Taboo Tuesday 2004

Taboo Tuesday 2004 Review



Well my WWE Network seems to be frozen for the moment. Don't know if that's because of where I live. If that is the problem then I'm really gonna be pissed that I have to wait until the end of the year like the rest of the UK. Well at least I still have some old PPVs to review that you guys can probably see on there.


Here we have the WWE's first ever interactive PPV, something they would only do for a few years. I think now would be a great time to bring it back, since WWE has gone all app crazy, and there'd definitely be more people interacting now than ten years ago. Anyway let's find out if their first interactive outing was a success or not.




Our first vote of the night is to see what the divas wear for their Battle Royal later in the show. Schoolgirl is chosen.

Now it's time for the important stuff, and it's time to choose who will be challenging Chris Jericho for the IC Title. There were fifteen choices. Five times more than we get nowadays. Shelton Benjamin is chosen.




Shelton Benjamin vs Chris Jericho
IC Title on the line. I've been looking forward to watching this one after reading Jericho's second book, as he calls this a great match and Benoit came up to him in the back calling it an amazing contest. That's quite a lot of praise there. This was a pretty great match, made even more impressive by the fact that Jericho couldn't prepare for Shelton as his opponent. Good back and forth match as Shelton looked to be heading towards stardom. That didn't exactly work out. ***1/2



Shawn Michaels is chosen as the No.1 contender for the World Title. Edge and Chris Benoit were the other choices.



Fulfill Your Fantasy Battle Royal
As chosen by the internet, the divas are dressed as schoolgirls and the Women's Title is on the line. Trish Stratus is looking especially sexy. The match obviously wasn't good at all, but it gets a free pass due to the hotness of most of the women like Nidia and Stacy Kiebler. Let' call it  1/2* for the match and *** for the divas. It did its job so I'm happy.



Kane vs Gene Snitsky : Chain Match
Ah yes this feud. It just about made an unintentional star out of Snitsky after he hilariously punted a baby doll into the live Raw audience. This should have been billed as The Rapist vs The Baby Killer. Might have gotten more buys that way. This was a damn dull match here, and even the chain couldn't help it. Snitsky was still green, and Kane wasn't the guy to help him. Way too long as well. 1/2*



Eugene vs Eric Bischoff
The loser must have their head shaved bald. Who's idea was it to have this on PPV? Couldn't they have just given Jericho vs Shelton some extra time? Just a nothing match here and it only lasted around a minute anyway. DUD



Edge & Chris Benoit vs La Resistance
The World Tag Titles are on the line. Edge and Benoit lost out on the World Title match, so they get the Tag Title match instead. They were Tag Champs earlier in the year, so at least it doesn't exactly feel like a random team. I think this was the start of Edge's long heel turn. This was a much more boring match than I was expecting. It was something you could easily see on free TV. Pretty dull stuff.  *3/4. Benoit performed pretty well though.



Christy vs Carmella : Lingerie Pillow Fight
This one was actually given a video package beforehand. Christy had won the Raw Diva Search and Carmella was jealous. Christy in lingerie will always make me happy. I don't think Carmella was ever seen again after this. DUD match.



Triple H vs Shawn Michaels
World Title is on the line. I thought this was never going to happen again after the Hell in a Cell match? I'm glad they changed this around from their usual formula match though, and had the main focus on HBK's badly injured leg. HBK out on a brilliant performance and made you believe that he was really injured and that made the crowd want to see him win even more. Good match. ***



Randy Orton vs Ric Flair : Steel Cage
I'm not sure why this was put as the main event. Maybe they thought that the HHH/HBK match would bore the fans. This might have originally been Orton/HHH, but I think HHH had already buried Orton enough at the last PPV. This was a good main event as both guys performed well. Still a strange choice for the main event though. ***



5/10. This show wasn't that good as it went downhill after the great opener and didn't pick up again until the World Title match. Still there are two good matches here and one great one.

Elimination Chamber 2014

Elimination Chamber 2014 Review


Here we are on the final roadblock to Wrestlemania. With all the chaos in the WWE just now; how did the show pan out? Let's see shall we?




Big E vs Jack Swagger
I'll admit that I wasn't looking forward to this match before the show, and when I saw that it was to be the opener I thought that it would put the crowd to sleep. Needless to say I was proven wrong, as these two guys decided to go out there and beat the shit out of each other and put on a hard hitting match. I loved the spear through the ropes which was like the end of the Edge/Foley match at Mania just without the flaming table. Overall a memorable opener that kept both guys strong. ***1/4



New Age Outlaws vs The Usos
Sadly the Usos didn't win like I was hoping they would, but this was still a solid match. I'm not sure what creative plans to do with the Outlaws come Wrestlemania, and it would be pretty shitty if they got a Mania pay day and teams like the Usos that have worked hard all year end up off the card. Anyway, the Usos looked pretty good here, even in defeat as Billy Gunn needed a lucky pin to get the job done. **1/2



Darren Young vs Titus O'Neill
The build up for this one was pretty lacking and the match itself was nothing special. To be fair, they were only given around six minutes of time to work with, so it was gonna be hard trying to get a good match. This felt like a glorified jobbing match as Titus shows that Darren was the weak link all along. I don't know where Darren goes from here though. Hopefully they'll find something for him. *1/2



The Wyatt Family vs The Shield
This was the match I was most looking forward to, and good god did it exceed expectations. I loved the crowd chanting 'This is Awesome' before the match had even begun, and I'm sure everyone else felt the same way. There was never a dull moment to be had here and all six guys looked great. Rowin showed that he isn't the weak link in his team, and Seth Rollins showed the same thing. Reigns was the one who came out looking like a star, and I'm sure his face turn has got to be coming pretty damn soon. Overall an amazing match that is easily the best match of the year thus far. Fantastic stuff that needs to be watched. ****3/4



AJ Lee vs Cameron
This was definitely appropriate as everyone needed to cool down after that classic. There wasn't really anything to this match as it lasted four minutes and ended in DQ. It looked like Tamina and AJ were getting ready to split up, which is more interesting than anything else in the divas division. DUD



Batista vs Alberto Del Rio
I'll admit that I was entertained by the booing of Batista at first, but as the match went on I kinda started feeling bad for the guy. He didn't show as much ring rust as I thought he would, so that's a plus. He even made Del Rio look pretty good here. There's no way that Batista can main event Mania now, as I shudder to think about how bad the crowd reaction will be. **



Randy Orton vs Cesaro vs John Cena vs Sheamus vs Christian vs Daniel Bryan : Elimination Chamber
The Chamber has become similiar with the Royal Rumble, as it's now a hard match to screw up. This was an awesome Chamber match and one of the better ones. The only problem I had with it was the predictable finish as once Kane had entered the Chamber, we all knew how it would end up. Everything before that was awesome though, like Sheamus and Cesaro beating the shit out of each other, Bryan and Cena having their first confrontation since Summerslam, and the fact that it was never boring at all. Every guy in there looked like they belonged in the main event, especially Cesaro. Definitely one to check out. ****1/2




8/10. This was looking like a two match card, and with both of those matches nearing five stars and taking up most of the time on the show, that makes this an easy recommendation. Add in a very good opener and a solid tag match and you've got a great show.

Re-Do: Wrestlemania XIV

Wrestlemania XIV Re-Do Review


This one is a favourite of mine and is actually one of my most popular reviews. It's also quite the historical show for the WWE as it started off the Austin Era, and fired a huge shot across to the land of the dinosaurs known as WCW. So is it still a great show? Let's find out.


                                                                                                                                                                   



15 Team Battle Royal
The mystery team ended up being the return of the Legion of Doom . It's hard to rate a match like this , considering there are 30 men in the ring at once . This was to decide the no.1 contenders for the tag titles at the In Your House PPV . I'd say it's entertaining . The Legion of Doom win . *


(The new Legion of Doom didn't last very long. A boring battle royal isn't exactly the best way to start off one of the biggest shows of all time, but at least it isn't totally terrible. This was basically nothing until it came down to the final two teams. *)


Taka Michinoku vs Aguila
This is for the Light Heavyweight Championship . They only got around five minutes to work , but they put a lot of action in that small timeframe . The fans were only really into the big moves but I found it all very entertaining . Taka retains after some sort of brainbuster slam . ***


(I'm pretty sure that "brainbuster slam" is called the Michinoku Driver dumbass. These two guys gave us an energetic and entertaining five minutes, even if the crowd didn't exactly give a shit about it, except for the big moves. Solid match while it lasted. **3/4)


Triple H vs Owen Hart
The stipulation of this match was that Chyna had to be handcuffed to Commissioner Slaughter so that she couldn't interfere on HHH's behalf . European title on the line . I think this is a great , underrated match . Chyna is able to hit Owen with a low blow and HHH takes advantage with a pedigree and retains the title . ***1/2


(This was the first time that the European Title was defended at Mania. Why didn't they just ban Chyna from ringside? Wouldn't that have been easier than being handcuffed to someone she could easily take out? Anyway this match isn't really talked about, which is a shame as it's quite the underrated gem. These guys went back and forth until Chyna helped HHH retain the Title. ***3/4)


Marc Mero & Sable vs Goldust & Luna
Looking at this on paper , it didn't look like it was going to be very good at all . It did end up being really good and the crowd also helped it a lot . The crowd loved Sable . Sable picks up the win with a TKO on Luna . ***1/4

(Going back to this one, I didn't think it would be as good as I remembered it, but it turned out to be better! This one featured a hot crowd, exciting action and some great nearfalls. This might be the most unexpectedly great match of all time. Great stuff overall. ***1/2)



The Rock vs Ken Shamrock
This is for the IC Title . This would be the last time the Rock would be in the mid-card at Wrestlemania . Shamrock actually kicked out of the people's elbow here . That chair shot was brutal . Shamrock makes Rock tap to the ankle lock . The decision was reversed to a DQ so The Rock retains his title . **1/2


(This would be Dwayne's first Wrestlemania appearance with the Rock character. This was strangely short for an IC Title match, as it only received five minutes. It was a fun match while it lasted though, so the original rating remains  **1/2)


Cactus Jack & Chainsaw Charlie vs The New Age Outlaws : Dumpster Match
This match was here as a result of the infamous segment on Raw where Jack and Charlie were both thrown off the stage in a dumpster . This was just like a Hardcore match . Charlie suffered an injury here after being powerbombed in the dumpster . We have new tag champions after The New Age Outlaws are put in a dumpster backstage . ***


(The whole match does seem a bit redundant since the decision was overturned on Raw the next night, and the Tag Titles returned to the Outlaws. It was a fun match though that would resemble a lot of the hardcore matches that would take place a year later. Good stuff here. **3/4)


Undertaker vs Kane
Pete Rose is tombstoned by Kane in a moment that would repeat at the next two Wrestlemanias . This was the first match in their legendary feud . You either love or hate this match , but I'm inbetween . I enjoy the matches and I love the feud . Undertaker extends his streak to 7-0 after a third ! tombstone to Kane . ***1/4


(Actually now I really enjoy the original feud, don't really enjoy any of the future feuds, and I realise that the matches are pretty shitty. Well except from this one because it was built up brilliantly over a five month period and made Kane look like a huge threat. Until Shawn Michaels in 2010, Kane was the only guy to kick out after taking two tombstones. Good match here and the best of the endless Kane vs Taker series. ***)


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 face , and tries to complete the match . This was an awesome match all things considered and gave Austin his first WWE Title win and started off the Attitude era . ****

(Yeah Shawn did a great job out there with his injured back. This isn't the best match ever, but thanks to it's historical significance, it's definitely an all time classic. It's still an awesome contest that's worth watching again and again. The Austin era begins here. ****)



8.5/10 . This was one of the funnest Mania's ever and also one of the most important as it started off the most popular era in WWE history .


(8.5/10. This show is a lot like Wrestlemania 3, in that if you claim to be a wrestling fan, this is a show you should watch at least once. Aside from the opening battle royal, this was an immensely fun show with a great European Title match, a surprisingly great mixed tag match, the first confrontation of Undertaker and Kane, and a classic main event)

Re-Do: Wrestlemania XV

Wrestlemania XV Re-Do Review



I've been putting this one off for some time, but now that we're on the Road to Wrestlemania 30, it's time to review the final 15 events I've yet to re-do or review. Besides, I need something to distract me from WWE's current booking decisions, even if it's a Vince Russo show. How sad is that? Anyway is this show still a booking nightmare from wrestling's past? Let's find out.


                                                                                                                                                          


(Freddie Blassie's introduction is the classiest thing on this show. Then again when does wrestling really have any class?)



Boys 2 Men are here to sing America the Beautiful . Something felt missing here .


(Doesn't really matter, it only lasted two minutes anyway. Still don't know why I feel the need to review Wrestlemania song performances)


Al Snow vs Hardcore Holly vs Billy Gunn : Hardcore Match
This is for the Hardcore championship . We are told that this is Snow's first Wrestlemania , but I'm not sure about the other guys . This was entertaining enough . Hardocore Holly regains his title by pinning Al Snow . **

(Ah yes the highly prestigious Hardcore Title. The Title was only about five months old at this point and already it didn't mean a thing. This was just like most other hardcore matches at the time, except no one left the arena. Pretty entertaining, but really forgettable. *1/4)



D-Lo Brown & Test vs Owen Hart & Jeff Jarrett 
Tag titles on the line . This would be both Owen and Jeff's finally Wrestlemania appearances . Owen would have his life taken away only a month later . Jeff picks up the victory after a flying dropkick to D-Lo . *1/2


(D-Lo and Test were paired up randomly on Heat just for this match, so there was no build up at all. The match was way too short and nothing memorable happened in it. If you have a bad match with Owen, then you're doing something wrong. *)


Butterbean vs Bart Gunn : Boxing Match
Well this turned out to be a bad idea didn't it ? It made all wrestlers involved in the Brawl for All look like weaklings . Butterbean wins by knockout after about 30 seconds . DUD . The knockout looked awesome though .


(Nothing to really re-do here. It is still a DUD match, but it's funny to watch the knockout. This is probably the last time Bart Gunn was seen in the WWE)


The Big Show vs Mankind 
The winner of this match would go on to referee the main event of the night . Pretty sure Mankind punctured a lung and gave himself some internal injuries when Show landed right on top of him . Mankind wins by DQ after being chokeslammed on two chairs which is kind of retarded since Show already hit him with chairs and the ref did nothing . 1/2*


(Poor Foley. He went from having a great series of matches for the WWE Title with the Rock to battling for the right to referee a match. Who's idea was this? Well Russo's I guess. Surely you could have had them fighting over something else. This wasn't as bad as I remebered, but it was still quite bad. The DQ finish is still dumb as well. *)


Mankind couldn't ref later on because he was taken to hospital .

Road Dogg vs Val Venis vs Ken Shamrock vs Goldust : Elimination Match 
A strange collection of wrestlers here . IC title is on the line . For some reason it's a tagging in and out match . Shamrock and Venis are both eliminated by countout . Road Dogg counters a powerslam into a pinfall to rertain his title . **1/4


(Here we have the poster boys for the Attitude Era's mid-card. It does seem strange that they had the tag in and out rules. Could have been a lot more fun with all four guys in the ring. Not a bad match actually, but it was something you could have easily seen on Raw. That seems to be a running theme with this show. **)


Triple H vs Kane
A lot of fire in this storyline . HHH caused a fireball to damage Chyna's eye and he also blew a flamethrower into Kane's face dressed as Goldust . Before the match , a chicken attacks Kane and it ends up being Pete Rose . We all know how that ends . Kane wins by DQ after Chyna hits him with a chair . **

(What a weird storyline this was with fireballs and flamethrowers galore. At least it made more sense than the Katie Vick story. Only a year later HHH would find himself in the main event and would never seem to leave it again. This ended with the second betrayal of the night, and it wouldn't be the last. Pretty solid match up until the finish with Kane looking particularily motivated. **1/2. Match of the night so far)



Vince announces that he's the guest referee for the main event .

Sable vs Tori
Women's title up for grabs here . Tori looks like something from a 60's sci-fi movie . This was pretty bad . Sable retains with a powerbomb . Really botched match . DUD .


(Still shit. That's all I have to say about that. DUD)




You can easily tell that Vince Russo got his slimy hands all over this show .


(What made it obvious? The double turns? The TV quality matches? Matches ending with DQs?)


Shane McMahon vs X-Pac
This is for the European title . I would put this as the second best match on this night even if that's not saying a lot at all . Shane retains after X-Pac is pedigreed by HHH . Another big twist ! **1/2 . At least it led to HHH becoming the Game .

(And now we come to our third and final turn of the night as HHH turns on X-Pac. There's just way too much stuff happening in this show. This was quite the fun match, as most Shane McMahon matches are, even if it was way overbooked. **1/2)


Undertaker vs The Big Boss Man : Hell in a Cell
Here we are , the worst Hell in a Cell match in history . Luckily the other Cell match at Wrestlemania is a classic . This feud definitely did not warrant a Cell match . Both guys were heels so I don't know how this would work . Good god this was so boring . I think the only time the fans cheered was when it ended . Taker wins with a tombstone . DUD  The Brood comes down on top of the Cell and hands Taker a noose with which he hangs Boss Man .


(Two heels going against each other is risky and can be done well, just look at the Shield vs The Wyatt Family. But this is probably the worst heel vs heel match ever. Why was the Cell even needed? Just an insanely boring match here. DUD)


Stone Cold vs The Rock : No DQ
The saving grace of the show . If this wasn't here it would be the worst Wrestlemania of all time . I've got the Austin/Rock Wrestlemania matches at the same ratings as the HHH/Taker matches . I would still put this feud ahead of that one . This match was great . Mankind comes back out later in the match as the referee . Austin wins the championship after a huge stunner to the Rock . ****


(Thankfully the saviour of this show has finally arrived, although I don't think even Taker vs HBK at Mania 25 could save this show. This is probably the worst of the Austin/Rock Mania matches, but it's still awesome on it's own. ****)




3/10 . Wow this Wrestlemania sucked . I'd definitely put it in the bottom 3 of Wrestlemania's .


(2.5/10. Actually this might just be the worst Wrestlemania ever. I've still to get to 9 and 11, but so far this is easily the worst with only the Austin/Rock match being above average)

Youtube Compilation #2

Youtube Compilation #2


I really enjoyed doing the first one, so now here's the second!






The Undertaker vs Dean Ambrose
From Smackdown April 26th 2013. I had no idea that this match even existed since I never watch Smackdown. I believe that this is the Undertaker's last match to date. Ambrose must have been marking out before he went out there. The match was pretty short, but Ambrose looked pretty good against the Deadman. It's worth watching for the novelty alone. **



Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=275SC4Vq_zA




Rob Van Dam vs Chris Jericho 
From Raw July 15th 2013. Why doesn't the Best of Raw and Smackdown 2013 set have some of these great TV matches? There was some doubt that RVD would be able to shake off some ring rust for his return, but I think the MITB match and this match showed that he had none at all. Both of these guys showed that they only grow better with time. This was one hell of a back and forth match. Easily one of the best TV matches of the year, and definitely one worth checking out. ****1/4


Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRz_bBnyk8c




Antonio Cesaro vs William Regal
From NXT December 25th 2013. I had heard that these guys had a good storyline going on in NXT. It's matches like this one that make me want to watch NXT more often, plus it's always awesome to see Regal in action. This one had a nice mix of technical wrestling and stiff shots, with some nice leg psychology from Regal. The story of the student versus the master was great too. A great old-school style of match for sure. ***3/4

Cesaro is fast becoming my favourite wrestler.


Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6_s6HgetOY




Daniel Bryan vs Sheamus : 2/3 Falls
From Extreme Rules 2012 and the World Title is on the line. It has been two years since I reviewed this one, so I felt like it needed an update. Knowing that this could have been what we got at Wrestlemania 28, it's hard not to feel a sting. An awesome match that made Bryan look great, and showed that Sheamus is quite an underappreciated performer, and showed some great arm psychology. One of the best matches of 2012. ****1/2


Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0Ea44VhpPI



I enjoy doing these Youtube Comps, so expect to see more of them. Remember to request any matches you would like to see reviewed in the future.

Youtube Compilation #1

Youtube Matches Compilation  #1



I have no idea as to why I didn't think of this sooner. I'm gonna start this series of reviews using matches on Youtube. There are a lot of matches over the past couple of years that I have wanted to review, but wasn't able to because I didn't know where to find them (mostly Benoit matches). Well with me being an idiot I didn't think to use Youtube. These are all of my selections, but you guys can request any match, and if it's on Youtube or I have it on DVD, then I'll review it for you. So lets begin with a match I have wanted to do for so long, and it features four of the Smackdown Six. Enjoy!



By the way I'll also post the links to these matches in case you want to watch them yourself.




Edge & Rey Mysterio vs Kurt Angle & Chris Benoit
From No Mercy 2002 and the newly made Smackdown Tag Titles are on the line. Their prestige didn't last that long. I haven't seen this match for almost ten years, so I've been aching to watch it again to see why it was so popular, and it's not hard to see why. This was an amazing contest, and is probably the best tag match I've ever seen. This one was filled with action from start to finish, with the final ten minutes being especially exciting. From awesome double team moves to close nearfalls, this one had just about everything you need for an awesome match. *****


Here's the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SnQLDvzhOgM



Bryan Danielson vs Claudio Castagnoli
From ROH Northern Navigation 25/7/08. Claudio is currently known as Antonio Cesaro, and we all know who Bryan Danielson is. I was looking for their match from earlier this year in the Gauntlet match, but I couldn't find it and came across this instead. I didn't realise that Claudio used the big swing, as I thought he had only came up with that recently. This was one hell of a technical contest that just built and built as it went on. This one showed me just how much WWE is holding Cesaro back, as he has a ton of talent that we are not allowed to see. Check this one out! ****



Link for the match: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QG2B_-RUl2w




CM Punk vs Chris Jericho
From Raw February 4th 2013. I thought this one might have been on the Best of Smackdown and Raw 2013 set, but unfortunately it wasn't added. Luckily we have Youtube! This was a Raw Active match, and I think Rey Mysterio and Randy Orton were the other choices. I love these two as opponents and this was another great one. The crowd didn't seem interested at first and chanted that the match was overrated, but Punk made sure to scold them for it. A great back and forth match while it lasted for sure. ***1/2



Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12zn8il-u6g




Sami Zayn vs Antonio Cesaro : 2 out of 3 Falls
From NXT August 21st 2013. This is one I've been wanting to watch for a while, because a lot of people said that it was a definite Match of the Year candidate, and I've got to say that this was one hell of a match. I wouldn't say that it's a MOTYC, but it was still awesome. This one just built to a fantastic finish, and there was a lot of great innovative offense used here. I think I need to start watching NXT more often after this. ***3/4


Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JwCJmmaPkw




Bryan Danielson vs Tyler Black
From ROH Southern Navigation May 9th 2008. Tyler Black is of course now known as Seth Rollins. I was looking for their WWE match from June this year since that isn't on the Best of Smackdown and Raw set as well, but I found this instead. This was a great bout, filled with a nice mix of technical wrestling and high flying. They definitely had chemistry that still shows to this day. ***3/4



Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JhywAx6jy4I




John Cena vs CM Punk 
From Raw February 25th 2013. Winner faces The Rock at Wrestlemania. I've been wanting to rate this one for almost a year. Until Summerslam this was my Match of the Year for 2013, and I wanted to see if it still holds up. Well I can tell you that it most certainly does. These guys showed their amazing chemistry in front of an audience that was absolutely hot for it. MITB will always be their best match, but this comes scarily close to exceeding that match. Punk even broke out a freaking piledriver! I'll bet he got in trouble for that one. An absolutely stunning match with great nearfalls and fantastic action from start to finish. In my opinion this is the best match in Raw history. *****



Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGmgb19vv8M




That's all from this first part with future parts coming soon. Remember to request any matches you would like to see reviewed, or even just throw me a recommendation. You don't need to request good matches, you could request god awful matches like the Kennel from Hell (please don't request that one). Thanks for reading.

Shawn Michaels - My Journey

Shawn Michaels: My Journey DVD Review

This is HBK's most recent DVD, released in 2010 and there will be a new one featuring all of his Wrestlemania matches. Well almost all of them (guess which one has been taken out). What we really need is an unreleased matches DVD. Well let's see what classics Shawn has given us here.



Disc 1:


In between matches Shawn is interviewed by Michael Cole.



Shawn Michaels vs One Man Gang
This took place in WCCW in January 1985. HBK just looked like a regular jobber here. One Man Gang was pretty stiff with him, but I suppose that most jobbers take a lot of punishment. Shawn got no offense at all. Just a regular squash match here. SQUASH



The Midnight Rockers vs Buddy Rose & Doug Somers
From AWA Wrestlerock 1986, which is apparantly the AWA's big show. It seems that a tag match featuring all four of these guys is featured on every Shawn Michaels DVD set, so it must be a rivalry he's proud of. Pretty entertaining tag match that started off a little slowly, but picked up in pace as it went on. Solid bout. **1/4



The Midnight Rockers vs The Nasty Boys
Tag Titles on the line on an AWA show in 1988. All the guys were friends here, so they must have known each other in the ring quite well. It wouldn't be long before the Rockers headed off to the WWF to make a name for themselves. It's hard for the Rockers to have a bad match and this was no exception. It was just the usual tag formula, but damn these guys are good with it. Marty hits the crossbody for the win. ***



The Rockers vs The Brainbusters
From a show at the Boston Garden in 1989. The tag match featuring these four guys on the other HBK set was awesome, so I had high hopes for this one. This match was given over twenty minutes of time, and every minute of it was entertaining. The Marty heat segment was especially well done, and the crowd was desperate to see him tag Shawn. When Shawn was tagged in the crowd went nuts. One hell of a tag match for sure with non-stop action from start to finish. ***3/4



The Rockers vs The Hart Foundation
From a show in Madison Square Garden in 1989. I think both teams were faces here, which was a rare thing to see during this time period. These two teams had so much chemistry together, and it definitely shows here. I think the Rockers are the masters of the heat segment. Never a dull moment to be had in this contest featuring two of the best teams in WWE history. I don't what else was on this particular show, but I'm pretty sure that this match stole it. The bout ends with a draw as the time limit expires. Awesome match. ****



Shawn Michaels vs Bret Hart
From a show in Ottawa in 1992 with the IC Title on the line. It was only a few months later when these two would be fighting for the WWF Title and stealing the show at Survivor Series. This wasn't up to the standards of their future matches, but it was still a great match overall, due to the crowd being very hot for it, and the fact that it was a fast-paced, back and forth contest. The amount of nearfalls was pretty staggering too. ***3/4



Shawn Michaels vs The British Bulldog
From Raw March 6th 1995. Quite the leap in time here as we've missed three years of HBK's career. These guys had quite a few great matches together, and this is one of them. For once the commercial break didn't hinder proceedings, as they were still in the same submission hold. That part was probably boring for the live crowd, but not for us. The long chinlock slowed things down, but the quick pace came back afterwards. A great match overall. ***1/2



Shawn Michaels vs Sid Vicious
From Raw September 11th 1995 and the IC Title is on the line. I think it's safe to say the HBK was definitely Sid's best opponent. The only good matches featuring Sid that I can remember featured HBK. A solid big man vs small man match here, with Shawn fighting his hardest to get the win that he got with the superkick. **3/4



Shawn Michaels vs The 1-2-3 Kid
From Raw March 4th 1996. Two Kliq members going at it. I don't think it was long until the Kid headed off to WCW, and it wasn't long until HBK would win his first WWF Title. These guys cut a hell of a pace in there, and had it been longer it could have been a classic. As it is, it's still a good back and forth match, as HBK hits the superkick for the win. ***




Disc 2:




Shawn Michaels vs Mankind
From Raw August 11th 1997. These guys have crazy chemistry with each other. This match is mainly remembered for being the birthplace of DX, as well as being remembered for being a kick ass match. This was a standard bout, but it felt more like a street fight with all the action that took place outside of the ring. Rick Rude hits Mankind with a chair with HHH and Chyna by his side to give HBK the win. The match was only eight minutes, but those eight minutes were awesome. ***1/2



Shawn Michaels vs The British Bulldog
From One Night Only 1997 and the European Title is on the line. This is one of the biggest dick moves of Shawn during this period, and that's saying a lot. He couldn't let Bulldog retain the Title in front of his home country, and in front of his family, including his sister who has cancer. Shawn claims it was a good idea for heat reasons, but we all know it was about ego. All politics aside, these two had their usual great match. Bulldog passes out in the figure four and the ring is filled with garbage as a result. ***3/4




Shawn Michaels vs The Undertaker : Casket Match
From the 1998 Royal Rumble. This might be the only great casket match in history. These guys wouldn't have another one on one contest until Wrestlemania 25. This one is mainly remembered because it's the match in which Shawn screwed up his back after hitting the edge of the casket, and wouldn't compete for another four years. This wasn't as good as their other matches, but it was still a great one. We don't get to see what happened after the match with Kane setting the casket on fire. ***1/2




Shawn Michaels vs Chris Jericho
From Wrestlemania XIX. Even with their awesome feud in 2008, this is still my favourite match between these two guys, and I'd even go so far as to say that it is probably the most underrated match in Wrestlemania history. It's probably Jericho's best match ever and definitely one of Shawn's best, as it was this match that made him realise that he was still the showstopper. This stole the show on an already stacked card. An absolutely amazing contest with a great story and some of the best back and forth action you will ever see. One for the ages that deserves more recognition. *****. Jericho kicking HBK in the nuts and spitting on him afterwards is the icing on the cake.




Shawn Michaels vs Ric Flair
From Bad Blood 2003. At the time this seemed like the only time we may have gotten to see these two legends go one on one, but luckily Wrestlemania 24 took place and we got a classic moment out of it. This was a pretty good match though, especially because it felt more like a dream match. I really don't know why it needed that table spot though, and I don't know why it didn't end in DQ. Still it was a good contest. ***1/4




Shawn Michaels vs Kurt Angle 
From Wrestlemania 21. I've seen this match so many times, but I still feel excited everytime I watch it. This may be the perfect example of a dream match living up to expectations. In fact it might have even exceeded a few of them. This match has already received tons of praise and there's not much I can add to it. All I can say is that it's an absolute classic that is hard to beat. Angle has HBK in the ankle lock for about two minutes when HBK submits. *****



Disc 3:



Shawn Michaels vs Triple H : Boot Camp Match
From the 2005 Tribute to the Troops show. It's nice to see a rare match between these two put on a DVD, because we usually just get their PPV matches. They weren't feuding at this point, they were just here to entertain the US Troops. In fact this might be the last time they fought before the DX reunion. They used some strange weapons here like a mop and a couple of sandbags. Pretty fun match. Nowhere near their best but still enjoyable. **1/2



Shawn Michaels vs John Cena vs Edge vs Randy Orton
From Backlash 2007 and the WWE Title is on the line. This was only six days after Cena and HBK had one of the best TV matches ever, and it helped to build up to this bout. This is easily one of the better fatal four ways in WWE history. One of the great things about it is that it was unpredictable, as all guys looked to have a chance of winning it. This was just non-stop action from beginning to end and it never became dull. I loved the finish with Shawn superkicking Cena onto an unconcious Orton that managed to give Cena the pinfall victory and retain the Title. Great stuff. ****



Shawn Michaels vs Randy Orton
From Survivor Series 2007. HBK isn't allowed to use the superkick or he will lose the match and won't get a rematch. If Orton is DQ'd or counted out, he will lose the WWE Title to HBK. This match was great because both guys had to go against their usual strategies. It was great to see HBK busting out submission moves like the ankle lock or the crossface or the sharpshooter. The psychology was brilliant. HBK tries to go for a superkick, realises he can't, and eats an RKO for his hesitation. Awesome match. One of the best of 2007 and the match of the night. ****1/4



Shawn Michaels vs Chris Jericho : Unsanctioned Match
From Unforgiven 2008. I think history has shown that HBK + Unsanctioned Match = awesome. In storyline terms, Jericho absolutely deserved this beating. He injured Shawn's eye, punched his wife and then showed no remorse for it. An ass kicking was definitely coming his way. This should have been the main event. The great thing about these two guys is that they make you believe in their feud. They make it seem so real. I could've done without Lance Cade's interference, but at least it made Jericho look like more of a bastard. A physical, psychological, all out war. Fantastic stuff that is must see. Great finish with Jericho unable to take anymore punishment, and Shawn still punching away at him. Just awesome. ****1/2




Shawn Michaels vs The Undertaker
From Wrestlemania 25. What better way to end the set than with my favourite match of all time. I've seen this match countless times, and it never becomes boring even though I seem to know it inside out now. If you need an example of a perfect match, I would present this to you. To me, this is what wrestling is all about: two of the best in the business going out there with only pride on the line, to have an epic confrontation. If you haven't seen this one yet, I really do pity you, because you don't know what you're missing. In fact I'm gonna make this the only match that I give over five stars. From now on, anything above and beyond my expectations, or just an all time classic that I think deserves it will get a prestigious six star rating, starting with this match. ******




9/10. Great set here and the time really flies by while watching it. Only a few of the matches have been on other releases, so it's great that there are barely any repeats. The interview sections in between matches are interesting to listen to. The only reason the rating isn't higher is because I prefer the Heartbreak & Triumph set to this one and that has a 9.5 rating, so I think a 9 rating sits nicely here. A set worth owning for sure.