Wrestlemania XXVI Re-Do Review

Wrestlemania XXVI Re-Do Review

This has always been one of personal favourite Manias. When I think of it, all I remember was a fun show, capped off with three great main events. Let's see if any of that has changed.



I've decided that after I finish reviewing every Wrestlemania , I will attempt to rank every single Wrestlemania match . Can't be that hard , there's only like 300 of them .


(I'm still gonna attempt this after I finish re-doing/reviewing the rest of the Mania shows. Looking forward to doing it actually)


Ok whoever this Fantasia is , she cannot sing properly . WWE please just stick with Lilian Garcia and leave it at that .


(Ok I was being way too harsh there, she actually did a very good job with the song, although I do agree that it should be Lilian's honor each year)


John Morrison & R-Truth vs The MizShow
This was actually really good match for the 3 minutes it was on for . Too bad it had no hype . Still good though *3/4


(Might be one of the better three minute matches you'll ever watch. They really did use their time to the best that they could, providing a fun, if unmemorable match. I do think my original rating is a bit high for what it was. I'll change it to  *1/4)


Randy Orton vs Ted Dibiase vs Cody Rhodes
This match was a bit disappointing but still good . What the hell was Cody wearing though ? It would have been better if Ted or Cody had won , but at least Cody has risen up from it . **


(This should have been a bigger deal than it was. As it is, it's still a solid match that the crowd was into. I think this match really kick-started Orton's face turn that still goes on today. The crowd couldn't have cared less about Rhodes or Dibiase, but they were hot for Orton. I'll stick with the  ** rating)


Money In The Bank Ladder Match
I would say out of every Wrestlemania Money in the bank this is probably the worst , but that is not a bad thing at all , as i love every one of those matches. Great match with Kofi and Evan , in my opinion , stealing the show . Surprising win with Jack Swagger which would turn out to be a bad idea . ***1/4


(The worst MITB match in my opinion, and yet it's still very good and very entertaining. That's just how good these ladder matches are. I did think that there were way too many participants, but they all had a little something to bring to the match. Swagger winning was a surprise at the time, and quite a bad idea in hindsight. Kofi's stilts spot was fucking awesome. As always, a fun match. I'll keep it at  ***1/4)



Triple H vs Sheamus
Once again we receive another wrong winner . Sheamus could have done well with the win . At least he's now doing well as the World Champion . Good solid match here . ***


(I wouldn't say wrong winner since Sheamus is doing well for himself. It was really strange to see HHH this low on a Mania card, since he was usually in a major Mania match since Mania 2000. Quite a big moment for Sheamus since he was stepping in the ring with a veteran that had taken on many greats throughout the years and at Mania. I've always found this one a little underrated, as it was entertaining all the way through. Staying with  ***)


CM Punk vs Rey Mysterio
Ok , i know this has been repeated many times , but who's bright idea was it to give these guys 6 minutes ?! Well they really managed to use those minutes and gave us probably the best 6 minute match ever . ***1/4


(It's wrestling blasphemy to only give these guys six minutes. Imagine what they could have done with fifteen! In their classic style though, they were still able to give us a very good match in a very short amount of time. This was like one of their better matches scrunched up into a short amount of time. Gonna lower the rating just a little bit. ***)



Bret Hart vs Mr McMahon : No Holds Barred
My opinion on this match is that is that it kind of sucked , but it gave fans like me closure over the whole Montreal Screwjob incident . 1/4* for that match . ***1/2 for the closure.


(What an anticipated match this was. Thirteen years in the making. No one was expecting a classic wrestling match here, but everyone wanted to see Vince getting the shit kicked out of him, which he did. The problem is that, like the Lawler/Cole match, it went way too long, but unlike that match, it actually meant something and had a great Mania moment with Bret locking Vince in the sharpshooter and getting his revenge for Montreal. Still it's a very boring match so I'll stick with my  1/4*)


Edge vs Chris Jericho
This match seems to get better every time I watch it . At first I thought it was ok , then good , and now I think it's great . The crowd was dead thanks to the Bret/Vince match , but they got into it by the end . Jericho got the upset victory with a codebreaker . ***3/4


(This match had been built up for almost a year and started when Edge was injured. Jericho started saying insulting things, like thanking him for getting injured because he was just holding him back. Ouch. The crowd started quiet for this thanks to the boring Bret/Vince match, but because both guys are so good, they were able to get the crowd into it. Jericho winning was a big surprise too, as most were expecting Edge to get his revenge. He did get it after the contest when he speared Jericho off the announce table. Like the Punk/Jericho match, I gain an appreciation for the match each time I watch. Great match and the rating stays at  ***3/4)


Divas Tag Match
Just skip. DUD


(Nice little analogy from my past self there. I did like Vickie trying to send a tribute for Eddie by attempting his frog splash. The participants were Alicia Fox, Maryse, Vickie Guerrero & Laycool vs Mickie James, Beth Phoenix, Kelly Kelly, Eve & Gail Kim, for those interested. Match wasn't as bad as I thought. 1/4* for the finisher fest at the end)


John Cena vs Batista
This match was great . Not as good as their match at Summerslam in my opinion , but still a great math and the crowd was really into it . ***3/4


(Great choice for the WWE Championship match. The only match they had before this was their awesome Summerslam match in which Batista injured Cena. It was time to see if Cena could actually beat Batista. Batista's final Mania match as well which is a shame. He would leave only a couple of months after this. A power match done very well here. Great match overall. Really could have been something special if given some extra time. Rating stays at  ***3/4)


Undertaker vs Shawn Michaels : Streak vs Career
This has got to be one of the greatest matches of all time . The emotion and anticipation for this match was off the charts . It will always be remembered by wrestling fans and for good reason . I still think their first match was better but only by a small margin . Incredible classic . Taker ends HBK's career and goes 18-0 with a third tombstone . *****


(As if the rating for this was going to change. Easily still one of the greatest Mania matches ever and one of the best final matches if not the best. Perfect match for Michaels to go out on against, arguably, his best opponent. You could put this back-to-back with their Mania 25 match, but for me, Mania 25 just edges this one out a bit. An all time great match that'll be remembered forever. *****)



I'll give it 8/10 , such an underrated event that could maybe be in the top ten for Wrestlemanias.



(8/10 still sounds right to me. The three main events definitely delivered, add a nice, solid undercard that is only brought down by a boring Bret/Vince match and some time constraints. A Mania worth watching.

Wrestlemania XXVII Re-Do Review

Wrestlemania XXVII Re-Do Review



Not one of my better reviews. Hopefully you guys know how these re-do reviews work by now. Right let's begin.




Great video package to start off WM . Gets the blood pumping .


(The music for the video was Diamond Eyes by Shinedown, and I still listen to it today. Good song that's worth checking out. Keri Hilson sings America the Beautiful and does a good job of it. For some reason I never mentioned Rock's introduction. Pretty meaningless and the time wasted could have been used for other matches. He was trying to pump up the crowd, but the World Title match could have done that)


Edge vs Alberto Del Rio
Kinda sucks that in the last two Wrestlemanias , the World title has started off the night . Hot match that would end up being Edge's final ever match in WWE . That alone makes it historic . Great match to start the night off . ***1/2


(It was kind of redeemed at this year's when the World Title match was on before the three main events. Still an historic match since it was Edge's final match. I don't think he could have left more perfectly. I mean it was at Mania, was a World Title match, and he won it! Just a shame that we never knew this would be his final match. I think I overrated it just a little bit. I'll change it to  ***1/4)


Cody Rhodes vs Rey Mysterio
Very underrated match here that I thought was incredible and a great win for Cody . Without a doubt a match worth watching ***1/2



(Last time I watched this, I thought it was vastly underrated. Watching it now, I still think it's vastly underrated. Cody's delayed superplex is still a thing of beauty. Mysterio really put Rhodes over here, and he's been doing reasonably well ever since, with a long IC Title reign and what looks to be a good feud with Damien Sandow. I liked the psychology of Cody using Rey's knee brace and Rey using Cody's mask. Very good match with a big win for Cody. Still  ***1/2)



(Shitty auditions for Snoop Dogg take place. It wasn't all shotty though since everything William Regal touches is golden and I still get a giggle from Zack Ryder singing 'Friday')


Big Show , Kane , Santino Marella & Kofi Kingston vs The Corre
Thought this would get at least 5 minutes of time to work with but didn't even make it to 2 ! Good for what it was , but still should have been longer . 1/2*



(And they wondered why the Corre wasn't a successful group. Time from the Rock's intro and the Lawler/Cole match should have been given to this. At least it was fun for the very short time that it lasted. Still  1/2*)


Randy Orton vs CM Punk
This match was a little disappointing but still good . Great finish with the RKO after Punk jumps off the rope . ***1/4


(This might have been the first match that these two ever had together, which made it very fresh at the time. The reasoning for the feud was quite stupid, as it was because Orton cost Punk the World Title over two years previously, in a moment that no one really remembers. At least both guys were capable of putting on a good match. Something that I didn't notice when I first reviewed this are Punk's great facial expressions, something of which he has become a master of. Really does help the match, along with the work on Orton's leg. I think I underrated this the first time, and I'm increasing the rating to  ***1/2)



Jerry Lawler vs Michael Cole : Special Referee- Stone Cold
What to say about this match . I'd say watch the start and a bit of the finish then leave it at that . What a waste of time that could have went to better matches . The fact that Cole never took a stunner is highly disappointing . DUD


(What a bad idea this was. Don't get me wrong, I was actually looking forward to this match at the time, but I was expecting it to be five minutes at the most with Lawler kicking Cole's ass for that time and giving Cole his comeuppance like everyone else. Instead they did the complete opposite. The match was way too long, Cole got most of the offense in, and Lawler didn't even get the win! And the feud went on for another two PPVs! Quite possibly the worst match in the history of Wrestlemania. Complete and utter DUD)


Triple H vs Undertaker : No Holds Barred
Amazing at the time , but now they have surpassed themselves at WM XXVIII it seems a little irrevelent . Still a great match though . ****1/2


(Loved the intros which unfortunately dubbed over in the DVD version. The match has lost a little bit of it's mystique since the HIAC match was so much better in quality and in emotion. That doesn't stop it from being awesome though. The slow moments are a little more noticeable this time though. Nobody seemed to like the moment after the match, in which the Undertaker was unable to leave the arena without help. Since it led to their next Mania match, I was fine with it. I'm reducing it to  ****1/4. Still a great match!)


John Morrison , Snooki & Trish Stratus vs Dolph Ziggler & Laycool
Good for what it was , but I'd say skip because I absolutely detest shows like Jersey Shore . 1/4*


(The fact that Snooki has had a Wrestlemania match, and guys like Antonio Cesaro and Damien Sandow haven't, pisses me off to absolutely no end. Another way too short tag match, but thanks to Ziggler, John Morrison and the return of Trish, it was still quite fun. I'll raise it to 3/4*, as I may have been a little harsh the first time)


John Cena vs Miz
Who's idea was this ? I thought everything was ok up until the double count out which made me think ' Why at Wrestlemania ?? **1/2 for the match . DUD for the rest .


(Miz's intro video was awesome. Cena's wasn't very good though. Looked like they were referring to Cena as some kind of angel. Anyway the match up until the double count-out was actually quite solid and Miz even got a nice nearfall after kicking out of the second AA, which made him look really good. The finish to the whole thing made it feel like a regular episode of Raw, which isn't good at all for Mania and probably the reason why this Mania doesn't have a good reputation. Sticking with  **1/2 for the whole thing)



6.5/10 . It would be good for a PPV , but  for Wrestlemania there was nothing memorable apart from Edge's last match and the NHB encounter . Watch with the mindset that you're watching a normal PPV.



(Still quite a surreal Mania to watch, as most of it seemed out of place and it had a very bad ending, but that doesn't make it a bad show. It's not a great show but it's not bad. The ending of the show, the Lawler/Cole match, and the very short tag matches don't help matters. It's Edge/Alberto, Rhodes/Mysterio, Orton/Punk and Taker/HHH that makes the show solid. I think I'll reduce the overall rating to  6/10. Not the worst Mania ever, but not the best either)

Money in the Bank 2013 Review

Money in the Bank 2013 Review



Fandango vs Dean Ambrose vs Jack Swagger vs Antonio Cesaro vs Cody Rhodes vs Damien Sandow vs Wade Barrett : Money in the Bank
Quite a peculiar match here since every one of these guys is a heel. The fans decided to pick their own favourites: Dean Ambrose, Fandango and, eventually, Cody Rhodes. Cody was the absolute star of this match. Before the match, I thought he had no chance of winning it, but as the match went on, I was rooting so hard for him to grab the briefcase. The cut on his head helped too. Anyway this was an awesome match that was exciting all the way through and even featured some innovative offense. The interference from The Shield and The Usos didn't hinder it either. All in all a great way to start off the show. Damien Sandow is this year's winner of the World Title briefcase. ****




Curtis Axel vs The Miz
Whose idea was it to have Paul Heyman ejected from the match so early? Did they even know what crowd they were in front of? The crowd was more interested in having Heyman back than the IC Title match in front of them. Curtis did look pretty good too. I thought we would get a shitty finish, but Curtis pinned Miz clean in the middle of the ring to retain. Match wasn't too bad either. Although I must say this: can we stop with the Perfectplex kick outs? It should be his finisher and yet everyone seems to kick out of it. Solid little match anyway. **1/4




AJ Lee vs Kaitlyn
After their awesome performance at Payback last month, I was really looking forward to this, and I think that may be the first time I've ever said that about a divas match. It wasn't nearly as good as the Payback match, but it was still enjoyable. They just needed more time. I wouldn't mind if this feud continues. AJ makes Kaitlyn submit to retain. **1/4




Ryback vs Chris Jericho
What a filler match this was. It wasn't even a feud, they were just paired up randomly and Jericho started attacking Ryback for no real reason. At least Ryback got his first PPV win since who knows when. Even if it was with a really shitty roll up. The match wasn't bad. It started off really slow, but picked up in the final few minutes. **1/2




Dolph Ziggler vs Alberto Del Rio
Glad to see that Dolph is still getting huge reactions from the crowd. Although this didn't have the psychology of their last match, they just about made up for it with some great in-ring action. There were even some nice nearfalls which is something I love. It's a shame the finish had to ruin it. As soon as AJ came out, I knew that she would end up costing Dolph the match. I didn't know it would look so stupid though. Why would she hit Del Rio with the belt right in front of the ref? Maybe we'll find out on TV soon. Overall a very good match with a bad ending. And no cash in either. ***1/2




John Cena vs Mark Henry
Now this was a lot better than I thought it would be. Cena made Henry look like an absolute monster in there until the finish. The finish is the only bad part about it, as I can't really see someone as big and bad as Henry tapping to the STF. At least he got to kick out of the AA. That was cool. The crowd was hot for it all the way through as well. Exceeded my expectations. ***1/4




CM Punk vs Daniel Bryan vs Rob Van Dam vs Randy Orton vs Sheamus vs Christian : Money in the Bank
Well I have to give them credit for ending with a result that I wasn't expecting. There was no way that I thought anyone except RVD or Bryan was gonna win. They really gave this match a lot of time, almost half an hour I think. It felt like they were holding back at times, but there were still a lot of awesome moments, like RVD showing us all his moves again, or Bryan going crazy on everyone, or Heyman betraying Punk with a vicious ladder shot. The highlight for me was Sheamus's bumping. When he first fell off the ladder, I gasped thinking that he must have been injured. The he has his head smashed to the canvas with a ladder, and then goes through one on the outside! I would not be surprised if he took some time off after this. Match of the Night for this one. ****



8/10. Awesome show here. It took a little dip from the IC Title match to the Ryback/Y2J match, but there was nothing bad. The finishes were really strange though and kind of took away from some of the matches. Other than that, we had two unexpected winners in the MITB matches. Two awesome ladder matches, two and two very good World Title matches make this an easy recommendation.

Summerslam 1999 Review

Summerslam 1999 Review



Jeff Jarrett vs D-Lo Brown
Both the IC and European Titles are on the line in this match. Seems like a big deal and sounds like a good way to start off the show. Jeff made himself a hated heel by sending Debra backstage. Fans were hot for this one. This was a solid match, but it could have used more time. It also featured the generic attitude era betrayal, with Mark Henry turning on D-Lo to cost him both titles. Solid match anyway with some good action. **3/4



Tag Team Turmoil Match
We start off with Edge & Christian vs The Hardy Boyz. Strange to see E&C as the faces and the Hardys as the heels. These two teams started the match off very well, and the Hardys are eliminated to bring in Viscera & Mideon. Mideon pinned after a spear and that brings out Droz & Prince Albert. No wonder the Tensai gimmick couldn't get over. Albert pinned, and the Acolytes are out next. E&C eliminated and the Hollys are out next. Acolytes win the match. If this had just been E&C vs The Hardys, it would have been awesome. As a turmoil match it was a lot of fun, but dragged on towards the end. **1/4



Road Dogg comes out to complain that he isn't in the Hardcore Title match, and Chris Jericho makes his very first WWE PPV appearance and cuts a promo on WWE and Road Dogg.




Al Snow vs Big Boss Man
The Hardcore Title is on the line. Everyone knows about the strange storyline between these two, as Boss Man would go on to feed Snow his own dog, and that led to the infamous Kennel from Hell match at the next PPV. Generic attitude era hardcore match, as they went backstage and all the way out to the street. This must have looked weird to people that weren't wrestling fans. Snow wins with help from Road Dogg. *



Ivory vs Tori
Women's Title is on the line. Tori wanted some revenge on Ivory after she wrote the words 'slut' and 'skank' on her stomach and back. Better match than I thought it would have been, but it was still way too short. Ivory retains her title. *



Ken Shamrock vs Steve Blackman : Lion's Den Match
The second and final Lion's Den match in Summerslam history. It kind of looks like a smaller version of the UFC cage, except that there are weapons around the cage as well. I think the only way to win is by knockout. Hard one to rate, as it's not your traditional kind of match. It was entertaining while it lasted though. Shamrock knocks out Blackman with a kendo stick. **




Shane McMahon vs Test : Greenwich Street Fight
Billed as Love Her or Leave Her. If Test wins he stays with Stephanie, if he loses he leaves Stephanie. I think this might have been the first time that Shane used the elbow drop through the announce table. While I thought this was a lot better than I thought it would be, I don't think it's the classic that other people make it out to be. Don't get me wrong, I did enjoy it. Just good though, not great. Test hits an elbow drop to win. ***



Kane & X-Pac vs Big Show & Undertaker
Tag Team Titles are on the line. Kane had a new attire for this night. X-Pac looked tiny compared to the three 7ft giants around him. I was expecting this one to be quite slow, but it was actually a very well paced tag match. X-Pac probably should have been DQ'd when he kicked Taker in the crotch right in front of the ref. Taker tombstones X-Pac to win the Tag Titles. **1/2




The Rock vs Billy Gunn : Kiss My Ass Match
I thought Rock would have had a better match booked for one of the biggest shows of the year. They must have thought that Gunn was a big deal after winning the King of the Ring tournament. Loser has to kiss the other guys ass. Not a bad match, but you could see that Billy wasn't ready to leave the mid-card yet. Rock mostly carried the match. The fat woman Billy brought in didn't help. Rock bottom, People's Elbow and the Rock wins. *3/4




Stone Cold vs Triple H vs Mankind
WWE Championship up for grabs, and Jesse Ventura is your special guest referee. HHH was starting his rise to become the top guy in WWE. There was a funny moment during the match, when Austin somehow fell over the rope and HHH had to go and pull him back over. Must have been hard not to laugh. Ventura did a good job as the ref. Very good triple threat match made even better with the addition of Ventura. Mankind hits the double-arm DDT to win the championship. ***1/2




6/10. Average show here, but the main event delivered which was the important thing, and the Street Fight was surprisingly good. The two opening matches were pretty fun as well. Wouldn't go out of my way to watch it but it's still an enjoyable watch.

The Top 25 Rivalries in Wrestling History DVD Review

Top 25 Rivalries in Wrestling History DVD Review



I sometimes wonder if WWE likes the controversy they create with these kind of countdowns. Don't get me wrong, every rivalry here deserved it's place, but it would have been nice if there had been an honorable mentions extra for the forgotten rivalries, such as Bret/Austin or Flair/Funk. Hell even Cena/Orton could have used a mention. As for the feature itself, it's easily WWE's best countdown feature. Unlike other releases like the Top 50 Superstars, each of the 25 rivalries shown was given enough time to show why it was a great rivalrie. It's also one that is easily rewatchable and never became boring. It was also nice to have a rivalry like Gagne/Bockwinkel in which I didn't know much about. All in all it's a great release that is worth a look. By the way, the chemistry stuff was incredibly stupid and almost ruined the thing. I'll give it  8.5/10.



Disc 2 Matches :



Hulk Hogan vs Roddy Piper
From The War to Settle the Score in 1985. WWE Title on the line. How these two never had a big main event match at a show like Wrestlemania is beyond me. If they main evented Mania 2, it would have been a much better show. The crowd was absolutely heated up for this one. The match ends in a DQ for Piper, but it was never boring and a lot of fun. This led us to the first ever Wrestlemania, so a lot of historical significance here. **




Magnum T.A. vs Tully Blanchard : I Quit Steel Cage
From Starrcade 1985. This is usually known as the greatest steel cage match of all time and for very good reason. This has exactly what a cage match needs : hatred. These guys made you believe that they absolutely wanted to kill one another. It's very brutal for it's time, with Magnum bleeding in the first minute of the bout. It was hard to watch sometimes, as it looked like a horror movie at times. Blanchard trying to stab Magnum in the eye with the broken chair piece was sick and unbelievable. Awesome stuff that needs to be witnessed by every wrestling fan. ****3/4




Bruiser Brody vs Abdullah the Butcher
Apparently the matches between these two are known for always having either one or both guys busted open during it. Abdullah is almost immediately busted open. Very chaotic match as they go all around the arena. No contest as the match just fades to black. Fun while it lasted I'd say. **




Kevin & Kerry Von Erich vs Terry Gordy & Buddy Roberts : Badstreet Rules Match
They probably should have chosen a match featuring Michael Hayes, as he was one of the main figures in this rivalry. All guys are in street clothes which I guess means that Badstreet Rules is like a Street Fight match. It started off well with the brawling in the ring, and git even better when the brawling took to the outside of the ring. Commercial break ruins it a bit. Match ends in a time limit draw. Fun match that could have been great with more time. **1/4




Hulk Hogan & Randy Savage vs Ted Dibiase & Andre the Giant
From Summerslam 1988. The first ever main event of Summerslam, that lead to a hell of a lot more.  I assume that this is Dibiase and Andre trying to get revenge for their defeat at Wrestlemania. Jesse Ventura is the referee for some reason. An entertaining match that felt like a big deal. The crowd was hot for it too. Overall it was a good match with a very memorable ending, as Liz shows off her underwear to distract the bad guys and give the Mega Powers the big win.



Undertaker vs Mankind
From King of the Ring 1996. Here we have a great and very underrated feud and I'm glad it got some recognition in this set. Amazing to think that two years later at the same PPV, these two would have a match that no one would ever forget. The match goes a little too long but was good while it lasted. Mankind wins by making Taker pass out to the mandible claw. They would go on to have much better matches. **3/4




Disc 3 Matches :



Tazz vs Sabu
From Barely Legal 1997. This match had been built up for a year and the fans were definitely ready to see it take place. Great choice for one of the main events of ECW's first PPV. This was billed as the 'Grudge Match of the Century'. This just felt like a big match. Some of the action in the crowd was hard to see which was an annoyance. In the end, Sabu couldn't take Tazz's  suplexes, and passed out while in the Tazzmission. Great match here with two guys trying to prove who's the best. ***1/2



Tommy Dreamer vs Raven
This was one of the biggest feuds in ECW history. This was billed as their final battle as Raven was soon heading to WCW. For three years Dreamer could never beat Raven. Could he do it tonight? The fans throw a 'you sold out' chant to Raven. The match was great and a great way to close their big feud. Dreamer finally beats Raven after a DDT on a road sign. ***1/2



Stone Cold vs Vince & Shane McMahon : Ladder Match
The first handicap ladder match in history . I think this is also the only ladder match that all three of these guys have been involved with. The winner of this match would gain full control over the WWE. This one was a lot of fun and the crowd was really into it. Someone raised the case when Austin went for it, but that person was never revealed. Vince and Shane grab the case to win. Not the best ladder match you'll see, but it did it's job. **3/4



The Rock vs Triple H 
From Backlash 2000. This is probably the most remembered match of their feud , besides the Iron Man match. The odds were stacked against the Rock, as HHH was basically running the company, and his brother-in-law, Shane,  was the referee. The double rock bottom through the announce table fucking ruled. Fans were really hot for this and they absolutely blew the roof off when Austin arrived. Fantastic match here and it's just a shame that the Iron Man match overshadowed it by being an absolute classic. A must-see as Rock wins the match. ****1/4



Stone Cold vs The Rock
From Rebellion 2001. One of the all time great rivalries for sure here. WWF Title on the line. I've only ever seen their three Mania matches and Backlash match, so I'm looking forward to this rare one. You really can't go wrong with Austin/Rock. This wasn't as good as their other PPV matches, as there were too many slow moments for me, but it was still a very good match. Austin pins Rock after some help from Kurt Angle. ***1/2



Brock Lesnar vs Kurt Angle
From Summerslam 2003. Now this is a Wrestlemania rematch that I want to see and it's for the WWE Championship. These two had a fantastic match at Wrestlemania. Would they be able to recreate that magic? I'd say yes. While it wasn't as good as their match five months earlier, it was still an awesome match and the best of the show. Brock taps to the ankle lock to end the match. The great thing here is that this is probably their worst match, and it's awesome! ***3/4



John Cena vs Edge : Steel Cage
This rivalry deserved a steel cage match. WWE likes to call this the rivalry of the decade. I wouldn't go that far but I still think it's one of the better rivalries. A great cage match here, and one of the better matches between the two guys. Cena hits the FU to win. ***1/2




7.5/10. While the countdown is certainly worth a watch, a lot of these matches you can find elsewhere. It would have been nice to have some of the rarer matches of some of these feuds. If you don't have a lot of WWE DVDs then this one is worth owning. Nice to have that UK match between Austin and Rock too. All in all a very good DVD that could have had better match selection.

Summerslam 2000 Review

Summerslam 2000 Review


I thought I'd try and review all Summerslam events before this year's edition takes place. Been a while since I posted the review of the 2001 edition.




Right to Censor vs Rikishi & Too Cool
Right to Censor's theme music really gets on my nerves and ear drums. This was a nice choice for the opener as it was a lot of fun and got the crowd fired up. It was way too short though. Could have been a lot better if they had been given an extra five minutes. Still, it was an entertaining match while it lasted. *3/4



Road Dogg vs X-Pac
Two members of DX going at it here. X-Pac put Road Dogg through a table during an argument to set up this match. It was unclear who the face was meant to be, but I'm pretty sure it was Road Dogg. This was another short match, except that this one wasn't fun. Boring just about all the way through. This wouldn't have even made a good Raw match. X-Pac hits the x-factor to win. 1/2*



Val Venis & Trish Stratus vs Eddie Guerrero & Chyna
If Eddie beats one of his opponents, he wins the IC Title. If Chyna beats one of her opponents, she wins the IC Title. And yet somehow Trish can't win it? Doesn't make any sense and a tad unfair to poor Trish. Eddie tried his hardest in there, but this just wasn't very good. Chyna hits the press slam on Trish to win the Title. *1/4



Jerry Lawler vs Tazz
I don't know why Lawler would still act like a heel commentator heading into this match, even though he was the face in this feud. This feud started with Lawler defending JR's honour after Tazz confronted him. Lawler had the crowd rooting for him. The match was very short, and not much happened during it. Not a good start for the show here. 3/4*



Shane McMahon vs Steve Blackman
Hardcore Title on the line. When Shane's in a match, you can usually expect an insane highspot. This one was no different with Shane falling from a huge height from the stage area. Apart from that cool spot, the match was your average, trash can filled hardcore match. I'll give it  ** for the great finish.




Chris Jericho vs Chris Benoit : Two out of Three Falls
Aside from their awesome ladder match, this seems to be their highest rated match. First time I've watched it and I was excited for it. And it delivered. You would never believe that these two were best friends because they looked like they had such hatred for one another. The arm psychology was very well done too. Benoit wins with a leverage pin on Jericho. The score was 2-1. ****



The Hardy Boyz vs Edge & Christian vs The Dudley Boyz : TLC Match
Here we are, the first ever TLC match and it was in the Hardy Boyz's hometown. Still makes me wonder why E&C won the thing. This could be the greatest TLC match ever. It's between this and the TLC at Wrestlemania 17. I never wanted this match to end. It feels much shorter than 15 minutes. Edge and Christian win after taking out all other competitors. Amazing is the word to describe this. Easily the match of the night, and maybe the match of the year. *****



The Kat vs Terri : Stinkface Match
We go from two awesome matches to this? What the fuck is a stinkface match anyway, apart from an abomination? The only redeeming factor is that they're wearing thongs. They'd never get away with this kind of stuff nowadays. Awful. DUD



Kane vs Undertaker
Another feud between the two brothers. I wonder how many singles contests they've had in total. I couldn't even venture a guess. Don't know the backstory for this one. I thought this was a normal match, but Taker hit Kane with a chair without getting DQ'd, so it must be no DQ. More of a brawl than a match as it ends in no contest. I'll give it  *



The Rock vs Triple H vs Kurt Angle
The focus here was more about the HHH/Stephanie/Angle love triangle. Angle actually was concussed before the match even began after being Pedigreed through the announce table. According to HHH's documentary , everyone was panicking over what was going to happen since Kurt was out. I'm surprised they got a great match out of it. Even though it has turned into a singles match so far, HHH and the Rock have enough chemistry to pull it off. Kurt comes back in and we've got a triple threat again. Quite the exciting matchup. Great match overall and a great way to end the show. ***3/4



Now this is a hard one to rate. One hand you have three awesome matches with one being a five star classic, and a great bump from Shane McMahon. On the other hand, there was a lot of crap here. I'll go with 7/10. Watch the Hardcore match, the TLC, the Two out of Three Falls, and the Main Event and just leave it at that!

Rob Van Dam : One of a Kind DVD Review

Rob Van Dam DVD Review


I figured that this was appropriate since RVD is making his return at this years Money in the Bank PPV.


So lets begin.



Disc 1 Matches :


Robbie V vs Scotty Flamingo
For some reason, Bill Watts, the promoter, didn't like the name Rob Van Dam, so instead he wanted Robbie V. I'll still refer to him as RVD. RVD looked very slim at the time, and he was still wearing the same kind of outfit that he does today, but something was off about it. No boots either. Scotty would later become known as ECW's Raven. Nice, short, athletic showing from both guys as RVD hits the split legged moonsault for the win. *



Rob Van Dam vs Axl Rotten
This was RVD's debut in ECW. Big moment for him. RVD was intimidated by the ECW crowd, but they welcomed him into the ECW family once they had seen what he could do in the ring. The match itself wasn't bad. It was mostly just for showcasing the athletic ability of RVD. Another split legged moonsault ends the match. **



RVD vs Sabu
From Hardcore Heaven in 96. These two guys have history, as they trained with Sabu's uncle, The Sheik, to become pro wrestlers. They taught each other different things that would solidify their in-ring styles. The ring ropes broke partway through the match, but that didn't stop the high flying. The match didn't seem to have much momentum though. Still a  pretty damn entertaining match with some nice high spots. Sabu hits the Arabian facebuster for the win. ***



Rob Van Dam & Sabu vs The Eliminators
Tag Titles are on the line here at Crossing the Line Again 1997. From enemies to a tag team. RVD and Sabu did make a cool looking tag team. I'm not sure if both teams were faces, but the crowd seemed to be cheering both teams. Probably for their athleticism. The double team moves by RVD and Sabu were awesome. Eliminators manage to win with a double team move of their own. Kick-ass match that had non-stop action from start to finish. Very entertaining. ***3/4




Rob Van Dam vs Lance Storm
From Barely Legal 1997. Mr Pay Per View's first PPV match. RVD wasn't even booked on the show, but he was a replacing an injured Chris Candido. RVD had to prove that he deserved to be booked on the big show. Both men looked great here, as they hit some nice-looking high-flying moves. RVD hits the standing moonsault for the win. Entertaining match that could have done with a little more time. ***




Rob Van Dam vs Jeff Hardy
This was from an episode of Raw in 1997. Jeff looks strange with tights. Looking at this match, you would never believe that both guys would go on to hold the WWE Championship one time each. Just a squash match for RVD here. Split legged moonsault gets him the win. 1/2*



Rob Van Dam vs Tommy Dreamer : Flag vs Flag Match
Two of ECW's biggest ever stars going at it here. I think this was meant to be an ECW vs WWE match. Obviously Dreamer was the fan favourite here. Turns out that there are no flags involved in the match, but the winner gets to parade his company's flag in the ring. The fans were really hostile towards RVD. This started a little slow, but picked up as it went along. This got a little confusing as the referees even started fighting each other. RVD wins the match. Lots of fun to be had here. ***



Rob Van Dam vs Bam Bam Bigelow
RVD going up against the highly underrated Bam Bam here. This match is mainly remembered for RVD's absolutely insane dives out into the audience. He probably would have killed himself had that went wrong. This little gem of a match never really stopped once it started going. Quite the star-making performance for RVD. RVD gets some aid from Sabu to beat Bam Bam. ***1/2



Rob Van Dam vs Jerry Lynn
From Living Dangerously 1999. Jerry Lynn was probably RVD's best ever opponent. RVD calls this one of his best matches and for good reason. Their match from Hardcore Heaven can be found on the Rise and Fall DVD and is definitely worth checking out. There were some fantastic 'holy shit' reversal spots in this match. Just some brilliant counter wrestling here, and you never knew where the match was going to go. Five star frog splash hits to end this awesome match. ****1/4



Rob Van Dam vs Jerry Lynn
From Guilty as Charged 2001. I think this may have been their last ECW match together. I have their Hardcore Heaven and Living Dangerously matches rated at over four stars. This one had a lot to live up to and it delivered. Another awesome counter after counter match between the two, capped off by a brutal looking terminator from RVD. Another classic from these two. ****1/4



Disc 2 Matches :




Jeff Hardy vs Rob Van Dam 
Hardcore Title is on the line. Four years after their squash match on Raw, these two were ready to prove that they had the skills to steal the show. I almost had a heart attack when Jeff fell off that huge ladder on the outside. That could have been a bad injury. Insanely fun match in which the action never seemed to stop. Great match from the two. RVD hits the frog splash for the win. ***3/4



Rob Van Dam vs Chris Jericho
This was a semi-final match in the 2002 King of the Ring. While this is a great match between the two, their best match was their Hardcore bout from Unforgiven 2001. Like I said, this was a great little match, although that should be expected from these two. Great stuff as RVD hits the frog splash for the win. ***1/2



Rob Van Dam vs Christian : Ladder
IC Title on the line. I've heard some great things about this match so I'm looking forward to it. Two of the best ladder match competitors here. The military press and then the moonsault on the ladder was awesome . Nice ladder spots in this one and the crowd loves it. Pretty damn stiff too. Van Dam wins it. Great match and it was amazing how they could keep these constant ladder matches so fresh and fun. ***3/4



Disc 2 Extras :


Rob Van Dam vs Balls Mahoney
Not sure of the story behind this match, as RVD doesn't discuss it like he does for the main matches of the DVD. Probably just to show off one of his many ECW TV Title matches. For a big guy, Mahoney worked very well with an athlete like RVD. This match is much better than I thought it'd be. RVD's senton into the audience was insane and looked amazing. Five star frog splash ends it. ***1/4



Rob Van Dam vs Sabu
Man these two went through a lot together in ECW. They've been both opponents and a tag team. Hopefully this is better than their earlier match on the DVD. I would say that this was a little better than the earlier match. Pretty fun match as Sabu wins with the triple jump moonsault. Entertaining spotfest here. ***1/4



Robbie V vs Pat Rose
This was RVD's WCW debut match and probably one of his first properly televised contests. Good debut for RVD, as he got to show off his athletic moves. Quite entertaining for a debut match too. RVD gets the win with the split-legged moonsault. *




7.5/10. Very good DVD set, but I think it would have been a lot better if it had some kind of documentary with it instead of the talking segments before each match. WWE might release another RVD set with his return anyway. Great selection of matches to make up for it though, with most of them being from ECW. There's not really any repeats here either unless you count the ladder match with Christian. And the two matches with Jerry Lynn are worth the price of the set alone. I don't know how hard this one will be to find as I don't think they make them anymore, but if you can find it, I would recommend buying it.