Triple H : King of Kings DVD Review

Triple H : King of Kings DVD Review


It's strange how this is the only real set that HHH has . I think everyone expected him to have a three or four disc set by now . I've heard that there's one on the way though . Right , lets begin .

HHH has some talking segments between the matches .



Disc 1 Matches :



Hunter Hearst Helmsley vs John Crystal
This was Hunter's debut in the WWE and on Monday Night Raw , so it's a pretty historical matchup . This was just a squash match , but one that's worth watching as HHH wins his first WWE match . 1/4*



Hunter Hearst Helmsley vs Marc Mero
IC Title is on the line . This was a very big match for HHH as it gave him his very first championship in the WWE , at a time when the IC Title was considered prestigious . The match itself is pretty standard and doesn't last very long . A chair shot and a pedigree takes out Mero and gives HHH the gold . **1/2



Hunter Hearst Helmsley vs Mankind 
The first of three matches between these two on the set and obviously these two would go on to have some fantastic matches . This match was for the King of the Ring crown , and was a big moment for HHH who won the tournament . The bout was pretty slow to start . In fact pretty boring . It really picked up when Mankind hit the elbow on the outside . The pedigree on the table was cool for the time . Pedigree finishes Mankind off . Good match by the end . ***





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



Triple H vs Mankind
This was the night after the 1999 Summerslam and was for the WWE Championship . Sh
ane McMahon was the ref for the bout . It was great to have Rock on commentary . Good match while it lasted and a huge moment for HHH as he picks up his first WWE Championship by hitting Mankind with a pedigree . ***



Triple H vs Stone Cold : No Holds Barred
From No Mercy 1999 and is for the WWE Championship . The first ten minutes of this match never even took place in the ring . So far it's been insanely fun . Rock accidentally hits Austin with a sledgehammer to give HHH the win . A great twenty minute match for sure . ***3/4





Triple H vs Cactus Jack : Hell in a Cell
If Cactus loses this match , his career must end . I don't think this is the five star classic match everyone calls it , but it's still an awesome match . Cactus falling through the cell will be an image that will live on forever . The stuff with the barbed wire bat was pretty damn cool as well . HHH wins with a pedigree. ****1/4



2002 Royal Rumble
This only shows the rumble from the point that HHH entered which was no.22 . I won't rate it for that reason , but it's still a huge moment for HHH and led to his championship win at Wrestlemania X-8 .




Disc 2 :



Triple H vs Shawn Michaels : 2 out of 3 Falls
First fall is a street fight , the second a cage and the third is a ladder match . I've seen this one receive rather unfavorable reviews in the past , but I loved it as a kid so hopefully the feeling is still there . The crowd was quiet for the start of the match , although it did start off a little slowly . The flaming 2x4 wrapped in barbed wire was a cool moment . HHH hits the pedigree to end the first fall and bring down the cage . This isn't as good as I remembered . Not nearly as good as their Summerslam match , or even their Raw match . HHH splashed through a table to make it 1-1 . HHH throws HBK off of the ladder and out through some tables to win the World Championship . **1/2




Batista vs Triple H : Hell in a Cell
In normal singles matches , these two didn't have very good matches . In this kind of environment though , they excel . Easily one of the better cell matches in history with added greatness thanks to a barbed wire wrapped steel chair and some stuff with a sledgehammer and some steel steps . Batista wins with a Batista bomb . ****1/2




Triple H vs Ric Flair : Last Man Standing
From Survivor Series 2005 . Weird to think that these guys were competing for the IC Title round about this time ( not on the line in this particular match ) . I think it gave the title a lot of prestige . As for this match , it's pretty damn brutal . It's amazing that Flair was still having these kinds of matches this far in his career . Such a great match . Unbelievable that it takes three pedigrees and a sledgehammer shot to put Flair down . Awesome stuff . ***3/4



John Cena vs Edge vs Triple H
From Backlash 2006 . Quite the big match here . Pretty unpredictable as well , seeing as all guys would have made sense as the new , or retaining champion . Cena and HHH trying to outdo each other by hitting Edge's head off the table was a funny moment . HHH was covered in a hell of a lot of blood . This is an awesome match . One of the better triple threat matches I've seen . Cena rolls up HHH to retain . ****



Special Features :



Hunter Hearst Helmsley vs Henry O. Godwinn : Hog Pen Match
Why the hell is this match on the DVD ? If it's HHH's first PPV then I suppose it's understandable , but even then , why did it have to be this particular match ? I think a DX match would have been much better in its place . I'll give it * and that's being nice .



Terra Ryzing vs Flying Tony Roy
For those that don't know , Terra is HHH . This is his first professional match and too place in November of 1992 . The video quality is a little bad , but that's to be expected . HHH back then reminds me of Duke Nukem . Probably the hair . It's actually not too bad for a first match . I'll give it  **



6.5/10 . This is a pretty good set , but it's not the one that HHH deserves . It'll definitely make a good supplement when his eventual three disc set is released . Some rare matches like his first WWE Title win and his first professional match are worth seeing if you're an HHH fan .

In Your House 28 : Backlash Review

In Your House 28 : Backlash Review



Thought I'd start off my IYH reviews , starting with the final one . Lets begin .



Gangrel / Edge / Christian vs Mideon & The Acolytes 
This was the Brood going against the Ministry of Darkness . Two very gothic-like teams . Gotta love the attitude era . The fans didn't seem too excited for this one , although you could hear some cheering women when Edge was tagged in . The first two thirds of the match weren't very interesting , but the finish was pretty good . **1/4



Al Snow vs Hardcore Holly
Hardcore championship is up for grabs here . Most of these hardcore matches seemed the same during this period . Strange weapons like hockey sticks are usually used . Somehow , Snow ends up bleeding pretty badly from his forehead . Might have been a stiff shot from Holly . This one went all over the arena . Snow hits Holly with head to win the title . I'll give it  **1/2



The Godfather vs Goldust
IC Title on the line . These two really don't seem like candidates for the IC Title . I wouldn't regard either as the workhorses of the company . The match really wasn't good . Pretty bad contest . Godfather retains his title . 1/2*



Jeff Jarrett & Owen Hart vs The New Age Outlaws
The New Age Outlaws were really over with the crowd here . Sadly this would be Owen's final ever PPV match . I think all the crowd wanted was some puppies from Debra . This was a very entertaining tag team match with the crowd getting hotter as it went on . Billy hits the fame asser on Owen to win the match . ***1/4

RIP Owen



Big Show vs Mankind : Boiler Room Brawl
I didn't really enjoy the Summerslam boiler room brawl match , but now that it's in the attitude era , it should be pretty fun . It definitely should be better than their Wrestlemania match which was pretty damn awful . Mankind managed to cut his hand open with some glass after hitting Show with it . It was bleeding pretty badly . Creepy visual to end the match as Mankind leaves some bloody hand prints behind . I'll give it  ***1/4 for it's creativity .



Triple H vs X-Pac
This match is here because at Wrestlemania , HHH stabbed X-Pac in the back by attacking him . X-Pac wants some revenge tonight . The match started off hot , but slowed down a little in the middle . The work on the neck of X-Pac was well done though . HHH hits the pedigree to win the match . **3/4



Undertaker vs Ken Shamrock
This is quite an intriguing match , seeing as these two rarely go against each other . I think this is their only PPV match against each other too . The match was pretty slow and dull in its duration . Was way too long for my liking . Taker hits his tombstone to win the match . *3/4




Stone Cold vs The Rock : No Holds Barred Match
Shane McMahon is the special guest referee here , intended to give Austin a huge disadvantage . A month before this , these guys managed to save Wrestlemania 15 from being the worst ever and they had another great match on this night . Austin retains after a stunner and whacks Rock with the belt . ****



6/10 . Not a bad PPV here . The main event was brilliant , and the tag match and the boiler room brawl were very good matches . Only the IC title match and the slow Taker/Shamrock match manage to drag it down a bit .

You Think You Know Me ? The Story of Edge Blu Ray Review

You Think You Know ........ Edge : Blu Ray Review


One of the greatest superstars of the 21st Century . The Rated R Superstar . The Ultimate Opportunist . Edge . Finally he gets the documentary he's deserved for a long time . Edge's sudden departure from the WWE in April 2011 , has left a hole in our hearts for quite sometime . He holds the record for the most title reigns in WWE history . 11 World Titles , 5 IC Titles , and 14 Tag Titles . He's also a former King of the Ring and a Royal Rumble winner . He's done it all , even main evented Wrestlemania . And now he is a hall of famer , and , without a doubt , deserves it .


Isn't it strange how Canadian wrestlers seem to have the best documentaries ?  I would put this documentary on par with Chris Jericho's . Amazing to see his career blossom and then suddenly end . Fantastic documentary . 9/10



Disc 1 Matches :



Adam Impact vs Christian Cage
Needless to say , thank god Edge didn't keep the name Adam Impact . It's pretty awful . This is taped from an independent wrestling show in South Indian Lake . Edge looks strange without full length wrestling tights . Some nice innovative offence and Edge has a lot of high flying skills at this point . Good match ! **3/4



Edge & Christian vs T&A vs The Hardy Boyz vs Too Cool
From King of the Ring 2000 and elimination rules apply . Too Cool's tag titles were on the line . T & A out quite quickly after a swanton from Jeff . Hardys are out after an unprettier from Christian . This match was a lot of fun by the end with the final two teams , but E & C manage to get the cheating win as Christian hits Sexay with the title belt to win . ***




Eddie Guerrero vs Edge : No DQ
Now here is a classic match . Easily one of the best matches in Smackdown and in TV history . It could also , arguably , be Edge's best singles match of his career . Just awesome stuff with a great ending as Edge hits the edgecution off a ladder to get the win . After the match , Eddie gets a nice standing ovation from the fans . ****1/2



Edge vs Randy Orton
IC title is on the line , and this isn't the match from the Vengeance PPV . This took place after it and was Orton's attempt to regain the title . They really got the fans invested in this one . It was like a shorter version of their PPV match and that was a good thing . Great little TV match here . Edge gets the leverage pin to retain the belt . ***3/4





Edge vs Matt Hardy : Loser Leaves Raw Ladder Match
This was the last match in their infamous rivalry over Lita/Amy Dumas . It was a short match but they managed to get a lot of stuff in there . Edge gets the win and stays on Raw after throwing Matt off the briefcase and onto the ring ropes . ***1/4




John Cena vs Edge : TLC Match
Cena here in his first ever ladder match . This was in Edge's hometown so obviously the fans were crazy for him to win . This was such a fantastic TLC match with a great story and great action . The finish left me speechless and worried for Edge's health . Cena wins back his WWE Championship after giving Edge an F-U off the top of a ladder and through two tables ! ****1/4


Some special features listed as follows :


The Ninja Star

P.T.A

Working in WCW

Credgeley

"Real Emotion" from Raw 8th August 2005




Blu Ray Exclusives listed as follows :


"One Foot in the Grave" Tour

Achilles Heel

Squared Circle Essay Contest 2011

Edge's Dogs




Disc 2 Matches :



Edge vs Shawn Michaels : Street Fight 
This is the second Street Fight these guys havehad against each other on Raw . This was a really good match with good use of weapons . Edge wins after Orton interferes and gives HBK an RKO . I would say that the first street fight is better , but this one is still up there as a great Raw match . ***1/2




Edge vs The Undertaker
This is one of my favourite Wrestlemania matches . This is probably the best of the Edge/Taker series of matches and that is saying something . Great back and forth match worthy of the main event of Wrestlemania  . Undertaker wins another world title and goes 16-0  after making Edge submit to the hell's gate submission . This is my pick for Edge's best singles match . ****1/2



Edge vs Christian
This is the Pick Your Poison match , as Randy Orton chose Edge's opponent for this one . It's a shame that these two never got to have another singles match against each other after this , because this match shows that it would've been a great feud . Edge hits the spear to win the match . ***1/4




Edge vs Alberto Del Rio vs Rey Mysterio vs Kane : TLC Match
Originally this was supposed to be Edge/Kane , so thankfully they realised that wouldn't have been very good and added Rey and Del Rio . This was a great match and was almost as good as the Morrison/Sheamus match earlier in the night . Matt Striker makes a mistake by saying the first TLC match was at No Mercy 1999 even though it was at Summerslam 2000 . Cole also makes a mistake by saying Kane has never been in a TLC match even though he won one . Seriously , hire better commentators . The match is just a lot of fun though . Edge splashing Kane through a table was amazing . After Edge spears Kane off the apron and through a table , he climbs the ladder to grab his tenth world title . ***3/4










Kane vs Drew McIntyre vs Wade Barrett vs Big Show vs Rey Mysterio vs Edge : Elimination Chamber
This is one of the best ever chamber matches , if not the best . I loved the little mini-storylines going through the match like Edge/Drew and Show/Wade . This match was entertaining throughout and was never boring . The ending was especially great and was very unpredictable . Edge and Rey started things off which is always great . Wade enters the chamber . Next up it's Kane . Kane really cleans house . Drew is in next and launches Rey at a pod ! He also makes Barrett crash through one ! He is really stealing the show here . Show enters the match . He makes Wade crash through another pod ! Wade eliminated after a WMD . Show is eliminated after everyone hits their finisher on him . Drew eliminated after a chokeslam . Kane eliminated after a 619 and a spear . He decides to chokeslam both guys before leaving . Either guy could win here since Del Rio took out Edge's best friend Christian , and Mysterio has a history with him . So intense and exciting . So many nearfalls . Rey kicks out of the spear ! Edge kicks out of the 619 ! As Rey dives off the top rope , Edge spears him and retains his title . ****1/2




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 and end Edge's career with . ***1/2



Blu Ray Exclusives :



Edge vs Jeff Hardy : No DQ 
From Royal Rumble 2009 . Jeff's short first WWE Title reign came to it's abrupt end on this night . This match started off the Hardy vs Hardy feud so Edge was kind of second fiddle here , despite the fact that he became the new champion . Good match here . ***1/4



Edge Announces his Retirement from Raw - April 11 2011

Edge Appreciation Night after Smackdown - September 13 2011




9/10 . Excellent set here . The documentary is worth the price alone , but the extra matches really seal the deal . I know there are a few repeats here , but most are necessary considering they are defining moments in his career . Overall , get this set while it's cheap !

Summerslam 2001 Review

Summerslam 2001 Review : The Invasion Continues




Edge vs Lance Storm
IC Title on the line here as these two real life friends and fellow Canadians fight for the title . Really good match here as Edge wins the match and the IC Title with an impaler DDT . Probably the best choice here to open the show .  ***1/2



The APA & Spike Dudley vs The Dudley Boyz & Test
Test had cost the APA their tag titles and I'm assuming that led to this match . The crowd sure was quiet for this one . Although they did cheer when the Dudleyz brought out a table . This was fun while it lasted and it had a hot finish as Shane McMahon ran in and hit Bradshaw with a chair shot to give Test the pinfall . **



Tajiri vs X-Pac
This was a unification match for both the light heavyweight title and the WCW cruiserweight title . I didn't even know that X-Pac was still a part of WWE at this point . A nice , fast-paced matchup here . Very good cruiserweight contest , as X-Pac hits the x-factor to win the match . ***1/4



Chris Jericho vs Rhyno
Stephanie McMahon chose Rhyno to take on Jericho , because Y2J was pissing her off so much . This was after the huge gore that Jericho took on Smackdown . Jericho taking a jumping gore was a great visual . I shouldn't be surprised that Y2J managed to pull out a great match here . Rhyno taps to the walls of Jericho to give Y2J the win . ***1/2




Jeff Hardy vs Rob Van Dam : Ladder Match
Both of these guys are well known for their ladder matches . Would this be another memorable one ? The hardcore title was on the line . This was a very innovative match and I think it's underrated , as it was exciting in it's entire duration . RVD wins after throwing Jeff off the ladder . ****



Brothers of Destruction vs Kanyon & Diamond Dallas Page : Steel Cage
This was for the unification of the WCW and WWE tag team titles . Kanyon and DDP really looked like the underdogs for this match . DDP was a weird stalker during this period . A bit unsettling . The match was pretty dull and boring . This was more like a squash match with DDP and Kanyon barely getting any offence . Taker hits the last ride to end the match . *



Stone Cold vs Kurt Angle
I've wanted to see this match for a long time . I've heard some great things about it and seen rave reviews for it . The pace in this one is amazing . Even with the non-finish , this should have been the main event for the show . The crowd was hot for this one and rightly so . I cannot believe that Angle managed to kick out of three stunners . Crappy ending though with Austin being DQ'd and retaining his title . A fantastic match though and the best of the night . ****1/2




Booker T vs The Rock
For some reason the WCW Championship is being defended in the main event of a big WWE PPV . This was a pretty good match and the crowd washot throughout the contest. The Rock wins the WCW Title after a rock bottom . ***



8.5/10 . There is a lot to love here . The Austin/Angle match is one everyone should see and the Hardy/RVD match is an underrated gem . The only bad thing here was the dull cage match . One of the best Summerslams and a highly recommended PPV .

Summerslam 2002 Review

Summerslam 2002 Review : Best Summerslam Ever



Usually considered one of the best PPVs ever outside of Wrestlemania X-Seven .


Lets begin .




Kurt Angle vs Rey Mysterio
When a match like this is starting your show , you know it's gonna be good . Interestingly , this was Rey's first WWE PPV . Good way to debut . Rey hit every move perfectly , and Angle was there to add to the awesomeness as he always does . Rey taps to the ankle lock to end the match . Great match to kick off the show . ***3/4



Chris Jericho vs Ric Flair 
To think , Jericho was main eventing Mania only five months previously . Y2J was pissed at Flair for ruining his Fozzy concert on Raw . The match wasn't technically sound , but thanks to the charisma of both guys , it was a lot of fun . Solid match as Y2J taps to the figure four . **3/4



Edge vs Eddie Guerrero
Everyone remembers their Smackdown No DQ match , well this was one of the matches leading up to it . I think this feud really helped Edge on his way to superstardom . Definitely one of his better feuds . Another very good match between the two , especially with Eddie working on Edge's arm , as Edge hits the spear to win . ***1/4



Booker T & Goldust vs The Un-Americans
The Un-Americans consisted of Christian and Lance Storm . This was a much better match than I expected it to be . The heat segment for Goldust was especially good , as it got the fans fired up to see Booker get in there . Test runs in and boots Booker in the face for the Un-Americans to retain . **3/4



Rob Van Dam vs Chris Benoit
The winner of this one would take the IC Title back to their respective brand : Benoit for Smackdown and RVD for Raw . I think this is the only PPV match they've had together which is a shame because this was an awesome contest . There was some nice innovative offence here like Benoit's multiple northern lights suplexes and RVD putting on a crossface . RVD hits the five star frogsplash to win the title . ****



Undertaker vs Test
Ah the classic 'American sucks vs No it doesn't' storyline . This was the worst match on the show , but it was still a pretty good match , showing how good this show is . The exciting ending really made the match . Taker hits the tombstone to send the evil foreigners packing . **1/2



Triple H vs Shawn Michaels : Non-Sanctioned Street Fight
At the time , I don't think anyone expected this to be as good as it was . Everyone assumed that Shawn wouldn't be able to compete like he used to thanks to his back injury that kept him out for four years . But he proved everyone wrong and came back better than ever , starting with this match and going on for nearly eight years . This match is an absolute classic and one that every wrestling fan should see at some point . One of the best ever street fights . HBK gets the huge win with a roll up . ****3/4


After the match , HHH takes out HBK with a couple of sledgehammer shots .





The Rock vs Brock Lesnar
Quite the historical matchup here . Even after only being in the WWE for a few months , it was Brock's time to be the man . This showed how big an impact he made in the WWE , and still has an impact even today .  This match starts off so quickly with a belly-to-belly from Lesnar . This is gonna be awesome . Such a fast paced , exciting match . Lesnar locked in the sharpshooter . Fans are really behind Brock . Rock hit with a steel chair . Heyman rock bottomed through an announce table ! Lesnar kicks out of a rock bottom ! Rock kicks out of a rock bottom ! Lesnar wins with the F5 . Overall an excellent match . ****



9.5/10 . One of the best PPVs of all time and easily the best Summerslam of all time . While it isn't my personal favourite ( that would go to the 2011 edition ) , the quality cannot be argued . Only two matches come under three stars and they are both still very entertaining matches . If you haven't seen this , get it watched immediately .

Satan's Prison : The Anthology of the Elimination Chamber

Satan's Prison DVD Review


I have the UK version of the set which is stupidly titled 'Iron Will' . I decided to label it as the much more appropriate 'Satan's Prison' . Right , time to get started .

The pillar boxes on the non-HD matches are quite annoying .



Disc 1 Matches :



Triple H vs Shawn Michaels vs Chris Jericho vs Rob Van Dam vs Booker T vs Kane : Elimination Chamber
Ah the very first Chamber match . The first and probably the best as well . A lot of intrigue heading into this match , as it had never been seen before . HBK's haircut was a little strange . RVD showed some very innovative offense and probably helped get the chamber match over . RVD taken out , quite surprisingly , with a missile dropkick from Booker T . Booker out with a lionsault . Kane out with a combination of superkick , pedigree and lionsault . Superkick takes out Y2J . HBK hits the superkick on HHH to win the world title in a feel good moment . Fantastic match that every fan should see . ****1/2




Triple H vs Shawn Michaels vs Chris Jericho vs Kevin Nash vs Randy Orton vs Goldberg : Elimination Chamber
The second chamber match in history , made after the huge success of the first one . HBK and Y2J start the match off and that can only be a good thing . Nash eliminated with a superkick . Goldberg was really over in this match . Probably the peak of his popularity . Orton eliminated by a spear . Jericho being speared in the glass looked awesome . HBK out with a jackhammer . Y2J also out with a jackhammer . This would have been a perfect time to have Goldberg win the World title , but no , HHH had to ruin it by beating him with a sledgehammer and killing his momentum . Still a great match though . ***1/2



Triple H vs Chris Jericho vs Chris Benoit vs Randy Orton vs Batista vs Edge : Elimination Chamber
It should be noted that anything complimentary said about Benoit has been edited out of the match . HBK was also the guest referee for this Chamber . A new World champ was guaranteed on this night . A superkick and a lionsault takes out Edge . Benoit out with a spinebuster . Batista bomb eliminates Jericho . This is a brilliant chamber match . An RKO takes out Batista . One of the better chamber matches for sure . HHH wins back his world title with a pedigree to Orton . ****1/2



John Cena vs Shawn Michaels vs Kurt Angle vs Kane vs Carlito vs Chris Masters : Elimination Chamber
I think this one had a nice mix of newcomers and veterans . It was pretty surprising that Carlito and Chris Masters lasted until the end , but I think everyone knew that there was no way they would win the title . Angle should have been in much longer because the match was amazing when he was in it . A superkick eliminates him . Kane out with a double team attack from Masters and Carlito . HBK eliminated by Carlito . Masters out with a roll up and Carlito immediately followed with a roll up to give Cena the win . Great chamber match . ***3/4



Fortunately , Edge's MITB cash in is included , and as we all know , it was a fantastic moment that paved the way for future cash ins .




Big Show vs Hardcore Holly vs CM Punk vs Test vs Rob Van Dam vs Bobby Lashley : Extreme Elimination Chamber
This is widely considered to be the worst chamber match in history and it's not hard to see why . According to CM Punk's DVD , he was actually scheduled to win the title here , but WWE decided that Lashley would be a better fit . Worked out well for them didn't it ? The match wasn't too bad and the weapons probably helped it . The fans only cared about CM Punk and RVD , and they didn't even make it to the end . I won't bother mentioning the eliminations . Fans chanting ' where's our refunds ' was pretty funny . Lashley wins the ECW title . Hooray . **1/4




Undertaker vs Great Khali vs Finlay vs Big Daddy V vs MVP vs Batista : Elimination Chamber
This was one of the more predictable chamber matches in it's history . Only Taker and Batista had a realistic shot at winning , and even then it was obvious that Taker would win it . That being said , the action between the two of them really makes the match worth watching . V out with a DDT to the steel . Khali out thanks to hell's gate . MVP eliminated with a chokeslam from the pod . Finlay out after a chokeslam to the steel . Taker wins the match with a tombstone . A better chamber match than expected . ***3/4



Triple H vs JBL vs Umaga vs Shawn Michaels vs Jeff Hardy vs Chris Jericho : Elimination Chamber
A lot of star power in this chamber , and the winner would face the WWE Champion at Wrestlemania . Always a great idea to start off with HBK and Y2J . the double samoan drop by Umaga was awesome to look at . JBL out with a codebreaker . Umaga out with a combination of everyone's finishers . Y2J quickly eliminated with a superkick . HBK followed quickly with a pedigree . I can't believe that Jeff managed to kick out of a pedigree . HHH wins the match with another pedigree , this time on a steel chair . Brilliant chamber match . ****




Undertaker vs Big Show vs Vladimir Kozlov vs Triple H vs Jeff Hardy vs Edge : Elimination Chamber
Hardy & Edge are starting things off . Hardy hits the twist of fate but misses the swanton . Edge goes for the spear but Hardy rolls him up and he is eliminated ! Woah ! That is huge . A new champ is guaranteed in this match . Kozlov out next and this will slow things down for sure . Finally someone else enters and its ... Big Show. Great more slow stuff . Hardy tries to fight back but Show takes him down . Kozlov takes down Show . Show returns the favor . And now HHH is in . Undertaker is now in and runs straight through everyone in sight . The last ride eliminates Kozlov . Amazing superplex to Show . Pedigree to Show and then a Swanton from the top of the pod ! Show is out . Hardy eliminated with a tombstone . Pedigree to Taker and he kicks out ! This is amazing . HHH hits the pedigree again and gets the pin . A flat out awesome match . ****1/4




John Cena vs Mike Knox vs Kane vs Kofi Kingston Edge vs Rey Mysterio vs Chris Jericho : Elimination Chamber
Ok this was great for Edge's character but was really confusing . So because he entered a pod , he's suddenly officially part of the match that could have went to someone else ?? At least Y2J and Mysterio start off the match to make up for it . Rey just went head first into a pod ! 619 then a codebreaker to Kane ! Seated senton from the pod and Kane is out ! Mike Knox is in . Codebreaker to Knox and he is out . Edge is in next and Rey quickly unloads on him . Amazing sunset flip - german suplex from the top rope . And the World champ , Cena , is now in . And eliminated quickly ! That is huge . There will be another new world champ tonight . Jericho now eliminated and its down to Edge and Rey . So many nearfalls ! And a spear ends the match with Edge as the new champ . This match rocked ! Better than the earlier match and that's saying something . ****1/2




John Cena / Sheamus / Kofi Kingston / Triple H / Ted Dibiase / Randy Orton : Elimination Chamber
As far as chamber matches go , I'd say this is an underrated one . It had all the elements of a great match , such as nice in-ring action and the guarantee of a new champion . It even had the advancement of the Legacy imploding storyline thanks to Ted pinning Orton . The ending with HHH going against Cena was great and was really hard to predict . Cena is able to win the title by making HHH tap to the STF . ***3/4


The WWE Title match between Cena and Batista is included in full .




Rey Mysterio / John Morrison / Chris Jericho / Undertaker / R-Truth / CM Punk : Elimination Chamber
How badass was Undertaker walking through a HUGE flame to get to the ring . Truth is eliminated quite quickly after a GTS . Punk then decides to be awesome and has a mid-match straight edge promo . Mysterio in next and these two have amazing chemistry . Punk is out after a top rope splash from Rey . Jericho in next and he and Rey have always had such great chemistry . Mysterio eliminated with starship pain . Morrison out with a chokeslam on the steel . This is awesome . HBK pops into the chamber and delivers a superkick to Taker and that makes Jericho the new world champ . ****1/2




8/10 . This is a fantastic collection of matches , but it is pretty hard to watch them back to back . The quality definitely shows here since only one match is under three stars and the lowest three star rating is ***1/2 . A DVD set worth getting .




Bonus Chamber Match Reviews !




Kane vs Drew McIntyre vs Wade Barrett vs Big Show vs Rey Mysterio vs Edge : Elimination Chamber
This is one of the best ever chamber matches , if not the best . I loved the little mini-storylines going through the match like Edge/Drew and Show/Wade . This match was entertaining throughout and was never boring . The ending was especially great and was very unpredictable . Edge and Rey started things off which is always great . Wade enters the chamber . Next up it's Kane . Kane really cleans house . Drew is in next and launches Rey at a pod ! He also makes Barrett crash through one ! He is really stealing the show here . Show enters the match . He makes Wade crash through another pod ! Wade eliminated after a WMD . Show is eliminated after everyone hits their finisher on him . Drew eliminated after a chokeslam . Kane eliminated after a 619 and a spear . He decides to chokeslam both guys before leaving . Either guy could win here since Del Rio took out Edge's best friend Christian , and Mysterio has a history with him . So intense and exciting . So many nearfalls . Rey kicks out of the spear ! Edge kicks out of the 619 ! As Rey dives off the top rope , Edge spears him and retains his title . ****1/2




Randy Orton vs R-Truth vs CM Punk vs John Cena vs Sheamus vs John Morrison : Elimination Chamber
I think that Cena was the only guy that actually had a chance during this match . At the time I was really hoping Morrison would win and The Rock would challenge Cena at Wrestlemania . Obviously that never happened and who knows if it was for the best . So a pretty predictable match here . That usually happens when a heel is the champ . It does have to be said that Morrison easily stole the match here . Too bad he got stuck with a mixed tag match at Wrestlemania . Orton enters first into the chamber . Morrison crashes through a pod ! Punk is in next but his pod won't open and Orton decides to beat down on him . He gets an RKO and is eliminated . The Anonymous GM of Raw chimes in saying that Punk was unfairly eliminated and so he is still in the match and back in his pod . Cena is in next . Truth in next . He is eliminated quickly after a brogue kick . Morrison takes another crash through a pod . Punk enters once again . Cena takes an RKO on the steel ! Punk hits the GTS on Orton and he is eliminated . Morrison climbs to the top of the chamber and lands right on Sheamus and eliminates him . Punk eliminates Morrison after an GTS . Cena wins after an AA to Punk on the steel . ***3/4




Chris Jericho vs The Miz vs Dolph Ziggler vs R-Truth vs Kofi Kingston vs CM Punk : Elimination Chamber
A lot of great athletes in this one , and the fact that Kofi and Punk are starting off makes it even better . Hope those guys can have a match in the future . This should be great . Kingston and Punk do a springboard at the same time and collide ! R-Truth enters the match . Truth is eliminated after a Savage elbow . Punk takes a trouble in paradise and kicks out ! Dolph takes a DDT on the steel ! The Miz enters . Miz locked in the anaconda vice and Jericho comes in and stares down Punk . The two of them go at it . A codebreaker eliminates Ziggler . Jericho slams a pod door right into the head of Punk . That looked and sounded brutal . Kingston with a crossbody off the top of the pod onto Miz and Punk ! This is a great match . Walls of jericho eliminates Kingston . Jericho is kicked in the head by Punk and falls right out of the chamber . That eliminates him as he cannot continue . A great way to eliminate Jericho as it makes him look good for his Wrestlemania match . Miz hits the skull crushing finale but its only a 2 ! CM Punk wins with a GTS . ***3/4




The Great Khali vs Cody Rhodes vs Santino Marella vs Daniel Bryan vs Wade Barrett vs Big Show : Elimination Chamber
This is a weird chamber . 2 giants , 3 great athletes and Santino . Probably the strangest one ever . Not a good start to the match with some fans chanting ' boring ' . Big Show wasn't a good starting choice . Finally we have a countdown . Rhodes is in . Match is still going a little slow . And we have another countdown and it's Santino . Definitely the fan favourite here . I laughed when Big Show shouted Jesus . Double suplex to Show on the steel ! And now Khali is in . Oh great . He gets a ' you can't wrestle chant ' . And Khali is out quickly after a spear from Show . Show stares down Bryan and breaks into his pod . That was awesome . Daniel Bryan smashed through his pod ! Big Show eliminated after an elbow drop from Barrett . Cody eliminated after a roll through from Santino ! Cody returns the favour with crossrhodes . Santino kicks out ! Bryan powerbombed into the chamber ! Bryan takes a pod door to the head ! Barrett out after a flying headbutt . Just Santino and Bryan left . The crowd is going nuts for Santino ! COBRA !! Kick out ! Santino submits to the Labelle lock . The last ten minutes or so of this match give it an easy  ***1/2 . Sheamus comes out to attack Bryan and show that he's going after his title at Wrestlemania .




Also a great example of how my writing style sort of changed . Soon I'll be uploading the ranking of every chamber match .

The Ladder Match 2 : Crash and Burn Blu Ray Review

The Ladder Match 2 Blu Ray Review


The sequel to the fantastic Ladder Match DVD . WWE used the best matches for the first DVD , so they really had to dig into their library to find some matches .

We start off with a glaring omission from the last set , and one of the greatest matches in history .




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 . *****



Chris Candido vs Tracy Smothers : Ladder
A rare match from Smoky Mountain Wrestling . $2500 would be the prize hanging from the rafters . Or the string held over the top of the ring . This might have been better in its time . I think they were trying to capitalize on the popularity of the Wrestlemania match . Smothers wins it . **1/2




Eddie Guerrero vs Syxx : Ladder Match 
From Souled Out 1997 . This is the first one on one WCW ladder match in its history and I'm glad it features Mr Guerrero . The match was good , but I felt it was a bit sloppy . It didn't help that Eric Bischoff kept talking about other angles . Eddie wins the belt . ***



Mankind vs Big Boss Man : Ladder 
Hardcore title is on the line here . You really don't think of these two when you think of ladder matches , especially Boss Man . Mankind's bumping helped the match , but Boss Man shouldn't have been in this kind of match . Boss Man wins it . *1/2




The Rock vs Mankind : Ladder Match
This took place the night after the great LMS match . This was the culmination of their awesome 1999 feud for the WWE Title . The winner of this match would go on to face Austin at Mania . It was obvious Rock was winning here , but it would have been interesting if it had been Mankind winning . You wouldn't generally think that these two could put on a great ladder match , but they managed it here on this night . Another awesome match between these two . ****



Stone Cold vs Vince & Shane McMahon : Ladder
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 . **3/4



3 Count vs Jung Dragons : Ladder
From New Blood Rising 2000 . The last WCW match on the set . A gold record and a recording contract is the prize in this bout . I don't understand why they had to tag in and out at the start . They didn't do it for long anyway . The crossbody to from the ladder to the outside was awesome . 3 Count wins it . Very good match . ***1/4



Hardy Boyz vs Edge & Christian : Ladder
This is quite the forgotten match , considering that everyone really remembers their triangle ladder match and the TLC matches . Four of the best ever ladder match competitors here . Jeff was speared here , similarly to the one from WM X-Seven , but of course everyone remembers that one . Not as good as their earlier ladder matches , but still great . Matt grabs the belts for the win . ***1/2



Jeff Hardy vs Rob Van Dam : Ladder
These two had a fantastic match at Summerslam 2001 , so hopefully this one will be just as good . This is one was to unify the European and IC Titles , so in that sense it's pretty historic . At one point Jeff fell off the ladder and looked as if he was gonna break his neck . RVD grabs the belt to win . ***1/4



Eddie Guerrero & Tajiri vs Team Angle : Ladder
I read in Eddie's book that before this match , he told Haas and Benjamin to just take the bumps because it would make things a lot easier . I think that talk worked . Eddie was the only one here that had ever been in a ladder match , and obviously Shelton would go on to have much more and become much better in them . Very good match with some nice spots . Eddie grabs the belts to win . ***1/4



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 . ***3/4



Katie Lea vs Beth Phoenix : Ladder
This took place in OVW for the women's title . This is the only women's ladder match I have ever watched . I'm not sure if it's the only one , but I've never heard of any other ones . They managed to get a couple of big spots into the match . The neck breaker from the ladder was pretty cool . Solid bout . Katie wins . **1/4




Wrestlemania 23 Money In The Bank 
Very star-studded MITB this year . It's just a shame they didn't have storylines going into Mania , especially Edge & Orton . The back of Kennedy's neck hitting the ladder was brutal . Jeff jumping from the HUGE ladder in the ring onto Edge on the ladder outside is one of those moments that will live forever . This was just flat out awesome . When the match was aired , i was genuinely surprised that Kennedy won the match . I expected Punk to win . ****



The Hardys vs The World's Greatest Tag Team : Ladder
From One Night Stand 2007 . I've seen some varied reviews for this one , ranging from good to amazing . Well with the talent in the ring , I would hope it would be brilliant . Some of the ladder spots were great , like Shelton landing stiffly on one . Awesome match . Hardys retain their titles . ***3/4




Jeff Hardy vs Carlito : Ladder Match
Jeff's best and favourite match here with another pretty great athlete in Carlito . Ladder matches are very rarely bad and with Jeff in here , this will be no exception . This is for the IC Title . Both guys took some painful bumps in this match . Jeff pushes Carlito off the ladder to retain . Very good match .  ***1/4



Disc 2 Matches :





Edge vs Undertaker : TLC 
If Taker loses this match , he has to leave the WWE . I think we all knew that wasn't going to happen . Another brilliant TLC match to add to the growing collection of those matches . Edge grabs the World title after throwing Taker off the ladder and through three tables . ****




Shawn Michaels vs Chris Jericho : Ladder 
Many have called this match the best of 2008 and it is very hard to find another match that can match up to it . I believe this was their feud ending match and this was one of the best feuds of the year . World Title was on the line . Chris lost a tooth in this match . Jericho retains his title in this classic match after a tug of war with the belt . ****1/2




Wrestlemania 25 Money In The Bank Ladder Match
I love this ladder match no matter how many botches are in it . With money in the bank at Wrestlemania , how can you go wrong ? I even found myself chanting with the fans ' This is awesome ' .Kofi stole the match here . Fans seem disappointed about CM Punk grabbing the briefcase though . Overall a great match . ***3/4




Raw MITB Ladder Match 2010
Now this was a really hard match to predict . You had established guys like Orton and Jericho and some new guys . My money was on Evan Bourne . Another exciting , action-packed ladder match on this show . Miz wins the briefcase . ***3/4




John Morrison vs Sheamus : Ladder Match 
This was an awesome match . This match had more of a story than most ladder matches with Morrison's leg being targeted .  Sheamus just looked ruthless in this match . Sheamus falling through the ladder on the outside was such an amazing moment . After that , Morrison climbs up the ladder , kicks Sheamus in the head one more time and grabs the contract for a WWE Championship match . Awesome . ****




Christian vs Alberto Del Rio : Ladder Match
Ok this should have been the main event for this show . It provided us with an amazing moment and the match could have ended with either guy winning his first world title . For those that don't know , Edge retired a couple of weeks prior to this event ( sad face ) and there was a battle royal made to see who would take his place ,and that would end up being Christian . Even if Christian lost the title 2 days later , this match still provided a moment that shows what professional wrestling is all about . During the match , Del Rio takes a sick looking spill on a ladder set up outside . I've got to mention that Brodus Clay was badly bleeding in this match . Christian had a few cuts as well . Edge comes into the ring to celebrate his huge victory . Both guys have tears in their eyes . What a moment . I might be overrating this but I don't care . ****1/4



Blu Ray Exclusives :



Edge vs Jeff Hardy : Ladder
From Extreme Rules 2009 . These are probably the first two guys you think of when you think of a ladder match . It's amazing that these two never had a one-on-one ladder match against each other . For that reason there was a lot of hype for this one and , in my opinion , it lived up to the expectations . The sharpshooter in the ladder was pretty damn cool . These two still manage to come up with new spots . The spot with both guys falling through the outside ladder was absolutely sick . Brilliant match . Hardy grabs the belt for the win . ****




Christian vs Shelton Benjamin : Ladder Match 
What a great way to start the show off . Two of the best ladder match participants of all time going at it . It can only lead to a lot of fun . ECW Title was hanging over the ring . Christian's head cut being checked ruined the momentum of the match a little bit . That all changed when Shelton hit the senton off the ladder . Christian retains the title . Match of the Night . ***3/4



Jerry Lawler vs The Miz : TLC
The WWE Championship was on the line . This was obviously just a re-hash of the Edge/Flair match from four years previously . And yet they still made me think that Lawler had a chance of winning the big one for the first time in his career . Surprisingly good TLC match as Miz grabs the title to retain . ***




Kofi Kingston vs Jack Swagger vs Dolph Ziggler : Ladder Match
I heard that some people hated the ending of this match , but I found it went with Dolph's character . Gotta give credit to Vickie for climbing up that ladder though . This was a good ladder match that was short on time but was very entertaining . Dolph wins after the belt falls to the ring and he scoops it up . ***



8.5/10 . This is a great set , and I wasn't sure if that was possible after the amazing first Ladder Match DVD . There were a few odd ones here , but for the most part they are excellent choices . Definitely recommended .