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.

Q101 Wrestlemania 22 Contest reveals location of THQ Superstar Challenge

2006-03-02T22:14:00.000-06:00

Q101 (a local radio station in Chicago), is holding a HUGE Wrestlemania 22 contest, and as you can see below, the grand prize is INSANE. The big giveaway is also that the 2006 THQ Superstar Challenge will be taking place at the House of Blues in Downtown Chicago. The on-sale date for tickets has not yet been announced. To enter the Q101 contest and for more info, click below.

From Q101.com

WHAT YOU CAN WIN
If you are chosen as the person who is a bigger WWE fan than Jim Jesus, you're gonna get hooked up large. Here's everything you'll win:

# (If you're not from Chicagoland) You and a guest will fly round trip to Chicago and will stay for five nights at a sweet hotel.
# (If you're from Chicagoland) You and a guest will get round trip limo transportation to and from each of the following events.
# You and your guest will attend WWE Superstar Challenge at House of Blues with Jim Jesus
# You and your guest will attend WWE Fan Acess Tour at Woodfield Mall where you'll interview WWE superstars with Jim Jesus.
# You and your guest will attend WWE Hall of Fame Dinner at Rosemont Theatre with Jim Jesus
# You and your guest will attend WWE Wrestlemania 22 at Allstate Arena with Jim Jesus
# You and your guest will attend WWE Raw at Allstate Arena with Jim Jesus

Thanks to Qumar for bringing this contest to my attention

WWE Raw Results for 2/27 - Major Wrestlemania 22 Developments

2006-02-27T22:41:00.000-06:00

To read the full results from the 2/27 edition of Raw, click here

To read what happened after Raw went off the air, click here

Here are the major Wrestlemania 22 Developments from this weeks Raw:

-The Money in the Bank Ladder Match will take place at Wrestlemania 22, with Rob Van Dam, Shelton Benjamin, and Ric Flair qualifying so far

-Mick Foley declined Edge's challenge for a match at Wrestlemania 22, but instead challenged Edge to a Hardcore Match at Wrestlemania 22 - Edge is yet to accept the challenge

-Vince McMahon promised to kick Shawn Michaels ass at Wrestlemania, but no match has been announced

-Also at Saturday Nights Main Event, Triple H and John Cena will take on Rey Mysterio, Randy Orton, and the World Heavyweight Champion in a battle between the Raw and Smackdown Wrestlemania 22 Main Eventers. HBK will also take on Shane McMahon in a Street Fight.

2006 WWE Hall of Fame Update - Mean Gene to be Inducted by Hulk Hogan!

2006-02-27T22:40:00.000-06:00

During Raw tonight, it was announced that Mean Gene will be the third inductee into the Class of 2006 WWE Hall of Fame. It was also announced that Mean Gene will be inducted by none other than Hulk Hogan!

Also, for those that weren't crazy enough to camp out in the freezing Chicago Weather for Hall of Fame tickets like myself, or if you couldn't get your hands on tickets online, USA network will be broadcasting a portion of the 2006 WWE Hall of Fame at 10 PM Central Time on Saturday Night, April 1st.

Update on Chicagoland Appearences for the Week of Wrestlemania 22

2006-02-27T22:27:00.000-06:00

WWE.com has updated the following WWE Superstar Appearences for the Chicagoland Area during Wrestlemania 22 Week:

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 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Toys "R" Us , Orland Park, IL

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.

Additionally, the WrestleMania Fan Axxess Tour, hosted by WWE Legend Hillbilly Jim, will offer interactive activities for WWE fans in the store’s parking lot throughout the day. See store for details.

Autograph session with WWE Hall of Famer “Superstar” Billy Graham
5 pm – 7 pm
WrestleMania Fan Axxess Tour
12 noon – 8 pm

Location of event:
Toys “R” Us Orland Park

45 Orland Square Drive
Orland Park, IL 60462
For more information, customers can call Toys "R" US at (708)460-9494

Thursday, March 30 4:30 - 6 p.m.
Popeye's Chicken & Biscuits, 221 E. Rollins Rd. Round Lake Beach, IL 60073
Meet Booker T at an Autograph Session from 4:30 - 6 p.m.

Friday, March 31 4:30 - 6 p.m.
Popeye's Chicken & Biscuits, 5711 S La Grange Rd. Countryside, IL 60525
Meet Chris Benoit at an Autograph Session from 4:30 - 6 p.m.

Wrestlemania 22 on DIRECTV

2006-02-27T22:14:00.000-06:00

According to DIRECTV's website, Wrestlemania 22 will cost $49.95 this year. Starting on March 10th, you can order Wrestlemania's Big Time Moments for a penny, which will take a look at the past 21 Wrestlemania's. Also, if you order Doom (which premieres on March 23) and Wrestlemania 22, you will receive two limited edition posters of The Rock.

Wrestlemania 22 Promotional Posters

2006-02-27T22:13:00.000-06:00

Thanks to Erwin for sending in the following Wrestlemania 22 Promotional Posters

WWE Fan Axxess Tour Dates for the week of 2/27

2006-02-27T22:12:00.000-06:00

Here are the WWE Fan Axxess Tour dates for the week of 2/27:

March 3, 2006 – Los Angeles, CA
SmackDown Viewing Party
Location To Be Announced

March 4, 2006 – Los Angeles, CA
Universal City Walk
100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, CA 91608
11:00am - 7:00pm

Triple H vs John Cena in the Wrestlemania 22 Main Event, Eddie Guerrero in the 2006 WWE Hall of Fame, More Wrestlemania 22 Fallout from Raw

2006-02-20T22:07:00.000-06:00

Tonight on WWE Raw, Triple H won The Road To Wrestlemania 22 Tournament, setting up a match between himself and John Cena in the Main Event at Wrestlemania 22

Also tonight on Raw, it was announced that Eddie Guerrero will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame

Along with all of these developments, Edge challenged Mick Foley to a match at Wrestlemania 22, and Carlito had the "idea" of a Money In The Bank match at Wrestlemania

For full WWE Raw results, including the return of Marty Jannetty click here

2006 WWE No Way Out Results

2006-02-19T22:18:00.000-06:00

Winners are in italics

Cruiserweight Championship Match
Kid Kash vs. Psicosis vs. Super Crazy vs. Nunzio vs.
Funaki vs. Paul London vs. Brian Kendrick vs. Scotty Too Hotty vs. Gregory Helms (C)

Bobby Lashley vs. John Bradshaw Layfield

Matt Hardy and Mystery Partner (Tatanka) vs. MNN (C)

United States Championship Match
Chris Benoit vs. Booker T (C)

Number One Contender Match
Rey Mysterio vs. Randy Orton

World Heavyweight Championship Match
The Undertaker vs. Kurt Angle (C)

For full results, click here

2006 WWE Hall of Fame and Bacon, Bagels & Biceps Brunch Ticket Information

2006-02-19T22:10:00.000-06:00

World Wrestling Entertainment Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony Sponsored by Chicago Cycle

Bret “Hit Man” Hart and other wrestling legends (names to be announced) will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. All of the current WWE Superstars, and more than 3,000 fans from around the world will be at the WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony.

The WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony is an elegant, emotional, star studded event that recognizes the in-ring achievements of the inductees, and offers historical insights into this century-old sports-entertainment attraction.

When: Saturday, April 1, 2006- 7 p.m.

Where:Rosemont Theatre- 5400 North River Road, Rosemont, Illinois

Tickets: $80.00 and $50.00

Tickets for the WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony go on-sale Saturday, February 25th, 10 A.M. CT, at Rosemont Theatre Box Office, All Chicago-area Ticketmaster Ticket Center including Carson Pirie Scott, Tower Records, and Hot Tix, location, and select Coconuts& FYE locations. Call Ticketmaster Phone charge at (312)559-1212, or reserve tickets on-line at www.Ticketmaster.com.

Bacon, Bagels & Biceps Brunch

Bacon, Bagel, and Biceps Brunch is the traditional way to jump-start “WrestleMania Sunday.” This “high-energy” Brunch will include interaction between the Fans and the WWE SuperStars, before they all head over to Allstate Arena for WrestleMania 22.

When: Sunday, April 2, 2006- 9 a.m.

Where: Donald E. Stephens Convention Center
5555 North River Road, Rosemont, Illinois

Tickets: $125.00

Bacon, Bagels & Biceps Brunch tickets go on-sale Saturday, February 25th, 10 A.M. CT, at Rosemont Theatre Box Office, All Chicago-area Ticketmaster Ticket Center including Carson Pirie Scott, Tower Records, and Hot Tix, location, and select Coconuts& FYE locations. Call Ticketmaster Phone charge at (312)559-1212, or reserve tickets on-line at www.Ticketmaster.com

Various Wrestlemania 22 News

2006-02-19T22:03:00.000-06:00

You can now vote on your favorite Wrestlemania Underdog Story by clicking here

Thanks to Qumar for the following:

The WWE is auctioning off lunch with all 3 members of MNM on their auction site. The winner gets to have lunch on April 1 for 90 minutes, and will get autographs, photos taken, etc. The opening bid is $300 and the auction ends on March 13th. Here is the link

The WWE currently has 3 different WrestleMania 22-related sweepstakes going on through WWE.com. There are 2 sweepstakes, with only one entry per e-mail address, one sponsored by Mountain Dew (only for residents in Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin and Indiana), another sponsored by KB Toys (48 contiguous states). The third sweepstakes run solely by WWE.com itself (for U.S., Canada and United Kingdom), where you can enter once per day per e-mail address.

Through that last sweepstakes, people who get "Sorry...You're not a Winner," are given a special offer of 10% off on any purchase over $75 at WWEShop.com. Go to WWEShop.com and use the code NICETRY at checkout to receive your special offer.

As reported earlier, not only will this weeks Smackdown be pre-empted in Chicago, but the March 3rd edition of Smackdown will also be pre-empted because of the Illinois Class AA Girls Basketball state tournament. Both shows will air at 10 P.M. instead of 7 P.M.

WWE Fan Axxess Tour Dates for the Week of 2/19, Hillbilly Jim Blog Update

2006-02-19T21:57:00.000-06:00

Here are the WWE Fan Axxess Tour dates for the week of 2/19:

February 24, 2006 – Phoenix, AZ
SmackDown Viewing Party
RT O'Sullivan's
1010 West Southern Avenue, Mesa, AZ 85210
6:30pm - 9:00pm

February 25, 2006 – Phoenix, AZ
Desert Ridge Marketplace
Tatum Boulevard & Loop 101, Phoenix, AZ
12:00pm - 8:00pm

Hillbilly Jim has updated his Fan Axxess Tour Blog, and you can read his updates here

More on Bret Hart being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame

2006-02-15T14:22:00.000-06:00

From Impact Wrestling:

PWInsider reports that the Bret Hart-hall of fame deal was made on February 6. Bret had been saying he wasn’t interested, and always said he would never work for WWE again, however he decided that he would go in and do his speech. He is not getting paid, WWE is just sending him there, inducting him, and then he’s going home. Bret is not taking any money for this, and wants to use this as his farewell in WWE.

As of right now, Bret is not going to be involved in anything to do with WrestleMania, and it’s unknown who will officially induct him at the show.

Here is where things get interesting. TNA heard that Bret was going to be at the hall of fame, and set up a meeting between Jarrett and Hart in Calgary. TNA had very much intended to make a deal with Bret big enough to snatch him out from under WWE. However, due to a family emergency Jarrett couldn’t make the meeting. If Jarrett had made the meeting, things very well could have turned out differently.

From PWTorch:

Bret Hart talked about his decision to appear at the WWE Hall of Fame for his induction in April in an interview with Canada's Slam website. "It took a lot of diplomacy," Hart said. "But I think we just softened. Vince McMahon called me up when I had my stroke in 2002, and I think that was a big step towards where we are now. I always appreciated the fact that he called me and that softened a lot of the bad feelings between us." Bret had been "on the fence" about appearing at the Hall of Fame ceremony just two weeks ago. Also in the interview, he talked about one of the main reasons he agreed to be part of the DVD. "The title of the DVD was to be Screwed," he said, "and when Vince called me to partake in it, I said that I would never be a part of it. When I eventually saw it, it was nearly complete, and it was right up there with the Ultimate Warrior's DVD. I told Vince that my career was never about what had happened at Survivor Series or about Owen's death." He also spoke about his series of matches with Ric Flair. "Flair and I had pretty good matches, by Flair's standards anyway," Hart explained. "But on the day that I won the belt, and from that point on, we starting having really shitty matches. He sort of, accidentally-on-purpose, began screwing up the matches, getting the endings wrong. I found that this was happening consistently, and I ended up going to Vince McMahon and telling him that Flair was sabotaging the matches. They ended up calling us together to try and sort it out, and I remember him confessing to me that he was having problems with his wife, at home, that he was distracted, and he apologized for not being able to give me the matches that we had had before."

To read the full article click here

Stay tuned for more information on the 2006 WWE Hall of Fame

BREAKING NEWS: Bret Hart to be Inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame!

2006-02-13T23:32:00.000-06:00

In what is one of the biggest stories in the wrestling world in a long time, WWE.com has just reported that Bret Hart will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame on April 1st in Chicago! To view the video, click here

WWE Fan Axxess Tour Dates For The Week of 2/13

2006-02-13T14:22:00.000-06:00

Here are the WWE Fan Axxess Tour dates for the week of 2/13:

February 13, 2006 – Atlanta, GA
RAW Viewing Party
Jock ‘n’ Jills
One CNN Center, Atlanta, Georgia 30303
8:00pm - 11:00pm

February 17, 2006 – Dallas, TX
Ticketstock
The Plano Centre
2000 E. Spring Creek Parkway, Plano TX 75074
12:00pm - 7:30pm

February 18, 2006 – Dallas, TX
Ticketstock
The Plano Centre
2000 E. Spring Creek Parkway, Plano TX 75074
10:00am - 6:30pm

February 19, 2006 – Dallas, TX
NO WAY OUT Viewing Party
Buffalo Wild Wings
4066 Hwy 75 N, Sherman, TX 75092
6:30pm - 10:00pm

Wrestlemania 22 Start Time

2006-02-11T20:24:00.000-06:00

It was revealed this week on Smackdown that Wrestlemania 22 will start at 6 P.M. central time. For those going to the event, The Fan Axxess Tour is scheduled to go from 12 P.M. to 5 P.M., with Wrestlemania beginning at 5:30 P.M.

2-10 Smackdown Results, Raw and Smackdown News

2006-02-11T20:13:00.000-06:00

For full Smackdown results, click here

Thanks to Qumar for the following:

WWE finally listed the locations for the last RAW and SmackDown shows before WrestleMania 22.

The last RAW before WM22 will be on Monday, March 27th, in Omaha, Nebraska.

http://www.wwe.com/schedules/events/eventdetail/?id=2025902

They are advertising a Cena vs. Edge (w/Lita) match for the show, which is most likely a dark match.
-
The last SmackDown before WM22 will be on Tuesday, March 28th, in Kansas City, Missouri.

http://www.wwe.com/schedules/events/eventdetail/?id=2117694

They are advertising a Fatal Four Way for the World Championship between Angle, Orton, Mark Henry, and Undertaker. Again, this could also just be a dark match for the fans in KC.

Apparently SmackDown on Friday, February 24th, will be pre-empted in Chicago. WPWR-TV will be airing live coverage of the Illinois state High School Girls Basketball tournament. SmackDown will air right after the 2nd primetime game, which is slated for 10pm. This will be the first SmackDown after No Way Out.

Wrestlemania Week Update for Chicagoland Area

2006-02-09T00:00:00.000-06:00

WWE.com has updated several of the activities taking place in the Chicagoland Area the week of Wrestlemania 22, and here is the current listing of all the activities:

Appearances

Wednesday, March 29 4:30 - 6 p.m.
Popeye's Rest, Chicago, IL
Meet Rob Van Dam at an Autograph Session from 4:30 - 6 p.m.

Thursday, March 30 4:30 - 6 p.m.
Popeye's Rest, Chicago, IL
Meet Booker T at an Autograph Session from 4:30 - 6 p.m.

Friday, March 31 4:30 - 6 p.m.
Popeye's Rest, Chicago, IL
Meet Chris Benoit at an Autograph Session from 4:30 - 6 p.m.

WWE Fan Axxess Tour

March 29, 2006 Chicago, IL
Toys R Us
Orland Park
45 Orland Square Drive, Orland Park, IL 60462

March 30, 2006 Chicago, IL
THQ Superstar Challenge
Location To Be Announced

April 2, 2006 Chicago, IL
Allstate Arena
12:00pm - 5:00pm

As soon as more information is released, you can find it here at The Wrestlemania 22 Blog

2006 WWE Hall of Fame Ticket On Sale Date!

2006-02-08T13:38:00.000-06:00

According to pwinsider.com, tickets for the 2006 Hall Of Fame induction ceremony at the Rosemont Theatre will go on sale on Saturday, February 25th at 10 a.m. Central Time. Tickets will be going for $80 and $50. The induction ceremony will take place on Saturday night, April 1st.

New Wrestlemania Big Time Moment

2006-02-07T13:56:00.000-06:00

This weeks Wrestlemania Big Time moment of Kane tombstoning Pete Rose at Wrestlemania XIV can be viewed here

Candice Michelle to Compete for the Women's Title at Wrestlemania 22?

2006-02-07T13:52:00.000-06:00

According to her appearance on the Jay Leno show Monday night, Candice Michelle will be competing for the Women's Championship at Wrestlemania 22. You can watch here appearance right here.

Road to Wrestlemania 22 Tournament 1st Round Results

2006-02-07T13:49:00.000-06:00

To read full WWE Raw Results, click here

WWE Fan Axxess Tour Dates for the week of 2/06

2006-02-06T11:13:00.000-06:00

Here are the WWE Fan Axxess Tour dates for the week of 2/6:

February 7, 2006 – Columbus, GA
Civic Center
400 4th St., Columbus, GA 31901
6:30pm - 7:30pm

February 9, 2006 – Atlanta, GA
Deep South Wrestling
1500 McDonough Pkwy, McDonough, GA 30253
4:00pm - 7:30pm

February 11, 2006 – Atlanta, GA
Mall of Georgia
3333 Buford Drive, Buford, GA 30519
12:00pm - 8:00pm

February 12, 2006 – Atlanta, GA
Mall of Georgia
3333 Buford Drive, Buford, GA 30519
12:00pm - 6:00pm

The Road To Wrestlemania 22 Tournament!

2006-02-02T20:05:00.000-06:00

According to WWE.com, a tournament will be held starting this Monday on Raw to determine the number one contender for the WWE Championship. Here is your complete WWE Raw preview for February 6.

Moving down the road

The Road to WrestleMania continues as RAW rolls into Atlanta this week.

A tournament will be held to determine the No. 1 contender for the WWE Championship, and it will begin Monday night on RAW. The opening round of The Road to WrestleMania Tournament, which will feature four matches, will be completed by the time RAW goes off the air.

In first round action, Rob Van Dam will take on Carlito. Carlito aggravated RVD's knee injury on the Cabana back in June, which set Mr. Monday Night back another six months. Now that he's back, RVD not only has the WWE Championship on his mind, but also some revenge.

Chris Masters, along with Carlito, was responsible for eliminating Kane from the New Year's Revolution Elimination Chamber. Then, last week the Big Red Machine was unable to break the Master Lock. Will Kane have better luck this week as he takes on Chris Masters in another first round matchup?

The history between Ric Flair and Triple H is well-documented...and very personal. They have been the best of friends and the worst of enemies. And they will get to write another chapter to their rivalry in the first round of the tournament.

Also in the first round, Shawn Michaels will take on Big Show. HBK already has a lot on his mind with Mr. McMahon, and now his son Shane. The Showstopper will need to focus all of his attention on Big Show if he hopes to advance in the tournament.

Last week, Edge defeated John Cena by disqualification when Lita hit the Rated R Superstar with the WWE Championship while Cena had him set up for the F-U. While Edge won the match, the gold did not change hands, leaving the Rated R Superstar still a challenger. On top of all of this, Edge and Lita left the arena separately. How will all of this impact their relationship?

Also last week, Shane McMahon struck again, nailing Shawn Michaels with a chair as Mr. McMahon looked on. How will HBK react to this latest setback in his standoff with the WWE Chairman?

Plus, the tensions between Trish Stratus, Ashley and Mickie James continue to rise. How will Ashley and Trish react to Mickie’s actions during her celebration for the Women’s Champion last week?

Tune into RAW Monday night at 9/8 CT on the USA Network to see what happens.

1-30-06 WWE Raw Results and 2-3-06 Smackdown Spoilers

2006-01-31T15:38:00.000-06:00

For full WWE Raw Results, click here

Wrestlemania 22 Implications from Raw this week:

The Road to Wrestlemania 22 made its first Raw stop as some developments came about regarding Wrestlemania 22. Will HBK face off against Shane or Vince McMahon? Triple H is making a run towards the main event, and John Cena retained the WWE Championship, but with the help of Lita? You can discuss these developments by leaving a comment or visiting the Wrestlemania 22 Blog Forum in the links section.

To view spoilers for this weeks Smackdown, click here

Wrestlemania 22 Blog Relaunch

2006-01-30T10:07:00.000-06:00

Welcome to the relaunch of the Wrestlemania 22 Blog! This site has been going for almost a year now and has been home for coverage of all things Wrestlemania. With Wrestlemania only two months away, this will be your home for The Road to Wrestlemania 22. Look for coverage of Raw and Smackdown, including the PPV No Way Out. Also, only credible rumors regarding Wrestlemania 22 will be posted here. You can discuss Wrestlemania 22 and all things WWE in the Wrestlemania 22 Blog Forum. Once the WWE reaches my home town of Chicago, you can expect full coverage of all the events going on around the Chicagoland Area. Enjoy the Road to Wrestlemania 22! Click play below to watch the Wrestlemania 22 Big Time video.

Wrestlemania Fan Axxess Tour stops for the week of 1/30/06

2006-01-30T09:08:00.000-06:00

February 3, 2006 – Memphis, TN
Buffalo Wild Wings
8385 US Highway 64, (Wolfchase Retail Center) Memphis, TN 38133
7:00pm - 10:00pm

February 4, 2006 – Memphis, TN
Wolfchase Galleria
2700 N Germantown Pkwy, Memphis TN 38133
12:00pm - 8:00pm

February 5, 2006 – Memphis, TN
Wolfchase Galleria
2700 N Germantown Pkwy, Memphis TN 38133
12:00pm - 7:00pm

Hillbilly Jim has posted a new update to his Fan Axxess Tour Blog, which you can check out right here

Peter Gabriel hits 'Big Time' in wrestling world

2006-01-30T09:00:00.000-06:00

By Michael Paoletta

NEW YORK (Billboard) - Peter Gabriel's "Big Time" has become the official theme of World Wrestling Entertainment's upcoming "WrestleMania 22," nearly 20 years after the song hit the top 10 in the United States.

The tune is heard in TV and online spots for the annual live and pay-per-view extravaganza. The ads began airing earlier this month and will continue through April 2, when "WrestleMania 22" touches down at the Allstate Arena in Chicago.

WWE fans logging on to http://wwe.com/shows/wrestlemania are able to stream "Big Time" -- the song and its accompanying video. The site also spotlights Gabriel's best-of CD ("Hit") and DVD ("Play") collections.

By the way, "WrestleMania 22" is already sold out. Those without tickets will have to settle for the next best thing: pay-per-view.

Reuters/Billboard

2006 WWE Royal Rumble Results

2006-01-29T22:00:00.000-06:00

WWE Royal Rumble PPV Results 1/29/2006 (Miami, Florida)

Winners in italics

WWE Cruiserweight Championship
Kid Kash vs. Nunzio vs. Funaki vs. Paul London vs. Greg Helms vs. Jamie Noble

Mickie James vs. Ashley
Special Ref: Trish Stratus

John Bradshaw Layfield vs. The Boogeyman

The Royal Rumble Match

ORDER OF ENTRY:
1- Triple H
2- Rey Mysterio
3- Simon Dean
4- Psicosis
5- Ric Flair
6- Big Show
7- Jonathan Coachman
8- Bobby Lashley
9- Kane
10- Sylvan
11- Carlito
12- Chris Benoit
13- Booker T
14- Joey Mercury
15- Tatanka
16- Johnny Nitro
17- Trevor Murdoch
18- Eugene
19- Road Warrior Animal
20- Rob Van Dam
21- Orlando Jordan
22- Chavo Guerrero
23- Matt Hardy
24- Super Crazy
25- Shawn Michaels
26- Chris Masters
27- Viscera
28- Shelton Benjamin
29- Goldust
30- Randy Orton

ORDER OF ELIMINATION:
1- Dean (by Triple H & Mysterio)
2- Psicosis (by Mysterio)
3- Flair (by Triple H)
4- Coach (by Big Show)
5- Sylvan (by Lashley)
6- Lashley (by Big Show & Kane)
7 & 8- Big Show and Kane simultaneously (by Triple H)
9- Booker T (by Benoit)
10- Road Warrior Animal (by RVD)
11- Guerrero (by Triple H)
12- Tatanka (by MNM)
13- Murdoch (by Michaels)
14- Hardy (by Viscera)
15- Eugene (by Benoit)
16- Super Crazy (by Mysterio)
17- Benoit (by Orton)
18- Viscera (by Carlito & Masters)
19- Masters (by Carlito)
20- Goldust (by RVD)
21- Jordan (by Orton)
22- Mercury (by Nitro via Michaels)
23- Nitro (by Michaels)
24- Benjamin (by Michaels)
25- Michaels (by Shane McMahon)
26- Carlito (by RVD)
27- RVD (by Mysterio via Triple H)
28- Triple H (by Mysterio)
29- Orton (by Mysterio)

WWE Championship
Edge vs. John Cena

WWE World Heavyweight Championship
Kurt Angle vs. Mark Henry

To read a more in detail report, click here

2006 WWE Royal Rumble Preview

2006-01-28T14:18:00.000-06:00

2006 WWE Royal Rumble
January 28,2006
From Miami,FL 8PM ET on Pay Per View

Matches Announced:

The 2006 Royal Rumble Match (Click here for the odds)

Participants from Raw:

1) ROB VAN DAM
2) BIG SHOW
3) KANE
4) SHAWN MICHAELS
5) TRIPLE H
6) CHRIS MASTERS
7) CARLITO
8) TREVOR MURDOCH
9) SHELTON BENJAMIN
10) VISCERA
11) CHAVO GUERRERO
12) JONATHAN COACHMAN
13) RIC FLAIR

Participants from Smackdown:

1) CHRIS BENOIT
2) REY MYSTERIO
3) RANDY ORTON
4) MATT HARDY
5) ORLANDO JORDAN
6) LASHLEY
7) SYLVAN
8) ROAD WARRIOR ANIMAL
9) JOHNNY NITRO
10) JOEY MERCURY
11) SIMON DEAN
12) BOOKER T
13) SUPER CRAZY
14) PSICOSIS

WWE Champion Edge vs. John Cena

World Heavyweight Champion Kurt Angle vs. Mark Henry

The Boogeyman vs. JBL

Mickie James vs. Ashley - Trish Stratus as special guest referee

Open Invitational Match for the Cruiserweight Championship

Check back tomorrow night for the full results from the Royal Rumble, and the full relaunch of the Wrestlemania 22 Blog, your home for The Road to Wrestlemania 22

The Road to Wrestlemania 22 begins this weekend

2006-01-24T16:43:00.000-06:00

Come back this weekend for the full relaunch of the Wrestlemania 22 Blog as the Road to Wrestlemania 22 begins

Joey Styles signs a 5 year contract with WWE to head Raw!

2005-12-05T15:14:00.000-06:00

Joey Styles – the new voice of RAW

WWE fans may not have known it, but over the past few weeks, they’ve been watching Joey Styles’ audition to become the full-time voice of Monday Night RAW – a job Styles has dreamed about for years. WWE management obviously liked what they saw, as this past Friday, the former voice of ECW had his dreams come true when he signed on to be RAW’s new play-by-play man.

WWE.com: Congratulations of the new contract, Joey. Now that you’re the official voice of RAW, what’s going through your head? Take us through your emotions right now.

Joey Styles: For the people who don’t know, this job is the culmination of my lifelong dream. I decided I wanted to be in the wrestling business after seeing a WWE match on TV in my bedroom when I was 13 years old. When I was in school pursuing broadcasting, I wasn’t one of those aspiring sportscasters that dreamed of calling the Super Bowl. I wasn’t one of the aspiring newscasters that wanted to moderate a presidential debate. Calling WWE matches, specifically WrestleMania, was all I ever dreamed of for 20 years. I never dreamed bigger than this, so I feel like I am truly blessed that God and WWE has given me this opportunity. My wife said she always knew this would happen, even when I thought my wrestling career was over. So I feel truly blessed. I’m so thrilled and so happy. I’m going to make the best of this. I’m going to work very hard both in front of and behind the WWE cameras, and I hope the fans are happy with my work.

WWE.com: Tell us about the specifics of the deal.

Styles: I signed a five-year contract. And I hope it’s the first of many five-year contracts, quite frankly. I asked Kevin Dunn, Executive Vice President of Television Production for WWE, if he wanted to sign me for 10-15 years, but he couldn’t do that. So I hope this is the first of many five-year contracts.

To continue reading:click here

Christy Hemme Released

2005-12-05T15:09:00.000-06:00

Christy Hemme is gone from World Wrestling Entertainment. The story making the rounds is that WWE contacted the first Diva Search winner earlier today to inform her she was being released, which likely means she has a 90 day cycle where she is unable to appear for any other wrestling company.

WWE's website noted that WWE and Hemme "have come to terms on her release." The wording is interesting as Hemme had just relocated to Kentucky to begin full-time with WWE developmental territory Ohio Valley Wrestling. She was originally scheduled to start upon returning from a promotional appearance in New Zealand this week with Batista. Hemme arrived early and was booked in a debut OVW angle and match, with her match being taped to air on this week's TV show while she would be overseas. According to sources, Hemme's appearance overseas was canceled late last week and she received a call from management informing her she was being let go this morning.

The announcement caught a number of people within WWE by surprise as Hemme had a reputation for wanting to learn and improve inside the ring and had been heavily promoted by the company during her tenure there as one fo the top Divas in the company. There had been no talk of her release last night at the Smackdown taping in South Carolina among the wrestlers, some of whom were surprised when contacted today.

Hemme won the initial WWE Diva Search contest last year, earning a one year $250,000 contract. She later posed for Playboy as part of the Wrestlemania 21 synergy. She had been moved from Raw to Smackdown several months back and was working under the terms of a new deal at the time of her release.

Hemme's official website at ChristyHemme.com has yet to reflect her release, noting that she would be departing her Smackdown touring schedule to train in OVW. There is no word as to whether she (like Daniel Puder when released) would finish up her OVW storyline.

Credit: PWInsider

Ric Flair Update

2005-12-05T14:51:00.000-06:00

Ric Flair wrestles with a divorce

Accusations exchanged; IRS was owed a million

Pro wrestler Ric Flair has been pinned by the IRS over back taxes and is fighting a nasty divorce battle with his wife.

Flair, one of Charlotte's best-known celebrities, owed the federal government $1 million in 1997, according to a statement from his accountant. The IRS began garnishing Flair's wrestling salary this year, seizing more than $200,000 so far.

Flair and his wife Elizabeth separated in February after 22 years of marriage. In a divorce filing, she accuses Flair of "cruel behavior" and says he slapped, kicked, choked, threw, bit and spit on her and pulled her hair.

Her complaint, which was filed in May, also accuses Flair of abusing alcohol and steroids, causing him to become "enraged, paranoid, emotionally unbalanced and violent," and says he exposed himself to her friends and committed adultery.

Flair acknowledges in court filings that he had a "tumultuous" marriage, but he denies the abusive behavior and steroid use and says his wife is trying to humiliate him with the allegations.

He accuses her of destructive behavior and says she hit him -- not the other way around.

To continue reading click here

Wrestlemania 22 Fan Axxess Tour Update

2005-12-05T14:50:00.000-06:00

On Hillbilly Jim's Sirius Satellite radio show, he announced that he will be part of the nationwide Wrestlemania 22 Fan Axxess Tour and he will have more updates as the weeks go by.

Credit: PWInsider

Saturday Night's Main Event is back this March!

2005-12-01T14:36:00.000-06:00

For those old enough to remember, Saturday Night's Main Event on NBC was always a big deal. As a little kid, it was the one night where I could stay up to watch my favorite WWF superstars. NBC also had a spinoff called The Main Event, and I still remember the night the Macho Man turned on Hulk Hogan after their match with Akeem and The Big Boss Man, also known as the Twin Towers. I also remember a later SNME on Fox when The Undertaker started his face turn by saving the Macho Man from a chair shot backstage by a waiting Jake "The Snake" Roberts. (You can see this on Jake's new DVD) Im sure that since SNME will return in March, it will have a big part in building up Wrestlemania 22.

The following is from WWE.com

Saturday Night’s Main Event is returning to NBC this March after a 13-year hiatus. In the mid-1980s through early 1990s, WWE fans would scour the television listings each month — making sure they didn’t miss the highly anticipated special that replaced network staple Saturday Night Live on occasion. When Jon Lovitz, Dennis Miller and Dana Carvey weren’t performing comedy sketches, WWE Superstars were squaring off in matches that often took on a pay-per-view feel.

Here are some of the most memorable moments from the original run of Saturday Night’s Main Event:

On Nov. 2, 1985, Hulk Hogan & Andre the Giant defeated King Kong Bundy & Big John Studd by disqualification in a match remembered for the size and stature of its participants.

On March 1, 1986, Hulk Hogan retained the WWE Championship against "Magnificent" Don Muraco via disqualification. But this match was infamous for King Kong Bundy’s interference and assault. In the end, Muraco and Bundy broke Hogan’s ribs.

On May 3, 1986, the British Bulldogs beat Iron Shiek & Nikolai Volkoff in a best two-of-three falls match for the World Tag Team Championship. This was indicative of the strength of the tag team division, which was often spotlighted on Saturday Night’s Main Event in multiple-fall battles.

On Jan. 3, 1987, Hulk Hogan battled “Mr. Wonderful” Paul Orndorff in a truly memorable Steel Cage Match for the WWE Championship. Both men scaled the cage and hit the floor simultaneously, causing immense controversy and the restart of the match.

On Oct. 3, 1987, Honky Tonk Man nearly did the unthinkable: strike Elizabeth with his signature guitar during a match against Randy “Macho Man” Savage. Honky was aiming for the head of Savage, but a loving Elizabeth jumped in the way. Ultimately, Honky shoved Elizabeth to the floor and proceeded to smash Savage. Elizabeth rushed to the back and emerged with none other than Hulk Hogan. It was the beginning of the force known as the MegaPowers.

Another Hogan vs Austin Update

2005-11-28T19:25:00.000-06:00

From Wrestling Observer

Things between Austin and WWE seem to have been patched up, according to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter. The company is still hoping for the big Hogan vs. Austin for WrestleMania. As you can imagine, booking negotiations between those two would certainly be interesting. When Hogan vs. Michaels was being booked before SummerSlam, we covered the entire booking process of going back and forth where the finish wasn't decided until almost the last minute. Hogan vs. Austin, if it goes through, would be an even more drawn out and complicated process.

Austin is said to be less keen on doing the match than Hogan. One of the reasons that's suspected for this is that Austin feels Hogan has more pull in the company, due to Austin's physical condition and the fact he cannot work often. However with Hogan's physical condition not too well either, many look at it as an equal battle.

Right now it looks like the filming of Austin's movie, The Condemned, would be right around WrestleMania time. This is another factor that makes Austin not want to go through with it, as working on two big projects at once could put the quality of his work at risk.

Austin did suffer a wrenched lower back and an inflamed sciatic nerve when moving furniture, his physical condition right now is unknown.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2005-11-24T12:59:00.000-06:00

Wrestlemania 22 Fan Frenzy and Christy Hemme Tidbits

2005-11-23T12:39:00.000-06:00

Thanks to Qumar for the following

Choosechicago.com, which is the website for Chicago's Tourism and Convention Bureau, lists all the conventions going on in the Chicagoland area. As of now, there are no listings anywhere in regards to the WWE WrestleMania 22 FanFrenzy event.

2004 WWE RAW Diva Search winner and Playboy covergirl Christy Hemme will appear at the World of Wheels convention held at McCormick Place in Chicago. She will be appearing on Saturday, January 28th from 2 p.m.-4 p.m. General Admission tickets are $15. There are $2 off coupons at Carquest Auto Parts stores. On the site, you can enter a weekly contest to win 4 free tickets to the convention. Click here for the Chicago page link.

Second Update on Nick "Eugene" Dinsmore

2005-11-21T15:21:00.000-06:00

From WWE.com

Nick 'Eugene' Dinsmore seeks help

Last week in Manchester, England, Nick “Eugene” Dinsmore was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital after he was found passed out in a hotel lobby.

After regaining consciousness, Dinsmore admitting to taking Somas and other prescription medication. As a result of the incident, he was sent home from the WWE International tour and suspended indefinitely.

Since returning home, Dinsmore has agreed to seek professional help. He flew to an undisclosed location, where he will spend the next two weeks being evaluated at a drug rehabilitation facility.

Second Update 11-23-05
From the Pro Wrestling Insider

The word making the rounds is that the reason Nick "Eugene" Dinsmore started taking Somas was because he was working with a sore knee, which may need medical attention. Dinsmore reportedly put off getting it looked at due to not wanting to lose his spot due to injury. According to a few sources, he was trying to gut out the pain and keep on working and used the pills to do so.

WWE to Implement New Drug Policy

2005-11-21T13:28:00.000-06:00

With another death just taking place in the wrestling community, the WWE has decided to implement a brand new drug policy. One can only hope that this is the first step to help curb all of the untimely deaths that have been taking place in the business.

To view the video of Vince McMahon speaking to the WWE roster click here

From WWE.com

VINCE MCMAHON ANNOUNCES NEW DRUG POLICY

In a joint meeting today with the RAW and SmackDown rosters in the United Kingdom, in Sheffield, Vince McMahon announced that within the next several weeks, a new drug testing policy will be implemented in which performance enhancing drugs, such as steroids, etc., recreational drugs, as well as abuse of prescription drugs will be banned.

In addition to the new drug testing procedure, there will also be an emphasis on cardiovascular examinations.

The specifics of the drug policy will be announced over the next several weeks. More details to follow.

Hogan vs Austin Update, Eugene Suspended, Wrestlemania 22 Blog Update

2005-11-21T07:58:00.000-06:00

Next week I will have the impressions of the Wrestlemania 2 and 3 DVD's from the Wrestlemania Anthology set.

There is still no update on why Nick "Eugene" Dinsmore was suspended indefinetly from the WWE. Here is the statement from WWE.com

Nick 'Eugene' Dinsmore hospitalized, suspended

Nick 'Eugene' Dinsmore was rushed to the hospital last night in Manchester.

He has since been released from the hospital, sent home and suspended indefinitely. WWE.com will have more details as they become available.

Finally, even though there was a setback with Steve Austin over his match with Coach at Taboo Tuesday earlier this month, the WWE is still hoping they can come to terms with Stone Cold and Hulk Hogan for a match at Wrestlemania 22.

Eddie Guerrero's funeral information

2005-11-21T07:51:00.000-06:00

To view all the video tributes and more on Eddie Guerrero, click here

The following is from Wikipedia

Eddie Guerrero's funeral took place on Thursday, November 17 in Phoenix. The service, which was not open to the general public, was performed by retired wrestler "Superstar" Billy Graham. The wrestlers and other business personalities who attended were from all over the world of wrestling, and included Chris Benoit, Chris Jericho, JBL, Rey Mysterio, Vince McMahon, Stephanie McMahon, Shane McMahon, Linda McMahon, Dean Malenko, Tom Prichard, Billy Anderson, John Laurinaitis, Edge, Lita, Jamie Noble, Gregory Helms, Charlie Haas, Jackie Gayda, Mark Jindrak, Konnan, Gail Kim, Mike Tenay, Doug Basham, Christian, CM Punk, Billy Kidman, Torrie Wilson, Sting, Tommy Drake, Kevin Dunn, Bruce Prichard, Michael Hayes and Stone Cold Steve Austin.

Chris Benoit, Dean Malenko, Chris Jericho, JBL, Vince McMahon, Tom Prichard, all of Guerrero's brothers, one of his sisters, Chavo Guerrero and Valerie Coleman "Graham" all spoke as well.

Eddie Guerrero's Cause of Death Revealed

2005-11-15T13:19:00.000-06:00

You can visit this guestbook to leave your condolences for the Guerrero family

From wwe.com

Vickie Guerrero speaks on Eddie's autopsy report

After the untimely passing of Eddie Guerrero, WWE and the entire sports-entertainment community is still reeling from the devastating loss of a champion. The initial autopsy reports on Guerrero have come in. WWE.com spoke with Eddie’s widow, Vickie Guerrero, earlier today.

“It was heart failure. It was from his past – the drinking and the drug abuse. They found signs of heart disease. She (the examiner) said that the blood vessels were very worn and narrow, and that just showed all the abuse from the scheduling of work and his past. And Eddie just worked out like crazy all the time. It made his heart grow bigger and work harder and the vessels were getting smaller, and that’s what caused the heart failure. He went into a deep sleep.

As soon as they saw his heart, they saw the lining of his heart already had the heart disease. There was no trauma, and Eddie hadn’t hurt himself in any way. It answered a lot of questions. I knew Eddie wasn’t feeling very good for the last week. He was home and kept saying he wasn’t feeling good and we thought it was just “road tired.” So we thought he just had to rest. It answered a lot of my questions, too, because he was just so exhausted. She said it was normal because the heart was working so hard.

When he didn’t call me last night and the night before I knew it was for real, because he would call me every night. I miss his phone calls. I cried through the whole thing (last night).

I loved his laugh. His laugh was the best.

We just celebrated his four-year sobriety last Thursday. We just thought we had life by the handful. We thought we had it all figured out. He worked so hard to make a better life for us.

I’m just overwhelmed by how people are coming out. It’s touched my heart a lot.

Everybody was just in awe last night in how beautifully everything was put together.

All my life was wrestling. All he did was take care of them and live for that. And I don’t know what to do now.”

More on Eddie Guerrero

2005-11-14T10:28:00.000-06:00

It has been 24 hours now since I learned of Eddie's passing and I am still in shock. The last memory I will have of Eddie is how he made me laugh on Friday Night Smackdown playing the chair trick on Ken Kennedy. This weeks Raw and Smackdown will be very emotional as both shows will be paying tribute to Eddie. Here is the latest on the passing of Eddie Guerrero.

You can view the Press Conference with Vince McMahon and Chavo Guerrero here

Press Conference Highlights

Vince McMahon and Eddie's nephew Chavo Guerrero held a press conference at Target Center a few hours ago to talk to local media about his death. Chavo and Eddie Guerrero travelled from Phoenix to Minneapolis/St. Paul last night around 12:30 a.m.

Chavo said he found Eddie's body arround 7 a.m. when a member of security tipped him off that he missed his wake-up call. He found him in his room and turned him over and he was nonresponsive. Later in the press conference, he gave the impression Eddie opted out of having breakfast in favor of room service, but was supposed to meet them at the gym later. He said he did have a meal with Eddie in the early a.m. hours after their flight from Phoenix arrived, before they went to sleep.

Vince McMahon said tonight's Raw and Smackdown will both be dedicated to Eddie Guerrero. "You'll see the human beings, not so much as performers, but friends of Eddie," said McMahon. The shows will include highlights of Eddie's career.

"Everything we do is voluntary. There is nothing that says you have to compete," he said, in reference to tonight's show going on. "(Our wrestlers) want the show to go on."

McMahon said the show is "changing drastically, changing as we speak."

Chavo said he is wrestling tonight. He said he was given the option to return home, stay in his hotel room, or be at the show. Chavo said his family is devastated, including his wife and three daughters (ages 12, 10, and 2). Chavo said he called his sister, who told his mother in person, and said they broke the news to his wife in person this morning.

Chavo said Eddie recently celebrated four years of sobriety from alcohol and prescription and pain killers. A reporter asked McMahon if there was ever a case where someone's body "shuts down" years after becoming sober. McMahon said he has no idea what contributed to or caused his death.

McMahon said Eddie's family will receive royalties "forever."

McMahon said it will be tough to get over, but "Eddie would want the show to go on, and that's what we're going to try to do tonight." Chavo added: "Eddie would have wanted the show to go on. He is 100 percent business... He had a huge heart, one of the biggest hearts of anyone I've known personally. He had a lot of love for the fans. He is going to be missed tremendously."

Update on Eddie from local newspaper, Quick Notes from Raw and Smackdown tribute tapings

The Minneapolis Star Tribune's top headline this morning is "WWE wrestler found dead in Minneapolis hotel room."

The story clarifies the timeline of Guerrero's day, noting that while he ate with nephew Chavo Guerrero earlier in the day, it was actually before they went to sleep that night after arriving in town, rather than in the morning for breakfast as reported here yesterday. The story also says police say no foul play was suspected and there are no indications of suicide.

As reported yesterday here at PWTorch.com, a WWE source says that Guerrero was discovered with a toothbrush in his mouth or hand, indicating he died suddenly while brushing his teeth. Chavo, Chris Benoit, Rey Mysterio, and Dean Malenko visited Guerrero's room and had a chance to pay their respects before his body was taken away.

"With Eddie's history... that no doubt takes a toll on your body, and whether that had anything to do with his untimely demise, I don't know," McMahon said at Sunday's press conference.

An autopsy is planned. Guerrero, said Chavo at a press conference yesterday, had just celebrated four years of sobriety. There are sources within WWE who believe that while Guerrero kicked his drinking habit, he may have been taking pain pills recently "just to get by." At the tribute show at Target Center, wrestlers noted that Guerrero looked to be in pain backstage all the time, but once he walked through the curtain, the adrenaline kicked in and he seemed to be feeling great.

"I never saw him at work anything but sober," one WWE source says. "If he was taking anything, it wasn't out of control and it wasn't ever apparent at the shows or visible to Vince (McMahon)."

Fans at Target Center last night were respectful of Guerrero throughout the show, staying silent for the ten bell salute, chanting his name at various times, and seeming to be genuinely moved by the tributes to him by fellow wrestlers. The crowd loved when Chavo used an famous Eddie technique of taking a phantom bump to trick the ref into thinking JBL hit him with a chair, leading to the ref scolding JBL.

Batista appeared to be emotionally devastated on his way out of the hotel to the arena early Sunday afternoon, wearing sunglasses and hanging his head. He was equally emotional in a Smackdown-opening speech which will air on Friday. John Cena referred to Eddie as a "father figure" to him when it came to passing along wisdom about the industry. Benoit was by far the most emotionally moved, outright bawling during the opening tribute to Guerrero and during his pretaped segment as he detailed what Guerrero meant to him as his best friend. Many wrestlers spoke about Guerrero's love for the business.

To read the Star Tribune article, click here

Superstar Billy Graham talks about Eddie on Wresling Observer Live, additional comments from Bret Hart

Credit goes to Robert Fahrmeier of the Wresling Observer for this report

Long Live Eddy

It’s a tough mood tonight as Dave reports the news. This is just bad, and
both Dave and Bryan are in shock. Bryan got the news as he was just waking up.

Eddy Guerrero didn’t have an enemy in the world, and was one of the best of our life times. His drug problems are an open book, and actually he has a book coming out soon. As you have probably read already he is suspected of dying of a heart attack but toxicology and autopsy reports are not in yet. Superstar Billy Graham will be on after the break to talk about Eddy.

(Commercials)

Superstar is on the line. Superstar calls it a tragic event and that it’s just a tough day. Outside of the ring Graham and Guerrero were very close and Eddy looked up to Graham.

Superstar talked to Vicky (Eddy’s wife) this morning, funeral will be at Billy Graham’s church and will be conducted by Graham and a friend. Vicky talked to Eddy last night at 2:30 am, and Eddy felt fine. Graham hopes that it doesn’t turn out to be a brain aneurysm from the chairs shot that Eddy took.

Dave says that if this had happened 4 or 5 years ago, he wouldn’t have been shocked. Eddy just passed the 4-year anniversary of his sobriety a few days ago. Superstar compares this to Road Warrior Hawk’s death. Eddy just moved into a new house in Phoenix days ago. Graham reports a story about how Guererro ran into Eddy at the Homecoming and talked about the move. They talked about going out together. It appears that their wives really bonded because of the bond of similar suffering

My signal cuts out but picks up when Graham talks about Vicky buying the plot for Eddy in Phoenix and buying the plot next to him. Valerie (Billy’s wife) took the phone call when they found out this morning and was screaming when she found out and told Billy.

Service is 1:30 Wednesday afternoon. Eddy just turned 38 so it’s a big shock. Graham talks about calling Eddy the day after Guerrero won the world title and how humble he was, saying, “why would Superstar be calling me?” Superstar calls Eddy almost humble to a fault.

(Commercials)

Dave talks about how winning the world title was a breakthrough for Eddy because of his size. It was a true sign of his dedication and talent. Billy Graham was a “true mark” for Eddy, and he often just watched Smackdown to see Eddy work.

Someone from the office called Vicky to try to get the funeral as soon as possible so they could go on the tour, however a number of wrestlers wanted to stay for the funeral. Some of his closest friends according to Superstar wanted to fly back with Eddy’s body. The boys were so insistent on attending the funeral that they forced the company to postpone the European tour.

Dave talks about the closeness of Malenko, Guerrero and Benoit, starting back in Japan and Malenko and Benoit going to Jim Ross to get Eddy help. Superstar confirms that it was Malenko and Benoit who were flying back with Eddy’s body.

Dave talks about Raw and Smackdown being tribute shows. Bryan chimes in that so far it’s just been matches and highlights from what he’s heard. Vince is taking this one very very hard. Dave talks about how hard Eddy worked to get back in the company. Superstar talks about how Vince loves when guys like Eddy and Superstar turn their lives around. Vince was mad that Curt Hennig and Elizabeth could not turn their lives around.

Vicky was telling Superstar today how Eddy loved being around the boys in the locker room.

I edited out Bret talking to Superstar, next up is Bret commenting on Eddie)

(Commercials)

Dave says that Bret could probably relate to Eddy’s story, being the son of a legend, and his brother’s entering the sport before him.

Bret calls the situation a real shame, calling Eddy a hard worker, and just a good guy. He says that probably no one worked harder than anyone. Bret said that when they were in WCW together, that he told Benoit that if he and Eddy if he wanted to make it to the top they had to go to the WWF.

All news courtesy of Pro Wrestling Torch and Wrestling Observer

Eddie Guerrero 1967-2005

2005-11-13T10:52:00.000-06:00

WWE.com has reported that Eddie Guerrero was found dead in his hotel room in Minneapolis. Here is what was posted:

WWE is deeply saddened by the news that Eddie Guerrero has passed away. He was found dead this morning in his hotel room in Minneapolis. Eddie is survived by his wife Vickie and his two daughters.

As soon as more details are available on this very sad and shocking news I will post it here.

My thoughts and prayers go out to all of his family and friends.

Update 1: TNA Wrestling sends their condolences

TNA JOINS THE WRESTLING WORLD IN MOURNING THE PASSING OF EDDIE GUERRERO

On Sunday morning, TNA joined the wrestling world in learning of the unfortunate and untimely passing of Eddie Guerrero.

The mood backstage in Orlando is solemn, as many TNA staff and stars were close with Eddie and worked with him throughout his career.

Everyone in TNA will keep Eddie and his family in our thoughts and prayers in the days and weeks to come as we say goodbye to a friend...

Update 2: WWE to Pay Tribute to Eddie Guerrero

WWE TO PAY TRIBUTE TO EDDIE GUERRERO TONIGHT
by Dave Scherer @ 12:34:00 PM on 11/13/2005

As I am sure you will all understand, the reaction to Eddie Guerrero's sudden passing has blindsided everyone I talked to in WWE this morning. The workers I have spoken to about it are just numb and shocked.

The word I have gotten is that the company has decided to make both the Raw and Smackdown shows at tonight's combined taping in Minneapolis tribute shows to Eddie. The usual format for the shows has been changed to instead incorporate tributes to Eddie.

I still can't believe he's gone.

To read Dave Scherer's tribute to Eddie, click here

Update 3: From WCCO-TV

World Wrestling Entertainment wrestler Eddie Guerrero was found dead in his hotel room in Minneapolis, the organization said Sunday.

Guerrero, 38, was found at the Marriott City Center in downtown Minneapolis. He was in town for Sunday night's "WWE Supershow" TV taping at Target Center.

Police were called to the hotel just after 7:30 a.m. and attempts were made to revive the wrestler, Minneapolis Police Department spokesperson Ron Reier said.

The Hennepin County Medical Examiner was at the hotel. Additional information on Guerrero's death was not immediately available.

Guerrero was a featured star on the UPN series "WWE Smackdown!" and the subject of a full-length DVD titled "Cheating Death, Stealing Life."

Son of legendary Mexican wrestler Gory Guerrero, Eddie Guerrero has also wrestled with World Championship Wrestling and Extreme Championship Wrestling, among other federations. His nephew, Chavo Guerrero, Jr., also wrestles with WWE.

Guerrero grew up in El Paso, Texas. He was married with two children.

Update 4: From PWTorch

Eddie Guerrero was found in his hotel room in Minneapolis with his toothbrush in his mouth. He apparently died while brushing his teeth. At this point, the belief among WWE personnel is that Guerrero died of heart failure.

Shortly after Guerrero's body was found and removed from the room, Chris Benoit, Rey Mysterio, Dean Malenko and Chavo Guerrero visited the hotel room to say their goodbyes. WWE wrestlers and staffers were visibly shaken and emotional while leaving the hotel to go the Target Center, the site of tonight's Raw/Smackdown taping. Word from WWE sources is that the tenor of tonight's taping will be dramatically different and that the Smackdown show will need to be revised.

NEWS FLASH: Get 20% off Wrestlemania Anthology at deepdiscountdvd.com

2005-11-11T09:30:00.000-06:00

If you were on the fence about buying the Wrestlemania Anthology, now would be a good time to make up your mind and order it. Deepdiscountdvd.com is currently having a 20% off sale, and you will be able to get the Wrestlemania Anthology for about as cheap as you will ever be able too. Right now it is listed at $157.18, and after the 20% off code your total would be $125.74, which includes free shipping. If you live in Illinois, you will be charged sales tax since deepdiscountdvd.com is based in Illinois, so add about 10 or 11 dollars to your order, but this is still cheaper than anywhere else that is selling the Wrestlemania Anthology at its regular price.

Click here to go to the Wrestlemania Anthology page on DDD. Click Buy Now, and use any of the following codes to get 20% off

DD11
DVDSALE
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SUPERSALE
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I am not making or getting anything out of this, I am just trying to help out others get the cheapest deal on the Wrestlemania Anthology DVD Box Set. These codes work for all DVD's, but you can not use them for pre-orders. So if you have been waiting to get the Wrestlemania Anthology or other wrestling DVD's now is the time to so.

Quantities of the box set are low according to the main page, and this sale ends on November 19th, so act quick and you will save tons of money on the Wrestlemania Anthology set.

Candice Michelle to pose in Playboy just in time for Wrestlemania 22

2005-11-10T15:10:00.000-06:00

The following is from wwe.com

RAW's Candice Michelle to pose for Playboy
November 10, 2005

Earlier today, RAW Diva Candice Michelle ended all the speculation when she officially signed on to pose for the pages of Playboy Magazine.

Candice is scheduled to appear in the April issue of the popular publication, which will hit newsstands just in time for WrestleMania 22.

Wrestlemania Anthology Disc 1 Impressions, Bret Hart Update, New Feature

2005-11-07T17:17:00.000-06:00

First off, I have syndicated the latest wrestling news from a site I have been visiting for a long time, wrestling-news.com. You can see all of the latest wrestling news by visiting the option in the rollover menu.

The following is from the Pro Wrestling Insider. To read the entire article, click here

Bret Hart, Jerry Lawler, Kurt Angle, and Carlito Caribbean Cool appeared at Ringsidefest over the weekend in New York City at Caroline's Comedy Club.

Hart got very emotional when discussing his brother Owen. When asked about his favorite matches, he said the Wrestlemania 12 Iron Man bout against Michaels and The Wrestlemania 13 Submission Match against Steve Austin. Hart said he has nothing but respect for Austin. He noted he also loved wrestling The Killer Bees and The British Bulldogs.

When asked about the WWE Hall of Fame, Hart said he would consider it if he was going to be inducted in New York City. Hart said that he would never appear in any form inside a WWE ring ever again. He made it a point to thank everyone for remembering his career before he left.

(UPDATE: 11-9-05 12:36 AM) Here is the exact question given to Bret and his answer, which I hope is not the case LINK

Would he be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2006?

Bret stated he didn't think it would happen by next year, although he was given offers. He added, "If I did anything for WWE ever again, it would have to be at Madison Square Garden."

Wrestlemania 1 DVD impressions

The DVD for Wrestlemania 1 is pretty much all you can ask for as a wrestling fan. I have had the old Coliseum Video release of Wrestlemania 1, and it was edited beyond belief. On this dvd they give you the entire Wrestlemania event uncut, alot of which I havent seen before. The picture quality is as good as it gets for an event that happened over twenty years ago. There are some theme song edits, such as Junk Yard Dogs theme, but the WWE was able to make it sound like the new music was the one actually used at the event. Being able to see the original Wrestlemania on DVD after all these years is as good as it gets. Now only 20 more to go.

Wrestlemania Anthology Unveiled

2005-11-04T15:37:00.000-06:00

I just received the Wrestlemania Anthology in the mail, and just the packaging alone is worth the almost $200 that was spent on this DVD set. As you can see from the picture above the set comes in a holographic box, that will look great next to any DVD set you might have in your collection.

The highlights from the advertising on the back of the box set include

- 21 discs at over 69 hours of Wrestlemania

- Four collectible 5 X 7 cards, with a piece of 35mm film on each card capturing a famous Wrestlemania moment

- A DVD photo gallery of all 21 Wrestlemanias

(Note: You can click each picture to get a better look)

One of the extras included in the box set is the Wrestlemania 21 DVD, which as you can see is "hidden" on the bottom of the cover for the box set.

Above you can see the 4 different volumes inside and out of the collectors box. Every volume contains 5 Wrestlemania events each. Inside each volume you will find your collectors card, along with a booklet that lists every match from the 5 Wrestlemanias in each volume. The booklets also have great pictures and artwork as well. Below you can see the great artwork of each volume starting with Volume 1.

Below are the four collectible cards with the 35MM film on them. Each card is numbered, so make sure you hold on to these collector items.

This next picture shows you what you paid your $200 for, the DVD's themselves.

Like I said earlier, the packaging for this set is very well done, and some of the best I have ever seen for a DVD set. For those of us who have grown up watching Wrestlemania, this is as good as it gets. I plan on watching a disc a week, so every week leading up to Wrestlemania 22 I will post my impressions on the DVD's themselves. Also I will be doing a recap of the Chicago portion of Wrestlemania 2 along with Wrestlemania 13, which also took place in Chicago.

If you have any questions on the set e-mail me at wm22blog@gmail.com. Don't forget to visit the forums where you can discuss the Wrestlemania Anthology or Wrestlemania 22 itself.

I'll be back with my impressions of the Wrestlemania 1 disc on Monday.

Wrestlemania Anthology Press Release

2005-10-28T15:43:00.000-05:00

See Every Historic WrestleMania Moment in the Last 21 Years

STAMFORD, CT, (NAMC) - World Wrestling Entertainment announces the much-anticipated release of WrestleMania: The Complete Anthology DVD Box Set, which hits stores on Tuesday, November 1. This first-ever complete WrestleMania DVD collection beginning with WrestleMania I in 1985 and spanning all the way to the historic WrestleMania 21 in 2005, captures all the epic battles, classic matches, and blockbuster main events in one ultimate DVD collection.

Available to sports entertainment fans everywhere, this DVD set contains four individual, 5-disc volumes with each containing 5 exciting years of WrestleMania and WrestleMania 21 under the box lid. Each of the four volumes will also be sold individually but do not include a collectible Senitype card (exclusively available only in the box set) which captures a WrestleMania moment on a replica piece of 35mm film. The Complete Anthology allows fans of all ages the opportunity to witness all 213 matches in WrestleMania history.

See immortals collide and titles change hands in epic battles that could only happen on sports entertainment's grandest stage. WrestleMania: The Complete Anthology includes such blockbuster matches as:

-- "Mr. Wonderful" Paul Orndorff & "Rowdy" Roddy Piper(TM) with Cowboy Bob Orton(TM) vs. Hollywood Hogan(TM) & Mr. T with "Superfly" Jimmy Snuka(TM) in the first ever main event at WrestleMania I.

-- Hulk Hogan(TM) vs. Ultimate Warrior for the WWE(R) Championship and Intercontinental Championship at WrestleMania VI.

-- "Macho Man" Randy Savage(TM) vs. Ric Flair(R) for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania VIII.

-- Shawn Michaels vs. Razor Ramon(TM) in the first ever Ladder Match for the Intercontinental Championship at WrestleMania X.

-- Stone Cold Steve Austin(TM) vs. Bret "Hit Man" Hart(TM) in a Submission Match at WrestleMania 13.

-- The Rock(R) vs. Hulk Hogan in an Icon vs. Icon Match at WrestleMania X8.

-- Hulk Hogan body slamming Andre the Giant(TM) for the first time ever at WrestleMania III.

-- Ultimate Warrior coming to the aid of Hulk Hogan as he makes his return to the WWE at WrestleMania VIII.

WrestleMania The Complete Anthology DVD box set and individual volumes will be available at all major retail stores.

Wrestlemania 22 Ticket Sale Recap

2005-10-17T14:50:00.000-05:00

It has now been three days since I camped out for Wrestlemania tickets for 24 and a half hours, and was it ever worth it.

My day started on Friday morning, trying to get presale tickets through ticketmaster.com. Once 9 AM hit, and for a couple minutes after that, no order form ever showed up on the ticketmaster site. I then began to hit refresh so many times on my laptop that ticketmaster.com locked me out. So in the fastest sprint I've ran since gym class in High School, I ran to the desktop in my brothers room to try to get my tickets, which of course didn't work. So with two computers, I was unable to get any tickets.

After 15 minutes of playing around with ticketmaster, I decided enough was enough and I just grabbed my jacket and went straight to the Allstate Arena, without grabbing any other items I might need for a 24 hour campout. About 10 minutes later I arrived at the arena box office, and the cops had a sign up sheet in which after taking your ID you were given a number. I was number 17, so I figured if I could withstand doing absolutely nothing in a parking lot for 24 hours, I will be able to get tickets for Wrestlemania.

After the excitement died down from getting my number for the line, reality hit and I realized I needed something comfortable to sit in, along with some food and drink, or it might be quite a long 24 hours ahead of me. Thanks to my brother and my girlfriend, I had everything I could possibly need to be comfortable for the next day in a parking lot. The one thing I wish I had which I forgot in all the rush was my digital camera to show just how long the line was, and all the side things going on in line, but what can you do.

I was surprised at how great of a job the Rosemont police did, as everything was run very smoothly. They would check the list every couple hours or so to make sure no one tried to skip ahead in line or left. They even had a very lavish port-a-potty set up with a portable sink, what more could you ask for? If you wanted to leave to go shopping or get something to eat you could, but you weren't allowed to go home for the night. Everyone was very cool in line, and that made the time go a lot faster. (Unless you are one of the ones who was screaming KENNEDY every 5 minutes all night, then you owe me a couple hours of sleep.) Around 2:30 PM representatives from the WWE handed out free Wrestlemania 22 shirts, which was very cool for them to do (and it saved me 20 bucks!) The afternoon was very warm, but at night it was terribly cold. Two shirts,a hoodie, a jacket, and a blanket wasn't enough to keep me warm in the wee hours of the morning, and a hourly visit to my car to warm up was a must.

Around 6:30 in the morning, (if my sleep deprived mind remembers correctly,) a film crew showed up to film the people in line for tickets. By this time, the line was so far back that if you showed up any later than that time, you weren't getting tickets. For the people in the front of the line who were there the longest, half of us were sleeping and didn't even realize they were filming until they went past us. As the sun began to rise everyone was now up, and just hours away from getting our tickets. The film crew then began to do interviews, which you can see over at WWE.com and probably on Raw tonight. Looking back I should have done one, but I still got my one second of fame as you can see from this picture.

Yes that is me in the background behind the guy being interviewed, wearing my grey hoodie and jacket, still cold as all hell, and in need of some serious sleep. There was someone taking pictures of people as well for WWE, and this all helped make time go a little faster until the time to buy tickets hit. I felt like a kid on Christmas morning when the time finally arrived to buy tickets and we were let inside the box office. They had six windows open and I was third in line at window 5, so I knew I was getting my tickets. When I finally had my tickets in hand, it was like Christmas came a little early this year.

Needless to say, I got the tickets I wanted, and I am now heading to Wrestlemania as well as Raw the next night. If you were shut out of Wrestlemania tickets, WWE will more than likely release more tickets at the time comes closer. If you would like tickets to Raw for the night after Wrestlemania, you can still get them by clicking here. Whenever ticket information is released on the 2006 WWE Hall of Fame, you will find everything you need to know about that and all things Wrestlemania right here.

To view the video of people waiting in line for Wrestlemania, click here

Also, you can discuss Wrestlemania 22 and all things WWE by visiting the Wrestlemania 22 Blog Forum here

If you were in line for tickets, e-mail me at wm22blog@gmail.com and I will post your story.

NEWS FLASH:Tickets on sale for Raw the night after Wrestlemania 22!

2005-10-15T10:32:00.000-05:00

I just got done camping out at the Allstate for 24 hours to get Wrestlemania tickets which are now sold out, but if you act quick tickets for Raw are now on sale!

Click here for Raw Tickets

I am taking a much needed nap, I will have a full update by Monday

Wrestlemania 22 Shirt and Wrestlemania Anthology DVD Set Unveiled

2005-10-08T13:40:00.000-05:00

Over at WWE Shopzone they have unveiled a Wrestlemania 22 Shirt. Below is the Description

WrestleMania 22 T-shirt
“The Windy City” must brace itself for a squall of epic proportions, because World Wrestling Entertainment is set to invade Chicago, IL on 4/2/06 with the most prominent event of sports-entertainment’s calendar year...WrestleMania 22! Superstars from both RAW and SmackDown will do battle under brightest of spotlights, each eager to succeed on a night that has given birth to legends and shattered aspiring dreams dating back to 1985. Why wait to indulge in the fever of this once-a-year extravaganza? Begin the celebration today by wearing the WrestleMania 22 logo T-shirt and whet your appetite for the historic festivities that await! Black. 100% cotton. Screen-printed in the USA. Imported. Price: $20.00

Also at WWE Shopzone they have revealed the Wrestlemania Anthology DVD Box Set which contains all 21 Wrestlemanias.. There will be two versions, the one pictured above comes in a leather box and will be signed by Vince McMahon. This version will cost you $279 and only 1000 are being made, and can only be bought through Shopzone. Another version will cost you $195 and will come in a holographic box. If you are going to get the holographic version, I suggest buying it through Deep Discount DVD as they have a much cheaper price. For full details on the box sets, visit this page.

Wrestlemania 22 Press Release

2005-10-06T23:15:00.000-05:00

The following press release was released by the WWE this morning

WrestleMania 22 Tickets Go On Sale Saturday, October 15 at 10 a.m. Central Time
Oct 6, 2005

STAMFORD, CONN., October 6, 2005 – Tickets for WrestleMania 22 go on sale Saturday, October 15, at 10 a.m. (CT)/11 a.m. (ET).

WrestleMania 22 will take place Sunday April 2, 2006 at the Allstate Arena in Chicago, Illinois. Tickets are $300, $200, $100, $75 and $40, with a limited number of “Platinum Ringside Seats” going for $750. Fans who purchase the Platinum Ringside Seats will get to keep a commemorative WrestleMania 22 chair. Tickets for WrestleMania 22 can be purchased at the Allstate Arena Box Office, Ticketmaster, and Ticketmaster.com or by calling 312-559-1212 and reserving seats by phone.

Recent WrestleManias have sold out within minutes of tickets going on sale. Last year, WrestleMania 21 in Los Angeles at the Staples Center became the fastest sell-out in Staples Center history, selling out in under a minute.

Chicago has hosted two previous WrestleManias. In 1986, a portion of WrestleMania 2 took place in the Rosemont Horizon (now Allstate Arena), which saw WWE Hall of Famer Andre The Giant™ win a 20 man over the top rope Battle Royal. In 1997, WrestleMania 13 came back to Chicago, headlined by Bret “Hitman” Hart™ defeating “Stone Cold” Steve Austin™ in an epic encounter

10/06 Ross Report Update- talks about Hogan vs. Austin at Wrestlemania 22

2005-10-06T18:12:00.000-05:00

The following is from the 10/06 Ross Report

Name: Nick
With Hulk Hogan making only a few appearances on RAW and pay-per-views, are any WWE Superstars upset that he doesn’t work full-time, gets the spotlight and ultimately takes money from their pockets?

Not really. Hogan has been “coming in and out” for years without any major issues. With Hulk’s ongoing knee problems, he cannot work a full-time schedule even if he wanted to (and I don’t think that he does). Why should he? He’s done it all — except beat Stone Cold — and he has more money than he will ever spend.

Name: Paul
I have two questions I would like to ask you: First, do you think Hogan and Austin will headline WrestleMania 22 based on what Hogan said on the Homecoming episode of RAW? Second, have you ever thought about writing an autobiography? I think it would be an interesting read.

Obviously that match has been many fans’ dream match for years. If, and that is a big IF, it is going to happen there is only one stage I would put it on — and that is WrestleMania next year in Chicago. Austin has dropped some unneeded pounds to ready himself for acting, while the Hulkster was telling Harley Race and me Monday in Dallas about Hogan’s knee problem, which would have to be addressed before he stepped into any ring with Stone Cold. Needless to say, this match would pit the two biggest money makers ever in WWE one on one. Although they’ve been two HUGE fan favorites sometimes, not always, these big bouts without an antagonist can be strange, to say the least. I would pay money to see it whenever and wherever it might happen.

As far as a book goes, I have thought of writing an autobiography for years and probably will some day as it seems like I get new material for a book of this nature every day — especially in the past couple of weeks. I have kept thorough notes over the past three decades, so I will be ready when the time comes. With all I could write about, it might be best if I wrote my story when I am retired, and who knows when that will be?

So what do you think will happen? Will Stone Cold vs. Hogan happen at Wrestlemania 22, and will it be in the main event? Head on over to the forums to discuss

The Wrestlemania 22 Blog has re-launched!

2005-10-06T13:19:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the re-launch of the Wrestlemania 22 Blog. Tickets are going on sale next week, which means we are getting closer to the big event. Over the next six months expect lots of new features. One new feature is the roll over menu to the left. Just point your mouse over the roll over menu and it will expand, allowing you to navigate the new features. Another new feature added was the Wrestlemania 22 Blog forum. This will be used for discussions on Wrestlemania 22, as well as the Poll of the Week and more. To be able to post replies or create threads, please register, as you will not be able to do so if you do not register. The new media section will contain pictures and videos of all the events surrounding Wrestlemania 22, and will be updated as these events happen. At the bottom of the page is a google search bar which you can use to search for information regarding Wrestlemania 22. Leave a comment here or on the message board and let me know what you think of the new look, and I look forward to having this be the home for all information regarding Wrestlemania 22. You can always reach me via e-mail at wm22blog@gmail.com

Wrestlemania 22 Blog Message Board

2005-10-04T15:10:00.000-05:00

I just set up a message board to discuss Wrestlemania 22 which can be reached here

Stop on by and discuss Wrestlemania 22 with fellow fans

Hogan vs Austin hinted at on Raw Homecoming

2005-10-03T22:02:00.000-05:00

Hulk Hogan just dropped a hint at the possible main event at Wrestlemania 22 on Raw Homecoming, asking what would it be like if he were to face the Rattlesnake sometime in the future

Wrestlemania 22 Weekend Information, Wrestlemania 22 Blog Update

2005-10-01T14:22:00.000-05:00

First off this blog will re-launch on October 15th, the day tickets go on sale for Wrestlemania 22, with a new look and new features.

Thanks to Qumar for sending the following in

According to prowrestling.com, WWE notified people who ordered travel packages for WrestleMania 22, that RAW will take place at the Allstate Arena on April 3rd, and SmackDown (taped on April 4th) will take place at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, IN.

Since WrestleMania always has it FanFrenzy located in a convention center of some sorts, I did some investigating. Currently, the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont (the closest convention center or anything of its kind to Allstate Arena) has three different events booked during WrestleMania weekend. However, those three events are all trade shows and do not have any affiliation to anything WWE.

I also looked at some other possible sites such as McCormick Place, Lakeside Center (old McCormick Place) and Navy Pier to see if they already have FanFrenzy scheduled. The website for McCormick Place and Lakeside Center only has a list of their 2005 event dates, and nothing listed yet for the 2006 year. Navy Pier will be hosting two different events that weekend, a cheerleading competition and a health & fitness expo for the Shamrock Shuffle 8K race.

So, I wouldn't necessarily rule out McCormick Place as the host for the WrestleMania 22 FanFrenzy. However, I wouldn't be surprised if it were forced to be held somewhere else. I was thinking it might be held at Allstate Arena's Skyline Room. The Skyline Room is adjacent to the box office and is the location for Chicago Rush pre-game parties. It's very small, and compared to what WWE has shown on TV for what it does for FanFrenzy in the past, I don't think this may be the ideal spot for FanFrenzy. But, you never know. Stranger things have happened. WWE decided to give a little rinky-dink arena in Chicagoland the company's biggest event of the year.

New Address for the Wrestlemania 22 Blog!

2005-09-27T17:08:00.000-05:00

You can now access this site by using www.wm22blog.com

This is one of the many changes ahead for the blog over the next couple of weeks, so stay tuned

Rock to return at Wrestlemania 22? Wrestlemania 22 Celebrity Rumors,Blog Update

2005-09-20T19:54:00.000-05:00

First off expect a new look and more features to be added to this blog around the time that Wrestlemania 22 tickets go on sale. The following news is from pwtorch.com

The Rock told Freezedriedmovies.com that he may be at WrestleMania next year, but not wrestling in a match. He said his heart is still in wrestling. His next big movie release is "Doom" on Oct. 21, which means he'll be doing the media interview rounds again

Although all online talk of the "big celebrity" at WrestleMania 22 is focused on Eminem (for a rap battle or tag match with John Cena) and Jose Canseco, no definitive decision has yet been made.

Another Austin vs Hogan Update-- Buildup to start on Raws return to USA Network?

2005-09-06T22:11:00.000-05:00

Credit: PWInsider.com

There was a brief interview in the Ottawa Sun yesterday with Hulk Hogan. The main highlight of the interview was Hogan speculating that could work a match against Steve Austin at next year's WrestleMania. "I don't know where his head is at with wrestling," said Hogan.

As previously reported, there is a lot of backstage talk about a Hogan-Austin match at WrestleMania next year.

Take the following as pure speculation, but it is a very interesting scenario

Thanks to Ryan Morgan for the following:

The talent list for the "Return of RAW on USA Network" is listed as follows on Ticketmaster.com: WWE Champion John Cena, Hulk Hogan, Stone Cold Steve Austin, the return of Triple H, Mick Foley, Mr. McMahon, Shawn Michaels, Shelton Benjamin, the Big Show, Kurt Angle, Ric Flair, Intercontinental Champion Carlito, the Masterpiece Chris Masters, Edge, Kane, Lita, Tag Team Champions Hurricane and Rosey, the Heart Throbs and many more. CARD IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE!

I am guessing they had to advertise the Heart Throbs to get people to pony up big money for that show. Seriously, we already knew about the return of HHH, but they better deliver Hogan and Austin if they are advertising them on Ticketmaster. It would actually make sense. What better show to start the angle towards the rumored Hogan-Austin WrestleMania match than the first one on USA?

Wrestlemania 22 Ticket Prices

2005-09-02T23:12:00.000-05:00

Thanks to Qumar for the following...

I've found out the ticket pricing scale for WrestleMania 22. Here is the information from the Allstate Arena website:

Ticket prices: $300, 200, 100, 75, 40

Here's the link to the page I found it on.

Click Here

Hurricane Katrina Donations

2005-09-01T16:05:00.000-05:00

Here are links to where donations can be made

Red Cross

Americares

McCormick Tribune Foundation
Hurricane Katrina Relief Campaign (Will match the first $1,000,000 contributed to the campaign at $0.50 per your $1 donated)

More Places to Help

Bret Hart 2006 Hall of Fame and Stone Cold News from The Ross Report

2005-08-26T16:19:00.000-05:00

From wwe.com

Name: Gaz Mc

Do you feel we will ever see Bret Hart ever again in a WWE ring... be it as part of a farewell speech at the Hall of Fame or at WrestleMania 22?

In the ring as an active competitor…no. However, I do think there is a great chance that he will be inducted in the WWE Hall of Fame in 2006. If he doesn’t go in next year it will be because he did not feel like it was time. He sure as hell deserves to be in there.

Name: Ryan

I was wondering if Stone Cold Steve Austin will ever participate in a match again. It would be great to see him back in action. Is his injury as severe as HBK's was when he broke his back and managed to return a few years later?

If I were a betting man and I have been known to engage in a game of Texas Hold ‘Em from time to time, I would say we would absolutely see the Texas Rattlesnake in the ring again. When and against whom is the $64,000 question. WrestleMania 22 in Chicago wouldn’t be a bad place. Until then, Steve is working on his developing movie career in Hollywood and is continuing to train and is in great shape and looks like he could kick some ass about any time he was called upon.

More Hogan Wrestlemania 22 News

2005-08-23T23:15:00.000-05:00

Source: PWTorch Newsletter

Hulk Hogan is not expected to make a return any time soon. WWE currently has no plans him, although it can be assumed that he will make an eventual return when the time is right.

One backstage source speculated that Vince made a deal with Hogan that if he were to get the clean win over Michaels at SummerSlam, he would eventually have to job cleanly to John Cena, prospectively at WrestleMania 22. With Hogan going clean over Michaels, and then Cena going clean over Hogan (after Michaels wasn't able to), it would help to further elevate Cena. If that was the deal between Vince and Hogan, enabling Hogan to take advantage of his "creative control" stipulation and get the clean win over Shawn, it is unknown whether or not Michaels was even aware of it.

John Cena is clearly seen by Vince as the best chance he has of creating a new top tier draw. Both Batista and Randy Orton are seen way lower than Cena in the eyes of Mr. McMahon.

Check back later this week for more updates

Wrestlemania 22 Ticket Information!

2005-08-22T19:28:00.000-05:00

From WWE.com

WrestleMania to take Chicago by storm
August 21, 2005

For the first time in nearly a decade, WrestleMania will return to Chicago when RAW and SmackDown! present WWE WrestleMania 22 live at the Allstate Arena on Sunday, April 2, 2006.

It was just announced that seats for WrestleMania will go on sale Saturday, October 15 (10 a.m. Chicago Time / 11 a.m. Eastern Time / 8 a.m. on the U.S. West Coast). Tickets will be available online at www.ticketmaster.com and by calling Ticketmaster phone charge at 312-559-1212. In the Chicago area, tickets will also be available at the Allstate Arena Box Office in Rosemont, and at all Ticketmaster Ticket Centers, including all Carson Pirie Scott stores, Tower Records and Hot Tix locations, and select Coconuts and FYI locations.

If history is any indication, WrestleMania tickets will not last long: prior to last years WrestleMania 21 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, fans had claimed all available tickets in less than one minute! Undoubtedly, WrestleMania 22 will be one of the hottest events in Chicago in 2006. What's more, based on past experience, fans will be coming to WrestleMania from virtually every state and from more than one dozen different countries.

Adding to the WrestleMania Weekend excitement in Chicagoland will be the now traditional WrestleMania Fan Frenzy including the 2006 WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. The Hall of Fame Induction will take place at the Rosemont Theatre on the eve of WrestleMania: Saturday, April 1.

So, circle your calendars right now for these important dates:
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Saturday, October 15 - WrestleMania Tickets on sale

Saturday, April 1 - WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony

Sunday, April 2 - WrestleMania 22

Then, keep checking right here on WWE.com in the coming weeks and months as more WrestleMania Week details become available.

BREAKING NEWS: Bret Hart at WWE Headquarters

2005-08-03T18:03:00.000-05:00

(Second Update 5:55 PM CT Time) From WWE.COM
Former WWE Champion Bret Hart has arrived at WWE Headquarters. The “Hit Man” will be meeting with WWE officials regarding the possibility of an upcoming DVD. Hart will be in Stamford for the remainder of the week. WWE.com will have further updates as more information becomes available.

Also from pwinsider.com

Bret Hart's meeting today is regarding the soon to be released DVD "Screwed: The Bret Hart Story" so we'll know soon enough whether he'll be participating in the project. One would think that if he was willing to fly
into Stamford that he's close to agreeing to terms. WWE has also made numerous overtures to Bret about being inducted into the Hall of Fame next year in Chicago, Illinois.

(First Update)Bret Hart on his way to WWE Headquarters
August 3, 2005

Bret "Hit Man" Hart is scheduled to arrive at WWE Headquarters at 4:00 p.m. ET today to meet with WWE officials.

WWE.com will continue to have updates on this throughout the afternoon.

Any affect this will have on Wrestlemania 22 or the Hall of Fame ceremony will be covered here

Dusty Rhodes also arrives at WWE HQ

2005-08-03T18:02:00.000-05:00

From WWE.com

Dusty Rhodes meeting over
August 3, 2005

Dusty Rhodes meeting with Stephanie McMahon has ended. When asked about the meeting, McMahon responded:

ÂDusty is an incredible asset both creatively and as a talent. We are exploring all possibilities of working with Dusty in the future.Â

Whether or not this has to do with our previous post of Jim Ross offering Dusty a spot in the 2006 WWE Hall of Fame is unclear. More as this story develops.

More on Steve Austin vs. Hulk Hogan at Wrestlemania 22 (2nd Update)

2005-07-31T12:56:00.000-05:00

(8-02-05)In regards to the HBK skit that appeared last night on Raw, apparently Hogan gave his blessing to HBK and Vince to go ahead with it. Hogan has stated he knows he's getting old and has no problem with it. It's expected that Hogan will go over HBK at Summerslam and not return till WM next year to face off against Steve Austin. Both Austin and Hogan have talked over the phone and are willing to do the match only if it's the Main Event of Wrestlemania.

From PWI

As WWE prepares for new matches as a result of the talent draft, one particular dream match—which had nothing to do with this year's draft—could happen, possibly at WrestleMania 22. Hulk Hogan has given Steve Austin several backhanded compliments as of late, praising Austin's success, but hinting that his popularity wasn't as genuine as his own. Austin responded to Hogan's snide remarks during an interview with the U.K. Sun. During an interview with the same tabloid in 2004, Austin said he wanted a match with Hogan, but this year, he made his intentions more clear.

“I'd be happy to get it on with Hulk Hogan,” said Austin. “I've heard what he's been saying—and that match is something that could definitely happen. If they can build it right, the money is right, the event is right, and if the story can be told correctly, then yeah, I will fight him.”

Added Austin: “Sometimes he's run his mouth and I don't think too much of a lot of what he's had to say, but he's a smart man and he can see that this could be a great opportunity.”

Although we never got to see the Austin-Bill Goldberg dream match, I have a feeling that Austin-Hogan could be much bigger. Let's hope this bout happens while the two icons are able to perform at an adequate level.

News on Bret "Hitman" Hart possible induction into 2006 WWE Hall of Fame (UPDATE)

2005-07-28T22:31:00.000-05:00

Jim Ross was on WWLS The Sports Animal in Oklahoma City today and he gave a hint at Bret Hart being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2006

When asked about Bret Hart he said, "He hopes to see him get in the Hall of Fame this year in Chicago and that the door is always open provided there is peace in the valley he could comeback into the family." He also noted that it could only be good to have someone of Hart's caliber to be around the young guys.

Bret "The Hitman" Hart was recently on Between The Ropes and here are his comments on going into the WWE Hall of Fame

Bret was asked if fences could be mended with the WWE. He would like to think that it could be rectified, but it does not look like it will be. He was proud of his work in the WWF because you could not sum up his career with the last few minutes in Montreal. He wrestled Ricky Steamboat, the British Bulldogs, Ted DiBiase, and Curt Hennig. He would love to see that history restored. He does not want it to be lost or displaced. He talked to Vince that he wanted to be credited for what he contributed. However, he does not know if they would own up to what they did and find a reasonable way for him to be a part of the Hall of Fame or a DVD to showcase his career. He has not seen anything to indicate that they will do something. It looks like they would rather exploit things by having both sides say what happened. His behavior during that time was very difficult for him and he has never made light of it. He took pride of his work at that time and never had any regrets. The WWE should be willing to come forward and say that they did not handle business well and that there was some clouded vision, he would be willing to be a part of the Hall of Fame.

Credit 1wrestling.com

Wrestlemania 22 Travel Packages(UPDATE)

2005-07-18T00:02:00.000-05:00

This coming year WrestleMania XXII will be held at the Allstate Arena in Chicago, Illinois, on Sunday, April 2, 2006. We are pleased to offer the following three WrestleMania XXII Travel Packages.

Platinum Travel Packages consist of WrestleMania XXII Platinum ringside section ticket(s) (sections vary depending on seating capacity at venue); commemorative WrestleMania XXII chair(s); three-night hotel accommodations at a Chicago area hotel (check-in 3:00pm on Friday, March 31, 2006, and check-out 12:00pm on Monday, April 3, 2006); ticket(s) to Saturday's Midday Madness - a private autograph and photo session with WWE Superstars (identity of Superstars will not be available prior to session);
ticket(s) to the WWE Hall Of Fame Induction Ceremony on Saturday night (names of Inductees will be announced at a later date); ticket(s) to Sunday morning's Bacon, Bagels, & Biceps Brunch featuring a question & answer session with WWE Superstars (identity of Superstars will not be available prior to session); plus exclusive WrestleMania XXII souvenir(s).

Single Occupancy - 1 Person @ $1,748 (USD) - Total Cost: $1,748 (USD)
Double Occupancy - 2 People @ $1,490 (USD) per person - Total Cost: $2,980
(USD)
Triple Occupancy - 3 People @ $1,406 (USD) per person - Total Cost: $4,218
(USD)
Quad Occupancy - 4 People @ $1,362 (USD) per person - Total Cost: $5,448
(USD)

Gold Travel Packages consist of WrestleMania XXII Gold section ticket(s) (sections behind Platinum ringside sections); three-night hotel accommodations at a Chicago area hotel (check-in 3:00pm on Friday, March 31, 2006, and check-out 12:00pm on Monday, April 3, 2006); ticket(s) to Saturday's Midday Madness - a private autograph and photo session with WWE Superstars (identity of Superstars will not be available prior to session); ticket(s) to the WWE Hall Of Fame Induction Ceremony on Saturday
night (names of Inductees will be announced at a later date); ticket(s) to Sunday morning's Bacon, Bagels, & Biceps Brunch featuring a question & answer session with WWE Superstars (identity of Superstars will not be available prior to session); plus exclusive WrestleMania XXII souvenir(s).

Single Occupancy - 1 Person @ $1,208 (USD) - Total Cost: $1,208 (USD)
Double Occupancy -2 People @ $950 (USD) per person - Total Cost: $1,900
(USD)
Triple Occupancy - 3 People @ $866 (USD) per person - Total Cost: $2,598
(USD)
Quad Occupancy - 4 People @ $822 (USD) per person - Total Cost: $3,288 (USD)

Silver Travel Packages consist of WrestleMania XXII Silver section ticket(s)(sections in the lower concourse); three-night hotel accommodations at a Chicago area hotel (check-in 3:00pm on Friday, March 31, 2006, and check-out 12:00pm on Monday, April 3, 2006); ticket(s) to Saturday's Midday Madness - a private autograph and photo session with WWE Superstars (identity of Superstars will not be available prior to session); ticket(s) to the WWE Hall Of Fame Induction Ceremony on Saturday night (names of Inductees will be announced at a later date); ticket(s) to Sunday morning's Bacon, Bagels, & Biceps Brunch featuring a question & answer session with WWE Superstars (identity of Superstars will not be available prior to session); plus exclusive WrestleMania XXII souvenir(s). If you are interested in purchasing this package, please complete the attached Silver Travel Package Order Form.

Single Occupancy - 1 Person @ $1,088 (USD) - Total Cost: $1,088 (USD)

Double Occupancy -2 People @ $830 (USD) per person - Total Cost: $1,660
(USD)

Triple Occupancy - 3 People @ $746 (USD) per person - Total Cost: $2,238
(USD)

Quad Occupancy - 4 People @ $702 (USD) per person - Total Cost: $2,808 (USD)

For more information, or to order, email wrestlemania.packages@wwe.com

Stone Cold wants One More Match Against Hogan...Joey Styles bets it will take place at Wrestlemania 22

2005-05-24T13:30:00.000-05:00

From 1wrestling.com

In his latst interview with the Edmonton Sun, Steve Austin discusses his new acting career and says he would like to wrestle Hulk Hogan.

This is the one remaining "dream match" that has never happened and with Austin and Hogan both working with WWE again, I am betting it will happen at WrestleMania 22.

To read the interview, click here

Wrestlemania 22 Blog Update

2005-05-06T13:53:00.000-05:00

First off thanks for visiting my Wrestlemania 22 blog. Since Wrestlemania is right now 11 months away news is going to be slow for the next couple of months. Whenever there is news regarding Wrestlemania you can be sure that it will be reported here. Every month I would like to get a question of the month going where you can leave your comments below. This month's question is what was your favorite old school Wrestlemania? I am counting Wrestlemania's I-IX in this poll as Wrestlemania IX was the last Wrestlemania Hulk Hogan would take part in until his return at Wrestlemania X8. For myself personally I would have to choose Wrestlemania III as this was the show that put pro wrestling on the map in the 80's. To have 93,173 people fill the Pontiac Silverdome to watch Hulk Hogan to take on Andre the Giant is amazing. Check out the photo below to see just how many people were in attendance. Wrestlemania III also saw probably the greatest match of all time with "Macho Man" Randy Savage taking on Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat.

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Also don't forget to vote in the poll of the week to the right of the page

Check back for more news on Wrestlemania 22