WWE WrestleMania 36: 5 Interesting stats every fan needs to know 

This year's WrestleMania will be making history for a long list of reasons, including the fact that the show will be streamed over two nights, pre-recorded and in front of an empty arena for the first time.

That being said, WWE has still been able to create an impressive card for two solid nights of entertainment despite all of the drawbacks that the COVID-19 outbreak has caused. Most of the world is currently in lockdown and is looking forward to the biggest weekend on the wrestling calendar and it appears that WWE could well deliver.

Ahead of the show, despite all of the changes, here are some interesting stats that every wrestling fan needs to know.

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#5. Dolph Ziggler's first WrestleMania singles match

Dolph Ziggler has been part of WWE now for more than 16 years, Ziggler has evolved as a character from Kerwin White's Caddy to Nicky from the Spirit Squad, and in that time he has had numerous WrestleMania moments.

Even though Ziggler has been at many WrestleMania's over the year's, the former World Champion has never had a singles match as part of a WrestleMania show, until this weekend.

It was announced this past weekend on SmackDown that Ziggler would collide in one-on-one competition with Otis as part of the biggest show of the year. In recent months the two men have been fighting for the affections of Mandy Rose and it appears that Ziggler has already won the battle, but Otis still wants some kind of retribution.

It's unknown if there is some added stipulation on this match that sees the winner claim Mandy Rose, since the original rumored match saw Mandy teaming with Otis and Tucker against Dolph, Bobby Roode, and Sonya Deville.

#4. First NXT Championship's defense at WrestleMania

This weekend Rhea Ripley makes history when she becomes the first NXT Champion to be given the honor of defending her Championship at WWE's biggest show of the year. Ripley has been pushed harder than any other star in WWE over the past year and was able to dethrone Shayna Baszler to become NXT Women's Champion back in 2019.

Ripley becomes another woman on Charlotte's list, as the former 10-time Women's Champion wants to add to the women she had managed to defeat at WrestleMania, a list that includes Asuka, Becky Lynch, and Sasha Banks.

Charlotte herself is a former NXT Women's Champion, but The Queen is out to prove that she is the best female wrestler in WWE at present and given the waves that Ripley has created through the WWE Women's Division over the past year, it makes sense that Charlotte has put a target on her back.

The Nightmare will be living her dream at WrestleMania, but The Queen could be the one walking out with her original piece of silverware if she can dethrone Ripley.

#3. First-ever Boneyard match

One of the most hotly anticipated matches on the WrestleMania card this year sees The Undertaker take on AJ Styles in a Boneyard match.

The Deadman has put a target on AJ Styles head in recent weeks, which has lead to The Phenomenal One handing Undertaker some home truths as well as outing him as being married to Michelle McCool and blaming the former Women's Champion for Undertaker's inability to retire.

The Undertaker is one of WWE's biggest living legends but many believed that he had retired after losing his streak to Brock Lesnar six years ago and again back at WrestleMania 33 when he lost his main event match to Roman Reigns before exiting the arena and leaving his attire behind.

This obviously wasn't the case and now he takes on AJ Styles in the first-ever Boneyard match in WWE history. This is one of the matches that will be at an unknown location and will see The Deadman and Styles fight it out in a cemetery to decide who is better, The Phenom or The Phenom-enal One.

#2. First WrestleMania Roman Reigns has missed since his debut

Roman Reigns was considered to be the biggest star within The Shield, and in the years since their split, he has become a World Champion and was able to main event four consecutive WrestleMania's between 2015 and 2018, but this year is the first time in his career that he will miss WWE's biggest show.

The former World Champion was taken off the card earlier this week as a preventative measure since his recent battle with leukemia meant that his immune system was compromised and with the current COVID-19 pandemic, it wasn't wise for him to wrestle in public.

Reigns left WWE back in November 2018 ahead of his battle with leukemia and was still able to make his return to the company in time to be part of last year's WrestleMania where he battled Drew McIntyre.

Reigns was originally scheduled to battle Goldberg for the Universal Championship as part of WrestleMania 36. Reigns never lost the Universal Championship he was forced to relinquish the title when he revealed his leukemia diagnosis, this was his chance to regain the title he never lost.

#1. First show without a Battle Royal in eight years

Wrestling has become a form of escapism for many fans around the world, but that being said there are some things that WWE is still unable to do given the COVID-19 pandemic which has caused problems for every country in the world.

There are rules in place preventing mass gatherings with the guidance stating that no more than 50 people can be in one location at any one time. This has obviously caused WWE a number of issues when it comes to planning and pre-recording WrestleMania, including the fact that the company was forced to go ahead with WrestleMania without a Battle Royal for the first time in eight years.

The Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal has been taking place since WrestleMania 30, whilst the Vickie Guerrero Divas Championship Invitational took place at WrestleMania 29. In the years that have followed, there has always been at least one Battle Royal on the WrestleMania card, until this year where WWE was forced to break tradition.