Wrestlemania: Difference between revisions

In 1985, [[Vince McMahon]] had an idea to hold a flagship pay-per-view show for his [[WWEWorld Wrestling Entertainment|World Wrestling Federation]] to counter the ''Starrcade'' event held by rival [[WCW|Jim Crockett Promotions]]. This show - the very first '''''Wrestlemania''''' - was heavily cross-promoted through MTV and other popular television outlets; the WWF's mainstream success from this point on hinged on the first '''''Wrestlemania''''' being a success.

It turned out to be a huge success; from then on out, the WWF (now World Wrestling Entertainment, or WWE) has held '''''Wrestlemania''''' as an annual event, using the show to end major feuds and begin new ones. It is considered WWE's flagship event, and is the biggest show WWE (or any other wrestling promotion) puts on every year. In recent years, '''''Wrestlemania''''' has become the annual Mecca of the wrestling world: since the event draws in fans from all over the world, many of the larger independent promotions hold shows in '''''Wrestlemania''''s'' host city in the days leading up to the show in an attempt to expose fans to ''their'' product. [[World Wrestling Entertainment|WWE]] is not very appreciative of this, however, and has made moves in recent years to keep other wrestling shows out of the cities where '''Wrestlemania''' takes place; it's rumored that part of the reason Phoenix, AZ won the bid to host '''''Wrestlemania''' 26'' was because they agreed to prevent other wrestling promotions from holding shows in publicly-owned venues (both [[Ring of Honor]] and Dragon Gate USA managed to book shows in the area for the weekend of '''''Wrestlemania''' 26'', however).