Today, I'm excited to share my incredible experience at Wrestlemania in Philadelphia earlier this year.
As an avid wrestling fan from a very young age, attending Wrestlemania has always been on my bucket list. However, until now , life always seemed to get in the way, but with this being the 40th year of the Showcase of the Immortals, hosted in the city of brotherly love and home to Rocky, I couldn't pass up the opportunity.
A Last-Minute Decision
It was a last minute decision, and everything was in my favour for a number of reasons. I booked the final package with a well-known travel company here in Ireland. I decided to bite the bullet and go solo as none of my friends are wrestling fans. The package included a five-night hotel stay (Hotel was right beside the Convention Center where WWE World was hosted), return flights, and tickets to both nights of Wrestlemania. The tickets were provided via On Location, a trusted WWE partner, which gave me priority access to the stadium and an exclusive tailgate party on Day 1 and 2. Which had the added benefit of food and drink - so I could stock up and be ready for the action ahead!
SmackDown and Hall of Fame Ceremony
I didn't just stop at Wrestlemania; I also booked SmackDown for the Friday night before Wrestlemania, which included the Hall of Fame ceremony and Raw after Mania. I bagged some really good seats for these events. On Friday night, I was in Row 11, just along the ramp, giving me close-up access to all the stars as they made their way to the ring. I was there to witness Paul Heyman's Hall of Fame speech, arguably the greatest ever. At RAW, I was close to ringside in Row 2, sitting near The Rock's family, who were in attendance to see the Final Boss do his thing. It was an amazing unforgettable experience. And I'd recommend seats such as these at least once for any fans!
Wrestlemania - Night One and Two
For Wrestlemania, I was in Section 224 for each night. Even though it was quite high up, the big screens ensured I didn't miss any action. The first night was extremely cold due to the open-air stadium and early April weather in Philly. The cold affected the crowd's energy, but Becky Lynch’s match against Rhea Ripley was exceptional and got the crowd excited, if only temporarily. The night ended with a huge tag team match featuring Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins, and Cody Rhodes. Night two was much livelier thanks to improved weather conditions. The card kicked off with Seth Rollins vs. Drew McIntyre. Drew got his Wrestlemania moment, only for Damien Priest to ruin it by cashing in his Money in the Bank briefcase. The crowd was electric and remained so throughout the night, culminating in one of the craziest few minutes in Wrestlemania history. Cody Rhodes finally overcame the bloodline to finish his story with some help from Seth Rollins and the deadman the Undertaker, what a Wrestlemania moment!
WrestleCon and WWE World
During the trip, I attended WrestleCon, held in the Sheraton Downtown hotel about 10 minutes from the Philadelphia Convention Center. WrestleCon is a haven for wrestling fans, with legends from classic WWE, AEW, and other organizations. Meeting stars like Kurt Angle, Hacksaw Jim Duggan, Diamond Dallas page, Lita and Trish, the Hardy Boyz and Rob Van Dam was surreal. These settings provide a more intimate experience, allowing fans to chat with their heroes. I also visited WWE World, similar to the previous Wrestlemania Access events. This event featured tons of memorabilia from WWE's history, meet and greet opportunities with stars like Becky Lynch and Hulk Hogan, and more. It was like a wrestling museum running over five days, providing an unmatched fan experience. More fabulous memories made!
The Rocky Tour
Being a fan of the Rocky movies, I couldn't miss the chance to do a guided Rocky tour. This four-hour tour covered various sites from the Rocky and Creed movies, and I even got to run up the famous Rocky steps in front of the Philadelphia Art Museum. It was another bucket list item ticked off and a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Final Thoughts
If you've never been to Wrestlemania, I highly recommend it. The spectacle, energy, and fan interactions are unparalleled. The city of Philadelphia was welcoming and friendly, contrary to some horror stories I had read. Wrestlemania offers an amazing experience for wrestling and non-wrestling fans alike.
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