Wrestlemania 30 Two-Disc Blu-Ray Edition 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 this week’s post, I will review the 2-disc Blu-ray set of Wrestlemania 30. I have only viewed the Blu-ray version of this Wrestlemania on a 16:9 television screen, so I do not know if the picture crops to fit a 4:3 television screen or how the DVD version is presented.

The action starts on the first disc which contains the entire Wrestlemania 30 event from Hulk Hogan welcoming everybody to the “Silverdome,” (if you do not understand this reference, watch the event), to the triple threat WWE World Heavyweight Championship match that closed out the show. Also on the first disc is the Wrestlemania 30 Pre-Show Fatal 4-Way WWE Tag Team Championship match between The Usos, Los Matadores, the Real Americans, and Rybaxel.

The second disc contains the complete 2014 WWE Hall of Fame induction ceremony that features some pretty big names from the world of professional wrestling. The late Paul Bearer, Lita, Razor Ramon, and the late Ultimate Warrior among others were all inducted into the hall of fame. The induction of the Ultimate Warrior is a major reason to watch this ceremony as he tragically passed away the night after Wrestlemania 30. The second disc also contains a ton of bonus content including two special features exclusive to the Blu-ray version.

The packaging of Wrestlemania 30 is great. The front of the packaging features a few of the wrestlers from the night’s biggest matches and moments as well as the Wrestlemania 30 logo, and the back of the packaging lists the matches from the event and features a nice collage of some of the wrestlers.

The Blu-ray came in a cardboard sleeve that included a book entitled “Wrestlemania 30: 30 Moments for 30 Years.” The book is small but it contains a lot of cool pictures, match results, storyline recaps, and more from past Wrestlemanias. It is a nice little bonus that really makes this home video version of Wrestlemania stand out above the rest.

In conclusion, the two-disc Blu-ray version of Wrestlemania 30 is an excellent home video version of the showcase of the immortals. The event itself was one of the most memorable and shocking Wrestlemanias of all time, and most of the matches and segments were really good. My favorite parts of the event are when Daniel Bryan wins the WWE World Heavyweight Championship and when Hulk Hogan, Stone Cold Steve Austin, and the Rock all gather in the ring at the same time to kick off the show. It was a really good show, and I highly recommend picking up the Blu-ray version of Wrestlemania 30 for yourself.

Next is the Wrestlemania 31 two-disc Blu-ray version review!

Thank You, Daniel Bryan

No! No! No! While that was the sentiment of wrestling fans around the world on Monday night, the reality of the matter is that the “American Dragon” has hung up his boots for good. Daniel Bryan, one of the best in ring performers and one of the most popular wrestlers in WWE history confirmed his retirement during the final segment of Monday Night Raw due to medical reasons.

This news shocked me, and I am still stunned that the professional wrestling career of the greatest Cinderella story in WWE history has come to an end. I knew that he had a history of injuries and that he endured a lot of wear and tear during his days on the “Indy” scene, but he was so good in the ring that it looked like the pain had no effect on him at all. He was one of the most skilled in ring performers in WWE, and despite lacking charisma when he first arrived on the scene; he managed to capture the hearts of wrestling fans around the world by popularizing the word “yes” and growing a beard.

Bryan was one of the current crop of wrestlers in WWE that made it fun again. He changed the way people think of what a “WWE Superstar” is supposed to be by establishing one of the most genuine connections with an audience that I have ever seen. While he did not have the build of a stereotypical wrestler, he had that intangible “it” factor that demanded people’s attention. Fans around the world supported him by mimicking his “yes” cheer, booing the roofs off arenas when he was not being featured in certain matches and segments such as in the 2014 and 2015 Royal Rumbles, and by chanting “you deserve it” the night after he won the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at Wrestlemania 30.

Bryan is easily one of my most favorite wrestlers of all time. I first came across him in a 2007 issue of “Pro Wrestling Illustrated” that documented his Ring of Honor Championship loss to Homicide. Three years later, I saw him on WWE NXT. While I thought it was strange that WWE made him switch his name from Bryan Danielson to Daniel Bryan, I was still happy to see him in WWE and watched as his popularity skyrocketed during his time with the biggest wrestling promotion on the planet. I was thrilled when he captured the United States Championship, and laughed as he and Kane joined forces to create the highly entertaining Team Hell No. I was one of his supporters during the “Yes Movement” and was ecstatic when he made Batista submit at Wrestlemania 30. I watched as he won an exciting ladder match at Wrestlemania 31 to claim the Intercontinental Championship, and I was at the shocking episode of Monday Night Raw when he vacated the title due to injury. I said that I hoped he would return to the ring soon. Unfortunately that will not be happening.

I am not happy about Bryan’s retirement, but I support it 100 percent. He has a life outside the ring that he needs to live and a family to start. I wish him nothing but the best as he starts a new chapter of his life. Thank you for entertaining me for nine years and taking the wrestling world on an unforgettable ride. Thank you, Daniel Bryan.

Wrestlemania 23 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 this week’s post, I will take a look at Wrestlemania 23. This event took place from Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan, and was the first Wrestlemania since Wrestlemania 19 to take place in a stadium as Wrestlemanias 20, 21, and 22 took place inside arenas. This is an individual Wrestlemania DVD set meaning that only the 23^rd edition of Wrestlemania is included.

The action gets started on Disc 1 as it contains the first few hours of the Wrestlemania 23 pay-per-view. It starts from the beginning of the event which takes a brief look at the history of Wrestlemania, and it ends with the “All Grown Up” Shawn Michaels promo. This is all that is on the first disc. There are no special features at all so once you finish disc 1, feel free to move onto disc 2.

The second disc consists of the rest of the Wrestlemania 23 pay-per-view which is only the WWE Championship match and highlights from the event. Also on this disc are a lot of special features such as vignettes, countdowns, and highlights from various Raw and Smackdown programming. The home video exclusive tag team lumberjack match which took place moments before Wrestlemania 23 went live in which the team of Carlito and Ric Flair took on Gregory Helms and Chavo Guerrero is also included on disc 2, as is a WWE.com exclusive interview with CM Punk, the announcement of Ford Field being the host site for Wrestlemania 23, the Wrestlemania 23 ticket sale, and the Wrestlemania 23 press conference between Donald Trump and Vince McMahon.

Disc 3 is like the third disc in the Wrestlemania 21 and the Wrestlemania 22 DVD sets in that it has the entire 2007 WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony that was held the night before Wrestlemania 23. This was a really good hall of fame class as it included Jim Ross, Jerry “the King” Lawler, Mr. Perfect, and Dusty Rhodes among others.

The packaging of Wrestlemania 23 is one of the best that WWE has ever done in my opinion. The front features the Wrestlemania 23 logo as well as the competitors involved in the events marquee matches. The inside of the packaging has pictures from a few of the matches as well as a series of pictures that show Jeff Hardy crashing down on Edge in the Money in the Bank ladder match.

The back of the DVD packaging is the opposite from the front in that it shows the results of the matches that were featured on the front of the case.

In conclusion, the DVD edition of Wrestlemania 23 is an excellent home video version of the actual pay-per-view. It contains the entire event as well as a ton of extras, great looking packaging, and the entire 2007 WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. Highlights from the pay-per-view include both of the world title matches, the money in the bank ladder match, and the “Battle of the Billionaires.” It was a pretty good Wrestlemania and is an even better DVD set.

Up next is the Wrestlemania 24 DVD set review! Stay tuned!