Wrestlemania 22 3-Disc DVD Set Review

Wrestlemania is the biggest wrestling event of all time. It features high profile matches, celebrity involvement, and showcases World Wrestling Entertainment’s product on a global stage. An event this big only happens once a year, but that does not mean you only have to watch it once every 365 days. WWE has released every Wrestlemania on some sort of home video format whether it be on VHS, DVD, or Blu-ray. Over the course of the next few weeks, I will review the different home video editions of Wrestlemania that I own.

In 2006, World Wrestling Entertainment presented its 22nd edition of the showcase of the immortals in front of the always-rowdy Chicago crowd. It was a fun event that had a lot of memorable moments and as soon as WWE released it on DVD, I immediately picked it up for my home viewing pleasure. With this being an individual Wrestlemania DVD set, all three discs of the Wrestlemania 22 DVD set deal with Wrestlemania 22 in some sort of fashion.

Disc 1 contains some vignettes, the pre-Wrestlemania18-man interpromotional battle royal between the superstars of Raw and Smackdown, and the first few hours of Wrestlemania 22 as it starts with the traditional singing of “America the Beautiful” before ending with the announcement of where Wrestlemania 23 will take place. When viewing the first disc, I recommend watching the battle royal before the actual event in order to get the full Wrestlemania 22 experience.

Disc 2 contains the rest of the Wrestlemania 22 event as well as a ton of extras. Should you choose to continue watching Wrestlemania 22, the second disc picks up immediately where the first disc left off as the very entertaining triple threat match for the World Heavyweight Championship is the first match you will see. The extras included on disc 2 are what really make this DVD set shine. Aside from the home video exclusives that feature Mick Foley getting stitches and Rey Mysterio celebrating his World Heavyweight Championship victory, you also get to see the entire Wrestlemania Post Show, John Cena on Raw the night after Wrestlemania 22 addressing the hostile Chicago crowd that almost booed him out of the city, and Saturday Night’s Main Event that occurred a few weeks before Wrestlemania 22 in its entirety.

Disc 3 contains the entire WWE Hall of Fame induction ceremony that featured the inductions of former Chicago Bear William “The Refrigerator” Perry, the late great Eddie Guerrero, and Bret “Hit Man” Hart among others. I enjoyed the induction ceremony and the Wrestlemania 22 edition had some very entertaining moments that make it worth a watch.

The packaging of this 3-disc set looks very cool as it features all of the competitors in what were arguably the night’s biggest matches as well as the classic Wrestlemania logo in which the “R” and the “S” are connected. Inside the case are the discs and pictures from the event with the two biggest pictures being of the then World Heavyweight Champion Rey Mysterio and the then WWE Champion John Cena.

Overall, the Wrestlemania 22 3-disc DVD set is a very nice home video version of the event. It contains the entire Wrestlemania 22 pay-per-view, the entire pre-Wrestlemania 22 Saturday Night’s Main Event television special, and the entire WWE Hall of Fame induction ceremony. Most of the matches on the card were fantastic and had me in awe. Shawn Michaels dropping a massive elbow on to Vince McMahon from an enormous ladder, Edge spearing Mick Foley through a flaming table, and the Money in the Bank ladder match acrobatics are just a few of the cool moments from this event. It is relatively cheap and easy to find today, so add it to your Wrestlemania collection.

Stay tuned for the Wrestlemania 23 DVD review!

Raw is Cincy

Ryan of Cincy Fan Zone vlogs about his time at WWE Monday Night Raw.

The Cancelled Bobblehead

Please note that this was written before the All-Star teams were announced.

If you have been a fan of my website, then you know that I am a collector of bobbleheads and a diehard fan of the Cincinnati Reds. When the Reds release their promotional schedule, I always look for the games that feature a bobblehead giveaway so that I can get tickets for it and add the new nodder to my collection. One bobblehead on the 2015 schedule that caught my eye was a special “2015 All-Star player” bobblehead. With the Reds hosting the 2015 midsummer classic, the team decided to give away a nodder of a Reds player that made the All-Star team with the player being featured in what I would guess to be the National League All-Star uniform. Unfortunately for bobblehead fans, it appears that this nodder has been cancelled.

As I was looking at the Reds promotional schedule to see if the third “Stars of the Queen City” bobblehead had been revealed, I noticed that the “2015 All-Star player” bobblehead game had been changed. Instead of giving out a bobblehead, the team is now giving out a figurine of a Reds player that makes the All-Star team. Talk about disappointing.

This was one of the bobbleheads I had been looking forward to most this season. Last year, the team gave away what I consider to be the best Reds bobblehead of all time in that it was a 2015 All-Star Game Mr. Redlegs nodder. It is a timeless nodder considering that it features a mascot and not a player, and it has an outstanding look to it. I was expecting something similar this year when the team announced that they would give away a bobblehead of a Reds player who made the All-Star team.

If you look at the Reds record though, it is easy to see why the team has decided to with a figurine instead of a bobblehead. As I write this, the Reds are in fourth in the National League Central and have once again been ravaged by injuries. Combine that with frustratingly bad play and the results have not been pretty. Fans have noticed this too as it appears that Todd Frazier might be the only Reds player at the 2015 All-Star game. Shortstop Zack Cozart was having a great year and was in contention to make the All-Star team, but a terrible leg injury has him on the shelf for the rest of the year, leaving Frazier as the lone Reds player to possibly make the team.

I would have loved to see Cozart make the team and have him immortalized as the All-Star bobblehead. Frazier had a bobblehead game very early in the season, and I doubt fans would shell out the cash for another Frazier bobblehead or any Reds other player for that matter. As I write this, Phillips and Votto have gained ground in the All-Star voting for their positions, but Phillips, like Frazier, has already had a bobblehead game this season, and Votto seemingly has one every other year.

With it being slim pickings for Reds All-Stars, the team has decided to play it safe and give out a figurine instead of a bobblehead. The figurine might turn out to look pretty cool, but bobbleheads are and always will be cooler. It is out of my hands though, and if I like how the figurine looks, I might head to Great American Ball Park to get it.

Photo Page Update

PHOTO PAGE UPDATE WITH #REDS vs #CUBS PICS @ http://t.co/yzF6TznxxM #GoReds #CHCvsCIN #ATOBTTR #LetsPlayTwo #MLB #wwe pic.twitter.com/F4wUDTm5nf

— Cincy Fan Zone (@CincyFanZone) July 23, 2015

Battleground 2015 Thoughts

Ryan of Cincy Fan Zone shares his thoughts on WWE Battleground 2015.

Photo Page Update

PIC PAGE UPDATE @ http://t.co/yzF6TznxxM WITH #REDS GAME & TODD FRAZIER AUTO SIGNING PICS #Reds #OhioCup #ATOBTTR pic.twitter.com/MJ6JCILYc5

— Cincy Fan Zone (@CincyFanZone) July 19, 2015

My All-Star Week Experience

The 2015 edition of the Major League Baseball All-Star Game took place on Tuesday, July 14, and in the end, the American League topped the National League by a score of 6-3. It was a fun game to watch, and it capped off an incredible week of baseball activities. I tried to soak up as much of the All-Star Game festivities as I could, and in this post, I will discuss what I was up to during All-Star week.

Things officially kicked off with the opening of the MLB All-Star Game FanFest on Friday. I went to it and was blown away by everything they had there. They had a lot of cool exhibits that dealt with not only the Cincinnati Reds but with some of the all-time greats to have ever played the sport of baseball. There were exhibits about the Negro League, women in baseball, and the baseball hall of fame. After the All-Star FanFest closed for the day, I went up to Fountain Square in the center of the city. Buildings and skywalks were decked out in All-Star decorations, and you could feel the excitement in Cincinnati building as the midsummer classic drew near. There was a concert at Fountain Square as the band, Saint Hotel, rocked the heart of downtown after a baseball themed fireworks display illuminated the night sky. It was a fantastic day and an excellent way to start All-Star week with a bang.

The next day I went to a celebrity softball game. It was not the official MLB Celebrity Softball Game. The one I went to was called the Celebrity Softball Challenge. It featured a lot of local celebrities playing softball for charity. The game featured Team Johnny Bench taking on Team Evander Holyfield. Players on the teams included a few members of the Cincinnati Bengals such as Giovani Bernard and Jeremy Hill, a Cincinnati radio DJ named Meat, Tae Bo fitness guru Billy Blanks, and a few members of the Columbus Blue Jackets. This was a very entertaining game and you could tell that the celebrities were having fun. In the end, Team Bench destroyed Team Holyfield.

On Monday, the day of the Home Run Derby, I went back to the All-Star Game FanFest. The different booths and stations there were giving out a lot of free stuff, and I managed to pick up some really cool things for my sports memorabilia collection. I also got the autograph of Amos Otis, a former player of the Kansas City Royals and the New York Mets among other teams. I also did the “Steal a Base Challenge” in which you race an MLB player on a screen. I chose to race Billy Hamilton and in the end, I beat him! I also went to the All-Star Game Block Party. There were games, a zip line, and an autograph session that featured former player and current co-host of the show “Intentional Talk,” Kevin Millar.

In the end, I found All-Star week to be a blast and now that the game is over and all the festivities of the midsummer classic are no longer in Cincinnati, I’m a little sad. This was the first time I had ever seen the city and the surrounding area come together and put on a spectacle for the rest of the nation to see and enjoy. Cincinnati truly shined in the national spotlight, and I cannot wait to see what happens the next time the MLB All-Star Game comes to the Queen City.

Check out pictures from All-Star week on the “Photos” page and keep an eye out for my trilogy of All-Star week vlogs!

Photo Page Update

PIC PAGE UPDATE @ http://t.co/yzF6TznxxM WITH #ASG PICS #Reds #ASG2015 #AllStarGame #HRDerby #FanFest #FranchiseFour pic.twitter.com/Ac5lKBiTPF

— Cincy Fan Zone (@CincyFanZone) July 15, 2015

Mr. Redlegs 2015 All-Star Game Edition Bobblehead Review

Ryan of Cincy Fan Zone reviews a 2014 Cincinnati Reds SGA Mr. Redlegs 2015 All-Star Game Edition bobblehead.

Chapmania!

On Thursday, I got a notification from Twitter that said Aroldis Chapman, the flame throwing closer of the Reds, follows me on Twitter! I'm not too entirely sure if the Twitter account is legit, but based on who he follows and who follows him, it seems real. I got an automated direct message from him saying that he just opened the account so maybe it is actually Chapman's Twitter handle! If he likes it, then you will too! Give me a follow @CincyFanZone!

All-Star Week 2015

For one night in July, Major League Baseball’s best players will gather at Great American Ball Park as the Cincinnati Reds host the 2015 MLB All-Star Game. It should be a fun week that showcases the city of Cincinnati and the surrounding area to rest of the nation. After for what seemed like an eternity of waiting and skyrocketing hype, All-Star week is upon us, and in this post, I will discuss the various events that will be happening in Cincinnati for the Midsummer Classic.

The week of baseball festivities kicks off on Friday, July 10, at the Duke Energy Convention Center. This will be the site of the T-Mobile All-Star FanFest, a big five-day festival in which baseball fans will have the opportunity to get autographs from some of the sport’s greatest legends, participate in various activities, and win tickets to some of the other events happening throughout the week. The FanFest will run from Friday, July 10, to Tuesday, July 14, and the first 2000 guests each day will receive a free giveaway item. The giveaway items vary depending on the day and range from a plush toy of Major League Baseball Hall of Famer and former Cincinnati Red Barry Larkin to a mini bobblehead of a player from the Big Red Machine.

On Saturday, July 11, the Color Run MLB All-Star 5K will take place with the race starting at 9 a.m. Also on Saturday is the Budweiser MLB All-Star Concert. The concert will feature pop star Ariana Grande and will take place at Paul Brown Stadium, the home of the Cincinnati Bengals, at 8 p.m.

On Sunday, July 12, the SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game, which features the best players in the minor leagues, will take place at Great American Ball Park at 3 p.m. Following the Futures game will be the All-Star Legends and Celebrity softball game. The softball game will feature singer Jordin Sparks, Ohio State football coach Urban Meyer, and Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton among others. Also on Sunday is the MLB All-Star Summer Pepsi Block Party. This will take place from noon to 8 p.m. and be on East Freedom Way.

On Monday, July 13, the Gatorade All-Star Workout Day will happen at Great American Ball Park, which will feature the Gillette Home Run Derby at 8 p.m. There are new rules for the home run derby this year and with Great American Ball Park being considered a hitter friendly ballpark, it should be a fun event to watch.

Tuesday, July 14, will be the conclusion of the MLB All-Star festivities. The All-Star Game Red Carpet Show will start at 1 p.m. with the 86^th MLB All-Star Game starting at 7 p.m. The entire baseball world will be watching as the best of the American League take on the best of the National League in a game in which the winning league will ensure home field advantage for the 2015 World Series.

If you are a baseball fan, Cincinnati is the place to be from July 10 to July 14. Major League Baseball will take over the city as the MLB All-Star game makes it triumphant return to Cincinnati for the first time since 1988. Hopefully I can snag some tickets to a few events and the All-Star game. If anybody is willing to hook me up, leave a comment!

Happy 4th of July!

Have a great Independence Day everybody!

Bobblehead Page Update

NEW #BOBBLEHEAD @ http://t.co/7szAEAxyiu #Bengals #LetsRoar #WhoDey #Reds #MILvsCIN #GoReds #ATOBTTR #ASG #ASGWorthy pic.twitter.com/pjeROMNp3M

— Cincy Fan Zone (@CincyFanZone) July 3, 2015

Boomer Esiason Bobblehead Unboxing

Ryan of Cincy Fan Zone unboxes a Boomer Esiason bobblehead.

Booking Battleground

The beast is back. The champ is in trouble.

WWE's next pay-per-view will give wrestling fans a glimpse at the possible SummerSlam card, and with Battleground being the site of the WWE World Heavyweight Championship bout between Brock Lesnar and the champ, Seth Rollins, the main event of the biggest wrestling show of the summer hangs on the outcome of the match. So how will Battleground shape SummerSlam's main event? Allow me to explain.

As we all know, Seth Rollins cashed in his Money in the Bank contract at Wrestlemania 31 and turned the main event title bout between Roman Reigns and Lesnar into a triple threat match before pinning Reigns and walking out as the new champion. The following night on Raw, Lesnar went on a rampage and destroyed everybody in his path, which resulted in him being "suspended" by WWE. Since then, the arrogance of Rollins has escalated, and he has stepped on the toes of the Authority multiple times. As a result, they brought back Lesnar and named him as the number one contender for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship.

I believe that Lesnar will defeat Rollins and regain the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. This will allow for WWE to set up two intriguing storylines that could lead to a SummerSlam pay-per-view with two main events: Rollins vs. Triple H and Reigns vs. Lesnar.

Let’s start off with why I think Rollins vs. Triple H will happen. In the summer of 2014, Triple H picked Rollins to be his protégé and the former member of the Shield has become WWE’s top heel. He became arrogant, won matches in dirty ways, and has managed to squirm his way out of big title defenses with his hands still on WWE’s biggest prize. He has essentially become very similar to the Game and in the Authority, there can only be one Triple H. Following his defeat to Lesnar at Battleground, the Authority, tired of Rollins’ attitude and inability to retain his title without their help, will turn on Rollins, resulting in a SummerSlam bout between the Cerebral Assassin and his former student.

Now let’s move on to why I think Reigns and Lesnar will take place at SummerSlam. At the Royal Rumble, Reigns won the Royal Rumble match and earned a main event title shot at Wrestlemania 31 against Lesnar. Fan reception to this booking decision was horrible as Reigns was booed every week leading up to Wrestlemania. This poor reaction is perhaps what prompted WWE to have Rollins cash in his Money in the Bank briefcase at Wrestlemania and steal the title from Reigns and Lesnar. Since then, Reigns has been garnering better reactions from the crowd and all the boos have seemingly vanished. A combination of having Reigns constantly team up with the insanely over with the crowd Dean Ambrose and WWE gradually feeding Reigns to the crowd instead of forcing him down their throats has allowed Reigns to finally be put in a position to be crowned champion without receiving a terrible reaction. This allows WWE to stage a Wrestlemania rematch between Reigns and Lesnar in the main event of their second biggest event of the year. I think Reigns will then defeat Lesnar and win the title only to suffer a loss to the new Mr. Money in the Bank, Sheamus. This allows Lesnar to stay off TV until Wrestlemania season, and it keeps Reigns busy as he once again tries to capture the WWE Championship.

That is how I think Battleground will shape SummerSlam 2015. It should be an entertaining main event between Lesnar and Rollins and knowing how WWE likes to do things, expect a few surprises throughout the match. Thanks for reading and stay tuned for my “Battleground 2015 Thoughts” video.