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

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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 Preview: NXT - From Secret To Sensation

Image Source: Amazon

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Provided By: Fetch Publicity

The following story is courtesy of Fetch Publicity ...

NXT – where WWE Superstars compete before appearing on Raw and SmackDown LIVE – is responsible for producing some of the greatest talents and most successful champions in WWE. Hear from current and former NXT Superstars themselves, as From Secret To Sensation counts down NXT’s 25 greatest Superstars. Includes interviews with NXT favourites like Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn, Finn Bálor, Shinsuke Nakamura, Charlotte Flair, Sasha Banks, Samoa Joe, Bobby Roode, and more – plus some classic NXT matches!

Match Highlights:

NXT – January 2 2013
NXT Championship Match
Seth Rollins (Champion) vs. Corey Graves

NXT – September 11 2013
Paige vs. Sasha Banks

NXT TakeOver: Fatal 4-Way – September 11 2014
NXT Championship Fatal 4-Way Match
Adrian Neville (Champion) vs. Sami Zayn vs. Tyler Breeze vs. Tyson Kidd

NXT – March 25, 2015
NXT Championship Match
Kevin Owens (Champion) vs. Finn Bálor

NXT – July 15 2015
NXT Women’s Championship Match
Sasha Banks (Champion) vs. Charlotte

NXT TakeOver: Dallas – April 1 2016
Sami Zayn vs. Shinsuke Nakamura

NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn III – August 19 2017
NXT Women’s Championship Match
Asuka (Champion) vs. Ember Moon

Plus more action and Blu-ray extras!

We like it because:

Since Seth Rollins was crowned the first NXT Champion in 2012, NXT has been the hottest brand in the world of sports-entertainment – first as the industry’s best-kept secret, now as a hotbed of world-class action.

Counting down NXT’s top names, this exciting set proves just how much raw talent has passed through NXT – and why it continues to be THE place for the Superstars of tomorrow come to compete.

Most interesting is its behind-the-scenes look at NXT, with candid interviews from some of NXT’s most important superstars, many of whom have gone on to become champions on the main WWE roster.

It’s fascinating to see how some of your favourite WWE Superstars got their start – and which of NXT’s names will be future WrestleMania headliners.

It’s not just the story of individual superstars though. From Secret To Sensation is the story of the NXT brand itself, and how it has grown to become an integral part of WWE.

And this wouldn’t be a WWE home video release with incredible action, featuring some of the best matchups to take place in NXT rings over the last few years.

Don’t miss out!

NXT - From Secret To Sensation will officially be released on DVD and Blu-ray on Monday November 13 2017.

For more information, click here.

DVD Review: Fight Owens Fight – The Kevin Owens Story

Image Source: Amazon

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Running Time: 416 Minutes
Certificate: 15
Number Of Discs: 3
Studio: Fremantle Home Entertainment
Released: July 3 2017

(Thanks to Fetch Publicity for arranging this review.)

Depending on who you speak to, Kevin Owens is either the most entertaining wrestler of all-time, one of the best in-ring performers in the world today, or just some out-of-shape guy who would never have been hired in the good old days (cough cough, Vince Russo). In all seriousness, whilst some of the praise that Owens receives occasionally goes a little over-the-top (the man can do no wrong on Twitter, seemingly), there's no denying that he's one of the true highlights of today's WWE product. He's one of the reasons why NXT became such a hot brand, he helped Raw remained bearable during the shaky years of 2015 and 2016, and he's currently doing his bit to convince SmackDown fans to keep tuning in despite Jinder Mahal being the WWE Champion. Add to that his legacy on the independent circuit as Kevin Steen (namely, his legendary feud with El Generico, which came to WWE as Kevin Owens went to war with Sami Zayn), the fact that he still has many years left in the wrestling business, and the charisma and humour which made JeriKO one of the most entertaining WWE acts in years, and you have plenty of evidence to not only support Owens' popularity in spite of his heel status, but also to justify the release of this new DVD on the pioneer of the Pop-Up Powerbomb.

Fight Owens Fight opens with a documentary covering Kevin's life and times, from his extensive time spent on the indies to his NXT/WWE arrival to his key moments and matches since then. I never like to scrutinise a documentary to the nth degree (unless the feature demands it, such as the infamous Rise & Fall Of ECW), since it provides spoilers on revelations and comments which fans would not have known about. Instead, I'll quickly state that while a bit on the short side, the main feature should be very satisfying to KO fans, as it covers his pre-WWE adventures as much as one could expect (including his association with Sami Zayn/El Generico prior to joining WWE, which the announcers often refer to but never truly explain), as well as capturing his high points since coming to WWE in late 2014. Along the way, there are plenty of talking head comments from those who you would expect (Sami Zayn being an obvious example), as well as a few surprises too. And so ends disc one, with a captivating, entertaining and encompassing look at Kevin Owens' history to date.

Disc two includes plenty of bonus segments which weren't included in the documentary (I can't understand why these couldn't have been squeezed onto disc one, but I guess it's more important to have a short first disc these days). I do like that a few teaser segments were included from when KO arrived in NXT, since this was a fondly-remembered goodie that hasn't been used for WWE DVDs in a long time.

Then come the matches, beginning with Owens' NXT debut against CJ Parker from NXT Takeover: R-Evolution. Owens is a huge babyface here, though he would shatter NXT fans' hearts by assaulting new NXT Champion Sami Zayn at the end of the night, in a fantastic angle that capped off one of the best WWE shows of the entire decade (seriously). This led to Owens vs. Zayn for the NXT Title at Takeover: Rival, the second match on this DVD, which effectively makes Owens look strong yet evil while allowing Zayn to shine in defeat (one of Sami's best talents, paradoxically).

We then get two confrontations, one as Owens squares up to Sami during WrestleMania weekend, and the other as KO makes his surprise Raw debut by attacking John Cena, under the false assumption that he was answering the United States Championship Open Challenge. The two did meet thirteen days later at Elimination Chamber in a great match, the next on this DVD, and the finish perfectly puts Owens over in a major way on his official main roster debut (which, admittedly, didn't help when it came to having fans boo Owens, who was and remains a heel). Disc two closes with Owens capturing his first WWE title outside of NXT, as he takes on Ryback in a basic yet fun bout from Night Of Champions 2015.

Disc three kicks off with Owens battling Dean Ambrose under Last Man Standing rules in an entertaining brawl from Royal Rumble 2016, followed by two unreleased matches: a Main Event clash with Dolph Ziggler shortly after WrestleMania 32, and a house show tag team match ten days later pitting Owens and Triple H against Zayn and Ambrose (apparently, HHH competed on these shows as a replacement for The Undertaker, whose unusual absence from advertised international bookings was never explained). Around this time, the Owens vs. Zayn feud had properly restarted thanks to Sami's official promotion to the main roster, with their best WWE match coming from Battleground, the next bout included on this DVD. This particular match lacks in the selling department at times, but is otherwise a fantastic end to their rivalry, at least at that point.

Funnily enough, there are no matches or segments which see JeriKO teaming up. There is, however, a good focus on KO's singles adventures over the last few months, beginning with his Universal Championship triumph which was shocking enough, but came under the most surprising of circumstances against Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins and Big Cass in the best Raw main event of 2016, not only for the topnotch action, but for the hugely-unexpected ending (which some critics typically tried to tear down as being an example of a certain someone's ego taking centre stage). Roman would eventually feud with Owens, though no matches are featured here, and Cass hasn't had a title shot since; Seth, however, was Kevin's immediate foe, and the two had their best match inside Hell In A Cell, which is the penultimate clash on this compilation. Finally, we come to WrestleMania 33, where JeriKO imploded in the ring as Owens and Jericho go at it in a pretty good bout for the United States Championship.

There are a lot of Kevin Owens fans, so it's safe to say that this three-disc collection would already be considered a hit regardless of the content (which is a sign of a very real bias towards performers such as Owens - one writer described his Fast Lane battle with Goldberg as "excellent" despite it lasting just 22 seconds - but that's another story for another time). Nevertheless, even for those who may remain on the fence about KO, this is one of the better WWE DVDs you will watch this year. The documentary is very informative, honest and comprehensive, and the round-up of matches from the last two years underline how Owens has become one of the best and most important performers in WWE. Some may be disappointed that there are no matches included from Owens' independent days, but one has to be realistic (I personally thought the running time was a bit disappointing, not even reaching the seven-hour mark across three discs).Summing it up, this three-disc set is as good as one could expect for KO, with an entertaining main feature and plenty of strong matches covering a variety of situations, and I would assume that most Owens fans who see this DVD will feel the same way.

Overall Rating: 8/10 - Very Good

Payback 2016

Image Source: Amazon

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Running Time: 192 Minutes
Certificate: 12
Number Of Discs: 1
Studio: Fremantle Home Entertainment
Released: June 27 2016

As annoying as WWE's repeated statements of it being "A New Era" were and are, there's no doubt that the WWE product has improved since WrestleMania 32. The first post-Mania PPV event, Payback 2016, is a fine example with several really good matches, all of which make for a very enjoyable wrestling DVD.

It starts on a sour note, admittedly, with Enzo Amore suffering a frightening concussion that results in the tag match between Enzo/Big Cass and The Vaudevillains being abandoned (fortunately, Amore ultimately needed a few weeks to recover; judging by the impact, Enzo could have been a lot worse off). The always-rowdy Chicago crowd was clearly shook up, as were the announcers. Thankfully, things get back on track in a big way with a great Kevin Owens-Sami Zayn battle, and KO sticks around to provide some amusing commentary on another strong match between Cesaro and The Miz for the Intercontinental Championship. Chris Jericho vs. Dean Ambrose is an other worthy match but, on this night, the preceding matches (as well as one later on in the show) overshadow the efforts of Jericho and Ambrose.

Charlotte vs. Natalya, with Ric Flair and Bret Hart at ringside, starts well and evokes memories of their sterling NXT effort in 2014 when both of their legendary fathers were also in their respective corners, but it ends on an abrupt screw-job finish which doesn't go down well at all. Although it's not obvious here, the fact that referee Charles Robinson - a longtime Flair associate - was ultimately not punished on-screen for this blatant robbery of Natalya's title hopes is ridiculous. A long segment involving Vince, Shane and Stephanie McMahon keeps the crowd interested but ends on a low note when Vince eventually decides that both will run Raw and SmackDown, thus making the entire angle pointless. We head in a positive direction again with the main event as Roman Reigns and AJ Styles put on a very good headline bout, and although the two pretend non-finishes were frustrating at the time, they played a key role in the match, and we still get a proper finish in the end, which is the main thing.

There are actually two matches included as DVD extras here from the Kick-Off Show. The first, Dolph Ziggler vs. Baron Corbin, takes the strange path of having new monster Corbin lose in his first major singles match on the main roster. Much better is Kalisto vs. Ryback for the United States Championship, which is one of the best matches that both men have ever had in WWE (this was actually Ryback's last WWE match, and he definitely went out in style). Of note here are Ryback hilariously wearing a weight-lifting belt that says "The Pre-Show Stopper", mocking the booking of his character by WWE, and the near-miss which sees Ryback save Kalisto from landing on his head from a dive off the top rope to the floor.

Payback 2016 is the best WWE PPV so far this year; although it's far from flawless, there are plenty of enjoyable matches on display here, and they generally spell a bright future in the so-called "New Era" of WWE. Therefore, this is one of the easier PPV DVDs to recommend from WWE.

Overall Rating: 7.5/10 - Good

Battleground 2016

Image Source: Fetch Publicity

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Running Time: 192 Minutes
Certificate: 15
Number Of Discs: 1
Studio: Fremantle Home Entertainment
Released: September 19 2016

(To read a full event review of WWE Battleground 2016, click here.)

(Thanks to Fetch Publicity for arranging this review.)

There was a danger that Battleground would have been a forgettable PPV, coming as it did just days after the Draft and right before the Raw and SmackDown rosters were officially re-introduced, meaning that much of the PPV card involved matches and storylines which could go no further beyond the show, with so many wrestlers assigned to opposite brands. However, the show succeeded due to a number of memorable matches and moments, and you can now relive the card on DVD.

For those who haven't seen Battleground, I won't spoil the identity of Sasha Bank's mystery partner in her battle against Charlotte and Dana Brooke, but it is a nice feel-good moment and the bout itself is a good one. It feels like forever now since The New Day took on The Wyatt Family, although Xavier Woods gets a rare chance to shine as part of his fear of Bray Wyatt, and Rusev vs. Zack Ryder is okay, albeit nothing special. Next up, we have an outstanding bout between Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn which draws a line under their feud (for now). It wasn't quite the Match Of The Year, in my opinion, due to some slow periods early on and noticeable non-selling towards the end, but it is still a strong encounter and unquestionably the best on this particular PPV, as well as a fitting way to close a rivalry that we are told will probably never truly end.

Natalya vs. Becky Lynch is competent but suffers from a lack of audience interest; The Miz vs. Darren Young, on the other hand, is no different from a typical television match and has a bog-standard finish. The crowd is brought back into the show with John Cena, Enzo Amore and Big Cass battling The Club in a pretty good six-man tag team match, with Enzo delivering a typically hyperactive and insult-heavy promo beforehand. Randy Orton's comeback appearance on Chris Jericho's Highlight Reel has its moments, with Jericho in particular proving why he is a master on the microphone and a general entertainment factory. Finally, the all-Shield main event for the WWE Title - Dean Ambrose vs. Seth Rollins vs. Roman Reigns - is a worthy headline attraction with a surprising outcome; it isn't the classic that fans who had waited years for this match will have hoped for, but it is very good, and I am confident that one day, these three will find a way to battle in a triangle match again, perhaps on a larger stage.

Since Battleground was another PPV to surpass the 3-hour mark (although it wasn't as long as the previous event, Money In The Bank), there are no DVD extras here, and certain segments between matches are either cut short or omitted entirely in order to squeeze this show onto one disc. If it is the plan for all future PPVs to go beyond three hours, then WWE needs to start releasing these cards on two discs so that fans are not missing out; otherwise, they could just go and watch the PPV events in retrospect on the WWE Network, where the entire cards and their respective Kick-Off Shows are included in full. Hopefully WWE will work out a more effective strategy that gives fans a reason to choose DVD releases of supershows over Network transmissions, but with rumours stating that only Raw cards will get a home video release in the new Brand Extension era, that could be easier said than done.

Despite this, though, if you're a collector, then you should buy Battleground 2016 on DVD. It boasts an excellent match, a strong main event, several decent bouts elsewhere on the card and some memorable appearances/returns, without spoiling the identity of those who make a cameo. It's also a chance to enjoy the last night of WWE action before the New Era truly began with the implementation of Brand Extension #2.

Overall Rating: 7.5/10 - Good

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