, RAW - 03/04/06

Saturday Night's Main Event - 18/03/06
In it's entirety!

Hall of Fame 2006 Induction Ceremony
4 hours long!

Thanks For Visting The WrestleMania 22 Blog

2006-04-07T15:25:00.000-05:00

I wanted to just thank all of the visitors who have visited my WrestleMania 22 Blog, and all of the compliments that came along with it. Thanks to everyone who sent in any information, especially Qumar, who was a big help with news updates. Also, thanks to my brother and all of the people who I waited in line with camping out for tickets and waiting to get into all of the events, you all made the time waiting in line enjoyable. Once again, thanks for visiting the WrestleMania 22 Blog.

WrestleMania 22 Week Recap

2006-04-07T15:23:00.000-05:00

WrestleMania 22 week has come and gone here in Chicago, and what a week it was! This was my first WrestleMania, and while I am sad to see everything come to an end, I have many memories that will last a lifetime. Here is a recap of my WrestleMania 22 week.

To see all of the pictures from each of the individual events, check out these individual links:

WrestleMania 22 Press Conference

2006 WWE Hall of Fame

Bacon Bagels Biceps Brunch

WrestleMania 22

4/03 WWE Raw

(Posted 3/30/06) Yesterday I was able to attend the WrestleMania 22 Press Conference and the 4th Annual THQ Superstar Challenge. I arrived with my brother at the Chicago Theater around 7:45 A.M. and there was already a long line down the alley. I was shocked to see people had camped out just for the press conference! Sometime after 11 they handed out wristbands to get into the press conference, since they were only allowing the first 200 people into the theater. My brother and I just made the cutoff by about 30 people, so knowing we were getting in was quite the rush. The inside of the theater was electric, and if it was this loud for the press conference, it is going to be off the charts on Sunday Night. The press conference ended around 1 P.M., and then it was off to the House of Blues for the THQ Superstar Challenge. After another couple hours of waiting in line, they finally opened the doors around 5 P.M.. No cameras were allowed in the facility, so that is why there are no pictures of the event. The event didn't start until 6, so the only thing that kept the fans attention for an hour was the wrestlers looking over the balcony and the fans either cheering or jeering them. The event itself was as exciting as watching wrestlers playing videogames could be, but at points it did drag on since the matches ended up taking a while to be completed. The Coach and Teddy Long hosted the event, and they did a great job of keeping the crowed entertained. For the fourth time, Shelton Benjamin was the THQ Superstar Challenge Champion. Once the tournament was over, Jim Jesus from the Mancow Show gave away T-Shirts, copies of Raw vs Smackdown, and a pair of WrestleMania tickets. I ended up catching a t-shirt, but it ended up being a Mancow shirt, and not a WWE shirt like I was expecting. Once Jim Jesus was done, Shinedown took to the stage. Shinedown rocked the hell out the crowd, and they are an awesome band to see live. With the end of Shinedown's impressive set, the day came to an end. Both events were a great way to kick off WrestleMania weekend, and this is just the beginning.

(Posted 4/1/06)After another four hours of waiting, I was able to get my WrestleMania 22 Shirt signed by Rob Van Dam, Matt Hardy, Lashley, and Ashley. The lines were huge and it was limited to the first 200 people in line. You were only allowed one item per person to be signed, and you could not take pictures with the wrestlers. It was all good though as I got to shake hands with one of my favorite wrestlers of all time, Rob Van Dam.

I just got back from the autograph signings at Best Buy and Woodfield Mall. Animal, Cade and Murdoch did not show up for the autograph signing, and they were replaced by the Gymini twins and Palmer Canon. Signing along with them was Paul Burchill and Val Venis. Getting to meet Hillbilly Jim was an awesome experience, and not only did he take a picture with me but I was able to get his autograph as well.

Finally, it was time for the big events to start. The 2006 WWE Hall of Fame took place as you all know at the Rosemont Theater. We arrived early enough in the hopes of catching some of the WWE Hall of Famers. The first recognizable faces we saw were those of Harvey Wippleman and The Brooklyn Brawler. After about another 10 minutes of waiting in the back where the wrestlers were walking in, we struck gold. A white limo pulled up and when the door opened, it was Bret Hart! Chants of Thank You Bret broke out, and everyone's camera was going off. It was also cool to see Bret meet with his former manager, Jimmy Hart. Jimmy asked us to give it up for the Hitman, and the small crowd that was gathered went nuts. Below is a picture of Bret Hart with Jimmy Hart, Ron Simmons, and whom I believe to be Chris Nowinski.

After Bret and everyone walked into the building, we waited around another 20 minutes. During this time Jerry Lawler, who was hosting the ceremony, walked in with a bombshell of a girlfriend. After Jerry walked into the building we decided it was time to get into line to get into the building. After 30 minutes in line the doors finally opened. After buying some souvenirs, we proceeded to our seats. At the door you were given a nice program, which detailed all the Hall of Famers. We had 4th row seats in the balcony, so we were able to see everything easily.

Just before 7 PM the current WWE Superstars and Agents walked to their seats. Everyone from Stephanie and Linda McMahon to Dusty Rhodes were spotted. The show opened up with Bobby Heenan who was going to induct The BlackJacks. Bobby Heenan was funny as usual and played an April Fools joke on everyone telling us that under one seat is a backstage pass to WrestleMania 22.

After The Blackjacks were inducted, Greg Gagne then inducted his father, Verne Gagne. The Blackjacks and the Gagne's may have been from before my time, but it was still very interesting to hear the stories they told.

After Greg Gagne was inducted, it was time for John Cena to induct William "The Refrigerator" Perry. To put it mildly, Cena was pretty much booed out of the building. I have not seen the induction footage on WWE.com, but I heard all of the booing was edited out of the webcast. Things got so bad for John Cena that a "fuck you Cena" chant was started, and he didn't look to happy with that. I have to admit his induction of The Fridge was pretty funny, but the crowd hated Cena so bad that boring chats and the boo's continued. As a Bears fan getting to see The Fridge was cool, but I really don't think he has any place in the WWE Hall of Fame. He was involved with the WWE for one night, and he didn't even win the battle royal he was in. The whole thing smelled like a publicity stunt, just like what was done with Pete Rose being inducted.

Next up came "The Million Dollar Man Ted Dibiase" to induct Sensational Sherri. Seeing Ted Dibiase in person along with his old theme song was a total markout moment for me. Seeing Dibiase throwing out money left and right and then giving his famous laugh put my mark out meter at max.

Sherri's induction speech was great, and many people thought she maybe had a couple too many drinks backstage, but I thought it was all part of her character. Some idiot kept yelling nonsense, and it got to the point where a "kick him out" chant was started. Sherri was quick to attack back, and it made for some great interactions with the crowd.

S.D. Jones was up next to induct Tony Atlas. A humorous "King Kong Bundy" chant was started referring to his record setting squash at the first WrestleMania. S.D. kept telling stories of Tony putting up 640 pounds in one place, then 650 in the next, and we were all wondering what he was talking about. Tony Atlas gave a pretty cool speech that was very inspiring. The lady who took in Tony when he was homeless was at the induction, and this made for an emotional moment for Tony and the crowd.

After Tony Atlas was done speaking, the "main event" of the induction ceremony was ready to take place. Hulk Hogan's music hit and the place went crazy.

Hulk was greeted with "one more match" chants, along with the whole theater screaming "Hogan,Austin". While these chants were going on Hulk put up the money sign with his hand, and the place actually booed Hulk for that. It was great getting to see Hogan live, and I was hoping to see him in the ring at WrestleMania or Raw, which of course never happened, but what can you do.

It was great not only seeing but hearing Mean Gene speak. He has that voice that just takes you right back to your childhood. As with everyone during the night, he had great stories to tell. His ending quote of, (and I am paraphrasing here) "If and when I am called to heaven, bury me face down, so all the critics can kiss my ass," was perhaps the greatest quote of all time.

Next up was Eddie Guerrero's induction. Chants of "Eddie" and "Thank You Eddie" rang throughout the theater. Chavo Guerrero, Chris Benoit, and Rey Mysterio were all of the ones to induct Eddie. Chavo had a great story about Eddie helping out a guy at a convenience store. It was all a very emotional moment, especially when Eddie's wife and kids came out to accept on Eddie's behalf.

After Eddie's emotional induction, the time had come to induct Bret Hart. Stone Cold came out to a huge pop, and he had to cross paths with The Hulkster.

As soon as Stone Cold made it to the podium "Austin Hogan" chants began, and Stone Cold replied he has a can of whoop ass with Hogans name on it. I thought for sure that meant something was going to happen Sunday at WrestleMania or Monday at Raw, but I guess it is being saved for possibly WrestleMania 23.

Anyway, Stone Cold talked about Bret a little bit, and then came the time for The Hitman to walk out to give his speech.

The place went nuts, and you knew you were watching history seeing Bret Hart inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. I thought Bret gave the best speech of the night, and from what I have heard a lot of it was cut out on the USA Network. Bret told stories about Jim Neidhart, Owen, and many other stories that I would not be able to do justice for, so for those who weren't in attendance must check out the DVD when it comes out. After Bret gave his speech, the night was over.

Overall it was a great night and I was so excited that I was able to be in attendance for this event. I just wish that some people would be a little more respectful during the speeches that the wrestlers are giving, instead of trying to be comedians. Other than that, if you have the chance to go to next year's Hall of Fame ceremony I would definitely do so. Below is one of the greatest pictures I've ever taken. This photo was shot at the end of the ceremony and is a picture of Goldust, who was in full makeup, with his arm around his dad, The American Dream Dusty Rhodes.

WrestleMania 22 Sunday had arrived and our morning started bright and early with the Bacon, Bagel, and Biceps brunch at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center. The line to get in was as long of a line I have ever seen, and it took about 10 minutes just to get into the room that the brunch was being held at. As soon as you got into the area that the brunch was being held at, there were many tables set up with all of the food you could eat. Before getting the food we just went straight to our seats, and man was this place huge. It was estimated that there were about 2,000 people present at the Brunch, and there were about 10 people to a table. At your table were two nice gifts, a Big Time WrestleMania 22 alarm clock, and a coffee mug with the brunch logo and WrestleMania 22 logo on it. After settling at our table, we went to go get our food. The food was actually pretty good, although it was a little cold for my tastes. They had two projection screens set up that showed the WrestleMania Big Time Moments special on a continuous loop. After seeing the same special almost twice through, it was time for the event to start. The hosts for the brunch were Josh Matthews and Joey Styles. Josh was able to get in several pot shots at Joey for not hosting WrestleMania 22 anymore. Speaking of Joey Styles, he made the brunch worth the price of admission, and I'll get into why throughout this entry. WWE Hall of Famer Jimmy Hart came out to induct several children from various organizations into the Circle of Champions.

There was about a 10 minute break between the Circle of Champion inductions and the introductions of the WWE Superstars. They showed highlights of the iron man matchup at WrestleMania XII between Shawn Michaels and Bret Hart. This led to Joey Styles markout moment one. Josh gave another shot at Joey, and a "We Want Joey" chant started. Joey was then asked why he wasn't calling WrestleMania, and he then gave the same story that he did on WWE.com. He then told us to chant "we want Joey" at WrestleMania, and maybe they will let him call some matches. He then said "what else can the WWE do to me, they already took me off of Mania" This was the first of a couple shots at the WWE during the morning.

After that was over with, the WWE Superstars were introduced. The wrestlers on hand were Rob Conway, Trevor Murdoch, Maria, Tyson Tomko, Jamie Noble, Tatanka, Mr. Kennedy, Orlando Jordan, Animal, and brand new WWE Hall of Famer Sensational Sherri. Mr Kennedy had one of the biggest pops, followed by Animal and Sensational Sherri. Some people weren't happy with the superstars that were on hand considering the breakfast cost 125 dollars, but it didn't bother me. Each superstar gave their favorite WrestleMania moment, and thanked the fans for coming out. Each superstar pretty much broke character and spoke from the heart, except Murdoch. Rob Conway told us how much it meant to be in a WrestleMania being from Indiana, and how he has never been able to tell the fans how much he appreciates them since he has always been a heel. Murdoch was up next and said he was not going to be nice to this crowd, and we were the ugliest people he has ever seen. It was funny to hear him stay in character since everyone else was pretty much being themselves.

After the wrestlers spoke, it was time for a Q & A session from the crowd. This is where Joey Styles markout number two came. A fan asked Joey Styles, "Why hasn't Rob Van Dam been given a shot at the World Title?" Joey replied, " To give a politically correct answer, RVD is a professional wrestler, and this is a sports entertainment company." People in the crowd were definitely shocked at how honest Joey Styles was being with everyone. The funniest question of the day came from a fan asking Orlando Jordan about his supposed bisexual angle that he will be starting. The fan also asked which wrestler he would like to be involved with. At this point all of the superstars walked off the stage, except Murdoch. Murdoch then shook Orlando Jordan's hand, all to the amusement of the crowd. OJ then told us to not believe everything you hear on the internet, but anything could happen. Joey Styles markout number three occurred when Tomko (which would end up being his last appearance for the company) and Orlando Jordan were going at it. Both men stood up like they were about to fight each other, and then Joey went up to a microphone and asked, "Is it ok if I call this match?" Joey was on fire this morning and it was good to know he was at least able to call one match at WrestleMania 22.

After the Q & A session ended, so did the brunch. I was a little disappointed we weren't able to get autographs from the Superstars. I realize that there were 2000 people in attendance and getting an autograph from everyone would have been impossible, but one or two autographs would have been nice. I did enjoy myself though since I love hearing stories from the wrestlers, and Joey Styles made the experience a lot more entertaining.

It was now time to head over to the Allstate Arena for the remainder of the day. We arrived around noon to the Allstate, and we headed to the back where all of the wrestlers enter the building. We found out that we had missed Mick Foley by about five minutes and that he was signing stuff for everyone. We were bummed out that we missed Mick, but about 10 minutes later a huge coach bus pulled up with what seemed to be half of the roster. Below are pictures I was able to snap of the wrestlers getting off the bus.

We were also able to catch Howard Finkel getting out of a limo and Michael Cole and Tazz drive off to somewhere. After standing around for a little more we decided to head off to the Fan Axxess Tour tent. It was jam packed inside, so all we took part in was the Call A Match exhibit. After about 30 minutes of waiting in line to call the match, it was time for lunch.

Once lunch was over it was time to head into line to wait for the arena to open. We decided to get our souvenirs beforehand so we could just go straight to our seats once we got inside. There was still about two hours before doors opened, but we were so used to waiting in lines this week it didn't bother us. I ended up being right in front of some of the people I waited in line with when camping out for tickets, so talking to everyone about what was about to go down later that night.

The doors finally opened after a long wait, and it was finally time for WrestleMania! The stage setup with the Sears Tower was an awesome site to see, along with the banners hanging from the rafters of the different WWE Superstars. We thought that since Bret Hart, Hogan, and Austin had banners up, they would be part of the show, but of course we were wrong. Hell, Hardcore Holly had a banner up so that should have clued us in as well.

It was announced before WrestleMania started that there would be a battle royal between Raw and Smackdown superstars. This was your common battle royal, nothing out of the ordinary happened. Viscera ended up winning the battle royal.

After the battle royal was finished, it was then time for WrestleMania! Michelle Williams did a great job of singing America The Beautiful, and after a great opening video the opening pyro went off, and man was it crazy. After a lifetime of waiting I was finally at WrestleMania.

Some of the highlights ot the night were-

Seeing Carlito and hearing Chris Masters theme music (I mark for both)

Money In The Bank 2 - Between Matt Hardy suplexing Ric Flair, Shelton Benjamin's flip onto the floor and when he jumped off the rope onto the ladder, RVD's jump off the lader and his win, what a great match it was

The entire Hardcore Match- what a performance the two put on, and the spear through the flaming table was one of the greatest moments of the night

Trish vs. Mickie James - this is one of the first womens matches Ive actually enjoyed watching. The crowd was behind Mickie, and the only thing that ruined this match was the botched Stratusfaction at the end

This picture:
HBK beating the crap out of Vince McMahon- HBK going crazy and just laying it into Vince was a sight to see, Shane kissing his Dad's ass was not. HBK doing the DX crotch slap and then jumping off the ladder was the moment of the night

The Triple Threat Main Event Match- Too Short for my tastes, but seeing Angle tear it up alongside Orton and Mysterio was a treat.

John Cena vs Triple H- Crowd wise the best match of the night. The most electric crowd reaction I have ever heard. The entrances were over the top but fun to watch. The whole match had a heavyweight feel to it. Triple H has most of the crowd in the palm of his hands. I never thought in a million years Triple H would have tapped to Cena. Seeing this match on TV does not do it justice, you had to be in the crowd for the full experience.

After an amazing main event, the show was over. What an amazing WrestleMania it was! I was into every match except the Booker T/Sharmell vs BoogeyMan match, and the Playboy pillow fight. In all the years I have been going to WWE Events at the Allstate Arena I have never heard the crowd like it was for Cena/HHH. It was a magical moment that as a wrestling fan I will never forget.

On Monday Night it was time for Raw. It was a great show to see live, but I was a little disapointed there was no buildup for Hogan/Austin like what was talked about online. To check out all of the pictures from the event, check out the links on the top of this entry.

What A Weekend!

2006-04-03T10:26:00.000-05:00

Wrestlemania 22 has come and gone and what an event it was. I have hundreds of photos to go through and they will all be up tomorrow, since I will have even more photos from Raw tonight. So check back tomorrow for my full recap and pictures, pictures, and more pictures from WrestleMania 22.

WrestleMania Weekend Begins Tomorrow!

2006-03-29T20:50:00.000-06:00

The time has finally arrived for WrestleMania 22 Weekend! Check back late tomorrow night for full coverage of the WrestleMania 22 Press Conference and the 4th Annual THQ Superstar Challenge. Below are the latest news updates regarding WrestleMania 22

On Monday, The Daily Herald had a WrestleMania 22 pullout section. On the back page, it said to check out ticketmaster throughout the week for tickets that are being released for the WWE Hall of Fame, Wrestlemania 22, and Raw. I was checking earlier today and there were 2 tickets available 8th row ringside for WrestleMania. These tickets were held for production, and are now being released for the fans. If you would like to try your luck, use the links below and you just may get lucky and get the tickets you were looking for. Here are the links:

WrestleMania 22

2006 WWE Hall of Fame

Raw

As reported last night, Jim Ross will be replacing Joey Styles for the Raw side of WrestleMania 22. Click here to read what Jim Ross had to say about the situation. Click here to read Joey Styles reaction.

Bret Hart did an interview with SI.com regarding his induction into the WWE Hall of Fame and whether or not he will be at WrestleMania 22. Click here to check it out

Every morning from now until Friday, a different WWE Superstar will be on the WGN Morning News. This morning, The Big Show and Maria were both guests. Click here to watch this video.

Finally, Booker T, Sharmell, and JBL will be on the Mancow show at 8 A.M. Central Time. To see if you can listen to Mancow, click here.

Mancow Alert - Big Show and Maria on Wednesday's Show

2006-03-28T18:31:00.000-06:00

Tomorrow at 8AM Central Time, The Big Show and Maria will be on Mancow's Morning Madhouse, which is broadcast in Chicago on Q101. Fear not if you don't live in Chicago though, his show is syndicated throughout the country. To see if you can listen to Mancow, click here. Check back tomorrow and Thursday for more of Mancow's upcoming guests throughout the week,

WrestleMania 23 Site Confirmed

2006-03-28T07:35:00.000-06:00

According to PWI, WrestleMania 23 has been confirmed to be coming to Ford Field in Detroit, MI. Next year will be the 20 year anniversary of the biggest WrestleMania of all time, Wrestlemania III, which took place from the Pontiac Silverdome.

3/28 Raw Results - 2006 WWE Hall of Fame Update and More WrestleMania 22 News

2006-03-28T07:19:00.000-06:00

For full results of the last Raw before WrestleMania 22, click here

It was announced last tonight that S.D. Jones will be inducting Tony Atlas into the WWE Hall of Fame, and John Cena will be inducting William Perry in as well.

Also, it was announced that Jerry Lawler will be hosting the 2006 WWE Hall of Fame. Why not Jim Ross you ask? Because he'll be calling the Raw matches the next night at WrestleMania 22

It's WrestleMania Week! Complete WrestleMania Chicagoland Appearences

2006-03-26T14:07:00.000-06:00

It's hard to believe, but WrestleMania 22 is one week away! Below is the final comprehensive list of all the WWE appearances in the Chicagoland area. If any appearances are added during the week they will be added to this list. The events listed in bold are the events that I will be covering for this site. I will be posting a ton of pictures from all of the events, and maybe some video using my digital camera as well. Also, all media coverage from Chicago will be posted, including any local newspaper articles, and if I am able to get around to it, transcripts of any radio or television appearances. For those who are interested, the WWE Fan Axxess Tour will be making a stop at Woodfield Mall this Friday, and I would love to meet anyone who has been visiting this site over the past year. I am not sure if there is going to be a Smackdown Viewing Party, but I will be at the mall from 5 to 7 P.M. for the autograph session, and I will stay for the viewing party if there is one. If you would be interested in meeting up with fellow WWE fans who visit this site, send me an e-mail using the link provided on the righthand side of the page with the subject "Woodfield Mall". Thats it for now, I'll be back tomorrow night with Raw results and the latest WrestleMania 22 news.

Wrestlemania Week Appearences
Fan Axxess Tour Dates
March 29, 2006 – Orland Park, IL
Toys-R-Us Orland Park
45 Orland Square Drive
12:00pm - 7:00pm
Superstar Billy Graham Appearance 5:00pm - 7:00pm

Beginning March 2, the first 500 guests who purchase WWE products worth $20 or more at Toys “R” Us Orland Park will receive a ticket to meet “Superstar” Billy Graham. Ticket holders will receive Billy Graham’s autograph during a special event on March 29.

March 31, 2006 – Schaumburg, IL
Woodfield Mall, Comcast Connections Court
5 Woodfield Shopping Center
3:00pm - 9:00pm
Superstars RVD, Matt Hardy, Lashley, and Ashley Appearances 5:00 - 7:00pm

April 1, 2006 – Schaumburg, IL
Woodfield Mall, Comcast Connections Court
5 Woodfield Shopping Center
12:00pm - 8:00pm
Superstars Paul Birchhill, Trevor Murdoch, Lance Cade, Animal, and Val Venis Appearances 12:00 - 1:30pm

April 2, 2006 – Rosemont, IL
Allstate Arena Parking Area
6920 N. Mannheim Rd
12:00 - 4:00pm
Superstar Appearances throughout the day

Appearences and EventsFrom Monday, March 27, through Sunday, April 2, exclusive Wrestlemania 22 merchandise and Superstar items will be available at The Chicago Sports Store in the Nordstrom Mall located at 520 North Michigan Avenue, The Chicago Sports Store located at 328 North Michigan Avenue in downtown Chicago, The Wyndham O'Hare Hotel located at 6810 North Manheim Avenue in Rosemont, The Hyatt Hotel located at 9300 West Bryn Mawr Avenue in Rosemont, the Rosemont Theater and Allstate Arena.

Tuesday, March 28
VIRGIN MEGASTORE, 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Candice will be signing autographs at VIRGIN MEGASTORE at 540 N. Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611

According to the Chicago Virgin Megastore subsite, Candice will only sign copies of the April 2006 Playboy magazine, which she is on the cover. Copies of the April 2006 Playboy will be on hand for purchase. Also, no photographs of fans with Candice will be allowed. Fans will only be allowed to take pictures of Candice by herself, as they approach the signing table. Here's the link:
http://www.virginmegamagazine.com/default.asp?vms=12

Starting Wednesday, March 29, WWE Superstars will appear on "Mancow's Morning Madhouse" on Q101 and on local television shows through Friday.

WWE Superstars also will start their visits to 16 high schools in the Chicagoland School District as part of WWE's Get R.E.A.L. Read "Big Time Reading Challenge" with the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), Comcast, and the Chicago Public Schools Department of Libraries. The WWE Superstars will talk to thousands of students about the importance of reading.

Wednesday, March 29 5-7 p.m.
Best Buy (Store #305) 900 E. Golf Road , Schaumburg, IL 60173
Attend an Autograph Session with Maria and Victoria, who will be signing the Divas Do New York 2006 DVD.

Wednesday, March 29 4:30 - 6 p.m.
Popeye's Chicken & Biscuits, 1300 N Lewis Ave. Waukegan, IL 60085
Meet Rob Van Dam at an Autograph Session from 4:30 - 6 p.m.

Wednesday, March 29 6-7 p.m.
Chicago Sports Store 328 N. Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL
Meet Trevor Murdoch & Tyson Tomko for an Autograph session from 6-7 p.m. For more information please call (312)641-6106.

Thursday, March 30 4:30 - 6 p.m.
Popeye's Chicken & Biscuits, 221 E. Rollins Rd. Round Lake Beach, IL 60073
Meet Chris Benoit at an Autograph Session from 4:30 - 6 p.m.

Thursday, March 30 7 p.m.
Chicago Cycle 3450 West Touhy Ave, Skokie, IL
Matt Hardy, Victoria, and Gregory Helms will be signing autographs at Chicago Cycle from 7-9 p.m.

Thursday, March 30 7-9 p.m.
Tower Records #812 383 W. Army Trail Road , Bloomingdale, IL 60108
Meet Triple H at a book signing for "Making The Game"

Thursday, March 30 12-2 p.m.
Chicago Theatre 175 N. State Street, Chicago, IL
The WrestleMania 22 Press Conference will feature:
(From RAW) Shawn Michaels, John Cena, Triple H, Candice Michelle, Carlito, Coach (Host)
(From SmackDown) Kurt Angle, Rey Mysterio, Randy Orton, Booker T, Sharmell, Mark Henry, JBL, Michael Cole (Host). Space is limited for this event.

Thursday, March 30 5-10 p.m.
House of Blues 329 N. Dearborn , Chicago, IL
These Superstars will participate in the WWE/THQ Superstar Challenge:
Coach, Teddy Long, Shelton Benjamin, Orlando Jordon, Trish Stratus, Melina, Carlito, Mr. Kennedy, Steven Richards, Chris Masters, Lita, Kristal, Edge, Paul London, John Cena, Joey Mercury, RVD, & Johnny Nitro.

Thurs., March 30
Scotty 2 Hotty will be appearing at the merchandise stand located at the Hyatt Regency Hotel at 9300 W. Bryn Mawr Avenue in Rosemont, IL. The appearance will take place between 6-7 p.m.

Thurs., March 30
Jamie Noble will be appearing at the merchandise stand located at the Wyndham Hotel at 6810 N. Manneheim Road in Rosemont, IL. The appearance will take place between 6-7 p.m.

On Friday, March 31, 150 students from the Chicagoland School District will compete in the "Big Time Reading Challenge" finals at Robert Morris College Center. The event will be hosted by WWE SmackDown(R) Superstar Rey Mysterio(R) and WWE RAW(R) Superstar and current Intercontinental Champion Shelton Benjamin(TM), along with YALSA President Pam Spencer Holley and young adult author Chris Crutcher.

Friday, March 31 4:30 - 6 p.m.
Popeye's Chicken & Biscuits, 5711 S La Grange Rd. Countryside, IL 60525
Meet Booker T at an Autograph Session from 4:30 - 6 p.m.

Fri., March 31
Eugene & Mickie James will participate in a merchandise signing at the Chicago Sports Store at the Nordstrom Mall at 520 N. Michigan Ave. The signing will take place between 6-7 p.m.

Friday, March 31 6-8 p.m.
Gameworks, Schaumburg, IL
John Cena will be signing autographs at Gameworks at 601 N. Martingdale Road (Suite 115), Schaumburg, Illinois (Located at The Streets of Woodfield Mall).

According to Q101.com, autographs will be limited to the first 500 people. This event is a Q101-sponsored event, with Jim Jesus from the Mancow show on hand to represent Q101. Here's the link from Q101.com:
http://www.q101.com/win/wwe_gameworks.aspx

Friday, March 31 5-7 p.m.
Best Buy (Store #323) 1000 W. North Ave , Chicago, IL 60622
Attend an Autograph Session with Torrie Wilson & Trish Stratus, who will be signing the Divas Do New York 2006 DVD.

Saturday, April 1 11:30-1:30 p.m.
Best Buy 900 E. Golf Road Schaumburg
Meet Randy Orton at an Autograph Signing from 11:30-1:30 p.m.

Saturday, April 1 12-2 p.m.
Borders Books & Music #58 830 N. Michigan, Chicago, IL
Meet Shawn Michaels at a book signing for Heartbreak & Triumph from 12-2 p.m.

Additional information at this link:
http://www.bordersstores.com/events/event_detail.jsp?SEID=71832

On Saturday night, April 1, WWE will induct several WWE Legends into its Hall of Fame. The ceremony will be held at the sold-out Rosemont Theater. Portions of the WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, presented locally by Chicago Cycle, will be broadcast on the USA Network on Saturday, April 1, at 11 p.m. ET/10 p.m. CT.

On Sunday morning, April 2, at its annual "Bacon, Bagels and Biceps Brunch," WWE will honor its Circle of Champions, a dozen children and teens from around the United States (including Chicago), Canada and Australia. These individuals are honored for having shown courage in dealing with serious illnesses or disabilities. The organizations participating in the event are: Make-A-Wish Foundation; Wishing Star of Spokane, Wash.; Wishing Well Foundation USA of Metairie, La.; and Sunshine Dreams for Kids of Canada. Hosts: Joey Styles & Josh Matthews
Special Appearance by Hall of Famer Jimmy "Mouth of the South" Hart
Q&A with such Superstars as: Animal, Maria, Orlando Jordan, Mr. Kennedy and others

At 5:30 p.m. (CT), it's the Main Event, WrestleMania 22, presented by Snickers, at the sold-out Allstate Arena.

Monday, April 3 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
Tower Records 1209 E. Golf Road, Schaumber, IL
Meet Candice at a Playboy signing from 11 a.m.-1 p.m.

Due to the overwhelming demand, WWE will invade the Allstate Arena for one more night, as "Monday Night RAW" will be broadcast live on Monday, April 3, on USA Network starting at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT.

The Final 2006 WWE Hall of Fame Lineup and more Hall of Fame News

2006-03-24T16:00:00.000-06:00

Here is the final lineup for the 2006 WWE Hall of Fame:

Bret Hart (inducted by Steve Austin)

Eddie Guerrero (inducted by Chavo Guerrero, Chris Benoit, and Rey Mysterio)

Gene Okerlund (inducted by Hulk Hogan)

"Sensational" Sherri (inducted by "Million Dollar Man" Ted Dibiase)

Verne Gagne (inducted by Greg Gagne)

The Blackjacks (inducted by Bobby Heenan)

William "The Refridgerator" Perry(Inducted by John Cena)

Tony Atlas(inducted by S.D. Jones)

For those of you not lucky enough to be going to the induction ceremony, you cant watch the first two hours on WWE.com from 9-11 E.T., and then the final hour at 11 PM E.T. on USA network. For more information, click here

WWEShop has released the 2006 WWE Hall of Fame T-Shirt, which you can check out here

Wrestlemania 22 Press Release!

2006-03-22T18:04:00.000-06:00

World Wrestling Entertainment(R) Blows 'Big Time' Into Chicago Starting Tuesday, March 28, With a Series of Public Events as Part of WrestleMania(R) 22 Week

STAMFORD, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 22, 2006--World Wrestling Entertainment will invade the Chicago area from Tuesday, March 28, through Sunday, April 2, with a series of autograph signings, radio and television appearances, school programs, a high school reading challenge, and a 2006 WWE(R) Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, all leading up to the presentation of WWE's annual "Big Time" live event and pay-per-view pop culture extravaganza, WrestleMania 22.

On Sunday, April 2, WWE will present WrestleMania 22 at Rosemont's Allstate Arena before a capacity crowd of more than 15,000 people from 16 countries and 43 states. All available seats for WrestleMania 22 sold in less than two minutes in October.

For those not attending, WrestleMania 22 can be purchased on pay-per-view through local cable affiliates or satellite providers, and will be seen in more than 90 countries.

The fun begins on Tuesday, March 28, when WWE Diva Candice Michelle(TM) has an autograph signing at Virgin Records on Michigan Avenue, the first of several "WWE Fan Frenzy" appearances by WWE Superstars and Legends at Toys'R'Us, Best Buy, Tower Records, Chicago Cycle, Popeyes Chicken & Biscuits, Gameworks, and other locations.

Starting Wednesday, March 29, WWE Superstars will appear on "Mancow's Morning Madhouse" on Q101 and on local television shows through Friday.

WWE Superstars also will start their visits to 16 high schools in the Chicagoland School District as part of WWE's Get R.E.A.L. Read "Big Time Reading Challenge" with the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), Comcast, and the Chicago Public Schools Department of Libraries. The WWE Superstars will talk to thousands of students about the importance of reading.

On Thursday, March 30, at noon, WWE Superstars will hold a news conference at the Chicago Theatre, which WWE fans are encouraged to attend. Starting at 4 p.m., fans can watch their favorite Superstars compete in a video game competition at the third annual THQ Superstar Challenge at the House of Blues.

On Friday, March 31, 150 students from the Chicagoland School District will compete in the "Big Time Reading Challenge" finals at Robert Morris College Center. The event will be hosted by WWE SmackDown(R) Superstar Rey Mysterio(R) and WWE RAW(R) Superstar and current Intercontinental Champion Shelton Benjamin(TM), along with YALSA President Pam Spencer Holley and young adult author Chris Crutcher.

On Friday, March 31, and Saturday, April 1, WWE's "WrestleMania 22 Fan Axxess Tour," which has been crossing the United States since mid-January, makes its final stop at the Woodfield Mall in Schaumberg, Ill. WWE Superstars and Legends will be on hand to greet fans and sign autographs. Presenting sponsor of the tour is the National Guard.

On Saturday night, April 1, WWE will induct several WWE Legends into its Hall of Fame, including Bret "Hit Man" Hart, who will be inducted by "Stone Cold" Steve Austin(TM), and the late Eddie Guerrero, who will be inducted by his nephew, WWE RAW Superstar Chavo Guerrero(TM), WWE SmackDown Superstar Chris Benoit(R) and WWE SmackDown Superstar Rey Mysterio. Among others to be inducted are: Gene Okerlund by Hulk Hogan(TM), "Sensational" Sherri by "Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase; and Verne Gagne by his son, Greg. The ceremony will be held at the sold-out Rosemont Theater. Portions of the WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, presented locally by Chicago Cycle, will be broadcast on the USA Network on Saturday, April 1, at 11 p.m. ET/10 p.m. CT.

From Monday, March 27, through Sunday, April 2, exclusive Wrestlemania 22 merchandise and Superstar items will be available at The Chicago Sports Store in the Nordstrom Mall located at 520 North Michigan Avenue, The Chicago Sports Store located at 328 North Michigan Avenue in downtown Chicago, The Wyndham O'Hare Hotel located at 6810 North Manheim Avenue in Rosemont, The Hyatt Hotel located at 9300 West Bryn Mawr Avenue in Rosemont, the Rosemont Theater and Allstate Arena. Talent will be visiting the retail locations throughout the week to sign autographs and meet with fans.

On Sunday morning, April 2, at its annual "Bacon, Bagels and Biceps Brunch," WWE will honor its Circle of Champions, a dozen children and teens from around the United States (including Chicago), Canada and Australia. These individuals are honored for having shown courage in dealing with serious illnesses or disabilities. The organizations participating in the event are: Make-A-Wish Foundation; Wishing Star of Spokane, Wash.; Wishing Well Foundation USA of Metairie, La.; and Sunshine Dreams for Kids of Canada.

Then, at 5:30 p.m. (CT), it's the Main Event, WrestleMania 22, presented by Snickers, at the sold-out Allstate Arena.

Due to the overwhelming demand, WWE will invade the Allstate Arena for one more night, as "Monday Night RAW" will be broadcast live on Monday, April 3, on USA Network starting at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT.

More information on World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE: WWE) can be found at wwe.com and corporate.wwe.com. For a complete list of WrestleMania Week activities, please visit Appearances at wrestlemania.com.

2006 WWE Hall of Fame Update - The Fridge is in!

2006-03-22T13:48:00.000-06:00

In what is great news being a lifelong Bears fan, it has been announced on PWI that William "The Fridge" Perry is being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame's Celebrity Wing! Perry took place in the NFL/WWF Battle Royal at Wrestlemania 2 which also took place at the Rosemont Horizon. In tribute to The Fridge, here are his lyrics from the greatest song ever composed, The Super Bowl Shuffle, made by the greatest NFL Team in history, the '85 Bears

You're lookin' at the Fridge,
I'm the rookie.
I may be large, but I'm no dumb cookie.
You've seen me hit, you've seen me run,
When I kick and pass, we'll have more fun.
I can dance, you will see
The others, they all learn from me.
I don't come here lookin' for trouble,
I just came here to do
The Super Bowl Shuffle.

Also, Tony Atlas is confirmed to be inducted this year into the WWE Hall of Fame. To view William "The Refrigerator" Perry's profile, click here. To view Tony Atlas profile, click here.

Jim Ross Update, Michelle Williams and P.O.D. to Perform at WrestleMania 22

2006-03-22T12:47:00.000-06:00

According to PWI, the expectation within WWE is that Jim Ross will be back with the company to host the Hall of Fame ceremonies, with a lot of talk being that he will call a match at WrestleMania as well.

WWE.com is reporting that Michelle Williams of Destiny's Child will be singing America the Beautiful at WrestleMania 22.

It has also been reported by WWE.com that P.O.D. will play Rey Mysterio to the ring, performing his theme song "Booyaka 619"

THQ Kicks Off WrestleMania(R) 22 Weekend in Chicago With Fourth Annual THQ Superstar Challenge

2006-03-21T17:49:00.001-06:00

The following is a press release issued by THQ. Expect full coverage of all WrestleMania Weekend Activites here on the blog. Thanks to Qumar for sending this in

THQ Kicks Off WrestleMania(R) 22 Weekend in Chicago With Fourth Annual THQ Superstar Challenge

Premiere Video Game Competition to Feature World Wrestling Entertainment(R) Superstars and a Performance by Shinedown

AGOURA HILLS, Calif., March 21 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- THQ Inc. (Nasdaq: THQI - News) on behalf of THQ/JAKKS Pacific, LLC today announced preliminary details for the fourth annual THQ Superstar Challenge. Taking over the House of Blues in downtown Chicago on March 30, 16 elite Superstars from World Wrestling Entertainment will challenge one another in a no-holds-barred competition featuring THQ/JAKKS Pacific's critically acclaimed WWE® SmackDown® vs. RAW® 2006 video game for the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system.

"Hosting the THQ Superstar Challenge is our way of thanking WWE and its talented Superstars for their hard work and dedication, while celebrating the continued success of the THQ/JAKKS Pacific video game franchise," said Kelly Flock, executive vice president, worldwide publishing, THQ. "We recognize the long hours required in making the WWE video games and are always pleased to see the Superstars enjoy the finished products."

"The THQ Superstar Challenge is the ultimate kickoff to a weekend of great WrestleMania 22 entertainment in Chicago," said Monty Ross, director, consumer marketing, World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. "We are excited to be involved with this amazing opportunity for WWE fans to watch their favorite Superstars compete in a thrilling video game competition."

"JAKKS Pacific is proud to once again be part of this year's big pre-WrestleMania THQ Superstar Challenge," said Nelo Lucich, vice president of interactive, JAKKS Pacific, Inc. "The anticipation of the WWE video game competition is always a highlight of WrestleMania weekend."

About The THQ Superstar Challenge

The fourth annual THQ Superstar Challenge will take place at the House of Blues in downtown Chicago on Thursday, March 30 at 6:00 p.m. A total of 16 Superstars will compete in a bracket-style tournament to decide who will be crowned the ultimate competitor on THQ/JAKKS Pacific's WWE SmackDown vs. RAW 2006 video game. Reigning Challenge champion Shelton Benjamin(TM) will defend his title while the competition threatens to steal the show and earn bragging rights among fellow Superstars and WWE fans.

Following the video game competition, Atlantic Records recording artist Shinedown will command the House of Blues stage. Touring in support of Us And Them, the hard-rocking Jacksonville, Florida band's second album and follow-up to its 2003 platinum debut, Leave A Whisper, Shinedown is poised to support the THQ Superstar Challenge prior to WrestleMania 22 at Allstate Arena on Sunday, April 2.

THQ Superstar Challenge is open to the public. Tickets are $20 each and went on sale through Ticketmaster beginning March 11.

THQ Superstar Challenge Participants

RAW Roster: Shelton Benjamin, Chris Masters(TM), Lita®, Edge®, John Cena®, Carlito(TM), Rob Van Dam®, Trish Stratus® and Coach(TM) (host)

SmackDown Roster: Steven Richards(TM), Paul London(TM), Orlando Jordan(TM), Melina(TM), Mercury(TM), Nitro(TM), Kristal(TM), Ken Kennedy(TM) and Teddy Long(TM) (host)

* Participant roster subject to change

3/21 Raw Results, 2006 WWE Hall of Fame Update

2006-03-21T17:49:00.000-06:00

For Complete 3/21 Raw Results, click here

Tonight it was also announced that Bobby "The Brain" Heenan will be inducting The Blackjacks into the WWE Hall of Fame

Raw Report for 3/13, 2006 WWE Hall of Fame Update

2006-03-13T22:29:00.000-06:00

For the complete 3/13 Raw Report, Click Here

Also tonight on Raw it was announced that Ted Dibiase will be inducting Sensational Sherri into the 2006 WWE Hall of Fame, along with Verne Gagne being inducted by his son Greg Gagne. While its great to see that The Million Dollar Man will be there, I wish he was being inducted instead, as he was one of the great heels of the WWF.

Various Wrestlemania 22 News

2006-03-13T22:14:00.000-06:00

Triple H will be signing autographs on 3/30 at the Tower Records in Bloomingdale, IL starting at 7 p.m. He will only sign autographs of his book, "Triple H: Making the Game". For more information click here

WWE.com posted last night on the Appearances page that Candice Michelle would have another Playboy signing in the Chicagoland area. The appearance is scheduled for Monday, April 3rd, the day after WM22, from 11a.m. to 1p.m. at the Tower Records in Schaumburg, IL. The store is located at 1209 E. Golf Rd. Click here for more information

During the weekend of March 25th and 26th, Chicago Cycle is having a "March Madness Open House". They will be giving away free food and prizes at the door. But, the big thing is they're giving away what they call the "World Wrestling Prize Pack", which includes 2 tickets to the HOF ceremony, the Brunch, and WrestleMania 22. Chicago Cycle is located close by the Lincolnwood Town Center, by the corner of McCormick and Touhy. The address is 3450 W. Touhy Ave in Skokie. Click here for a flyer

The Jewel/Osco Wrestlemania 22 Promotion has started. The grand prize is 4 tickets to Wrestlemania 22. First prize is 4 tickets to the 4/3 RAW. And, 50 second prizes are a Wrestlemania 22 t-shirt and hat. If you want to enter the contest, you need to send your name, address, age, and daytime phone number to the following address:

Pepsi/WWE Sweepstakes
3075 Tollview Drive
Rolling Meadows, IL 60008

The sweepstakes ends on March 22nd and only people 13+ from IL, IN, and WI can enter.

Thanks to Qumar for helping out with the info

Updated Chicagoland Appearences for Wrestlemania Week

2006-03-13T22:06:00.000-06:00

WWE.com has added the following appearences for the week of Wrestlemania -

Thursday, March 30 7 p.m.
Chicago Cycle, Skokie, IL

Matt Hardy, Victoria, and Gregory Helms will be signing autographs at Chicago Cycle, 3450 West Touhy Avenue, Skokie, Illinois.

Friday, March 31 6:00 p.m.
Gameworks, Schaumburg, IL

John Cena will be signing autographs at Gameworks at 601 N. Martingdale Road (Suite 115), Schaumburg, Illinois (Located at The Streets of Woodfield Mall).

4th Annual THQ Superstar Challenge Tickets On Sale Now!

2006-03-10T10:08:00.000-06:00

For those interested, tickets have just gone on sale for the 4th Annual THQ Superstar Challenge Thursday, March 30th at the House of Blues in Downtown Chicago. Click here to get tickets (while they last)

Wrestlemania 22 Games!

2006-03-09T13:34:00.000-06:00

Check out the links to the right under the Wrestlemania 22 logo to play brand new Wrestlemania 22 Games! You can play Big Time Divas Slots, Memory Mania, and four Wrestlemania puzzles. Winning or solving these games will all give you an exclusive video clip.

WWE's "Big Time" Wrestlemania

2006-03-07T13:45:00.000-06:00

Here is a press release released today by the WWE on their marketing plans for Wrestlemania 22. Those plans which involve the Chicagoland area will be in bold.

WWE Takes "Big Time" Approach to Marketing Blitz for WrestleMania 22

STAMFORD, Conn., March 7, 2006 – WWE is capitalizing on its recent momentum by mounting its biggest-ever promotional campaign for pay-per-view’s perennial champion live event, WrestleMania 22. The event, which sold out in less than two minutes in October, will take place at Chicago’s Rosemont’s Allstate Arena on Sunday, April 2, 2006, and can be purchased on pay-per-view through cable and satellite providers.

The multi-million dollar build up to the WrestleMania 22 spectacular includes a joint promotion with NBC Universal, as well as promotions with Snickers, Pepsi, Mountain Dew, Popeyes Chicken & Biscuits, Game Stop, EB Games, and Toys ‘R’ Us. An affiliate-powered Fan Axxess Tour is crossing the U.S. sponsored by the National Guard. A two-month viral E-Marketing effort is planned, as is free on-demand programming to drive pay-per-view sales. And there will be a host of out-of-home and guerilla marketing tactics, such as billboard signage, WrestleMania pizza boxes, and much more.

All promotions are being built around this year’s WrestleMania 22 theme, “WrestleMania Big Time.” The theme is the perfect fit for a brand that gained significant momentum in 2005 with the successful return of cable titan “Monday Night Raw®” to USA Network, the successful move of the venerable UPN SmackDown® franchise from Thursday to Friday night, and a bevy of stellar pay-per-view spectaculars, sold-out arena events, and record-breaking DVD sales.

“This year is our most ambitious slate of national promotions ever, with many new elements designed to help affiliates make the most of WrestleMania 22, which promises to be another pay-per-view blockbuster,” said Kurt Schneider, Executive Vice President, Marketing. “With all of this aggressive consumer reach, we plan on bringing in millions of viewers. WrestleMania is Big Time, indeed.”

WWE will support the WrestleMania 22 pay-per-view blockbuster with a high-profile campaign of unique television, print and outdoor advertising in national media and major local markets. WWE’s campaign, through independent agencies Horizon Media and MacDonald Media, features commercials on local broadcast and cable television, national network radio ads, extensive billboard and transit advertising in 12 major markets, and the most aggressive online and interactive marketing program in WWE’s history. Additional tactics include:

CABLE: WWE is working with the hometown operator for the event, Comcast Chicago, to execute the first-ever local ad sales opportunities tied to WrestleMania. Comcast Chicago Spotlight client, Chicago Cycles, will serve as the local sponsor of WWE’s Hall of Fame event and local promotional partner for both the Hall of Fame event and WrestleMania 22 pay-per-view. Cable affiliates, such as Comcast, Time-Warner and Charter, have partnered with the National Guard sponsored WrestleMania 22 Fan Axxess Tour as it passes through local markets. WWE also is offering an affiliate incentive program to cable operators, offering a WWE Superstar to participate in local community events for those cable affiliates that achieve the highest WrestleMania pay-per-view buys, most improved WrestleMania pay-per-view buy rates, and most creative marketing tactics.

VOD: WrestleMania 22 is being aggressively promoted via WWE 24/7™On Demand, which is devoting its entire month of March to WrestleMania-themed programming. In addition, WWE is offering all affiliates a free on-demand program, “WrestleMania’s Big Time Moments,” to drive sales for the April 2 pay-per-view event.

SATELLITE: DirecTV and DISH both offered “Road to WrestleMania 22” pay-per-view bundles that provided discounts on WWE pay-per-views New Year’s Revolution™, Royal Rumble®, and No Way Out®. Both satellite services also are using “WrestleMania’s Big Time Moments” as a promotional driver to encourage their consumers to purchase WrestleMania 22.

DIRECT MAIL: More than 1.2 million pieces of WrestleMania 22 direct mail are being distributed by cable affiliates and satellite providers in North America. WWE also will be firing off email blasts to close to one million WWE fans. Subscribers through WWE.com also will receive special cell phone text alerts.

FILM INDUSTRY: NBC Universal is teaming with WWE on a $10 million campaign to drive joint sales of the WrestleMania pay-per-view and the video on demand release of its film, “DOOM,” starring The Rock®. The media and promotional support includes the offer of two limited edition posters of the action star for cable and satellite consumers who purchase both DOOM on-demand and the WrestleMania 22 pay-per-view.

NATIONAL SWEEPSTAKES WWE’s “Win Big Time Sweepstakes” is a two-month long web-based instant win sweepstakes that gives fans daily chances to win more than 10,000 prizes, including trips to WrestleMania 22. Data captured in the initiative will be used to promote pay-per-view sales of WrestleMania 22 and other upcoming WWE events via e-marketing partnerships with affiliates across the nation. Interactive promotion agency ePrize manages the promotion.

FOOD & BEVERAGE: Snickers, the presenting sponsor of WrestleMania 22, is holding a national sweepstakes on snickers.com, offering fans the chance to go to WrestleMania 22 and sit in the “Best Seats in the House.” About six million Mountain Dew cans will be distributed in the Chicago area featuring WWE Champion John Cena® and WrestleMania 22, driving fans to a regional on-line sweepstakes. Pepsi and supermarket chain, Jewel Osco, are running an in-store promotion at 200 stores in the Midwest area. WWE is teaming with Topps and Popeyes Chicken & Biscuits on a campaign that will distribute free “Big Time Mania Moments” trading cards to customers who purchase Pepsi at 77 Popeyes locations around Chicago.

RETAIL: WrestleMania 22 will have a presence in more than 5,000 retail locations through a series of promotions with Toys ‘R’ Us, Kay Bee Toys, Game Stop/Electronic Boutique, AAFES (Army Air Force Exchange Service) and others. Toys ’R’ Us also will have a special WrestleMania 22 Feature Shop in its Times Square store in New York City.

MUSIC: WWE has secured the rights to rock legend Peter Gabriel’s international smash, “Big Time,” as the stadium-rattling “Official Theme Song” for the April 2 event and its marketing campaign. Some artists involved in WWE’s latest entrance theme compilation, scheduled for release by Columbia Recordsin May 2006, may be featured at WrestleMania 22. Among those covering WWE Superstar themes for the compilation are Disturbed, P.O.D., Saliva, Killswitch Engage, Zebrahead, and Avenged Sevenfold.

GRASSROOTS: The 13-week-long WrestleMania 22 Fan Axxess Tour is bringing a 4,000-foot interactive exhibit and numerous WWE Superstars past and present to shopping malls, sporting events and festivals coast-to-coast, before arriving at its final destination – the site of WWE’s top pay-per-view event in the Chicago area. Attendance for the tour is up 27% to date over last year with more than 61,000 people participating.

3/06 Raw Results - New Wrestlemania 22 Matches Announced

2006-03-06T22:27:00.000-06:00

For complete Raw Results from this week, click here

This week on Raw, it was announced that Kane and The Big Show will face Carlito and Chris Masters for the World Tag Team Championship at Wrestlemania 22. Also, Theodore Long announced that there will be 3 participants from Smackdown taking place in the Money In The Bank Ladder Match at Wrestlemania 22, and the qualifying matches will begin this Friday Night.

2006 WWE Hall of Fame Update

2006-03-06T22:21:00.000-06:00

Tonight on Raw it was announced that Sensational Sherri will be the next member in the Class of 2006 WWE Hall of Fame

Also, it was announced that Stone Cold Steve Austin will induct Bret Hart (the two took place in Bret's last ever Wrestlemania match at Wrestlemania 13 in Chicago), and Chris Benoit, Rey Mysterio, and Chavo Guerrero will all induct Eddie Guerrero. Now that Hulk Hogan and Stone Cold will be in the same place, one can hope that they treat us to a showdown the next night at Wrestlemania :)

Wrestlemania 22 DVD Release Date, Edge Interview, Favorite Wrestlemania Moments and Top Divas Matches

2006-03-06T22:07:00.000-06:00

According to Amazon.com, the Wrestlemania 22 DVD 3 disc set will be released on May 23

IGN.com conducted and interview with Edge, which gives some insight into his match at Wrestlemania 22

The WWE has added two new sections to Wrestlemania.com, Wrestlemania Favorite Moments and Top Diva Matches. The Favorite Moments section includes commentary by Hacksaw Jim Duggan, Howard Finkel, Bobby The Brain Heenan, and Ron Simmons.

3/3 Smackdown Results, Candice Michelle Chicago Appearence, WWE Goes Big Time, Watch Saturday Night Main Event Heat and WWE Hall of Fame Velocity

2006-03-04T15:47:00.000-06:00

For complete 3/3 Smackdown results, click here

Candice Michelle will be in Chicago the week of Wrestlemania signing autographs, here is more information:

Tuesday, March 28 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
VIRGIN MEGASTORE

Candice will be signing autographs at VIRGIN MEGASTORE at 540 N. Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611

To read how the WWE is hoping to surpass the 1 million buy mark for Wrestlemania 22, click here

Finally, there are two special versions of Heat and Velocity this week on WWE.com. Velocitys theme this week is the WWE Hall of Fame. You can look back at last years inductions, as well as videos on Bret Hart and Eddie Guerrero. Go here to check it out. Heats theme this week is Saturday Nights Main Event, and is a great watch for all old school fans. Click here to check it out.