DVD Review: Seth Rollins - Building The Architect

Image Source: Amazon

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Running Time: 526 Minutes
Certificate: 15
Number Of Discs: 3
Studio: Fremantle Home Entertainment
Released: May 29 2017

(Thanks to Fetch Publicity for arranging this review.)

WWE's latest match compilation focuses on Seth Rollins, who in less than five years has gone from NXT star to perennial WWE main eventer and one of the company's biggest names. Promisingly, his best days may be yet to come; for the time being, Building The Architect focuses on Rollins' WWE adventures to date, with some candid comments by Seth himself between matches.

The first few matches are from Florida Championship Wrestling (FCW), WWE's developmental territory after OVW (but before the NXT revamp). These bouts include a clash with Hunico in the final match of the Jack Brisco Classic tournament, an FCW 15 title contest with Dean Ambrose, and his FCW title-winning performance against Leo Kruger. The Ambrose match is the best of the three, though all have their moments, and it's fascinating to consider that FCW was the equivalent of NXT during this era, because the thought of FCW ever expanding beyond its studio setting into major arenas worldwide, in the manner that NXT has in recent years, seems unfathomable.

Speaking of NXT, it's revealed through some blink-and-you'll-miss-it footage that Rollins was meant to be a contestant on a season of NXT during its "reality show" days, alongside Big E Langston, Bo Dallas, Hunico, Leo Kruger/Adam Rose and Damien Sandow. As it turned out, this season didn't happen, which has to be considered a good thing given that Rollins, Big E and Sandow all carved out careers on the main roster which wouldn't have been possible had this season actually happened. It's debatable as to whether or not Hunico, Dallas and Kruger would have had a greater chance of succeeding if this version of NXT had occurred.

Rollins did appear on NXT, though, becoming the first NXT Champion after the brand was relaunched from its home base of Full Sail University, taking up the form that we know today. Within a few months, though, Rollins had arrived on the main roster alongside Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose as part of The Shield, the faction which changed the WWE landscape forever and would make main event stars out of all three. Rollins still had to lose the NXT title, though, and that he did in the next match featured here against Big E.

I should mention at this point that most of The Shield's key matches were included on the 2015 DVD The Destruction Of The Shield (as well as Seth's NXT title-winning battle against current WWE Champion Jinder Mahal), so Building The Architect is light on Shield matches. There's a couple to savour, though: their match against John Cena, Sheamus and Ryback is underrated and really helped to make the three members stand out on the roster, as did their first WrestleMania appearance opposite Randy Orton, Sheamus and Big Show at WM 29, which has some great spots. The third and final Shield match comes against Cody Rhodes and Goldust from Battleground 2013, one of the better matches from that year which also features Dusty Rhodes' final significant on-screen appearance. Why the group's Extreme Rules battle against Evolution from ER 2014 is not here, I do not know.

We do see The Shield implode, though, through a major swerve that saw Rollins smash his Shield "brothers" with a steel chair. Since TDOTS covered much of the fall-out from that break-up, the next match here isn't until Royal Rumble 2015, and an awesome three-way against Brock Lesnar and John Cena. Not only was this probably the best match on the main roster in 2015, but it was also the match which truly made Rollins a singles star, and most likely played a part in his championship success later that year. After we relive Rollins vs. Randy Orton from WrestleMania 31, and that RKO, we jump ahead to the end of that card, where Rollins cashed in Money In The Bank during a Lesnar vs. Reigns match and became the new WWE World Heavyweight Champion. That Seth was a heel was not evident by the massive pop which greeted this moment (largely because it meant Roman hadn't won the title when he "wasn't ready"; over two years later, Reigns is unfortunately still being booed every night), and Rollins had officially hit the jackpot.

The next match is Rollins vs. Ambrose in a Ladder bout from MITB 2015. I've written about how I didn't particularly enjoy this in a few previous reviews, so I won't repeat that here. Instead, I'll go straight to Rollins vs. Neville, which is a fantastic Raw match whereby Neville almost does the unthinkable and so very nearly dethrones Seth. Rollins proved there why he was The Man, and he repeats this against John Cena in a slightly overrated double title match from SummerSlam of that year, which has the stench of a finish involving Jon Stewart that still seems inexplicable in hindsight.

Not many people remember that Rollins and Cena battled again inside a Steel Cage on a live Network special from Madison Square Garden, but we're treated to that match here, and it's a really good clash between the two men who were arguably WWE's best in-ring performers at that time. Sadly for Seth, a devastating knee injury sidelined him weeks later, forcing him to vacate the WWE title. After a brief appearance at the 2015 Slammys to collect his Superstar Of The Year trophy, which is shown here, Rollins would resurface at Extreme Rules 2016 to Pedigree Roman Reigns, and their follow-up match from MITB 2016 here, which along with the post-match shenanigans created the unique distinction of all three former Shield members holding the WWE title within minutes of each other.

The DVD ends with three matches that sees Rollins on the losing side, which perhaps demonstrates how his knee injury reduced his profile somewhat in the company. The first all-Shield three-way on the main roster from Battleground 2016 was overshadowed by the Draft days earlier, but it's still very good. Seth vs. Finn Balor for the Universal Championship from SummerSlam is overshadowed even more by the ridiculously negative crowd reactions to the visual look of the title, and also in hindsight by the torn labrum injury Balor suffered minutes into it; despite these, it's still an exciting match. Finally, Seth's battle with Kevin Owens under No DQ rules from a November 2016 episode of Raw thankfully has nothing to distract the viewer, and it's a strong brawl with a finish that humorously makes a reference to the real-life fight between Chris Jericho and Sin Cara from around that time.

Because so many crucial Shield matches aren't here for understandable reasons, along with a few solo Rollins bouts of note, this DVD isn't the comprehensive collection of The Man that fans may be hoping for. It does, however, contain a lot of great action, and Seth's post-Shield career contains almost all of his singles highlights from the last two years. (This DVD was produced before Seth battled Triple H at WrestleMania 33, meaning this match isn't here, which depending on your point of view is either a good thing or a bad thing.) Seth's pre-match comments add a level of insight and honesty to proceedings, which round off the package nicely. As noted earlier, Rollins will be in WWE for a long time to come, so we'll likely get another DVD at some point in the future; for now, though, fans of the Architect will love this compilation, which provides sufficient evidence that Rollins really is The Man in WWE.

Overall Rating: 8/10 - Very Good

DVD Preview: Seth Rollins - Building The Architect

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Written By: Mark Armstrong

Provided By: Fetch Publicity

The following story is courtesy of Fetch Publicity ...

The Architect has created the perfect blueprint for success, with multiple championships, a massive fan base, and a plethora of incredible matches under his belt. Now, for the first time ever, hear Seth Rollins himself tells the story of how he became a sports-entertainment megastar. From his time on the independent scene, to being one of the founding members of The Shield and his WWE Championship victory, Seth Rollins gives insight on how he became “The Undisputed Future” of WWE.

Synopsis:

Match Highlights:

FCW – August 14 2011
FCW 15 Championship Match
Seth Rollins (Champion) vs. Dean Ambrose

Elimination Chamber 2013 – February 16 2013
The Shield vs. John Cena, Ryback & Sheamus

Raw – April 22 2013
The Shield vs. The Undertaker, Kane & Daniel Bryan

Royal Rumble 2015 – January 25 2015
WWE Championship Triple Threat Match
Brock Lesnar (Champion) vs. Seth Rollins vs. John Cena

Money In The Bank 2015 – June 14 2015
WWE Championship Ladder Match
Seth Rollins (Champion) vs. Dean Ambrose

WWE Live At MSG – October 3 2015
United States Championship Steel Cage Match
John Cena vs. Seth Rollins

SummerSlam 2016 – August 21 2016
WWE Universal Championship Match
Seth Rollins vs. Finn Balor

Plus more action and extras!

We like it because:

Seth Rollins personifies modern WWE action: fast-paced, athletic, and hugely innovative. He belongs from an exclusive lineage that includes Shawn Michaels, Kurt Angle, and Eddie Guerrero. Legendary Superstars who reinvented themselves – and sports-entertainment – night after night.

The matches included on the set chart Seth’s incredible rise from developmental to bona fide main eventer and WWE Champion – including matches on the biggest stage of them all, WrestleMania.

Most interesting for hardcore fans though are the little-seen matches from FCW and NXT – when the Architect was still putting the building blocks of his career in place – and even the live special from Madison Square Garden featuring a cage match against John Cena.

It’s also fascinating to hear from the man himself, who gives a candid insight on everything you always wanted to know – how he got started, why he was the right choice as the first NXT Champion, plus the creation (and destruction) of The Shield and beyond!

Don’t miss out on this must-have collection!

Seth Rollins - Building The Architect will officially be released on DVD on Monday May 29 2017.

For more information, click here.

Survivor Series 2012

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Written By: Mark Armstrong

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

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

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

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

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

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

Overall Rating: 6.5/10 - Okay

TLC 2012

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Written By: Mark Armstrong

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

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

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

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

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

Overall Rating: 8/10 - Very Good

Elimination Chamber 2014

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Written By: Mark Armstrong

Running Time: 185 Minutes
Certificate: 12
Number Of Discs: 1
Studio: Fremantle Home Entertainment
Released: May 12 2014

An incredible six-man tag team match and an underrated Elimination Chamber clash are the highlights of the fifth annual Chamber PPV, and thus the DVD of the event too.

The opener, between Big E and Jack Swagger, is a good one; the performers clearly graft to ensure that this match stays in the minds of the fans. After a brief mention of Hulk Hogan's return on Raw the following night, we get a Tag Team Title match between The New Age Outlaws and The Usos which, awkwardly, is most memorable for the huge chants for CM Punk by the Minneapolis crowd. A pointless Titus O'Neil-Darren Young grudge match is followed by the aforementioned outstanding six-man tag, as The Shield and The Wyatt Family have one hell of a scrap, a match that is arguably better than any of the matches which would come six weeks later at WrestleMania XXX.

AJ Lee vs. Cameron didn't sound appealing beforehand, and is further hampered by a dreadful non-finish. Batista vs. Alberto Del Rio tells a logical story, but one cannot concentrate on the action due to the massive boos for the Animal, which played a key role in Batista turning heel shortly afterwards. Lastly, the Elimination Chamber match - involving Randy Orton, John Cena, Daniel Bryan, Sheamus, Christian and Cesaro, with the WWE Title at stake - is well worth watching, and the drama is high as the finish nears with only Orton and Bryan remaining. The outcome annoyed fans on the night, but the circumstances were clearly designed to set up what would finally be Bryan's moment of glory at WrestleMania XXX.

With one brilliant match and another very good battle, Elimination Chamber 2014 is a pretty good show if you judge it solely on its two top attractions. When you throw everything else in, though, the DVD for the card becomes less enticing. Buy it for The Shield vs. The Wyatt Family, and to see WWE give Daniel Bryan and the so-called Yes Movement one last moment of false hope before he ultimately achieved greatness at Mania 30.

Overall Rating: 6.5/10 - Okay

Extreme Rules 2014

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Written By: Mark Armstrong

Running Time: 182 Minutes
Certificate: 15
Number Of Discs: 1
Studio: Fremantle Home Entertainment
Released: July 21 2014

The first PPV in the new era of WWE after WrestleMania XXX is a worthwhile card with several entertaining battles, and one which takes the "Extreme" name to the, erm, extreme (hint: the DVD cover spoils it).

An enjoyable elimination three-way between Cesaro, Jack Swagger and Rob Van Dam kicks things off, before a basic match which sees Alexander Rusev crush R-Truth and Xavier Woods, and a Big E-Bad News Barrett Intercontinental Title match which sees Barrett generate huge support from the NeW Jersey crowd. The Shield vs. Evolution comes next and is the highlight of the show; a really good and well-paced six-man match that builds up to a big finish, and one which shines a major spotlight on Seth Rollins, Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose.

Regrettably, the Steel Cage bout between John Cena and Bray Wyatt is disappointing, partly due to the bizarre finish which I won't spoil for you here. Paige vs. Tamina Snuka is okay as a way to debut Paige on the Pay-Per-View stage, and the show-closing Extreme Rules match between Daniel Bryan and Kane is a fun brawl which, as alluded to earlier, has a surprisingly risky climax, at least by the standards of the modern, PG-rated WWE. The bonus match is the pre-show WeeLC match between Hornswoggle and El Torito, and credit to both for delivering a match that is far better than expected.

Had Cena-Wyatt been a powerful effort, then Extreme Rules 2014 would have been even more appealing to own on DVD. As it is, though, there's still plenty of action to keep you entertained, and the show serves as proof that there is life in WWE after the end of The Undertaker's WrestleMania Streak.

Overall Rating: 7/10 - Respectable

Payback 2014

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Written By: Mark Armstrong

Running Time: 186 Minutes
Certificate: 15
Number Of Discs: 1
Studio: Fremantle Home Entertainment
Released: August 18 2014

Payback 2014 compensates for the lack of a World Title match, due to the injuries suffered by WWE Champion Daniel Bryan, with a memorable double main event and some gems further down the card.

The opener, between Sheamus and Cesaro, is a hard-hitting battle, with the highlight perhaps coming pre-match from Paul Heyman as he shuts down the "CM Punk!" chants within the Chicago crowd. RybAxel vs. Cody Rhodes and Goldust at least serves a purpose, although most expected that to be a Cody heel turn as opposed to his eventual transformation into Stardust. Rusev vs. Big E is better than expected with the two big men putting on a very good, if brief, brawl; conversely, Kofi Kingston is demolished by Kane before his impromptu match with Bo Dallas ever gets started.

Bad News Barrett vs. Rob Van Dam is watchable but nothing spectacular; however, the Last Man Standing battle between John Cena and Bray Wyatt is packed with big spots, some involving interfering parties The Usos and other Wyatt Family members Luke Harper and Erick Rowan, making this one of the better matches of the year in WWE. In between those two matches comes a segment involving Stephanie McMahon, Daniel Bryan and Brie Bella, which ultimately ends in McMahon getting slapped by Brie (sorry to spoil it, but it's better than wasting nearly 15 minutes watching it again). Paige vs. Alicia Fox is a step-up from Paige's previous PPV clash with Tamina Snuka, and the show ends with a strong, at times violent, No Holds Barred war between The Shield and Evolution (check out Batista's blue gear, which led to #Bluetista trending on Twitter), which puts the Hound Of Justice over in great fashion. Who could have expected the faction to disintegrate just 24 hours later?

Considering that this event had the potential to be insignificant, it ends up being a pretty good show, and makes for a fun wrestling DVD (which includes the Hair vs. Mask pre-showe bout between Hornswoggle and El Torito, and also includes the new WWE logo on the box art). If nothing else, you can check out The Shield's swansong, as well as a memorable brawl between Cena and Wyatt.

Overall Rating: 7/10 - Respectable

WWE Best Pay-Per-View Matches 2014

Image Source: Amazon

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Running Time: 528 Minutes
Certificate: 15
Number Of Discs: 3
Studio: Fremantle Home Entertainment
Released: January 12 2015

The year 2014 was a turbulent one for WWE. On one hand, we had the rise of Daniel Bryan to championship glory at WrestleMania XXX, the continued ascension of The Shield members before and after their break-up, the re-establishment of Brock Lesnar an absolute monster, and the debut of Sting at Survivor Series. On the other hand, we had the initial outrage at Daniel Bryan's non-entry in the Royal Rumble match, CM Punk walking out the following day, the end of The Undertaker's Streak at WrestleMania XXX and other moments of frustration (such as the repeated delaying of the WWE Network launch in the United Kingdom). If nothing else, it was a very memorable year, and many of the year's biggest memories came on Pay-Per-View.

As we have seen previously, this DVD set brings us plenty of the best or most memorable PPV matches of the year. Like with previous sets, Survivor Series and TLC aren't touched, and one or two omissions are surprising, as I will explain. This set also has a thrown-together feel to it by the generic artwork and the lack of a host. However, because it wasn't released on Blu-ray (and wasn't released in the United States at all, strangely), the running time is longer, giving us more action and basically more bang for our buck. (Okay, "bucks" are American currency and wouldn't apply since it wasn't on sale in the US, but the expression still works, dammit!).

This set, the fifth to focus on WWE's PPV highlights, begins on a high with Daniel Bryan vs. Bray Wyatt from Royal Rumble; whilst slightly overrated, it is nonetheless a great opener to that show and this collection. You may not be shocked to learn that Randy Orton vs. John Cena from Rumble and Batista's RR win, both of which were s--t on by fans for different reasons, are not included here. So, we jump to Elimination Chamber and what was arguably the year's best WWE match: an outstanding six-man bout pitting The Shield against The Wyatt Family. Then, we have the Chamber main event inside the chain-link domed structure: Orton vs. Cena vs. Bryan vs. Cesaro vs. Sheamus vs. Christian isn't talked about much these days, but as the evidence shows here, all involved put forth a great effort as a couple of storylines were advanced with WrestleMania in mind.

Speaking of WrestleMania, it was Daniel Bryan's night, and here we get his two major matches from that show: an excellent battle with Triple H to enter him into the main event, and the headline bout against Orton and Batista which tells a logical story and ultimately provides an extremely satisfying conclusion to an unforgettable WrestleMania. Even better, because the DVD includes some promo videos, we get the awesome promo video (set to Monster by Imagine Dragons) which encapsulates Bryan's rise perfectly. However, The Undertaker vs. Brock Lesnar - you know, the match where the Streak ended and which is already one of the most memorable moments in WWE history - is not here. Okay, so the match was a let-down, partly due to Taker suffering a concussion early on, but being such a shocking chapter in WWE's lifetime, surely we should have still had it on this DVD? Even a few seconds of clips showing just the finish and the post-match fan reactions would have been worthwhile. Oh, well. Similarly, a quick recap of Hulk Hogan, Steve Austin and The Rock opening up Mania together in the ultimate feel-good segment would also have been appreciated.

Moving on to Extreme Rules for disc two, we get a Pre-Show match in this series for the first time with the surprisingly entertaining WeeLC bout between Hornswoggle and El Torito, which is enjoyable for everyone except vertically-challenged people, who may feel patronised by the overall match presentation. Big E vs. Bad News Barrett is basically filler; not sure why this is here, because it isn't particularly memorable. The same cannot be said of The Shield vs. Evolution from the same show; whilst a shade inferior to Shield vs. Wyatts from Elimination Chamber, this is still a gripping six-man match and provides the Hounds Of Justice with a real boost.

Next up, it's Payback, which treats us to Sheamus vs. Cesaro before their matches felt stale, and John Cena vs. Bray Wyatt is a really good Last Man Standing match filled with memorable spots. Although we aren't shown footage as evidence until later on, Seth Rollins broke up The Shield after Payback, so the feud between him and Dean Ambrose runs into the Money In The Bank Ladder match which is next on the DVD. This MITB match is one of the best, in my opinion, partly because the rest of the cast seemed to have no chance of winning, so the action that we were treated to resulted in a much better bout than I was expecting. The second disc ends with a great Usos-Luke Harper and Erick Rowan clash from Battleground under Two Out Of Three Falls rules, and the Intercontinental Title Battle Royal from the same card which is pretty decent, but probably wouldn't be described as one of WWE's "Best Pay-Per-View Matches" in 2014.

Disc three now, and it's onto SummerSlam, where WWE decides to focus on the mid-card for the purpose of this DVD. To that end, we get a rushed AJ Lee-Paige match, a well-executed yet not exactly classic Jack Swagger-Rusev bout (where the winner has their flag raised at the conclusion), and on a better note, one of the best Lumberjack matches that you are likely to see between Ambrose and Rollins; it descends into controlled chaos and is very well-received by fans in the Staples Center that night. Oddly, Brock Lesnar's mauling of John Cena en route to the WWE World Heavyweight Championship from SummerSlam wasn't included (maybe the producers dislike Brock?), but their very compelling Night Of Champions rematch is here. Before that, we get two other NOC bouts: The Usos vs. Goldust & Stardust (a good match, but inferior to the Usos/Wyatts bout from earlier) and a very good showdown between Chris Jericho and Randy Orton. The DVD ends at Hell In A Cell once again with a thrilling Dolph Ziggler-Cesaro match, also under 2 Out Of 3 rules, and Cena vs. Orton in a HIAC match (which is good enough to overcome fan apathy at their latest PPV meeting; you may spit out your drink when the pre-match promo video seems to put their feud on the level of Ali vs. Frazier, which is a laughable over-exaggeration).

Although there's loads of action on offer and many of the matches are good, very good or excellent, the absence of Lesnar's two biggest bouts from the year (which he ended as WWE Champ, don't forget). And because Survivor Series and TLC are again omitted, we are denied the outstanding ten-man main event from Survivors that sees Sting's historic first appearance in a WWE arena, as well as the hard-hitting Ziggler-Harper Ladder match from TLC. Why WWE won't just delay the release to allow for this to be a true overview of the year gone by, I do not know. It's more inexcusable here because the US market didn't get it, meaning that a change to the format would have had a reduced impact. On the bright side, we do get nearly nine hours of action; and whilst the main DVD shows clips from matches not featured here (which WWE does not normally do on its home video releases), eagle-eyed viewers may spot a surprise at the end of the menu montage. Hint: think of a scary man with a lamb mask.

Summing this one up, the thing is: if you are interested in this DVD, there's a good chance that you may have already seen the supershow matches on offer, and if you have the WWE Network (which is about to finally launch in the UK, or so one hopes!), you can access the top 2014 PPV matches with a few button clicks. Also hindering the DVD is Lesnar's Streak-ending win over Undertaker and his SummerSlam annihilation of John Cena being excluded, and the inclusion of a fair amount of filler. However, there's still a lot of high-quality action here, and whilst there was no definitive Match Of The Year in WWE, most of the top contenders are on this compilation. Despite the longer running time, it's probably the weakest entry so far, but it is still a very entertaining round-up of a memorable year for WWE nonetheless.

Overall Rating: 7.5/10 - Good

The Destruction Of The Shield

Image Source: Amazon

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Running Time: 423 Minutes
Certificate: 15
Number Of Discs: 3
Studio: Fremantle Home Entertainment
Released: March 9 2015

Just over a year ago, WWE fans witnessed the shocking break-up of The Shield, with many wondering why one of the most dominant factions in recent memory would be split up, as well as wondering how each member would fare in the future. This DVD includes a documentary on the three members of the group - Seth Rollins, Dean Ambrose and Roman Reigns - and memorable matches involving the trio, as well as a number of bouts after the group dissolved.

The documentary was originally shown on the WWE Network, leading into SummerSlam 2014 where Ambrose would fight Rollins and where Reigns, in his major breakout match, would face Randy Orton. It shows how each man prepared for the biggest event of the summer, as well as delving into the pre-WWE backgrounds of all three (ranging from independents like ROH and CZW or American football in Reigns' case), the adventures of all three in FCW and on NXT, the coming-together of The Shield on WWE TV, their dominance from November 2012 to June 2014, and the ultimate destruction of the group (hence the title of this DVD).

The documentary covers virtually everything that you could expect, given the youth of the three profiled performers. We even get archive ROH and CZW footage for Rollins and Ambrose respectively during their independent days as Tyler Black and Jon Moxley, as well as some interesting stories on behind-the-scenes happenings involving the three men (particularly notable is Rollins' backstage conflicts which almost led to him not being promoted to the main roster). We get good coverage of The Shield's first year-and-a-half in WWE, and of their unexpected demise in June 2014. The feature does feel odd when the three ex-Shield members talk about their SummerSlam matches as if they were real, although it's understandable given that this was previously a pre-SummerSlam Network special. Otherwise, the documentary is very good considering that there isn't a huge amount of history to cover, and that equal time must be allocated between each of the profiled stars. It isn't must-see, but it is definitely worth watching. And even if you've previously seen this on the Network, there are several additional chapters to the main feature.

The match selection is also commendable, and each match is previewed by background comments from one Shield member. We get two really good Rollins-Ambrose matches from Florida Championship Wrestling, and a rare three-way involving the three men in FCW back when Reigns was known as Leakee. The last FCW match is a compelling fight between Ambrose and William Regal, but is tarnished by WWE's decision to include this bout with a black-and-white screen during scenes when Regal's ear is cut open. This is to comply with WWE's PG rating for this DVD, but it either should have been cut or released on a TV-14 compilation; FCW matches aren't on the WWE Network, so unless we get a future Ambrose DVD, we'll never get to see the full-colour transmission of this match. (It's also worth noting that this was the last ever FCW TV match which, when you watch it, feels like the developmental territory ended on a true low note, which is odd.)

We then see a fun NXT Title victory for Seth, making him the first NXT Champion, against Jinder Mahal and Roman Reign's NXT debut against CJ Parker. The match listing then jumps to The Shield's in-ring WWE debut, a superb TLC war against Ryback and Team Hell No from TLC 2012. With the possible exception of Kevin Owens defeating John Cena at Elimination Chamber 2015, this was the best main-stage debut for a new character or characters in the last decade in WWE. We don't get The Shield's WrestleMania bow (at XXIX), disappointingly, but we do get their first championship victories for the US Title and Tag Titles from Extreme Rules 2013, and a very exciting WWE Tag Team Title match with The Uso's from the Money In The Bank 2013 Kick-Off show.

The numbers increase for the Survivor Series 2013 elimination match that showcased Reigns, and the following six-man tag between The Shield and The Wyatt Family from Elimination Chamber 2014 is fantastic. The subsequent Shield-Evolution No Holds Barred bout from Payback 2014 is also engaging, if a little slow, as is the 2014 Money In The Bank Ladder Match, by which point The Shield has dissolved. We get the two SummerSlam 2014 matches that had been discussed (Rollins vs. Ambrose under Lumberjack rules, and Reigns vs. Orton), which is a nice touch, and two Raw matches pitting Rollins and Ambrose (Falls Count Anywhere) and Reigns respectively bring this compilation to a close. (There are also a few intriguing Blu-ray exclusive matches, so I'd suggest getting the Blu-ray over the DVD if you're trying to decide between the two.)

It is hoped, or has been proven since the end of this DVD's timeline (with Reigns winning the Royal Rumble and Rollins becoming WWE World Heavyweight Champion at WrestleMania 31), that the futures for all three men are brighter than their past and even their run in The Shield, so we are likely to see at least one of these performers profiled in another DVD in the future. Judging their careers up to the early post-Shield period, though, this DVD does as good a job as could be expected: the documentary is informative, insightful and entertaining, and the majority of the bonus matches are very good, with a few Match Of The Year contenders thrown in there.

If you didn't believe in The Shield, you will after watching this DVD.

Overall Rating: 8.5/10 - Excellent