Tuesday 28 March 2017

DVD Preview: WrestleMania Monday

Image Source: Amazon
Written By: Mark Armstrong

Provided By: Fetch Publicity

The following story is courtesy of Fetch Publicity ...

The Raw after WrestleMania has become one of the most anticipated nights in sports-entertainment. New Superstars emerge, familiar faces return, and the WWE Universe feels the fallout from The Showcase Of The Immortals. For the first time ever, get a behind-the-scenes look and follow both WWE Superstars and spectators alike as they experience one of WWE’s most exciting events of the year.

Synopsis:

Highlights:

Raw - April 3 1996 
Mankind vs. Bob "Spark Plugg" Holly

Raw – March 30 1998
X-Pac returns to WWE and joins DX

Raw - April 3 2000
WWF European Championship Match
Chris Jericho (Champion) vs. Eddie Guerrero

Raw – March 18 2002
nWo betrays Hulk Hogan

Raw – March 31 2003
Goldberg debuts in WWE

Raw - March 31 2008
Ric Flair's retirement speech

Raw - April 2 2012
Brock Lesnar's WWE return

Raw - April 8 2013
World Heavyweight Championship Match
Alberto Del Rio (Champion) vs. Dolph Ziggler

Plus more action, extras, and Blu-ray exclusives!

We like it because:

WrestleMania has become so much bigger than just the show itself. Now, it’s a near week-long event that looks forward to for a whole year. The Raw after WrestleMania is one of the most anticipated nights from WrestleMania week.

It’s always exciting, with a perfect storm of earth-shattering events, a fired-up crowd, and incredible action from WWE’s biggest Superstars.

This set is the ultimate celebration of “WrestleMania Monday”. Not only does it feature some of the greatest matches and moments – dating back over 20 years – but you can also go behind-the-scenes to see just what goes into creating the year’s biggest Raw.

WrestleMania Monday will officially be released on DVD and Blu-ray on Monday April 3 2017.

For more information, click here.

Friday 24 March 2017

DVD Review: Diamond Dallas Page: Positively Living

Image Source: Amazon
Written By: Mark Armstrong

Running Time: 424 Minutes
Certificate: 15
Number Of Discs: 3
Studio: Fremantle Home Entertainment
Released: March 27 2017

(Thanks to Fetch Publicity for arranging this review.)

Fans who have only discovered wrestling, and primarily WWE, within the last ten years may wonder why the latest personality DVD is based around Diamond Dallas Page. Besides appearances in the 2015 Royal Rumble and the Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal at WrestleMania 32, DDP hasn't wrestled for WWE since 2002, and his WWF/WWE run was a disappointment to him and his fans. So, at first glance, it's a confusing choice. However, when you factor in the man's unlikely journey to stardom, his major WCW success, his popularity, his high-standard ring skills and psychology, and the tremendous work he has done to help other people since retiring as a full-time grappler, you realise that DDP is the perfect candidate for the DVD bio treatment.

The DVD (which unfortunately uses a redone version of Page's theme instead of his WCW theme Self High Five, which in itself was a copy, albeit a very effective one, of Nirvana's Smells Like Teen Spirit) begins with a documentary focusing on the life and times of Dallas. We're told about his initial sports success in college and how working as a bar manager led him, after becoming a wrestling fan of course, to send in trial videos to become a manager in the AWA. Then in his early 30s, DDP spent the next few years in the AWA and later WCW, filling the void left behind by great managers who had moved on whilst developing an over-the-top personality with plenty of gimmick props. As Page states here, in WCW he was told that he wouldn't be used as a manager going forward because he was overshadowing the wrestlers, but that's where DDP's journey really begins.

Page, then aged 35, wanted to try his hand at wrestling, age and cynicism be damned. The doubters were legion, but after training in The Power Plant (WCW's training facility, not Mr. Burns' factory from The Simpsons), Page soon made it onto the WCW roster in 1991, albeit as a bottom-of-the-rung level grappler. He busted his behind and honed his craft over the next few years but, whilst he began earning respect and recognition as time went on, it wasn't until 1996 that WCW began using Page in meaningful roles. In early 1997, he declared war on the nWo as part of WCW's biggest ever storyline, and he never looked back.

Having dropped the gimmicks, and adopting the "People's Champion" persona (as well as getting his Diamond Cutter finishing move massively over), Page became one of WCW's biggest stars in a legendary rivalry with Randy Savage, and put on show-stealers against everyone from Sting to Goldberg to Raven. He was also a key factor in two major celebrity-related WCW encounters, which I'll explain more about later. DDP finally became World Champion in 1999, and Page illustrates here how much that honour meant to him, given how he had defied the odds to even become a wrestler (he tells an interesting anecdote about Dusty Rhodes when reflecting on his biggest achievement).

Unfortunately, by this point, WCW had begun slowly crumbling, so Page (who was a heel during his first two WCW Title runs, both of which were brief, so neither factor helped) was a soldier aboard a sinking ship as 1999 progressed and 2000 came along. Surprisingly, there's no mention of the David Arquette situation which, on-screen, Page played a vital role in; it was DDP who Arquette won the WCW Title from in one of the most controversial and criticised booking decisions ever (that Page was Arquette's partner for said title change was one of many problems). Either way, the documentary jumps ahead to the WWF buying WCW and Page coming over as part of the Invasion, cast as a stalker to The Undertaker's then-wife Sara. Page acknowledges that it didn't go well, which was an understatement; the angle began well, if in somewhat questionable taste, but plummeted as DDP was rarely given a chance to succeed, and his character was a stark contrast to his WCW persona. It's also weird, looking back, to see Undertaker cast as a regular human being, with a normal person rather than a supernatural character as his wife. Newer fans may also be confused to learn that Sara, Taker's real-life spouse at the time who appeared on-screen for the plotline, is no longer his wife; that would be former wrestler Michelle McCool, who Taker married in 2010.

Anyway, Page then tells us about his "motivational speaker" character and its modest success in 2002. We're not really told why his WWF/WWE run ended there (he retired in June 2002 due to a back injury), nor what he did in wrestling over the next few years (DDP spent a fair amount of time in TNA, where he returned to the ring as a competitor). The documentary jumps to the early launch and rise of DDP Yoga, which has since defined the man perhaps more than his wrestling exploits. As well as designing an innovative yoga programme that has had worldwide success, Page particularly helped out Jake Roberts and Scott Hall by allowing them to live at his home and, partly via DDP Yoga and partly via his own particular methods of care and assistance, he transformed the lives of two wrestlers who had fallen on very bad times. Although this is covered, it's shorter than I expected; last year's Scott Hall DVD goes into a lot more detail about this, so I would suggest watching that (painfully honest, yet extremely captivating and inspiring) section of the Hall documentary for further details. After covering Page's WWE cameos in recent years, we get a very cool end to the documentary with Triple H calling DDP to inform him about his upcoming Hall Of Fame induction (and the footage is shot in such a way that this is clearly a surprise to Page rather than an orchestrated event). For those who have ever wondered what it's like when someone receives "the call", here's a great example.

I enjoyed the documentary, although it could have done with more time to breathe. Up until he turns babyface in WCW in 1997, the main feature is well-paced, but it seems to be rushed as we cover the next few major years of Page's career, and as noted, the chapter on Jake and Scott is somewhat brief considering that this played a major role in not only their lives but that of Page too, since it opened the eyes of many as to what DDP Yoga could do. It's still a fun and informative documentary, though, and it emphasises not only what a good wrestler DDP was, and how amazing his journey in life has been, but also what a genuinely caring person he is away from the ring. We also get comments from Page's ex-wife Kimberley and his current wife Brenda, as well as family, friends and wrestling personalities such as Eric Bischoff, Scott Hall, Kevin Nash, Chris Jericho, Mick Foley, Jake Roberts, Steve Austin and others.

Before we get to the matches, there's the extras, which include a bunch of additional stories from various talking-heads, and a highlight reel of DDP's initial tryout videos at the AWA (this was after he sent the original "practice" tapes, but before he became an official manager at the company). The stories are worthwhile and the highlight reel is fascinating but, in the case of the latter, it goes on so long and has such poor production values (this was in the late 1980s for the third biggest wrestling company in the States, to be fair) that it's a struggle to watch it, even though the tryout section only lasts around 5-6 minutes in total. (By the way, there's a hidden scene if you right-click the middle option on the right-hand side of the story menu.)

The match selection begins with a couple of tag bouts from early on in DDP's WCW career; in fact, the first of these, whilst teaming with The Diamond Studd, is actually his first televised WCW match from what we are told. These early bouts are essentially filler, to be honest; a way to showcase DDP's transition from manager into wrestler, as opposed to being stand-out contests in their own right. One match is of note, for curiosity reasons really, and that's his teaming alongside Mike Graham against Brad Armstrong and Jushin Liger. It's a bizarre set-up, as part of the equally bizarre Lethal Lottery concept which was the basis for Starrcade 1991. It also lasts a long time for a match which, really, has no reason to exist, and on WCW's biggest card of the year too. It is cool to see Liger, though, and it's equally intriguing to see Page teaming with Vinnie Vegas (Kevin Nash), the future Diesel and, erm, Kevin Nash, and Scotty Flamingo, the future Raven, in a quickie from WCW television. Page was definitely made to earn his spot as a valued member of the roster, and perhaps it's only when you consider when these matches took place and when his future PPV main events would be held, and how popular he had become by then in the face of stiff competition, that you truly appreciate how remarkable his progression really was.

The first major DDP match on the DVD, if you can call it that, comes against Johnny B. Badd from Spring Stampede 1994. It's a decent affair, one designed to showcase Badd (Marc Mero) far more than Page, but at this point of his career DDP was still very much considered an opening match act (and sure enough, this bout kicked off that particular PPV). In addition, these two would have much better and more fondly-remembered matches on future WCW supershows, making this particular inclusion slightly confusing. Nevertheless, over the next two-to-three years, Page would hone his act, his skills and, perhaps most importantly, his character; as Eric Bischoff notes in his comments on the documentary, Page needed to shed the over-gimmicked nature of his persona if he wished to really progress. Some meaningful feuds would follow as fans began to take notice of Page and, in particular, his Diamond Cutter finishing move, which by late 1996 was starting to really get over. Nevertheless, DDP wouldn't really make much noise in WCW until he found himself in the crossfires of the nWo, which included the next bout on this collection, DDP vs. Eddie Guerrero from Starrcade 1996 for the vacant United States Championship.

This sounds like a great match on paper, and it's very much watchable, but it's clear for the first half that fans aren't massively interested, and the ending is an nWo interference special (plus, the announcers spend much of the match discussing the nWo and the Hogan-Piper main event). Mind you, it does play a part in setting up what was to come, which we get to see in the next match from Nitro in January 1997, DDP vs. Mark Starr. It's a quick squash win, but after the match comes the big moment, as Page officially becomes a marked man to the nWo by getting revenge on Kevin Nash and Scott Hall. The New Orleans crowd that night, which didn't quite sell out the Silverdome (sorry, Superdome), come unglued, and Page's popularity essentially stems from this simple yet very effective incident. By the way, the narrative that the nWo didn't create any stars or help any careers is totally false, because DDP obviously benefitted, Sting's career was revamped as the Crow and reached new heights, Goldberg would later become one of the biggest stars in the business by taking down the nWo, and even Lex Luger enjoyed previously-unimaginable popularity against the new World order.

Following this major angle, we come to the match that truly "made" Page, a wild main event against Randy Savage from Spring Stampede 1997. Although the theory for 1997-era WCW is that it was all about Hogan (and understandably so, for reasons good and bad), other members of the roster were given a chance to shine too, and this match took DDP from a popular rising star to one of the major babyfaces in the company. The result is a surprise, and the action is gripping, partly due to Savage's maniacal destruction of not only DDP but the ring announcer and even the referee. The lasting impression is of DDP, though, and he was forever grateful to the Macho Man for this bout, which only marked the beginning of a long and highly entertaining feud. We're then treated to a rare Hogan vs. DDP match from an October 1997 edition of Nitro, which unsurprisingly has a somewhat familiar ending to anyone watching Nitro in 1997. By the end of the post-match shenanigans, you almost forget whose DVD you're actually watching.

After a respectable U.S. Title bout against Curt Hennig from Starrcade 1997 and a quick Nitro win over Chris Jericho (who is just evolving into the crybaby, narcissistic and very entertaining heel that essentially launched his career), a strong Raven's Rules brawl against, erm, Raven from Spring Stampede 1998 is next, and it's clear by this point that part of Page's appeal as a wrestler is that he can adapt to any style and any situation. The contrast between this and the upcoming three matches, as well as the previous Savage and Hogan battles, indicate how reliable, talented and effective DDP could be. In another era, and had he entered wrestling a few years younger, with his popularity, it's not exaggerating to suggest that DDP could have become WCW's top babyface above even the likes of Sting and Goldberg, with the right push. Of course, Page would later taste World Championship glory a few times, but more on that shortly.

We then move onto not one but two celebrity matches: DDP and Karl Malone vs. Hollywood Hogan and Dennis Rodman from Bash At The Beach 1998, and Page teaming with Jay Leno against Hogan and Eric Bischoff from Road Wild '98 a month later. Taken for what they are (novelty bouts, albeit both PPV main events), they're entertaining; the BATB clash is the better of the two since the two celebs involved are genuine athletes, and their offence looks more credible (especially Malone's). The fascinating thing watching these two matches is how, by this point, WWF Attitude had really taken off and Raw was beginning to dominate Nitro in the ratings, for the most part, yet it's clear that WCW was still massively popular and came across as a really big deal. Who could have foreseen that, in hindsight, the company would be about to enter a serious decline and little more than 2 ½ years later, would no longer exist?

It was still going strong as 1998 rolled on, though, despite the problems which meant that, due to an overly-long running time, most fans didn't get to see the main event of Halloween Havoc, Goldberg vs. DDP for the World Title. The match was shown again on Nitro the next night (earning the show its final ratings win over Raw, but upsetting those who ordered the PPV, funnily enough), and it is also the next match on this DVD. Good thing, too, since it's a short but great encounter, arguably Goldberg's best prior to his undefeated streak coming to an end. Page has the crowd almost at a frenzy as he aims to be the first man to defeat Goldberg and, in hindsight, perhaps he should have been the man, and this should have been the moment. Nevertheless, it's still a topnotch scrap, and one of the true career highlights for both men. (Incidentally, by this point on the compilation, it almost starts to feel like a Best Of Michael Buffer collection as he has introduced a good half-a-dozen bouts by this point, in his own unique style.) Next up is a U.S. Title match against Bret Hart, which coincidentally happened to be the following night after Havoc 98, which is okay but will be familiar to collectors, as this was also featured on last year's United States Championship collection.

Unsurprisingly, the DVD includes the Fatal Four Way main event from Spring Stampede 1999, pitting Page against Hogan, Ric Flair and Sting, with Macho Man as the referee. This is the night where DDP's big dream would come true, and against some of the industry's biggest stars to boot. The match is good; it could have been better, I suppose, but I couldn't imagine that Page would have been disappointed with how things turned out for his big moment, even if some of the spots involving Savage are very much a head-scratcher. After that, we get what might have been Page's greatest ever match, a 20-minute plus thriller against Sting for the WCW World Title on Nitro. This has been seen on previous DVDs too, but it's so damn good that it's worth revisiting. On this DVD, we're also given the Four-Way match from the same night, involving DDP, Sting, Goldberg and Kevin Nash, which unfortunately is nowhere near as dramatic despite the addition of two more of WCW's top names.

A somewhat strange inclusion is next as Page and Bam Bam Bigelow battle Perry Saturn in a 2-on-1 match with the WCW Tag Team Titles at stake. What makes it odd, besides it not exactly being a classic, is how the DVD suggests that Raven was Saturn's partner, but Raven had apparently been taken out earlier on, with the void eventually being filled by Kanyon. Puzzling, but then again WCW was puzzling by this point, which contributed to its then-ongoing decline and, ultimately, its demise (along with other factors, of course). The DVD ends with a short match, yet an understandable one, as DDP defends the European Championship against Christian at WrestleMania X8. The match is alright, and it allows DDP to finally enjoy a WrestleMania moment as an in-ring competitor.

It may be stating the obvious, but the DVD as a whole does a great job of showcasing the career of Diamond Dallas Page, and why DDP meant so much not only to his fans but also to his co-workers and friends. Although one or two (minor) match selections may have been questionable, overall the bouts on offer tell the DDP story brilliantly, as he goes from an almost laughable manager-turned-wrestler to respected worker to rising star to super-over babyface to World Champion, followed by his slide in WCW's final days and more so once he came to the WWF. The documentary is engaging and informative, if a little on the short side (and, as noted, I would have liked this feature to go into more detail on how he helped Scott Hall and Jake Roberts), but it nonetheless captures exactly why so many people inside and outside the industry have a high opinion of Dallas. The Hall Of Fame tease at the very end is a great touch to end upon, and with his HOF induction imminent (Eric Bischoff will be doing the honours of inducting his old friend), there's no better time to discover why DDP deserves to be in the Hall Of Fame for his work outside the ring as much as his work in it.

It is disappointing to see how the WWF missed the boat on DDP, because he was such a big part of WCW during the 1996-2001 period, but otherwise any DDP fan will treasure this three-disc set. If you still find yourself gesturing for the Diamond Cutter today and you're ready to "Feel The Bang", I strongly recommend this DVD for you. Besides, if you watch it, it's not a bad thing, it's a good thing!

Overall Rating: 8.5/10 - Excellent

Friday 17 March 2017

DVD Review: Royal Rumble 2017

Image Source: Amazon
Written By: Mark Armstrong

Running Time: 211 Minutes
Certificate: 12
Number Of Discs: 1
Studio: Fremantle Home Entertainment
Released: March 20 2017

(Thanks to Fetch Publicity for arranging this review.)

The marketing slogan "Remember The Rumble" was used to promote the 30th annual Royal Rumble, which would arguably be the biggest in history as the show returned to the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas with a star-studded line-up across the board. Ultimately, the Rumble will be remembered for reasons good and bad, more positive than negative, as this DVD reaffirms.

Kicking off with Charlotte vs. Bayley for the Raw Women's Championship, the opener is a good one and it marks a refreshing change from the Charlotte-Sasha Banks battles on Raw (this is the first televised match for said title which doesn't involve Sasha since Extreme Rules way back in May, believe it or not). The result is logical, despite Bayley's popularity, although events since the Rumble suggest that the outcome was a bit pointless, since the title change that many assumed was being saved for WrestleMania, and ultimately was not, could have made for a big moment here at the Rumble.

Next up, Kevin Owens and Roman Reigns put on a powerful brawl for the Universal Championship, with Chris Jericho trapped above the ring in a shark cage. It's another reminder that Reigns is a strong worker despite the negativity surrounding him (more on that later), and on a personal note, since the WWE Network feed continuously entered buffering mode during the original live presentation (one such instance included the most significant spot of the entire match), the second viewing here is far more enjoyable. Rich Swann defends the Cruiserweight Championship against Neville in the following bout, which is a pretty good, hard-hitting Cruiser battle, although it still doesn't quite match expectations that fans have held for the division, which is largely down to the decision-makers rather than the combatants. Fortunately, some sterling Cruiser bouts in recent weeks suggest that things may be on the up for the purple-roped grapplers.

Before the main event, AJ Styles and John Cena rekindle their already-famous rivalry in a superb WWE Championship match. I'm not sure if this is superior to their previous SummerSlam classic or not, but the high stakes and the dome setting, combined with tremendous heat and outstanding performances make for one of the best WWE Championship encounters in years. With AJ seeking a fourth major win over Cena and the challenger looking to win his 16th World Title to (supposedly) tie Ric Flair's long-standing record, this is one hell of a match which, in any other yeay, may have been saved for WrestleMania. As it is, it makes for a more-than-worthy bout on this stage, and as an early contender for Match Of The Year in WWE (to prevent people making comparisons with clashes from NJPW Wrestle Kingdom XI, a debate that I don't have enough time to enter into), it's a must-see match. It's further evidence of how good AJ is, as well as demonstrating once and for all that Cena can damn sure wrestle, especially in big-match situations.

And so we come to the Rumble match. On the whole, it's a good Rumble match, the best since 2010 in my opinion. With quite a few big-name entrants as well as some other cool spots, surprising eliminations and first-time appearances, along with some minor surprises, all within the Alamodome environment, it's one of the more memorable Rumble bouts, and it also does a fine job of setting up several key matches for WrestleMania 33. The inevitable Brock Lesnar-Goldberg interaction (following on from their short yet unforgettable Survivor Series showdown) is effective, and enough notable spots are dotted throughout to keep one's interest. Where the Rumble faltered was in its final moments.

Now, I don't like to give spoilers but, considering how big the Rumble is, there's a good chance that you already know what I'm about to say so it isn't spilling the beans really. Even on second viewing, WWE tossing in Roman Reigns as #30 was an awful decision. It made no storyline sense (why would the anti-Authority babyface - or supposed babyface - be given a chance to enter the Rumble having lost his big title match, but AJ Styles was not?), it deflated the crowd both in San Antonio and watching at home (fans are leaving on camera, in droves, shortly after Reigns arrives but before the match ends), and it was a waste of the coveted #30 spot (fans were expecting some sort of big surprise since every announced entrant had already come in). I realise it was partially designed to set up his Mania match with The Undertaker but, if that was WWE's intention, Roman should have come in at #29, and Taker could have been an unannounced entry at #30 (announcing his participation beforehand didn't make a big difference, and it would have provided nice symmetry since Taker was #30 in the previous two San Antonio Rumbles in 1997 and 2007, the latter of which he won). The other explanation (trolling the WWE audience to make them believe another Roman win was coming, and/or to generate the "right" reaction for what was ultimately the real outcome) is essentially an acknowledgement from WWE that Roman as a babyface does not work, which begs the question: why not turn the man heel? Unless WWE plans to make Roman a villain in his WM feud with Taker, it makes for a real head-scratcher. At least the fans weren't chanting for Daniel Bryan this time.

The other complaint about the Rumble at the time, which is less apllicable upon second viewing, is the lack of major surprises. There are some unexpected entrants which I won't spoil here (Reigns aside), but fans were hoping for someone of true consequence to make a stunning debut or return. Even when you understand why those names didn't appear (Kurt Angle isn't returning until the Hall Of Fame and may not wrestle again in WWE; Finn Balor was still injured; Samoa Joe was being saved for Raw the next night; Kenny Omega wasn't contractually able to appear even if he was planning to leave New Japan Pro Wrestling for real, which he isn't), WWE could have still given us a nostalgic appearance by, say, X-Pac or Ken Shamrock or even Hillbilly Jim, rather than negating one of the Rumble's key elements. Of course, Reigns being a late surprise is like having your birthday party turn into a surprise dentist's appointment, given how much the crowd loathe his character. As stated earlier, Reigns is very good in the ring, but his character is a mess, so him appearing was always going to dampen the end of this contest. (On a personal note, I would have enjoyed the Rumble result far more had Dave Meltzer not given away the outcome days earlier which spread on social media like wildfire; that's not a criticism of this DVD, since it's a second viewing, nor of the match as a whole, since it wasn't WWE that gave away the result, but it's a reminder that those who wish to avoid spoilers may have to sidestep social media altogether next year if they want to watch the Rumble without having the winner revealed in advance.)

It's a shame that the ending to the Rumble match left such a negative feeling in one's mouth because, despite the downsides taking up more line space than the upsides, this was a really enjoyable Rumble match on the whole, and capped off one of the better all-round Rumble events in history. In fact, if the final moments of the Rumble - or more specifically, the final entrant - had been more satisfying, this probably would have been considered the greatest Rumble event of all-time. As it is, the rug is pulled out in the final minutes, but it still doesn't take away from the fact that this was a fun Pay-Per-View event to watch, boasting a classic match, several very good bouts and a Rumble main event that was undoubtedly memorable.

With the exception of the Rumble match's closing minutes, this is a great WWE supershow to own, and it marks a strong start to the year on Pay-Per-View for WWE. It remains to be seen how all of the intertwining storylines will culminate at WrestleMania 33 in Orlando, Florida on Sunday April 2 but, in the meantime, Royal Rumble 2017 is a fine way to help set the stage for WM, and makes for a very entertaining wrestling DVD.

Overall Rating: 8/10 - Very Good

Wednesday 8 March 2017

DVD Preview: Diamond Dallas Page: Positively Living

Image Source: Amazon
Written By: Mark Armstrong

Provided By: Fetch Publicity

The following story is courtesy of Fetch Publicity ...

Beginning his storied career as a manager for the AWA, many believed that Diamond Dallas Page was crazy for chasing his dream and attempting a career inside the ring at the age of 35. But through hard work, positive thinking and determination, DDP proved his doubters wrong to become one of the most popular performers in sports-entertainment and a three-time WCW World Champion. For the first time ever, hear from “The Master Of The Diamond Cutter” himself as he talks about his historic career, as he rose to the top of the industry becoming a major player in both WCW and WWE. Also witness his life outside the ring as he’s now known the world over for his DDP Yoga, a life-changing exercise tool. A larger than life personality with a passion for life, this is Diamond Dallas Page: Positively Living.

Synopsis:

Match Highlights:

World Championship Wrestling - March 14 1992
Diamond Dallas Page & Cactus Jack vs. Dustin Rhodes & Barry Windham

WCW Starrcade 1996 – December 29 1996
WCW United States Championship Match
Diamond Dallas Page vs. Eddie Guerrero

WCW Spring Stampede 1997 – April 6 1997
Diamond Dallas Page vs. Randy Savage

WCW Monday Nitro – January 5 1998
WCW United States Championship Match
Diamond Dallas Page vs. Chris Jericho

WCW Halloween Havoc 1998 – October 25 1998
WCW World Heavyweight Championship Match
Goldberg (Champion) vs. Diamond Dallas Page

WCW Spring Stampede 1999 – April 11 1999
WCW World Heavyweight Championship Four Corners Match (Randy Savage is Special Guest Referee)
Ric Flair vs. Hollywood Hulk Hogan vs. Sting vs. Diamond Dallas Page

WWF WrestleMania X8 – March 17 2002
WWF European Championship Match
Diamond Dallas Page vs. Christian

Plus, more action, extras and Blu-ray exclusives!

We like it because:

Is there a more likable person in sports-entertainment than Diamond Dallas Page? His trademark good vibes are infectious, and they make Positively Living a truly feel-good collection!

DDP’s rise from charismatic manager to World Champion makes for fascinating viewing, with candid interviews and stories from some top industry stars. It’s a nostalgic trip from the history of sports-entertainment, and a reminder of what a unique superstar DDP was – and why he was a major factor in the success of WCW during the Monday Night Wars.

There’s a real emotional core too, as the documentary looks at how DDP Yoga has turned around the lives of countless people, including some WWE legends. It’s a truly heartfelt and inspiring story.

This set is big on classic action too, featuring an incredible selection of DDP matches with the likes of Sting, Goldberg, Randy Savage, and Bret Hart, some of the greatest superstars to ever step in the ring.

Don’t miss out on the ultimate Diamond Dallas Page collection!

Diamond Dallas Page: Positively Living will officially be released on DVD and Blu-ray on Monday March 27 2017.

For more information, click here.

Friday 3 March 2017

DVD Review: Roadblock: End Of The Line 2016

Image Source: Amazon
Written By: Mark Armstrong

Running Time: 179 Minutes
Certificate: 12
Number Of Discs: 1
Studio: Fremantle Home Entertainment
Released: March 6 2017

(Thanks to Fetch Publicity for arranging this review.)

Since the Brand Extension, there has been a theme with the single-brand PPVs, and the single-brand television output for that matter. Whilst SmackDown has largely impressed despite having a fairly small crew of wrestlers to mix and match with, Raw has generally been a case of "good but not great" even though it boasts a more star-studded roster, partly due to the occasionally questionable creative decisions relating to the red brand (such as Triple H turning on Seth Rollins in spectacular fashion in August 2016, only for HHH to not appear on Raw to address the situation for more than five months). Roadblock: End Of The Line, like Clash Of Champions and Hell In A Cell before it, is a good snapshot of the Rad brand in general, as despite some strong in-ring action, the card ultimately feels underwhelming as a whole.

Before I begin the review proper, I should mention that this was the second Roadblock event of the year, following the Network special in March 2016. As such, note that this DVD is for the Raw-brand PPV, not the March event headlined by Triple H vs. Dean Ambrose (incidentally, the original Roadblock show would have made an excellent DVD extra if this were a two-disc release, but it was not to be).

Anyway, the show arguably peaks in the opening match, as The New Day's record-breaking WWE Tag Team Championship reign hits an, erm, roadblock against Cesaro and Sheamus in a really good doubles encounter with a clever finish. Mind you, seeing the path that the titles (which, by the way, would be remodelled the very next night on Raw) has taken since this PPV, the outcome seems a bit of a waste upon second viewing, and perhaps could have been saved for the upcoming WrestleMania 33 (a show which New Day, who had been champions since SummerSlam 2015, will be hosting whilst trying to launch their own brand of ice cream as things currently stand).

Next up, Sami Zayn battles Braun Strowman in a bout where the storyline dictated for Zayn to last ten minutes with big Braun (or BRRRRAUUUUNNNN!, as popular Internet memes would say). It was built well on television beforehand, and the execution is decent on the night, so in that respect it's a success, even if it seems like light years ago when rewatching it just eleven weeks later. Seth Rollins meets Chris Jericho in match three, which is a competent effort that plays second fiddle to the ongoing JeriKO storyline which, at the time, seemed to be part of the "best friends" seeing their bond exploding. As such, it's a watchable bout but, had it occurred three or four years earlier when Jericho was slightly younger and quicker, and aside from a larger plotline, it probably would have been a lot better.

The following Cruiserweight Championship three-way between Rich Swann, TJ Perkins and Brian Kendrick is a perfect example as to why the division as a whole hasn't set the world alight: the talent work hard and put together some nice sequences, but they are restricted when it comes to the high-flying moves that most consider to be synonymous with the cruisers. Indeed, there's barely any high-flying moves here, and whilst one doesn't necessarily want to tag all performers below 205 pounds with the acrobatic style, I have no doubt that fans would be far more invested in the division if Swann, Perkins, Kendrick and others could demonstrate what they can really do. Case in point: the post-match capers (which I won't spoil here) receive the undesired reaction, partly for this very reason.

The Raw Women's Championship Iron Man match between Sasha Banks and Charlotte is probably the bout that Roadblock will be most remembered for, due to the fact that females receive more than 30 minutes of PPV ring time (not including entrances, post-match scenes and the excellent pre-match video, which take their overall air time on this card to around 45 minutes). It's a strong effort by both women, and the fact that their positioning on the show seems completely natural is an indication of how far women's wrestling has come in WWE since the division became red-hot in NXT. However, the finish is a bit anticlimactic, and because the early going is a bit slow (despite the very commendable execution by Sasha and Charlotte), as well as this being yet another match in an almost never-ending feud, the match as a whole comes across exactly as the Raw brand does: it has its moments and is of a high quality, but is not quite as satisfying as it could be under ideal circumstances (that this marked the third time in six months where Sasha captured the Raw Women's Championship on TV only to lose it back to Charlotte at the following PPV didn't help either).

The main event between Kevin Owens and Roman Reigns for the Universal Championship is a slight anticlimax to close the show: again, the bout has its bright spots, but there's a lengthy period of non-action unbefitting two performers of this calibre, and as with the earlier Rollins vs. Jericho match, it plays second fiddle to the Owens-Jericho storyline. It ends up having an amusing conclusion at the end of this contest, but the bout, and thus the PPV, suffer as a result. The post-match scenes are worth watching and partly justify the outcome, but the match really exists to set up a rematch at Royal Rumble, meaning that this main event is a transitional match as opposed to a true headline attraction in its own right. The DVD extra consists of the Kick-Off bout between Rusev and Big Cass (as part of an unusual and somewhat edgy storyline relating to Lana and Enzo Amore), which is short and has a screw-job finish, but in its pre-show position, the layout of the contest is more forgivable (plus, Enzo's pre-match promo raises a few laughs).

Overall, Roadblock: End Of The Line is the weakest WWE supershow since the Draft. The best two matches (New Day vs. Sheamus & Cesaro and Sasha vs. Charlotte) don't shine as brightly as the best encounters on previous cards held by Raw (Cesaro vs. Sheamus at Night Of Champions), SmackDown (The Miz vs. Dolph Ziggler at No Mercy) or both (the men's Raw vs. SmackDown clash from Survivor Series). The card was well-built beforehand, but some of the creative decisions - not for the first time by any means - let down the pay-offs that we get on the night. In the end, it simply feels like a more important edition of Raw (I can't say "longer", since Raw is three hours) rather than a PPV extravaganza. Roadblock: End Of The Line, therefore, is not a must-see show, but it should provide some decent entertainment over the course of its duration.

Overall Rating: 6.5/10 - Okay

DVD Preview: Royal Rumble 2017

Image Source: Amazon
Written By: Mark Armstrong

Provided By: Fetch Publicity

The following story is courtesy of Fetch Publicity ...

For 30 years, Royal Rumble has been a stepping stone for superstars to rise to legendary status by getting the chance to headline WrestleMania. Which superstar from Raw or SmackDown will take their career to the next level? “The Phenomenal” AJ Styles and John Cena write the next chapter in their historic rivalry in a match for the WWE World Championship. WWE Universal Champion Kevin Owens faces challenger Roman Reigns with Kevin Owens’ best friend suspended high above the ring in a shark cage! And WWE Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair looks to extend her famed Pay-Per-View winning streak against Bayley! Buckle up, because we are now on The Road To WrestleMania!

Synopsis:

Match Listing:

30-Man Royal Rumble Match

WWE Championship Match
AJ Styles (Champion) vs. John Cena

Universal Championship No Disqualification Match (Chris Jericho suspended above the ring in a shark cage)
Kevin Owens (Champion) vs. Roman Reigns

Raw Women's Championship Match
Charlotte Flair (Champion) vs. Bayley

Cruiserweight Championship Match
Rich Swann (Champion) vs. Neville

Plus, more action, extras and Blu-ray exclusives!

We like it because:

Royal Rumble kicks off every year with a huge bang. It’s arguably the most anticipated night in the WWE calendar, as fans wait for the thrills and surprises of the Royal Rumble match - not to mention finding out who will go on to main event WrestleMania!

Royal Rumble 2017 is particularly historic, returning to San Antonio’s huge Alamodome - the very building where Shawn Michaels became WWE Champion and Stone Cold Steve Austin won his very first Royal Rumble 20 years earlier.

And the action more than lives up to the scale and significance of the event.

John Cena and AJ Styles dazzle once again in an electric match, the final chapter in what will be remembered as one of the all-time great rivalries.

There’s a hard-hitting brawl between Universal Champion Kevin Owens and Roman Reigns, who put their bodies on the line in a vicious No Disqualification match - and you won’t believe the shock ending!

There’s more thrilling action in the Raw Women’s Championship and Cruiserweight Championship matches, plus the Royal Rumble itself - one of the greatest Rumble matches in the event’s illustrious history.

With surprise entries, shocking eliminations and earth-shattering collisions between WWE’s biggest superstars, this is one not to be missed!

Royal Rumble 2017 will officially be released on DVD and Blu-ray on Monday March 20 2017.

For more information, click here.