WWE Hell In A Cell 2015 DVD Review By Nathan Hunt

WWE are set to release the Hell In A Cell pay-per-view from 2015 on DVD, the seventh event to bear the name since WWE began the custom of theming shows around their biggest attraction gimmick matches. Since the inception of this policy, the PPVs and titular matches have been a mixed bag, varying from excellent to terrible and contrived outings. This has led some to call for these themed shows to be dropped and the attraction bouts to be used more sparingly, rather than shoe-horn otherwise forgettable feuds into high-profile situations. At other times, everything has come together to create something special, with memorable bouts and feuds coming to a dramatic end, but would this be one of those times? With the Cell match itself being used as the blow-out to a deserving feud between two future Hall Of Famers, plus a good helping of other feuds and storylines to go at, it seemed likely (on paper, at least) that the show would be one of the success stories of the match-themed-PPV genre.

The opening vignette mainly focuses on the main event for the show, pitting Brock Lesnar against The Undertaker, setting the scene for the two to wage a war of biblical proportions to close the book on their epic feud. Opening the show is John Cena's US Championship open challenge, which sees the (very surprising, at the time) return of Alberto Del Rio. Del Rio's appearance gets a great crowd reaction and sets the audience alight for the action to follow. The two are obviously very familiar and comfortable with each other, having feuded on and off throughout 2011-2013, including some memorable matches (like the excellent Last Man Standing war from 2011). This outing is largely dominated by the returning Del Rio and serves as a showcase to re-introduce him to the fans, who WWE always assume to have a short memory. It is well executed, smooth and overall a good way to start the card. It is then onto the first gimmick match of the night as Bray Wyatt battles Roman Reigns in Hell In A Cell. This is one of those feuds which critics would argue should not have been inserted into this type of match, arguably devaluing or overexposing the gimmick of the Cell, but regardless, the match is a very good one. While the feud overall felt contrived, the action and creative offense on offer make this surprisingly recommended viewing. Starting pretty slowly the match picks up in intensity as it goes on, incorporating some weaponry and brutal-looking striking to create a suitably violent spectacle to justify their billing inside the structure. The creative use of the kendo sticks is a particular highlight.

We are then treated to a very entertaining Tag bout between The New Day and The Dudley Boys and a very strong match between Charlotte and Nikki Bella. Both are very watchable and keep the action varied, ensuring that there is no lull in the quality while each offering something different from the marquee matches on the card. It is then on to the WWE World Heavyweight title contest between Kane and Seth Rollins, followed by an Intercontinental title bout between Kevin Owens and Ryback, which are both extremely average. Both matches are predictable and lack drama, so while the action is fine, there is no real reason to revisit this section of the disc.

Finally it is on to the main event, pitting Undertaker against Brock Lesnar in the second Cell match of the show, and second one in their storied rivalry. The first Hell In A Cell match between the two in 2002 was a classic, despite being the first of it's kind where the competitors did not exit the structure for some death-defying bump. This one was, in my opinion, even better than the first. Although certain spots came under scrutiny and criticism - such the allegedly intentional bloodshed and the ripping up of the canvas to expose the wooden boards on the ring - I thought that these helped the match, emphasising and illustrating the danger and brutality that the Cell's mystique is built upon. Power moves, striking, the use of the stairs and the cage itself all added up to a believable and dramatic fight between two genuine titans. An excellent close to a fantastic feud.

The only extra on the disc is the six man tag match from the PPV kick-off show, pitting Dolph Ziggler, Cesaro and Neville against Rusev, Sheamus and Wade Barrett (prior to the official formation of the League Of Nations faction). It would have been good to have the precursor to this rematch on the disc as well to add a little more value to the disc, or perhaps some of the other TV build-up to the show, but this is better than nothing. The six men represent themselves well, with some good spots (like Neville delivering a moonsault to Sheamus off Cesaro's back and Cesaro's running European uppercuts around ringside) and all round decent action.

All in all, the show is a very good one, with only two matches that would be worth skipping through, while the rest is watchable, enjoyable and entertaining. I would recommend getting this title if only for the two Hell In A Cell matches themselves, but the rest is definitely more worthwhile than simply two matches and a load of filler. The women's match and the match from the kick-off show are both better than I remembered and ones that I am glad to have in my collection, while the US Title match is worth re-watching for the sake of revisiting the moment Cena's Open Challenge storyline comes to an end (even if only temporarily) and the crowd reaction for the return of Del Rio. A strong offering with some historic matches and moments, this is one of the best events that WWE has produced this year.

The DVD & Blu-Ray is available in the UK/Europe from WWE Video UK on January 4th, pre order now.

Owen Hart - Hart Of Gold DVD Review By Nathan Hunt

It has been an extremely long time coming, for various reasons, but WWE have finally released a DVD to celebrate the life and career of Owen Hart. The release was rumoured for a long time prior to seeing the light of day and was one of those projects that fans had always clamoured for, but had started to believe that it would never actually come to pass. One of the most talented and revered workers to ever compete in a WWF(E) ring, Owen's is a legacy which has been left untouched for years out of fear of litigation from his widow, Martha, who has been vehemently opposed to any usage of his name and likeness since his passing in 1999.

I was somewhat dubious before sitting down to watch the DVD after reading the comments from Bret Hart about his thoughts on the release, but was intrigued to see what limitations, if any, had been imposed. I was pleasantly surprised to see the amount of home video footage and interviews with Owen himself throughout the documentary, so those fears were largely unfounded. There is a really good selection of talking heads on the documentary, although some seem to be outtakes from various interviews conducted for other previous WWE releases. There is a slightly disjointed and haphazard feel to the disc due to some heavy-handed edits, particularly as they transition between the main bulk of the documentary and several side chapters of random 'Owen Tales'. Even so, the documentary is a solid effort; comprehensive, interesting and entertaining. It also covers a lot of ground, such as Owen's pre-WWE career in Calgary, Europe and Japan, his first run as the Blue Blazer and subsequent departure, his brief run in WCW and his transformation into 'The King Of Harts'. The feud between Bret and Owen is covered in great detail from various perspectives, giving a very good insight into the most important and significant feud of Owen's career. There is also a good deal of focus on the Hart Foundation and Owen's post-Montreal run. Inevitable coverage of Owen's death is brief and tasteful, focusing on the aftermath and the void he left rather than the incident itself. You also get a good feel for the person behind the performer throughout the disc, showing the genuine personality for which Owen is equally renowned in the business as his in-ring ability.

Owen Has Bret in a Sharpshooter in their epic WM X bout

The extras include another selection of stories from Owen's peers which give further insight into the man himself and his playful and hilarious antics behind the scenes. We then move onto the matches, starting with Stampede Wrestling bouts against Hiroshi Hase (as Viet Cong  Express Number 1) and Mike Shaw (as Makhan Singh). Some more Stampede and international matches (such as from New Japan Pro Wrestling or UK's World of Sport) would certainly not have gone amiss, which is probably what Bret had been referring to when he voiced his concern about the DVD. The Blue Blazer Vs Mr Perfect from Owen's first run with WWF is a really good and varied match, displaying versatility and some of the (cutting edge at that time) offense which continues to influence performers to this day. The WCW offering against enhancement talent Mark Kyle is somewhat superfluous, but welcome if only for the fact that it had previously only been available as a poor quality YouTube video. An early match against Shawn Michaels when Hart returned to WWF is the only pre-Bret-feud match from his days as The Rocket, which is a shame as well, but with such a wealth of great matches to choose from it is not surprising that there are some omissions.

Obviously we get the WrestleMania X match with Bret, along with a rare Lumberjack match between the two - both of which are excellent and well worth a watch whether you've seen them before or not. The King Of The Ring Final against Razor Ramon and the speech which follows are very entertaining and the second bout with Michaels from In Your House 1996 is a great outing by both. The finals of the European Championship tournament betwen Owen and British Bulldog is fantastic and comes highly recommended to absolutely any wrestling fan, while the ten man bout from the main event of Canadian Stampede is almost like a 'Greatest Hits of The Attitude Era' rolled into one great match. These are amongst the highlights of the entire set, but the quality of action elsewhere on the discs is high throughout, so there is plenty on offer.

Owen with his brother-in-law The British Bulldog Davey Boy Smith

 This DVD is is a definite must-have for any Owen Hart fans, or for anyone who was a fan in the 1990s in general. It features some outstanding action and is generally insightful and interesting, recapping a very successful career and showcasing the great work of a highly talented individual. The nature of the stories that people tell about Owen are generally very entertaining in themselves and you can see the genuine love that was shared by all who knew him on a personal level. While some more matches from outside of WWE would certainly have been a good move, Owen's most famous work and some of his best opponents are well represented, making this a very decent offering overall. I can't help but feel that a second installment may be necessary, as there are certainly some other matches which deserve to be seen by a larger audience (such as the cage match against Bret, other matches against Shawn Michaels, any matches from his tag team runs alongside Davey Boy Smith or Jeff Jarrett and international matches against the likes of Jushin Thunder Liger and Marty Jones). Even so, whether there are plans for a second disc in the works or not, there is enough here to make this worth the cost and a welcome addition to any collection.

The Undertaker: The Streak – 21-1 (RIP Edition) DVD Review By Dave Adamson

Recapping the epic Wrestle Mania streak of The Undertaker, The Streak 21-1 takes us through The Phenom’s many Mania matches, before ending with the one that ended it all.

A five disc DVD set that shows the evolution of The Undertaker from his first Wrestle Mania in 1991, with his match against Superfly Jimmy Snuka, it wouldn’t be until Wrestle Mania XII that his matches would go over 15 minutes, as he faced Diesel, whilst his matches after Wrestle Mania XXIV go to close to 25 minutes or longer.

This DVD set doesn’t just chronicle The Undertaker, it chronicles the evolution of the WWF into the WWE, the reverence with which The Dead Man is held by the fans and the way that, over two decades WWF/E commentary has changed - from the early days of The Streak with Bobby Heenan and Gorilla Monsoon setting to the standard for exciting, confrontational commentary, to the peerless storytelling of Jim Ross and his broadcast colleagues, to what we hear today.

Though, in between matches with greats like Jake 'The Snake' Roberts, Diesel, Triple H and Shawn Michaels, we see a small number of matches that would be best forgotten - Giant Gonzalez in the only DQ victory and Big Boss Man amongst them.

Undertaker Finishing Off Ric Flair (WM X8)

A true wrestling icon, with one of the most spectacular themes in wrestling history and an entrance that is as memorable as anything he does in the ring, it’s impossible not to get blown away by the entrances for WM XXV, emotional as The Undertaker faces Shawn Michaels at Wrestle Mania XXVI and referees the match at WMXXVIII, or being on the edge of your seat as Triple H faces him at WMXXVII and it’s at this point that you start to question whether his best matches were in the later years as he proved, time and again, that he is a man who pushes himself to physical extremes, raising the bar with each event.

This isn’t to take away from earlier matches - he faced future Hall of Famers and legends of wrestling - Ric Flair, Diesel, Jake Roberts and a much younger Triple H would all fall victim to The Streak - and the fans were delighted with each victory as he left a wake of destruction and the tally rose year on year.  The emotion is there as the fans were truly behind The Undertaker, gripped by his presence and enthralled by his every move.

More than twenty years of dominance, his loss to Brock Lesnar may have sent shockwaves through the WWE Universe, but has done nothing to diminish the legacy of The Undertaker or The Streak.

The video footage shows just how fantastic the WWF always were - full frame or widescreen, the camerawork is second-to-none, the commentary and sound are well balanced and engaging, whilst the quality of the footage is still exceptional.  Some wide angle shots suffer from a degradation in quality (especially in crowd shots) due to the DVD format, but the action in the ring still looks fantastic whether it’s early 90s or early 2010's.

Probably The Best Match Of The Streak against Shawn Michaels (WM 25)

 Whilst this five disc set may not have any extra features, behind the scenes footage or commentary, it is a testament to one of the most impressive men in WWE’s history and his ability, over more than two decades, to entertain.  A must have for WWE fans and wrestling history enthusiasts, The Undertaker: The Streak - 21-1: The RIP Edition, to give it it's full name should be on everyone’s Christmas list.

Is Wrestle Mania 30 The Worst Thing To Happen To Wrestling Fans? By Paul Smiles

Daniel Bryan After His Biggest Win Ever at Wrestle Mania 30

Now before you immediately answer NO! NO! NO! Then allow me to explain why. I was lucky enough to be in the Superdome in New Orleans. It was an amazing show from start to finish and truly fitting of the 30^th anniversary of Wrestle Mania. The problem I have with that isn’t the fact they ended Takers streak it was Daniel Bryan. Now again let me say I love Daniel Bryan, I have since his ROH and PWG days and no one in that stadium was happier to see him lift that title in the last match. The person wasn’t the problem it was the situation it created for us fans.

 The whole situation came out of nothing, which people forget, If Punk had not of left you would have seen Batista and Orton and Bryan Sheamus and Punk HHH. But Punk leaving left them in a hole, and a pretty big one. So they looked to Bryan and rightly so he was hot that year and he deserved every second of his spotlight going into Mania. Thinking quick they built The Authority vs Fans they has been flirting with for most of the year and used Bryan as the figure head. It took off like a rocket and using fans disdain towards their use of Bryan they had 2 months of TV already wrote. The angle came off beautifully and Mania 30 is a moment I will never forget seeing the underdog win the title. But as soon as the confetti was swept up that’s when we had a problem. 

 Fans already fuelled with internet and social media now believe they have the power because WWE gave them what they wanted once. So now we have a dire situation where the some fans current mind-set is always set to winge. Now I am a company man meaning through thick and thin I usually support WWE even when what they have done is bad and watching for 20 odd years has had me see a computer GM and some of my favourite superstars not given the spotlight their talents deserved. I am however also a realist meaning I know that for every Austin vs Tyson moment in attitude era there were 5 or six segments where people feuded over a missing gym bag or someone giving birth to a hand (all happened) If we booked WWE how some fans wanted then anyone who worked for ROH would be world champ and no internet favourites would ever loose. We only have 3 singles title on the main roster and people forget that, People have forgot that in most cases wins losses do not matter, but that’s a different column for a different time. Look at Roman Reigns, his performance at Survivor Series and Royal Rumble 2013/14 won the the adulation of the fans, he was over and during Shields battles with Wyatts. People wanted him to be next in line, it was in his blood, he was (and still is BTW) a great worker and was only natural for him to hold the title.  Fast forward a year and his moment is needlessly urinated on by the booing members in attendance. They didn’t get Bryan, they didn’t get what they want so they boo, and boo and boo. WWE has made this rod for their back and again after last night’s PPV they can do no right, people angry for Reigns winning and even worse for Sheamus cashing in.  Bryan getting the shot as deserved as it was, was in essence a gap filler we don’t decide angles, pushes, anything at all. Have we sometimes got some spotlight on people? Sure Austin, Zack Ryder, CM Punk were all helped by the fans but ultimately the man in the ivory tower has final say. And given fact he has a multimillion dollar company and fans still turning up every week then he isn’t doing as bad as people just love to make out. 

Short But Sweet: Roman Reigns Wins Then Loses The WWE Title

We need to just sit back and see where the ride takes us, Boo who you like but please take your mind-set back before Mania 30 and remember the term best for business is not a gimmick, Its sometimes the right thing, sometimes totally wrong but they will do what they want no matter how many tweets you send, memes you make or shows you claim you don’t watch (even though we all know you do) So my advice as company man/realist, Enjoy it, If you stop enjoying stop watching but that nullifies your ability to throw your proverbial toys from the pram. The story from last night should have been the near 15k fans who braved a credible terrorist threat in a world terrified of radical attack just to watch WWE, it wasn’t it was how the evil office are being boring again. Let’s just enjoy it. If we include NXT this is the greatest collection of wrestlers at any time during wrestling, anytime in history the list we have now is unbeatable, so let’s enjoy it or at least try.

WWE Christmas Collection DVD Review By Dave Adamson

WWE latest in its range of low priced, stocking filler DVDs is the perfect gift for wrestling fans at Christmas.

Presented by Mick Foley, and his daughter, Noelle, the programme itself is called “Ring in the Holidays” and gives us almost three hours of WWE Christmas-themed action from Santa’s Village as they go on a search for Santa.

Interspersed between Foley’s quirky humour, we see a collection of Christmas themed matches, all guaranteed to either raise an eyebrow or raise a smile.  WWE’s Christmas offerings has regularly thrown aside the seriousness of its product, much to the delight of the audience - watching US troops gathering to support Santa is still a wonderful experience - and we get a good representation of that silliness here - No Ho-ho-ho-holds Barred, boiler room brawls, Tajiri and Bubba Claus, Christmas Present on a Pole - the list goes on and it’s all for pure entertainment.

None of the matches will be considered the greatest of all time, but they are all wonderfully entertaining and it’s good to see WWE put such effort into their budget range.  Most of the matches come from the post-2011 WWE and many of the names will be familiar to even the newest WWE fans. It takes us up to Christmas 2014, with Dean Ambrose vs Bray Wyatt, but also includes a couple of older matches - Xanta Klaus, anyone?

Foley, has he has proved over the years, is a charismatic host and narrator and it doesn’t stop with WWE Christmas Collection.  The DVD would have been worth buying for the sheer number of matches, but Foley is the icing on the Christmas cake.

WWE Annual 2015 DVD Review By Nathan Hunt

Best Of Raw & SmackDown 2014 & Best Of Pay Per View Matches 2014

WWE's 2014 was probably a lot more eventful than you remember. I wouldn't have said off the top of my head that 2014 was a particularly memorable year for the sports-entertainment juggernaut, but looking back over this bumper 6 disc set, which gives a good overview of the complete year, there was more good output than I remembered. There is also a lot of average output to fill up some room, but much like the TV and PPV output from month to month, they are trying to appeal to a broad spectrum of fans and there are points of interest for some people which will not necessarily appeal to everyone.

The collection is split into two sets of three discs each; 'The Best of Raw & SmackDown' and 'Best PPV Matches'. The TV part of the set is hosted by Byron Saxton (who does his best to navigate through some of the tenuous segues that he is given) and features bonus footage of fan reactions and analysis on some of the matches and performers which, although kayfabe, is usually interesting and adds a bit of context to the action.

Starting on the wrong foot, the Best Of Raw and SmackDown opens with a six man tag match pitting John Cena, Daniel Bryan and Sheamus against The Shield which, while decent, is also forgettable and formulaic. The interference at the end of the match means that it ends in a DQ, which begs the question as to why this was deemed good enough to be included on a 'Best Of' collection. Daniel Bryan vs Randy Orton is a much better bout; enjoyable action with a good pace and build of drama and suspense - a generally better example of what type of thing belongs on a disc labelled 'Best Of'. The first SmackDown offering is a fatal four way match pitting Rey Mysterio, Mark Henry, Kofi Kingston and Jack Swagger against each other for number one contendership of the IC title, which is better than it sounds on paper. The eclectic talents on display make for an enjoyable mix of action and they maintain a good pace throughout. The match between John Cena and Cesaro from Raw is brilliant and is definitely one of the more memorable matches from Raw in 2014. It leaves me with somewhat mixed emotions as this was from one of the times that Cesaro was getting a good push up the card, which was inevitably stopped and quashed without any payoff or apparent reason. Even so, despite that context, the match is excellent and well worth checking out. It's extremely hard to watch the crowd reactions and believe that Vince McMahon said that Cesaro can't connect with the WWE audience. After the match there is some bonus footage where fans give their perspective on Cesaro's performance and sing his praises, which brings that point home even more. Batista vs Dolph Ziggler from SmackDown is surprisingly good, although the lengthy promo segment before it could have been edited without losing any value. The New Age Outlaws against the Usos is a strong and emotional outing for the tag team titles and Luke Harper makes a good showing of himself in a singles match with Cena, while the visible and audible crowd reactions  for both matches demonstrate that WWE are still capable of whipping their fans into an excited frenzy. Paige's debut against AJ Lee on the Raw after WrestleMania is a sensible inclusion as the most memorable TV moment of the year for the Divas division, whereas the SmackDown debut of Bo Dallas is underwhelming and is another reminder of mishandled talent being lost in the shuffle later down the line. The best part of this was the fan comments included before the match itself on the disc. Bray Wyatt vs Chris Jericho in a Cage match and Randy Orton vs Seth Rollins from Raw are two of the highlights of the Raw and SmackDown portion of the set, while a triple threat elimination match from Smackdown in the UK featuring Ziggler, Cesaro and Tyson Kidd is a refreshingly good showcase of some of WWE's most talented in-ring performers.

 

Daniel Bryan tying up Randy Orton on RAW

The break-up of the Shield is one of the few non-match segments that deserves to have been included on the disc as it is well executed and the historical significance of this moment will make it something that will no doubt be revisited, dissected and celebrated for years to come. The story unfolds quite well in the included content across discs two and three, including promos and an excellent Falls Count Anywhere bout between Rollins and Ambrose. The promo between Cena and Bray Wyatt (with an ominous choir of children singing 'He's Got The Whole World In His Hands') is well executed, entertaining and different, making it a good inclusion on the set, and the Wyatts are represented quite well in general throughout. The other TV segments, such as the contract signing between Undertaker and Brock Lesnar and Daniel Bryan's 'Occupy Raw' segment are good accompaniments to the Best Of PPV discs, but are largely useless on their own and could have been substituted for more matches to showcase some of the good quality bouts from some of the lesser celebrated but talented workers on the roster. The same can be said for the US title Battle Royal, the SmackDown 15 man tag match and the promo segment between Rusev and The Rock, as they are far from the best representations of the company's output. A title change with no build, a clusterfuck of underutilised mid-carders trying to squeeze their spots into an overpopulated match and a segment where a guest star makes the regular talent look stupid and weak are symptomatic of a company who is out of touch with the purpose and direction of their product. Regardless, these were deemed to be suitable for inclusion in their best moments of 2014. That being said, this part of the set does include more good than bad and the matches on offer are generally well selected.

Starting off the Best Of Pay-Per-View discs is the Royal Rumble match between Daniel Bryan and Bray Wyatt which is a great back and forth battle between two of the best all-round performers on the roster. Mixing brutality with technicality, the two demonstrate great storytelling and psychology in a great opener to this part of the collection. The Wyatt Family vs The Shield is also a brutal  and exciting war between the two most memorable and successful factions of the last decade, serving as an exhibition of the differing talents on both sides. Both of these are matches which most fans will want to watch over and over again. I have to admit that I am a sucker for gimmicks like the Elimination Chamber, so the inclusion of the 2014 Chamber match is definitely a plus point for me. 

Bray Wyatt squaring off with The Shields Roman Reigns

 A diverse mix of styles, some creative exchanges and the expected barbarity that comes hand in hand with the eponymous structure make this a rounded and exciting match. One of the unquestionable highlights of the set is Daniel Bryan's double header performance to open and close WrestleMania 30, in excellent performances with Triple H and then with Randy Orton and Batista to create the most emotional moment of the year. The Wee-L-C match between El Torito and Hornswaggle has some genuinely good action and is a credit to both performers. Unfortunately the way the action is called by the combination of the regular announce team and a set of miniature dress-alikes is derrogatory and only demeans and distracts from the efforts of the two and is pretty shocking for a company who are so outspoken about their anti-bullying policies. Wade Barrett vs Big E Langston for the IC title is watchable but average, especially compared to the later bout from the same PPV where Evolution battle The Shield, which is another major highlight of the collection. Cesaro vs Sheamus is a great outing from both and leaves you wanting more, while the Last Man Standing match which follows it between Bray Wyatt and John Cena is a masterclass in creating a chaotic tour de force with some excellent spots and a creative finish. Seth Rollins' Money In The Bank win is another great match which is worthy of inclusion, with all the trademark jaw dropping moments we have come to expect from these types of matches.

Paige vs AJ Lee from SummerSlam is more of an actual match than Paige's debut on Raw, and is one of the better women's matches in recent memory at that time. Rusev vs Jack Swagger in a Flag Match on the same PPV is a strong match for both and the Lumberjack match from later that same show between Rollins and Ambose is an exciting brawl, although it begs the question as to why the stipulation was chosen when the action unfolded in the way it did.

Other bouts such as Orton vs Jericho and the Usos battles with the Wyatts and then Goldust and Stardust are also among the highlights of these discs, ganering genuine emotion from the audience and beautifully building the drama and suspense to satisfying, decisive conclusions. A battle royal from the Battle Ground PPV (again for the IC title) is just filler and harks back to my comments about the similar offering from Raw in this collection being a title change without a storyline or build-up and a pointless addition to the disc. Cesaro vs Ziggler is excellent and the final chapter in the saga between John Cena and Brock Lesnar is a no-brainer to include in the set. The Hell In A Cell match between Cena and Orton to finish the set is a match that you think you have seen to death already, but is more enjoyable and varied than you may expect.

The Undertaker's Wrestle Mania streak came to an end at the hands of Brock Lesnar

One conclusion that I can draw from the set is that 2014 was the year of the Wyatt Family, showing dominance over some of the biggest names in the business and putting on some excellent matches along the way with an assortment of stars. This makes the set a must-own title for any fans of WWE's most charismatic heels, as it perfectly illustrates every aspect of their rise to prominence in the sports-entertainment landscape as a team and separately. There is plenty of other great action on offer too, so it's not just worthwhile for Wyatt Family loyalists. The final chapter of the Shield and their transition into solo roles is well represented and the performances of Daniel Bryan, Cesaro and Dolph Ziggler provide some incredible action. There is plenty included here to make this worth adding to your collection, although the SummerSlam diomination of Cena by Brock Lesnar is notably absent from the set, which I feel would have been more suitable than some of the other choices, but there seem to be few other notable exemptions.

 You can buy this great DVD (or Blu Ray set) from http://wwedvd.co.uk

WWE Network: Short Of Classic Archive Content By Richard Edmund

 

 Twenty months into the life of the WWE Network and the classic archive content is still in woefully short supply, especially when it comes to (now defunct) non-WWE promotions whose tape libraries have been gobbled up by Vince and co. But even when talking about classic WWE content, what's available to date on the Network doesn't scratch the surface of what could be potentially made available. The often-quoted reasoning for this is that, of all the content so far uploaded on the WWE Network, the archive content that they initially put on there (old MSG house shows and a dozen or so episodes of WCCW) was some of the least-watched footage on the service. As such, it's clearly been decided that what WWE Network subscribers want isn't pre-80's WWE (WWWF/Capitol Wrestling) or footage from territory promotions.

Those 20 episodes of WCCW they initially uploaded have only been added to once, a singular episode made available out of order to celebrate black history month. Outside of this brief look at WCCW (one of the most historically important promotions in a number of great wrestler's careers) there is simply no territory footage available and (when looking at the content WWE has at their disposal) it's a crying shame. Here's the list of tape libraries WWE currently owns and yet does nothing with, at least when it comes to the Network;

. American Wrestling Association

. Central States Wrestling

. Championship Wrestling from Florida

. Eastern States Championship Wrestling

. Georgia Championship Wrestling

. Maple Leaf Wrestling

. Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling

. Mid-South Wrestling/UWF

. Smoky Mountain Wrestling

. Stampede Wrestling

. World Class Championship Wrestling

The wealth of classic wrestling content across those eleven tape libraries is simply staggering, yet it's footage most fans will never get to see and (to WWE's mind) that's just as well, because why go through the arduous process of restoring and digitising archive content when Network subscribers just will not watch said footage? To older fans, or those who have gone back and sought out wrestling from the territory days, any such uploads to the Network would be very warmly welcomed, but WWE's data suggests that those fans make up a very small minority of subscribers and, therefore, shouldn't be catered towards. It makes complete sense from a business standpoint, but it still rankles to see so much quality wrestling essentially going to waste, when it could be given a new lease of life and introduced to a whole new era of fans, with the right approach.

And therein lies the problem - WWE's approach thus far has been to upload a few dozen out-of-context episodes onto the Network and then, after said episodes are watched by only a relatively miniscule number of subscribers, throw up their hands and say "well, we tried!" before forgetting the notion altogether. Why should someone who's never heard the name Von Erich start watching World Class? The WWE Network offers no answer to that question and many others, leaving the Vault section of the service looking like the oft-forgetten black sheep of the family. It's not enough to simply upload episodes (although fans such as myself would be greatly appreciative of that gesture, all the same), you have to give the fans a reason to care about the content, an insight into its worth that is currently lacking in the extreme.

But with all the resources WWE has at its disposal, surely such a thing should be possible? Younger fans might not be clamouring to watch random episodes of a territory they've likely never heard of before, but perhaps they'd watch a current superstar introduce and explain the importance of that footage. A Steve Austin or Mick Foley type, running through a top 10 of their favourite GCW matches, for instance. Or current WWE Superstars talking about the characters and matches that were an influence to them while them growing up. An MST3k-style show where WWE Legends gather to watch a selection of classic (and not-so classic) matches and shoot the breeze. Or, put WWE's top-notch editing and video package people to work making mini-documentaries that chart the history and explain the importance of classic feuds or promotions themselves. 

The question, ultimately, is whether any of that is worth the effort to WWE and (judging by the dearth of recently uploaded archive content) it certainly doesn't seem that way, which is a real shame. Without WWE giving legal access to the libraries they own, those passionate and devoted enough will find the footage elsewhere, but it still seems a shame to me (and a real waste) that so much classic content isn't being made available and that zero attempts have been made to introduce and make such content accessible to newer fans.