Werstling

Some news and notes have been making the rounds today since the announcement of Hulk Hogan signing with TNA Wrestling today.

Here is what is known at least as of today.

* When asked about Vince Russo (the current head of TNA creative), Hogan said as long as Russo knew his place in the company then everything would be fine.

* The feeling is that Hogan will be a major on-screen character for TNA, but wasn't expected to be wrestling on regular basis for the company.

* One part of this deal is that Spike TV will get the first look at the proposed Hogan/Ric Flair reality series.

* Speaking of Flair, he did sign a three year deal with Eric Bischoff's company to become part of the upcoming "Hulkamania" tour of Australia in November (which is still taking place). While nothing is official, the general feeling is that Flair signing with Bischoff means he will stay involved with Hogan which could mean a possible involvement with TNA.

* Were told this was the first of many big announcements to come from TNA and Spike TV. What would be bigger than Hogan and Bischoff signing with the company is anyone's guess. Early speculation is a possible timeslot change for Impact moving to Monday night's to go head-to-head with Raw or additional programming that was announced when TNA signed a new TV deal with Spike this year.

* To reiterate, Dave Meltzer is reporting that they only wanted to announce the signing of Hogan and Bischoff today and that something bigger is expected soon.

* CNN cameras were filming footage at the press conference today. Hogan is on "Larry King Live" tonight so he will more than likely plug his TNA signing and his new book.

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Chapters

* Wrestlemania VII – Undertaker (w/Paul Bearer) v “Superfly” Jimmy Snuka
* Wrestlemania VIII – Undertaker (w/Paul Bearer) v Jake “The Snake” Roberts
* Wrestlemania IX – Undertaker (w/Paul Bearer) v Giant Gonzales (w/Harvey Wippleman)
* Wrestlemania XI – Undertaker (w/Paul Bearer) v King Kong Bundy (w/Ted DiBiase)
* Wrestlemania XII – Undertaker (w/Paul Bearer) v Diesel
* Wrestlemania 13 – WWF Championship Match: Undertaker (w/Paul Bearer) v Sycho Sid
* Wrestlemania 14 – Undertaker v Kane (w/Paul Bearer)
* Wrestlemania 15 – Hell in a Cell: Undertaker v Big Bossman
* Wrestlemania X-Seven – Undertaker v Triple H
* Wrestlemania X8 – No DQ Match: Undertaker v Ric Flair
* Wrestlemania XIX – Undertaker v Big Show & A-Train
* Wrestlemania XX – Interpromotional Match: Undertaker (Smackdown) v Kane (RAW)
* Wrestlemania 21 – Legend v Legend Killer: Undertaker v Randy Orton
* Wrestlemania 22 – Casket Match: Undertaker v Mark Henry
* Wrestlemania 23 – World Heavyweight Championship Match: Undertaker v Batista

Extras

* None

The Undertaker; a name more synonymous with Wrestlemania than perhaps any other wrestler who has graced the biggest stage pro-wrestling has to offer. Shawn Michaels may call himself “Mr. Wrestlemania” and Hulk Hogan may be credited as the man who made Wrestlemania what it is today, but The Undertaker (ever since 1991) is Wrestlemania.

No matter the line-up for Wrestlemania, there is always one match that you know will have some buzz surrounding it; Undertaker v *insert name here*.

This collection chronicles every match Undertaker has been in at Wrestlemania until 2007; the only one missing is this year's awesome encounter with Edge. The names he has faced have been legitimate superstar names (for the most part) and he has always came out unscathed. It is no exaggeration to say that his “streak” of victories will never be matched... in fact, it's highly unlikey his amount of appearances at the event will ever be matched.

The disc has all fifteen matches and nothing else, so to review this, it makes sense to simply review each match as they come and give a rating accordingly. So let's go back to 1991 and Wrestlemania VII. The main event (a greatly heated match) was Hulk Hogan v Sgt. Slaughter for the WWF Title, but on the midcard, a young rookie was making his 'Mania debut. My main gripe is that some of the matches are joined “in progress”, while others are shown entirely. It's not so much this that annoys me, rather the bouts that have been chosen to be shown in full compared to the ones cut.

Wrestlemania VII: The Undertaker makes his way to the ring to face “The Phenom” of the WWF; Jimmy Snuka. I personally have a soft spot for this match as it was the first Undertaker match I can remember seeing. I did watch pro-wrestling before this event, but Wrestlemania VII was the first show I really watched, and it was this match (alongside Savage v Warrior) that originally got me hooked.

This match is, at its core, a glorified squash designed to put the latest monster over in a big way. Undertaker was still pretty green, but Snuka made him look a million bucks by basically being destroyed. The only blemish is on the finish, as Snuka lands the wrong side for a cross-body and has to be put down before being picked up again.

Not a fantastic match, shown in its entirety, but a good start nonetheless. **

Wrestlemania VIII: This is an underrated match from the collection, and one that is unfairly overlooked when you consider the fantastic job Jake does in putting over Undertaker on his way to WCW. The build to the match was very well done and actually did what many thought impossible; it made Undertaker a babyface. With Jake's plan to smash Miss Elizabeth with a chair foiled, the greatest mind in the history of the business made it his mission to take out “The Dead Man” at any cost. An assault on the Funeral Parlour set led to this contest and one of the most subtle put-over jobs you'll ever see.

The one thing you will notice if you are new to wrestling is how slo-o-o-o-o-o-w Undertaker moves around the ring. The heat from the crowd is pretty good, and the two DDTs Undertaker takes are damn sweet (the second one is a thing of beauty).

What isn't great is the Tombstone on the floor to Roberts; Jake's head is clearly nowhere near the ground when Undertaker drops him... but the live crowd didn't seem to care.

I've been lucky enough to have conversations with Jake Roberts, and he said that it was his idea to have Undertaker recover from two DDTs (apparently, 'Taker didn't want to recover from one). They compromised by having Jake DDT him and then, rather than go for the pin, mock the fans and go for Paul Bearer. It then kept both Undertaker and the DDT strong. How true this is depends on how much you believe Jake Roberts when he tells you a story.

Shown in its entirety. ***

Wrestlemania IX: Oh, dear. The previous two match weren't mat classics, but nothing could ever be as bad as the match that took place at “the world's biggest toga party” in Las Vegas. What Jim Ross, making his WWF debut, must have thought he had signed up to when he saw this debacle of a show. 'Mania IX sucked big time, and this is easily the worst match on the card (and a strong contender for worst Wrestlemania match of all time).

For those who say Khali doesn't belong in a ring or is the worst wrestler imaginable; let this be a lesson to you, Giant Gonzales/El Gigante is the worst wrestler imaginable. It's not hard to see why he would be hired by a wrestling company founded on big men; the man stands a legit 7'8” tall and, when he reaches his arms out wide, really is a sight to behold... but he should have been kept as a 911 type character rather than a full-time in-ring competitor.

This match, shown from bell to bell, is as bad as everyone has ever said and should be watched for novelty value only. The only saving graces are that you know things are only going to be better from here on out and that Bill Alfonso (ECW manager of Taz, Van Dam and Sabu) is the referee. The actual highlight is the after-match shenanigans and current referee Jack Doan sporting a fantastic mullet when he comes out to help Undertaker to the back.

Wrestlemania XI: Undertaker v King Kong Bundy wouldn't normally be a match you would be happy to see, but with it following 'Taker v Gonzales, welcomed with open arms it was.

Not a bad match, but not one of Undi's best either. It was a passable contest on a passable PPV. The only real story was Kama “I'm a reformed pimp these days” Mustafa stealing the new (huge) urn and making a chain around his neck.

Wrestlemania XII: The first really good match on the card... and it's the first one they choose to join part-way through. I can still remember the build to this one, with Undertaker and Diesel trying to outdo the other (the dummy of Diesel in a coffin was scarily lifelike) from the moment Big Daddy Cool cost Undertaker the WWF Title at the 1996 Royal Rumble (if you want to see how a Tombstone should be taken, pay close attention to Bret Hart here).

At this point, the undefeated streak wasn't really something discussed as a selling point, so there was no hype along the lines of “will Undertaker finally lose”. In fact, if this match was held in today's climate, the entire talk surrounding it would be Diesel's departure from WWE and imminent arrival in WCW.

It's joined around the halfway mark and is a brutal (for the time) “big man” match. Diesel shows people how you powerbomb a man the size of Undertaker (twice) and both men trade power moves throughout the contest. This is easily the best match on the card so far.

Wrestlemania 13: Sycho Sid went into Wrestlemania as the WWF Champion (this was after HBK's infamous “lost smile” speech to vacate the title), with Undertaker getting his first title match at the big show.

The main story of this match (joined in progress) was Shawn Michaels on commentary, Bret Hart being a pain in the ass (having came out and moaned like a trooper before the contest began) and whether Undertaker could defeat a man with the size and strength of Sid.

A decent match that has a happy ending for Undertaker fans (obviously; the DVD would be 14-1 otherwise), it is overshadowed by the interference of Bret Hart and suffers because of it. Sid, however, does go comically stiff as a board when taking the match-winning Tombstone.

Wrestlemania 14: The third match in a row that is joined in progress, and again, it's one of the better matches on the disc. It really is baffling that the bout against Gonzales is shown in full, yet his good matches against Diesel, Sid and Kane are not.

The first thing newer fans will notice is that Kane looks completely different from what he is today. This Kane, the masked and mute monster, is what Undertaker's brother should be; the Jason Voorhees of pro-wrestling... a dominating, destructive, overpowering force of nature.

Kane, like Undertaker when he first debuted, instilled fear in the younger fans, especially because he was bigger, stronger and (seemed) tougher than his big brother. This match was a fantastic big-man brawl that had a memorable finish.

It really is a testament to the Kane character that he is still around ten years after what should have been his WWF swansong. Many thought he was brought in to be another challenge for Undertaker and, when the feud was over, he would be gone and Undi' would move on.

The fact it took three Tombstones (the first and third both being stunningly brutal) to keep Kane down for the three-count, and that Kane had the last laugh after the bell (although that isn't shown here) let us know that the character was here to stay.

Undertaker put forth his strongest showing at Wrestlemania so far in this match.

Wrestlemania XV: “Hell in a Cell”, the ultimate WWF gimmick match of the era, has had some fantastic bouts contested inside its mesh structure... this isn't one of them. As I have said earlier, it's frustrating when you look at the matches chosen to be shown in full compared to the ones joined part of the way through. The last three matches were all really good bouts and were shown cut down, whereas this, the worst HiaC match (I don't count the “Kennel from Hell” - also featuring The Bossman) in history, is shown bell to bell (but cut out the only memorable part of the encounter; The Brood hanging the late Ray Traylor from the top of the cell in a poorly executed segment).

This, like Wrestlemania IX, was obviously only included to make the collection complete, but I don't think anyone would have complained if WWE simply mentioned them and showed the finish of both matches. This would have saved me from having to watch them again and also given more time for the better matches to be shown in full.

The second worst match of the streak.

Wrestlemania X-Seven: At this point in time, the undefeated streak was becoming more prominent. The set up for this contest was simple and effective; Triple H had come out on WWE television and said that he had beaten everyone in the company, only for our man to come out and correct the big-nosed McMahon-marrying Helmsley. So the match was signed on the simple premise of who was better. No crazy stipulations or storyline nonsense to lead us in; simply two guys who felt they were better than the other and now was the time to prove it.

Frustratingly, this is another match joined in progress (we come in when the two men are fighting on the lighting scaffold). To say this is a scandal is an understatement, because 'Taker v Triple H was an awesome bout. I can remember watching it live on PPV and the feed went as Undertaker went to hit HHH with his sledgehammer. Hunter kicked 'Taker in the nuts and then the feed was lost. I had to wait until the next day to watch a replay before I found out what happened.

Again, this was one of those matches where, going in, you thought the streak could come to an end. The fact it didn't is a good thing for us (due to some great hype and matches based on the streak in later years), and the finish is well worked and original (at the time).

An awesome bout from (the missing) start to the bloody end (with fantastic commentary from Paul Heyman and Jim Ross and a brutal looking Last Ride), this is the most impressive on the collection so far.

Wrestlemania X8: To go 10-0, Undertaker would have to add another legend to his list of victims (Jake Roberts and Snuka); Ric Flair. Ric had only wrestled one match prior to this since he and Sting closed out the last Nitro, so there was some concern on whether the elder statesman of wrestling could still go. With the match having the added stipulation of there being no disqualifications, there would at least be some shortcuts to help them out.

The pre-match build was fantastic (shown here alongside parts of his heel turn on Jim Ross), with Flair saying no to a match until Undertaker attacked David Flair in the most entertaining segment of Flair, Jr's career.

This is another match that is joined in progress, keeping up the run of the better matches being cut short while the crap matches are shown in full. Featuring a stunning juice-job on the part of Flair, a spinebuster from Arn Anderson as if it was 1989 and only the third heel Wrestlemania appearance, this is an awesome brawl from two veterans.

Flair does mess up on two attempts at a Last Ride, but the Tombstone finish makes up for it... and the last image of Undertaker standing on the apron counting his Wrestlemania victories on his fingers is a thing of heel beauty.

Wrestlemania XIX: Oh, dear (part 2). Say what you will about the match against Giant Gonzales at Wrestlemania IX, but at least it had a reason for happening. This handicap-match has no such luxury, but it sucks just as badly.

A-Train can be good (as his work in Japan can attest), as can Big Show (he and Undertaker have had exciting matches before), but this is just dire from bell to bell. The highlight for me is the spin-kick by Nathan Jones to Big Show near the end of the contest.

The best part of this match (inexplicably shown in full) is the final bell.

Wrestlemania XX: Buried alive at Survivor Series 2003, it appeared that Kane had finally rid the company of his brother; but Undertaker is made of tougher stuff. He's been sent to Heaven, burned and buried once before, so everyone knew he'd be back... it was just a question of when.

The first real hint was at the 2004 Royal Rumble where Kane was eliminated after being distracted by the gongs of 'Taker's entrance. Videos started to appear on the TitanTron that the “Dead Man” would return at the show billed as “Where It All Begins Again”. Kane denied it would be so and made that intention clear as he entered the ring in Madison Square Garden.

“Oh, yessssssss!” heralded the return of Paul Bearer, and as the mortician pointed towards the entranceway, Undertaker made his return as the character that “made him famous” years earlier. The crowd reaction as he stood at the entrance with the druids lining the aisle was unbelievable... unfortunately, the match was less so as it was basically a squash to re-introduce the Dead Man gimmick, and as such was a disappointment. That this was shown in full, yet their superior clash from six years earlier was cut is a disgrace.

The one thing I did notice is that, intended or not, Kane, like his brother, had subtly changed his appearance/character in the years since his debut. The outfit became more revealing, the mask began to hide less of his face, he spoke more and more (including the awesome impressions of both The Rock and Hulk Hogan) until he lost the mask v title match against Triple H that led to the incarnation we see today.

Kane was a great opponent to bring the gimmick back against, but the execution wasn't as good as it could be.

Wrestlemania 21: Ever since the streak became the focal point of Undertaker's matches at Wrestlemania, I've never been more convinced that his streak could come to an end that I was with this match (there were moments against Edge at WM24 where I thought it was over, but this was only match were I was pretty sure he would lose before the match began).

Randy Orton was in the middle of his “Legend Killer” gimmick and was on a fantastic roll. He had claimed every legend he came across, and this was the biggest legend of them all; Undertaker's streak.

The match (another one that is already under way) is fantastic, with Tazz and Michael Cole doing a really good job on commentary. Both men get about equal offence and both men come out stronger than they went in; an Orton RKO counter to a chokeslam made me, and some of the others watching the show live, leap up thinking it was over.

Truth be told, I believe Undertaker should have lost this one and Orton's “Legend Killer” gimmick could have become the stuff of legend itself. As it is, Orton did well for himself anyway, so it didn't derail him as much as it may have done with someone else.

Wrestlemania 22: A lot of people predicted doom the moment this match was announced, but this wasn't the crapfest they assumed it would be.

Mark Henry is not a technical wrestler, but he is a decent power wrestler (and is a decent hand today). This does rank low on the list of great Undertaker matches, but it does have it's highlights. The sight of 'Taker leaping over the top rope and over the casket with a plancha, as well as the Tombstone on a guy so large will always be stunning to watch over and over.

The main problem with the match (and most gimmick matches, to be fair) is that it runs to the same old formula. Not the best match, but by no means the worst either, Mark Henry v Undertaker is just another wrestling contest.

Wrestlemania 23: We come to the best, and final, match of the collection; Undertaker v Batista for the World Heavyweight Championship.

Relegated to the middle of the card, this match (shown in full) was overlooked as a show-closer in favour of John Cena v Shawn Michaels. In hindsight, that was the wrong decision, but hindsight is always perfect.

There were questions about whether Batista (and his reputation for phoning it in) would be able to elevate himself to the fantastic run Undertaker was on leading into the bout. Those fears were unfounded; Batista put in a career-best performance (Undertaker wasn't far off that level either) in the greatest match of Undertaker's Wrestlemania streak.

With both men acting as if they were out to prove Vince wrong for not using them to close the show, they tore the house down with a sterling example of how to execute a brawl between to huge men. With the greatest commentary team in wrestling since Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler in their 1998 primes, Michael Cole and JBL, calling the action, the action ran for just over fifteen minutes and never dragged once.

Highlights include Batista powerslamming Undertaker from one announce table through the one next to them. There was also the spine-buster counter to “Old School”, the brutal brawling and Batista spearing Undertaker as soon as the bell rang.

Another interesting aspect was the crowd reaction; the fans in Detroit were not going to be happy with anything but an Undertaker title win and let everyone listening know it. Mimicking the John Cena/Triple H match from the previous year, when both men were trading blows, 'Taker was cheered and Dave was booed (very loudly). I guess this can be used to show that they (all) aren't booing Cena because they dislike him.

This is a fitting end to a legendary feat that will never, ever be duplicated.

Undertaker; I salute your longevity and ability to adapt and last for almost two decades. Love him or hate him, there is no denying the man's impact on the world of professional wrestling. To take the most cartoonish of gimmicks and make it a legit main-event talent and legend of the business is phenomenal... perhaps that's why he inherited the “Phenom” nickname from Jimmy Snuka.

Extras

No extras on this collection is a joke. There are so many hype videos that could have been included, not to mention some of the fabulous entrances Undertaker has had.

Eve ignoring all of that, to not have a single interview, from anyone at all, is a disgrace. There should have been something from each of his opponents (kayfabe or not) and some words from the guy himself on what it means to him to have this legacy.

A real missed opportunity to give an insight into the greatest gimmick pro-wrestling has ever seen.

Overview

A wasted opportunity that baffles far more than it entertains. Even going by the matches, if you look at the ones that are complete (v Snuka, Jake Roberts, Giant Gonzales, King Kong Bundy, Bossman, A-Train/Big Shown, Kane part 2, Mark Henry and Batista) and compare them to the ones shown underway (v Diesel, Sid, Kane part 1, Triple H, Ric Flair, Randy Orton), it is extremely lopsided.

Only the Batista match from the ones shown in full is above average, whereas all the matches that are incomplete are the best bouts from the streak. It seems like a slap in the face to those who buy this collection, as they are missing out on a lot of what the DVD is boasting to contain.

I can only recommend this for completists, die-hard Undertaker fans and those fans who have got into wrestling within the last few years. For everyone else, it really would be a waste of money.

The final straw is the complete lack of extras. Not one hype video, no TitanTron videos for his various entrances, no interviews with any of his opponents (or anyone else for that matter) and not a word from the guy himself means that this screams out that it is a cheaply put together cash-in.

Points: 4/10

“The Hangman” Draven Cage

Buy It:

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Follow this link to enter your picks for questions here at the site.

You've got until next Sunday night to enter your prediction for this question. Tonight during Raw, we saw Triple H pretty much say he was wanting to reform D-X with Shawn Michaels. However, when he was presumably "on the phone with Shawn", HBK hung up on him. Unless it was X-Pac, Chyna, or the New Age Outlaws, it casts some doubts on D-X reforming.

So what do you think? Make sure to read the note attached to the question before answering!

Prediction Questions from http://www.fourdown.org

(WWE) Will Triple H reform D-Generation X with Shawn Michaels before SummerSlam 2009?
This question ends on 08/09/2009

-- 5 points for correct answer
-- 4-Down Note: "To reform D-X prior to SummerSlam, both Triple H and Shawn Michaels must come out together on a weekly TV show and use the name D-Generation X. If the match is signed for SummerSlam, but HBK does not appear on TV leading up to the PPV, then the answer to this question will be "no.""

Choices:
Yes
No

cletus42o's Thoughts: Well, when he was "hung up on", I thought that meant HBK was already in the building. But perhaps he was just quick to hang up to pack his bags and make his way to Raw next week. No matter, I still think they're reforming D-X before SummerSlam. This seems like an easy answer, but you never know in wrestling.
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Related Blog Entries

* Question: How will the new D-Generation X come to an end? (August 11, 2009)
* Question: Who will face HBK Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania 26? (August 7, 2009)


Wrestlers tagged in this entry: Shawn Michaels, Triple H, Chyna

PPVs tagged in this entry: SummerSlam (2009)

D-Generation X (also known and spelled as Degeneration X, DX and D-X) is a professional wrestling tag team (formerly a stable) wrestling for World Wrestling Entertainment (previously the World Wrestling Federation) on its Raw brand. The group originated in the midst of the WWF's "Attitude Era" from 1997 to 2000.[4] Their gimmick was that of a gang of rebels who acted and spoke as they pleased, no matter how provocative.

After its original run with members Rick Rude, Chyna, Triple H and Shawn Michaels, the group underwent several roster changes and disbanded in August 2000. After a teased reunion in 2002, DX reformed in June 2006 as the duo of Triple H and Shawn Michaels, until Triple H's quadriceps injury at New Year's Revolution in 2007.[5] Since Michaels' return from hiatus in August 2009, DX has reformed as a tag team.

Triple H made his comeback at Raw this week following several weeks of absence from the company. Triple H was selling a head injury after Orton delivered a punt to his head, allowing him to take time off and spend time with his family. This event, in turn, lead to Batista taking Triple H’s place as Orton’s opponent. Now, Batista is out because of an injury and Triple H will be resuming his feud with Orton. It is not known if he will figure into the WWE Championship scene but with WWE Champion Batista out, Triple H will most likely be a major player in the WWE Championship Scene.

Standing at 6 foot 4, he is the current WWE Champion (26/01/08). He held multiple titles: World Heavyweight Champion; Intercontinental
Champion; World Tag Team Champion in his carrier. Recognized as a future legendary wrestler, he stops his opponents with his signature move: RKO (Randy’s Knock Out). He made his debut in WWE in April 2002. Since then, not like any new wrestlers, the very young superstar is treated special among other senior wrestlers, due to his father’s legacy and his own impressive ability! Randy Orton doesn’t have many interests. Other than listening to Metallica or Pantera and watching the occasional movie, wrestling is his life…or, as he would tell you, his destiny. It’s easy to understand why. His father is WWE Hall of Famer “Cowboy” Bob Orton, his uncle Barry “Barry O” Orton, and his grandfather “The Big O,” the late Bob Orton, Sr. Most kids remember their first ball game or school play; Randy’s childhood memories include sitting in the kitchen of his family’s St. Louis home with “Rowdy” Roddy Piper and Greg “The Hammer” Valentine, and repairing a broken banister leaned on by Andre the Giant. He wasn’t even five years old when he watched his father knock out “Mr. Wonderful” Paul Orndorff in the main event at the inaugural WrestleMania, but he already knew he wanted to be a WWE Superstar. Randy’s parents tried dissuading him; his father even warned that life in the ring meant a life on the road, away from family. Yet Randy, seeing how his friends perceived his world-traveling dad in “a different light,” recalls only thinking the prospect was “quite appealing, and something I wanted to do.” Still, he agreed to try other avenues first. After graduating Hazelwood Central High School in 1998 (where he was an accomplished amateur wrestler), Orton enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. His plan was to serve a four-year tour of duty, then focus on a wrestling career; his reality was a dishonorable discharge one year later, due to unauthorized absences on two occasions (one for 82 days) and for disobeying a superior officer’s direct order. After spending 38 days in the brig of Camp Pendleton Base, he would resume his civilian life…and to pursuing his destiny. Back home in St. Louis, Orton accompanied his father backstage at a local WWE live event in late 1999. He left the show with an opportunity to try out in Stamford, which soon resulted in a developmental deal to train at Ohio Valley Wrestling. Orton quickly rose through OVW’s ranks, and in April 2002, he officially made his WWE debut as a member of SmackDown. The third-generation Superstar had at last fulfilled his dream, though a long-standing rivalry with Mick Foley (and a brutal Hardcore Match at Backlash in 2004 that Orton remembers as one of his greatest contests) provided him with a new purpose: What better way to make himself a WWE legend…than to destroy the legends before him? Since then, many WWE legends have fallen to Randy Orton. And many more will follow. It’s his destiny. For more info, visit www.wwe.com

There is little doubt that the biggest mainstream star to ever come out of the WWE is The Rock. The Rock has been able to parlay his eyebrow raising wrestling career into mainstream movie stardom. The WWE has finally taken advantage of Dwayne Johnson’s grassroots with The Rock: The Most Electrifying Man in Sports Entertainment DVD.

This set of DVDs from the WWE pays tribute to The Rock’s eight year run with the company inside of the ring. The compilation is a story in itself about The Rock’s ability to take the bull by the horn and run with it. The Rock’s road to stardom in the WWE certainly wasn’t paved for him. The Rock had to earn every step he took on his way to greatness.

Unfortunately, the DVDs don’t include any new interviews with the People’s Champ. The DVD is voiced over between matches, similar to an old NFL Films piece. It is understandable that the WWE could not get The Rock to lend his voice to the DVD. However, they could have taken past interview clips as well as new interviews with WWE stars. I didn’t mind it, but they could have done a little better to appeal to wrestling fans.

The set is broken down into three discs. The discs predominately contain nothing but matches featuring The Rock. All of the matches are complete except for one. I will say this about The Rock and his matches and that is there aren’t any boring Rock matches. All of his matches are entertaining and different in some way from the other. The extras feature a ton of promos from The Rock which was far and away the best thing about the set.

The matches are interesting because I am sure a lot of The Rock’s fans aren’t familiar with “Rocky Maivia” Most fans are familiar with The Rock from the early part of the decade. However, The Rock first began his career in the WWE in 1996 with a few familiar faces. The DVD traces all of the Rock’s steps to the top beginning with the kid with the goofy haircut, Rocky Maivia.

The first disc is quite an eye-opener considering the state of the business today. The early days of The Rock-Triple H rivalry are revisited beginning with a 1997 Intercontinental title match. The rest of the DVD features The Rock’s rise from the Nation to the Corporation, to WrestleMania. In retrospect, I wonder sometimes if The Rock-Triple H doesn’t get its due as one of the great WWE rivalries of the 1990s. Most people think of Austin-Rock, but Triple H-Rock feuded often at various stages of their careers. The matches tell a story in itself about two guys battling each other for the top position, ultimately with The Rock taking that mantle.

The second disc features The Rock and pro wrestling during one of the hottest periods of business for the WWE. The Rock’s rivalries with Triple H and Mankind are followed over to this disc. There are some fantastic matches on this DVD featuring The Rock against Booker T, Chris Jericho, and a great match from No Way Out against Kurt Angle. In watching this disc back, it is amazing how different the WWE fan base is today as compared to then. Nobody in years has gotten the reaction that The Rock or any of his matches received during his prime. It is truly an indictment on the WWE’s inability to create superstars over the last decade. The WWE created many stars, but none were as super as The Rock.

Disc three is The Rock at his all-time high in the WWE. Disc 3 kicks off with arguably The Rock’s most famous WrestleMania encounter against Hulk Hogan. The Rock’s WrestleMania XIX showdown with Steve Austin not only holds up, but blows away anything from the last few years. A rare 2002 match from RAW against Eddie Guerrero is a nice gem to the set. This really showcases The Rock in his prime. The Rock is most confident during this era and it shows in the ring. Once again, never a dull moment in a Rock match.

It is obvious that the WWE didn’t put the kind of extra work into this that they did with Ric Flair, Hulk Hogan, or Triple H’s DVDs. I can’t blame the WWE for wanting toget something out there to capitalize on The Rock’s current fame. The DVD could have used a little more attention, yet I found it to be enjoyable. I have always liked The Rock and in this day and age, any time I can sit down and watch a few hours of The Rock is a pleasure. This is a great DVD and a perfect stocking stuffer for the wrestling fan on your holiday shopping list.

Disc 1

WWE Intercontinental Championship Match
Hunter Hearst Helmsley vs. Rocky Maivia
RAW (13/02/97)

WWE Intercontinental Championship Match
Owen Hart vs. The Rock
RAW (06/04/98)

King of the Ring Quarterfinal Match
Triple H vs. The Rock
RAW (22/06/98)

WWE Championship Match (Final Round)
Mankind vs. The Rock
Survivor Series (15/11/98)

Last Man Standing Match for the WWE Championship
Mankind vs. The Rock
St. Valentine’s Day Massacre (14/02/99)

Ladder Match for the WWE Championship
Mankind vs. The Rock
RAW (15/02/99)

WWE Championship Match
Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. The Rock
WrestleMania XV (28/03/99)

Disc 2

Steel Cage Match
The Rock vs. Triple H
RAW (05/07/99)

WWE Tag Team Championship
The Rock / Mankind vs. Undertaker / Big Show
RAW (30/08/99)

No Holds Barred Match
The Rock vs. Kane
SmackDown! (30/12/99)

WWE Championship Match
Triple H vs. The Rock
Backlash (30/04/00)

Steel Cage Match for the WWE Championship
The Rock vs. Shane McMahon
RAW (01/05/00)

WWE Championship Match
Kurt Angle vs. The Rock
No Way Out (25/02/01)

The Rock: The Most Electrifying Man – WWE DVD Review

November 13, 2009 By: Eric Gargiulo Category: Entertainment, WWE / Pro Wrestling

The Rock: The Most Electrifying Man in Sports Entertainment DVDThere is little doubt that the biggest mainstream star to ever come out of the WWE is The Rock. The Rock has been able to parlay his eyebrow raising wrestling career into mainstream movie stardom. The WWE has finally taken advantage of Dwayne Johnson’s grassroots with The Rock: The Most Electrifying Man in Sports Entertainment DVD.

This set of DVDs from the WWE pays tribute to The Rock’s eight year run with the company inside of the ring. The compilation is a story in itself about The Rock’s ability to take the bull by the horn and run with it. The Rock’s road to stardom in the WWE certainly wasn’t paved for him. The Rock had to earn every step he took on his way to greatness.

Unfortunately, the DVDs don’t include any new interviews with the People’s Champ. The DVD is voiced over between matches, similar to an old NFL Films piece. It is understandable that the WWE could not get The Rock to lend his voice to the DVD. However, they could have taken past interview clips as well as new interviews with WWE stars. I didn’t mind it, but they could have done a little better to appeal to wrestling fans.

The set is broken down into three discs. The discs predominately contain nothing but matches featuring The Rock. All of the matches are complete except for one. I will say this about The Rock and his matches and that is there aren’t any boring Rock matches. All of his matches are entertaining and different in some way from the other. The extras feature a ton of promos from The Rock which was far and away the best thing about the set.

The matches are interesting because I am sure a lot of The Rock’s fans aren’t familiar with “Rocky Maivia” Most fans are familiar with The Rock from the early part of the decade. However, The Rock first began his career in the WWE in 1996 with a few familiar faces. The DVD traces all of the Rock’s steps to the top beginning with the kid with the goofy haircut, Rocky Maivia.

The first disc is quite an eye-opener considering the state of the business today. The early days of The Rock-Triple H rivalry are revisited beginning with a 1997 Intercontinental title match. The rest of the DVD features The Rock’s rise from the Nation to the Corporation, to WrestleMania. In retrospect, I wonder sometimes if The Rock-Triple H doesn’t get its due as one of the great WWE rivalries of the 1990s. Most people think of Austin-Rock, but Triple H-Rock feuded often at various stages of their careers. The matches tell a story in itself about two guys battling each other for the top position, ultimately with The Rock taking that mantle.

The second disc features The Rock and pro wrestling during one of the hottest periods of business for the WWE. The Rock’s rivalries with Triple H and Mankind are followed over to this disc. There are some fantastic matches on this DVD featuring The Rock against Booker T, Chris Jericho, and a great match from No Way Out against Kurt Angle. In watching this disc back, it is amazing how different the WWE fan base is today as compared to then. Nobody in years has gotten the reaction that The Rock or any of his matches received during his prime. It is truly an indictment on the WWE’s inability to create superstars over the last decade. The WWE created many stars, but none were as super as The Rock.

Disc three is The Rock at his all-time high in the WWE. Disc 3 kicks off with arguably The Rock’s most famous WrestleMania encounter against Hulk Hogan. The Rock’s WrestleMania XIX showdown with Steve Austin not only holds up, but blows away anything from the last few years. A rare 2002 match from RAW against Eddie Guerrero is a nice gem to the set. This really showcases The Rock in his prime. The Rock is most confident during this era and it shows in the ring. Once again, never a dull moment in a Rock match.

It is obvious that the WWE didn’t put the kind of extra work into this that they did with Ric Flair, Hulk Hogan, or Triple H’s DVDs. I can’t blame the WWE for wanting toget something out there to capitalize on The Rock’s current fame. The DVD could have used a little more attention, yet I found it to be enjoyable. I have always liked The Rock and in this day and age, any time I can sit down and watch a few hours of The Rock is a pleasure. This is a great DVD and a perfect stocking stuffer for the wrestling fan on your holiday shopping list.

Disc 1

WWE Intercontinental Championship Match
Hunter Hearst Helmsley vs. Rocky Maivia
RAW (13/02/97)

WWE Intercontinental Championship Match
Owen Hart vs. The Rock
RAW (06/04/98)

King of the Ring Quarterfinal Match
Triple H vs. The Rock
RAW (22/06/98)

WWE Championship Match (Final Round)
Mankind vs. The Rock
Survivor Series (15/11/98)

Last Man Standing Match for the WWE Championship
Mankind vs. The Rock
St. Valentine’s Day Massacre (14/02/99)

Ladder Match for the WWE Championship
Mankind vs. The Rock
RAW (15/02/99)

WWE Championship Match
Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. The Rock
WrestleMania XV (28/03/99)

Disc 2

Steel Cage Match
The Rock vs. Triple H
RAW (05/07/99)

WWE Tag Team Championship
The Rock / Mankind vs. Undertaker / Big Show
RAW (30/08/99)

No Holds Barred Match
The Rock vs. Kane
SmackDown! (30/12/99)

WWE Championship Match
Triple H vs. The Rock
Backlash (30/04/00)

Steel Cage Match for the WWE Championship
The Rock vs. Shane McMahon
RAW (01/05/00)

WWE Championship Match
Kurt Angle vs. The Rock
No Way Out (25/02/01)

WCW Championship Match
Booker T vs. The Rock
SummerSlam (19/08/01)

WWE Undisputed Championship Match
Chris Jericho vs. The Rock
Royal Rumble (20/01/02)

Disc 3

The Rock vs. Hollywood Hulk Hogan
WrestleMania X8 (17/03/02)

Triple Threat Match for the WWE Undisputed Championship
Kurt Angle vs. Undertaker vs. The Rock Vengeance (21/07/02)

The Rock vs. Eddie Guerrero
RAW (22/07/02)

Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. The Rock
WrestleMania XIX (30/03/03)

Extras

Promos
- Heat July 11, 1999 – “Billy’s Prayer to God”
- RAW August 9, 1999 – “The Big Slow”
- RAW September 6, 1999 – “My Name is Kane”
- RAW November 15, 1999 – “Doughnuts”
- SmackDown! August 10, 2000 – “Hermie”
- RAW December 4, 2000 – “Armageddon Opponents”
- RAW August 13, 2001 – “Thomas Jefferson Sucka”
- RAW September 10, 2001 – “The People’s Strudel”
- SmackDown! September 20, 2001 – “Great Balls of Fire”
- SmackDown! January 3, 2002 – “Copacabana”
- SmackDown! January 17, 2002 – “Camera Man”
- SmackDown! January 24, 2002 – “The Charleston”
- No Way Out February 17, 2002 – “NWO”
- SmackDown! July 11, 2002 – “Busta Rhymes”
- RAW March 10, 2003 – “The Superhero”
- RAW June 21, 2004 – “Miami Dolphins”
- The One-Liners

Order the The Rock: The Most Electrifying Man in Sports Entertainment DVD set by clicking here.

Order the WWE – The Rock – The People’s Champ DVD by clicking here.

Win a WWE Survivor Series Prize Pack here on CamelClutchBlog.com. Click here to enter!

From the ring to your wall – WWE REAL.BIG Wall Graphics on sale now at Fat Head!

"You know you sit there and you thump your bibles and you say your prayers and it didn't get you anywhere. Talk about your psalms, talk about John 3:16. Austin 3:16 says I just whipped your ass. Steve Austin's time has come and that's the bottom line 'cuz Stone Cold says so." - Stone Cold Steve Austin

It was the end of the 80's. While the WWF had ingrained themselves in popular culture, Hulk Hogan and co. lead the company to a point so high, that it seemed that there was nowhere to go but down. Thanks to a lack of wrestlers that captured the attention of the public and the fact there were other promotions (ECW, WCW) competing for viewers, this led to a lull in the WWF. All that changed with the "Attitude" era, which was ushered in by Shawn Michaels, the Rock, Triple H, and the subject of the latest WWE release, Stone Cold Steve Austin.

the Legacy Of Stone Cold Steve Austin is a three-disc set that collects matches from Austin's time in the WWF/E, as well as throwing a couple from his time in the WCW and ECW. While those promotions saw Steve delivering matches which should've put him over much faster, he was stuck in a rut until Eric Bischoff decided to fire him from ECW. This event, as well as a nurturing environment provided by ECW and Paul Heyman, resulted in Steve exploding in the WWF and, to this day, sharing in the same adoration that fans show wrestlers such as Hulk Hogan, Bret Hart and Roddy Piper.

Each disc runs roughly 2 1/2 hours and there are the briefest of introductions by Austin.

Disc One [2 hours 32 minutes] :

* Though it's not chaptered, the disc starts out with Steve briefly talking about his early days...VERY briefly.

* Steel Cage Match For the WCW Tag Team Championship - Slamboree - 5/23/93 [Hollywood Blonds vs. Dos Hombres] [16m 34s] - In this very entertaining match, Steve and Brian take on Ricky "the Dragon" Steamboat and Shane Douglas aka Dos Hombres in a steel cage.

* Relationship with Brian Pillman [57s] - Austin spends a quick minute talking about Brian and how they became successful in spite of management's beliefs.

* Clash Of the Champions XXV - 11/10/93 [Stunning Steve Austin with Col. Parker vs. Flyin' Brian Pillman] [10m 3s] - I thought this was a pretty good match between the two - until the slightly messy ending.

* Not Exactly Stunning - Steve talks about his frustration at being able to get over the hump to the "next level" at the WCW. He mentions consulting Ricky Steamboat and asking him if he's missing something in the ring. Steamboat's response? "Not a thing."

* WCW United States Heavyweight Championship Match - Clash Of the Champions XXVIII - 8/24/94 [Stunning Steve Austin vs. Ricky "the Dragon" Steamboat] [16m 36s] - This was a pretty good match with lots of back 'n forth and it confirms Steamboat's response.

* the Writing Was On the Wall [2m 27s] - Steve talks about being fired by Eric Bischoff after 4½ years in the WCW and how Paul Heyman called him to come Philly to just cut promos.

* Steve A' Mania - Gangsta's Paradise - 9/16/95 [1m 15s] - Steve delivers a truly funny shoot on Hulk Hogan.

* Just Go Ahead and Start Running Your Mouth [1m 38s] - Austin talks about Heyman's relationship with the wrestlers at ECW.

* "No Baby That's For Somebody Else" - Hardcore TV - 10/10/95 [6m 14s] - Steve vents his WCW frustrations in this brilliant shoot that displayed flashes of the "Stone Cold" character to come.

* the Style of ECW [1m 55s] - Steve talks about Heyman and the brutality of ECW.


* Triangle Match For the ECW World Heavyweight Championship - Beware of Dog 2 - 5/28/96 [Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. Mikey Whipwreck vs. Sandman] [21m 42s]

* I Got the Call [2m 17s] - Austin talks about Vince contacting him and inviting him to WWE. Initially known as "the Ringmaster", he talks about working with Savio Vega and mentions their first Caribbean Strap Match. Half way through the match, there's a blackout and Steve and Savio continue wrestling in the dark.

* Caribbean Strap Match - In Your House - 5/28/96 [Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. Savio Vega] [24m 52s] - During the second "Caribbean Strap Match" in a couple days, there's a stipulation that if Austin loses this match, Ted DiBiase (his manager at the time) has to leave the WWF.

* Birth of Austin 3:16 [2m 55s] - Austin talks about being ready to be a solo wrestler once DiBiase leaves. He also talks about the King Of the Ring PPV and how, after coming back from getting his lip stitched up, he was told that Jake "the Snake" Roberts cut a religious-based promo on him. When the match was finished, the "Stone Cold" era is born when Steve delivers the quote at the beginning of this review. Segueing into the next match, Austin ends the segment by talking about Bret handpicking him to be his comeback opponent.

* #1 Contender Match For the WWE Championship - Survivor Series - 11/17/96 [Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. Bret "Hit Man" Hart] [35:42]

There are also the following extras:

* the Name - Steve Austin

* SummerSlam Free-For-All - 8/18/96 [Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. Yokozuna]

* Shotgun Saturday Night - 1/18/97 [Stone Cold Steve Austin/Terry Funk Confrontation]

Disc Two [2 hours 28 minutes]:

* the Most Important Match Of My Career [2m] - Austin talks about how his submission match against Bret Hart at WM 13 turned out to be an "unbelievable match" despite Steve's bad knee and was the one responsible for making Hart a heel and putting Steve over. He also mentions how "very eerie" it was to watch the Undertaker's entrance.

* WWE Championship Match - Cold Day In Hell - 5/11/97 [Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. Undertaker] [28m 48s] - Austin takes on the Undertaker, the WWF's top draw at the time, as the Hart Foundation watches from the front row. Though Steve had a brace on his left leg, it was great to see both wrestlers at their peak.

* Oil and Water [1m 5s] - After declaring "I have never seen Shawn Michaels screw things up", Steve talks about working with HBK and how their differences are like "oil and water"; whereas Shawn was flashy and a "heartbreaker", Austin would come out in black boots and a black vest and while he might not put on a technically impressive match, he'll kick your ass.

* World Tag Team Championship Match - Raw - 5/26/97 [Shawn Michaels & Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. Owen Hart & British Bulldog]

* You Better Bring Your Best [40s] - Steve talks about his matches against Shawn and says that some of their best matches were house shows. What a shame they're not on DVD.

* King Of the Ring - 6/8/97 [Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. Shawn Michaels] [30m 29s] - It's a shame that there aren't commentary tracks during the matches on this disc. I'd love to hear Austin's comments on the young fan who storms the ring and is eventually lead away by Shawn.

* You Never Know What You're Gonna Get With Mick [1m 8s] - Austin praises Mick and states that Mick might be crazy in the ring, but he's smart out of it. He also mentions how there were boundaries between Mick's gimmicks (characters) and they never bled over.

* World Tag Team Championship Match - Raw - 7/14/97 [Stone Cold Steve Austin & Dude Love vs. Owen Hart & British Bulldog] - Though Austin does most of the work, Mick err, sorry...Dude Love comes in and reaps the rewards.

* Kiss My Ass [57s] - Austin shares his thoughts on the Intercontinental strap as he talks about his match against Owen at SummerSlam.
* WWE Intercontinental Championship Match - SummerSlam - 8/3/97 [Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. Owen Hart] [21m 13s] - Not only is the IC title on the line, but if Austin doesn't win the match, he has to kiss Owen's ass.

* WWE Champion [3m 45s]- Steve talks about the piledriver that was responsible for him being out of the WWE for 3-4 months. Once recovered, he talks about coming back and getting involved in a program against Shawn Michaels which also involved Mike Tyson.

* World Championship Match - Unforgiven - 4/26/98 [Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. Dude Love] [24m 26s] - Content aside, I was really distracted by the annoying blurring of the "F" in WWF. During this match, Vince was sitting ringside and Austin was wondered if he was going to interfere in the match and screw Steve since the last time Vince was ringside, someone else got screwed.

* Vince Stacking the Odds Against Me [1m 1s] - After being in the hospital for three days with a staph infection, Austin is thrust into a program against Kane. He talks about how hard it would be to make Kane bleed during their "First Blood" match, since Kane was wearing a mask.

* First Blood Match For the WWE Championship - King Of the Ring - 6/28/98 [Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. Kane] [18m 6s] - This was a pretty good match that briefly turns into a Hell In A Cell. While the blurring was distractingly annoying in Steve's match against Dude Love, there was one point in the match where it was damn near unbearable since Kane spent a lengthy amount of time in front of the apron where the "WWF" scratch logo was located.

* I Want A Re-Match [1m 21s]

* WWE Championship Match - Raw - 6/29/98 [Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. Kane] [13m 22s] - The night after the "First Blood" match, Stone Cold challenges Kane to a rematch for the belt. Continuing the pattern of "leaving out of details" regarding some matches, we learn from JR that there was a stipulation that Kane would have to set himself on fire if he didn't win the match.

There's also the following extra:

* Mr. McMahon

Disc Three [2 hours 22 minutes] :

* He Brought Out the Best In Me [2m 5s] - Austin talks about the many feuds against the Rock and how they brought the best out of each other.

* No Holds Barred Match For the WWE Championship - Backlash - 4/25/99 [Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. the Rock] [21m 45s] - Having missed both of their initial runs in the WWE, it was great watching them tussle. Shane's the special guest referee, and while it's a given that the Spanish announce table was going to bite it, it was interesting seeing a Stone Cold Stunner in first person POV before it happens.
* Out For A Year [1m 10s] - Austin talks about being run over by a car during Survivor Series '99, his year-long break after spinal cord surgery and a match he requested against the late, great Eddie Guerrero.

* Non-Title Match - SmackDown - 11/16/00 [Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. Eddie Guerrero] [6m 45s] - Frankly, I had no idea that Stone Cold had ever wrestled Eddie, so I was pleasantly surprised during this short, but sweet match which took place on SmackDown!. Come to think of it, I hope we get another Eddie Guerrero collection. But I digress..

* Game Over [1m 26s] - Austin complements HHH and describes him as another guy that wants to have "the best match on the card".

* No Disqualification Match - Survivor Series - 11/19/00 [Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. Triple H] [25m 43s] - This was as good as I expected, in spite of Austin mentioning that he didn't feel as if he was firing on all cylinders during the match. Quite surprisingly, the Spanish announce table makes it through the match unscathed, the "Attitude" blurring isn't as bad as it was during Austin's match against Kane and the ending made me realize it's been awhile since the WWE ended a match the way this one ended (though I think this one was faded before the true end).

* One Of My Favorites [59s] - Steve talks about the next match as being one of his favorites in his time at the WWE.

* Three Stages Of Hell Match - No Way Out - 2/25/01 [Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. Triple H] [42m 31s] - This was basically a 3 falls match - the first one, a traditional match, the second was a street fight and the third was a Hell In A Cell. It was a great match and highly entertaining for each one of the 42 minutes.

* It Resurrected Me [1m 11s] - Austin talks about the buildup to the WM X-7 match and how he considers it one of his most exciting and favorite matches ever against the Rock.

* No Disqualification Match For the WWE Championship - WrestleMania X-7 - 4/1/01 [Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. the Rock] [35m 30s] - Man, was the attitude blurring annoying during this match. Unlike the Survivor Series match against HHH, this one goes on for three minutes after the bell rings.

* I Had So Much Fun [2m 25s]

There are also the following extras:

* Stone Cold Is the Gladiator [2m 1s] - Stone Cold's homage to the movie Gladiator from WrestleMania 21 - with the middle finger blurred out.

* Behind the Scenes Of the WrestleMania Commercial - the WWE Experience - 4/10/05 [1m 58s] - A brief look behind the scenes at the promo above.

* Stone Cold Is Not Vince's Son - Saturday Night's Main Event - 8/18/07 [13m 21s] - During Vince's quest to find out who his illegitimate son is, Stone Cold makes an appearance to let him know who it ain't.

Packaging: the Legacy Of Stone Cold Steve Austin's packaging is similar to the New & Improved DX collection, save for a flap on the inner left side that holds a 2 page booklet. (Click the link for a picture).

Video: the Legacy Of Stone Cold Steve Austin is presented in the WWE's standard full frame 1.33:1 ratio and since the footage was far from old, there weren't any issues that would distract from ones enjoyment of this collection. Well...aside from the blurring of the "Attitude" scratch logo.

Audio: There were no issues with the Dolby Digital 5.1 track, which was clear as a bell.

Conclusion: If you're a regular reader for my WWE reviews, you've probably heard me mention that I was a wrestling fan in the late 70's/early 80's and I stopped watching in the late 80's, so all of this material is new to me. Watching the Legacy Of Stone Cold Steve Austin was a good experience, but I don't know much more about the man than I did before I watched it. Sure, I know he's foul mouthed and has been known to swill some beer, but the disc doesn't provide much personal information ala John Cena, Shawn Michaels or even Bret Hart's collections did. Then again, when it comes down to it, i'm sure Stone Cold would want his legacy to be his in-ring work. In that aspect, this 3-disc set succeeds. Highly Recommended.


Agree? Disagree? You can post your thoughts about this review on the DVD Talk forums.

WWE Summerslam is one of the big four pay-per-views of the year for the wrestling goliatch that is World Wrestling Entertainment. It comes at a time during the summer where the theme is usually revolved around some big matches and big names. This latest Summerslam has hit the DVD format for the first time.

WWE Summerslam 2009 took place at the Staples Center this year and featured some high-quality matches, including a few great main events.

The two big main events here included the WWE Championship Match between Randy Orton and John Cena, as well as the TLC match between Jeff Hardy and CM Punk.

Needless to say, it was Cena and Orton that continue to steal the show each and every time they get in the ring. These two are always a lot of fun to watch and bring so much drama and high-octane action to the table that it will make your head spin.

The undercard, if you want to call it that, was also quite strong as we had Rey Mysterio going against the up-and-comer Dolph Ziggler in an IC title match, as well as Y2J and Big Show going up against Cryme Tyme.

Matches were rounded out with DX going up against Legacy, MVP against Jack Swagger, and Khali against Kane.

The DVD release is very well-done with superb audio and video quality per usual for WWE.

Ever since the company made the move to HD< things have really improved with their DVD releases.

The onlye xtra on the release is the 15-diva battle royal, a fun extra for fans of the divas.

WWE Summerslam is usually one of those events that you do not want to miss, not quite at the level of WrestleMania but close. That is the case here, as this one is worth owning on DVD for wrestling fans.

Description

Triple DVD Set

Fans may love to hate Edge, but they'll love this impressive collection of matches where Edge has won the WWE Championship (2 times), World Heavyweight Championship (2 times), Intercontinental Championship (5 times), U.S. Championship, WWE Tag Team Championship, and World Tag Team Championship (11 times!). To date, the "Rated R Superstar" has never had a DVD collection highlighting his amazing career, but Edge--A Decade of Decadence changes that. This 3-DVD set will feature dozens of the greatest matches and moments from Edge's career.

DISC ONE

A Boy and his Dream

Breakdown September 27, 1998
Edge vs. Owen Hart

Terri Invitational Tournament- Ladder Match
New Brood vs. Edge & Christian
No Mercy October 17, 1999

8 Pounds of Gold

Triangle Ladder Match for the World Tag Team Championship
Dudley Boyz vs. Hardy Boyz vs. Edge & Christian
WrestleMania April 2, 2000

WWE Intercontinental Championship: Lance Storm vs. Edge
SummerSlam August 19, 2001

Championship Unification Match: IC vs. US - Edge vs. Test
Survivor Series November 18, 2001

Singles Superstar

Edge vs. Mr. Perfect
Sunday Night Heat March 3, 2002

Hair vs. Hair Match: Kurt Angle vs. Edge
Judgment Day May 19, 2002

Steel Cage Match: Kurt Angle vs. Edge
SmackDown! May 30, 2002

World Tag Team Championship: Billy & Chuck vs. Edge & Hollywood Hulk Hogan
SmackDown! July 4, 2002

Edge vs. Eddie Guerrero - Unforgiven September 22, 2002

Extras

The Totally Awesome Best of Edge & Christian

DISCO TWO

Injury Return!

WWE Intercontinental Championship: Randy Orton vs. Edge
Vengeance July 11, 2004

Street Fight: Shawn Michaels vs. Edge
RAW February 28, 2005

Gold Rush Tournament Final: Kane vs. Edge
RAW May 16, 2005

Love Triangle

Street Fight: Matt Hardy vs. Edge
RAW August 29, 2005

WWE Championship: John Cena vs. Edge
New Years Revolution January 8, 2006

Overrated

Hardcore Match: Mick Foley vs. Edge
WrestleMania 22 April 2, 2006

6- Person Tag Team Match: Terry Funk, Tommy Dreamer & Beulah vs. Mick Foley, Edge & Lita
ECW: One Night Stand June 11, 2006

Triple Threat Match for the WWE Championship: Rob Van Dam vs. John Cena vs. Edge
RAW July 3, 2006

Extras

*Adam Copeland vs. Christian (WWF tryout)
Cornwall, ON November 10, 1997
Commentary By: Matt Striker & Edge

* Intercontinental Championship: Jeff Jarrett vs. Edge (Never before seen Edge surprise- even to him - IC title win)
Toronto, ON July 24, 1999
Commentary By: Matt Striker & Edge

DISC THREE

I Equal Ratings!

WWE Championship: Edge vs. John Cena
SummerSlam August 20, 2006

I Persevered

Money in the Bank Qualifying Match: Rob Van Dam vs. Edge
RAW February 19, 2007

Randy Orton vs. Edge
RAW April 30, 2007

Money in the Bank Again!

World Heavyweight Championship Match: Undertaker vs. Edge
SmackDown! May 11, 2007

Last Chance World Heavyweight Championship: Edge vs. Batista
Vengeance June 24, 2007

World Heavyweight Championship: Edge vs. Rey Mysterio
Royal Rumble January 27, 2008

My Speciality

Tables, Ladders & Chairs Match For the Vacant World Heavyweight Championship: Undertaker vs. Edge
One Night Stand June 1, 2008

Hell in a Cell: Undertaker vs. Edge
SummerSlam August 17, 2008

The Hardys have been one of the most popular tag teams in WWE history. For the past few years, the WWE has tried to make both men singles stars. This 2-disc DVD set focuses on their singles career.
The Verdict
Disc one focuses on Matt and disc two focuses on Jeff. Both DVDs feature a documentary, some bonus features, and a few matches. Thankfully there isn't too much overlap between the documentaries.
I do recommend that you watch Matt's first because some things that are glossed over in Jeff's DVD are discussed in detail in Matt's.

The major problem with this DVD is that matches focus on the singles careers of Matt and Jeff. To put it in musical terms, this is like buying a CD with Jimmy Page and Robert Plant on the cover and getting no Led Zeppelin songs.

I also have two issues with the editing of this DVD. The first is that there is no way to watch the matches without having to go to the main menu for each match. The second issue involves the blurring of the WWF logo during the Hardys vs. Dudleys match. Whenever someone walked in the middle of the ring, their face and parts of their body would become blurry. This great match has become unwatchable.

Overall Recommendation: This set would have benefited from a third disc focusing on their tag team days. I recommend this disc only for the most die-hard Hardy fans and suggest the Ladder Match DVD for everyone else. That DVD features nine of the greatest matches the Hardys have been involved in as both a tag team and in singles competition. By comparison, the masters of the ladder match are in zero ladder matches on this DVD set.
The Matches
Please note that only one of these matches is available on another non-PPV DVD. Jeff vs. Triple H from 2001 is available on Action!

Disc One:


* Vengeance '04: Matt vs. Kane in a No DQ or Count Out Match
* Unforgiven '05: Mat vs. Edge in a Steel Cage Match
* SmackDown '07: Matt vs. Joey Mercury
* SmackDown '07: Matt vs. Mr. Kennedy
* OMEGA '99: The Hardy Boyz vs. The Serial Thrillaz (features Matt, Jeff, Gregory Helms, and Shannon Moore on commentary)

Disc Two:


* Royal Rumble '00: The Hardy Boyz vs. The Dudleys in a Tables Match
* SmackDown '01: Jeff vs. Intercontinental Champion Triple H
* New Year's Revolution '07: Jeff vs. Johnny Nitro in a Steel Cage Match
* RAW '07: Jeff vs. Shelton Benjamin
* Judgment Day '07: The Hardys vs. Lance Cade & Trevor Murdoch
* Armageddon '07: Jeff vs. Triple H
* RAW '08: Jeff vs. Umaga in a Steel Cage Match

Matt Hardy pioneered using MySpace and Twitter throughout his WWE career. The WWE wrestler may have written one tweet too many recently. Hardy made some controversial remarks on his Twitter over the last week. Hardy is now backtracking claiming he was screwing with the wrestling media. In the end, was Matt Hardy just screwing Matt Hardy?

The tweet in question came earlier last week. Hardy has been kept out of the WWE rings for a few weeks. The suspension of sorts came after his brother, Jeff Hardy’s arrest. Looking to divert any negative attention, the WWE reportedly pulled Matt from the shows. A bit ironic since the WWE used the story to further a storyline, but regardless Hardy was pulled. Hardy has been quiet about it up until last week when he wrote on his Twitter page.

“I am exhausted from being punished because of someone else’s sins. Good night one, good night all!”

All of the wrestling news outlets picked up on this and within 24 hours it turned into a huge story. Why wouldn’t it? A WWE wrestler lashes out at management online. What do you expect would happen? Pro wrestling news websites or reporters that did not report on the tweet wouldn’t be doing their jobs. A firestorm immediately erupted and WWE management is reportedly furious with Matt. But don’t worry…it was just a joke according to Hardy. LOL Matt!

Hardy must have tripped over his feet backpedaling from the tweet. Hardy followed up with a blog shortly thereafter on his MySpace account (this guy gets around the Internet more than my 15-year old cousin). Hardy claimed the tweet had nothing to do with his current situation regarding Jeff. Matt “explained” that the tweet was in reference to being stuck leaving a tip for a huge dinner party. Matt went on to claim that it was all a brilliant scheme to fool the pro wrestling media. Nobody is buying it, including the WWE. The only one being played here is Matt playing himself into the WWE doghouse.

This isn’t Matt’s first negative comments towards the Internet and the wrestling media. I have to say that Matt’s newfound disdain for the wrestling media is quite ironic. Matt Hardy has arguably benefitted from the Internet and online wrestling media more than anyone in pro wrestling. When Matt was fired in 2005, he immediately went online and campaigned to get his job back. Matt did countless wrestling media interviews (me included), and caused such a stir that the WWE actually hired him back. If it wasn’t for the wrestling media and the fans campaigning online, it is extremely likely Matt would never have gotten his job back. I find it extremely hypocritical that Matt Hardy of all people would spend a second of his time trying to bite a hand that fed him.

Furthermore, Matt and some other WWE stars blasted websites and reporters for the way they reported on Jeff’s arrest. I didn’t read anything anywhere that I found unfair to Jeff Hardy. All anyone did was comment or publish what was relayed by the police department to the media. I can’t think of anyone that the online or wrestling media has championed more than Jeff Hardy. Case in point, do an online search of news items related to Jeff Hardy’s first world title win. Not only will you find nothing negative, most reporters wrote the story more as Jeff Hardy fans than wrestling journalists. There wasn’t another wrestler I can think of more than Jeff Hardy that the online wrestling community wanted to succeed.

Either Matt Hardy is the biggest idiot in the world, extremely immature, or just following some convoluted storyline. Regardless of whether he is telling the truth or not why would he even bother tempting fate? Matt should know more than anyone how tough is to get a job in the WWE and how easy it is to lose it. Why Matt would want to risk his employment to “fool” a few websites is beyond comprehension. There is going to be a day where Matt Hardy is going to need those same websites again. Unfortunately for Matt, it could come sooner than he thought.

After trying out in the WCW power plant, you were told you would never make it as a professional wrestler, yet here you are as one of the very best. How did you respond to this initial feedback?

[ Batista ] Initially, I was crushed because I was closing on 30 years old and had spent my life bouncing and bodybuilding. Finally, I decided to give up bodybuilding. I didn't have the build for it; I was competing against guys that were the same weight as me but ten inches shorter. Basically I was crushed, I had two kids and I figured that this was my last chance to get into pro wrestling.

Batista
+ Click To Enlarge.
I Was Furious That Someone Told Me I Couldn't
Do Something; That I Didn't Have The Heart.

It took a couple of days to take that pain of being rejected and turn it into pure anger. I was furious that someone told me I could not do something; that I didn't have the heart. A sawed off midget tells me that... no way.

At the time I didn't have the conditioning because I was 350 lbs; but I definitely had the heart. So I basically went back to the drawing board, dropped some weight and went to a private wrestling school. The rest as they say is history.

In this exclusive WWE candid video footage interview by our paparazzi, Kofi Kingston refused to dis the marks and would rather think of them as his "dedicated fans" instead of unemployed, annoying followers looking to make a quick buck selling autographs on eBay. We suppose the worst nightmare of any professional entertainer would be to descend an escalator in an airport with no fan base waiting. Kofi’s appreciation of these legions and his insight that "it’s better that people want to see us than not want to see us" isn’t too far "off the mark!"

Beth Phoenix was greeted at the Buffalo Airport by those pesky and irritating marks and we tried to set the record straight by asking her who was more annoying – our camera man or the marks? She avoided that question and evaded several more from the status of her relationship with Cody Rhodes (“oh, the Legacy Guy with the ABS?”) to her thoughts on Miss California and gay marriage. Were those shades worn to cover up a long night and/or a grueling flight?… or was Beth trying to go incognito since in her own words, she is “way more famous than Susan Boyle.” We love the way she flips her hair, and the fact that she thinks she is “sexy… I know... seriously.” What confidence our diva Beth has as she views and signs her magazine photos for the marks, stating “every side is my good side.” You go, girl, and next time, keep smiling for our “fancy” and “pretty nice camera.” tags: video candid footage paparazzi

Hello folks, its review time once again and thanks to those people down at Silvervision.co.uk I have a treat in store for you, I have been sent a copy of “Before They Were WWE Superstars 2”. If you’re unfamiliar with this series, the WWE take us on the journey of certain WWE superstar on their rise to the top of sports entertainment. In this instalment the WWE takes us into the lives of Brock Lesnar, Tazz, John Cena, Shawn Michaels, Chris Nowinski, Al Snow, Randy Orton, Chris Jericho, Torrie Wilson and Rob Van Dam.

Sometimes the WWE make a mess up of these “real life” biographies, and then sometimes they surpass themselves by releasing some really good stuff. The most notable examples are firstly the Kurt Angle VHS release from a few years ago, it was absolute garbage, and then on the other side of the coin, just last year the WWE released “Hollywood Hulk Hogan: Hulk Still Rules!” which was probably was of the greatest WWE releases in recent history. So it’s hard to tell what quality of programme the WWE will release. That’s why I was highly spectacle of this release. Anyway, I decided to brave the elements of the WWE and review this Video/DVD release for you good people so you wouldn’t be wasting your hard earned cash, so lets find out if this was any good or not.

Highs and Lows

Well people, I can tell you this, I was highly surprised with this Video/DVD it was very enjoyable, but not only that it was actually interesting. Lets have a look at the highs and lows of “Before They Were WWE Superstar 2”.

The first superstar on the Video/DVD was Brock Lesnar, Brock talked about various stuff like his home life and various other topics, however the most interesting was when he talked about his climb in the ranks of amateur wrestling. We see footage of young Brock competing in high schools and colleges in his rise in amateur wrestling, not bad stuff at all. Next up its Tazz, while his WWE career may have been a huge let down the man certainly has done a lot in the wrestling world. Tazz goes back to Brooklyn and shows us around his old school, he talks about his life in the school football team and then tells us how he became a wrestler, and with comments from Paul Heyman this section is very interesting.

Next up we take a look at the life of John Cena. Again interesting because I never thought Cena would be like this, I don’t know why, but I imagined Cena to be nothing but the serious guy, but surprisingly he is the total opposite. John’s family talks about him as a child, growing up being a bit of a “handful”. His friends talk about his college antics, which more often than not involve getting totally naked and walking around the hallways, or dressing up in goofy clothes and having a laugh. John talks about starting out as a pro-bodybuilder and then making the transition to pro-wrestling. Shawn Michaels is probably the most interesting profile on this instalment, Shawn talks about his childhood, his early days in wrestling, his experiences in AWA, then his dealing with Vince McMahon, his teaming up with Marty Jannetty and then finally receiving a second chance in the WWE. Shawn’s profile is the most entertaining and well worth a look.

Skipping a few superstars we take a look at Al Snow and his training to be a WWE superstar. Al talks about his training to be a WWE superstar. He talks about his “Avatar” gimmick and also his “Shanobi” gimmick. Al then talks about how Paul Heyman took him and transformed his character, which lead to the “Al Snow” character being born and of course which lead to the “head” character being born. This is good stuff, because Al Snow is such a good superstar it nice the WWE have done a piece on him, even if it’s not that long. Again we fast forward past a few profiles to Chris Jericho. Again Jericho talks about various things like the musical influence in his life, his sporting hobbies and how he broke into the wrestling business. Footage from Chris in a Canadian promotion in shown, along with Lance Storm. Chris talks about the highlights in his career, which include winning the Intercontinental Championship, meeting Ricky Steamboat for the first time and becoming the first WWE Undisputed Champion. And finally, its Rob Van Dam’s turn. RVD’s profile is again pretty interesting, with Rob’s parents talking about him being a sporty child, and then his school teacher talking about Rob pulling out various stunts at school, such as back flipping of the school roof and putting teachers in wrestling holds. RVD talks about breaking into the business training with the Sheik and getting his big break in ECW. Very good stuff.

So I have given you the highlights, now for my complaints, and trust me, I have a few. First of all, I find it hard to understand why the WWE has put such young superstars in this Video/DVD, stars such as Cena, Orton, Nowinski and Torrie. Although these guys have accomplished a great amount in there time in the business they haven’t really done a whole lot before they came to the WWE, so it means most of there profile is about there school and college life, which for me is not that entertaining. Surely the WWE would have been better putting superstars who have had more experience such as Lance Storm or maybe Chris Benoit, I’m sure these guys profiles would be much more interesting. Second complaint, for a lot of the WWE superstars on this Video/DVD they have competed in WCW and ECW, so why is it that there careers have seemed to be missed out from that point. I know WWE have the WCW video library so why haven’t they used it to the full advantage, and as for the ECW footage, I do understand that the legal proceedings are not over yet, but its such a shame the WWE couldn’t have used the footage. Anyway not to worry.

Overall

Overall I was pleased with this Video/DVD, for the most part it was very interesting and it was nice to learn about certain WWE superstars. I particularly enjoyed watching about Shawn Michaels, Tazz and Al Snow, and there was a few profiles I would have left out. It was disappointing that the WWE never used much WCW footage and never used any ECW footage. But nether-the-less this Video/DVD was enjoyable for the most part with just a few disappointments.

Extras:

* Rob Van Dam - Young RVD accepts a dare from "Million-Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase, earns $100 and winds up on TV.
* Shawn Michaels - The Rockers debut in 1988 vs., Iron Mike Sharpe & The Intruder.
* Snow Job! - The story of Al's wrestling tryout with the Anderson brothers.
* Al Snow - WWE debut match as 'Avatar' vs. Brian Walsh - 23-10-95.
* Chris Jericho - WCW Nitro debut vs. Alex Wright - 26-8-96.
* Tazz - Tazz v Mikey Whipwreck - ECW invades RAW 24-2-97.
* Torrie Wilson - WCW Nitro debut vs. Tygress - 'Safari ROTC Bra & Panties Match' - 9-10-00.
* Christopher Nowinski - WWE Tough Enough Audition Tape.
* John Cena - WWE debut vs. Kurt Angle on Smackdown - 27-6-02.

As you can see the DVD boasts an extensive range of extras that makes it well worth forking out the extra cash for. I particularly enjoyed watching Chris Jericho’s match with Alex Wright, as well as The Rocker’s vs. Iron Mike Sharpe & The Intruder. Whether you purchase the Video or the DVD I’m sure you will overall enjoy this WWE Video/DVD release, its well worth the money.

Profile of Kane
Before being the half-brother of the Undertaker, Kane was an evil dentist and a monster Christmas Tree.

Timeline of Kane's WWE Career
Can you count how many times Kane and the Undertaker have feuded then became teammates only to feud once again?

Photo Gallery of Kane and Ashley on Smallville
Did you ever wonder who would win a match between Kane and Superman?

Review of The Twisted, Disturbed Life of Kane
Was watching this DVD as much fun as walking through hell, fire, and brimstone?

Review of See No Evil
Only a former porno director could come up with this reason for someone to collect eye balls.

Since becoming WWE Champion for the first time at WrestleMania 21, John Cena has held the gold multiple times with victories over JBL, Edge and more.
The Champ's World Title triumphs


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You Can't See Me

John Cena's debut hip-hop album dropped in May 2005.
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You Can't See Him, but you can learn

He's the master of the Attitude Adjustment, the star of 12 Rounds and The Marine, a bona fide hip-hop star and one of the most recognizable and successful Superstars in WWE history. Who is he? None other than "The Champ" himself, John Cena.

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Make-A-Wish Ambassador

John Cena has been devoted to Make-A-Wish Foundation since 2004 and was named Wish Ambassador at the 25th Anniversary of WrestleMania. Story | Photos | Watch
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