Presents a history of the championship matches hosted by World Wrestling Entertainment, tracing their expansion and popularity throughout the world, and citing the contributions of such performers as Hulk Hogan, Andre the Giant, and the Iron Sheik.

This book provides readers with an abundance of information and historical perspective as well as entertaining and memorable anecdotes about professional wrestling. Readers will also learn unusual snippets of trivia that will enhance their comprehension of the sport. This authoritative work on the history and culture of professional wrestling features the biggest names in the wrestling world since the sport emerged on the American sporting landscape. It comprises short biographies of all of the key players in the sport's evolution and rise to popularity—from old-timers to barrier breakers to household names such as Hulk Hogan, The Rock, Andre the Giant, and more—and includes not only men but also many women who have made a name in the sport. Surveying professional wrestling from its roots, dating centuries, to the modern era, pre–20th century and into the 21st century, the work tells the transformational stories of prominent wrestlers and the sport as a whole, in many cases bringing out the humor and outrageousness in the nature of an activity that has always straddled the line between show business and sport.

Examines the rise and fall of Extreme Championship Wrestling, and how that organization revolutionized sports entertainment.

Desire. Ruthless aggression. Attitude. Respect. New blood. Returning legends. Departing heroes. Icon vs. Icon. The Draft. Separate camps. Unified titles. An Undisputed Championship. Same-sex weddings. Broken vows. Three minutes. One last run. World Wrestling Entertainment™ entered 2002 with a Royal Rumble,® and left it with the Armageddon™-like force of an F-5 hurricane. This is your ringside seat to the defining moments of the past twelve months. Relive the greatest matches of every Raw,® SmackDown!® and WWE™ Pay-Per-View in 2002, including WrestleMania™ X8, SummerSlam® and Survivor Series, as well as U.K. exclusives Insurrextion™; and Rebellion™. Submit to the finishing moves of WWE Superstars like The Rock,® Hollywood Hulk Hogan,™ Undertaker,® Triple H,™ Kurt Angle,™ Ric Flair,™ Rob Van Dam,™ and Brock Lesnar.™ This is your premier backstage pass, recapping events beyond the confines of the squared circle in 2002. Witness the corporate machinations of Mr. Vince McMahon,™ Ric Flair, Eric Bischoff™ and Stephanie McMahon™ as they wrestled for WWE dominance. Stripped down to the bare essentials are the Divas Trish Stratus,™ Torrie Wilson,™ and Stacy Keibler.™ Review the WWE owner's Confidential™ words over Stone Cold Steve Austin™'s sudden exit from the organization. You travel first class all the way as The World Wrestling Entertainment Yearbook 2003 Edition jets to the best venues across the United States, Canada, Europe, and the rest of the world. Get the celluloid facts from Tinseltown behind The Rock's blockbuster film The Scorpion King. Avoid a beatdown from Chris Jericho® while getting the music lowdown on his band Fozzy, last summer's Ozzyfest tour and numerous WWE CD compilations. Take part in the "SmackDown! Your Vote™" campaign trail, along with last year's other fundraisers and events that established the WWE as more than the undisputed leader in sports entertainment. It's time to put on the T-shirt of a favorite WWE Superstar, grab some snacks, pull up a steel chair and wooden table, and experience The WWE Yearbook 2003 Edition. Just don't read it under a ladder.

Are you a real fan of World Wrestling Entertainment ®? Do you have ruthless aggression? Do you have to know it all -- and beyond? Now you can step up and prove it! Here for the first time, test just how much you really know in The Ultimate World Wrestling Entertainment Trivia Book. Not for the fan who just knows it all, but for the fan who lives it all! 1. Vince McMahon™'s first role in the WWE™was as a TV announcer. What Hall of Famer was his first broadcast partner? a) Pat Patterson b) Jesse "the Body" Ventura c) Antonino Rocca 2. What was the outcome of the Andre the Giant vs. Hulk Hogan™ match at WrestleMania™ IV? a) Andre won by pinfall b) Double disqualification c) Time-limit draw d) Hogan won by pinfall 3. After losing his Hardcore Championship -- on February 7, 2002 -- Undertaker™ took out his frustration on The Rock®, giving him a Tombstone™ on top of what type of vehicle? a) Corvette b) Truck c) Zamboni d) Limousine 4. Match the superstar with his/her hometown: a) Maven b) Brock Lesnar c) Trish Stratus d) Hardcore Holly e) Eddie Guerrero f) William Regal 1) El Paso, Texas 2) Charlottesville, Virginia 3) Minneapolis, Minnesota 4) Toronto, Ontario 5) Mobile, Alabama 6) Blackpool, England Answers 1. c) Antonino Rocca 2. b) Double disqualification 3. d) Limousine 4. Match the superstar with his/her hometown: a-2) Maven-Charlottesville, Virginia b-3) Brock Lesnar-Minneapolis, Minnesota c-4) Trish Stratus-Toronto, Ontario d-5) Hardcore Holly-Mobile, Alabama e-1) Eddie Guerrero-El Paso, Texas f-6) William Regal-Blackpool, England

Sports talk in America has evolved from small-time barroom banter into a major media smorgasbord that runs 24/7 on TV and radio. With hundreds of billions of dollars generated annually by pro and college teams in major markets nationwide, sports fans across the country are more dedicated than ever to their teams. And when it comes to sports talk -- especially all-sports radio -- it's all about entertainment, information, prognostication, analysis, rankings, and endless discussion. Prominent sports-media figures in each of the three target cities -- Cleveland, Detroit, and Washington, D.C. -- engage in this phenomenon with a compilation of sports lists sure to delight as well as stir up debate within these already-buzzing sports communities. List topics include: What were the most lopsided trades in local sports history? Who were the most overrated athletes to play in our town? What local athlete had the best appearance in TV or film? What was the most heartbreaking loss in local sports history? What was the greatest single play in local sports history? Who are our team's most hated rivals? Plus dozens of "guest" lists contributed by famous local sports and entertainment celebrities. Following each of the four major pro sports teams -- the Redskins (NFL), the Capitals (NHL), the Nationals (MLB), and the Wizards (NBA) -- plus prominent college sports programs such as Georgetown and Maryland, D.C.'s fans have a vast array of choices, and Andy Pollin and Leonard Shapiro are the guys who help sort them out.