WWE Encyclopedia & Wrestlemania 25 Business

According to a recent Houston Chronicle article, WWE's Wrestlemania 25 Pay-Per-View could translate to a big boost for the Houston economy. On Tuesday, Houston Mayor Bill White held a news conference which included WWE diva Melina and WWE superstar Rey Mysterio. Melina will be part of the "Miss Wrestlemania 25 Divas Battle Royal", while Rey Mysterio will attempt to defeat JBL for the Intercontinental Title. The story discusses how when a big event like Wrestlemania hits town it usually means big bucks. Last year's Wrestlemania 24 in Orlando did just that, so Houston government officials are hoping for the same. However, the current economy might not be the best for business. Joe Ortale, president and CEO of the Greater Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau, is optimistic about the event's financial impact.

According to Houston Chronicle: 

“It couldn’t come at a better time,” Ortale said. “The hotel industry has been in free fall” as the recession causes corporations to cut back on travel.

“If we don’t equal what it did for Orlando, we’ll come very close,” he said. Many people don’t realize that WrestleMania is on the scale of a Major League Baseball or NBA All-Star game, said John Saboor, WWE’s senior vice president of special events.

The main event Sunday at Reliant Stadium is expected to draw 70,000 fans.

John Keeling, senior vice president of PKF Consulting, a hotel consulting firm, doesn’t believe Houston’s economic benefit will be equal to Orlando’s.

Orlando is more of a tourist destination, he noted. Also, the U.S. is in a recession and attending WrestleMania is “really discretionary.”

Saboor disagreed, noting that many die-hard WWE fans make WrestleMania their one vacation of the year.

It was noted that when Wrestlemania came to Houston's Astrodome in 2001, it set an attendance record and brought an impact of $13 million additional dollars into the economy. The week of fun events is currently underway with things like Superstar appearances and the Fan Axxess tour which features all sorts of wrestling fun. Saturday will see the 2009 Hall of Fame ceremony which features Stone Cold Steve Austin among its latest inductees, while Sunday will be the 25th anniversary of Wrestlemania complete with a full card of exciting matches.

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In other WWE business news, the recently released WWE Encyclopedia debuted at #10 on the New York Times Bestseller list.

According to Fox Business News:

WWE Encyclopedia is the only official encyclopedia to chronicle WWE. In addition to its debut on The New York Times' Advice, How To and Miscellaneous bestseller list, it was also Number One on the Sports & Recreation Charts, according to Nielsen Bookscan week ending 3/22/09.

DK Publishing CEO Gary June commented, "When WWE came to us looking to publish a reference that stood up to the energy, visual impact, and drama of WWE's storied history, we knew we would have to produce a book that surpassed the available information online. DK's distinctive visual treatment was a perfect match, and the fan response is proving that."

The must have book features 900 or so profiles of WWE Superstars from many decades and is a great reference for the ultimate WWE fanatic.

Undertaker's 16-0 Wrestlemania Undefeated Streak

With WWE's Wrestlemania 25 Pay-Per-View arriving in several days, the man known as the Phenom, or the Deadman, The Undertaker will once again head to the event and put his undisputably impressive undefeated streak on the line. Taker has defeated an impressive resume of WWE Hall of Famers and future legends. It all started with Superfly Jimmy Snuka, but along the way Undertaker's defeated everyone from his own brother Kane to Big Show & Albert in a handicap match, and even the Nature Boy Ric Flair. So far no WWE Superstar has been able to stop this impressive streak.

WWE Superstar Shawn Michaels believes he will be the man to finally end that streak in their upcoming Wrestlemania 25 match, and for weeks has been trying to get inside the head of Undertaker through mind games on Raw and Smackdown. Michaels has held mock ceremonies either dressed in all black or all white and has also made an appearance in Undertaker's stomping ground; an eery, dark graveyard full of tombstones to mark each of Taker's defeated opponents. Let's take a look at the list of 16 victims or opponents that Undertaker has layed to rest at Wrestlemania 25.

Wrestlemania Undefeated Streak
The Undertaker's 16-0 Record

1) Wrestlemania 7 (LA Sports Arena; Los Angeles, CA 3/24/91) -
The Undertaker's debut, he pinned Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka

2)WrestleMania 8 (Hoosier Dome; Indianapolis, IN 4/5/92) -
Undertaker defeated Jake the Snake Roberts

3)WrestleMania 9 (Caesar’s Palace; Las Vegas, NV 4/4/93) -
Undertaker defeated Giant Gonzalez (by DQ)

4)WrestleMania 11 (Hartford Civic Center; Hartford, CT 4/2/95) -
Undertaker beat King Kong Bundy

5)WrestleMania 12 (Arrowhead Pond; Anaheim, CA 3/31/96) -
The Undertaker pinned Diesel

6)WrestleMania 13 (Rosemont Horizon; Chicago, IL 3/23/97)
WWF Title: Undertaker beat Sid to become WWF Champion

7)WrestleMania 14 (Fleet Center; Boston, MA 3/29/98)
Undertaker beat Kane

8)WrestleMania 15 (First Union Center; Philadelphia, PA 3/28/99)
Hell in a Cell: Undertaker beat The Big Bossman

9)WrestleMania 17 (Astrodome; Houston, TX 4/1/01)
Undertaker beat Triple H

10)WrestleMania 18 – Skydome; Toronto, Ontario 3/17/02
Undertaker beat Ric Flair

11)WrestleMania 19 (Safeco Field; Seattle, WA 3/30/03)
Undertaker beat The Big Show & A-Train

12)WrestleMania 20 (Madison Square Garden, New York, NY 3/14/04)
Undertaker beat Kane

13)WrestleMania 21 (Staples Center; Los Angeles, CA 4/3/05)
Undertaker beat Randy Orton

14)WrestleMania 22 (Allstate Arena; Chicago, IL 4/2/06)
Casket Match: The Undertaker beat Mark Henry

15)Wrestlemania 23 (Ford Field; Detroit, Michigan April 1, 2007)
World Heavyweight Title Match: Undertaker defeated Batista by pinfall after a Tombstone Piledriver to become the champion

16)Wrestlemania 24 (Citrus Bowl; Orlando, FL March 30, 2008)
World Heavyweight Title Match: Undertaker defeated Edge by submission to become the champion

An impressive run of 16 straight Wrestlemania wins with no losses. Many people feel that Undertaker's time in the ring is going to be coming to a close within the next year. No rumors have leaked yet about an Undertaker retirement, but will Shawn Michaels have back-to-back Wrestlemania victories? Last year Shawn officially retired his good friend Ric Flair from wrestling. This year in one of the most anticipated Wrestlemania 25 matches, the Showstopper Shawn Michaels looks to end an impressive streak of 16-0 by the Deadman. Will Shawn Michaels have the power to stop Undertaker's undefeated streak? Or will the Heartbreak Kid become just another fallen opponent after Wrestlemania 25?