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WWE SmackDown @ MVP Arena, 11/14/2025

By Joshua Scarselli on November 17, 2025

This past Friday, WWE held SmackDown at the MVP Arena in Albany, NY. This was also a great opportunity for both wrestlers and fans to see the International Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame in all its glory. WWE doesn’t come to Albany very much anymore. Back in the ’90s and 2000s, Albany was a huge wrestling city. This was a great opportunity, and people definitely took advantage of it.

Before the doors to the arena were open and fans let in, the IPWHF opened its doors for the talent themselves. Being a Hall of Fame located inside the arena, this is a great opportunity for the stars to just be fans themselves and take in the history and the artifacts. A few people did come down to take the tour. People who worked behind the scenes, such as the ring crew and stunt coordinator Carl Nespoli, came in. WWE superstar Carmelo Hayes and legendary referee Charles Robinson also stopped by to take in the sights and sign their name on a banner next to other stars and legends. There was even a visit from a less-than-polite Chelsea Green. Chelsea Green had to be escorted out of the premises after putting her hands on IPWHF President Seth Turner. I kinda snuck her back in to get a picture in front of the banner when no one was looking!

None other than The Game Paul “HHH” Levesque came to soak up the history of the International Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame. HHH is definitely a wrestling history connoisseur. Accompanied by WWE legend Rich Hering, he really took his time to appreciate all of the artifacts. HHH really shows his love for the world and the history of professional wrestling.

After the stars and crew had their turn, it was time for what professional wrestling is all about: the fans! Fans came in droves to see everything the International Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame has to offer. Fans from all walks of life would get super excited when they would find an artifact from one of their favorite wrestlers. Many would marvel at the stories behind some of the more historical artifacts. One thing that was definitely a hit was Thumb Wars. An apparatus created by Seth Turner that puts a little spin on traditional thumb wrestling. Both children and adults took each other in to see who would come out on top. The current Thumb Wars Word Champion is none other than Trish Stratus.

Eventually, it was time for the big show, SmackDown! This was my first WWE event, and it did not disappoint. The seats were great and the crowd was electric. We were even treated to a WWE Undisputed Championship match with Cody Rhodes defending against Bronson Reed. My vocal cords are still recovering from all the chanting I did.

Smackdown at the MVP with the International Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame was definitely the way to do my first WWE event. Getting to meet HHH and some of the wrestlers was definitely the cherry on top! I wasn’t allowed to bring my good camera into the show, so enjoy some grainy cell phone pictures. The IPWHF is a really special place that you absolutely have to visit if you are a wrestling fan.