Pro Wrestling

WrestleMania 2009

WrestleMania is an annual wrestling event, produced  late March or early April by World Wrestling Entertainment WWE. The event was first produced in 1985, and 24 editions have been produced as of 2008. WrestleMania XXV, also promoted as The 25th Anniversary of WrestleMania is scheduled to take place on April 5, 2009 at the Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas.  The event will be the 25th event produced under the WrestleMania name and will feature wrestlers from the Raw, SmackDown, and ECW.   As of November 9, 2008, ticket sales exceeded US$4.8 million.

Since 1993, the winner of the annual Royal Rumble match  at the January event of the same name has won the opportunity to fight for a World Championship at WrestleMania.  Randy Orton won the match in 2009 and will have the opportunity to choose to wrestle for the WWE, World Heavyweight, or ECW Championship at WrestleMania.

Latest on WrestleMania XXV
Since the first instance of the event, appearances by celebrities have contributed to the promotion of WrestleMania. At the 15th Screen Actors Guild Awards, actor Mickey Rourke, who has recently gained critical acclaim for his role in the film The Wrestler, had earlier announced he would be competing at WrestleMania. However, it was later reported by his spokesperson on January 28, 2009 that he would not be competing at the event;however, Rourke’s appearance was later re-confirmed by WWE on January 31, 2009, where it was announced that he had been invited as a guest, and not as a competitor, for WrestleMania.
It was announced on January 30, 2009 that “War Machine” and the live version of “Shoot to Thrill”, both by AC/DC, would serve as the theme songs for WrestleMania.

The Wrestler is a film directed by Darren Aronofsky, written by Robert D. Siegel, and starring Mickey Rourke, Ernest Miller, Marisa Tomei and Evan Rachel Wood. Production began in January 2008. The film premiered at the 2008 Venice Film Festival in August/September, winning the Golden Lion Award. Fox Searchlight acquired rights to distribute the film in the U.S.; it was released in a limited capacity on December 17, 2008, and was released nationwide on January 23, 2009.

The Plot
Robin Ramzinski (ring name Randy “The Ram” Robinson, played by Mickey Rourke) is a professional wrestler who was a star in the 1980s, but is now twenty years past his prime and wrestling on the weekends for various independent wrestling promotions in the Elizabeth, New Jersey area. After a show, a promoter proposes a 20th anniversary rematch with his most notable opponent, the Ayatollah (Ernest Miller), who now owns a used car dealership in Arizona. Their first match together sold out Madison Square Garden, and Randy agrees, wishfully thinking this high-profile match could help him get back to the top.

Cast
# Mickey Rourke as Randy “The Ram” Robinson
# Marisa Tomei as Cassidy / Pam
# Evan Rachel Wood as Stephanie Robinson
# Todd Barry as Wayne
# Ernest Miller as Bob/”The Ayatollah”

Also appearing in the film are actual professional wrestlers: Necro Butcher, Mike “RAGE” Miller, Paul E. Normus (who passed away in early 2009), Nick Berk, DJ Hyde, Havoc, Johnny Mangus, Billy Dream, Eric Cobian, Sabian, Nate Hatred, Sugga, L.A. Smooth, Whacks, Devon Moore, The Funky Samoans, Jay Lethal, Jim Powers, Kid USA, Ron Killings, Claudio Castagnoli, Romeo Roselli, John Zandig and Nigel McGuinness. In addition, several local New Jersey wrestlers from Bodyslam Wrestling Organization and NWA Liberty States appear in the crowd during Randy’s match against Tommy Rotten.

All Time Wrestling Legends
Hulk Hogan
Ring name(s): The Super Destroyer, Terry “The Hulk” Boulder, Sterling Golden, Hulk Hogan, Hulk Machine, Hollywood Hogan, “Hollywood” Hulk Hogan, Mr. America, Hulkamania
Height: 6 ft 4 in (193 cm)
Weight: 280 lbs (127 kg)
Born: August 11, 1953,
Augusta, Georgia.
Resides: Tampa, Florida
Trained by: Hiro Matsuda
Debut: August 19, 1977

Most Famous in 1990s as “Hollywood” Hogan, a villainous  leader, in World Championship Wrestling. Following WCW’s fold, he made a brief return to the WWE in the early 2000s, combining elements of his two most famous personas.  Hulk Hogan was later inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2005 and is officially a twelve-time world champion: a six time WWF/E Champion and a six time WCW World Heavyweight Champion as well as a former one time Tag Team Champion with Edge. He was also the winner of the Royal Rumble in 1990 and 1991.

André the Giant
Ring name(s): André Roussimoff, Butcher Roussimoff, Monster Roussimoff,
Monster Eiffel Tower, Jean Ferré, Géant Ferré, André the Giant, Giant Machine
Height: 208 cm (6 ft 10 in)
Weight: 172 kg (380 lb) to 245 kg (540 lb)
Born: May 19, 1946, Grenoble, France
Died: January 27, 1993, Paris, France
Trained by: Frank Valois, Édouard Carpentier
Debut: 1964
Retired: 1992

Andres great size was a result of a condition known as acromegaly, and led to him being dubbed “The Eighth Wonder of the World.” Andre was one of the most famous professional wrestlers of the 1970s and 1980s, and was involved in a legendary match with Hulk Hogan in 1987 at WrestleMania III.

Ric Flair
Ring name(s): Ricky Rhodes, Ric Flair, Black Scorpion
Height: 6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
Weight: 243 lbs (110 kg)
Born: February 25, 1949, Memphis, Tennessee
Resides: Charlotte, North Carolina
Trained by: Verne Gagne
Debut: 1972
Flair is among the most well known wrestlers in the world, and has been one of wrestling’s biggest stars since the late 1970s. Flair is recognized by World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) and Pro Wrestling Illustrated (PWI) as a 16-time World Heavyweight Champion (8-time WCW Champion, 6-time NWA Champion, and 2-time WWE Champion). Flair also won the 1992 Royal Rumble and was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2008, the first active wrestler to be inducted in the Hall of Fame. Flair ended his 36-year career in 2008 at WrestleMania XXIV.

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