WrestleMania 22 was the highest grossing one-day event in the Allstate Arena's history, generating $2.5 million USD in ticket sales. [#endnote_Gross] Approximately 17,159 people from 16 countries and 43 states attended the event, while millions more watched in more than 90 countries. The event was also broadcast live to United States military personnel around the world by the American Forces Network. According to WWE, tickets for the event sold out in less than two minutes after going on sale at 10:00 A.M. (CDT) on October 12, 2005.
WrestleMania 22 had two alternate logos released before the third and final logo was decided. The first [link] and second [link] were similar to that of WrestleMania 21 and were released in promotional vidoes and advertisements. The third and final logo released is the first since WrestleMania XV to make use of the classic font from the first fifteen WrestleMania events.
Rob Van Dam won by climbing a ladder and taking possession of the briefcase hanging above the ring after knocking over another ladder upon which Benjamin and Hardy were fighting. As a result, Van Dam was guaranteed a match for the WWE Championship at any time within the following year, up to and including WrestleMania 23 on April 1, 2007. Van Dam cashed in his money in the bank at ECW One Night Stand a few months later, winning the championship.
Josh Matthews interviewed "Mean" Gene Okerlund. During the interview, Randy Orton interrupted and insulted Okerlund for becoming a Hall of Famer purely on the basis of his career as an interviewer. Batista then appeared and reminded Orton that whoever left WrestleMania with the World Heavyweight Championship was just holding it until he returned, which he hinted would be soon.
Layfield pinned Benoit after flipping him over during a Crossface and holding onto the middle rope, which is an illegal move but the referee never saw him do it.
Mickie James defeated Stratus by pinfall following a Mick Kick to win her first WWE Women's Championship. On the DVD release, WWE edited out James grabbing Stratus's crotch then licking her fingers. Furthermore, the ending was modified to exclude the botched sequences of moves prior to the match's conclusion.
Undertaker Tombstoned Henry (after powerbombing him and diving over the top rope and the casket and landing on Henry, standing outside of the ring), then rolled him into the casket to secure his WrestleMania winning streak at 14-0.
Michaels executed a diving elbow drop off a twenty foot high ladder and through a table upon which McMahon was lying (with a garbage can covering his head). Michaels then hit McMahon with the Sweet Chin Music before pinning him.
*Michaels made several D-Generation X gestures during the match, including the "crotch chop". When asked during the post-game show whether he might have "gone too far" during the match, Michaels replied that it had felt good, and he would not have minded being more violent, as he was bored with being a "goody two shoes".
*Prior to the match, a video clip was shown recounting how the feud between Orton, Mysterio, and Angle came about. The WrestleMania 22 theme song, I Dare You by Shinedown, played in the background.
*Mysterio's entrance music was performed live by P.O.D.
*Upon winning the title, Mysterio became the shortest and lightest World Heavyweight Champion in WWE history. He was also the first Mexican American and the first masked wrestler to win the title.
*Following Mysterio's victory, Vickie Guerrero and Chavo Guerrero came to the ring to celebrate with him.
*WrestleMania 22 marked the first WrestleMania not to feature the winner of the Royal Rumble in the final match of the night since WrestleMania XV in 1999.
*Although both Mysterio and Orton tapped out to Kurt Angle's Ankle Lock, the referee was distracted both times.
*This match also marks the third time in WrestleMania history that Kurt Angle lost his championship without losing.
John Cena won by submission with the STF-U, retaining the WWE Championship.
*Before the match, Jim Ross noted that the Chicago fans would likely cheer for Triple H due to them being "traditional" wrestling fans.
*Cena's entrance was preceded by a video clip highlighting 1920s and 1930sgangsters from Chicago, and a car driven by wrestlers dressed as gangsters that drove to the ring. One of the gangsters was played by CM Punk in his debut on WWE pay-per-view.
*Triple H appeared on stage wearing a Norse king's outfit, sitting on a throne while "King of Kings" by Motörhead played. After he stood up, his normal theme, "The Game" (also by Motörhead), played.
*The audience booed Cena during the match, directing chants at him such as "Cena sucks", "You can't wrestle", and "Fuck you Cena". There were several chants in favor of Triple H as well.
*Like fellow D-Generation X alumnus Shawn Michaels, Triple H performed a crotch chop during the match.
*WrestleMania 22 was the second WrestleMania in which the main event ended via submission, after WrestleMania XX. In both cases, Triple H was the wrestler who submitted.
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