Rumble Guide to Wrestlemania 23
Sure, this weekend's got both the bases-ball and the car porn, but let's be honest -- both are eclipsed by the most important conflagration in sports-entertainment history: Wrestlemania 23! Even if you "claim" not to "get" our favorite guilty pleasure, there are over a million people out there who love pro wrestling and would powerslam you in a second for your scorn. These fans make WWE's shows the top-rated cable shows in America, and about 100,000 of them will be in Detroit this weekend for the festivities. This year's event is especially historic because it has been 20 years exactly since Wrestlemania III made history by attracting the largest indoor attendance for a sports or entertainment event, ever. Aretha Franklin will sing "America the Beautiful" just as she did 20 years ago, and the major match involves Donald Trump and Vince McMahon in a "Battle of the Hair" (meaning whoever loses shaves their signature coiff). After the jump, our supplementary guide for rasslin' fans.
Wrestlemania 23 at Ford Field: This is the indoor stadium for the Detroit Lions, located right downtown with a top capacity of 80,000 fans. WWE is selling about 75,000 tickets for their show. The major matches include Donald Trump (with Bobby Lashley) v. Vince McMahon (with Umaga), Batista v. the Undertaker, and HBK v. John Cena.
Pontiac Silverdome: The Pontiac dome hosted Wrestlemania III, one of the most famous events in wrestling history. This is where Hulk Hogan won the title match against Andre the Giant and created millions of pro-wrestling fans.
Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony at Fox Theater: This year's inductees to the WWE Hall of Fame include "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes, The Sheik, J.R, Afra & Sika "The Wild Samoans," Mr. Fuji, Nick Bockwinkel, "Mr. Perfect" Kurt Henning, and Jerry "The King" Lawler.
Hockeytown Cafe: The official fan headquarters at Hockeytown Cafe hosts events for Wrestlemania all week. Last night, fans crowded into the large sports bar while WWE stars signed their belts, signs, and even bras. Tonight, they host "So you Wanna Be a Wrestler?" and invite fans to come dressed as an obscure wrestler, play games, and win prizes. On Friday night, fans will compete to become "King of the Ring" by imitating their five favorite wrestlers. On Sunday, the bar will show the pay-per-view event on dozens of plasma TVs.
Town Pump Tavern: The restaurant is located close to Ford Field, and it's a good dinner spot for fans who want to stay in the vicinity. From 4 to 7 p.m. on Sunday, 18-oz. beers are a buck off, and the "Superman Martini" shall be renamed "Steve Austin Martini." Eatables include the usual burgers, sandwiches, and pizzas.
THQ Superstar Challenge at The Gem Theater: Tonight, 16 wrestlers will battle each other in video game matches at the Gem. Both the wrestlers and the divas will play "Smackdown vs. Raw" on Xbox 360 in front of hundreds of fans. Fans can also compete for prizes, and the wrestlers will do the autograph thing.
Meet Mick Foley at Borders Books, Taylor Michigan: On Saturday, March 31, at 1 p.m., the legendary Mick Foley will sign his book and meet fans.
Cobo Convention Center: Formerly Cobo Hall, Cobo Convention Center was a major site for wrestling events when the National Wrestling Alliance had a branch in Detroit. It still hosts a number of local and international wrestling matches, most notably WWE's Saturday Night Main Event in March 2006.
Premiere of The Condemned at Fox Theater: On Friday, Steve Austin's new movie The Condemned premieres at the Fox. "Stone Cold" plays a death-row prisoner battling nine condemned killers on an island. If you can't get in, it's still a good place to catch wrestlers going into the show.
-- Amanda Kludt
