DVD Review: Survivor Series 2017

Image Source: Amazon

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Running Time: 256 Minutes
Certificate: 12
Number Of Discs: 2
Studio: Fremantle Home Entertainment
Released: January 22 2018

(Thanks to Fetch Publicity for arranging this review.) 

The 31st annual Survivor Series originally looked set to be vastly inferior to the 2016 instalment, with Goldberg's place being filled this time around by the suddenly-pushed, rarely-praised Jinder Mahal. Then, AJ Styles captured the WWE Championship, which meant that fans would instead be treated to a Brock-AJ dream match. Alongside some big-name additions to the men's elimination match, and the excitement generated by the ongoing brand warfare storyline, Survivor Series looked set to be one of the year's most memorable cards.

It kicks off on a high note with The Shield battling The New Day, in the dream match that you never realised you wanted to see; given the high quality action on display, though, it's a damn good thing that we got it. This is followed by the women's elimination match, which unfortunately suffers from several glaring botches, but still achieves its main goal of elevating Asuka to the position of being Raw's hottest rising star in the female division.

Next up, Baron Corbin and The Miz manage to put together an enjoyable match in spite of both men being heels, which is a tough task to pull off (Maryse even gets involved in the action despite being pregnant!). Following this, The Usos add to their resume of excellent doubles matches in 2017 against Sheamus and Cesaro, who have gone from being the team that nobody wanted to being the team that - pardon the pun - sets The Bar for tag team wrestling on the red brand. Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss' encounter would have been more intriguing if Brock Lesnar weren't in the subsequent match, since this telegraphed the result (due to the ongoing brand rivalry scoreline), but the action is still well worth watching, and is arguably the best match that each competitor had in 2017.

Then, we're treated to a fantastic match between Brock Lesnar and AJ Styles. This is the sort of match which elevates Styles in the eyes of those running WWE, as an incredibly talented yet relatively small wrestler manages to put Lesnar at believable jeopardy on several occasions (Lesnar's selling of the Calf Crusher is fantastic). It's also one of Brock's best matches all decade. If you buy this DVD for one match, this is that bout.

The wheels unfortunately come off for the main event, which somehow changed from being all about brand supremacy (and Kurt Angle's position as Raw General Manager) to a Triple H showcase. This is evidenced by the pre-match promo videos, which puts HHH on the level of The Rock or Steve Austin, and by the developments of the main event itself. It becomes all about HHH, including the result, and we're still waiting to see if HHH will face Braun Strowman (via costing him the Universal Championship at Royal Rumble?) or Kurt Angle (in yet another struggle for control of Raw) at WrestleMania 34. Until then, and even at that point, the Survivor Series main event feels like a let-down: it starts off fine, but then loses momentum, and ultimately disappoints in the end.

The bonus footage consists of three matches from the Kick-Off Show. Elias vs. Matt Hardy is a typical pre-show encounter, whilst Enzo Amore vs. Kalisto for the Cruiserweight Championship doesn't quite capture the attention of the fans in Houston. Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn taking on Breezango in the pre-show slot feels weird, but their real purpose is to interfere in the main event, and the fall-out of this (namely, Shane McMahon swearing revenge on KO & Zayn, with Daniel Bryan attempting to maintain a balance of fairness, thus leading to Shane and Bryan being at odds) has been the lead storyline of SmackDown ever since.

It's a shame that the main event lost its way from a booking standpoint, because the rest of Survivor Series is tremendous; it was a sure-fire contender for Show Of The Year, but one cannot help but feel disappointed by how the headline attraction degenerated (another unintentional pun) into an excuse to promote Triple H over most of WWE's biggest stars, 18 years after his first WWF Title win (in other words, many years after fans would deem it acceptable). If you can overlook the closing scenes, then Survivor Series is a great show, and it all makes for a very enjoyable wrestling DVD.

Overall Rating: 8/10 - Very Good

DVD Review: WWE Best Pay-Per-View Matches 2017

Image Source: Amazon

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Running Time: 547 Minutes
Certificate: 15
Number Of Discs: 3
Studio: Fremantle Home Entertainment
Released: January 8 2018

(Thanks to Fetch Publicity for arranging this review.)

Once again, WWE has provided a round-up of what it considers to be the top PPV matches of the previous year on DVD. And once again, the final two months of the year are omitted, presumably due to the timing of its release (meaning that such crackers as Brock Lesnar vs. AJ Styles from Survivor Series are ignored), but it's clear that this will not change anytime soon. So, let's move onto what IS here - because there's plenty to cherish.

Not least the first match on the set, which to me is the best WWE match of the entire year; AJ Styles and John Cena put on a terrific performance at Royal Rumble with the WWE Title at stake, with over 52,000 spectators looking on. Next, we get a hidden gem in Randy Orton vs. (a pre-Bludgeon Brothers) Luke Harper from Elimination Chamber, and an outstanding Chamber contest for the WWE crown, which sees Bray Wyatt temporarily take his place as SmackDown's top dog.

The focus then shifts to WrestleMania 33, with three memorable yet very different matches. AJ shines again opposite Shane McMahon in the unexpected show-stealer. John Cena & Nikki Bella vs. The Miz & Maryse exists purely to set up Cena's proposal to Nikki after the match, and to be honest, the bout doesn't belong on this particular DVD. Better is the short yet blistering brawl between Goldberg and Brock Lesnar, which concluded their feud on a high. It's interesting that The Undertaker's last match against Roman Reigns (which headlined Mania) isn't here. Might this be a hint that Taker plans to wrestle one more time?

As for Reigns: he pops up next to face Braun Strowman at Payback as part of their superb rivalry. This follows the Bayley-Alexa Bliss clash from the same show, which elevated Bliss to the position of Raw's #1 female, while unfortunately beginning Bayley's rapid decline. Jinder Mahal's shock WWE Title win over Randy Orton from Backlash is next, and whilst not a great match, it's probably the pick of Jinder's tumultuous WWE Championship reign, which in itself was one of the year's biggest stories.

We then get a firecracker of a Fatal Five Way from Extreme Rules, followed by a match involving five females; the first women's Money In The Bank Ladder match. I still maintain that James Ellsworth having a hand in the finish (quite literally) was a neat heat-seeking device, though I realise why it upset a lot of people, given the historic nature of the occasion. Great Balls Of Fire is then represented by another brief yet exciting war between Lesnar and Samoa Joe, and whilst it's a shame that The Hardyz are nowhere to be seen here, we do get The Usos and The New Day, whose rivalry was only just getting started in their Battleground stormer that is featured to close disc two.

The best two matches from the main card of SummerSlam appear next: a superb doubles clash pitting Cesaro and Sheamus against Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose, and the incredible Fatal Four Way main event that sees Strowman come across as the biggest monster on planet Earth (not the documentary). Another Fatal Five Way clash follows, with the Raw women's division getting a real chance to shine, and the first Roman Reigns-John Cena showdown from the same No Mercy event (which I still maintain should have been saved for a WrestleMania, even if that was the point of the build-up).

To round things off, we have Shane McMahon vs. Kevin Owens under Hell In A Cell rules from the event of the same name (which features a trademark crazy Shane bump and a shock heel turn for Sami Zayn), and the thrilling meeting of Finn Balor and AJ Styles from TLC (which was only announced around 48 hours beforehand, due to Bray Wyatt going down with an illness). There are no extras to speak of, but Renee Young being on hosting duties makes up for that, right?

It's always tricky to be able to recommend these PPV compilations at a time when the WWE Network allows fans to watch all of these matches and more, along with tons of other content, for only £9.99. Assuming you're not a Network subscriber, though, or if you're simply an avid wrestling DVD collector, then you should love this three-disc set. There's barely a dull match to be found, and almost all of the year's top supershow encounters are here, along with almost all of the company's most featured performers being spotlighted at some point. The Best PPV Matches series rarely disappoints, and the 2017 edition is no different, making it a fine way to kick off WWE's year of DVD releases.

Overall Rating: 8.5/10 - Excellent

DVD Preview: WWE Best Pay-Per-View Matches 2017

Image Source: Amazon

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Provided By: Fetch Publicity

The following story is courtesy of Fetch Publicity ...

2017 was another monumental year for WWE. New Superstars became household names, dream matches became a reality, and the Superstars of Raw and SmackDown Live raised the level of competition in the world of sports-entertainment. Now, you can witness the greatest matches of 2017 in this exclusive collection! From the legendary first-time encounter between John Cena and Roman Reigns to the show-stealing WrestleMania match pitting AJ Styles against Shane McMahon and the first-ever Women’s Money in the Bank Ladder Match, 2017 left the WWE Universe wanting more!

Match Highlights:

Royal Rumble 2017 – January 29 2017
WWE Championship Match
AJ Styles (Champion) vs. John Cena

WrestleMania 33 – April 2 2017
Universal Championship Match
Goldberg (Champion) vs. Brock Lesnar

Payback 2017 – April 30 2017
Roman Reigns vs. Braun Strowman

Great Balls Of Fire 2017 – July 9 2017
Universal Championship Match
Brock Lesnar (Champion) vs. Samoa Joe

SummerSlam 2017 – August 20 2017
Raw Tag Team Championship Match
Sheamus & Cesaro (Champions) vs. Dean Ambrose & Seth Rollins

No Mercy 2017 – September 24 2017
Raw Women's Championship Fatal Five Way Match
Alexa Bliss (Champion) vs. Sasha Banks vs. Bayley vs. Nia Jax vs. Emma

Hell In A Cell 2017 – October 8 2017
Falls Count Anywhere Hell In A Cell Match
Shane McMahon vs. Kevin Owens

TLC 2017 – October 22 2017
“The Demon” Finn Bálor vs. AJ Styles

Plus much more action!

We like it because:

This is your chance to own the very best matches from one of sports-entertainment’s greatest ever years!

With Raw and SmackDown Live competing for brand dominance, the level of action and intensity was raised even further in 2017 – proof that the Superstars of WWE just get better and better!

And this collection has it all, from Royal Rumble and WrestleMania to SummerSlam and TLC!

Witness the dominance of Roman Reigns, the rise of Jinder Mahal, the numerous challengers to Brock Lesnar’s Universal Championship, and the phenomenal talents of AJ Styles!

Relive the reunion of Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose, the brutality of Samoa Joe, and the monstrous strength of Braun Strowman!

You’ll also see how it’s been another groundbreaking year for the women of WWE. The Women’s Money In the Bank Ladder Match is not just history in the making, but an incredible display of jaw-dropping action – plus there's even more from the Women’s Evolution!

Don’t miss out on this historic collection!

WWE Best Pay-Per-View Matches 2017 will officially be released on DVD on Monday January 8 2018.

For more information, click here.

DVD Review: WWE Double Feature: No Mercy 2017 & Hell In A Cell 2017

Image Source: Amazon

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Running Time: 381 Minutes
Certificate: 15
Number Of Discs: 2
Studio: Fremantle Home Entertainment
Released: November 27 2017

(Thanks to Fetch Publicity for arranging this review.)

The streak of inconsistent Double Feature DVD sets - with the Raw event generally offering value for money while the SmackDown show being sub-par - finally ends here with the latest release. That's because No Mercy delivers two major main event matches alongside some great action further down the card, whilst Hell In A Cell delivers what it promises with two exciting and memorable Cell encounters book-ending a decent under-card.

Starting with No Mercy, The Miz vs. Jason Jordan is a watchable opener, though Jason's attempts to gain acceptance from the fans as Kurt Angle's "son" take another hit here, both with the result and with the hostile reaction from the Los Angeles crowd. Finn Balor vs. Bray Wyatt is okay but nothing special, but the opposite is true for Seth Rollins & Dean Ambrose vs. Sheamus & Cesaro. Traditionally, the PPV rematch is inferior to the original, especially when the first encounter is a damn good one, but this is another absolute thriller between these four men, and it features Cesaro losing his teeth via a slingshot into the post in a pretty gruesome visual.

The high standards are maintained in the Fatal Five Way match for the Raw Women's Championship, which in my opinion is the best female match on WWE PPV so far this year, featuring a strong effort by all involved. Speaking of effort, John Cena and Roman Reigns graft in their first-time encounter, which despite a quiet early section lives up to the hype (such promotion included some savage shoot-style promos on Reigns by Cena). That being said, I still feel that this should have been saved for WrestleMania; sure, that was the selling point of No Mercy, but this is one of the very few matches that WWE has involving its regular crew which could credibly headline its biggest show of the year. Perhaps they'll meet again further down the road, but had this taken place at Mania, it would have had much more impact.

Moving on, Neville vs. Enzo Amore is a deliberately one-sided match with a shock finish, and the Cruiserweight Championship shenanigans would unfortunately lead to Neville walking out of WWE a few weeks ago (though the rumour mill suggests that he may be back fairly soon). Finally, Brock Lesnar vs. Braun Strowman sadly ends the show on a bum note; it's not a bad match, but it doesn't generate half the excitement that their spots at SummerSlam (and even their promo interactions on Raw) created, partly because the structure of the match prevented this from happening. It feels more like a technical chess match than a battle of two monsters. I didn't agree with those who also felt this match could have main evented a WrestleMania, and on the evidence here, it's a good job that they didn't.

It's a shame, because Strowman had a ton of momentum heading into this card. And while I didn't seriously believe that he would dethrone Lesnar, I thought that the booking would have allowed him to put up more of a fight than he did prior to taking the loss. Hogan vs. Andre at WM III, this wasn't, and it regrettably ends the otherwise sparking No Mercy with disappointment. The Kick-Off Show match between the ever-entertaining Elias and the underrated Apollo Crews is included as a DVD extra.

Onto Hell In A Cell now (which incidentally features some great transitional graphic effects involving a skull), and we open things up with a tremendous doubles HIAC clash between The New Day and The Usos. It has a little too much comedy for such a serious stipulation at first, even given New Day's laid-back personalities, but it soon develops into a great brawl. Though I felt that their SummerSlam showdown was slightly superior, this is still an excellent way to end the WWE tag team feud of the year.

Next up, Randy Orton and Rusev compete in a proper match, making up for their incredibly short meeting at SummerSlam. AJ Styles vs. Baron Corbin vs. Tye Dillinger is a respectable three-way for the United States Title (Tye was only officially added during the Kick-Off Show); it isn't particularly memorable, but it does allow Corbin to finally rebound from his week from hell during the mid-summer where he lost his Money In The Bank briefcase and then a SummerSlam match with John Cena. Natalya vs. Charlotte is just getting going when a DQ finish is pulled out, marking yet another PPV clash between two very talented ladies where the booking becomes a hindrance.

Jinder Mahal vs. Shinsuke Nakamura is a slight improvement on their previous PPV bout, but it's still average at best, and while I disagree with those who say that WWE has "ruined" Nakamura, his chances of winning the WWE Title against anybody not named AJ Styles take a major hit here. As does Bobby Roode's momentum, since his first PPV bout with Dolph Ziggler is run-of-the-mill, and with a finish (babyface Roode holding the tights) that doesn't benefit anybody. Ziggler was once the master of getting his opponent over; given this match and the Shinsuke bout from Backlash, those days seem to be long gone, though whether you blame that on Dolph or on WWE is a matter of opinion.

Finally, Shane McMahon and Kevin Owens collide in a Hell In A Cell match, set up by Owens and Shane's TV confrontations and KO destroying Vince (who is now 72, remember). It's pretty long, but it's better than Shane's Cell match with The Undertaker from WrestleMania 32, and it features Shane's hair-raising elbow off the top of the Cell. Most notably, though, a big surprise at the finish involving Sami Zayn creates a shock finale, and ends HIAC 2017 with a bang. Presumably because this match ran so long, the HIAC Kick-Off Show match between Chad Gable/Shelton Benjamin and The Hype Bros has been cut.

Though the WWE landscape has changed dramatically since these two shows were held (and No Mercy, the least recent of the two cards, was only two months ago, with Hell In A Cell being only seven weeks in the rear-view mirror), this Double Feature set packs in a lot of action and some of the year's more memorable moments, making up for the low moments, and so this is a twin-disc DVD that I would recommend.

Overall Rating: 7.5/10 - Good

DVD Preview: WWE Double Feature: No Mercy 2017 & Hell In A Cell 2017

Image Source: Amazon

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Provided By: Fetch Publicity

The following story is courtesy of Fetch Publicity ...

The latest Double Feature DVD from WWE, combining two exciting Pay-Per-View events. From the Raw brand is No Mercy, headlined by the huge clash between “The Beast” Brock Lesnar and “Monster Among Men” Braun Strowman. And from SmackDown LIVE comes Hell in a Cell, which sees Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn do battle inside the demonic 20-foot steel structure.

Match Highlights:

No Mercy 2017

Universal Championship Match
Brock Lesnar (Champion) vs. Braun Strowman

John Cena vs. Roman Reigns

Raw Women's Championship Fatal 5-Way Match
Alexa Bliss (Champion) vs. Sasha Banks vs. Bayley vs. Emma vs. Nia Jax

Raw Tag Team Championship Match
Seth Rollins & Dean Ambrose (Champions) vs. Sheamus & Cesaro

Hell In A Cell 2017

Hell In A Cell Match
Kevin Owens vs. Shane McMahon

WWE Championship Match
Jinder Mahal (Champion) vs. Shinsuke Nakamura

SmackDown Tag Team Championship Hell In A Cell Match
The New Day (Champions) vs. The Usos

SmackDown Women's Championship Match
Natalya (Champion) vs. Charlotte Flair

United States Championship Triple Threat Match
AJ Styles (Champion) vs. Baron Corbin vs. Tye Dillinger

Plus even more action!

We like it because:

This is the most exciting Double Feature DVD from WWE Home Video UK yet!

No Mercy features two of the biggest clashes in recent history, with the epic collision between Brock Lesnar and Braun Strowman – plus the battle of generations between John Cena and Roman Reigns. It’s a historic contest that takes no prisoners. Can Cena prove he’s still the face of WWE? Or will he have to step aside for the hungry young warrior, Roman Reigns?

Elsewhere, the Raw women’s division puts on an incredible display the Fatal 5-Way match, while Rollins and Ambrose vs. Sheamus and Cesaro is a Match Of The Year contender.

The Superstars of SmackDown LIVE prove they can match Raw at Hell in a Cell.

The New Day vs The Usos brings a new level of brutality to WWE tag team competition, while there’s a shock ending to the Hell In A Cell match.

Don’t miss out!

WWE Double Feature: No Mercy 2017 & Hell In A Cell 2017 will officially be released on DVD on Monday November 27 2017.

For more information, click here.

DVD Review: SummerSlam 2017

Image Source: Amazon

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Running Time: 267 Minutes
Certificate: 15
Number Of Discs: 2
Studio: Fremantle Home Entertainment
Released: October 9 2017

(Thanks to Fetch Publicity for arranging this review.)

There are two issues with SummerSlam these days. One is that it immediately follows an NXT Takeover show which greatly emphasises the in-ring product over sports entertainment. The second is that the show's four-hour length means that certain matches are guaranteed to come across as filler, which is why the overall reactions to recent SummerSlams has been mediocre at best.

The same response applied to this year's show, and the 2017 SS definitely isn't one of the greatest in the history of the event. However, there are still some topnotch battles and fun moments to be had when reliving the card, meaning that certain parts of the 30th annual SummerSlam are definitely worth checking out.

This doesn't include the underwhelming opening match, though, where John Cena doesn't leave second gear and Baron Corbin's nightmare week (having lost his Money In The Bank cash-in bout the previous Tuesday) ended with a defeat in a match that he had to win. I enjoyed Naomi vs. Natalya as the Queen Of Harts earned her second Women's Championship in style, even if the Brooklyn crowd seemed disinterested.

Big Cass' win over Big Show serves the purpose of giving him an, erm, big victory, though the match is not the best that I feel these two could deliver. Randy Orton's quick-fire defeat of Rusev is something different, but another potentially enjoyable match is denied as a result. Alexa Bliss vs. Sasha Banks is pretty good, though, and the result is a pleasant surprise.

The Demon rises next as Finn Balor meets Bray Wyatt in a decent fight. Then, we finally get a truly thrilling match as Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins challenge Cesaro and Sheamus for the Raw Tag Team Championships in a great doubles scrap (though Cesaro randomly running into the crowd to burst a beach-ball was the highlight of the match, and the entire show, to me).

Shane McMahon as special guest referee adds a new layer to the AJ Styles-Kevin Owens rivalry, which ends here having generally undelivered compared to what it could have been in the eyes of the fans. Jinder Mahal vs. Shinsuke Nakamura is predictably disappointing, and those who expected Shinsuke to tear it up here must now be wondering whether the 'old' Nakamura will ever make a return.

Fortunately, SummerSlam ends on a high note with one of the best WWE matches of the year. Brock Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns vs. Braun Strowman vs. Samoa Joe is a terrific brawl, a classic example of a four-way in a WWE ring, and a superb showcase of Strowman as an absolute monster. If you only watch one match from SummerSlam, this has to be it.

The DVD extras are the three Kick-Off matches. The six-man tag is hampered by taking place in front of an almost-empty arena, but Akira Tozawa vs. Neville is really good, and The New Day vs. The Usos is outstanding, somehow topping their previously exceptional clash at Battleground.

So, SummerSlam 2017 covers every spectrum on the quality scale, with some great matches, some good bouts, some average scraps and some major disappointments. The bonus matches elevate this to the rating below, as the main show seemed a bit of a let-down with only two excellent matches out of a possible ten. But it's still a really fun DVD to watch, as you will recognise when reliving the Biggest Party Of The Summer.

Overall Rating: 7.5/10 - Good

DVD Preview: SummerSlam 2017

Image Source: Amazon

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Provided By: Fetch Publicity

The following story is courtesy of Fetch Publicity ...

WWE’s second biggest show of the year and the biggest party of the summer ... it’s SummerSlam! Coming from the Barclays Center, the main event shakes the foundations of Brooklyn when Brock Lesnar defends the Universal Championship against Roman Reigns, Braun Strowman and Samoa Joe in a Fatal Four Way Match. And “The King of Strong Style” Shinsuke Nakamura gets his first chance at WWE gold when he faces “The Modern-Day Maharaja” Jinder Mahal for the WWE Championship. Plus much more!

Match Highlights:

Universal Championship Match
Brock Lesnar (Champion) vs. Samoa Joe vs. Braun Strowman vs. Roman Reigns

WWE Championship Match
Jinder Mahal (Champion) vs. Shinsuke Nakamura

Raw Women’s Championship Match
Alexa Bliss (Champion) vs. Sasha Banks

Raw Tag Team Championship Match
Sheamus & Cesaro (Champions) vs. Seth Rollins & Dean Ambrose

SmackDown Women’s Championship Match
Naomi (Champion) vs. Natalya

United States Championship Match with Special Guest Referee Shane McMahon
AJ Styles (Champion) vs. Kevin Owens

Bray Wyatt vs. Finn Bálor

John Cena vs. Baron Corbin

Plus even more action!

We like it because:

Second only to WrestleMania, SummerSlam is one of the most exciting and hotly anticipated events in the WWE calendar, and this year’s edition was earth-shattering!

The Universal Championship Fatal Four Way is simply electric, with four of WWE’s most powerful Superstars demolishing each other for a chance to hold Raw’s number one title. Particularly impressive is Braun Strowman’s man-handling of “The Beast” Brock Lesnar – a moment that turns the “Monster Amongst Men” into an unlikely anti-hero!

But it’s far from a one-match show, as there’s incredible action from top to bottom!

Sasha Banks proves she really is The Boss as she tries to win her fourth Raw Women’s Championship. Baron Corbin challenges the veteran 16-time champ John Cena in a sizzling match-up. And Shinsuke Nakamura tries to overcome the odds by striking Jinder Mahal and the Singh Brothers wit his patented “Strong Style”!

There’s also major drama as Shane McMahon referees a heated grudge match between AJ Styles and Kevin Owens over the United States Championship. Shane promises to call it down the middle, but anything can happen in WWE.

Also unmissable is the reunion of former Shield brothers Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose, plus Finn Bálor unleashing the “Demon” on Bray Wyatt!

Be sure to pick up this historic night of action on DVD & Blu-ray!

SummerSlam 2017 will officially be released on DVD and Blu-ray on Monday October 9 2017.

For more information, click here.

DVD Review: WWE Double Feature: Great Balls Of Fire 2017 & Battleground 2017

Image Source: Amazon

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Running Time: 363 Minutes
Certificate: 15
Number Of Discs: 2
Studio: Fremantle Home Entertainment
Released: September 18 2017

(Thanks to Fetch Publicity for arranging this review.)

For the third time, the Double Feature PPV sets demonstrate which is the superior brand in WWE right now. The Raw show Great Balls Of Fire is a real thrill-ride (but not the Ultimate Thrill Ride; that was WrestleMania 33, remember?), whereas the SmackDown show Battleground is pretty poor. The way in which Raw has gained momentum and SmackDown has lost momentum since the Superstar Shake-Up is fascinating, and yet the evidence is clearly on show here, with big matches and star power carrying the red brand, whereas baffling pushes, strange booking and disappointing performances mostly define the blue brand.

Great Balls Of Fire starts with a decent battle between Seth Rollins and Bray Wyatt. It's not the greatest match you'll see this year, nor is it backed up by a particularly strong storyline, but it's worth watching nonetheless. Next up is Enzo Amore vs. Big Cass as part of their well-booked divorce of sorts. Cass looks totally dominant here, which he needed to be if he is to succeed as a heel going forward. Up third is an excellent doubles encounter: a 30-minute Iron Man Match between Sheamus & Cesaro and The Hardy Boyz for the Raw Tag Team Championships. It favours storytelling and believable action over spots, which is refreshing, and the final moments are as dramatic as any finish that you'll see.

Sasha Banks' challenge for Alexa Bliss' Raw Women's crown is a little disappointing; the action is fine, but the finish sucks, if I'm being honest. The Miz' Intercontinental Title defence against Dean Ambrose is also underwhelming, at least compared to their longer and superior effort at Extreme Rules a few weeks earlier. Fortunately, things pick up big-time with the Ambulance match between Roman Reigns and Braun Strowman: this is an incredible match presentation, with some great brawling throughout leading to a surprise finish, and a memorable post-match angle that sees Reigns ram an ambulance with Strowman (who won, by the way) inside into an 18-wheeler truck.

The shenanigans from this continue into the abruptly-staged Heath Slater vs. Curt Hawkins match, for which we don't even see the finish due to the focus on Strowman. The only downside to this huge angle is that, within two weeks, it was essentially abandoned, though it did help move Braun even further up the card as a true monster. Finally, Brock Lesnar's Universal Championship defence against Samoa Joe could have benefitted from lasting a few more minutes, but it's still a gripping fight to see, and fans are on their feet throughout for this epic dream match. Overall, then, it's not without its flaws, but Great Balls Of Fire is a strong show that leaves a positive lasting impression on the viewer.

If only the same could be said for Battleground. It starts in grand fashion with a fantastic SmackDown Tag Team Title match between The Usos and The New Day, which is the underrated feud of the year in my opinion. But the show falls off a cliff from there, starting with Shinsuke Nakamura's disappointing clash with Baron Corbin. As things stand, Nakamura's main roster run is the let-down of the year, and despite what some fans may say, you have to put some of this down to Shinsuke; do you think WWE would tell him to basically wrestle in second-gear for months on end, as he has mostly done? Corbin wasn't an ideal opponent at this point, and the crap finish does nothing to help matters.

The problem with the subsequent Fatal Five Way to determine Naomi's next contender to the SmackDown Women's Championship isn't the action, but the fact that it's the fourth PPV running where the blue brand ladies are thrown into a multi-person affair, making this feel like incredibly lazy booking. It would have been better if Naomi had at least faced someone else (say, Tamina), but with the champion on commentary, it just feels second-rate. Speaking of which, AJ Styles vs. Kevin Owens for the United States Championship is a big disappointment, and the finish feels like something from Botchamania as something clearly goes wrong which leads to Owens becoming champion, mere weeks after AJ won the title on a house show at Madison Square Garden. In fact, Chris Jericho even admitted on a recent podcast that the finish was a balls-up, which is why AJ would regain the title days later by beating Owens and Jericho himself.

John Cena vs. Rusev in a Flag match isn't bad, but it's a re-run of a feud which had covered four supershows in 2015, and it reverts Cena, who rediscovered his edge earlier this year with shoot-style promos, into his former, bland, patriotic self. Plus, due to the stipulation, the outcome is very predictable. The same cannot be said of Sami Zayn against main roster newcomer Mike Kanellis, but the action is just average (which may explain why Kanellis hasn't featured on SmackDown very much since).

Finally, the Punjabi Prison match between Jinder Mahal and Randy Orton starts very slow, to the point that fans soon turn on the match. Things improve as the match progresses, with The Singh Brothers taking some insane punishment, and a surprise appearance by The Great Khali forming a big part of the finish. But the stipulation lets the participants down here; take away the trap door stuff and it would have been easier to create drama but, with the four doors that required a minute of what amounts to non-action, plus the two bamboo cages making it hard for fans in the arena to see, and with Jinder not being the greatest champion from an in-ring standpoint (plus Orton not always shining in long matches regardless of the opponent), this match is likely to top Worst-Of lists at the end of 2017. There have been far worse matches this year, but when you consider all the factors, this is a fitting end to a damp squib of a PPV. It speaks volumes that this lasted more than four times as long as Lesnar vs. Joe from GBOF, yet that match was far better than this one.

For some reason, the Kick-Off Show matches from both cards (Neville vs. Akira Tozawa and Tye Dillinger vs. Aiden English) are omitted; hopefully, this is a one-off, because otherwise these Double Feature sets would have no extras going forward. Also strange is that the Great Balls Of Fire song by Jerry Lee Lewis, used as the theme for the Raw PPV and is obviously the whole point of using that PPV name in the first place, is not included here. Note to WWE: if you're going to base a PPV name around a very famous song, make sure you can use it in all formats before giving it the go-ahead.

That aside, Great Balls Of Fire is by far the best of the two shows here. Great Balls merits a purchase on its own, whereas Battleground's opening contest is the only reason I would suggest to invest in that particular card. If I were ranking these separately, I would give Great Balls an 8 and, for Battleground, either a 5 or maybe a generous 5.5. With the two blended together, I've roughly gone halfway and awarded this set a 6.5.

Overall Rating: 6.5/10 - Okay

DVD Preview: WWE Double Feature: Great Balls Of Fire 2017 & Battleground 2017

Image Source: Amazon

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Provided By: Fetch Publicity

The following story is courtesy of Fetch Publicity ...

The two latest pay-per-view spectaculars from the Superstars of both Raw and SmackDown Live are brought together for one epic double-feature. Raw’s Universal Champion Brock Lesnar defends his title against Samoa Joe in a hotly-anticipated showdown at Great Balls of Fire, while SmackDown’s WWE Champion Jinder Mahal resurrects the dreaded Punjabi Prison as he faces Randy Orton at Battleground!

Synopsis:

Match Highlights:

Great Balls Of Fire 2017

Universal Championship Match
Brock Lesnar (Champion) vs. Samoa Joe

Ambulance Match
Roman Reigns vs. Braun Strowman

Raw Women's Championship Match
Alexa Bliss (Champion) vs. Sasha Banks

Raw Tag Team Championship 30-Minute Iron Man Match
Sheamus & Cesaro (Champions) vs. The Hardy Boyz

Battleground 2017

WWE Championship Punjabi Prison Match
Jinder Mahal (Champion) vs. Randy Orton

Flag Match
John Cena vs. Rusev

United States Championship Match
AJ Styles (Champion) vs. Kevin Owens

Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Baron Corbin

Plus even more action!

We like it because:

Almost a year after WWE divided its roster between Raw and SmackDown Live, the competition between the two brands to put on the most exciting show has never been better!

Raw puts on a dream match that most fans thought they’d never see take place in a WWE ring – Brock Lesnar battling Samoa Joe. What makes it even more exciting is their competitive rivalry building up to the match, with Joe showing unprecedented dominance over “The Beast”. And the much-hyped collision between the pair does not disappoint!

There’s also a serious Match Of The Year contender between Sheamus & Cesaro and The Hardy Boyz. It’s the kind of slow-burning masterpiece that fans will be talking about for years to come – a stunning conclusion to the year’s greatest tag team feud!

SmackDown Live tries to top Raw by resurrecting the Punjabi Prison for a brutal match between Jinder Mahal and Randy Orton – and there’s a GIANT surprise at the end!

There’s more controversy in the US Championship match, as AJ Styles and Kevin Owens battle for dominance. Meanwhile, John Cena makes his long-awaited return to prove he’s still the most powerful force in WWE – but can he topple the also-returning Rusev?

Don’t miss your chance to own these two awesome events on one epic double-feature!

WWE Double Feature: Great Balls Of Fire 2017 & Battleground 2017 will officially be released on DVD on Monday September 18 2017.

For more information, click here.

DVD Review: WrestleMania 33

Image Source: Amazon

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Running Time: 569 Minutes
Certificate: 15
Number Of Discs: 3
Studio: Fremantle Home Entertainment
Released: June 5 2017

(Thanks to Fetch Publicity for arranging this review.)

WrestleMania 33 has finally hit DVD. WrestleMania remains the WWE DVD to own each year, regardless of whether the event is good or bad. Fortunately, WM 33 had more to like than to dislike, and while it's not a flawless show by any means, it is an improvement over WM 32 and contains several memorable moments, all of which justify a purchase even before you consider the Hall Of Fame ceremony being included, as is tradition.

The opening video is spectacularly produced in line with the "Ultimate Thrill Ride" theme, and the first match - AJ Styles vs. Shane McMahon - is a belter which greatly exceeds expectations. Chris Jericho vs. Kevin Owens for the United States Championship is another enjoyable match, though a shade below being considered a Match Of The Year candidate. The Raw Women's Championship four-way, meanwhile, feels rushed and, whilst a commendable effort by all involved, it's inferior to the Women's Championship three-way from WM 32.

Conversely, the four-team Ladder match for the red brand doubles straps is a huge success, in large part because of the surprise return of the Hardyz to an enormous reaction, which is as surreal as it is shocking and incredibly welcome. The subsequent mixed tag match (John Cena and Nikki Bella vs. The Miz and Maryse) exists solely to set up the post-match proposal by Cena to Nikki. Judged by that criteria, it's a feel-good moment, though it won't be to everyone's tastes.

After that, we get Seth Rollins vs. Triple H. It's a lengthy and often slow match, but it maintains interest and peaks at the finish, so it's better than other HHH Mania matches which have been considered disappointments in the past, though it's still no classic by any means. Mind you, it's still better than Bray Wyatt vs. Randy Orton which is a complete let-down as a WWE Championship match on a stage like Mania; the intriguing ring projections of creepy creatures aside, the match isn't memorable at all, and feels like a standard TV bout. The result of Wyatt losing the title so quickly doesn't help, and it's all made worse by the fact that the storyline leading into this one (Randy joining the Wyatts to destroy it from within) was booked perfectly and was one of WWE's best plotline in years.

Many were dreading Goldberg vs. Brock Lesnar for the Universal Championship, but it crammed a lot of hard-hitting action into a short span of time (even if it was Spears, suplexes and finishers, and nothing else), and ultimately it was met with positive feedback on the whole, and funnily enough is one of the best matches on the show based on merit. The SmackDown Women's Championship match has a filler feeling to it, but it's not bad by any means and gives Naomi a big hometown title win. (Just realised that I forgot to mention that The New Day were hosts, and so they made occasional appearances throughout the show.)

Finally, Roman Reigns battles The Undertaker in a match which would have been great three or four years earlier, but at this stage Taker is clearly showing the signs that, despite his best efforts, he only has so much left in the tank to give. That is conveyed in the match story, with Reigns doing everything he can to slowly take Taker down and, ultimately, keep him down. Besides one noticeable botch and the slow pace to proceedings, all before an exhausted crowd (who had been there for north of six hours by this point), it's still an enjoyable match, albeit one perhaps not worthy of main event status. But we find out post-match why it went on last, as we get a very well-produced and emotional retirement ceremony for The Undertaker character, which is undoubtedly the most memorable aspect of WM 33. Amazingly, some believe that he will wrestle again, but after watching this, it's impossible to envision that this wasn't his Last Ride, as a Hall Of Fame induction in 2018 seems inevitable.

Speaking of which, the Hall Of Fame ceremony for 2017 is here. Kurt Angle leads the way for the inductees, the class for which includes Diamond Dallas Page, The Rock 'N' Roll Express, Beth Phoenix, Ravishing Rick Rude, Teddy Long and Eric LeGrande (Warrior Award winner). As with every HOF ceremony in recent years, it runs very long, and there's not as many "stories" as you might expect, but it's still a lot of fun with a fair few memorable moments and one-liners. Jim Cornette appearing to induct Ricky Morton and Robert Gibson is particularly surreal, and hopefully Corny will end up being inducted into the HOF himself in the next few years. Plus, this marks Angle's long-awaited return to WWE after many years away, so it has its place in history for that reason too. Overall, not the best HOF ceremony that you'll have seen, but still a very entertaining presentation at the same time.

The set is rounded off by the Kick-Off Show matches, which Fremantle Media squeezed onto the UK version of the DVD (meaning that US fans didn't get this bonus content). Neville vs. Austin Aries is a great Cruiserweight Championship match, proving that having a bout on the pre-show, where there is potentially more time, can be considered a good thing. Conversely, the Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal is the weakest to date, with any attempt at promoting a future star jettisoned for a celebrity moment (involving Rob Gronkowski) that was forgotten before the show had come to an end. The final pre-show match, Dean Ambrose vs. Baron Corbin for the Intercontinental crown, isn't terrible but it does feel phoned-in, and it does nothing to suggest that WWE were wrong to place this match before the main card (incidentally, this spot was meant to go to the SD women's bout, but the online backlash convinced those in charge to make this switch; we only found out moments beforehand on the night that Dean vs. Baron had been relegated to the pre-show, which is darkly comical since fans had originally been up in arms weeks earlier when there were rumours of Ambrose not making the main card).

There have definitely been better WrestleManias, and the sheer length of the card will prove taxing for the viewer (it also means that there are no other extras on the DVD; hey, they only just got to fit in the Kick-Off Show matches). It's also a show which peaks early, with the first half being almost completely enthralling, whilst the second half has more disappointing elements than spectacular ones. Nevertheless, WM 33 has something for everyone and is definitely a fun show to watch. Some of the most memorable Mania moments from recent years occurred at this show, not least the retirement of the legendary Undertaker. Add to that the HOF and the three bonus matches, and WrestleMania 33 is a set well worth owning. I've given a bonus half-point in the score below to reward Fremantle for essentially rewarding fans, since that's what wrestling is all about, right?

Overall Rating: 8.5/10 - Excellent

DVD Review: Seth Rollins - Building The Architect

Image Source: Amazon

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Running Time: 526 Minutes
Certificate: 15
Number Of Discs: 3
Studio: Fremantle Home Entertainment
Released: May 29 2017

(Thanks to Fetch Publicity for arranging this review.)

WWE's latest match compilation focuses on Seth Rollins, who in less than five years has gone from NXT star to perennial WWE main eventer and one of the company's biggest names. Promisingly, his best days may be yet to come; for the time being, Building The Architect focuses on Rollins' WWE adventures to date, with some candid comments by Seth himself between matches.

The first few matches are from Florida Championship Wrestling (FCW), WWE's developmental territory after OVW (but before the NXT revamp). These bouts include a clash with Hunico in the final match of the Jack Brisco Classic tournament, an FCW 15 title contest with Dean Ambrose, and his FCW title-winning performance against Leo Kruger. The Ambrose match is the best of the three, though all have their moments, and it's fascinating to consider that FCW was the equivalent of NXT during this era, because the thought of FCW ever expanding beyond its studio setting into major arenas worldwide, in the manner that NXT has in recent years, seems unfathomable.

Speaking of NXT, it's revealed through some blink-and-you'll-miss-it footage that Rollins was meant to be a contestant on a season of NXT during its "reality show" days, alongside Big E Langston, Bo Dallas, Hunico, Leo Kruger/Adam Rose and Damien Sandow. As it turned out, this season didn't happen, which has to be considered a good thing given that Rollins, Big E and Sandow all carved out careers on the main roster which wouldn't have been possible had this season actually happened. It's debatable as to whether or not Hunico, Dallas and Kruger would have had a greater chance of succeeding if this version of NXT had occurred.

Rollins did appear on NXT, though, becoming the first NXT Champion after the brand was relaunched from its home base of Full Sail University, taking up the form that we know today. Within a few months, though, Rollins had arrived on the main roster alongside Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose as part of The Shield, the faction which changed the WWE landscape forever and would make main event stars out of all three. Rollins still had to lose the NXT title, though, and that he did in the next match featured here against Big E.

I should mention at this point that most of The Shield's key matches were included on the 2015 DVD The Destruction Of The Shield (as well as Seth's NXT title-winning battle against current WWE Champion Jinder Mahal), so Building The Architect is light on Shield matches. There's a couple to savour, though: their match against John Cena, Sheamus and Ryback is underrated and really helped to make the three members stand out on the roster, as did their first WrestleMania appearance opposite Randy Orton, Sheamus and Big Show at WM 29, which has some great spots. The third and final Shield match comes against Cody Rhodes and Goldust from Battleground 2013, one of the better matches from that year which also features Dusty Rhodes' final significant on-screen appearance. Why the group's Extreme Rules battle against Evolution from ER 2014 is not here, I do not know.

We do see The Shield implode, though, through a major swerve that saw Rollins smash his Shield "brothers" with a steel chair. Since TDOTS covered much of the fall-out from that break-up, the next match here isn't until Royal Rumble 2015, and an awesome three-way against Brock Lesnar and John Cena. Not only was this probably the best match on the main roster in 2015, but it was also the match which truly made Rollins a singles star, and most likely played a part in his championship success later that year. After we relive Rollins vs. Randy Orton from WrestleMania 31, and that RKO, we jump ahead to the end of that card, where Rollins cashed in Money In The Bank during a Lesnar vs. Reigns match and became the new WWE World Heavyweight Champion. That Seth was a heel was not evident by the massive pop which greeted this moment (largely because it meant Roman hadn't won the title when he "wasn't ready"; over two years later, Reigns is unfortunately still being booed every night), and Rollins had officially hit the jackpot.

The next match is Rollins vs. Ambrose in a Ladder bout from MITB 2015. I've written about how I didn't particularly enjoy this in a few previous reviews, so I won't repeat that here. Instead, I'll go straight to Rollins vs. Neville, which is a fantastic Raw match whereby Neville almost does the unthinkable and so very nearly dethrones Seth. Rollins proved there why he was The Man, and he repeats this against John Cena in a slightly overrated double title match from SummerSlam of that year, which has the stench of a finish involving Jon Stewart that still seems inexplicable in hindsight.

Not many people remember that Rollins and Cena battled again inside a Steel Cage on a live Network special from Madison Square Garden, but we're treated to that match here, and it's a really good clash between the two men who were arguably WWE's best in-ring performers at that time. Sadly for Seth, a devastating knee injury sidelined him weeks later, forcing him to vacate the WWE title. After a brief appearance at the 2015 Slammys to collect his Superstar Of The Year trophy, which is shown here, Rollins would resurface at Extreme Rules 2016 to Pedigree Roman Reigns, and their follow-up match from MITB 2016 here, which along with the post-match shenanigans created the unique distinction of all three former Shield members holding the WWE title within minutes of each other.

The DVD ends with three matches that sees Rollins on the losing side, which perhaps demonstrates how his knee injury reduced his profile somewhat in the company. The first all-Shield three-way on the main roster from Battleground 2016 was overshadowed by the Draft days earlier, but it's still very good. Seth vs. Finn Balor for the Universal Championship from SummerSlam is overshadowed even more by the ridiculously negative crowd reactions to the visual look of the title, and also in hindsight by the torn labrum injury Balor suffered minutes into it; despite these, it's still an exciting match. Finally, Seth's battle with Kevin Owens under No DQ rules from a November 2016 episode of Raw thankfully has nothing to distract the viewer, and it's a strong brawl with a finish that humorously makes a reference to the real-life fight between Chris Jericho and Sin Cara from around that time.

Because so many crucial Shield matches aren't here for understandable reasons, along with a few solo Rollins bouts of note, this DVD isn't the comprehensive collection of The Man that fans may be hoping for. It does, however, contain a lot of great action, and Seth's post-Shield career contains almost all of his singles highlights from the last two years. (This DVD was produced before Seth battled Triple H at WrestleMania 33, meaning this match isn't here, which depending on your point of view is either a good thing or a bad thing.) Seth's pre-match comments add a level of insight and honesty to proceedings, which round off the package nicely. As noted earlier, Rollins will be in WWE for a long time to come, so we'll likely get another DVD at some point in the future; for now, though, fans of the Architect will love this compilation, which provides sufficient evidence that Rollins really is The Man in WWE.

Overall Rating: 8/10 - Very Good

DVD Preview: WrestleMania 33

Image Source: Amazon

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Provided By: Fetch Publicity

The following story is courtesy of Fetch Publicity ...

Welcome to WrestleMania, “The Ultimate Thrill Ride”! Brace yourself for incredible twists, unexpected turns, and unbelievable excitement! “The Beast Incarnate” Brock Lesnar challenges Goldberg for his Universal Championship – the richest prize on Raw. The intense rivalry between Randy Orton and Bray Wyatt comes to a head over SmackDown Live’s WWE Championship. Bayley defends the Raw Women’s Championship against Charlotte Flair, Sasha Banks, and Nia Jax in a Fatal Four Way elimination match. “The Architect” Seth Rollins gets his chance at revenge as he takes on “The Game” Triple H in a Non-Sanctioned Match! And Roman Reigns faces one of the biggest tests of his career when he takes on Undertaker in a No Holds Barred Match! Plus, action from all your other favourite WWE Superstars, including all three pre-show matches!

Synopsis:

Match Listing:

No Holds Barred Match
Roman Reigns vs. The Undertaker

Universal Championship Match
Goldberg (Champion) vs. Brock Lesnar

WWE Championship Match
Bray Wyatt (Champion) vs. Randy Orton

Raw Women's Championship Fatal Four Way Elimination Match
Bayley (Champion) vs. Charlotte Flair vs. Sasha Banks vs. Nia Jax

United States Championship Match
Chris Jericho (Champion) vs. Kevin Owens

Non-Sanctioned Match
Seth Rollins vs. Triple H

Raw Tag Team Championship Ladder Match
Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson vs. Sheamus & Cesaro vs. Enzo Amore & Big Cass vs. The Hardy Boyz

Mixed Tag Team Match
John Cena & Nikki Bella vs. The Miz & Maryse

AJ Styles vs. Shane McMahon

SmackDown Women's Championship Six-Pack Challenge Match
Alexa Bliss vs. Naomi vs. Becky Lynch vs. Mickie James vs. Natalya vs. Carmella

Plus all the Kickoff Show matches included in the special features:

Cruiserweight Championship Match
Neville (Champion) vs. Austin Aries

Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal

Intercontinental Championship Match
Dean Ambrose (Champion) vs. Baron Corbin

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

We like it because:

Set in Orlando’s incredible Citrus Bowl in front of 75,245 fans, this was the most spectacular WrestleMania of all-time!

No-one puts on a show quite like WWE and WrestleMania has become a true pop culture phenomenon, with stunning pyrotechnics, celebrity appearances, and – living up to its name as the “Ultimate Thrill Ride” – a jaw-dropping set with a full-size rollercoaster.

There are sensational performances all throughout the event. AJ Styles proves once again why he’s called the “Phenomenal One”, while his opponent Shane McMahon shows the WWE Universe that he’s still one of sports-entertainment’s greatest daredevils!

There’s the spine-tingling return of The Hardy Boyz after seven years away – already one of the all-time great “WrestleMania moments” – and the brutal four-way Ladder match that follows! There’s also powerhouse action as Brock Lesnar collides with Goldberg, and Bray Wyatt plays mind games with Randy Orton in a match that’s unlike anything ever seen in WWE before.

As always, WrestleMania delivers awesome entrances too. Triple H arrives with a police escort, while Charlotte Flair makes her way to the ring beneath a dazzling firework display.

But it’s The Undertaker’s walk away from the ring that makes this a truly historic event. His match with Roman Reigns has all of the excitement of WrestleMania packed into one incredible battle for the ages. It’s a hard-hitting story that grips you right to the very last seconds – and ends with heart-wrenching emotion as WWE bids farewell to the most legendary career in sports-entertainment.

Don’t miss out on owning this thrilling event and a piece of WWE history!

WrestleMania 33 will officially be released on DVD and Blu-ray on Monday June 5 2017.

For more information, click here.

Survivor Series 2016

Image Source: Amazon

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Running Time: 197 Minutes
Certificate: 12
Number Of Discs: 2
Studio: Fremantle Home Entertainment
Released: January 23 2017

(Thanks to Fetch Publicity for arranging this review.)

The 30th annual edition of Survivor Series was an unusual show, both in terms of fan expectations beforehand and what transpired on the night. In the run-up, it felt like a series (no pun intended) of potentially exciting yet ultimately inconsequential elimination bouts between the Raw and SmackDown brands, along with a rematch from WrestleMania XX in 2004 as Goldberg made his long-awaited return to collide with Brock Lesnar in what was the real draw for the card. On the night, however, the inter-brand collisions exceeded expectations overall, and Goldberg vs. Lesnar was certainly a memorable encounter if not for the reasons that anybody expected going in.

The opening five-on-five women's match is pretty good, and once again provides evidence as to how much the female division has grown in recent times when one considers the paltry time and interest allocated to the Divas' battles at Survivors events in the past (I remember that more than one were nothing more than an excuse for the announcers to make jokes). Next up, The Miz vs. Sami Zayn for the Intercontinental Championship is one more reason to suggest that Miz had an incredible comeback year in 2016, although the dodgy finish at a Survivors show in Canada elicted some groans on the night.

Possibly the biggest disappointment of the card was the five-teams vs. five-teams battle. Initially evoking memories of the classic elimination battles from the early Survivors cards which spotlighted the then-stellar tag team division, this incarnation was pretty rushed and, whilst having some eye-catching spots, didn't come close to matching the incredible battles from the late 1980s starring the likes of The British Bulldogs, The Hart Foundation and Demolition. Although it basically had a last-minute set-up, Brian Kendrick vs. Kalisto for the Cruiserweight Championship was a strong effort, featuring an insane Salida Del Sol off the ring apron by Kalisto. Again, though, a frustrating finish negated the hard work that went into the match.

The same cannot be said for the men's Raw vs. SmackDown Survivors match, which if not a classic is pretty damn close. Kevin Owens, Chris Jericho, Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins and Braun Strowman vs. AJ Styles, Dean Ambrose, Randy Orton, Bray Wyatt and Shane McMahon is superb, lasting close to a full hour and featuring a ton of stand-out spots and generally topnotch action. Even minor details like the massively-over Y2J reminding Ambrose that he still owed him $15,000 for damaging his jacket back in the spring were nice touches, and capping off with a surprising finish, the match is one of WWE's best of 2016, with the only negative being when it appeared that Shane had suffered a serious injury prior to his elimination (sorry for the spoiler, but let's be honest: who thought that Shane would have been a sole survivor?).

Then we come to the main event: Goldberg vs. Brock Lesnar. Depending on your opinion, this was either a tremendous moment providing shock value almost to the level of Lesnar ending The Undertaker's Streak at WrestleMania XXX or it was a complete disaster which damaged Lesnar's reputation, partly due to that very Streak-snapping victory, and showed that WWE has his priorities wrong. I prefer to sit on the positive side of the fence because, undoubtedly, it created one hell of a buzz, and ensured that the eventual Goldberg-Lesnar rematch (presumably at WrestleMania 33) will be even bigger and, without question, longer.

The DVD includes two bonus matches from the Kick-Off Show: a six-man tag match from the Cruiserweight division, which gets a nice response from the Toronto crowd, and Kane vs. Luke Harper. There are also bonus segments, and the Blu-ray also throws in the Goldberg-Lesnar face-off on Raw six days prior to Survivors.

I should mention that like SummerSlam, and like the forthcoming Royal Rumble, the Survivor Series card lasts (or was meant to last) four hours, which obviously means a longer running time for the show than normal, but it also means that certain matches were clearly stretched out to last longer than usual in order to cover the extended running time. Having watched it in its entirety again, it's clear that the show could easily have been squeezed into three hours had WWE gone down that route. And it probably would have been better if they had, as some matches were unnecessarily long (besides the men's elimination match, since that succeeded partly because it went so long). Conversely, and ironically, the biggest complaint about Goldberg vs. Lesnar was that it didn't last long enough.

Overall, though, one should really enjoy Survivor Series 2016 on DVD. The card as a whole may have worked better as a Network special rather than one of the "Big Four" PPV events, but there's still plenty of good action to savour, with an outstanding elimination match and an unforgettable main event spectacle. Assuming you can take the show and just enjoy it for what it is, then this is a WWE DVD that you will probably want to own.

Overall Rating: 7.5/10 - Good

Survivor Series 2016 coming soon on DVD and Blu-ray in the UK

Image Source: Amazon

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Provided By: Fetch Publicity

The following story is courtesy of Fetch Publicity ...

After 12 years in exile from sports-entertainment, Goldberg brings devastation back to the WWE ring for the long-awaited rematch against “The Beast Incarnate” Brock Lesnar. On the 30th anniversary of Survivor Series, fantasy warfare just got real! And for the first time since the Brand Extension, Superstars from both RAW and SmackDown Live go head-to-head in traditional 5-on-5 Survivor Series elimination matches – the ultimate battle for brand supremacy!

Synopsis:

Match Listing:

Brock Lesnar vs. Goldberg

5-on-5 Elimination Match
Kevin Owens, Chris Jericho, Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins & Braun Strowman vs. AJ Styles, Bray Wyatt, Randy Orton, Dean Ambrose & Shane McMahon

Intercontinental Championship Match
The Miz (Champion) vs. Sami Zayn

10-Team Elimination Match
The New Day, Cesaro & Sheamus, Enzo & Cass, The Shining Stars & Gallows & Anderson vs. Heath Slater & Rhyno, American Alpha, Breezango, The Usos & The Hype Bros

Cruiserweight Championship Match
Brian Kendrick (Champion) vs. Kalisto

5-on-5 Elimination Match
Charlotte Flair, Sasha Banks, Bayley, Nia Jax & Alicia Fox vs. Becky Lynch, Natalya, Alexa Bliss, Naomi & Carmella

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

We like it because:

As one of WWE’s “Big Four” Pay-Per-Views, Survivor Series is always a landmark event – but with “The Beast” Brock Lesnar and Goldberg facing off, this one will go down as one of the biggest moments in sports-entertainment history!

Already an infamous, highly-controversial main event, it’s a must-own match – one you’ll want to watch time and time again to to see if you can actually believe what happened!

There’s also blistering action in the traditional elimination matches. The women’s match is further proof of how far the division has come – and how incredibly talented WWE’s female Superstars are.

The men’s match delivers some fantasy warfare too, as the very best of Raw and SmackDown face off in an epic war – with such dream moments as Universal Champion Kevin Owens vs. WWE Champion AJ Styles, Braun Strowman battling his former leader Bray Wyatt, and a shocking reunion from The Shield!

Don’t miss out on this awesome and historic event!

Survivor Series 2016 will officially be released on DVD and Blu-ray on Monday January 23 2017.

For more information, click here.

Extreme Rules 2013

Image Source: Amazon

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Running Time: 183 Minutes
Certificate: 12
Number Of Discs: 1
Studio: Fremantle Home Entertainment
Released: July 29 2013

The first PPV after WrestleMania is always a struggle to maintain the momentum of the year's biggest show. However, ER '13 does a nice job, making for a rather enjoyable wrestling DVD to watch.

Fandango vs. Chris Jericho is an okay opener, while Kofi Kingston vs. Dean Ambrose is good if a bit on the short side. Sheamus vs. Mark Henry under Strap rules revives an old feud and has the potential to be rotten,. to be honest, but it's surprisingly enjoyable. Less so is Alberrto Del Rio vs. Jack Swagger with an I Quit stipulation, which is a television-level bout and therefore a weak replacement for a three-way Ladder match also involving Dolph Ziggler (Ziggler's concussion is the reason why that match didn't happen).

Team Hell No vs. The Shield is an enjoyable Tornado match, and a bit sad since it pretty much marks the end of a memorable era for the team of Daniel Bryan and Kane. Randy Orton vs. Big Show is a strong Extreme Rules match which benefits from major hometown support for Orton, but although the Last Man Standing clash between John Cena and Ryback has its moments, the finish harms much of the work which had gone into it. Fortunately, Brock Lesnar and Triple H end the show on a high with a powerful Steel Cage showdown, which finally brings an end to their year-plus rivalry. The bonus match is The Miz vs. Cody Rhodes, although it's nothing special.

Extreme Rules 2013 doesn't quite compare to the brilliant 2012 event (which marked Lesnar's comeback match for WWE in brutal fashion), but it still stands as a really exciting show, making this DVD a nice one to own should you be interested in the fall-out to WrestleMania 29.

Overall Rating: 7.5/10 - Good

SummerSlam 2014

Image Source: Amazon

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Running Time: 182 Minutes
Certificate: 12
Number Of Discs: 1
Studio: Fremantle Home Entertainment
Released: October 27 2014

SummerSlam is often considered to be WWE's second-biggest PPV event of the year. Although Royal Rumble draws greater interest, it is closely linked with WrestleMania; SummerSlam, on the other hand, is its own entity, and is actually almost a summer version of Mania. But how does SummerSlam 2014 fare, and as a DVD experience to boot? Let's see ...

After a blink-and-you'll-miss-it opening promo by Hulk Hogan, the show starts with The Miz vs. Dolph Ziggler, which benefits from a lively crowd. AJ Lee vs. Paige is surprisingly short and has a slightly shocking conclusion; the same cannot be said of the Flag match (of sorts) between Rusev and Jack Swagger which existed to promote the rise of the Bulgarian Brute, as expected.

An early highlight comes with the exciting Lumberjack match between Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins, one of the best examples of a stipulation which, admittedly, doesn't have too many classics in its history. Chris Jericho vs. Bray Wyatt is solid if unspectacular, and the much-hyped Stephanie McMahon vs. Brie Bella is decent given the participants (that includes Brie, by the way), which has another surprise en route to its finish.

Randy Orton vs. Roman Reigns is a competent match, with a few stand-out spots, although the fact that Reigns received some fairly noticeable boos was not a good sign as WWE prepares to launch a full-on mega-push for Roman. Lastly, John Cena vs. Brock Lesnar was - well, you probably already know that Lesnar dominates Cena for 90% of the match, with 16 suplexes setting up the F5-triggered outcome of a new WWE World Heavyweight Champion. The result was expected, but the match layout was not; Cena was virtually squashed by the 1 in 21-1.

The bonus features consist of the Kick-Off match between Rob Van Dam and Cesaro, a closer look into Y2J vs. Wyatt, and a few additional backstage promos.

SummerSlam is one of the truly big WWE events, and with a mixture of exciting matches, title changes, surprises and a main event which most could not have envisioned beforehand, SummerSlam 2014 is one of the more memorable editions of this event in the modern era. It's not the best SummerSlam ever by any means, but the enjoyable content and memorable moments justify a purchase for this DVD (well, if you ignore the DVD box art, which both spoils two major match outcomes and promotes The Bellas over most of the remaining members of the roster).

Overall Rating: 7.5/10 - Good

Night Of Champions 2014

Image Source: Amazon

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Running Time: 177 Minutes
Certificate: 12
Number Of Discs: 1
Studio: Fremantle Home Entertainment
Released: November 24 2014

The latest Night Of Champions event was promoted as a one-match show, with that bout not exactly getting universal acclaim. Which suggests that one should not bother buying the DVD for the show; however, a few strong bouts further down the card go some way to justifying a purchase.

Case in point: The Usos vs. Stardust and Goldust is another strong WWE Tag Team Title defence by Jimmy and Jey Uso, and has a surprising outcome. Though it had little reason to exist, Sheamus vs. Cesaro is another hard-fought slugfest between the two men; conversely, Dolph Ziggler vs. The Miz is overshadowed by the guest commentary of American country group Florida Georgia Line (seriously), making the match feel insignificant.

An angle involving all of the former Shield members (in some form or fashion) gets a major reaction, and even Rusev vs. Mark Henry draws more interest than one may have expected. Next comes the highlight of the show, a fantastic battle between Randy Orton and Chris Jericho, followed by a skippable three-way between AJ Lee, Paige and Nikki Bella. Lastly, the big Brock Lesnar-John Cena rematch from SummerSlam is somehow both one-sided in Lesnar's favour and designed to promote Cena as something akin to an invincible superhero, who even has Brock virtually beaten before the dodgy finish.

Night Of Champions 2014 exceeds expectations due to the largely-ignored under-card and mid-card putting forth some strong efforts, but realistically the selling point is Lesnar vs. Cena, in which case you would be better off watching the SummerSlam match again instead. This isn't a bad DVD to own, but the card is clearly designed as a set-up event, making it tough to recommend for purchase.

Overall Rating: 6.5/10 - Okay

Fast Lane 2016

Image Source: Amazon

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Running Time: 181 Minutes
Certificate: 15
Number Of Discs: 1
Studio: Fremantle Home Entertainment
Released: April 25 2016

Watching Fast Lane 2016 again on DVD, it feels like WWE has changed a lot since this card was held. Indeed, from new NXT call-ups to a shift in face/heel alignments to a general change in the flavour of the show, it feels like a lot more than a few months have passed since Fast Lane was held. Mind you, revisiting the card here, it's easy to see why: while the action is largely commendable, the event doesn't do much to boost anticipation for WrestleMania 32, nor is it a particularly memorable show in its own right.

After a decent opener pitting Sasha Banks and Becky Lynch against Naomi and Tamina, we get a really good Kevin Owens-Dolph Ziggler clash, albeit one which isn't much different from any other match involving either man. After a forgettable six-man tag that pits Big Show, Kane and Ryback against The Wyatt Family (which has a baffling result, incidentally), we see Brie Bella attempt to defeat Charlotte for the Divas Championship in the wake of Daniel Bryan's retirement. To be fair, it's one of Brie's better matches, but the gulf in class between the Bella-era "Diva" and the new, fresh women with previous experience on NXT is like night and day.

AJ Styles against Chris Jericho is another very good effort between the two veterans (even though this was AJ's first singles match on a WWE PPV), and it features a world-class sell-job by Jericho at the end, despite the close-call earlier on in the match which almost saw AJ dropped on his head in a set-up for the Walls Of Jericho. The Cutting Edge Peep Show segment involving Edge, Christian, The New Day and The League Of Nations starts well but soon flounders and becomes confusing more than anything as it concludes (it also has a couple of one-liners which are strange to hear on a WWE show considering the circumstances that saw Hulk Hogan fired from WWE in July 2015). An impromptu Curtis Axel vs. R-Truth match is pure filler, and the three-way main event between Roman Reigns, Dean Ambrose and Brock Lesnar is an enjoyable brawl, but one which has a very predictable outcome (the WM 32 WWE Title shot was at stake, after all), and an outcome which is greeted very negatively at that. Included is the Kick-Off Show match, a fun Two Out Of Three Falls showdown for the United States Title between Kalisto and Alberto Del Rio, which unfortunately officially marked the career drop-off for ADR.

The February PPV is often a tough sell due to the looming shadow of WrestleMania, and the DVD release of this particular Fast Lane card is an even tougher sell because, unlike the 2015 show which helped to promote around half-a-dozen Mania matches, this show is less successful at gearing fans up for Mania. Shane McMahon's shock return the next night on Raw (not included on this DVD) was the real trigger to get fans excited for the April 3 mega-show, and so you are probably best saving your money to buy the WM 32 DVD. There are some good matches here, but nothing that you won't have already seen before.

Overall Rating: 5/10 - Average

Royal Rumble 2015

Image Source: Amazon

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Running Time: 188 Minutes
Certificate: 12
Number Of Discs: 1
Studio: Fremantle Home Entertainment
Released: April 6 2015

I won't beat about the bush here: Royal Rumble 2015 is remembered for the very good and the very bad. One match is exceptional, whilst the other is so poorly-booked, one would assume upon first glance that it was a p-ss-take. Therefore, the DVD experience is undoubtedly interesting, but by no means fulfilling.

Let's begin with the good: Brock Lesnar vs. John Cena vs. Seth Rollins is incredible; one of the best Triple Threat matches in WWE history, and an early contender for Match Of The Year. The Kick-Off match included as an extra - Tyson Kidd and Cesaro vs. The New Day - exceeds expectations, partly due to a red-hot crowd. And the Rumble match itself is not entirely without merit, with some surprise appearances by DDP, The Boogeyman and, particularly, Bubba Ray Dudley (in the ECW hometown of Philadelphia, no less), and a couple of notable spots scattered throughout the match. But the praise ends there.

The opening three matches on the main card are all doubles outings but, whilst The Usos vs. The Miz and Damien Mizdow benefits from Mizdow's brilliant impressions of Miz, even this, nor The Ascension vs. The New Age Outlaws and The Bellas vs. Paige and Natalya, are up to much. And the Rumble match is a booking disaster once Daniel Bryan is eliminated in sudden, anticlimactic and deeply unsatisfying fashion. The rest of the Rumble match is tarnished due to widespread boos and a lack of excitement, with things going into overdrive once Kane and Big Show dispatch of everybody, bar Roman Reigns, ensuring a predictable let-down of a finish. Even an appearance by The Rock can't save this highly-panned match (and Rock seems uncharacteristically mean, even by the standards of his gimmick, during a post-match interview with Roman on the post-show which is included as an extra, along with a short John Cena-Rusev confrontation).

Besides the must-see 3-way match (which will no doubt be available on other compilations in future), nothing here is worth going out of your way to see unless you want a first-hand look at how not to book a major match. Take away the WWE Title match and the lowish rating would be even smaller.

Overall Rating: 5/10 - Average

Brock Lesnar: Eat. Sleep. Conquer. Repeat.

Image Source: Amazon

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Running Time: 419 Minutes
Certificate: 15
Number Of Discs: 3
Studio: Fremantle Home Entertainment
Released: October 17 2016

(Thanks to Fetch Publicity for arranging this review.)

Originally, the plan was for Brock Lesnar's latest DVD to feature a full documentary of his career, from his NCAA days to his original WWE run to his controversial exit from the company to his UFC adventures to the highlights of his WWE return. Unfortunately, while we do have some pre-match comments from The Beast Incarnate, the main documentary feature was cancelled shortly before the official DVD announcement. It's a big disappointment, because after his previous DVD Here Comes The Pain (which you can read my review for by clicking here) contained almost all of his top matches in his 2002-2004 WWE tenure, a second match collection here feels a bit shallow. There are some memorable matches on display, as you will read about shortly, but given Lesnar's part-time status, there are unlikely to be many fans who haven't seen Lesnar's output in recent years, resulting in a compilation that, without the documentary, has little reason to exist.

There is plenty of good action, though, and disc one does focus on Lesnar's original WWE run. Brock was originally on a developmental deal which saw him train in Ohio Valley Wrestling, so it's nice to have a rare OVW bout pitting Lesnar and Shelton Benjamin against the lesser-known Chris Michaels and Sean Casey from 2000. Even rarer is a non-televised scrap with Mr. Perfect from January 2002, shortly before his official WWF/WWE debut. From there, we have some slightly more memorable action in the form of a Lesnar vs. Rob Van Dam main event from Raw, at a time when Brock was far from the finished article but in the midst of a huge push nonetheless, and the disc ends with two PPV battles from 2003: a great showdown with Kurt Angle from SummerSlam, and an adequate Biker Chain scrap with The Undertaker, who would become arguably Brock's most famous opponent, from No Mercy. Discs two and three then focus on Brock's 2012-2015 WWE highlights.

From this point, the content will be familiar to anybody who owns the Best PPV Matches DVDs. Since Lesnar only has a few televised matches per year, that shouldn't be a big surprise. Nevertheless, many of the bouts are understandable inclusions: his scraps with Triple H from SummerSlam 2012 and Extreme Rules 2013 are engaging, intense brawls, and his SummerSlam 2013 battle with CM Punk was Punk's final truly great WWE encounter.

Ironically, the next two matches on the DVD were not on the Best PPV Matches 2014 collection, but they are arguably Brock's two most memorable matches since his return. Not least the first of this double-header, where Brock takes on The Undertaker at WrestleMania XXX in a bout which isn't a classic by any means, but is the most talked-about match in many years due to its unforgettable result (hint: 21-1). Then, John Cena becomes the first true visitor to Suplex City in an amazingly one-sided WWE Title defence against Lesnar from SummerSlam 2014.

After that, Lesnar faces Cena and Seth Rollins in a superb three-way from Royal Rumble 2015, and his brutal clash with Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 31 is another memorable spectacle, partly due to its surprise ending. After a quick, almost squash-like win over Kofi Kingston from Beast In The East, we have another one-sided battle between Brock and Rollins from Battleground 2015, before a surprisingly bloody and violent (by modern standards) Hell In A Cell war with The Undertaker from the show of the same name concludes proceedings.

The action is of a high quality throughout, at least from the end of disc one onwards, and Lesnar fans will consider this to be something of a near-complete collection of his most memorable moments since his WWE return in 2012 (although his comeback match, a UFC-esque destruction of Cena at Extreme Rules 2012, is strangely not included). The negatives about this DVD, besides the cancelled documentary, are that the action is a little too familiar, meaning that few die-hard fans won't already own most of the content featured here, and Brock's matches have become so one-sided and have such a predictable layout (as Paul Heyman would say, "Suplex, repeat, suplex, repeat, suplex, repeat" etc) that many fans have gotten tired of Lesnar's matches. They remain something of a must-see attraction, as evidenced by the reaction to his pummelling of Randy Orton at this year's SummerSlam, but it is about time that somebody conquered The Conqueror, otherwise his matches in late 2016, 2017 and beyond will only breed more resentment and apathy.

More than perhaps any other wrestler-specific DVD, this is one aimed primarily at fans of the man himself, given Lesnar's Marmite-like status (i.e. you either love his matches or you hate them). Since I am rating it from a neutral standpoint, I will say that this is an entertaining retrospective of Brock's comeback run, with some older bouts thrown in as a bonus, and that most of his key moments from 2012-2015 are here. If you're a big Lesnar fan, this is worth adding to your collection. Even so, a proper documentary could have elevated this into a package worthy of Brock's mega-star status; as it is, it is one which may only be fully appreciated by those who wish to take a trip to Suplex City.

Overall Rating: 7.5/10 - Good