- published: 06 Jul 2016
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WrestleMania is a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event, produced annually between mid-March to early April by WWE, an American professional wrestling promotion based in Connecticut. WWE first produced the event in 1985 and has since produced 31 editions, with the thirty-second to be held in Arlington, Texas in April 2016. WrestleMania, WWE's flagship event, is the most successful and longest-running professional wrestling event in history. It contributes to the worldwide commercial success of WWE through media, merchandise, and shows. WrestleMania was conceptualized by WWE owner Vince McMahon and long time WWE ring announcer and WWE Hall of Famer Howard Finkel is credited with devising the name "WrestleMania" in 1984.
WrestleMania's widespread success helped transform the professional wrestling sport. The event has facilitated the rise to stardom of several top WWE wrestlers, including Shawn Michaels, nicknamed "Mr. WrestleMania" for a series of high-profile matches at the event, and The Undertaker, who was undefeated at the event from 1991 until 2014. Celebrities such as Aretha Franklin, Cyndi Lauper, Muhammad Ali, Mr. T, Alice Cooper, Lawrence Taylor, Pamela Anderson, Mike Tyson, Donald Trump, Floyd Mayweather, Pete Rose, Burt Reynolds, Mickey Rourke, Snoop Dogg, Sean Combs, Kid Rock, Fred Durst, Ozzy Osbourne, Ronda Rousey, Kid Ink, and others have participated or made special appearances within the events.
John Felix Anthony Cena (/ˈsiːnə/; born April 23, 1977) is an American professional wrestler, rapper and an actor signed to WWE, but is on hiatus due to injury as of February 2016. Cena is credited by WWE as the public face of that organization, and has served as its franchise player since 2005.
Cena started his pro wrestling career in 1999 with Ultimate Pro Wrestling (UPW), and won its heavyweight title the following year. Cena signed a developmental contract with the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, later renamed to WWE) in 2001, debuting on the main roster in 2002. As of February 2016, Cena has won 24 championships, with 15 reigns as a world champion; he has won the WWE Championship/WWE World Heavyweight Championship a record of 12 times and the World Heavyweight Championship three times (WWE.com has repeatedly described him as a 15-time WWE World Heavyweight Champion), Cena also had five reigns as United States Champion, and four reigns as world tag team champion (two World Tag Team and two WWE Tag Team). Furthermore, he is a 2012 Money in the Bank ladder match winner, a two-time Royal Rumble winner (2008, 2013), and a three-time Superstar of the Year Slammy Award winner (2009, 2010, 2012).
Shane Brandon McMahon (born January 15, 1970), is an American businessman who served as the chairman and Executive Officer of YOU On Demand. He is a member of the McMahon family. The former Executive Vice President of Global Media (as well as an occasional professional wrestler and referee) for the McMahon family-owned World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), he is the son of WWE chairman and CEO Vince McMahon and sometime United States Senate candidate Linda McMahon. He is also the older brother of Stephanie McMahon Levesque and the brother-in-law of Paul "Triple H" Levesque. He worked for WWE for over 20 years before resigning in January 2010.
Over an 11-year in-ring career with WWE, McMahon became a one-time European Champion and a one-time Hardcore Champion. He headlined his first pay-per-view event at the 1999 King of the Ring, and went on to become a world championship contender in the early 2000s, closing the 2000 Insurrextion and King of the Ring events in contention for the WWF Championship, and challenging for the WCW Championship at 2001's Unforgiven. He also participated in the main event of WrestleMania 2000, as a cornerman for Big Show. Among other recorded victories, McMahon holds singles wins over former WWF Champions Big Show, Shawn Michaels, Mick Foley, and his father, Vince.
Mark William Calaway (born March 24, 1965), better known by his ring name The Undertaker, is an American professional wrestler and actor. He is currently signed to WWE, where he has worked since 1990, making him the company's longest tenured in-ring performer. Calaway began his wrestling career with World Class Championship Wrestling (WCCW) in 1984. After wrestling for World Championship Wrestling (WCW) as "Mean" Mark Callous from 1989 to 1990, he signed with the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE) in 1990.
As The Undertaker, his gimmick is a horror-themed, dynamically dark, macabre entity who employs scare tactics and holds links to the supernatural. He has won the Wrestling Observer Newsletter "Best Gimmick" award, a record five times. The Undertaker is the storyline half-brother of fellow WWE wrestler Kane, with whom he has alternately feuded and teamed with as The Brothers of Destruction. Since unseating Hulk Hogan as WWF Champion in 1991, The Undertaker has been involved in various pivotal storylines and matches within WWE history.