10 Things You Didn't Know About WrestleMania
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WrestleMania is pro wrestling's biggest stage, in a sport that's all about big stages. But even with all the outsized personalities under the bright lights, with thousands cheering and millions more watching on TV, certain events are unique and certain people stand out. Who knew that was even possible?
Here are 10 things you didn't know about WrestleMania:
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1. Madison Square Garden in New York City hosted the first WrestleMania on March 31, 1985. Hulk Hogan teamed up with Mr. T to take on Roddy Piper and Paul Ordorff in the featured match. Andre the Giant body slammed Big John Studd to win $15,000 and avoid retirement. The Iron Sheik and Nicolai Volkoff captured the tag-team title from Barry Windham and Mike Rotundo, the U.S. Express.
2. WrestleMania 1 is the only WrestleMania not to include a men's singles heavyweight title match. Then champion Hulk Hogan instead teamed up with Mr. T as previously mentioned.
3. WrestleMania 2 happened on April 7, 1986 -- a Monday night. It is the only WrestleMania not scheduled on a Sunday. The second WrestleMania was also spread across three different locations: Nassau Coliseum on Long Island, Rosemont Horizon (now called the Allstate Arena) outside Chicago and Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena.
4. WrestleMania 3, held at the Pontiac Silverdome in Pontiac, Michigan in March of 1987, set the record for the largest live indoor sporting event, with 93,173 people in attendance. The record stood for over two decades.
5. At WrestleMania 2000 (#16), Kurt Angle lost two championships: the European Championship and Intercontinental Championship. This is the only time a double loss like this has ever happened at WrestleMania.
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6. WrestleMania has featured many celebrities in its three decades. Particularly notable are appearances by Liberace, Muhammad Ali, Pamela Anderson, Burt Reynolds, Floyd Mayweather Jr, Pete Rose, Mike Tyson and Alex Trebek. Musical guests include Willie Nelson, Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, John Legend, Run D.M.C. and Kid Rock.
7. The Undertaker has appeared in 14 straight WrestleManias and won 21 straight Wrestlemania matches, beating Shawn Michaels, Triple H and many other worthy opponents. Brock Lesnar ended the Undertaker's winning streak this year at WrestleMania 30 in New Orleans.
8. The Undertaker's WrestleMania appearance streak isn't the longest. Ring announcer Howard Finkel has appeared at every WrestleMania to date.
9. The longest WrestleMania match to date -- clocking in at just over an hour -- happened at WrestleMania 12 between Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels. That year's main event ended with Michaels getting the win and taking home the championship belt.
10. The shortest WrestleMania match took all of 11 seconds. Kane chokeslammed a distracted Chavo Guerrero at WrestleMania 24, moments after entering the ring, to win the ECW title.
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Norm Elrod likes sports and other sanctioned forms of craziness.
