Wresltemania Weekend in Houston part one

Wrestlemania Weekend in Houston Texas

Well Friday April 3, 2009 I arrived in Houston at just after 4pm got through the airport and found a cab to take me to my hotel to check in and then get in another cab to go down to the George R. Brown Convention Center where I arrived at 6pm to catch the last two hours of the Booker T Legends of Wrestling fan fest going on with legends and present stars signing autographs and merchandise dealers set up like Highspots.com selling merchandise.

I got my passes and go to meet great legends and receive autographs and pictures in what was truly a class act show put on and all the legends were extremely professional and made sure they signed everyone’s autographs and posed for pictures even if it meant having to come back after they packed up and left. The list of legends I met mere some of my all time favourites like Jake “The Snake” Roberts, Booker T, Jimmy Hart and the Nasty Boys, Kimberly Page and master of the Diamond Cutter DDP Diamond Dallas Page. I also got me current favourites and stars like former TNA and ROH world champion Samoa Joe and TNA Knockout and WWE Diva search winner the beautiful Christy Hemme. All is all it was a great experience and fun time and a great way to start off an incredible weekend.

After the convention ended at about 8pm I went up to the third floor of the convention center and took in the first of two Ring Of Honor shows this weekend with the first being their big “Supercard of Honor 4” show, I have never been to an ROH show live but I have purchased a number of their DVD’s to know what their wrestling was like but being at an live ROH show is a great experience the crowd was extremely passionate about the product and very respectful of all in ring wrestlers. The ROH show had everything thing from young up and coming wrestlers just starting out in dark matches to world class wrestlers from all over the world, to former WWE or TNA stars to some memorable legends still making rounds, like Bushwhacker Luke was there who I was extremely excited to see as I was always a Bushwhacker fan and even Kamala was there as well with legendry manager Chi and they preformed in the ring and posed for pictures and signed autographs with fans during the intermission. I would really recommend anyone to order this |DVD when it comes out as I know I will because there is a awesome match of the year candidate featured as Davey Richards took on GHC Jr. Heavyweight champion Kenta in a title match that had everything in the match from great fast paced high flying action to fantastic mat wrestling in a match that led the crowd in “F*ck Wrestlemania” , “This is Awesome” and the classic “ROH” chants and left everyone in the building standing and giving both men a standing ovation as Davey Richards proclaimed this is what Ring of Honor is about. There was many other great matches as well and the night was caped off with a special moment as Jerry Lynn managed to beat current ROH champion Nigel McGinnis in another classic match to become the new ROH world Champion and earn a standing ovation for Lynn followed by a very heartfelt speech by Lynn who truly deserved another World Title reign.

The next day Saturday was filled with more wrestling all day again as I was back at the George R. Brown Convention center for another afternoon of Ring Of Honor wrestling and their second show of the weekend with a pay per view taping of ROH’s “Take no Prisoners” upcoming pay per view. Again ROH had another solid night of wrestling that you must see caped off by Jerry Lynn’s first title defence and another match of the year candidate tag team match featuring Kenta and Tyler Black verses Katsuhiko Nakajima and Austin Aries in a match you must see because it was incredible.

After the ROH show it was time to take the short walk over the Toyota Center because the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2009 ceremony was about to begin in an hour. I arrived at the Toyota center to find people everywhere crowed in front the building and all around the arena with having to get in the line by joining some people on the street (which was not closed off so cars were driving by in behind) it was then we were let in to the Toyota to where I found my seat seating in the stands directly in front of the stage and by seeing that was just awe inspiring. Todd Grisham came out shortly to welcome everyone and remind everyone that there was to be no cat calls or shouting at any wrestlers during the show out of respect to the legends. Todd then announced that the WWE superstars and families would be filling into their seats right away and out first was Vicky Guerrero and her daughters to a great reaction of applause and cheers from the respectful crowd other notable names were current stars Great Kali who is huge when you see in live, Sgt. Slaughter, Molly Holly, John Cena, Edge (who received loud boos), Jeff Hardy, the McMahon’s, a surprise appearance by DDP who the crowd loved to see and many more legends, past & current stars who could fill a page with just names. The show then got started and was hosted by Todd Grisham and featured a countdown clock behind me on the back wall for timing of speeches. Out first was Dusty Rhodes doing the American Dream dance to induct Terry and Dory Funks who each gave speeches. Out next was Honky Tonk Man to induct Koko B. Ware with Frankie who kept trying to eat Koko’s speech and even manage to leave a little present on the podium for the other legends. Next up was Michael P.S. Hayes to induct the Von Erich family with surviving member Kevin Von Erich to accept and give a speech. Mene Gene was out next to induct long time WWE employee and legendary ring announcer (and only ring announcer to be inducted to Hall of Fame) Howard Finkle to the hall of fame where “The Fink” proudly gave himself a great introduction into the Hall of Fame. Good Ole JR Jim Ross was out next to a great reaction from having Boomer Sooner played in Texas to induct his mentor Cowboy Bill Watts into the Hall of Fame. Todd came out again to announce a short break and that the TV portion of the show would be starting soon and announce that Hall of Famer Jerry “King” Lawler would be hosting the TV portion and then the TV introduction was shown a highlight package of all hall of famer’s past and present was shown Lawler welcomed us to the TV portion and brought out “The Nature Boy” Ric Flair to induct Ricky Steamboat into the Hall of Fame where Flair gave a great speech that went to commercial break and then Flair did the speech again because of the timing from all the “Whoooo!” chants from the crowd and then out came Ricky Steamboat who gave a really emotional speech and even mentioned Mickey Rourke in the crowd. Jerry Lawler then brought out Mene Gene again to recap and then back from commercial Lawler showed a simulation from the Legends of Wrestlemania game showing HBK vs. Undertaker and then introduced Vince McMahon who came out next to induct ``Stone Cold” Steve Austin into the Hall of Fame and call Austin the greatest WWE superstar ever. Stone Cold them came out to huge reaction and a long “Thank you Austin” chant before he started very heart felt speech and followed by a Hall of Fame style beer bash and was joined by the entire class of 2009 to take in the applause from the crowd one more time. All in all it was great show and truly memorable seeing all those deserving legends take their spot in history.

Now on to Sunday April 5 I got down to Reliant Stadium and Center at about noon and walked around at some of stuff they had set up outside like merchdise tables and the army national guard set up and then proceeded to the line for Wrestlemania Axxcess session starting at 1pm and I was glad I had VIP tickets as the general admission line was huge as well as for being VIP you got a wrist band that allowed you to skip lines for the booths except the superstar signings and get ringside access to the ring and a random autograph from a WWE superstar which I got Edge who is one of my favourite stars ever so that was cool. Inside was set up really cool and the first attraction I went to see was to step inside the Hell in Cell and get in side the ring which was intimidating also under the ring was Hornswoggle’s house set up, he’s got a nice setup under there, I then went to look at my personal favourite set up as it was the classic memorabilia display which had lots of old legends ring where and many other classic memorabilia, I hit up the merchandise stand next to get me a Wrestlemania 25 jersey and ECW title belt replica because everything was selling out quick. (Those title belts are heavy). I got in the line next to see ECW star Tyson Kidd and get my picture and autograph with him next and then watched our host for the night Jimmy Hart perform different tasks in the ring. Also signing there that I saw was Cryme Tyme, Candice Michelle, Hacksaw Jim Duggen, Ron Simmons, Afa of the wild Samoans and Tito Santana and Greg “The Hammer” Valentine. Other attractions were a bunch of old title belts to take pictures off and have you picture taken with the World title, WWE action figure packages to have you picture in, WWE diva picture set with the woman’s title, call a match with Josh Mathews, create your own entrance, and a very cool Undertakers graveyard showing his 16 Wrestlemania victims and various caskets used from various casket matches in WWE history and you could also have you picture take next to Shawn Michaels Wrestlemania grave. Valadmir Koslov also beat Festus in match with Jesse and Mr. Kennedy did a live Q & A session in the ring. Wrestlemania Axxess was a great afternoon of excitement with lots of great attractions.