ECW - The Most Extreme Matches DVD Review

ECW - The Most Extreme Matches DVD Review


Really looking forward to watching all these extreme matches .


Paul Heyman is the host . Fantastic choice .



Disc 1 Matches :



Cactus Jack & Mikey Whipwreck vs The Public Enemy
This is the famous match in which Mikey finally got a victory after being a jobber for a while . Fans were definitely behind Mikey . The match was a lot of fun while it lasted and Mikey gets the huge upset win with a roll up and wins the tag titles ! ***



Sandman & Terry Funk vs Cactus Jack & Shane Douglas
You knew a match featuring Funk and Cactus had to be included here. This was called Extreme Warfare Vol.1. I can't believe that they actually brought a guard rail into the ring. This match featured the infamous 'Cane Dewey' sign. Holy shit Cactus was just branded! That's fricken sick right there. Sandman and Terry Funk get the win. Gotta give it ***.



Axl Rotten vs Ian Rotten : Taipei Deathmatch
Ok this is pretty damn extreme. Both guys have broken glass glued to their hands to use in the match. Just wow. Only one punch and there's already blood. Ian looks like an extra from the Evil Dead. I have no idea on how to rate this. It's barely even a match, just two guys cutting each other open. With glass. And now thumb tacks as if this match needed it. Axl gets the win. Lets just go with  **1/2



Rey Mysterio vs Psicosis : Mexican Deathmatch
These two have had some classic matches with each other, but I don't know how they'll do with this kind of match. If you are pinned, you until a ten count to get up or you lose. Seems simple enough. Psicosis was in control for most of this. Pretty awesome match. Mysterio gets the win with a hurricarana on the bleachers. ***3/4



Chris Jericho vs Pitbull #2 vs Shane Douglas vs 2 Cold Scorpio
Four corners match for the TV Title. Nice to see a Jericho match on this disc. Everyone looked good here and they all got their chance to shine. It was a lot of fun to watch. Not a very extreme match, but it was awesome nonetheless. It's only problem was going a little too long, but it's not a big problem. Jericho eliminated first so a new champ is guaranteed. Scorpio out next. Shane wins the title with a belly to belly. Fantastic stuff here. ****1/4



Tommy Dreamer vs Brian Lee : Weapons Match
I thought all weapons were legal in ECW anyway? Well there are a lot of them anyway. These guys even went outside the arena. Some of the fans in front of the camera made me laugh. Fun match while it lasted. Dreamer hits the DDT for the win. **



Rob Van Dam vs Sabu : Stretcher Match
Well these two certainly have history, as Sabu trained RVD. This match ends only when one of them is taken to the locker room on a stretcher. The Arabian facebusters looked pretty brutal. The fisherman's suplex through the table was pretty cool. Some of this did seem a bit sloppy. Good match though as Sabu gets the win. ***



Terry Funk vs Sandman vs Stevie Richards
The winner of this would face Raven in the main event for the ECW World Championship. Richards felt privileged to be in this match. Everyone seemed to be bringing their A-game in this contest. Powerbomb eliminates Stevie. Terry hits a big moonsault to pin Sandman and earns his title shot. ***1/2



Terry Funk vs Raven
Well Terry earned his way into this match, and now he's got to go up against a fresh Raven. The fans are really behind Terry. Raven was just beating the hell out of Terry by busting him open and putting him through a table. An historical match to end an historical show. Terry gets the small package to pin Raven and win the title. **



Disc 2 Matches :



Sabu vs Terry Funk : Barbed Wire Match
Well you knew that this match was gonna be brutal. Before the match even begins, Paul Heyman warns that it is gruesome and viewer discretion is advised. If Heyman says so it must be true. He wasn't kidding. This was more like legal torture. It makes the HIAC from KOTR look like a relaxing vacation. There were no winners here. Gotta give them  ****  for the effort and the spectacle. Not to mention what they put themselves through.



Beulah McGillicutty vs Bill Alfonso
On the rise and fall DVD set, this was described as one of wrestling's most brutal matches, and it only lasts for six minutes and features two non-wrestlers. I think Alfonso lost most of his blood here. I really wish it had been longer. Awesome while it lasted. **3/4



Taz vs Bam Bam Bigelow : Deathmatch
Bigelow's definitely one of the most underrated big men in history. FTW title is on the line. Bigelow called himself the 'Taz killer'. Most of this match took place in the crowd. The match was pretty good but not as good as I thought it would be. Both guys falling through the ramp is a memorable moment. Taz locks in the tazmission to win. **3/4



Taz vs Shane Douglas
World title is on the line and Heyman calls this a classic match. Hope he's right. The fans were really into this one. More than usual. This match also features the first commercial break of the set which sucks. Both guys seemed to be going all out here. Taz is able to win with a suplex through a table. Very good match. ***1/2



Balls Mahoney & Spike Dudley vs The Dudley Boyz : Chicago Street Fight
Falls also count anywhere in this match for the tag titles. Two minutes into the match and there's already a cheese grater being used. A lot of heat for this contest. Even a fork is being used. Another damn commercial break, but when we come back, Spike hits a huge diving crossbody. Very fun match. Brutal too, with a thumb tacked flaming table being used. Dudleys get the win. ***1/2



Mike Awesome vs Spike Dudley
Straight away Spike is thrown right through a table. Quite a mismatch here. Thirty seconds later, he's thrown through another two tables. Ouch. Little Spike just wouldn't be put down. Good storytelling with Spike trying to prove that he could win the big one. A lot of tables were used. Great match as Awesome powerbombs Spike through a table to win. ***3/4



Rhino vs Sandman
I always forget that Rhino was a part of ECW. It wasn't a very long match but they got as much action crammed in as they could. This was ok. Tajiri interferes to end the match. *1/2



Super Crazy vs Tajiri vs Little Guido
These three guys would go on to having another fun three way dance at the first One Night Stand PPV. The pace of this match was unbelievable. One hell of a fun match. Guido taken out by a brainbuster. Probably the best seven minute match you'll ever see. Crazy gets the win with a springboard moonsault. Awesome stuff. ***3/4



Tommy Dreamer vs C.W. Anderson : I Quit Match
At the time, this was considered to be ECW's final PPV. That was until, of course, One Night Stand. I don't think ECW had a lot of I Quit matches. I can't remember any others. This one got violent pretty quickly, with Dreamer using a wrench to cut open Anderson. As I Quit matches go, this was a great one and had a nice pace to it. Tommy crossfaces Anderson with wire to make him quit. ***3/4




Mike Awesome vs Masato Tanaka
The match that stole the show. When I first watched this show 3 years ago, I had no idea who these guys were. After viewing this match, I love them. A match filled with nearfalls, broken tables and brutal chair shots. Brilliantly paced too. Great stuff as Awesome picks up the victory. ****



Special Features :



Gangstas vs Public Enemy
This was the Public Enemy's final match in ECW, as they were heading over to WCW. This one got violent quickly as one of the Public Enemy was busted open. Fans were really into this one as well. This is just one big brawl. I'd say it's a fun match. Public Enemy get the win. **1/2


Other special features included :

Axl Rotten on the Taipei Death Match

ECW & Blood

Extreme Measures : The Flaming Table

C.W. Anderson on his "I Quit" Match with Tommy Dreamer

Danny Doring & Roadkill get into the Business

The Pitbulls

Justin Credible on Being Champion

Public Enemy vs Cactus Jack & Mikey Whipwreck History Video



9/10. Wow this is one hell of a DVD set. If you want some wrestling violence, then this is the perfect DVD for you. So many great matches here and not even any bad ones. A lot of fun to be had here, so I'd highly recommend this DVD set.

True Story of Wrestlemania DVD Review

The True Story of Wrestlemania DVD Review



If you thought that this documentary would be looking at each Wrestlemania individually, you may be disappointed. The first Wrestlemania and the third Wrestlemania seem to be the main focal points on the release. Other Manias are given a look as well, such as the heightened security for Mania VII. Other parts of Mania are looked at as well, such as the now yearly Wrestlemania Fan Access and, of course, the Undertaker's streak. If you want to hear the opinions of some of the wrestlers and even of the behind-the-scenes staff, then you should give this a look. It's a lot of fun watching it at the time of year when Mania comes around. Overall I'd say this release is one worth watching more than once. Recommended  8/10.




Disc 2 Matches:



Hulk Hogan & Mr T vs Roddy Piper & Paul Orndorff
Here it is, one of the most important matches in professional wrestling history. If this match failed then there would be no WWE today. Luckily it was a very fun match that the crowd loved and turned wrestling into a mainstream sport. Good, historical match. ***



Ricky Steamboat vs Randy Savage
One of the most inspirational matches of all time. It's because of this match that you see guys like Chris Jericho and some of the other smaller guys on the top of the wrestling mountain. This one seems to have inspired many pro-wrestlers and no wonder why. Everything here is performed perfectly with so many nearfalls and every move looking crisp clean. Quite possibly the greatest match of all time. *****



Hulk Hogan vs Andre The Giant
This is arguably the biggest match in wrestling history. It drew just over 93,000 fans into the Pontiac Silverdome , in one of the greatest events of all time. The match itself isn't very good, but that doesn't matter. What matters is how iconic it is and the massive impact it had on the wrestling world forever . Arguably the best main event in Wrestlemania history. * for the match, ***** for everything else.



Ultimate Warrior vs Randy Savage
From Wrestlemania VII and the loser of this match had to retire . This is easily one of the best booked matches in WWE history . Savage made Warrior look like a champ. I still can't believe Warrior kicked out of five Savage elbows. The post-match segment isn't shown (although that moment makes this match even better). Warrior pins Savage after a few big shoulder blocks. One of the better Wrestlemania matches. ****3/4



Shawn Michaels vs Razor Ramon : Ladder
Perhaps the most famous ladder match in history and arguably the best, depending on your own opinion. The match still holds up today , even if the spots have been re-used again and again. You can probably thank this match for every ladder or TLC match that you've seen since. Some people prefer the Summerslam ladder match between these two, but this will always be the definitive contest. You don't need me to tell you how good this match is, if you're a wrestling fan, you already know. *****



Disc 3 Matches:



Stone Cold vs Shawn Michaels
This match is great considering that Shawn was fighting with an injured back. All through the match you can clearly see the pain on his fac , and tries to complete the match. This was a great match all things considered and gave Austin his first WWE Title win and started off the Attitude era. One of the most historic matches in history. ****




Edge & Christian vs The Dudley Boyz vs The Hardy Boyz : Triangle Ladder Match
The second ladder match in Wrestlemania history at that time. If it wasn't for the No Mercy ladder match, this wouldn't be here and if it wasn't for this match, there would be no TLC. Many people mistake this as the first TLC match and it's not hard to see why. Plenty of ladders and tables, just no chair . This was an amazing match that no one had seen anything like at the time. No wonder the ladder match is such a popular match type. So many replay moments. Edge & Christian grab the titles after plunging Matt to a table in the ring . *****




Vince McMahon vs Shane McMahon : Street Fight
This is probably the best match between two non-wrestlers ever. Sure, it's overbooked but it really helps it. The crowd was hot for it and to hear the crowd go wild when Linda McMahon stands up is unbelievable. Mick Foley was great as the ref too. Shane wins the match after an incredible coast to coast with a garbage can. ***3/4




The Rock vs Hulk Hogan
A match that will go down in history as an all-time classic. This match showed that a crowd can make a match a classic and that it's not all about the moves in the ring, just like Hogan/Andre at WM 3. It was surreal to see Hogan getting cheered like a hero and The Rock being booed so loudly. This match made the show worth seeing. It was such a fantastic moment seeing the Hulkster hulk up for the first time in who knows how many years. An absolute classic in Wrestlemania history without a shadow of a doubt. The Rock picks up the victory after a peoples elbow to Hogan. ****3/4



Brock Lesnar vs Kurt Angle
Looking at this card, it is quite amazing that this match made the main event. Both guys were capable of pulling it off, but this was Lesnar's first Wrestlemania and Angle's first time in the main event at Wrestlemania so there had to be nerves here. Vince must have had a lot of faith in both guys to put them here. Aside from the botched ending, these guys managed to give us a fantastic match on a fantastic night, to give us probably the second-best Wrestlemania in history. I think we all know the no.1 anyway. Lesnar wins after a third F-5 to Angle. A new champion is crowned. ****1/4




John Cena vs Triple H
This match helped make John Cena into a superstar. But it was also the real start of the anti-Cena movement. The match is great and was worthy of the WM Main Event. Gotta give it to HHH for losing at three Mania main events in a row. HHH taps to the STFU to give Cena the victory.  ****




8/10. No doubt this is a great set, the only problem is that most of these matches have already been released before. If you're new to buying wrestling DVDs, then this would make a fantastic starting point, as you get some of the best Mania matches and a great documentary.

The Greatest Stars of the 90s DVD Review

The Greatest Stars of the 90s DVD Review


The 90s was the greatest time to be a wrestling fan . You had WWE and WCW trying to top each other in the TV ratings . Add that to the extreme nature of ECW and you have greatness . Great stars also emerged from this time such as The Rock , Stone Cold , The Undertaker , Sting , Shawn Michaels and many more .

This documentary starts well but after a while it starts to drag on . It's the same with every superstar on the list : showing highlights of their career and interviews from superstars and others . It is still a pretty good doc. and I also enjoyed the not-so greatest stars of the 90s from guys like the Goon and the infamous Shockmaster , who still gets a laugh out of me .


Obviously there are some names that seem missing , but that's to expected with a DVD like this .

Overall I'll give the documentary  6.5/10


Disc 1 Special Features :



The special features are vignettes of various superstars labelled as :


Razor Ramon - Restauraunt Vignette

Undertaker Builds a Coffin for Yokozuna

Bret Hart - New Generation Vignette

Owen Hart Inside a Steel Cage

Shawn Michaels Press Conference Before Wrestlemania XI

Hunter Hearst Helmsley - Riff Raff

Mankind - And God Created Mankind

Scott Hall and Kevin Nash NWO vignette

The Hart Foundation Reunites

DX Re-enacts the Montreal Incident

The Rock Reads Steve Austin's Eulogy

Steve Austin Remembers the Shockmaster




Disc 2 Matches :



Hulk Hogan vs Ric Flair
This too place in MSG in 1991 and I believe it was after Flair screwed Hogan out of his championship. It's still hard to believe that WWE never got a PPV match out of this. But at least we have this match to show us what it would have been like. Good match while it lasted. ***



Bret Hart vs Shawn Michaels
From Survivor Series 1992. This match really showed a changing of the guard in the WWE. These guys showed that they didn't have to be huge muscled up superstars to show that they could carry a show and also have the best match on the show. Four years before their Iron Man match and these guys were still having classics. Fantastic match. Probably their second best together. ****1/2



Hulk Hogan vs Yokozuna
Hogan decided that he'd rather drop the title to Yokozuna here, rather than drop it to Bret Hart at Summerslam. The match was obviously slow and dull. Went on a bit too long as well, but at least the title was off Hogan. Yokozuna hits his own leg drop to win. 1/2*



Bret Hart vs Owen Hart 
Without a doubt , the greatest opener for any PPV ever, and also one of the greatest matches of all time. No brother vs brother feud will ever beat these two. Many have tried and failed. Every move in this match is performed perfectly and every move is there for a reason. A classic Wrestlemania match and a classic match overall. Might even be the greatest match of all time. Owen gets the upset win with a victory roll. *****



Razor Ramon vs Diesel
Here we have the two guys that turned WCW into the most popular wrestling company for 3 years going one on one. I can't believe that Ramon was able to lift big Diesel onto his shoulders. The match was fast paced and enjoyable, but it was way too short. Could have been great if it was longer. Diesel hits the jacknife to win the IC Title. **3/4



Sting vs Vader
From Slamboree 1994. Two guys with amazing chemistry going at it. This one was a little slower than their other matches. This really isn't as good as their other bouts. Sting hits a splash to win the title. **1/4



Bret Hart vs Diesel
From Royal Rumble 1995. This is the first title match they would have together since the 1994 KOTR and this time the roles were reversed, since Diesel was the champ this time. They would have another great match at the 1995 Survivor Series. Just an awesome big man/small man match here. The crowd was split. For some reason the match still continues after HBK interferes. Bret uses a chair and still no DQ. This is like an attitude era match. Even with the overbooking this is great. Lots of superstars run in to end it. Fantastic stuff. ****1/4



Bull Nakano vs Alundra Blayze
Now this is how women's wrestling should be done. Two women that can actually wrestle. Great match as far as WWE women's matches go. Alundra bridges the german suplex to win the championship. ***1/4




Disc 3 :



Yokozuna & British Bulldog vs Shawn Michaels & Diesel
Well this match certainly meant fuck all didn't it? The Bulldog was taking Owen Hart's place here. All titles were meant to be on the line, but HBK and Diesel's victory was overturned because Owen Hart wasn't there. Completely pointless. The match was pretty fun though so for that I'll give it  ***.



Shawn Michaels vs Owen Hart
The winner of this would go on to face the champ at Wrestlemania XII. I think it was obvious that HBK was heading to Mania, but that doesn't stop it from being an awesome match. Just a great back and forth technical match with some great offense like the powerslam on the outside of HBK's huge crossbody to the outside. HBK hits the superkick to win. ****



Shawn Michaels vs Vader
You really can't go wrong with an HBK match in 1996 as most of them tended to be fantastic. This was another one of those matches. Vader was such a great big guy. Apparently Vader was meant to win this match, but Shawn threw a tantrum backstage and so the finish was changed. HBK's huge dive to the outside was awesome. After a couple of restarts, HBK hits a moonsault to retain in an awesome contest. ****



Hunter Hearst Helmsley vs Mankind : Steel Cage
From Summerslam 1997. I've seen this match with great reviews so I'm really looking forward to watching it for the first time. And yes this was a great match. Some great spots involved and some painful ones like the steel door on Mankind's skull . Mankind escapes to win. ***3/4



Lex Luger vs Hollywood Hogan
The World Heavyweight Championship is on the line in this bout. I think this was the 100th episode of Nitro and so they had this pretty big main event. The match itself wasn't too good though, but Luger winning the title was a cool moment. Luger puts Hogan in the torture rack to win. *1/4




Stone Cold vs The Undertaker
Billed as the Highway to Hell, here we have the two biggest stars of the time (or even maybe all time) going at it for the top prize. This one had a lot to follow after the ladder match, but I think they managed it fine. It seemed like Taker was carrying Austin here. Taker's leg drop through the announce table was awesome. Just a great match between these two megastars. Austin hits the stunner to retain. ***3/4



Bret Hart vs Sting
From Halloween Havoc 1998. The scorpion deathlock vs the sharpshooter. I've always preferred the sharpshooter myself. The US Title is on the line. The match was pretty solid, but not as good as I thought it might be. Not bad though. Bret wins with the sharpshooter. **3/4



Triple H vs The Rock : Strap Match
Give them another year and they'd be having the matches of their careers. This wasn't the usual kind of strap match, this one had pinfalls with falls counting anywhere. I prefer those rules to the usual ones. They really took advantage of the falls count anywhere rules. Pretty good match, but nowhere near as good as they would come to be. ***



8.5/10. The first disc leaves a lot to be desired, but boy do the matches on discs 2 and 3 make up for. Just some amazing matches from the 90s that should be viewed by all wrestling fans makes this a big recommendation.

ECW One Night Stand 2005 Review

ECW One Night Stand 2005 Review



You can thank the success of the Rise and Fall of ECW DVD set that this PPV even exists. And thanks to the success of this event, the new ECW was born, even if it didn't go so well. Right lets begin.




Chris Jericho vs Lance Storm
I think that Lance wanted to make this his final wrestling match, and who better than the guy he had his first ever match with and one of his best friends, Lionheart Chris Jericho. Great way to start off the show with some awesome back and forth technical wrestling. It's a shame it couldn't have lasted longer. Storm gets the win. ***


ECW remembers their wrestlers who have passed away.



Tajiri vs Little Guido vs Super Crazy
Elimination rules apply in this kind of match. A lot of exciting high flying in this one. Super Crazy's moonsault from the balcony was.... well crazy. Mikey Whipwreck hits a stunner from the top rope to eliminate Guido. Crazy hits a moonsault from the top rope to win the match. ***



Psicosis vs Rey Mysterio
These two had some excellent matches in the original ECW. Unfortunately this isn't one of them. The fans really didn't like Psicosis without his mask. I guess it takes away from the contest considering it's a Luchador match. Psicosis did seem to have lost some of his skill. Mysterio hits the 619 to win. **1/4



Rob Van Dam comes out to talk to the fans, and that leads us to our next match of the evening.



Sabu vs Rhyno
Fans are really happy to see Sabu. Rhyno gets a 'You got fired' chant. The chairs are brought out pretty quickly. Very entertaining match while lasted and it wasn't long at all. Sabu hits an Arabian facebuster through a table to win. **1/2



Man Eric Bischoff was treated like an anti-christ here.



Eddie Guerrero vs Chris Benoit
As is usual with these two, a great match has been made. Two of ECW's best ever technical wrestlers here. It's sad that this is the last PPV match that these two would face each other in. Maybe the last match they ever had together. Just a great wrestling bout here. Benoit gets the win. ***1/2



Mike Awesome vs Masato Tanaka
The match that stole the show. When I first watched this show 3 years ago, I had no idea who these guys were. After viewing this match, I love them. A match filled with nearfalls, broken tables and brutal chair shots. Brilliantly paced too. Great stuff as Awesome picks up the victory. ****



Here comes Paul Heyman who gives us a fantastic shoot promo directed towards the wrestlers of Raw and Smackdown. He also gives his love for the ECW fans.



The Dudley Boyz vs Tommy Dreamer & The Sandman
Now this is extreme. It seemed like they used everything except the kitchen sink. There was even a barbed wire ball! Before the match could even start though, there was a lot of chaos with the rest of the ECW roster. And it was all a hell of a lot of fun. The actual match was pretty damn brutal with cheese graters and a flaming table being used. Dudley Boyz get the win after a fun match. ***1/2


After the match a final confrontation between WWE and ECW ensues with ECW coming out on top. Eric Bischoff takes a nice beating too to end the show.



9/10. Such a fun night that should be experienced by all wrestling fans. Every match was fun in some way and you even had 5 matches at three stars or over, with one of those being four stars. Nothing bad here, and the shoot promos made it even better.

ECW One Night Stand 2006 Review

ECW One Night Stand 2006 Review


Here we are, the show that would come before the resurrection of ECW. It was different from the previous year, as that only contained former ECW wrestlers, whereas this was more like WWE vs ECW. One show better than a whole invasion. Lets get started.



Paul Heyman comes out to give his appreciation to the amazing ECW fans.



Tazz vs Jerry Lawler
The fans really didn't like Lawler here, especially after slapping Joey Styles. This match only lasted around 20 seconds, with Lawler immediately passing out from the tazmission. Fun way to start off the show though. 1/4*



Kurt Angle vs Randy Orton
The fans made this one a lot of fun, as they loudly cheered for all of Angle's wrestling holds, and loudly booed Orton with chants of 'pussy'. I would say this is Angle's last great WWE PPV match. An awesome back and forth contest that got the show off to it's real fiery beginning. Great stuff as Orton taps to the angle lock. ***3/4



F.B.I. vs Tajiri & Super Crazy
Three of these guys had a three way dance at the previous ONS event. Tajiri gets a big 'welcome back' chant from the fans. You could see that everyone in this match was having a lot of fun. Some nice submission moves in this one. Very entertaining tag match. Tajiri is pinned by a double fisherman's suplex to end it. ***1/2



Rey Mysterio vs Sabu
The World Championship is on the line. I'm not sure if these two fought in the original ECW. If not then it's sort of a dream match. This might have been Sabu's only shot at a WWE world title. Nice high flying moves in this one. It was going really well up until it was ruled a no contest thanks to the DDT through the table and the fans hated that ruling. Bullshit indeed. Good match though. ***1/4



Edge / Mick Foley / Lita vs Tommy Dreamer / Terry Funk / Beulah
I would call this the best match of the ONS PPVs, with only Awesome/Tanaka coming close. It's amazing to see a 60 year old Terry Funk in such a violent, brutal, bloody match. This is such an amazing match and the ECW crowd only makes it better. Absolutely insane and Edge is at his sleazy best as he spears Beulah and gives her a sexualised pin. ****1/4



Balls Mahoney vs Masato Tanaka
I still wonder at what makes Balls's chair more powerful than any other steel chair. This one felt more like a filler match, which is a step down for Tanaka after his awesome match the previous year. Short but entertaining match. *1/2



John Cena vs Rob Van Dam
WWE Title on the line. Well the fans absolutely loved Cena here as they gave him gifts of toilet paper and wouldn't accept his shirt because they thought themselves unworthy of it. Just kidding, I don't want to be killed in my sleep. Very good match here, made great by the fans and the fact that RVD managed to win the title for the first time in his career. Great way to end the show. ***3/4



9/10. Fantastic show here, and just as good as the previous year. Lots of fun to be had here with an amazing crowd and great wrestling. You have five matches over three stars and one of them is over four stars. That, to me, marks a brilliant show. If you haven't seen it, get it now.

Mick Foley's Greatest Hits and Misses DVD Review

Mick Foley's Greatest Hits and Misses DVD Review


Mick's got a new DVD coming out pretty soon, so I thought I'd review this one.



Disc 1 :



Cactus Jack vs Vader
Apparently this match was very controversial at the time, because it contained Foley bleeding and WCW's policy at that time was 'no blood'. This one was pretty damn stiff. Foley managed to get the fans into this. Good match and unique since you didn't usually see this kind of match in WCW at the time. ***1/4



Cactus Jack & Maxx Payne vs The Nasty Boys : Chicago Street Fight
From Spring Stampede 1994. This took place just after Mick had lost his right ear in a match. I've heard good things about this match so it should be good. Man this one went all over the place. Tremendous match here, and probably pretty epic for it's time. Nasty Boys manage to pin Cactus to retain their titles. ****



Cactus Jack vs Sabu
I think this was a dream match at the time, with the sickest wrestler of WCW going up against the most hardcore wrestler of ECW. Fans considered it a disappointment. I just don't think it was as hardcore as people were expecting, but that doesn't mean it's not a good match. Paul Heyman interferes to give Sabu the win. ***1/4



Cactus Jack vs Chris Candido
This took place in Smoky Mountain Wrestling. These two worked with each other quite a lot in SMW. Sunny was Candido's manager at this point. I guess there are no rules in this one, since Chris hit Jack with a crutch with no DQ. Good little match as Cactus hits the double arm DDT for the win. ***



Cactus Jack vs Sandman : Texas Death Match
Mick says he knew that this wasn't a good match when he picked it for this set. This is pretty much like a Last Man Standing match. Sandman had been knocked silly and didn't know where he was, and so kept getting up when he wasn't supposed to. Foley was pretty frustrated. I'll give it *3/4.




Cactus Jack & Raven vs Terry Funk & Tommy Dreamer
This was the follow up to the match that had Terry set on fire and received third degree burns because of it. This might just be the very definition of a garbage match with lots of different weapons being used, including a shopping trolley. A pretty chaotic match, but it was fun.



Cactus Jack vs Mikey Whipwreck
Former tag team partners and champions going at it. Foley calls this his personal favourite moment of his career. This was Foley's final match in ECW. The crowd really respected Foley. Great match for Cactus to end his ECW career with. Cactus wins with a piledriver on a chair. ****



Disc 1 Extras :


Cactus Jack vs Sting : Falls Count Anywhere
I've been looking forward to watching this match for a while now, because it seems to get a lot of praise wherever it goes. The sunset flip off the apron was damn cool. The intensity and heat for this was off the charts and it made both guys look great. Sting hits a big flying clothesline to win. ****



Cactus Jack vs Sabu
This was Foley's debut after leaving from WCW. This is also the rematch with Sabu. Sabu takes a really bad bump on the rails and might have broken some ribs. The match wasn't as good as the first one but it was still pretty good. ***



Jack Foley & Les Thornton vs The British Bulldogs
Here we have Foley's very first match in the WWE. Strange to think that he had his first match here when there had only been two Wrestlemanias. He looks pretty damn skinny. Short match, but it is a jobber match. 1/2*


Other extras listed as follows :

Post-Vader Match Interview

Cactus Spits on the WCW Belt

"Cane Dewey" Promo

"Anti-Hardcore" Promo

ECW Farewell Speech

WWE Confidential Feature



Disc 2 :


Time for the WWE years.



Shawn Michaels vs Mankind
These two had amazing chemistry. Every minute of this match was great and never felt boring at all. I would give it the full 5 stars, but I dont think I can do it with a match that ends in a disqualification. If it had a finish, it would definitely be 5 stars. You know a match is something special when it's considered as one of HBK's best. ****3/4



Cactus Jack vs Hunter Hearst Helmsley : Falls Count Anywhere
The return of Mr Cactus Jack. It's amazing how good the matches are between these two when there are no rules at all. Big ECW chants from the crowd. The match was pretty short and the commercial break was annoying, but apart from that it was an awesome match. Great finish with Jack's piledriver through the table to win. ***3/4



Mick Foley vs Terry Funk : No Holds Barred
One of Mick's favourite matches ever seeing as it was against his favourite wrestler, Terry Funk. I saw this match on a top ten Raw matches list, so since then I've wanted to see it. Pat Patterson is the guest ref. Very good match while it lasted and they really went all over the place. Funk's moonsault was impressive. Mick hits a piledriver on the steel chair to win. ***1/2



Stone Cold vs Dude Love
Vince was the special referee. This is probably the best overbooked match in history. Only Hart/Diesel at Royal Rumble '95 comes close. This is also easily the best match that Dude Love ever had. Just a fantastic attitude era brawl that probably defined the era. Austin is able to overcome the odds and retain the title. ****1/2



Undertaker vs Mankind : Hell in a Cell
The match that made me a wrestling fan. The image of Mankind being thrown off the cell and then through the cell will stand the test of time as one of wrestling's most enduring images. Possibly the most brutal match of all time thanks to just two spots. Don't forget about the thumb tacks that came later. Incredible . ****1/2




Mankind vs The Rock : No DQ
This match was taped and the night it was shown, WCW gave away the result and ended up giving away more viewers to the WWE. This was Mick Foley's first big title win and is still a great moment and a great match too.  ***1/2


Took this next review from my History of the WWE Championship DVD review. In fact here's a link if you fancy a look. http://prowrestlingtvreviews.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/history-of-wwe-championship-dvd-review.html


Triple H vs Cactus Jack : Street Fight
Everytime I watch this match it gets better and better. This is the match that made Triple H a bonafide superstar and for good reason. He took a lot of pain in this match, but not compared to Cactus. Cactus takes a huge chair shot about 4 mins into the match. This match is just one big highlight reel and holy shit moment . And HHH takes a freaking suplex on wooden palets ! HHH returns the favour and back suplex's Cactus on a trash can . I'll try not to comment on everything but it's been great so far ! And HHH is cut right open with a barbed wire bat . Holy shit this is amazing . HHH has an ugly looking gash on his leg . Bulldog on the bat ! Hip toss to the steel steps ! Cactus has been handcuffed just like the year before . HHH actually broke a chair on the spine of Cactus . This has been a war . Piledriver on the table ! And here come the thumbtacks . Cactus back dropped onto the tacks and somehow kicks out of the pedigree ! Pedigree face first onto the tacks ! What an absolute classic match . *****



Disc 2 Extras :



Mankind Teasers

Music to my Ear

Mind Games

Jim Ross Interviews Mankind

The Birth of Mr Socko

Mick & Al Snow in Vegas

More Mick & Al Snow in Vegas

Commissioner Foley & Kurt Angle




Hardcore Bonus Disc :


All of the following matches have commentary done by Mick and Joey Styles



Randy Orton vs Mick Foley : No Holds Barred
From Backlash 2004. Now this easily Orton's breakout match and arguably the best match he's ever had. Orton took his beating like a champ, including being thrown into a pile of thumbtacks that still looks brutal to this day. One of the best matches of 2004 and Orton's career. Gotta love Mrs Foley's baby boy for putting on a star making match, something he would do multiple times. Orton hits a sick RKO onto the barbed wire baseball bat for the win. ****1/2



The following review shows that I really used to suck ! Taken from first Edge DVD. Here's another link. http://prowrestlingtvreviews.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/edge-decade-of-decadence-dvd-review.html


Edge vs Mick Foley : Hardcore Match
I think that Foley can make just about anyone into a superstar . He did it here with Edge on this night . How the hell is Foley still alive after all this time ? His body has taken so much abuse over the years . Nice to have Joey Styles assist with commentary , he always adds to matches . Here we go . Edge spears Mick and Edge appears to hurt more , and thats because Mick was wearing BARBED WIRE AROUND HIS WAIST !! How awesome was that ! He whips Edge with the barbed wire . Mick has his barbed wire bat ! Foley arm dragged onto the steps . Edge douses Foley with lighter fluid ! Mick takes the bat to the head . Bulldog on the bat ! Here come the thumb tacks . Edge back suplexed right on the tacks ! Mr Socko ! WRAPPED WITH BARBED WIRE ! Holy shit ! Both guys bleeding . This is like a horror movie . The table is on fire ! SPEAR THROUGH THE FLAMING TABLE !! There's your Wrestlemania moment Foley . Edge wins . This was amazing . Probably the most violent match in Wrestlemania history . ****1/4



Edge / Mick Foley / Lita vs Tommy Dreamer / Terry Funk / Beulah
I would call this the best match of the ONS PPVs , with only Awesome/Tanaka coming close . It's amazing to see a 60 year old Terry Funk in such a violent , brutal , bloody match . This is such an amazing match and the ECW crowd only makes it better . Absolutely insane and Edge is at his sleazy best as he spears Beulah and gives her a sexualised pin . ****1/4



Mick Foley vs Ric Flair : I Quit Match
I've heard good things about this match so I'm looking forward to it. Two complete opposite styles of superstars going at it . Flair's chops with the barbed wire socko were pretty cool. Flair deserves a ton of credit for the beating he took. Brutal match, probably the most brutal in Summerslam's history. The ending was quite lame with Foley trying to protect Melina. Sick stuff . ***1/2



9/10 . The next Foley set has a lot to live up to. Fantastic DVD set that mixes in a great selection of promos and a brilliant match selection. The additional commentary for the bonus disc makes the matches worth owning again. Highly recommended set.