TNA President Dixie Carter has called off plans to feature a match between Eric Young and Danny Bonaduce on the Lockdown pay-per-view. The match will still be held, but simply as a dark match for the live audience.

Carter felt Lockdown was going to be a serious show and she didn't want a comedy match such as Eric Young vs. Danny Bonaduce diminishing it, which explains why the angle taped at Bonaduce's radio show a few weeks ago won't be airing on iMPACT!.

TNA received a legal letter from the attorneys from Hulk Hogan's Celebrity Championship Wrestling a few weeks ago telling them that Bonaduce couldn't appear on the show as he was under contract to them. Following negotiations between both sides, everything has been worked out and Bonaduce will be able to work the match.

TNA Wrestling publicist Ross Forman came up with the idea in the sense they wanted a media contact in the Philadelphia market they could use locally to publicize Lockdown. TNA officials had Vai Sikahema in mind, the local NBC sportscaster who played in the NFL, including with the Philadelphia Eagles. Outside of the area, he may be best known for knocking out Jose Canseco in a celebrity boxing match last spring, and because of his involvement, they figured he wouldn't mind doing something with him. Sikahema was not interested, so Mike Tenay brought up Bonaduce's name, since he's a drive time DJ in the market on one of the major radio stations, recently did Hogan's show, and is lifelong wrestling fan. When Bonaduce was approached about working with TNA, he was thrilled and willing to do pretty much anything they asked. Everyone involved has raved about how cooperative he's been.

When Young went to shoot the angle with Bonaduce, he worked out a little with Bonaduce in the ring and told to give a report on him on the Jay Leno to Kevin Greene scale — complete athletic dud or someone who took to wrestling like a duck to water. TNA would then decide whether to make it a dark match or a pay-per-view match. Young gave Bonaduce the thumbs up so TNA officials planned on putting him on the pay-per-view, but as noted, Carter doesn't want a comedy match diminishing the event.

Despite daily mentions and buildup on Danny Bonaduce's radio show in Philadelphia, ticket sales to Lockdown have been disappointing as only 3,000 had been sold as of a week ago.

AUSTIN, Texas - Just two days after the electrifying 25th Anniversary of WrestleMania, the Land of the Extreme shook things up with a change in leadership and the promise of a championship match at Backlash.

Theodore Long new SmackDown General Manager; Tiffany new interim General Manager of ECW; Elimination Chase Announced
Hot on the heels of Vickie Guerrero's announcement that she would become the permanent General Manager of Monday Night Raw, ECW General Manager Theodore Long revealed that he will once again take the reigns as SmackDown General Manager. Long announced that his assistant, Tiffany, would become the new interim General Manager of ECW.

When ECW Champion Jack Swagger interrupted, Tiffany informed him that Christian, Tommy Dreamer, Finlay and Mark Henry would compete in an Elimination Chase over the next few weeks to see who will face The "All-American American" at Backlash.

Mark Henry eliminated from the Elimination Chase to Backlash in a Fatal Four Way Match
In the culmination of an action-packed Fatal Four Way Match, Finlay once again employed the trusted help of his shillelagh to defeat Henry, walloping The World's Strongest Man out of the Elimination Chase as he was attempting The World's Strongest Slam on Tommy Dreamer. As a result, The Belfast Brawler will face Christian and Dreamer in a Triple Threat Match next week.

Unified WWE Tag Team Champions Carlito & Primo & Evan Bourne def. John Morrison, The Miz, & Tyson Kidd (Six-Man Tag Match)
After Primo hit the Backstabber on Tyson Kidd, the high-flying Evan Bourne dropped his gravity-defying Shooting Star Press on the last graduate of the legendary Hart Dungeon. The exciting victory comes just two days after Carlito & Primo triumphed over Miz & Morrison to become the first Unified WWE Tag Team Champions on The Grandest Stage of Them All.

Source: WWE.com

HOUSTON – It was just one day after the 25th Anniversary of WrestleMania, and only a week before everything changes in the 2009 WWE Draft, but the Superstars of WWE were already looking toward Backlash on Monday Night Raw. As the show received its new permanent General Manager, Vickie Guerrero, two matches were set for the upcoming pay-per-view. More shocking however, was the return of Batista, who after rushing to the aide of Mr. McMahon, WWE Champion Triple H & Shane McMahon, was awarded the WWE Chairman's spot in their Six-Man Tag Team Match against Randy Orton & The Legacy.

Randy Orton began to brutalize Mr. McMahon but was interrupted by WWE Champion Triple H, Shane McMahon and the returning Batista, who will take Mr. McMahon's place at Backlash
In the night's main event, Randy Orton attempted to prove his point about Mr. McMahon's in-ring abilities. In the midst of putting a hurting on the WWE Chairman, he was interrupted by McMahon's son, Shane, who attacked The Legend Killer. But Orton had help of his own waiting in the wings in the form of Cody Rhodes & Ted DiBiase, who rushed to their leader's aid, teaming up on Shane O'Mac. WWE Champion Triple H then emerged, but he too fell victim to the combined might of The Legacy.

As Orton and his cohorts pummeled The Game, they were shocked to find out there was more opposition that they hadn't counted on: The returning Batista. The Animal stormed down the entrance ramp, evening the odds by chasing Orton & DiBiase from the ring and laying out Rhodes with a Batista Bomb. As the WWE Chairman recovered, he announced that Batista would be taking his place in the Six-Man Tag Team Match at Backlash.

Miss WrestleMania Santina Marella def. Beth Phoenix
Raw was graced with an appearance of the newly honored Miss WrestleMania, Santino Marella's twin sister, "Santina." In the midst of thanking the WWE Universe, she was interrupted by Beth Phoenix. The Glamazon was furious about Santina dumping her out of the 25-Diva Battle Royal and challenged her to a match. Santina went on to prove why she holds the title of Miss WrestleMania by pinning Beth for the win.

Vickie Guerrero announced that she is the new permanent General Manager of Raw and that John Cena will defend the World Heavyweight Title against Edge in a Last Man Standing Match at Backlash
Though she has been acting as both SmackDown General Manager and interim General Manager of Raw in recent weeks, Vickie Guerrero announced that WWE's Board of Director's had told her that she would have to choose one show to run. Promising to bring her own unique vision to the program, Guerrero revealed that she would be staying on Raw.

As her first act as the show's permanent General Manager, she placed World Heavyweight Champion John Cena into a Last Man Standing Match against her husband Edge at Backlash with the title on the line. The Raw GM also added a stipulation to the Six-Man Tag Team Match announced earlier in the night, placing the WWE Championship on the line. She clarified that if anyone on Triple H's team wins, he will retain the title, but if Orton or The Legacy taste victory, then the WWE Title will go to The Legend Killer.

World Heavyweight Champion John Cena, Intercontinental Champion Rey Mysterio, Jeff Hardy, CM Punk, & Ricky Steamboat def. Edge, Big Show, Chris Jericho, Matt Hardy & Kane
Many of the Superstars who just competed on The Grandest Stage of Them All took part in a WrestleMania All-Star Tag Team Match on Raw that featured new World Heavyweight Champion John Cena, new Intercontinental Champion Rey Mysterio and new Mr. Money in the Bank CM Punk on the same powerful team. All that championship gold didn't slow them down at all though, as The Master of the 619 hit Edge and Chris Jericho with a double 619 to pick up the win.

Women's Champion Melina, Kelly Kelly, Mickie James, Layla & Jillian def. Divas Champion Maryse, Maria, Eve, Gail Kim, & Natalya
Just one day after they all competed in a massive 25-Diva Battle Royal, five Divas from Raw took on five of their counterparts from SmackDown in tag team action. The ladies of Raw successfully defended their home turf as Mickie James pinned Natalya for the win.

WWE Unified Tag Team Champions Carlito & Primo def. The Miz & John Morrison in a Lumberjack Match
At the 25th Anniversary of WrestleMania brothers Carlito & Primo made history by unifying the WWE and World Tag Team Titles with their defeat of The Miz & John Morrison in a Lumberjack Match. On Raw the following night, the "Dirt Sheet" duo had a chance to regain Tag Team gold in another Lumberjack Match against the brothers from Puerto Rico. Unfortunately for the self-proclaimed "chick magnet" & The Shaman of Sexy, they must return to ECW empty-handed after another defeat at the hands of the WWE Unified Tag Team Champions.

Mr. McMahon set a Six-Man Tag Team Match for Backlash and pitted himself against Randy Orton for Raw's main event
Randy Orton opened Raw, bitter over his loss to WWE Champion Triple H the night before at the 25th Anniversary of WrestleMania. Before he could get further into his threats against The Game and the entire McMahon family however, he was interrupted by the WWE Chairman himself. Mr. McMahon told the venomous Superstar that he wouldn't be getting a rematch, but that he would get to face Triple H again at Backlash, only in a Six-Man Tag Team Match, featuring Triple H, Mr. McMahon & Shane McMahon vs. Randy Orton & The Legacy. The insolent Superstar then began to insult his employer for both hiding behind his family and being too old to compete on his own. Not one to stand down from a challenge, Mr. McMahon placed himself into the night's main event against Orton.

Source: WWE.com

Undertaker def. Shawn Michaels
Streaks are made to be broken.

Whoever conjured up that old cliché obviously knew nothing of Undertaker. After an epic battle pitting shadow against light, The Demon from Death Valley was finally able to bury the soul of “Mr. WrestleMania,” Shawn Michaels. A triumph of darkness, the victory propels Undertaker’s WrestleMania winning streak to an unprecedented 17-0.

As more than 70,000 sets of eyes focused on the ring inside Houston’s Reliant Stadium, vendors twiddled their thumbs and bathroom breaks were put on hold during the classic confrontation that had the international crowd fixed to their seats.

Having never defeated HBK, Undertaker set a deliberate and destructive pace, which seemed to pay dividends early in the match. Then again, Michaels enjoys quite a reputation for stamina and managed to recapture the momentum before moving outside the ring.

That’s when The Deadman leaped over the top rope, taking aim at HBK. But just as Undertaker was about to land atop Michaels with the full force of his nearly 300 pound frame, HBK darted aside and pulled a cameraman into Undertaker’s path. After a near count-out, The Phenom dragged himself back into the ring, and the legendary Superstars traded some of the most lethal maneuvers in their arsenal.

In the end, though, Undertaker would administer a second and final Tombstone to bury Michaels and secure his place in the annals of WWE history.

Though he lost, Michaels is to be commended for his efforts, never flinching from the daunting task before him. Unlike many of his predecessors, Michaels seemed unafraid to face The Phenom on WWE’s grandest stage, girded by both devotion and confidence.

For his part, Undertaker never once lost sight of his goal: Keeping his WrestleMania record unblemished. Now, in light of his monumental victory, Undertaker can rest – perhaps not “in peace” – but at least until he’s called on to defend The Streak at next year’s WrestleMania.

Matt Hardy def. Jeff Hardy (Extreme Rules Match)
Matt Hardy’s mission to conquer his brother Jeff was completed at the 25th Anniversary of WrestleMania, in a dream match for the WWE Universe that was unquestionably a nightmare scenario for the Hardy family.

Poised to make another extraordinary WrestleMania moment at the expense of his older brother, Jeff’s attempted 16-foot ladder leap resulted in his crash, burn and Extreme Rules Match defeat.

In WWE.com’s weeklong “Dueling Diaries” feature that followed both rival siblings, Matt claimed that Jeff’s risk-taking would be his undoing. And, tonight at WrestleMania, these words resonated truth.

Resembling a brothers’ quarrel on their trampoline years back in Cameron, N.C., but with lethal and hazardous objects strewn about, the Hardys fought vehemently without any restrictions or disqualifications.

The Charismatic Enigma returned the steel chair crack across his brother’s skull from the Royal Rumble, the fateful night in which Matt cost Jeff the WWE Championship. Jeff also drove Matt’s sandwiched body through two tables – after the purple-faced warrior propelled his body from the top rope onto the structure to the Reliant Stadium floor.

But, this day would be Matt Hardy’s personal evolution and time to unlock his true destiny, as signified by the key emblazoned on his tights.

The enigmatic Superstar found momentum after a torrent of innovative attacks on his brethren. Then, in front of more than 70,000 in attendance, Jeff ascended the rungs of a ladder – a familiar item – then leapfrogged over an even taller ladder to the mat, just short of Matt’s face. This was just enough for the malicious Hardy sibling to lock Jeff’s neck within a steel chair for a Twist of Fate that collapsed the weapon around his painted throat.

A count of three later, Matt’s arm was raised as the better Hardy for at least this night – an event for the ages: The 25th Anniversary of WrestleMania.

John Cena def. Edge & Big Show (New World Heavyweight Champion)
In front of a packed Reliant Stadium, John Cena regained the World Heavyweight Championship by defeating now former World Heavyweight Champion Edge and Big Show.

More than 72,000 raucous WWE fans erupted to their feet in excitement during Cena’s entrance, which took a new take on his long-standing trademark catchphrase, “You Can’t See Me.” As far as the eye could see, dozens upon dozens of Cena lookalikes – all wearing his “Hustle, Loyalty, Respect” shirt – came out and parted ways as the genuine article came out and saluted Reliant Stadium. Though the odds were stacked against him this Sunday night, Cena’s lookalikes and fans cheered him on as he raced down to the ring, refusing to be daunted by the task at hand.

After waging a brutal war with his opponents, Cena summoned from deep within and hit the Rated-R Superstar with an Attitude Adjustment. Next, he hoisted then 400-pound plus World’s Largest Athlete atop his shoulders and – with the 70,000 in attendance cheering him on – Cena dropped Big Show with a thunderous Attitude Adjustment. After the carnage, Cena pinned Big Show to regain his gold.

The exhibition of brute strength caused the WWE Universe to erupt in raw emotion, putting their stamp of approval on Cena at one of the most historical events in WWE’s history.

The victory was a sweet measure of revenge for the Raw Superstar who saw The Ultimate Opportunist finagle his way into the Elimination Chamber Match at No Way Out and emerge from the evil structure with Cena’s gold.

Ever since that shocking night in February, Cena set his sights on regaining the World Heavyweight Championship. Like a tenacious pit bull, Cena kept himself close to the trio of SmackDown General Manager Vickie Guerrero, her husband, Edge, and Big Show. Wherever they went – Raw or SmackDown – he there was right behind them.

Cena’s persistence paid off.

At the World Heavyweight Championship contract signing on Raw, Guerrero shocked her husband and Big Show by revealing that she was going to allow Cena to compete in the Triple Threat Match at the 25th Anniversary of WrestleMania.

And it was Cena who revealed why – he had been holding onto salacious video footage of Edge’s wife and Big Show engaged in extra marital carousing.

Hustle, loyalty and respect. Those attributes certainly worked for Cena over the years in the ring, and now on the big screen as star of the action-packed movie, 12 Rounds.

And, at the 25th Anniversary of WrestleMania, it was all of those traits, combined with steadfast determination and raw power that equaled success for The Champ.

To find out what’s next for the new World Heavyweight Champion, tune in to Raw at 9/8 CT.

WWE Champion Triple H def. Randy Orton
For months, the venomous Randy Orton tore through the life of Triple H, brutally attacking and injuring his father-in-law, brother-in-law and even his wife. At the 25th Anniversary of WrestleMania, The Legend Killer had an opportunity to take away yet another thing his rival held dear: The WWE Championship. Yet despite Orton’s sadistic mind games, Triple H persevered, defeating his opponent to avenge his family and keep his coveted championship gold resting securely around his waist.

The match began with not one bang, but two, as Triple H and Orton both hit their patented maneuvers (the Pedigree and RKO respectively) within moments of the contest’s start. The Game dominated the early match, prompting The Legend Killer to move the fight outside of the ring. Keenly aware of the stipulation that would have the WWE Championship change hands on a disqualification or count-out, Orton hoped to leave his opponent battered and broken outside the ring as the referee counted to 10. But Triple H was running on pure fury, repeatedly coming back from the third-generation Superstar’s underhanded tactics.

With his options running out, Orton took out the referee, giving himself a few unsupervised moments to retrieve a sledgehammer from underneath the ring. But as he started to climb back in, Triple H served the venomous Superstar some of his own medicine, delivering a vicious punt and retrieving the sledgehammer for himself. While the ring official was still incapacitated, the WWE Champion clobbered Orton, setting him up a game-winning Pedigree and three-count.

Randy Orton’s Road to WrestleMania began in earnest at the 2009 Royal Rumble, where with the help of The Legacy he eliminated Triple H to earn a spot at WWE’s greatest spectacle. The Legend Killer’s phenomenal win came at a time when the third-generation Superstar was already up to his eyes in trouble for punting Mr. McMahon in the head less than a week earlier. Orton’s ensuing rivalry with the WWE Chairman’s progeny quickly escalated to the point of no return, when in one night of utter brutality, Orton both punted Shane and RKO’d Stephanie, drawing her husband, a livid Triple H out to the ring to her aid.

Though he had already incapacitated three beloved members of The Game’s family, Orton still had his eye on his rival’s WWE Title, and subsequently announced that he would be challenging Triple H for it at the 25th Anniversary of WrestleMania. Escalating into realms rarely seen in WWE, their conflict saw The Game smash his way through Orton’s St. Louis home, prompting the third-generation Superstar to once again attack his rival’s wife, but this time following it up with a demented kiss, which the handcuffed WWE Champion had no choice but to watch in rage-filled horror.

With his defeat of Randy Orton, Triple H achieved much more than simply retaining the WWE Title. For months, The Legend Killer and The Legacy had run roughshod over WWE’s royal family, promising that a win at the 25th Anniversary of WrestleMania would begin a new era. But with a punt, a sledgehammer and a thunderous Pedigree Triple H both avenged the McMahons and put an end to Orton’s delusions of grandeur.

Source: WWE.com

WWE Tag Team Champions def. World Tag Team Champions (New Unified Tag Team Champions)
On The Grandest Stage of Them All, in front of 72,744 captivated members of the WWE Universe, WWE Tag Team Champions Carlito & Primo forged their place in history by defeating World Tag Team Champions John Morrison & The Miz in a Lumberjack Match to become the Unified WWE Tag Team Champions.

The high-stakes battle kept the electrified WWE Universe completely transfixed as each action-packed moment proved bigger than the one before it. The entire crowd held a collective breath with every near fall; every dangerous ascension to the top rope; every time a Superstar hurled his opponents to the dangerous lumberjacks in an absolute fast-paced, slugfest of epic proportions. In the end, Primo unified the gold in style, countering Morrison by borrowing his brother's Backstabber to snatch destiny’s three-count.

Problems between the two decorated tag teams can be summed up in three explosive words: Gold, girls and glory. The Colon Brothers and their “Dirt Sheet” adversaries each successfully defended their titles against the other, all while playing tug-of-war with the affections of Nikki & Brie Bella. On the same night that Carlito & Primo threw down the ultimate gauntlet for a Unification Match at WrestleMania, The Bellas split with each other, each lending their support to one of the tag teams. And just when it looked like the excitement could be no greater, ECW General Manager Theodore Long shocked Superstars and fans alike by declaring the historic battle a Lumberjack Match.

The World Tag Team Championship – the original tag team title of WWE – built an illustrious history on the backs of iconic brothers-in-arms that include Tony Atlas & Hall of Famer Rocky Johnson, The Hart Foundation, Demolition, Money Inc. and Edge & Christian. Fighting for tag team supremacy at WrestleMania meant risking life and limb, incorporating everything from the unforgiving cane of Freddie Blassie to the most lethal of ladders along the way.

When the WWE Tag Team Championship was created in 2002, it changed the very nature of tag team action in the process. From that point forth, there would always be two separate, elite tag team divisions. And though the new titles gained instant prestige, separation has never been where the true spirit of the tag team championship lays.

The best tag team is the one that is truly unified, transforming the diverse strengths of two Superstars into the fluidity and power of one. And on The Grandest Stage of Them All, every member of the WWE Universe stood witness as Carlito & Primo once again made that philosophy a reality, bringing things full-circle as they solidified themselves among the annals of tag team greatness.

CM Punk wins Money in the Bank Ladder Match
Mr. Money in the Bank CM Punk regained that status from last year, making history as the first person ever to win multiple Money in the Bank Ladder Matches.

The repeat golden opportunist overcame seven worthy opponents, the laws of probability and the laws of physics. In the week leading up to the 25th Anniversary of WrestleMania, The Straightedge Superstar admitted, “You really can’t ignore what a dangerous match this is.”

The briefcase dangled from a 265-foot ceiling and was only obtainable by stunning the seven other competitors long enough to climb one of multiple ladders towering 20 feet over the canvas to detach the coveted prize. It is a feat that is hard enough to accomplish once, but CM Punk has managed to fulfill mission impossible and win the contest twice in as many years.

The victor faced stiff competition, especially from Christian. Captain Charisma, who returned to WWE just more than a month prior, had made it his mission to win this bout, a stipulation he helped to create by participating in the first-ever Money in the Bank Ladder Match. He exuded the type of fearlessness it would have taken to make a run at his first World Title. He even miraculously survived a fall off the ladder while he was on top by catching himself on the ropes and pushing himself back upright, but in the end CM Punk proved he wanted it the most.

Another member of the first Money in the Bank contest was present, as Shelton Benjamin looked for his first win for the stipulation after participating in all but one of the contests that have existed. The former United States Champion is always known for making memorable moments in this type of match, and this year’s competition was no exception. He made the ladders his personal jungle gym, swinging off of them and pulling off impressive aerial moves. He even had Punk by his feet as The Straightedge Superstar dangled from a rung. Unfortunately for his seven opponents, Punk was in the same situation last year and like then, he overcame this time.

In addition to facing Christian and Benjamin, CM Punk had to withstand a current champion in United States Champion Montel Vontavious Porter, the high-flying Kofi Kingston, the experienced Finlay with help from his son Hornswoggle, and two massive, intimidating giants in Kane and Mark Henry. The Big Red Machine was a step away from securing the briefcase until Punk regained his balance after hanging by his legs and kicked Kane to the canvas. At that point, it was all CM Punk and no one was close enough to do anything about it.

Now, two questions remain. When will CM Punk cash in his title opportunity, and will he spend wisely and continue the streak of each Money in the Bank Ladder Match winner successfully earning championship gold within a year? Time will tell.

"Santina" Marella wins 25-Diva Battle Royal for title of "Miss WrestleMania"
Santino Marella may not have been allowed to compete for the coveted crown of “Miss WrestleMania” at the silver anniversary of WWE’s greatest spectacle … but it didn’t stop his “twin sister” Santina from besting 24 other Divas in Sunday’s Diva Battle Royal.

While more than 70,000 raucous fans inside Reliant Stadium, and the rest of the world watching the 25th Anniversary of WrestleMania at home, rocked out to Kid Rock’s live performance of his hit single “So Hott,” that was hardly the term to describe “Santina's” surprise entrance, joining the Divas in their battle royal.

The WWE Universe was more than excited to see WWE Diva Alumni returning to the ring for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Former Divas Joy Giovanni, Miss Jackie, Molly Holly, the recently-retired Victoria and Torrie Wilson all made their way to the ring in hopes of once more achieving WWE glory on The Grandest Stage of Them All.

An all-out brawl began the match, with a flurry of fast-paced action, as one suspect Diva -- clad in pink shoes, a pink skirt and black form-fitting top -- watched the action as it unfolded within the squared circle. As one Diva after the next was strewn on the floor outside the ring, it came down to Beth Phoenix and Women's Champion Melina.

As Beth Phoenix attempted to throw Melina out of the ring, the low-key Diva flipped The Glamazon to the floor, eliminating both she and the Women's Champion. As Phoenix glared back inside the ring, the unknown Diva revealed her name: Santina Marella, Santino's twin sister from Italy.

And though Santino's twin sister may have taken the crown of "Miss WrestleMania" and danced in the ring after receiving her crown, on this night, hopefully, the memorable appearances of past Divas will ease the ugly memories of "Santina" for the WWE Universe.

Chris Jericho def. WWE Legends
When the dust finally settled inside Reliant Stadium Sunday night, the arrogant Chris Jericho may have emerged victorious in his battle against WWE Hall of Famers Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat, “Rowdy” Roddy Piper & Jimmy “Superfly” Snuka, but it was Oscar nominee Mickey Rourke & WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair who stood tall, hands raised in the ring.

For months, Jericho had preached that Mickey Rourke’s Oscar -nominated role as Randy “The Ram” Robinson in The Wrestler supplied WWE’s Hall of Famers & Legends with false hope. The role, at least in Jericho’s eyes, gave the older ring warriors an illusion of grandeur, encouraging these “pathetic has-beens” – as Jericho was fond of referring to them – to continue to step into the squared circle.

Four Legends, each friends of Rourke, took offense to the claim, stating that they were the ones who had opened the door for Superstars like Jericho. On several occasions, WWE Hall of Famers Ric Flair, “Rowdy” Roddy Piper, Jimmy “Superfly” Snuka & Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat confronted Jericho, only to fall victim to the egotist’s underhanded and excessively brutal attacks.

Tensions finally reached their breaking point, leading Jericho to challenge the Hall of Famers to a 3-on-1 Handicap Match, with Flair in their corner. He also invited Rourke to the 25th Anniversary of WrestleMania so that the actor might witness the carnage first-hand.

In Houston, it seemed as though everything was going exactly as Jericho had planned. He systematically eliminated his foes, first Snuka, then Piper and, finally, Steamboat.

During his post-match tirade, however, Jericho overstepped his bounds. After giving Flair a Codebreaker, the devious Superstar goaded Rourke into the ring. The star of The Wrestler entered the squared circle, but soon decided he’d heard enough of Jericho’s relentless taunts. Rourke, a former boxer, swung a slew of heavy fists at his tormentor, finishing with a punch that dimmed the lights of the conceited Superstar and dropped both him, and his pride, to the mat.

After Jericho regained his footing, he quickly retreated up the ramp, leaving the “Nature Boy” to enter the ring and join Rourke in celebration. The two friends did not rejoice for themselves, however, but rather for all the Hall of Famers, Legends and in-ring performers of the past who have helped to shape the WWE into what it is today.

Rey Mysterio def. JBL (New Intercontinental Champion)
For months, John “Bradshaw” Layfield had promised that he would accomplish something never before achieved at a WrestleMania that’s been 25 years in the making. On the final week before WrestleMania, he vowed to deliver “the most decisive victory in WrestleMania history.” And the vessel on whom he would carry out his claims was Rey Mysterio.

Well, JBL certainly lived up to his words in Houston’s Reliant Stadium Sunday night. And he did so in an astonishing 21 seconds, in front of more than 70,000 fans. The problem? He was on the losing end.

That’s right, WWE Universe – if you headed to the kitchen or Reliant Stadium concession stands for a beverage break, it’s quite conceivable that you actually did miss the ring official slap down a three-count that would award Rey Mysterio his first Intercontinental Championship … and in essence, send The Longhorn Loudmouth into a frenzy that resulted in him quitting right on the spot.

Truly, no one expected such an historic moment quite so quickly, especially considering the significant height advantage enjoyed by JBL. Mysterio – the David to JBL and his Goliath-sized ego – had no such benefits heading into his first WrestleMania since 2006, when he captured the World Championship. In fact, one could argue that Rey had even less of an advantage this time around; after all, the match had been set weeks in advance, giving JBL plenty of time to prepare. And even though Rey defeated JBL on Raw less than a week leading up to WrestleMania, one had to believe that the Wall Street media maven would know precisely how to counter the “Ultimate Underdog.”

Then again, JBL also probably thought that he would have been in this fight much longer than 21 seconds on Sunday night, particularly after several minutes of declaring himself a "hero" to the Lone Star State - a point vociferously debated by the fans he passed by en route to the ring. And when JBL nailed the Joker-themed Mysterio in the face with a boot before the bell even sounded, his historic victory seemed all but certain. But the bell did ring, and within those 21 seconds, Rey caught his opponent completely off-guard, nailing him with an immediate 619 inside the ropes and a Frog Splash off the top rope.

The 25th Anniversary of WrestleMania was the latest example in which Rey Mysterio proved to be the ultimate bane in JBL's otherwise pampered existence. It was Mysterio who had forced The Longhorn Loudmouth into a premature retirement on SmackDown back in May 2006. And on a Sunday night in Houston, less than three years later, he would do so again … and this time, judging from JBL’s irate reaction afterward, for good.

With that, more than 70,000 fans in Reliant Stadium welcomed Rey Mysterio as their newest Intercontinental Title holder Sunday night in Houston, and also made it abundantly clear that JBL would always be remembered in his final and most historic match in WWE history. Especially since they’d only need to remember less than a minute of it.

Source: WWE.com

During a radio appearance Saturday in Chicago, "The Heartbreak Kid" Shawn Michaels (picture) said that his WWE contract expires after WrestleMania 26 next year and that he may take time off then. The word backstage is that Michaels has been looking kind of beat up lately and may take a bit of time off after Sunday's WrestleMania 25 too. His knees are said to be in real bad shape.

"The Rated R Superstar" Edge is also expected to take time off at some point in 2009 to heal several nagging injuries. This has been talked about for quite some time now.

John Cena is expected be leaving as well to film a new movie. That is not for several months though. Cena will still appear on the weekly WWE TV programs (Raw and SmackDown) during filming but is not scheduled to work house shows. This is similar to what he did when he was filming "12 Rounds" in New Orleans, Louisiana.

As an extra in John Cena's Wrestlemania 22 entrance for his main-event match against Triple H, Phil Brooks dressed as one of the Untouchables, carrying a faux Tommy Gun to the ring at Allstate Arena.

At the time, Brooks, known in the wrestling world as CM Punk, was in Ohio Valley Wrestling, a developmental territory comparable to baseball's minor leagues. Some OVW wrestlers never make it to World Wrestling Entertainment television.

Punk knew he would. Before returning backstage April 2, 2006, the Lockport native stared at Triple H and thought about how the WWE star would be waiting for him to come down to the ring one day.

Two and half years later, Punk returned to Allstate Arena as the WWE champion.

Wrestling an early passion

Brooks comes from a family with five children. His father was an engineer, his mother a stay-at-home mom.

Brooks sported a blue mohawk and 6-inch spikes at Lockport High School. He got his eyebrow pierced and had an album cover of ska punk band Operation Ivy tattooed on his left calf shortly thereafter.

Although he loved punk rock and skateboarding, his dream was to be a professional wrestler.

"I never wanted to be an astronaut," said Brooks, 30, who will compete in an eight-man ladder match at Wrestlemania 25 Sunday in Houston. "I can't remember ever wanting to be a fireman.

"I always wanted to wrestle."

He began in 1997 at 19 but wouldn't receive formal training until he attended the Steel Domain wrestling school on Irving Park Road in 1999.

"They kept beating me up, expecting me not to come back, but I just kept coming back," Brooks said of the school.

Wrestling meant traveling around the Midwest, taking any booking he could find. He was missing work, friends and birthdays, graduations and weddings.

"It's virtually impossible," Brooks said. "It's a hard lifestyle to explain to somebody who hasn't experienced it."

Wrestling became a full-time job in 2002 with Ring of Honor, an independent wrestling company.

In 2005, Brooks was given a tryout with WWE.

WWE liked what it saw, and Brooks made his television debut in August 2006 against Justin Credible. It was one of the few matches to make him nervous.

Afterward, he held his emotions until he made it past the curtain.

"I'd been wrestling for eight or nine years," Brooks said. "Everybody my entire life said I would never make WWE. It was an emotional moment.

"I cried like a baby."

Seeks to be role model

Brooks says he doesn't drink or take drugs. He has "STRAIGHT EDGE" tattooed on his stomach and has "drug free" on his knuckles.

"I saw a lot of stupid [stuff growing up]," Brooks said. "I never saw the point."

As for pain-killers, he stays away from them.

"If I'm hurt, I'll take a nap," Brooks said. "Or I'll take a weekend off. … Unfortunately, not a lot of guys do it because they're afraid someone will take their spot."

How real were the performances in the critically acclaimed "The Wrestler"?

"I love the movie. I thought it showed a lot of the sacrifice that wrestlers go through to attain a certain level of stardom," Brooks said. "Unfortunately, a couple of guys should have saved their money and shouldn't have done drugs. That's not part of my life, but I live in that world."

Brooks says parents thank him for being a role model.

"In this day and age, [athletes] need to realize little kids watch them," he said.

Life on road

Brooks' straight-edge image and punk-rock style made him popular in WWE immediately. Last June 30, he learned he would be rewarded with the WWE heavyweight championship belt.

"I had my career flash before my eyes," Brooks said. "It made all sacrifice and every single [thing] I missed worth it."

Later that night, he went back to his hotel room with the belt.

"It was kind of a lonely thing," Brooks said. "My night always ends in a hotel room by myself. I turned my phone off, no TV on, and just sat there for a long 15 minutes staring at it."

Brooks, who lives in Wicker Park, said he is home anywhere from eight hours to eight days a month.

He lost the belt last September but remains one of WWE's most popular wrestlers. He hopes to gain the title again to "cement my legacy." To do that, wrestling will remain his priority.

"To be successful in this business, you have to put wrestling first," Brooks said. "I don't know how guys can be married and have kids.

"Right now I'm like a pirate. I'm married to the sea."

Source: ChicagoTribune.com