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Friday Night SmackDown begins WWE weekend in Philly
WrestleMania is alive in Philadelphia as Friday Night SmackDown opens to a packed house.
PHILADELPHIA - It’s the weekend pro-wrestling fans have been waiting for, as WrestleMania 40 takes over the Linc and people are flocking to Philly from all over the world. The electrifying, high energy and flashing lights that is WrestleMania.
Friday Night SmackDown at Wells Fargo officially kicks off WWE’s return to Philly in about 25 years.
Chris Jankowski acknowledged, "It’s exciting. It’s ecstatic. The energy’s high."
Fans, or Marks as they call themselves, showed up in style.
Taylor Hernandez, with her boyfriend, Jankowski, stated, "I was going for a punk rock, wrestling, nerdy vibe. I’m so excited. I’ve been watching wrestling since I was like 12 or 13. It’s amazing. I’m so happy that it’s finally close to us and that we can finally go."
WrestleMania and its stars arrive in Philadelphia ahead of big weekend
Final preparations are underway for WrestleMania and fans from around the world are heading into Philadelphia for the big weekend.
"It’s amazing. I’m so happy that it’s finally close to us and that we can finally go."
From long lines at merch stands to picture taking with cardboard cutouts of the wrestling lineup, one father-daughter duo stood out.
"I just want to scream. That’s all I wanted to do," daughter Zion Stevenson said. Her dad, Damien, had other plans. He had her make a sign.
"Basically, the sign says something like, ‘Jade, my dad is single,’" Damien said. "It’s like playing the lottery."
No luck with one of WWE’s finest, wrestler Jade Cargill. The sign was too big to bring inside.
"Tonight, I’m just looking forward to the Hall of Fame. I really want to see Paul Hayman brining the Philadelphia connection from ECW to now in the WWE," Damien added.
One mom, Michelle Mangan, brought her son Kian all the way from Ireland. "This was his Christmas present. Because it was WrestleMania 40 and every year we watch it on tv so we said this was the big one, so we said we were going to bring him."
Before the main event, outside fans took in a pre-show. They were excited for their favorite matchups.
Saturday and Sunday, it’s WrestleMania at the Linc then back to Wells Fargo on Monday for RAW.