First we got the news that WrestleMania will not happen in Tampa. The WWE announced instead they will present the show solely for their online viewers who subscribe to their internet video service. There will be no audience.  The matches will take place inside the WWE’s training center in Orlando. It’ll be a first for the annual event. But apparently, that’s not going to be the only first.

This year, for the first time ever, WrestleMania will take place over two nights. Night 1 will be Saturday, April 4. And night 2, WrestleMania will continue on the original scheduled date on Sunday, April 5. Both nights will have a 7pm start time. Over the years, many fans have complained about the length of the show. So this change should alleviate that problem.

Hosting will be former New England Patriots star Rob Gronkowski. Gronk has has a few run ins with WWE wrestlers in previous years. He’s long been rumored to step into the ring now that his NFL retirement seems permanent. Any chances of going back to New England were probably gone after former teammate Tom Brady decided to leave the team and come to Tampa.

WrestleMania Stars Who Started in a Warehouse On Dale Mabry

• Seth Rollins

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  He got his wrestling name from Henry Rollins. Seth is one of the biggest success stories of former FCW wrestlers who trained in Tampa. But he says in the special that he was really getting discouraged and was starting to wonder if he'd ever get the call up to the big time in WWE.

• Drew McIntyre

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  Many think he'll be the new champ after WrestleMania Tampa and not even 10 years ago, you could see him at that Dale Mabry warehouse for $5!

• Roman Reigns

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  Part of a big wrestling family, Reigns was just one of "The Shield" members who trained on Dale Mabry.
• Sheamus

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  The wrestlers say they weren''t too crazy about training in the sweltering Tampa heat. They say in the special that the trainers rarely turned the air conditioning on.

• The Bella Twins

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  They said they had it tough breaking in to wrestling as they were initially dismissed as models and not real wrestlers who could compete. They stuck with it and will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame during WrestleMania week in Tampa.

• Daniel Bryan

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  The special shows a much younger Daniel working on his promo (interview) skills. Like Rollins, he expressed frustration on how long it took to get out of Tampa and on to the main WWE roster.
• Bray Wyatt

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  In the special, they talk a lot about second generation wrestlers who trained in Tampa. Wyatt is the son of '80s wrestling star "IRS" Mike Rotundo. In the FCW special, they show his early interview acting skills. He was a natural from day 1.

• Big E

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  That guy in the middle? He's a Tampa guy! Look for him and other members of New Day at Ray Jay.

• Charlotte Flair

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  Daughter of "Nature Boy" Ric Flair, wait til you see her different look from back in her Tampa days during this WWE special. I almost didn't even recognize her!
• Natalya

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  Daughter of Tampa's Jim "the Anvil" Neidhart, she tells some great stories in the special about how when they acquired the Dale Mabry gym, they were taking over a food storage warehouse and she'd often sit on boxes of canned food during wrestling practices.

• Naomi

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  More known as a product of the NXT system in Orlando, but apparently she also trained in Tampa.

• Bayley

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  Just one of the many female stars who started in Tampa. She chose the spelling "Bayley" because she's from the Bay. (San Francisco Bay though, not Tampa Bay.)
• Paige

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  Although she's no longer an active wrestler due to injuries, Paige was trained here in Tampa.

• Corey Graves

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  He's now on the WWE announce team since his wrestling career was cut short.

• Dusty Rhodes

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  Many of the wrestlers profiled about their time in Tampa remarked how much the legendary Dusty Rhodes helped them develop their wrestling characters. We lost Dusty a few years ago.

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