DVD Review: TLC 2017

Image Source: Amazon

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Running Time: 187 Minutes
Certificate: 15
Number Of Discs: 1
Studio: Fremantle Home Entertainment
Released: December 11 2017

(Thanks to Fetch Publicity for arranging this review.)

What happens when a one-match card suffers from outside factors forcing that bout to be cancelled? We found out at this year's TLC event, when the official reunion match of The Shield against a five-man army under Tables, Ladder and Chairs rules saw Roman Reigns removed for medical reasons with 48 hours' notice. This unexpectedly led to Kurt Angle - the Raw General Manager, whose in-ring WWE comeback was presumably being saved for WrestleMania 34 - being inserted into Roman's place (Daniel Bryan was also apparently considered, which opens up a whole bunch of questions to be dealt with another time).

As a result, the excitement surrounding The Shield reuniting was replaced by the shockingly sudden nature of Kurt Angle making a landmark in-ring return for the company. In addition, the same medical issues ruled out Bray Wyatt from facing Finn Balor. Instead of Sister Abigail facing The Demon, AJ Styles was brought in from a SmackDown tour in South America, meaning that Balor and Styles would be meeting for the very first time in a WWE ring. Needless to say, an entirely missable WWE PPV suddenly became can't-miss, and WWE has to be admired for going above and beyond to compensate fans who wanted to see The Hounds Of Justice battling as a united force.

Onto TLC itself: the card began with the main roster of Asuka opposite Emma. The match is enjoyable, though some complained at how much offence Emma had against the undefeated and seemingly-unstoppable Empress Of Tomorrow. In hindsight, this mattered little, though Emma not only lost the match but also her job just one week later in an unfortunate turn of events for the Australian blonde bombshell. We then get a pretty good Cruiserweight tag team match, as Cedric Alexander and Rich Swann put on a great performance opposite Jack Gallagher and The Brian Kendrick.

Alexa Bliss' defence of the Raw Women's Championship against Mickie James is decent, with the veteran Mickie coming close to snatching the upset win and clinching the title. Enzo Amore's Cruiserweight Championship defence against Kalisto is unfortunately the poorest match of the evening; the chemistry just isn't there, and the finish is anticlimactic, partly due to Kalisto only winning the purple title 13 days earlier.

The dream match between Finn Balor (still in Demon attire) and AJ Styles lives up to the hype; though not quite a Match Of The Year contender, it is definitely on the next rung below, delivering some great action, and there is an excellent chance that the two men will collide again one day with an extensive build-up. Jason Jordan vs. Elias is filler, and it feels too much like a television bout to really grab the Minneapolis audience.

Finally, the TLC main event is ... bizarre. The novelty of Kurt Angle's return, him donning Shield attire, the weird line-up on the heel side (The Miz, Cesaro, Sheamus, Braun Strowman and the suddenly-reappeared Kane), and the confusing nature of the match itself which sees Kane and Strowman have multiple bust-ups before Braun is sent off in a garbage truck, all make for a strange yet very memorable main event. It's hard to judge this one, other than to say that it is undeniably entertaining, and that few fans who watched the match live will forget it in a hurry.

Sasha Banks vs. Alicia Fox from the Kick-Off Show is the lone extra for the DVD (which incidentally is not part of a Double Feature set unlike every other solo-brand PPV this year, which is another sign that WWE could be scaling back on its supershows going forward).

Summing it up, then, TLC 2017 had the potential to be the worst WWE card of the year with a B-rate line-up, and then two of Raw's biggest names were removed from play. However, their replacements ultimately created greater anticipation and, certainly for Balor vs. Styles, superior action. Asuka's debut, a strong doubles match involving the Cruiserweights, a great Finn vs. AJ contest and a surreal main event all ensure that TLC 2017 ended up with more positives than negatives, and as a result, this is one of the WWE PPVs that I would suggest that fans should definitely rewatch on DVD.

Overall Rating: 7/10 - Respectable

DVD Preview: TLC 2017

Image Source: Amazon

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Provided By: Fetch Publicity

The following story is courtesy of Fetch Publicity ...

The Superstars of Raw head into one of the most brutal, jaw-dropping events ever - Tables, Ladders & Chairs. Kurt Angle returns to the ring to team with The Shield, AJ Styles battles Finn Bálor, and Asuka makes her debut in this incredible night of action!

Match Highlights:

5-On-3 TLC Match
Kurt Angle, Seth Rollins & Dean Ambrose vs. The Miz, Sheamus, Cesaro, Braun Strowman & Kane

Finn Bálor vs. AJ Styles

Raw Women’s Championship Match
Alexa Bliss (Champion) vs. Mickie James

Cruiserweight Championship Match
Kalisto (Champion) vs. Enzo Amore

Asuka vs. Emma

Plus lots more action!

We like it because:

Not only is TLC one of the most anticipated nights on the WWE calendar, but this year’s event was nothing short of historic!

In one of the biggest surprises of 2017, the Olympic Hero and Hall of Famer returned to action in a WWE ring for the first time in 11 years. A last-minute replacement for Roman Reigns, Kurt hasn’t missed a step - and proves why he really is one of the all-time greats in a bone-crunching TLC match! Oh, it’s true!

As the trio battles the formidable fivesome of Miz, Sheamus, Cesaro, Braun Strowman and Kane, the action has to be seen to be believed. But can two of the biggest monsters of all time - Strowman and Kane - really exist on the same team?!

The show also delivers a WrestleMania-worthy dream match-up, as AJ Styles comes over from SmackDown to face Finn Bálor. The result is a “phenomenal” display from two of sports-entertainment’s very best talents!

With more electric action and the WWE main roster debut of the undefeated, longest ever reigning NXT Women’s Champion Asuka, this is one not to be missed!

Don’t miss out!

TLC 2017 will officially be released on DVD on Monday December 11 2017.

For more information, click here.

Night Of Champions 2012

Image Source: Amazon

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Running Time: 167 Minutes
Certificate: 12
Number Of Discs: 1
Studio: Fremantle Home Entertainment
Released: January 21 2013

The very first WWE DVD to be published by Fremantle Home Entertainment in the United Kingdom, the change-over from Clear/Silver Vision explains the delay in the release of this event, which was staged in September 2012. Was it worth the wait to see it on DVD? Kinda.

After John Bradshaw Layfield returns to provide commentary (replacing Jerry Lawler, who had suffered a heart attack just six days earlier during a live Raw show), NOC 2012 begins with a four-way for the Intercontinental Title between The Miz, Cody Rhodes, Rey Mysterio and Sin Cara which is good, but still feels like a disappointment, perhaps because arguably all four should be higher up the card than they presently are (or were at the time of this card). Next, the dysfunctional team of Kane and Daniel Bryan battle Kofi Kingston and R-Truth for the Tag Team Titles; it's the interaction and the mid-match hug between Kane and Bryan which carry this one, although the best part (of the show, actually) is Kane later screaming that "I'm going to Disneyland!" It's funnier to watch this happen than for me to describe it, obviously.

Antonio Cesaro vs. Zack Ryder is okay; Randy Orton vs. Dolph Ziggler, meanwhile, is a strong battle, if not quite their best to date. Layla vs. Eve is more story than match, as it relates to a pre-match assault on Kaitlyn by a mystery assailant, forcing Eve to replace her (hmm, who could have attacked her?). Sheamus vs. Alberto Del Rio is decent and thankfully ends their feud, and CM Punk vs. John Cena, from a pure technical standpoint, may be their best match to date, despite the somewhat frustrating finish (and why is Paul Heyman at ringside if he doesn't get involved whatsoever?).

In something of an uneven year on Pay-Per-View for WWE, if I'm being honest, Night Of Champions 2012 is not going to win any Best Card awards despite it boasting two really good matches and either title changes or storyline climaxes in other bouts. But there's all-around entertainment to just about warrant a purchase. If that doesn't do the trick, knowing that this show - as the first non-Silver Vision WWE DVD ever commercially released in the UK - is something of a collector's item to own on DVD probably will.

Overall Rating: 7/10 - Respectable

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

TLC 2015

Image Source: Amazon

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Running Time: 183 Minutes
Certificate: 15
Number Of Discs: 1
Studio: Fremantle Home Entertainment
Released: February 22 2016

(To read a full event review of WWE TLC 2015, click here.)

TLC 2015 occurred at a time when the WWE product was at a pretty low level. A combination of absences for top talent, poor casting in main event situations and generally dull writing meant that TLC was predicted to be a catastrophe of an event. Fortunately, though, the wrestlers delivered on the night, and the show closed with a memorable angle that temporarily reduced the fan hatred towards Roman Reigns, all of which makes this a pretty entertaining wrestling DVD to watch.

The opening three-way tag Ladder match between The New Day, The Lucha Dragons and The Usos widely surpasses expectations, and features an incredible Salida Del Sol by Kalisto which was arguably the most memorable spot of the entire year in WWE. The subsequent Ryback vs. Rusev bout suffers from an uninteresting plot whereby Ryback looks like an idiot for repeatedly falling for Lana's attempts to make out that The Big Guy had injured her. As for Alberto Del Rio vs. Jack Swagger: their Chairs match was as good as you could expect, and given the staleness of both men's characters at this point (even though ADR had only returned to WWE two months prior), it's a pleasant surprise, even if the "CM Punk!" chants put a dampener on it.

The eight-man tag team elimination Tables match between Team ECW (The Dudleyz, Tommy Dreamer and Rhyno) and The Wyatt Family is a fun, hardcore brawl that evokes memories of the original ECW as much as one could have given the PG climate (although we're given a flaming table tease just before the finish). Kevin Owens vs. Dean Ambrose is a really good match that would have been better, had they been given a few more minutes to play with. Charlotte vs. Paige is better than their overly long Survivor Series battle, but as this was during Charlotte's slow-burn heel turn, and at a time when Paige was definitely still a heel, fans seem unsure who to cheer for, resulting in a weak atmosphere.

The main event between Sheamus and Roman Reigns under TLC rules was a match that the die-hards simply didn't want to see, and the chants early on are disrespectful since they occur so early that the two combatants aren't given a chance to put on a show, regardless of whether it was a must-see match or not. That being said, both men put in a great effort, and near the end, the crowd is definitely drawn in by the sheer graft shown by Sheamus and Reigns. And the post-match angle, as alluded to earlier, finally reversed anti-Reigns fan sentiment, which led to his WWE Title win the next night on Raw to a very popular crowd response, in Philadelphia no less (and drawing a high rating in the process). It's just a shame that it couldn't be maintained, eh?

The only DVD extra is a Sasha Banks vs. Becky Lynch match from the Kick-Off Show. I use the word "only" because it's the solitary extra, as Banks and Lynch put on a decent match (though time restrictions prevent them from reaching the heights of their NXT Unstoppable match the previous May). By the way, this is the one instance where I am happy that WWE omitted the wrestler entrances, as Sasha's included her and Team B.A.D. members Naomi and Tamina performing a Christmas rhyme that was so poorly written that it was one of the most embarrassing moments of the entire year. Fortunately, that abomination on one's hearing is not on this DVD.

Normally, a DVD like this would only get an above-average rating from me. But given how badly the WWE landscape seemed at the time, the fact that this show featured several big positives and plenty of enjoyable action makes this one of WWE's better shows to own. And for Roman Reigns fans, it's evidence that under the right circumstances, The Big Dog could and would be expected as the Main Man in WWE.

Overall Rating: 7/10 - Respectable

WWE: Superstar Collection - Sheamus

Image Source: Amazon

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Running Time: 90 Minutes
Certificate: 12
Number Of Discs: 1
Studio: Fremantle Home Entertainment
Released: February 10 2014

Amongst the four performers who got a UK release for their Superstar Collection, Sheamus is the only one who hasn't had a separate DVD release. Therefore, his mini-compilation is more comprehensive than the others.

We get his first two WWE Title victories (against Cena in a Tables bout at TLC 2009 and against Cena, Edge & Orton at Fatal 4 Way 2010 in - yes- a four-way bout), as well as his King Of The Ring tournament-winning match against John Morrison from November 2010, a successful United States Title challenge opposite Daniel Bryan from March 2011, and the closing moments of his triumphant Royal Rumble 2012 performance. Match quality is pretty high across the board and each bout is a justifiable inclusion. Strangely, though, we don't get his World Title win over Bryan from WrestleMania XXVIII (which did only last 18 seconds, after all).

Since this is the only Sheamus DVD to date, this has the most appeal of any of the Superstar Collections which got a UK release. Of course, it helps if you're a fan of the Celtic Warrior, but even if you're not, this is a good recap of (most of) the key moments from Sheamus' early years, and a reminder that he was a genuinely important and appreciated part of WWE before his career was reduced to battling off chants of "You look stupid!"

Overall Rating: 7/10 - Respectable

Survivor Series 2015

Image Source: Amazon

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Running Time: 182 Minutes
Certificate: 12
Number Of Discs: 1
Studio: Fremantle Home Entertainment
Released: January 25 2016

(To read a full event review of WWE Survivor Series 2015, click here.)

At the time when it was held, the 2015 edition of Survivor Series didn't exactly receive a lot of praise. But whilst it hardly stands out as an epic event upon the second viewing on DVD, it still has its moments, even if it doesn't really feel like a major supershow.

The first two matches are actually quite good: Roman Reigns vs. Alberto Del Rio is an underrated battle and a nice start to the PPV, whilst Dean Ambrose vs. Kevin Owens is better still with some really cool spots and high-impact moves. These are the semi-finals of the tournament to crown a new WWE Champion after Seth Rollins went down with injury; the final, between Reigns and Ambrose, would be the Survivors main event.

It's the second hour of the show which dragged the event down. Although it starts fairly well, the Survivor Series elimination match features some strange booking decisions and, by the end, the match just feels like a waste of time. The Divas Title match between Charlotte and Paige is better than I had remembered, but the disinterested crowd reduces one's enjoyment of the bout. Likewise, Dolph Ziggler vs. Tyler Breeze is a short but adequate match that suffers from a complete lack of heat, which no doubt played a part in Tyler's push being curtailed shortly afterwards.

The seemingly asleep Atlanta audience does seem to care about the next match, which celebrates 25 years of The Undertaker as he and Kane face The Wyatt Family. It's a decent bout, but it needed more high-quality action and standout moments if it was going to amount to anything memorable. That said, the double chokeslam to Braun Strowman through an announcer's table sticks out, as does the double sit-up by the Brothers of Destruction during Bray Wyatt's Spider Walk.

The WWE Title tournament was in itself a missed opportunity to create a bit of unpredictability and excitement, so many fans were hoping that Reigns vs. Ambrose would end the tournament with a bang, perhaps via a heel turn. Instead, the match is fine but it doesn't last very long (the crowd seems apathetic again which also doesn't help), and it ends with no heel turn, making the entire tournament exercise feel like filler. There are post-match capers whereby Sheamus cashes in Money In The Bank (I wasn't going to spoil it, but WWE spoiled this moment themselves on the reverse DVD packaging), but the presentation feels too similar to Randy Orton's Authority-influenced cash-in from SummerSlam 2013, and Sheamus' total lack of momentum before and even during this show resulted in a fair amount of disappointment with the finale to Survivor Series.

The only DVD extra is the pre-show Survivors elimination match, which is arguably better than the bout which was featured on the main card. I should point out that this was shown on the WWE Network, meaning that it is false advertising to call this an "exclusive" DVD extra. That being said, it's clear that DVDs are no longer a priority for WWE, so this probably won't be a problem for much longer.

So while it isn't totally forgettable, Survivor Series 2015 was a bit of a let-down (especially compared to the 2014 edition which featured Sting's historic WWE debut). There were some good matches, a historically noteworthy Undertaker match and a MITB cash-in, but the combination of lazy outcomes, strange booking decisions during the main elimination match, a lacklustre crowd, an injury-depleted roster and the seen-it-all-before feel to Sheamus' big moment resulted in a show which didn't exactly wow the "WWE Universe". Only die-hard collectors or fans of The Undertaker (since this was his 25th anniversary) are likely to enjoy this DVD; otherwise, barring a clearance sale, you may want to steer clear of this one.

Overall Rating: 6/10 - Reasonable