NEW YORK – February 22 2006 – After a 13-year hiatus World Wrestling Entertainment®’s (WWE) hit sensation "Saturday Night’s Main Event" returns to NBC on Sat. March 18 (8-10 p.m. ET/PT).  This two-hour special presentation of the raucous extravaganza that sparked a revolution in American pop culture and made international stars out of Hulk Hogan Andre the Giant and Jesse "The Body" Ventura will herald the NBC primetime debut of WWE’s newest crop of superstars.  The show will feature "Monday Night RAW®" grapplers WWE Champion John Cena 10-time world champion Triple H and Women’s Champion Trish Stratus® along with Shawn Michaels Edge® Diva and Playboy Cover Girl Candice Michelle™ Shane McMahon™ and the indomitable WWE Chairman Mr. McMahon among others.     

Stepping into the ring from Friday Night SmackDown® will be World Heavyweight Champion Kurt Angle Undertaker® Randy Orton™ and Rey Mysterio® making this event a showcase for the best of the best in the WWE. 

The NBC event also is a pivotal stop on the road to WrestleMania® 22 on April 2 (WWE’s biggest event –available only pay-per-view).  Featuring a new generation of superstars "Saturday Night’s Main Event" will provide thrilling storylines shocking betrayals and larger-than-life characters battling for championship glory.

“The original Saturday Night Main Event was a pop culture phenomenon with a rich history of big moments ” said Vince McMahon.  “We promise to make the new Main Event in prime time on NBC even bigger and better.”

“This special event will extend our ongoing relationship with WWE – as seen on USA’s popular Monday Night Raw ” said NBC Entertainment President Kevin Reilly “ and it’s a genuine opportunity to do some real business in Saturday Night Primetime.”

"Saturday Night’s Main Event" debuted on NBC in late night as a replacement for "Saturday Night Live" repeats in 1985 and ran through 1992.  The groundbreaking program brought professional wrestling to broadcast television for the first time and set off two decades of success on broadcast and cable including ratings titan "Monday Night RAW" on USA Network.  The televised wrestling rumbles also launched a galaxy of multi-talented Superstars that crossed over from the ring to countless areas of American entertainment such as "Rowdy" Roddy Piper Randy "Macho Man" Savage Bret "The Hitman" Hart The Honky Tonk Man and King Kong Bundy.

World Wrestling Entertainment Inc. (NYSE: WWE) is an integrated media and entertainment company headquartered in Stamford Conn. with offices in New York City Los Angeles Toronto and London. Additional information on the company can be found at wwe.com and corporate.wwe.com.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Marc Liepis NBC 212/664-5424

Brad Bernstein USA Network 212/664-4401

Michael Smith WWE 203-352-8657