DVD Review: WrestleMania Monday

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Written By: Mark Armstrong

Running Time: 363 Minutes
Certificate: 15
Number Of Discs: 3
Studio: Fremantle Home Entertainment
Released: April 3 2017

(Thanks to Fetch Publicity for arranging this review.)

Over the last few years, the episode of Raw held the day after WrestleMania has become almost as anticipated as Mania itself. Whilst the post-WM Raw has always served the purpose of pressing the reset button, so to speak, and acting as a platform for debuts, returns and even retirements, since 2012 the combination of truly major developments and increasingly raucous crowds have led to this being the most watched, and most eagerly-awaited, television show of the WWE Calendar.

The latest WWE release focuses on this phenomenon, with a documentary being accompanied by a selection of matches and moments from down the years, all of which, of course, come from post-Mania editions of Raw. They include some of the most memorable and historic Raw moments of all-time, and some of the loudest crowd reactions in Raw history provided the soundtrack for them. All of which makes for a pretty entertaining DVD.

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DVD Review: Diamond Dallas Page: Positively Living

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Written By: Mark Armstrong

Running Time: 424 Minutes
Certificate: 15
Number Of Discs: 3
Studio: Fremantle Home Entertainment
Released: March 27 2017

(Thanks to Fetch Publicity for arranging this review.)

Fans who have only discovered wrestling, and primarily WWE, within the last ten years may wonder why the latest personality DVD is based around Diamond Dallas Page. Besides appearances in the 2015 Royal Rumble and the Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal at WrestleMania 32, DDP hasn't wrestled for WWE since 2002, and his WWF/WWE run was a disappointment to him and his fans. So, at first glance, it's a confusing choice. However, when you factor in the man's unlikely journey to stardom, his major WCW success, his popularity, his high-standard ring skills and psychology, and the tremendous work he has done to help other people since retiring as a full-time grappler, you realise that DDP is the perfect candidate for the DVD bio treatment.

The DVD (which unfortunately uses a redone version of Page's theme instead of his WCW theme Self High Five, which in itself was a copy, albeit a very effective one, of Nirvana's Smells Like Teen Spirit) begins with a documentary focusing on the life and times of Dallas. We're told about his initial sports success in college and how working as a bar manager led him, after becoming a wrestling fan of course, to send in trial videos to become a manager in the AWA. Then in his early 30s, DDP spent the next few years in the AWA and later WCW, filling the void left behind by great managers who had moved on whilst developing an over-the-top personality with plenty of gimmick props. As Page states here, in WCW he was told that he wouldn't be used as a manager going forward because he was overshadowing the wrestlers, but that's where DDP's journey really begins.

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DVD Review: Royal Rumble 2017

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Written By: Mark Armstrong

Running Time: 211 Minutes
Certificate: 12
Number Of Discs: 1
Studio: Fremantle Home Entertainment
Released: March 20 2017

(Thanks to Fetch Publicity for arranging this review.)

The marketing slogan "Remember The Rumble" was used to promote the 30th annual Royal Rumble, which would arguably be the biggest in history as the show returned to the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas with a star-studded line-up across the board. Ultimately, the Rumble will be remembered for reasons good and bad, more positive than negative, as this DVD reaffirms.

Kicking off with Charlotte vs. Bayley for the Raw Women's Championship, the opener is a good one and it marks a refreshing change from the Charlotte-Sasha Banks battles on Raw (this is the first televised match for said title which doesn't involve Sasha since Extreme Rules way back in May, believe it or not). The result is logical, despite Bayley's popularity, although events since the Rumble suggest that the outcome was a bit pointless, since the title change that many assumed was being saved for WrestleMania, and ultimately was not, could have made for a big moment here at the Rumble.

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DVD Preview: Diamond Dallas Page: Positively Living

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Written By: Mark Armstrong

Provided By: Fetch Publicity

The following story is courtesy of Fetch Publicity ...

Beginning his storied career as a manager for the AWA, many believed that Diamond Dallas Page was crazy for chasing his dream and attempting a career inside the ring at the age of 35. But through hard work, positive thinking and determination, DDP proved his doubters wrong to become one of the most popular performers in sports-entertainment and a three-time WCW World Champion. For the first time ever, hear from “The Master Of The Diamond Cutter” himself as he talks about his historic career, as he rose to the top of the industry becoming a major player in both WCW and WWE. Also witness his life outside the ring as he’s now known the world over for his DDP Yoga, a life-changing exercise tool. A larger than life personality with a passion for life, this is Diamond Dallas Page: Positively Living.

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Roadblock: End Of The Line 2016

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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).

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DVD Preview: Royal Rumble 2017

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Written By: Mark Armstrong

Provided By: Fetch Publicity

The following story is courtesy of Fetch Publicity ...

For 30 years, Royal Rumble has been a stepping stone for superstars to rise to legendary status by getting the chance to headline WrestleMania. Which superstar from Raw or SmackDown will take their career to the next level? “The Phenomenal” AJ Styles and John Cena write the next chapter in their historic rivalry in a match for the WWE World Championship. WWE Universal Champion Kevin Owens faces challenger Roman Reigns with Kevin Owens’ best friend suspended high above the ring in a shark cage! And WWE Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair looks to extend her famed Pay-Per-View winning streak against Bayley! Buckle up, because we are now on The Road To WrestleMania!

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The Best Of Raw & SmackDown 2016

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Written By: Mark Armstrong

Running Time: 519 Minutes
Certificate: 12
Number Of Discs: 3
Studio: Fremantle Home Entertainment
Released: February 20 2017

(Thanks to Fetch Publicity for arranging this review.)

Just like the Best PPV Matches 2016 DVD, this three-disc collection emphasises that it was a year of two halves (well, near enough) for WWE: pre-Draft and post-Draft, especially on Raw and SmackDown, which changed dramatically once the WWE roster was split into two. Actually, it was more like a year of thirds, with the pre-WrestleMania season being a fairly dull time on-screen due to a plethora of injuries and a certain amount of creative malaise.

Mind you, there were still some highlights of the year's first few months, and most of them are featured on this set, which is presented by Jerry Lawler and is introduced with the Raw and SmackDown intro videos. Officially opening with a fun Charlotte vs. Becky Lynch bout from the first SmackDown of the year, we then jump to a match which seems like aeons ago, as Kalisto challenges Alberto Del Rio for the United States Championship on Raw, in a bout that exceeds expectations.

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The Best Of Raw & Smackdown 2016 announced for DVD in the UK

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Written By: Mark Armstrong

Provided By: Fetch Publicity

The following story is courtesy of Fetch Publicity ...

It was a whirlwind year for WWE! New faces emerged, legends returned and the future of the WWE roster changed forever with the brand extension. Experience the New Era of WWE and recall every shocking development, every major match, and every key moment that made 2016 an incredible year for WWE. Featuring matches with AJ Styles, Triple H, Dolph Ziggler, Seth Rollins, Roman Reigns and more!

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TLC 2016

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Written By: Mark Armstrong

Running Time: 174 Minutes
Certificate: 15
Number Of Discs: 1
Studio: Fremantle Home Entertainment
Released: February 6 2017

(Thanks to Fetch Publicity for arranging this review.)

TLC 2016 rounded off the Pay-Per-View year on the SmackDown side, a year where the blue brand has completed a remarkable comeback from being an almost ignored show to WWE's most entertaining and logical weekly programme. TLC also served to culminate several lengthy rivalries, all of which combined with some high-quality action to deliver a really good event for WWE fans.

The show opens with a basic, television-esque battle for the SmackDown Tag Team Titles between Heath Slater & Rhyno and the team of Randy Orton & Bray Wyatt, which existed more to further the Orton-in-the-Wyatt-Family storyline. Next up, we have a No Disqualification bout between Nikki Bella and Carmella which, whilst fairly short, draws a line under their feud which began in August, whilst also setting up the subsequent Nikki-Natalya rivalry.

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TLC 2016 coming soon on DVD and Blu-ray in the UK

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Written By: Mark Armstrong

Provided By: Fetch Publicity

The following story is courtesy of Fetch Publicity ...

With tables, ladders, and chairs surrounding the ring and the WWE World Championship suspended high above, AJ Styles heads into his first TLC match defending the title against "The Lunatic Fringe" Dean Ambrose. The rivalry for the Intercontinental Championship reaches new heights as The Miz defends his title against Dolph Ziggler in a Ladder Match. The women of the blue brand get their chance to shine when Becky Lynch defends the WWE SmackDown Women’s Championship against Alexa Bliss in a Tables Match. Plus more!

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WWE Best Pay-Per-View Matches 2016

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Written By: Mark Armstrong

Running Time: 539 Minutes
Certificate: 15
Number Of Discs: 3
Studio: Fremantle Home Entertainment
Released: January 16 2017

(Thanks to Fetch Publicity for arranging this review.)

For the seventh year, WWE presents its top supercard matches of the year on DVD (although the original release covered the 2009/2010 season, from Backlash 2009 to WrestleMania XXVI; you can check out previous reviews within this series using the links on the right). Since the series began at the end of the 2000s, a lot of things have changed in WWE, not least the roster and its leading stars. However, what hasn't changed is that you can usually count on there being some pretty strong matches on the vast majority of Pay-Per-View events. In 2016, there were perhaps more stand-out PPV showdowns than ever before in WWE, and many of them are included in this collection.

Hosted by Lita, the set fittingly kicks off with the first PPV match of the year, that being a very good Last Man Standing clash between Dean Ambrose and Kevin Owens for the Intercontinental Championship from Royal Rumble. From there, we're shown a quick montage of every match from the Rumble event and, throughout the set, similar round-ups are shown for every featured PPV event, as was the case on the 2015 collection (which is a nice touch as it packs a lot of moments into a short, neat and tidy series of clips). After that, we head to Fast Lane for two matches: AJ Styles vs. Chris Jericho, which was a strong effort in their underrated feud, and Roman Reigns vs. Dean Ambrose vs. Brock Lesnar with the WrestleMania 32 WWE Title shot at stake. The latter is better than I remembered it being, although the result was never in doubt, and strangely enough the Reigns-Triple H feud which had begun in November 2015, and generated some excitement over the winter through various angles, was suddenly turned on by hardcore fans once it became official that the two would collide at WrestleMania (how bizarre ... wink wink).

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Hell In A Cell 2016

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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).

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TLC 2014

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Written By: Mark Armstrong

Running Time: 183 Minutes
Certificate: 15
Number Of Discs: 1
Studio: Fremantle Home Entertainment
Released: March 23 2015

The final card of 2014, TLC already feels like a distant memory. Since the show took place, we've had the somewhat unwanted return of The Authority, Daniel Bryan coming back and Roman Reigns receiving a ton of abuse which calls into question his status as WWE's next top star. Mind you, that's not to say that TLC 2014 isn't up to scratch, because there are some enjoyable matches on show at this, erm, show.

The event peaks early with the Luke Harper-Dolph Ziggler Ladder match: whilst not one of the all-time classic matches of this genre, it's very exciting and surprisingly brutal, and is one of the better Ladder matches in WWE from the last few years (it also benefits from Ziggler's hometown crowd in Cleveland, Ohio providing a great atmosphere during this bout). Next, The Miz and Damien Mizdow battle The Usos in a match which isn't as must-see as Miz' gimmick would have you believe, but features another hilarious performance from his stunt double Mizdow.

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Survivor Series 2014

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Written By: Mark Armstrong

Running Time: 185 Minutes
Certificate: 12
Number Of Discs: 1
Studio: Fremantle Home Entertainment
Released: February 16 2015

The 2014 Survivor Series is a show of two halves, or rather two parts. Much of the first two-thirds is completely missable, with some matches being totally unworthy of being staged on any PPV event, much less a major show like Survivor Series. However, the main event - which takes up almost the entire final hour - is outstanding, with first-class booking and strong performances being topped off by a massive surprise. Therefore, the DVD for this show is a bit, well, uneven.

After a last-push promo to promote the main event opens the show (which I had completely forgotten about until revisiting it here), the card officially gets under way with an enjoyable four-team match for the WWE Tag Team Titles. This is something of a hidden gem as there's some great tag team wrestling here, and we are reminded as to how brilliant the Damien Mizdow gimmick really is. From there, though, the show falters.

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Clash Of Champions 2016

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Written By: Mark Armstrong

Running Time: 185 Minutes
Certificate: 12
Number Of Discs: 1
Studio: Fremantle Home Entertainment
Released: November 21 2016

(Thanks to Fetch Publicity for arranging this review.)

Since the second WWE brand extension came into effect in July, the Raw and SmackDown brands have experienced mixed fortunes. The blue brand has enjoyed a resurgence of sorts due to its newly-live format, its focus on highlighting all of its characters regardless of stature, despite the limited ranks, and a generally logical, wrestling-based approach. The red team, on the other hand, haven't exactly experienced a boom period: the three-hour format of the weekly show has become even more of a struggle with fewer wrestlers to mix and match with, a large number of performers have either seen their fortunes remain exactly as they were pre-Draft or enter a decline (some greater than others), and the continued focus on authority figures has ensured that fans are always expecting some sort of interference or screwiness to hinder the generally-strong efforts put forth by its talented roster.

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The True Story Of The Royal Rumble

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Written By: Mark Armstrong

Running Time: 437 Minutes
Certificate: 15
Number Of Discs: 3
Studio: Fremantle Home Entertainment
Released: December 5 2016

(Thanks to Fetch Publicity for arranging this review.)

The Royal Rumble match is arguably the most anticipated WWE encounter of the entire year, more so even than the main event of WrestleMania. The potential for big moments, elevation of younger talent, surprise returns or debuts, shock eliminations, face/heel turns, unexpected square-offs and more, along with the guarantee for the Rumble winner to earn a World Title shot at Mania (usually, anyway), all combine to create a match that has seen its legacy grow over the years, especially during the modern era where fans know so much of what will happen long before it hits the screen. The Rumble match remains unpredictable, where the key layers are a closely-guarded secret and almost anything can happen.

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The True Story Of The Royal Rumble coming soon on DVD and Blu-ray in the UK

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Written By: Mark Armstrong

Provided By: Fetch Publicity

The following story is courtesy of Fetch Publicity ...

For nearly 30 years, both WWE Superstars and WWE Universe members alike begin their Road to WrestleMania at Royal Rumble! An over-the-top-rope free-for-all battle where the winner is given a one-way ticket to the Showcase of the Immortals. For the first time ever, WWE brings you behind-the-scenes to get the unique story of the monumental January event from those who created it and the Superstars who have competed in the Royal Rumble match. Get all the history, get all the stories, and learn The True Story Of The Royal Rumble!

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Randy Orton: RKO Outta Nowhere

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Written By: Mark Armstrong

Running Time: 349 Minutes
Certificate: 15
Number Of Discs: 3
Studio: Fremantle Home Entertainment
Released: November 14 2016

(Thanks to Fetch Publicity for arranging this review.)

Originally, the November 2016 WWE DVD release was set to be the third volume in the OMG! Moments series, this time focusing on ECW (which certainly did provide a plethora of such incidents). For reasons unknown, this was changed to a new Randy Orton match compilation (likely in time with his return from a long, injury-related lay-off), featuring matches spanning the 2000-2015 period and containing pre-match comments from Randy himself in a newly-recorded sit-down interview. This switch didn't satisfy everybody (including fans of the old ECW, obviously), but from a quality standpoint, the change was probably for the better, as this second three-disc set on The Viper provides plenty of action and a good glimpse into the mind-set of the modern-day Legend Killer.

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Brock Lesnar: Eat. Sleep. Conquer. Repeat.

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Written By: Mark Armstrong

Running Time: 419 Minutes
Certificate: 15
Number Of Discs: 3
Studio: Fremantle Home Entertainment
Released: October 17 2016

(Thanks to Fetch Publicity for arranging this review.)

Originally, the plan was for Brock Lesnar's latest DVD to feature a full documentary of his career, from his NCAA days to his original WWE run to his controversial exit from the company to his UFC adventures to the highlights of his WWE return. Unfortunately, while we do have some pre-match comments from The Beast Incarnate, the main documentary feature was cancelled shortly before the official DVD announcement. It's a big disappointment, because after his previous DVD Here Comes The Pain (which you can read my review for by clicking here) contained almost all of his top matches in his 2002-2004 WWE tenure, a second match collection here feels a bit shallow. There are some memorable matches on display, as you will read about shortly, but given Lesnar's part-time status, there are unlikely to be many fans who haven't seen Lesnar's output in recent years, resulting in a compilation that, without the documentary, has little reason to exist.

There is plenty of good action, though, and disc one does focus on Lesnar's original WWE run. Brock was originally on a developmental deal which saw him train in Ohio Valley Wrestling, so it's nice to have a rare OVW bout pitting Lesnar and Shelton Benjamin against the lesser-known Chris Michaels and Sean Casey from 2000. Even rarer is a non-televised scrap with Mr. Perfect from January 2002, shortly before his official WWF/WWE debut. From there, we have some slightly more memorable action in the form of a Lesnar vs. Rob Van Dam main event from Raw, at a time when Brock was far from the finished article but in the midst of a huge push nonetheless, and the disc ends with two PPV battles from 2003: a great showdown with Kurt Angle from SummerSlam, and an adequate Biker Chain scrap with The Undertaker, who would become arguably Brock's most famous opponent, from No Mercy. Discs two and three then focus on Brock's 2012-2015 WWE highlights.

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Elimination Chamber 2015

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Written By: Mark Armstrong

Running Time: 186 Minutes
Certificate: 15
Number Of Discs: 1
Studio: Fremantle Home Entertainment
Released: July 27 2015

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

Elimination Chamber, once WWE's final PPV stop before WrestleMania, was a definite B-show in 2015; in fact, it was only announced less than three weeks beforehand. The card still ended up delivering some memorable action and a major upset victory, but rewatching the show on DVD (which incidentally is a UK exclusive), one can't escape the feeling that it was still a card of lesser importance.

The opening Tag Team Elimination Chamber match for the doubles titles has its moments, with some quite frankly insane stunts, but a couple of spots appear to be the subject of wrestler confusion (as in, the performers themselves didn't know where to be at some points), and the finish is a bit anticlimactic, resulting in an opener that is good but by no means great. The three-way match for the Divas Championship is okay, but Nikki Bella vs. Paige vs. Naomi won't exactly be brought up at the end of the year as a vintage showcase of the women's division.

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