WrestleMania 25 On NBC?, Disappointing No Way Out Buyrate

? WrestleMania 25 in "highlight form" is scheduled to air on NBC as a TV special on Sunday, August 30 reports The Wrestling Observer/Figure Four Online. The show is expected to fill one of the two annual TV specials on NBC. Whether or not there are plans to hold Saturday Night's Main Event specials remains to be seen as most, if not all of the shows have done poorly in the ratings.

? WWE's corporate website has released its monthly Key Performance Indicators report, revealing how No Way Out performed in terms of pay-per-view buys. Initial estimates for the annual February pay-per-view have the show doing 164,000 domestic buys and 274,000 worldwide for a show headlined by two Elimination Chamber Matches with both World Championships at stake, a No Holds Barred Match pitting Randy Orton against Shane McMahon, and Shawn Michaels vs. JBL for The Heartbreak Kid's chance at freedom. The numbers have to be considered disappointing as this year's show suffered a 25% worldwide and 32% domestic drop from last year despite house show business and ratings still going strong. In comparison, last year's show drew 365,000 worldwide buys and 241,000 domestic for a show that also had two Elimination Chamber Matches (with Wrestlemania title shots at stake), plus two major title matches with Edge vs. Rey Mysterio for the World Heavyweight Championship and Randy Orton vs. John Cena with the WWE Championship on the line.