WrestleMania Axxess

WrestleMania Axxess is a professional wrestling fan convention held the week of WrestleMania. The first event happened in in 1988, when the World Wrestling Federation in association with The Trump Organization prepared a small festival to celebrate WrestleMania IV. It included autograph signings, a brunch, and a five kilometer run; the event was held again in 1989 for WrestleMania V. In 1992, a festival was held the day of WrestleMania VIII which included a WWF superstar look-alike contest and a tournament for the WWF WrestleFest arcade game. In 1993, the WWF held a "WrestleMania Brunch" the day of WrestleMania IX at Caesars Palace, during the course of which Lex Luger attacked Bret Hart. In 1994, the WWF offered "Fan Fest" for the weekend of WrestleMania X, which allowed fans to step inside a WWF ring, participate in games, meet superstars, and purchase merchandise; the event was followed up in 1995 with another "Fan Fest" for WrestleMania XI. In 1999, the WWF held its first Saturday pre-WrestleMania event taking place on March 27, 1999. WrestleMania Rage Party as it was known was televised live on the USA Network from 10:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. (EST). The event was to be held at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. The idea of the event was "...to celebrate the final WrestleMania of the millennium..."^[1][2]

The following year the WWF held its first WrestleMania Axxess event at the Anaheim Convention Center expanding upon the party idea of WrestleMania Rage Party. The event included autograph signings and mementos to inductees of the WWE Hall of Fame. There were also activities where fans could enter a wrestling ring and commentate a wrestling match.^[3] In 2001, WrestleMania Axxess was held at the Reliant Hall which expanded upon the event by adding numerous activities including areas where attendees could buy special merchandise, see a production truck and check out special WWE vehicles.^[4] From 2002, WrestleMania Axxess would be extended to a three-day event (March 14–16) and would be held at the Canadian National Exhibition.^[5][6] The three-day event included similar activities to that of the one day line-up.^[6] In 2007, WrestleMania Axxess went on tour around cities in both the United States and Canada.

The WWE Fan Axxess Tour spans a few months before WrestleMania. The tour spots consist of major cities in the United States and generally take place in malls. It was founded and hosted by former wrestler Hillbilly Jim. Fans get their chance to perform their own Superstar entrance with "Extreme Entrance," presented by the CW Network. Participants are introduced with their choice of Superstar theme music and are filmed walking into the ring. The entire experience is burned on a DVD as a WWE take-home.

"How Raw Are You?," presented by the USA Network, will pit fans against each other in a trivia contest to test their knowledge of 15 years of RAW history. "Superstar Ink" allows fans to brand themselves with airbrushed versions of their favorite WWE Superstar logo tattoos.

Fans went head to head in the "WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2008 Challenge" sponsored by GameStop, playing one another in the immensely popular video game title for a chance to win a WWE Championship replica belt. "Fan Nation Station" showcases WWE and partner products and services, and will survey fans for feedback on the tour.

Various WWE Superstars appear at each stop to greet fans and sign autographs.

Fan Axxess 2009 Matches: Jimmy Wang Yang and Hurricane Helms def. Curt Hawkins and Zack Ryder

See also

• List of professional wrestling conventions

References