World Wrestling Entertainment returns to the Times Forum at 7:30 p.m. Friday, and a slew of fighters from Raw, including John Cena, Ric Flair and the Degeneration X tag team of Triple H and Shawn Michaels, will be on hand. Tickets start at $20.

Then at 7 p.m. Saturday, the arena will host Shin Do Kumate X, a night of 10 mixed martial arts matchups featuring fighters from around the world. Tickets start at $26.75. For more information on either event, call (813) 301-2500 or visit www.stpetetimesforum.com.

Needless to say, martial arts and professional wrestling are two very different styles of hand-to-hand combat. If you're unfamiliar with either, here's a guide to help you differentiate the participants of the WWE from those of Shin Do Kumate.

What it isn't: A sport, of course. True, most wrestlers are incredible athletes, but their success depends more on their personality and ability to rouse a reaction from the crowd than it does on their ability to deliver a stinging Atomic Elbow. Think of pro wrestling as a live-action soap opera for young bloodthirsty males - or, if you prefer, a genre of theater in which the actors have nicknames like "Hacksaw Jim."

Current popularity: Not as high as it was in the 1980s, the heyday of wrestlers including Hulk Hogan and Andre the Giant, or the mid '90s, when the Rock and "Stone Cold" Steve Austin gave wrestling a new shot of edginess. Today the WWE has three levels: Raw (airing at 9 p.m. Mondays on USA), SmackDown! (8 p.m. Fridays, the CW) and Extreme Championship Wrestling (10 p.m. Tuesdays on Sci-Fi). Friday's event is for Raw.

Claim to fame: As a teenager, McMahon became the first cadet in the 100-year history of Fishburne Military School in Waynesboro, Va., to be court-martialed for allegedly plotting to sabotage his graduation ceremony. He was later acquitted of the charges.

Current champion: Edge, an imposing Canadian who once went by the name Sexton Hardcastle and is now known as the Rated-R Superstar. He's a bad guy - or, in pro wrestling parlance, a "heel."

Most ridiculous story line: After defeating John Cena to claim the WWE Championship in January, Edge declared he'd celebrate by having sex with Lita, his female companion, in the middle of the ring. As they began to undress one another, the "Nature Boy" Ric Flair barged in and started swinging; then Cena came in to rescue Flair from Edge. The Edge-Cena feud continues.

Actual moves performed: the Samoan Spike (the Samoan Bulldozer), the Con-Chair-To (Edge), the Mandible Claw (Mick Foley), the Figure-Four Leglock (Ric Flair), Sweet Chin Music (Shawn Michaels) and the FU (John Cena).

Surprising factoid found on Wikipedia.com: "WWE's revenue in fiscal 2006 (from May 2005 to April 2006) was approximately $400-million (U.S.), with a net profit of approximately $47-million."

What it is: A combination of traditional martial arts and Muay Thai kickboxing, a form of full-contact battle that employs kicking, punching, elbowing and blows with the knee. Fighters wear gloves, but not pads.

What it isn't: Wimpy. Shin Do Kumate is sanctioned by the Florida State Boxing Commission, and the fighting is absolutely real. Fighters are offered full insurance coverage, including "medical, accidental death and dismemberment."

Current popularity: Still growing. Previous events at the University of South Florida's Phyllis P. Marshall Center and other venues have garnered crowds of more than 1,000. Saturday marks the first time the sport has staged a main event at the St. Pete Times Forum.

Who's in charge: Mehrdad Khan Moayedi, a.k.a. "Master Mehrdad," founder of MKM Knockout Promotions Inc., which is running Saturday's event.

Claim to fame: Moayedi once received a National Leadership Award from the National Republican Congressional Committee and Rep. Tom DeLay, R-Texas.

Current champion: Master Mehrdad, who won't be fighting Saturday. This weekend's main event is a nontitle heavyweight match between Brit Gary Turner, a former world kickboxing champion, and Rick "the Jet" Roufus, a former K-1 champion with a half-dozen world titles to his name.

Most ridiculous story line: None, unless you count Master Mehrdad's ongoing knee problems. During a fight in March - his first bout in two years - Mehrdad lasted just three rounds before his left knee buckled. He's still recovering.

Surprising factoid found on Wikipedia.com: "In 2004, Asanee Suwan won the Thai equivalent of the American Academy Award for best actor, the Supannahongsa Award, for his portrayal of Parinya Charoenphol (affectionately known as Nong Toom in Thailand) in Beautiful Boxer. The movie tells the true-life story of a man who masters Muay Thai in order to realize his dream of becoming a woman."

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