WrestleMania Week Kicks Off, Full List Of WWE Events Scheduled
WrestleMania week kicked off this morning with The Big Show ringing the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange. WWE issued this press release highlighting the list of events scheduled over the next week:
WWE® Takes over New Orleans for WrestleMania® Week
STAMFORD, Conn.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Fans from around the world will descend upon New Orleans for a week-long lineup of festivities in celebration of WrestleMania, taking place in front of a capacity crowd at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome and streaming live on WWE Network at 7 pm ET/4 pm PT on Sunday, April 8. WWE will also host more than a dozen community outreach events designed to give back to the local region. WrestleMania Week begins today, and includes the following events:
New York Stock Exchange Opening Bell (NYSE) ? Monday, April 2
WWE Superstar Big Show® will ring the Opening Bell at the New York Stock Exchange to officially kick off WrestleMania Week.
Veteran Employment Panel & Networking Event ? Tuesday, April 3, The National World War II Museum
WWE, The National World War II Museum and the City of New Orleans will host a Veteran Employment Panel and Networking Event in support of Hire Heroes USA, giving nearly 150 veterans an opportunity to receive one-on-one career coaching and then network with key employers from the New Orleans area including Merrill Lynch, Hyatt Regency, Starbucks and many more.
In addition, WWE Superstar Mark Henry®, NXT® Superstars and military veterans Lacey Evans?, Montez Ford? and Steve Cutler?, and WWE Ambassador Dana Warrior? will be on-site to meet the attendees.
Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Visit ? Tuesday, April 3, Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base
WWE Superstar Mark Henry, NXT Superstars Lacey Evans, Montez Ford and Steve Cutler, and WWE Ambassador Dana Warrior will participate in a flight stimulator demonstration and meet with military personnel at the Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base.
Children's Hospital Visit ? Wednesday, April 4, Ochsner Children's Health Center
WWE Superstars Finn Bálor®, Bayley®, Jason Jordan?, Goldust® and Alicia Fox®, and WWE Ambassador Dana Warrior will visit the Ochsner Children's Health Center to take pictures, sign autographs and distribute WWE Championship toy titles to patients.
Community Center Visit ? Wednesday, April 4, Milne Recreational Center
WWE and UNICEF USA will host a UNICEF Kid Power event at the New Orleans Recreation Development (NORD) Commission's Milne Recreational Center. Kid Power is a unique program that gets kids in the U.S. active, empowers them to be global citizens and helps save the lives of malnourished children. Kid Power can be activated through the mobile app, wearable band or a variety of other programs. WWE Superstars Sheamus®, Cesaro®, Sasha Banks® and Mickie James?, and NXT Superstars Lacey Evans, Montez Ford and Steve Cutler will participate in activities that will help save the lives of children around the world.
Special Olympics Unified Basketball Game ? Thursday, April 5, Westbank Boys and Girls Club Unit
WWE, a Global partner of Special Olympics, is hosting a Unified Basketball Game at the Westbank Boys and Girls Club. Unified Sports® joins people with and without intellectual disabilities on the same team. It was inspired by a simple principle: training together and playing together is a quick path to friendship and understanding. Special Olympics athletes and their unified partners will participate in the game as WWE Superstars Seth Rollins®, Carmella?, Alicia Fox, Chad Gable® and Shelton Benjamin®, NXT Superstar Velveteen Dream? and WWE Ambassador Dana Warrior, will serve as honorary coaches, while WWE Superstar Big Show and WWE Announcer Mike Rome will serve as announcers.
Susan G. Komen Luncheon ? Thursday, April 5, Audubon Zoo Tea Room
Susan G. Komen New Orleans will host its Perfectly Pink Salute to Survivors Luncheon at the Audubon Zoo Tea Room, where breast cancer survivors will be honored. WWE Superstars Titus O'Neil, Natalya, Nia Jax and Dana Brooke, and WWE Ambassador Dana Warrior will help present grant award checks totaling $275,000 to local grantees to help women, men and families in the Greater New Orleans area receive access to life-saving breast cancer screening, treatment and education services.
WrestleMania Axxess ? Thursday, April 5 through Sunday, April 8, Ernest N. Morial Convention Center
WrestleMania Axxess (#AXXESS) is the ultimate fan experience. This year's WrestleMania Axxess will take place from Thursday, April 5 through Sunday, April 8 at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. Fans will have unprecedented access to meet their favorite WWE Superstars and Legends through a host of interactive fan experiences, including autograph signings and live matches.
Be a STAR® Bullying Prevention Rally ? Friday, April 6, NFL-YET Boys and Girls Club Recreation Center
WWE Superstars Apollo, Dana Brooke and Carmella, NXT Superstar Kassius Ohno? and actor Christian Navarro, along with representatives from the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, will speak about the importance of bullying prevention to Club members. In 2016, WWE and The Boys & Girls Clubs of America launched a multi-year partnership focusing on youth development and bullying prevention efforts around Be a STAR, WWE's bullying prevention initiative (#BeaSTAR).
WWE 2018 Hall of Fame Ceremony Red Carpet ? Friday, April 6, Smoothie King Center
Maria Menounos hosts the most glamorous event on the WWE calendar. WWE Superstars and Legends, and a host of celebrities, walk the red carpet live on WWE Network at 7 pm ET.
WWE 2018 Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony ? Friday, April 6, Smoothie King Center
Goldberg?, Mark Henry, The Dudley Boyz®, Jeff Jarrett?, Ivory?, Hillbilly Jim? and Kid Rock will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame (#WWEHOF) at the Smoothie King Center and live on WWE Network at 8 pm ET. In addition, Jarrius "JJ" Robertson, double liver transplant survivor and long-time WWE fan, will receive the fourth annual Warrior Award. The WWE Hall of Fame recognizes the most-celebrated Superstars in WWE history, while The Warrior Award is presented each year to an individual who has exhibited unwavering strength and perseverance, and who lives life with the courage and compassion that embodies the indomitable spirit of WWE Hall of Famer, The Ultimate Warrior®.
Make-A-Wish® Circle of Champions ? Saturday, April 7, Mardi Gras World
WWE, Make-A-Wish®, Mardi Gras World and River City Venues will host a Mardi Gras themed lunch for 28 Wish kids at Mardi Gras World. WWE Superstars Samoa Joe?, Natalya and Sasha Banks, WWE Ambassador Dana Warrior, and WWE Announcer Jojo? will meet with the Wish kids and participate in a float parade at Mardi Gras World. There will also be a surprise appearance by a WWE Superstar who will induct the Wish kids into WWE's Circle of Champions.
Kid Superstar Reveal ? Saturday, April 7, Ernest N. Morial Convention Center
WWE will host patients from the Ochsner Hospital for Children, Children's Hospital of New Orleans and Tulane Lakeside Hospital for Women and Children, for a Kid Superstar reveal. Hosted by WWE Chief Brand Officer Stephanie McMahon, WWE Superstars Daniel Bryan®, AJ Styles? and Asuka?, and WWE Ambassador Dana Warrior, patients will unveil their WWE Superstar personas at WrestleMania Axxess in front of the WWE Universe.
NXT® TakeOver: New Orleans ? Saturday, April 7, Smoothie King Center
On the eve of WrestleMania 34, NXT TakeOver: New Orleans comes to the Smoothie King Center and live on WWE Network at 8 pm ET. NXT Champion Andrade 'Cien' Almas? takes on Aleister Black?; Ember Moon? defends her NXT Women's Championship against Shayna Baszler; Adam Cole?, EC3?, Killian Dain?, Lars Sullivan?, Ricochet? and Velveteen Dream will compete in a six-man ladder match for the inaugural NXT North American Championship; and more!
WrestleMania Block Party ? Sunday, April 8, Mercedes-Benz Superdome ? Champions Square
WWE will host a WrestleMania Block Party presented by Snickers. The family-friendly event is free and open to the public and includes appearances by WWE Superstars Big Show, R-Truth® and Tamina®, and WWE Hall of Famers Ric Flair® and Alundra Blaze?.
WrestleMania ? Sunday, April 8, Mercedes-Benz Superdome
A capacity crowd will descend upon the Mercedes-Benz Superdome for WWE's annual pop-culture extravaganza, WrestleMania (#WRESTLEMANIA), streaming live on WWE Network at 7 pm ET/4 pm PT. Ronda Rousey makes her WWE match debut alongside Kurt Angle as they take on Stephanie McMahon and Triple H®; Daniel Bryan and Shane McMahon will compete against Kevin Owens® and Sami Zayn®; WWE Universal Champion Brock Lesnar? will defend his title against Roman Reigns®; WWE Champion AJ Styles defends his title against Royal Rumble winner Shinsuke Nakamura®; SmackDown Women's Champion Charlotte Flair® takes on the Women's Royal Rumble winner Asuka; a Fatal Four-Way United States Championship match between current Champion Randy Orton®, Rusev®, Bobby Roode® and Jinder Mahal®; Raw Women's Champion Alexa Bliss® vs. Nia Jax; a Triple Threat Intercontinental Championship match between current Champion The Miz?, Seth Rollins and Finn Bálor; the first-ever WrestleMania Women's Battle Royal; Andre the Giant? Memorial Battle Royal; and more!
Monday Night Raw® ? Monday, April 9, Smoothie King Center
Monday Night Raw emanates live from the Smoothie King Center at 8/7C on USA Network with the fallout from WrestleMania. The night after WrestleMania has become one of the most-anticipated events of the year and has never been short on surprises.
WrestleMania Reading Celebration ? Tuesday, April 10, J.C. Ellis Elementary School
Students at J.C. Ellis Elementary School, winners of this year's WrestleMania Reading Challenge, will participate in a Reading Celebration (#WWEReads) featuring WWE Superstars The New Day and Carmella and WWE Ambassador Dana Warrior. In an effort to support local literacy programs, WWE and First Book are donating 20,000 books to New Orleans area schools.
SmackDown® Live ? Tuesday, April 10, Smoothie King Center
WWE caps off five consecutive nights of events in New Orleans as SmackDown Live emanates from the Smoothie King Center at 8/7C on USA Network.