$1 Million Dollar Tough Enough Champion To Be Crowned Thursday, Dec. 16 on UPN's WWE SmackDown!

STAMFORD, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 15, 2004--Eight finalists were chosen. Two men now remain, and this Thursday night either Daniel Puder or Mike "The Miz" Mizanin will be declared the $1,000,000 Tough Enough(R) Champion, on WWE(R) SmackDown!(TM), Thursday, Dec. 16 (8:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT) on UPN.

The eight-week competition began in October when eight finalists were selected from a field of more than 1,500 entrants. During each week on WWE SmackDown!, the competitors faced various challenges, including interaction with WWE Superstars Kurt Angle(R), The Bashams(TM) and Big Show(R), among others. Fans voted each week exclusively on WWE.com for their favorite challenger, until Daniel Puder, a former mixed martial arts and cage fighter, and Mike "The Miz" Mizanin, a former star of MTV's "Real World: Return to New York," were the final two remaining contestants. Their ultimate task was a special "Dixie Dog Fight" boxing match at last Sunday's Armageddon(R) pay-per-view event, where Puder defeated Mizanin.

Prior to that battle, on last week's WWE SmackDown!, Puder quickly got in the face of Mizanin after the elimination of fellow contestant Justice Smith. Puder and Mizanin then entered the ring for a contest to demonstrate their endurance, balance and power. Standing on pedestals and armed with large paddles, the two were challenged to knock the other off his pedestal in a contest for two out of three falls. Puder easily triumphed, quickly knocking Mizanin off the pedestal two times in a row.

Puder has effortlessly dominated virtually every competition, yet the popular Mizanin, has held his own with his charm and athleticism. Who will the fans choose to be the next WWE Superstar and win the WWE contract worth $1,000,000? Find out on WWE SmackDown! this Thursday, Dec. 16 (8:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT) on UPN when the $1,000,000 Tough Enough Champion is declared.

Additional information on World Wrestling Entertainment (NYSE:WWE), can be found at wwe.com and corporate.wwe.com.

Trademarks: The names of all World Wrestling Entertainment televised and live programming, talent names, images, likenesses, slogans and wrestling moves and all World Wrestling Entertainment logos are trademarks which are the exclusive property of World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc.