Hell In A Cell 2012

Image Source: Amazon

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Running Time: 166 Minutes
Certificate: 15
Number Of Discs: 1
Studio: Fremantle Home Entertainment
Released: January 28 2013

Unlike previous years, where WWE would overload the Hell In A Cell card with too many HIAC matches (there were three in 2009, none of which were particularly necessary), the 2012 event kept things simple with just the one Cell bout, a well-built collision between longtime WWE Champion CM Punk and the undefeated, Goldberg-like Ryback. That being said, it is another match which stands as the main reason to see this DVD.

Starting chronologically: Randy Orton vs. Alberto Del Rio is a good opener, if not the best match that the two could put together, followed by an entertaining yet forgettable bout pitting Team Hell No (arguably WWE's hottest act at the time of this PPV) against Team Rhodes Scholars. Kofi Kingston vs. The Miz is good, though, and a reminder that both men can deliver a thrilling contest despite each man's reduced status in recent times. Conversely, while well-executed, Antonio Cesaro bvs. Justin Gabriel isn't a PPV-calibre match, nor is Rey Mysterio & Sin Cara vs. The Prime Time Players

Fortunately, we get quite the unexpected treat in Sheamus vs. Big Show, which ends up being the best or second-best World Heavyweight Championship contest of 2012. The finish is a shocker, but in a good way, and Sheamus enhances his reputation by being able to get such a great match out of Show at this point in the giant's career; however, Show deserves credit for his performance, which rounds off what has been his best year in a long time. Eve Torres vs. Kaitlyn vs. Layla is a flat follow-up to Sheamus vs. Show, and despite the exciting build-up and intrigue as to who would win, WWE was in a no-win position to book CM Punk against Ryback in a Cell match (Ryback replaced the injured John Cena), as a defeat for neither man sounded particularly useful. As it is, WWE delves into its back of tricks to try and enhance both men's characters regardless of the result, but suffice it to say, Ryback's momentum hasn't quite been the same since he was fast-tracked into losing a PPV main event, just three months after beating Curt Hawkins and Tyler Reks in a PPV filler attraction. Match quality is okay, but it's nowhere near as memorable as The Undertaker vs. Triple H in the same structure nearly seven months earlier at WrestleMania XXVIII.

Mind you, Hell In A Cell 2012 is still an adequate show. Would I recommend buying it on DVD? Erm, not really: Sheamus vs. Big Show is well worth watching, and there are some good bouts elsewhere on the card, but I would only suggest that you buy this DVD if you see it at a discount price. A fun event, but not a must-own.

Overall Rating: 7/10 - Respectable

Survivor Series 2012

Image Source: Amazon

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Running Time: 163 Minutes
Certificate: 12
Number Of Discs: 1
Studio: Fremantle Home Entertainment
Released: March 11 2013

Compared to last year's Survivor Series, held in Madison Square Garden and hosting the in-ring return of The Rock as well as the beginning of CM Punk's historically-long WWE Title reign, Survivor Series 2012 is a more low-key event, with some of its content indistinguishable from typical action on Raw or SmackDown. Mind you, it features some good bouts and a major development at its climax, so it is also far from a dud either.

The opening 10-man Survivors match, whilst unannounced and feeling like filler, is enjoyable and contains some nice spots, all of which make it a fine way to start proceedings (although it demonstrates how far Rey Mysterio's star has fallen since his return from a long lay-off in July). Eve Torres vs. Kaitlyn is superior to typical Divas Title matches in recent times, whilst Antonio Cesaro vs. R-Truth really does exist solely to fill PPV time.

Big Show vs. Sheamus isn't as good as their corker at Hell In A Cell, but it is still a strong effort by both men, and despite the frustrating finish for a card of this significance (it's the third year in a row that the World Heavyweight Championship match at Survivor Series doesn't have a proper ending), the post-match scenes at least keep the crowd engaged and distract them from the fact that this was only a bridge to extend the feud between Show and Sheamus. The following Survivors match pitting Team Foley (although Mick is only a manager) against Team Ziggler is rather entertaining, but since this was originally meant to see CM Punk captain the heel squad, one wonders why the match really has reason to happen. It does see Dolph Ziggler achieve a major moment in his career, though.

The main event between CM Punk, John Cena and Ryback for the WWE Title is no better or worse than any three-way that you're likely to see, despite it being arguably the strongest match that WWE can present involving its full-time stars at present. What makes this match stand out is the arrival of Seth Rollins, Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose (since named The Shield), who make a huge impact in their WWE main roster debuts. If their fortunes since then have told us anything, it's that the trio represent the future of the company, and so this could one day be looked at with the same fondness as Survivors debuts for the likes of Rocky Maivia, Kurt Angle and The Undertaker.

That being said, their run-in is not enough to justify the purchase of this DVD, since on the whole it's an insignificant chapter in the history of Survivor Series. There's some good action for sure, but on the whole, the show (which, by the way, makes an error with its match listing on the back cover; see if you can spot it if you pick up a copy) is one that only die-hard fans and collectors will be interested in reliving. An entertaining show, but by no means WWE's best of the year.

Overall Rating: 6.5/10 - Okay

TLC 2012

Image Source: Amazon

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Running Time: 169 Minutes
Certificate: 15
Number Of Discs: 1
Studio: Fremantle Home Entertainment
Released: March 25 2013

TLC 2012 could end up being remembered as one of the most significant events of its kind in the years to come, as it featured a stunning debut for three men who could one day rule the roost, so to speak, in WWE. If that isn't a recommendation for the DVD of this show, I don't know what is, but I will elaborate nonetheless.

The action kicks off with a fun Tag Team Tables match pitting Rey Mysterio and Sin Cara against Team Rhodes Scholars, which has a sweet-looking finish. The next two matches are standard fare, with Antonio Cesaro facing R-Truth again and Kofi Kingston battling Wade Barrett once more (the latter is the best of the two bouts). The event really turns around, though, with an incredible TLC Match pitting the new group of The Shield against Team Hell No and Ryback. What initially seemed like a basic substitute for the planned TLC scrap between Ryback and CM Punk (Punk's knee injury put paid to that, although he does appear on this card to cut a promo from the stands) ends up being an absolutely stunning brawl with loads of memorable spots (some of which appear to be extremely painful), and which puts over the new unit of Seth Rollins, Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose in superb fashion.

Eve Torres vs. Naomi was never going to be able to follow that, but it is decent nonetheless, and Big Show vs. Sheamus under Chairs rules is another surprisingly good battle between the two, even if the result is a head-scratcher. An impromptu six-man tag serves the multi-purpose of giving 3MB some Pay-Per-View exposure, turning Alberto Del Rio babyface, solidifying The Miz's own face turn, and bringing back The Brooklyn Brawler for one night. It's totally skippable, but the Brooklyn crowd (which were mostly hot all night) do give it a respectable response. Lastly, John Cena and Dolph Ziggler graft in their Ladder match for Ziggler's Money In The Bank briefcase, but it feels unnecessary and should have been earlier on the card, allowing the TLC match to main event, erm, TLC. The finish is a surprise (and a welcome one, judging by the crowd reaction), but it still doesn't feel like a worthy headline attraction.

Nevertheless, TLC is one of WWE's top shows of the year (not for the first time), boasting a Match Of The Year contender along with strong support elsewhere on the card. Even if you don't usually buy PPV events on DVD, I would suggest that you add TLC 2012 to your collection to witness the phenomenal debut match - maybe the best "first match" for anyone on the main roster in WWE history - of The Shield.

Overall Rating: 8/10 - Very Good

Extreme Rules 2013

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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

Payback 2013

Image Source: Amazon

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Running Time: 173 Minutes
Certificate: 12
Number Of Discs: 1
Studio: Fremantle Home Entertainment
Released: August 26 2013

Despite a familiar line-up and the feelings of relative staleness due to the end of WrestleMania Season, Payback 2013 is surprisingly a great show to watch, and therefore the DVD should provide you with plenty of entertainment.

Here's why: after a very well-received opener for the Intercontinental Title, pitting Bad News Barrett against The Miz and Curtis Axel (replacing Fandango), we get the best Divas Title match since the days of Trish Stratus and Lita as AJ Lee and Kaitlyn put on one hell of a battle. Dean Ambrose vs. Kane admittedly has that filler feeling to it, but the same cannot be said about Dolph Ziggler vs. Alberto Del Rio, which is a World Title with a difference, namely the incredibly stiff offence (based around Ziggler's real-life concussion issues) and a double turn, which is well-executed.

CM Punk returns from a two-month absence to put on a thriller with Chris Jericho, and while the set-up of Daniel Bryan and Randy Orton vs. The Shield feels strange, it is nevertheless a lot of fun to see. The Three Stages Of Hell bout between John Cena and Ryback is a decent main event, even if it is actually one of the weaker matches on the card, albeit due to the high standard of several matches which came before it. The pre-show match between Sheamus and Damien Sandow is also worth watching.

So, don't let anyone tell you that WWE is only interesting on PPV in the run-up to WrestleMania, because Payback 2013 proves evidence to the contrary, and therefore becomes a DVD that is pretty highly recommended.

Overall Rating: 8/10 - Very Good

Battleground 2013

Image Source: Amazon

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Running Time: 197 Minutes
Certificate: 15
Number Of Discs: 1
Studio: Fremantle Home Entertainment
Released: January 6 2014

The first Battleground event has a decent line-up, but strangely misfires in several ways, making it feel like a glorified episode of Raw. Therefore, whilst not terrible, the DVD is a bit of a struggle to watch.

The opening Hardcore match between Alberto Del Rio and Rob Van Dam is pretty good, to be fair, and the big tag team showdown between The Shield and the combo of Cody Rhodes and Goldust is very dramatic.

However, there is too much filler. Besides an admittedly impressive spot at the finish, The Great Khali and Santino Marella vs. The Real Americans isn't PPV-worthy, nor is Curtis Axel vs. R-Truth. CM Punk vs. Ryback is mediocre and has a counterproductive finish. AJ Lee vs. Brie Bella is a step down from the matches between AJ and Kaitlyn. Kofi Kingston vs. Bray Wyatt has one highlight, that being Wyatt's spider-walk. And whilst Daniel Bryan vs. Randy Orton is a very good match, the finish is abrupt, a bit senseless and ends the show, and the DVD on a low note.

Mind you, the DVD has more bonus features than usual. Dolph Ziggler vs. Damien Sandow is thepre-Battleground bout, and as well as some additional interviews and angles, we're also treated to the Raw main event from the next night as Bryan, Cody and Goldust face all three members of The Shield.

Battleground has some really good matches, but they will likely up on future compilations, meaning you are best saving your money for those DVDs instead. One for die-hard collectors only.

Overall Rating: 5.5/10 - Above Average