The TV show and PPV
sets are presented by Byron Saxton and Corey Graves respectively, providing the
necessary talking-head and segue sections to link the chronology of the
highlight packages and matches. Talking
of highlight packages, the match selections are heavily enhanced by them, with
each Pay-per-View getting it's own, and the month's major happenings and débuts
on TV are similarly summarised too.
To minimise any
jumping backward and forward in time, I've viewed and reviewed the DVDs in
pairs, starting with the first Best of RAW and SmackDown disc then The Best PPV
Matches disc 1, and so forth alternating between the sets. I found that the
sets are very complementary when viewed like this, although I expect that some
will view this as 'not the right way'.
The Best of RAW and
SmackDown commences with a superb Ambulance Match between Bray Wyatt and Dean
Ambrose, but, by-and-large, the first disc of both sets focus on the 'Road to
Wrestlemania' starting at the Royal Rumble.
In particular, the complex situation involving the contenders to Brock
Lesnar's WWE Championship are covered in depth.
The returning underdog hero Daniel Bryan, Mr Money in the Bank Seth
Rollins and his former SHEILD brother Roman Reigns all fight it out to claim
the championship or face Paul Heyman's client at Wrestlemania. Reigns eventually wins the official
opportunity, but Rollins finally cashes-in his contractual advantage to leave
the 'Granddaddy of them All' with the WWE title, and we get to see John Cena
bring home the US Championship from vicious villain Rusev.
The first disc of the
TV content also covers the emergence of Superstars and alliances, such as
Sting, Neville and The New Day, #GiveDivasAChance and the nascent beginnings of
the Women's Revolution. Both discs
conclude with focus on the Tag-Titles and the start of New Day's domination, as
well as the fallout from Wrestlemania, running up to and at Extreme Rules.
The second discs of
the sets start in and around the Payback PPV, Dean Ambrose managing to earn a
spot in a fatal four-way with Rollins, Reigns and Randy Orton for Seth's newly
acquired hardware. Both also cover John Cena's US title Open challenge,
including a stand-out match against the fresh NXT graduate Sami Zayn on RAW,
and feud with NXT champion Kevin Owens. The slobberknocker ending to this
grudging series, however, is left for PPV disc 3.
Whilst the
Pay-per-view DVD finishes with both the WWE Championship and titular ladder
matches from Money-in-the-Bank, where Rollins retains and Sheamus leaves with
the briefcase, The Best of RAW and SmackDown covers the continuing Diva's
Revolution and the formation of Teams Bella, BAD and PCB.
The Divas are also
well honoured on the third round of DVDs too, a triple threat between
Charlotte, Sasha Banks and Brie Bella representing their teams, is later
followed-up with Ms Flair's Title victory at Night of Champions, ending Nicki
Bella's record-breaking reign, and a defence against Paige from RAW.
More mutual coverage
is of Sting's brief return to battle Champ Rollins, also at Night of Champions,
and the more prolonged series of straight-up bloodied fights between The
Undertaker and his nemesis Brock Lesnar between SummerSlam and Hell in a Cell.
Despite the Best of
PPV Matches DVD ending with October's Hell in a Cell, the Best of RAW and
SmackDown continues on through November to cover the WWE Championship Title
Tournament in the wake of Seth Rollins' vacation due to injury, and The League
of Nations' first match, a 7-on-4 handicap.
With around 15 hours
of content, this set is tremendous value-for-money, and did prove to be the
time-capsule that I'd hoped for. If
you're a collector who hasn't managed to get the two original sets that this
compilation is composed of yet, or want to get a great festive gift for a
casual fan, then this is might be a hit in the stocking-filler department. Whilst the material is now rather more
historic than current, it does show a lot of the rapid changes WWE has made in
the run up to it's 'New Era' in both style and talent. The number of wrestlers who have left
('future endeavoured') or graduated from NXT since 2015 is bought home by this
set too. A remarkably high turnover.
Out November 7th from www.WWEDVD.co.uk and I'll be back next week with the Randy Orton: RKO Outta Nowhere DVD review, which you can also pre-order here.
Out November 7th from www.WWEDVD.co.uk and I'll be back next week with the Randy Orton: RKO Outta Nowhere DVD review, which you can also pre-order here.
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