WrestleMania 39

[SuperHornet]

WWE is billing this as "WrestleMania Goes Hollywood" because it will be held over two nights at the SoFi Center. So far, three retired or semi-retired wrestlers will participate, including Lita, who teamed with "The Man" Becky Lynch to claim the WWE Women's Tag Team Championship from Damage CTRL last week on Raw, largely due to the surprise appearance of also-retired Trish Stratus to prevent Bayley from executing her usual systematic cheating on behalf of her compadres Dakota Kai and Iyo Sky. They will all take part in a women's trios match at WrestleMainia. Also coming out of retirement will be John Cena, who will challenge the disgusting Austin Theory for the WWE United States Championship.

Matches as known so far:

Undisputed WWE Universal Heavyweight Championship: "The Head of the Table" Roman Reigns (C) vs. "The American Nightmare" Cody Rhodes (younger son of the late "American Dream" Dusty Rhodes) by virtue of Rhodes' win in the Men's Royal Rumble Match

WWE SmackDown Women's Championship: Charlotte Flair (C) vs. Rhea Ripley of The Judgment Day (by virtue of her win in the Women's Royal Rumble Match)

WWE Raw Women's Championship: Bianca Belair (C) vs. "The Empress of Tomorrow" Asuka

Regular Singles Match: Brock Lesnar vs. Omos with Montel Vontavious Porter (MVP)

WWE Intercontinental Championship: Gunther (C) of Imperium vs. TBD (the winner of a fatal five-way match to be held on SmackDown FRI 10 MAR 23)

WWE United States Championship: Austin Theory (C) vs. John Cena

Regular Singles Match: Seth "Freakin' " Rollins vs. Logan Paul

Non-Title Trios Match: Trish Stratus and WWE Women's Tag Team Champions Lita and "The Man" Becky Lynch vs. Damage CTRL (Bayley, Dakota Kai, and Iyo Sky)

More matches will be added before WrestleMania kicks off 01 APR 23.

[SuperHornet]

SH is rooting for Cena and Lita, of course. Also hoping Reigns goes down hard....

[Gil Dobie]

Wrestling died with Vern Gagne.

[SuperHornet]

Wrestling died with Vern Gagne.

Loved him and his son Greg in the AWA....

[Gil Dobie]

Wrestling died with Vern Gagne.

Loved him and his son Greg in the AWA....

I golfed a round with Jumpin Jim Brunzel. Fun times and great wrestling stories. Gagne lost Hulk because of a T-shirt deal.

[Gil Dobie]

I have an old wrestling program. Tag team championship, Atomic Blonds vs Bronko Nagurski and Vern Gagne. Nagurski and Gagne won.

[SuperHornet]

That's sweet. I still remember pulling in from deployment and going straight to the San Diego Sports Arena for a WWE card. "The Coach" Jonathan Coachman was verbally abusing Eugene, who then went up the ramp literally crying. When he got halfway up the ramp, the entire arena was electrified by "Do you smell what the Rock is cooking?" came through the loudspeakers. Nobody had seen the Rock for months (least of all people like me who had been on WestPac). He took Eugene's part, and started giving it to Coach. That night, the Rock gave Eugene permission to use the Rock Bottom and the People's Elbow, and he did it to perfection in taking out Coach. That was way cool.

But probably not as cool as seeing Verne Gagne live. I do remember watching him while washing the dishes at noon on ESPN (they sometimes showed the AWA then, and if they didn't, they showed WCCW from the Dallas Sportatorium).