DVD Review: NXT - From Secret To Sensation

Image Source: Amazon

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Running Time: 408 Minutes
Certificate: 12
Number Of Discs: 3
Studio: Fremantle Home Entertainment
Released: November 13 2017

(Thanks to Fetch Publicity for arranging this review.)

The second DVD release dedicated to NXT, From Secret To Sensation takes a different approach to the original Greatest Matches DVD. In this new compilation, we get a countdown of the top 25 NXT performers in history, along with more than a dozen matches from 2011 to 2017. I'm not sure whether the title is relevant, considering that we only get a basic run-down of the history of NXT (it would have been more appropriate if we were treated to a full-length documentary here), but otherwise fans should be excited at getting another home release on what is arguably WWE's most popular brand, at least amongst the die-hards.

Part of the reason for this is that the countdown feature is really enjoyable. It's a tried-and-tested formula, and we have actually just had a countdown on the 30 Years Of Survivor Series DVD. However, what differentiates this particular main feature is that we're shown the evolution of each performer during their time on NXT, which in many cases was pretty dramatic. For example, Becky Lynch and Sasha Banks both showed up as plain performers with no distinguish features. They left NXT as The Lass Kicker and The Boss, two clearly-defined and unique characters with an appetite for stealing the show in the ring and with huge fan followings which have followed them to the main roster.

It's fascinating to see the likes of Bayley, Sami Zayn and Alexa Bliss during their earliest days in NXT. It's particularly notable to see Tyler Breeze begin his NXT career as the bland Mike Dalton, whose persona was nonexistent. Contrast that with Prince Pretty, whose selfie-obsessed character was a real highlight of NXT, and his current work alongside Fandango in the current Fashion Files segments on SmackDown. Add to that some cool comments from NXT performers past and present (even if we get some occasional kayfabe opinions), and plenty of archive footage, and you have a pretty compelling countdown programme, arguably the best of this nature that WWE has put out.

From there, we move onto the bonus matches. Up first is a real rarity, a clash between future New Day members Big E Langston and Xavier Woods from an NXT pilot show in December 2011, though it is on the short side. Next is Seth Rollins defending the NXT Championship against Corey Graves, though it came at a time when NXT tapings would be considered a separate world from main roster WWE, which includes a lack of storyline progression. For instance, Rollins had previously been a white-meat babyface champion, but without explanation on NXT TV, he was suddenly a heel as a member of The Shield.

Bo Dallas vs. Bray Wyatt is a decent showcase of both men, and it's now bizarre to see Bo in the babyface role. Antonio Cesaro vs. Sami Zayn is the forgotten chapter of their NXT feud, coming after Sami's first night on NXT but before their Match Of The Year contenders in August 2013 and February 2014; that being said, it's still a really good encounter. Then, Alexander Rusev puts in a strong showing against Dolph Ziggler, which likely boosted his odds of making the main roster the following year, and Paige vs. Sasha Banks is fun too, though the big moment comes after the match when Sasha turns heel on Paige, paving the way for her to become The Boss.

Adrian Neville and Tyler Breeze put on a fine battle in an early 2014 NXT clash, which fans are more than fired up for, and Bo's NXT exit against Big E (who had been on the main roster for ages by this point) is entertaining too. But the next match is the first truly great match on the compilation, as Neville, Zayn, Breeze and Tyson Kidd collide in a terrific Fatal Four Way clash from the first NXT TakeOver. A quick-fire win by Baron Corbin over then-jobber Elias is followed by a slow-burning epic between Kevin Owens and Finn Balor for the NXT crown, which predates their more famous battles in the summer of 2015.

Disc three opens with an outstanding NXT Women's Championship clash between Sasha Banks and Becky Lynch, the match that made me a real fan of NXT at the time. The subsequent Sasha-Charlotte battle is also very good, though it's a shame that Sasha vs. Bayley under Iron Man rules is nowhere to be found. What makes up for this is the inclusion of the superb Sami-Shinsuke Nakamura bout from TakeOver: Dallas, which may just be the best NXT match ever. Following this is the house show bout between Finn Balor and Samoa Joe, which features great action prior to a title switch that very few saw coming (certainly not the fans in attendance, who go crazy when Joe earns the gold crown).

Bayley makes her only in-ring appearance against Alexa Bliss, shortly before both ladies left for the main roster; they put in a great effort, and this may be better than any of their main roster collisions this year. Bobby Roode vs. Tye Dillinger at TakeOver: Toronto, in what is essentially a battle of the super-over entrances, and Asuka vs. Ember Moon from TakeOver: Brooklyn III (held less than three months ago) bring the DVD to a close. Asuka vs. Ember is particularly impressive, and at the time I was convinced that Moon would finally end Asuka's undefeated streak that night. Obviously, I was wrong.

I was disappointed that there are no tag team matches on this DVD, because NXT does doubles wrestling better than just about any other brand or promotion (or at least they did during the division's 2016 peak). The Revival alone had more than one classic match with both American Alpha and DIY, so it's unfortunate that none of these bouts made it in. It would have also been nice to see Finn Balor vs. Neville from TakeOver: Rival (an amazing contest), Zayn vs. Cesaro from the first ever TakeOver, and a couple of other vintage NXT contests which weren't on the original Greatest Matches collection. This leads me to believe that we will indeed get a full DVD documentary on NXT in around 12-18 months, likely featuring these matches and others, such as the upcoming War Games showdown in Houston.

Otherwise, though, this is a fantastic wrestling DVD. The countdown is a lot of fun, and almost every match has something to offer, with several contests being of a classic standard. I think it's a slight step down from Greatest Matches Vol. 1, but if you're new to NXT, or if you're a longtime fan of the brand wanting to relive some of its biggest moments to date, then you should really enjoy From Secret To Sensation.

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 Review: Finn Balor: Iconic Matches

Image Source: Amazon

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Running Time: 73 Minutes
Certificate: 12
Number Of Discs: 1
Studio: Fremantle Home Entertainment
Released: April 17 2017

(Thanks to Fetch Publicity for arranging this review.)

The Iconic Matches series continues with Finn Balor. It's a cheap and cheerful series of WWE compilations, featuring just a couple of bouts at a bargain price. It's also debatable as to whether the matches in question are truly "iconic". However, all three showdowns included on the Finn DVD are worth watching, and the timing of its release is clever since Balor has just returned from a long injury lay-off (although he may now be looking at more time off following a concussion suffered at the hands, or the forearm, of Jinder Mahal on Raw this past Monday).

The first match pits Balor against (Adrian) Neville from NXT Takeover: Rival from February 2015, which is a superb encounter, and Neville's last major scrap before departing the NXT brand. Next up is Balor vs. Tyler Breeze from NXT Takeover: Unstoppable from May 2015, a clash which is a fine start to what was a(nother) exceptional Takeover event, and a demonstration as to what Breeze can do if given the opportunity (which he rarely is on the main roster). Finally, it's Finn challenging Kevin Owens for the NXT Championship at Beast In The East from July 2015, and in the intimate surroundings of Tokyo's Budokan Hall, a venue synonymous with Balor while he competed in New Japan Pro Wrestling as Prince Devitt, there's a big-fight feel to what is another strong battle. Incidentally, Balor is the Demon for all three of these bouts, so if you're a fan of the Demon persona (and who isn't?), this is an added treat to the action on offer.

Considering the budget-friendly nature of this DVD, this is as good a mini-collection of Finn Balor as one can expect. All three matches are either really good or excellent, and the Demon entrances are worth reliving too. Finn Balor fans will obviously be interested in this, but other WWE fans should pay the fiver or so to get this one, since it's a perfect retrospective of Balor's early days in NXT, as well as a glimmer of what we can expect from Finn on the main roster over the next few years in WWE.

Overall Rating: 7.5/10 - Good

DVD Preview: Finn Balor: Iconic Matches

Image Source: Amazon

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Provided By: Fetch Publicity

The following story is courtesy of Fetch Publicity ...

Relive three iconic matches from Finn Bálor‘s time in NXT and discover why his quiet, deadly precision and his periodic transformation into the terrifying "Demon King" has made Finn Bálor a firm fan favourite with the WWE Universe!

Synopsis:

Match Listing:

NXT Takeover Rival 2015 - February 11 2015
Finn Bálor vs Neville

NXT Takeover Unstoppable 2015 - May 20 2015
Match To Determine The #1 Contender To The NXT Championship
Finn Bálor vs Tyler Breeze

Beast In The East - July 4 2015
NXT Championship Match
Finn Bálor vs Kevin Owens

We like it because:

Finn Bálor is one the New Era’s most exciting Superstars: athletic, charismatic, and occasionally demonic. He’s also a bona-fide worldwide wrestling sensation!

The mysterious Irishman has won multiple championships and wherever he goes across the globe, fans love him – his legend has spread fast across countries and continents.

This collection features three of his best matches on his journey to becoming NXT Champion and the first ever Universal Champion in WWE. It shows just what an incredible talent he is – not to mention his almost supernatural connection with the WWE Universe.

Whether you’re just discovering Bálor or you’re already a hardcore fan of his “Demon” personae, this is an essential part of your collection!

Finn Balor: Iconic Matches will officially be released on DVD on Monday April 17 2017.

For more information, click here.

NXT Greatest Matches Vol. 1

Image Source: Amazon

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Running Time: 427 Minutes
Certificate: 15
Number Of Discs: 3
Studio: Fremantle Home Entertainment
Released: March 14 2016

The story of NXT is one of the most remarkable of the last decade in wrestling.

Beginning in 2010 as a supposed platform to find WWE's next breakout star through reality-inspired competitions, the handling of the show was largely flawed. Whilst some future stars did get their main roster start on this version of NXT (Daniel Bryan, Wade Barrett and AJ Lee amongst them), the show was filler at best and highly inconsequential at worst (the fifth and final season lasted for over 15 months and didn't even have a winner!). It was WWE-lite and at times pathetically handled. Fortunately, things changed in June 2012 when the show was revamped as a weekly platform for most developmental names, with block TV tapings based out of Full Sail University in Orlando, Florida, and with Triple H handling the booking far away from Vince McMahon and co.

Since then, the brand has slowly grown from an adequate developmental output into a superb showcase for future names and independent scene stars under WWE contracts, boosted by the usually-sensational Takeover specials held a few times a year. The brand has now reached the point where NXT is running big-stage arenas and selling them out (including international jaunts), and it could even be placed on the level of WWE's flagship shows as a top brand, in terms of its importance.

This DVD uses memorable matches and interview clips with those involved to tell that story, as there are several elements which explain the brand's success (not all of which are covered here, admittedly). There's the emphasis on progression up the ranks, both on the show and to Raw and SmackDown once a talent is deemed ready. There's old-school logical booking. There are distinctive personalities with well-defined characters. There are strong division ranks for men, women and tag teams. There's a first-class group of talent, which constantly evolves and always finds suitable replacements for promoted stars. And there's the topnotch wrestling action which ensures that every Takeover show is must-see, boosted by a desire from all to steal the show.

It has resulted in NXT becoming the gem of the WWE Network, and a cult following perhaps not seen since the Attitude Era became the coolest wrestling product around. It takes the WWE first-class presentation, the ECW/ROH "steal the show at all costs" mentality, the TNA level of pure wrestling talent and the old-school storytelling, and creates one hell of a wrestling product. (Plus, it's all within a PG environment, which is further pleasing to WWE management.)

Back to the DVD, then. The 2010-2 era is briefly touched upon, but no bouts are shown (Daniel Bryan vs. Chris Jericho from the very first episode would have been a fitting start). So, we open with Seth Rollins beating Jinder Mahal to become the first NXT Champion. This is harmed by Seth's Curb Stomp annoyingly being edited out, but this is fine to watch, as are the other early matches. Big E Langston's shot at Seth's gold came at a time when NXT storylines still clashed with events on Raw and SmackDown as Big E, by the time this bout aired, was on main roster TV as a heel despite still being a babyface on NXT.

Next, we get a Bray Wyatt bout against Chris Jericho from 2013, in a preview of their 2014 feud (by the way, this was still the period when main roster names would make guest appearances on NXT). The other big strength of NXT has been its role in redefining women's wrestling, the seeds of which are sown by a surprisingly good Paige vs. Emma match from the summer of 2013 to crown the first NXT Women's Champion.

The first really good match comes from Sami Zayn facing Antonio Cesaro in a 2 Out Of 3 Falls match, broadcast in August 2013, which has an electrifying final chapter. This serves as a preview of the consistently-fantastic wrestling action to come on NXT, and was the first sign that previously-uninterested fans should perhaps start checking out the show. Disc one ends with a great old-school technical wrestling match between Cesaro and William Regal (Regal's last match to date), which was broadcast on Christmas Day 2013.

Disc two opens with Triple H telling the story behind the NXT Takeover concept and the main event of Takeover #1, a good Ladder match between Bo Dallas and Adrian Neville for the NXT Title, which acts as a bridge to the new era of NXT where top-quality talent would dominate the main event scene. We then get Charlotte vs. Natalya for the vacant Women's Title from Takeover #2, which was a big step towards women's wrestling stealing the show on major events, although it would be topped in the future (as we see later in the DVD). After that is a short Tyler Breeze music video, before we get back to the action.

A strong Zayn vs. Tyson Kidd from an October 2014 episode of NXT is followed by Sami's outstanding NXT Title match against Neville from Takeover: R-Evolution, and has a huge surprise in the post-match angle. By now, the brand had caught the eye of the hardcore fans, and this show was ultimately a massive success. More than the first Takeover, this truly marked the arrival of NXT, with the roster now boosted by the signings of Finn Balor, Hideo Itami and Kevin Owens. Not forgetting the ladies who put on an incredible Fatal Four Way match at Takeover: Rival from February 2015 to close disc two. Charlotte, Sasha Banks, Becky Lynch and Bayley discuss their impact on NXT and then showcase their ability in this belter of a match. Amazingly, even better would come from the NXT women later on.

Disc three kicks off with the Zayn-Kevin Owens main event from Takeover: Rival, which tells a great story amidst topnotch action. Footage from the Arnold Classic event demonstrates the brand's expansion outside Orlando, and we get an unseen gem from the event in Neville vs. Cesaro. This and the subsequent match between Hideo Itami and Tyler Breeze (held on a live NXT event in San Jose, California over WrestleMania 31 weekend that drew a huge crowd, and a bout where Hideo gets a massive pop for using the GTS; previously his finisher in Japan, but later adopted by CM Punk in WWE) are without commentary (and Hideo vs. Tyler is shot on a "fan cam"), but the viewing experience of neither match really suffers as a result. After that, we see a six-person tag from a June 2015 episode of NXT, pitting Enzo Amore, Colin Cassady and Carmella against Blake, Murphy and Alexa Bliss, which at least gives the hugely popular Enzo and Big Cass tandem some exposure on this DVD.

Next, it's the first DVD appearance (quite late in the programme) of Finn Balor as he challenges Owens for the NXT Title in Japan at Beast In The East. This thriller is followed by a simply outstanding match, arguably the best of 2015, between Sasha Banks and Bayley from Takeover: Brooklyn. The brand was now strong enough to fill major arenas, and this bout (the apex of the superb NXT women's division) was superior to anything at SummerSlam in the same venue (the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York) the following night. The DVD ends with the final of the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic tournament from Takeover: Respect as Finn Balor and Samoa Joe take on Rhyno and Baron Corbin after a tribute segment on Dusty, who played a vital role in the growth of so many NXT performers before his 2015 passing.

This DVD is fantastic. It perfectly illustrates the growth of NXT with a collection of consistently superb matches; there are more great straight wrestling bouts between a variety of talent on this DVD than perhaps any other WWE release to date. And it becomes clear that the talent themselves have played a vital role in the expansion of NXT: Sami Zayn was the brand's MVP, but there's also Neville, Sasha, Bayley, Tyler, Finn, Owens, Charlotte, Becky, Joe, Hideo, Enzo and Cass and many more, just as the likes of Shinsuke Nakamura are making the brand must-see right now.

The DVD does have some slight flaws: besides the edit of Seth Rollins' finisher in the first match, the DVD could actually do with more bouts (only five on disc two), and Sasha vs. Becky from Takeover: Unstoppable (an incredible match) is a notable omission. Ditto the Iron Man match between Bayley and Sasha from Takeover: Respect, although we do get their Brooklyn classic. But you can't have everything, I suppose.

This is WWE's best DVD of the year thus far, and from a pure wrestling standpoint, it's one of the greatest WWE compilations ever. Diehard fans of the show will love this DVD, but if you've never watched NXT and have been wondering what the buzz is all about, this is the perfect introduction to the brand that is changing the face of WWE and wrestling as a whole. Buy it today!

Overall Rating: 9/10 - Outstanding