DVD Review: Sasha Banks: Iconic Matches

Image Source: Amazon

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Running Time: 83 Minutes
Certificate: 12
Number Of Discs: 1
Studio: Fremantle Home Entertainment
Released: January 29 2018

(Thanks to Fetch Publicity for arranging this review.)

Joining the Bayley release is this profile on Sasha Banks. I have to admit that if I had to choose between watching a Bayley match and a Sasha match, I'd opt for the former, simply because Sasha comes across a little too arrogant at times (especially considering that she has been a babyface on television for two years). One cannot deny her in-ring skills, though, and they shine like a beacon here.

It kicks off with a superb Fatal Four Way between all Four Horsewomen for the NXT Women's Championship from TakeOver: Rival. It's the turning point in Sasha's career; her championship triumph here made fans stand up and take notice of The Boss, bringing her fan support that continues to this day. Match two sees Sasha at her heelish best against Bayley from TakeOver: Respect, under Iron Man rules. The action is fantastic, providing a great sequel to their Brooklyn battle, but Banks' character work is off the charts here; the most memorable spot is when Banks makes Izzy cry.

Finally, Sasha battles with Charlotte in their first major singles match on the main roster from July 25 2016. Banks winning the Raw Women's Championship is the obvious triumph, but a close second is the fact that the match itself is as good as any on Raw throughout that whole year. In years to come, their rivalry will be considered a milestone in WWE history, and though it felt forced a times, the hype was justified by tremendous matches such as this one.

So, this is the better of the two recent Iconic Matches releases, simply because each match is fantastic. For a three-match DVD, this is as good as it gets. Add a few more belting encounters and this becomes a must-own; as it is, though, I would highly recommend checking this out, and at a low price too.

Overall Rating 8/10 - Very Good

DVD Review: Bayley: Iconic Matches

Image Source: Amazon

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Running Time: 70 Minutes
Certificate: 12
Number Of Discs: 1
Studio: Fremantle Home Entertainment
Released: January 29 2018

(Thanks to Fetch Publicity for arranging this review.)

The Iconic Matches series of straight-forward mini-collections of memorable bouts continues with The Hugger herself Bayley being profiled. In a way, it's sad watching this DVD, as it covers a time when Bayley was over like Rover (Taz Show reference), given that in recent months she has suffered from poor booking, injury and even being booed out of the building (though that thankfully seems to have ceased in recent months).

Still, this DVD features Bayley at her peak, which will bring a smile to the face of any of her fans. Especially since the first match is the stunning showdown where she dethroned Sasha Banks for the NXT Women's Championship at the original TakeOver: Brooklyn show in 2015. It's probably the best WWE women's match of all-time, and despite the momentum of the Women's Revolution in the company since then, it will take some effort to top this one.

Next, we have Bayley against Nia Jax from TakeOver: London. It's a very different match from the Sasha one, and some may even find it a bit dull. However, the London crowd are fully behind Bayley, and this, combined with Bayley's believable fighting spirit, makes it a well-worked encounter. Lastly, we get Bayley serving as Sasha's surprise partner against Charlotte and Dana Brooke at Battleground 2016, which saw Bayley receive the loudest pop ever for a female performer in a WWE setting.

One could argue that only Sasha vs. Bayley is worth checking out, but this goes beyond simply reliving the action. It's about recognising the incredible emotional connection that fans had developed with Bayley, one that very few performers can achieve in this post-kayfabe age. Hopefully, WWE will find a way to help Bayley reclaim that popularity, because she's one of the more likeable talents in the company, and based on her in-ring talent, her best days may yet be ahead of her. In the meantime, though, fans of Bayley will really enjoy this DVD, brief as it is.

Overall Rating: 7/10 - Respectable

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: 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: Roadblock: End Of The Line 2016

Image Source: Amazon

Written By: Mark Armstrong

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

(Thanks to Fetch Publicity for arranging this review.)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Overall Rating: 6.5/10 - Okay

Hell In A Cell 2016

Image Source: Amazon

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Running Time: 184 Minutes
Certificate: 15
Number Of Discs: 1
Studio: Fremantle Home Entertainment
Released: January 2 2017

(Thanks to Fetch Publicity for arranging this review.)

Hell In A Cell 2016 was a historic night in WWE, as it would be the first time ever that a Pay-Per-View event was headlined by an all-female encounter, which is a testament to the talent and popularity of Sasha Banks and Charlotte, the two combatants in said match. But does HIAC 2016 measure up as a major show in terms of quality?

The event starts on a decent note with Roman Reigns vs. Rusev inside the Cell for the United States Championship; whilst it is not as good as Reigns vs. Bray Wyatt from HIAC 2015, it's still an enjoyable brawl, and a fitting way to cap off their fairly lengthy rivalry. Next up, Bayley battles Dana Brooke in a match which is unspectacular, but still better than their previous Raw match where Dana's inexperience and inferiority to Bayley were extremely evident (in the Raw match, Brooke pinned Bayley clean when she was meant to use the ropes to secure a win by nefarious means, which made Bayley look ridiculous).

Enzo Amore and Big Cass vs. The Club is decent but nothing more; it essentially exists as a way to promote Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson rather than being a memorable match in its own right. Fortunately, Kevin Owens vs. Seth Rollins inside HIAC for the Universal Championship is an improvement upon their main event at Clash Of Champions, with a couple of particularly high-risk spots wowing the Boston crowd. It won't be remembered as a classic Cell match, but it is the best match on this particular event.

Unfortunately, TJ Perkins vs. Brian Kendrick for the Cruiserweight Championship only demonstrates why the Cruiserweight division has struggled since its return to Raw following the highly-successful Cruiserweight Classic; the talents work hard and try to tell a story, but without being able to use many high-flying moves that are synonymous with the division, the crowd is clearly disinterested, and the Cruiser matches are no different to bouts involving anybody else on the roster (imagine the Hardcore division, which is a fond memory of the Attitude Era, returning to Raw in 2017 but without any weapon-related combat whatsoever, and you get an idea of why the Cruiserweight division is in need of rehabilitation). The New Day vs. Cesaro and Sheamus is alright but has a cop-out finish, partly to keep the record-breaking New Day reign as WWE Tag Team Champions going beyond HIAC (otherwise, I suspect that we would have had a title change here).

The main event, as stated, was Sasha Banks vs. Charlotte in HIAC. It is more enjoyable on second viewing because of the wild rumours as to what the ladies had planned prior to the show, meaning that watching it live was a bit of a nerve-wracking experience. Fortunately, Sasha and Charlotte (who had both taken massive chances in previous encounters, with at least one almost resulting in serious injury) do provide enough thrills and spills, and a surprising amount of violence for an all-women's match in the PG era, to justify both the stipulation and their main event slot. A slightly blown finish and what some considered to be an anticlimactic outcome dampen the fan reactions to what should have been one of the year's most memorable matches, but so long as you're not a die-hard Sasha supporter, you'll probably enjoy this match for what it is. (By the way, there are no DVD extras due to the card running long; in fact, a few minutes from the show have been trimmed off in order to make the running time of the DVD.)

In many ways, Hell In A Cell is a perfect embodiment of Raw in the post-Draft era (not unlike the previous red brand PPV event Clash Of Champions). There are several enjoyable matches, and the talent are clearly grafting, but some strange booking decisions, a lack of crowd interest during a number of bouts, an overly-long card, a lack of high-flying spots in the Cruiserweight showdown and filler encounters between the crucial matches all serve to make the show seem worse than it actually is. If you're a new fan to WWE, or if you're a first-time viewer, you'll probably consider this to be a strong effort by the Raw crew, but those who watch the product week in and week out will class this to be little more than a PPV version of Raw itself. It's a commendable effort by the red brand, but it won't be winning any Card Of The Year honours for 2016.

Overall Rating: 6.5/10 - Okay

Hell In A Cell 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 ...

For the first time ever, the leaders of the Women’s Revolution make history inside Hell In A Cell as WWE Raw Women’s Champion Sasha Banks defends her title against Charlotte Flair. “The Bulgarian Brute” Rusev and United States Champion Roman Reigns bring their rivalry to an end inside the demonic structure. WWE Universal Champion Kevin Owens enters his first Hell In A Cell match and looks to continue his Kevin Owens Show against “The Undisputed Future” Seth Rollins. Plus more as the Superstars of Raw go to hell and back at Hell In A Cell!

Synopsis:

Match Listing:

Hell In A Cell Match for the WWE Raw Women’s Championship
Sasha Banks (c) vs. Charlotte Flair

Hell In A Cell Match for the WWE Universal Championship
Kevin Owens (c) vs. Seth Rollins

Hell In A Cell Match for the WWE United States Championship
Roman Reigns (c) vs. Rusev

WWE Raw Tag Team Championship Match
The New Day (c) vs. Cesaro & Sheamus

WWE Cruiserweight Championship Match
TJ Perkins (c) vs. Brian Kendrick

Bayley vs. Dana Brooke

Plus more action, extras and Blu-ray exclusives!

We like it because:

It’s been a year of firsts for WWE, but nothing has been as groundbreaking as the first ever women’s Hell In A Cell match - a history-making moment that makes this one of the year’s must-own pay-per-view events.

Hometown hero Sasha Banks and Charlotte rise to the occasion too, in a match that’s as heated, intense, and brutal as any Hell In A Cell showdown from recent years. The ending is shocking too, creating another jaw-dropping moment in the Sasha vs Charlotte feud - WWE’s hottest rivalry of 2016.

There’s more sizzling Hell In A Cell action from Kevin Owens and Seth Rollins, who deliver an innovative, high-risk battle. Meanwhile, Roman Reigns and Rusev engage in a stiff and hard-hitting brawl that can only be contained by the unforgiving steel of the Cell.

It’s also a historic night for the Cruiserweight Championship, as TJ Perkins and his former mentor Brian Kendrick clash once again for the title - a match in which Kendrick lives up to his reputation as one of sports-entertainment’s craftiest veterans.

Elsewhere, Cesaro and Sheamus cement themselves as one of WWE’s top tag teams - even if they can’t get along outside of the ring. But can they strip The New Day of the Raw Tag Team Championship?

Don’t miss your chance to own this incredible event!

Hell In A Cell 2016 will officially be released on DVD and Blu-ray on Monday January 2 2017.

For more information, click here.

Hell In A Cell 2016 announced for 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 ...

WWE Hell In A Cell 2016 is officially coming to DVD and Blu-ray in the UK.

For the first time ever, the leaders of the Women’s Revolution make history inside Hell in a Cell as WWE Raw Women’s Champion Sasha Banks defends her championship against Charlotte Flair. “The Bulgarian Brute” Rusev and United States Champion Roman Reigns bring their rivalry to an end inside the demonic structure. WWE Universal Champion Kevin Owens enters his first Hell in a Cell match and looks to continue his “Kevin Owens Show” against “The Undisputed Future” Seth Rollins. Plus more as the Superstars of Raw go to hell and back at Hell in a Cell!

Hell In A Cell 2016 will be available to purchase on DVD and Blu-ray from Monday January 2 2017.

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