BY MICHAEL WEAVER, JR. [FACEBOOK | MYSPACE | E-MAIL]

World Wrestling Entertainment invades the Hoosier state during the month of January with three exciting live events and one of them includes a television taping!

WWE SMACKDOWN HOUSE SHOW - JANUARY 19, 2009

The first WWE event in Indiana for 2009 is a house show featuring the SmackDown! brand.  It takes place on Monday, January 19th at the John E. Worthen Arena at Ballstate University in Muncie.

According to local advertising, the main event will be for the World Wrestling Entertainment Heavyweight Championship.  The current WWE Champion, Jeff Hardy will defend his championship against the former champion, Edge and Vladimir Kozlov.  This match will be a Triple-Threat Match.

There will also be a Steel Cage Match in Muncie on January 19 when the phenom known as The Undertaker takes on The Big Show.  Every time these two giants have collided, it’s been Hell on Earth.  What’s going to happen when they’re confined inside of a 15 foot steel cage?

Also scheduled to appear: WWE United States Champion, “The Gold Standard” Shelton Benjamin, R-Truth, The Great Khali and many more.  Tickets are now on sale and they are priced at $20.00, $25.00, $30.00 and $40.00.  Get your tickets at the John E. Worthen Ticketmaster, all Ticketmaster outlets, Ticketmaster.com or by calling toll free at 1-800-745-3000 or locally at (769) 644-3131.

If you attend the event and would like to send in a recap and/or your thoughts on the show, please send it to wuonline@gmail.com.

WWE FRIDAY NIGHT SMACKDOWN! TV TAPING - JANUARY 27, 2009

On Tuesday, January 27, WWE Friday Night SmackDown! rolls into the Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis for a back-to-back TV Taping.  That means they will tape the January 30th episode and the February 6th episode in one night.

According to local commercials, the dark match of the evening will be the WWE Heavyweight Champion, Jeff Hardy defending the championship against former champion, Edge, inside of a 15 foot steel cage.  Will Hardy walk out of the Conseco Fieldhouse as the champion or will a new champion leave the arena?

The interesting point is the last time WWE came to the Conseco Fieldhouse was last August for SummerSlam.  It was that event where The Undertaker defeated Edge inside of the Hell in a Cell and the end of the night came when he chokeslammed him off of a ladder and sent him straight to the fiery depths of “Hell.”  Will Edge and Undertaker cross paths on January 27?  And what will happen if they do?

Also scheduled to appear at the TV Taping are: Triple H, The Undertaker, The Great Khali, The Big Show, Vladimir Kozlov, “MVP” Montel Vontavious Porter, R-Truth, Michelle McCool and many more.  Tickets are now available and are priced at $20.00, $30.00, $40.00, $50.00 and $75.00.  To purchase your tickets, visit the Conseco Fieldhouse Box Office, all Ticketmaster outlets, Ticketmaster.com, or purchase them via phone by calling toll free 1-800-745-3000 or locally at (317) 239-5151.

If you attend the event and would like to send in a recap and/or your thoughts on the show, please send it to wuonline@gmail.com.

WWE RAW & ECW LIVE EVENT - JANUARY 31, 2009

With two live events featuring the SmackDown! brand, it only makes sense to have the RAW and ECW Superstars invade Indiana as well.  This is the first time, the RAW brand has ever competed in Hammond, Indiana.

On January, 31 at the Hammond Civic Center in Hammond, Indiana, the RAW and ECW Superstars will appear to bring the hot action of the WWE into the cold Hoosier state.

According to local information I gathered from the City of Hammond, there are two big matches scheduled to take place.  WWE World Heavyweight Champion, John Cena defends the championship against Chris Jericho.  Also, an explosive tag team match will take place when “The Heartbreak Kid” Shawn Michaels teams up with Rey Mysterio to take on Randy Orton, Cody Rhodes and Manu.  Based on recent developments, I would assume that match would end up changing by the time WWE rolls into Hammond.

Also scheduled to appear: “JBL” John Bradshaw Layfield, ECW World Champion - Matt Hardy, CM Punk, WWE Intercontinental Champion - William Regal, Kofi Kingston, WWE Women’s Champion - Beth Phoenix, Cryme Tyme, and the WWE World Tag Team Champions - The Miz & John Morrison.

Tickets are now available and are priced at $20.00, $30.00, $40.00 and $50.00.  You can purchase your tickets at the Hammond Civic Center Box Office, all Ticketmaster outlets, Ticketmaster.com and by calling via phone toll free at 1-800-745-3000 or locally at (312) 559-1212.

If you attend the event and would like to send in a recap and/or your thoughts on the show, please send it to wuonline@gmail.com.