Wrestlemania 35 Thoughts

Ryan of Cincy Fan Zone shares his thoughts on Wrestlemania 35. 

The Grand Slam Champ

SummerSlam 2017 saw numerous titles change hands. One of those titles was the Raw Tag Team Championship. The team of Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins defeated Cesaro and Sheamus and were crowned as the new kings of the tag team division. For Seth Rollins, the win marked the second time he was part of a tag team championship team as he previously held the belts with Roman Reigns. For Ambrose, this is the first time he has held tag team championship gold, and it also granted him access to a very exclusive club in WWE: the grand slam champion’s club.

In WWE, a grand slam champion is a wrestler who has won the tag team championships, two secondary titles, and the world title. It is a very short list that is filled with some of the most elite wrestlers in history. Shawn Michaels, Triple H, Jeff Hardy, Kurt Angle, Eddie Guerrero, Daniel Bryan, and Chris Jericho are some of the wrestlers who have accomplished the feat. While these wrestlers are current and future hall of famers, not every legend and big name wrestler can call themselves a grand slam champ. As of the writing of this post, there have only been 16 grand slam champions, and guys The Rock, Stone Cold Steve Austin, Hulk Hogan, Randy Orton, and John Cena are not on that list of grand slam champions.

As I said earlier, a grand slam champion must win two secondary titles, the tag team titles and the world title. Dean Ambrose has won the United States Championship, the Intercontinental Championship, the Raw Tag Team Championship, and the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. The last jewel in his grand slam crown was the Raw Tag Team championship which he won at SummerSlam. The win not only made him the 16^th grand slam champion, but it also made him the youngest grand slam champion in history. Congrats to Dean Amrbose on the accomplishment!

Too Formulaic?

Is WWE too formulaic? I think it is. Every week Raw and SmackDown follow a pattern that map out how the show will progress on television. Don’t believe me? When was the last time Raw or SmackDown started with a match? I honestly cannot remember as a promo is what usually kicks off the show. A wrestler will call out another wrestler, and they will have a war of words. Usually an authority figure appears and sets up a match between the two jawing wrestlers. It happens on a near weekly basis, and the formula is not restricted to just the opening segment.

Contract signings are very formulaic. A table will be set up in the middle of the ring with the contract and a pen on top. There are usually chairs as well, but the wrestlers rarely sit in them. Occasionally there is a moderator such as a WWE authority figure or a commentator to oversee the signing. One wrestler will cut a promo and sign the contract while the other wrestler will respond with a promo of their own before singing the contract themselves. The promos will escalate and before you know it, both wrestlers will be swinging fists at each other. Contract signings don’t always end in a fight, but nine times out of ten the wrestlers will end up going after each other.

Another formulaic approach WWE has is how it books wrestlers leading up to a pay-per-view bout. The wrestler who usually wins at the pay-per-view is usually beat down by their opponent on the show before the event. For example, the last Raw before Wrestlemania 29 featured the Rock and John Cena face to face in the ring. The segment ended with the Rock taking out Cena. What happened at Wrestlemania 29? Cena defeated the Rock. Before Wrestlemania 30, the Undertaker choke slammed Brock Lesnar on the final Raw of Wrestlemania season. At Wrestlemania 30, Lesnar defeated the Undertaker. This 50/50 style of booking is not a guarantee, but it happens a lot in WWE.

Those are just a few examples of WWE’s formulaic approach. While there are more examples of how WWE is set in a pattern of how it presents its shows, those are just a few I could think of off the top of my head. Can the formula result in some lackluster shows? Absolutely. Could WWE think outside the box and throw some more surprises at fans? Without a doubt. However, the formula has proven successful as they are still the undisputed champion in the professional wrestling industry.

Oh It’s True!

WWE has been home to some of the greatest athletes on the planet. Shawn Michaels, A.J. Styles, and Shelton Benjamin all come to mind when discussing wrestlers who personified pure athleticism. However there is one wrestler that tops them all in my opinion, and that man is Kurt Angle. After a long professional wrestling career that started in 1999, the 1996 Olympic Gold Medalist will take his rightful place in the WWE Hall of Fame as part of the 2017 induction class.

During my childhood, Angle was easily the most athletically gifted wrestler on the WWE roster. He debuted with the company at Survivor Series 1999 and transitioned from the world of amateur wrestling to professional wrestling with unparalleled ease. His ability to perform in the ring was apparent very early in his career, and he went on to have fantastic matches with some of the biggest names in the industry at the time. His triple threat match at Wrestlemania 16 for his Intercontinental Championship and European Championships was a fun bout to watch, and it was the first real sign that Angle would be a true WWE superstar.

Aside from holding both the Intercontinental and European titles, Angle also won the 2000 King of the Ring tournament and capped off his rookie year by capturing the WWE Championship with a win over the Rock at No Mercy 2000. He is also the only man in WWE history to have defeated the Rock, Stone Cold Steve Austin, the Undertaker, and Triple H in the same night as he retained his WWE title over those four men plus Rikishi in a 6 man Hell in a Cell match at Armageddon 2000. Angle would continue to win more titles and have more fantastic matches throughout the rest of his WWE career. His rivalry with Brock Lesnar for the WWE Championship in 2003 was easily the best feud in the company that year, and his matches with wrestlers such as Edge, Eddie Guerrero, and Shawn Michaels were incredible to watch.

Angle had more than just great in ring ability. He was an excellent talker on the microphone and had a surprising amount of charisma. His promos ranged from serious to funny, and every time he had a microphone in his hand people listened. He could annoy an audience by bragging about his Olympic gold medal. He could make an audience laugh with his rendition of “Jimmy Crack Corn” and his take on Shawn Michaels’ theme song. He could also intimidate his opponents by threatening to break their ankles with his trademark Ankle Lock submission hold. Some of my all-time favorite segments of Angle include his interactions with Edge during their run with Christian as Team ECK in 2000 and during their rivalry, which saw Edge shave Angle’s head in 2002. These segments always make me laugh and showcase the diverse talent of Angle.

Needless to say, Angle is quite deserving of a spot in the WWE Hall of Fame. When factoring in his accomplishments in other promotions such as Total Nonstop Action Wrestling and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Angle is one of the most decorated professional wrestlers in history. He is the only person to have won an Olympic gold medal, the WWE Championship, the TNA Championship, and the IWGP Heavyweight Championship. He also held just about every title available in both TNA and WWE and is regarded by many as the best pure athlete to ever grace a wrestling ring. I am very excited that Angle will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame, and I cannot wait to see him appear on WWE television one last time.

My Top 5 WWE Fantasy Matches

With WWE’s Survivor Series event hyping the “fantasy” matchup of Brock Lesnar vs. Goldberg II, I thought that this would be a good time to share five fantasy bouts of mine. Some of these matches have a slight chance of happening while others can only take place in the world of WWE video games. For the sake of variety, I will not repeat wrestlers for this post. Without any further ado, here are my top five WWE fantasy matches.

5. Brian Pillman vs. Dean Ambrose

Being a Greater Cincinnati native, I would love to see the two most famous wrestlers from the Queen City square off in the middle of the ring. Pillman’s high flying maneuvers that earned him the nickname of “Flyin’ Brian” combined with his “loose cannon” gimmick would make for a very interesting wrestling mash up with Ambrose’s hardcore reputation and “lunatic fringe” character. As I said in my introduction, some of these matches can only take place in video games, and this match is one of them as Pillman tragically passed away in 1997.

4. Randy Orton vs. The Rock

This is a bout that I have played many times on my WWE video games. The “Viper” and the “Brahma Bull” would no doubt tear the house down if they ever met in a ring for a one-on-one match. They did have a previous encounter at Wrestlemania 20 in a 3-on-2 tag team match when Evolution took on the Rock ‘n Sock Connection, but these two third generation wrestlers have never battled each other in a singles match. Orton’s slow and calculating approach would clash wonderfully with the charismatic and electrifying tactics of the Rock. This match has a pretty good chance of taking place as Orton is still an active wrestler, and the Rock usually comes back to the WWE once a year.

3. John Cena vs. Hulk Hogan

I think this match is a no brainer as Cena, the self-proclaimed “face that runs the place,” is today’s version of Hulk Hogan. The similarities between their two characters are obvious as Cena’s mantra of “hustle, loyalty, and respect” is a modern twist on Hogan’s motto of “training, saying your prayers, and eating your vitamins.” Both are notorious for turning matches around in their favor with Hogan “hulking” up and Cena utilizing what have become known as the “five moves of doom.” These two teamed up with Shawn Michaels in 2005 on an episode of Monday Night Raw with Hogan going on to face Michaels instead of Cena later that year at Summerslam. A matchup between these two wrestling titans likely will not happen due to Hogan’s back issues and the fact that he is currently not with WWE.

2. Goldberg vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin

Two of the biggest names to come out of the Monday Night Wars of the late 1990s and early 2000s have never exchanged fists inside the squared circle. Goldberg was arguably the biggest star in WCW, and the same can easily be said about Austin in WWE. Both of their onscreen characters were legitimate tough guys, and their look, wrestling style, and appeal to wrestling fans are eerily similar. Unfortunately, Austin’s history with neck injuries has made this matchup impossible to happen. These two just missed squaring off in 2003 as Goldberg made his WWE debut the night after Austin had his final match at Wrestlemania 19.

1. Sting vs. The Undertaker

To me, this is the ultimate dream match. Sting and the Undertaker were the two cornerstones for their respective companies during the Monday Night War. The stinger never left WCW, and the dead man remained loyal to WWE. Both of their characters evolved during this era of professional wrestling with Sting transitioning from a colorful surfer like wrestler to a silent vigilante reminiscent of “the Crow,” and the Undertaker morphing into the sinister leader of the “Ministry of Darkness” and eventually the intimidating reaper who rode motorcycles to the ring. After WCW was bought out by WWE in 2001, everybody thought that Sting and the Undertaker would finally meet. However, Sting would not appear in a WWE ring until 2014 when he made his WWE debut as the silent vigilante at Survivor Series. During Sting’s absence, the Undertaker had gone back to his dead man character, and these two wrestlers with similar gimmicks seemed destined to clash at the “Showcase of the Immortals.” It looked like the dream match between the Undertaker and Sting was on the verge of becoming a reality at Wrestlemania 31, but Sting faced Triple H and the Undertaker battled Bray Wyatt. A neck injury then forced Sting into early retirement, making this dream match just that, a dream. Sting has hinted that may have one more match left in him, but a bout between the icon and the phenom will most likely never happen.

Those are my top five WWE fantasy matches. I think that each match would be an exciting bout to watch and would easily be a match of the year candidate. There are more dream matches that I would like to see such as D-Generation X taking on the New World Order or Austin and Hogan meeting for the first time, but as I said in the introduction to this post, I was only listing one wrestler per match for the sake of variety. Hopefully one of these matches does indeed happen in the future, but until then, I will continue to play out these bouts in the form of video games.

Wrestlemania 31 Blu-Ray Unboxing

Ryan of Cincy Fan Zone unboxes a Blu-Ray edition of Wrestlemania 31.

Wrestlemania 31 Two-Disc Blu-Ray 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 review the two-disc Blu-ray version of Wrestlemania 31. Aside from seeing it live on television when it aired last year, I have only seen it on Blu-ray on a 16:9 television screen. Therefore I have no idea how the DVD version of Wrestlemania 31 is presented on a 16:9 or a 4:3 television.

Like my other Wrestlemanias on Blu-ray that I previously reviewed, the entire wrestling event is on the first disc. It starts with Aloe Blacc performing “America the Beautiful” and ends with the WWE World Heavyweight Championship match. There are three bonus features included on the first disc. They are the Fatal 4-Way WWE Tag Team Championship match between the Usos, Los Matadores, the New Day, and Tyson Kidd and Cesaro that aired on the Wrestlemania 31 Kickoff Show, and videos showing how Seth Rollins is the “future” and how John Cena prepared for Rusev.

The second disc features the entire 2015 WWE Hall of Fame induction ceremony. While the 2015 hall of fame class was not as star-studded as year’s past, it was still a pretty decent group of inductees. The biggest wrestling personalities to be inducted were Alundra Blayze, Rikishi, Kevin Nash, and the most legendary of the group, the “Macho Man” Randy Savage. It is a real shame that Savage was inducted posthumously as his induction was long overdue, and I can honestly say that he was one of my most favorite wrestlers of all time. His induction is the main reason every wrestling fan should watch this induction ceremony. Like the first disc, disc two has three bonus features. These include the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal that aired on the Wrestlemania 31 Kickoff Show, and two videos that center on Brock Lesnar and Daniel Bryan.

The packaging for this Wrestlemania is okay. The front is very simple as it showcases the Wrestlemania 31 logo and some of the more popular wrestlers who competed that night. The back of the packaging features some of the matches, a list of the 2015 WWE Hall of Fame inductees, and a collage of Wrestlemania 31’s biggest moments.

The inside of the packaging looks great as it is a panoramic picture of Levi’s Stadium as the show went off the air. There are fireworks exploding all over the place, and it makes for an epic looking picture.

In conclusion, this is a great home video version of an amazing Wrestlemania. This is my second favorite Wrestlemania of all time behind only Wrestlemania 17. Wrestlemania 31 featured great matches, epic encounters, and an ending that was almost as shocking as Stone Cold Steve Austin and Mr. McMahon joining forces at the end of Wrestlemania 17. You are doing yourself an injustice if you do not purchase this Blu-ray set. It should be in every wrestling fan’s collection.

Stay tuned for the Wrestlemania 32 Blu-ray review!

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!

Wrestlemania 29 Two-Disc Blu-Ray 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 the two-disc Blu-ray edition of Wrestlemania 29. Like Wrestlemania 28, I have only viewed this Wrestlemania on a 16:9 television, so I have no idea if the picture will be cropped to fit a 4:3 television screen.

Let’s start with the first disc, which contains the entire Wrestlemania 29 event as well as a few bonus features. The bonus features consist of the Wrestlemania 29 Pre-Show Intercontinental Championship match between Wade Barrett and the Miz and the Wrestlemania 29 Post-Show.

Disc 2 contains the entire 2013 WWE Hall of Fame induction ceremony that featured one of the most star-studded classes in history. Legends of the squared circle like Mick Foley, Trish Stratus, Booker T, Bob Backlund, and Bruno Sammartino all took their rightful place in the annals of wrestling history as hall of famers. The speeches by the inductees were really good, and this induction ceremony is a must see for all wrestling fans. There are also a few Blu-ray exclusive bonus features on disc 2 in addition to the hall of fame induction ceremony. The contract signing between Brock Lesnar and Triple H from the March 18, 2013, edition of Monday Night Raw is featured and CM Punk’s segment saying how he wants to end the Undertaker’s undefeated streak at Wrestlemania and the Legends Q and A session with the Rock and John Cena from the March 25, 2013 edition of Monday Night Raw are also on this disc.

The packaging for Wrestlemania 29 is very nice and visually appealing. The front of the case features the Wrestlemania 29 logo with the Rock and John Cena above the logo and a multitude of wrestlers below it. The back of the packaging lists the matches and Blu-ray exclusives and features a cool collage if pictures from the event as well as an awesome wide shot of MetLife Stadium, the venue for Wrestlemania 29. The inside of the packaging features another nice collage of pictures with the focus being on the night’s biggest bouts.

In conclusion, the Wrestlemania 29 two-disc Blu-ray edition set is great home video version of a good Wrestlemania. This was also the last time the Rock wrestled at a Wrestlemania, the first time Brock Lesnar wrestled at a Wrestlemania since Wrestlemania 20, and the Wrestlemania debuts of Seth Rollins, Roman Reigns, and Dean Ambrose. The matches were entertaining up and down the card, and aside from two of the three biggest matches of the night being rematches from the previous year, it was a solid event and one worth checking out for yourself.

Up next is the Wrestlemania 30 two-disc Blu-ray edition review!

Wresltemania 28 Two-Disc Blu-ray 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 post, I will take a look at the two-disc Blu-ray version of Wrestlemania 28. This is the first Wrestlemania on Blu-ray that I have ever bought. I have only watched it on a Blu-ray player hooked up to a 16:9 television, so I do not know if it will switch to a cropped version if viewed on a 4:3 television.

Disc 1 contains the entire Wrestlemania 28 event. It starts with the traditional singing of “America the Beautiful” and ends with the “Once in a Lifetime” dream match between John Cena and the Rock. There are also a few special features on the first disc as such as the Triple Threat WWE Tag Team Championship match that occurred before Wrestlemania 28 went live on pay-per-view.

Disc 2 contains the entire 2012 WWE Hall of Fame induction ceremony and it was a star-studded class. 2012 inductees included the Four Horseman, Mike Tyson, and Edge among other wrestling personalities. The second disc also contains bonus features such as segments from past episodes of Monday Night Raw and some of the buildup to the “End of an Era” Hell in a Cell match between Triple H and the Undertaker.

The packaging for Wrestlemania 28 is pretty solid. Since it was packaged in a standard Blu-ray case, the space was limited but I think WWE did a good job with working with what they had. The front of the case features the wrestlers involved in the biggest matches of the night, and the back features a list of matches and special features as well as a nice collage of pictures from the event. The inside of the packaging showcases a cool panoramic picture of the stadium that hosted Wrestlemania 28 with a list of the matches.

In conclusion, the Wrestlemania 28 two-disc Blu-ray edition is a great home video version of a phenomenal Wrestlemania. I can honestly say that this was one of the best Wrestlemanias I have ever seen. Chris Jericho and CM Punk put on a wrestling clinic, Shawn Michaels, Triple H, and the Undertaker told an emotional and thrilling story filled with violence and brutality, and John Cena and the Rock closed out the show in tremendous fashion. This is a must-see Wrestlemania for every wrestling fan. I highly recommend you pick up this Wrestlemania on either Blu-ray or DVD. It was one of the best wrestling events produced by WWE during the “PG Era.”

Up next is the Wrestlemania 29 two-disc Blu-ray set review!

Wrestlemania 27 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.

For this post, I will be reviewing the three-disc DVD set of Wrestlemania 27. The 2011 rendition of Wrestlemania was shot in high definition and can be viewed in either a 16:9 aspect ratio if you have a 16:9 screen television, or it can be viewed in a cropped 4:3 aspect ratio if you have an old “box” screen 4:3 TV.

Disc 1 contains the first few hours of Wrestlemania 27. It starts with the singing of “America the Beautiful” and ends with the “No Holds Barred” match between Triple H and the Undertaker. Also included on the first disc are two bonus features: the history of the feud between Alberto Del Rio and Edge, and the United States Championship match turned battle royal between Sheamus and Daniel Bryan.

Disc 2 picks up right where disc 1 left off by starting with the continuation of the Triple H versus Undertaker bout before ending with a highlight reel of the event. The second disc also contains a few special features that are worth a peak such as a bonus match between Jack Swagger and Jerry “The King” Lawler from Monday Night Raw, the Rock electrifying the city of Chicago, and the announcement of the Wrestlemania 28 main event.

The third disc features the complete 2011 WWE Hall of Fame induction ceremony. This class had some really good inductees such as “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan, Sunny, the Legion of Doom, and the biggest and most deserving of a hall of fame induction of the bunch, Shawn Michaels. He was the greatest in ring performer of all time, and his induction is a must see for all wrestling fans.

The packaging of this DVD set is okay. It is not anything special as it features the wrestlers involved in most hyped matches of the night. Compared to past Wrestlemania DVD packaging though, it seems kind of bland and lazy. There were tons of moments that they could have used to make a collage for the packaging. To me, that would have looked a lot better than just two pictures.

Overall, the Wrestlemania 27 three-disc DVD set is definitely something to watch if you are a diehard fan of professional wrestling. While the event was not the greatest Wrestlemania, I certainly do not think it was as bad as many people claim. Some of the matches were pretty boring such as the eight man tag team match and the match involving Snooki, but other matches such as Cody Rhodes versus Rey Mysterio, CM Punck versus Randy Orton, and Edge versus Alberto Del Rio were all solid and entertaining contests. The match of the night easily goes to the battle between Triple H and the Undertaker as it was hard-hitting affair in which the aftermath of the fight was one of the most memorable Wrestlemania moments of the “PG Era.” The biggest complaint I have with the DVD set is the removal of some of the songs from the event, especially during the entrances of Triple H and the Undertaker. Other than that, I thought that this was a good home video version of Wrestlemania 27.

Next up is the two-disc Wrestlemania 28 Blu-ray review!

Wrestlemania 25 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.

The Wrestlemania 25 3-Disc DVD set is the subject of this week’s review. This Wrestlemania was shot in high definition and was released on both Blu-Ray and on DVD. The Blu-Ray version obviously has better sound and picture quality than the DVD version, but both have are able to be presented in either a 4:3 aspect ratio or a 16:9 aspect ratio. I prefer the 16:9 aspect ratio as the picture is wider, and you are able to see more things on screen as opposed to the 4:3 aspect ratio.

Disc 1 contains the first few hours of the Wrestlemania 25 pay-per-view on it. It starts with the traditional singing of “America the Beautiful” by Nicole Scherzinger and continues up to the Triple Threat Match for the World Heavyweight Championship between Edge, John Cena, and the Big Show.

Disc 2 starts with the continuation of Wrestlemania 25, which includes the introduction of the 2009 WWE Hall of Fame Inductees and the WWE Championship Match between Randy Orton and Triple H. Also on disc 2 is the preWrestlemania 25 Lumberjack Match for the Unified Tag Team Championship in which the team of Carlito and Primo took on the Miz and John Morrison. The other special features are highlights from Wrestlemanias 1-24. The highlights are fun to watch as you get to speed through the first 24 Wrestlemania events.

The third disc of the set contains the entire 2009 WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and features the inductions of the Funks, Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat, and Stone Cold Steve Austin. This was a good class with the biggest name on the list of inductees being Austin. Even if you do not enjoy watching the induction ceremonies, every wrestling fan needs to at least watch the induction of Stone Cold, one of the biggest if not the biggest icon in the professional wrestling industry.

The packaging for this Wrestlemania is fantastic, and I think it is the best-looking Wrestlemania packaging that WWE has ever done. The front of the packaging has the Wrestlemania 25 logo and a variety of wrestlers who were in the WWE at that time surrounding it. The inside of the packaging features pictures from the event with the two most prominent being of both world title matches. The DVD discs even look good as the first two discs have a similar look to the front of the packaging. The look of the third disc mirrors that of the first two with the difference being that instead of the Wrestlemania 25 logo and the wrestlers from WWE’s 2009 roster, it features the WWE Hall of Fame logo and the 2009 inductees.

Overall, the Wrestlemania 25 3-Disc DVD set is a great home video version of the pay-per-view. The packaging looks great, there are a lot of bonus features, and the event itself was really good. Highlights that make this Wrestlemania worth a watch are the Extreme Rules Match between Matt and Jeff Hardy, Chris Jericho taking on Roddy Piper, Jimmy Snuka, and Ricky Steamboat in a match in which Steamboat showed the world that, despite his age, he can still perform in the ring, the Money in the Bank Ladder Match, the Triple Threat Match for World Heavyweight Title, and the show stealing battle between Shawn Michaels and the Undertaker, which is one of the greatest Wrestlemania matches of all time. This was a really good Wrestlemania and one that needs to be in every wrestling fan’s collection.

Keep an eye out for the Wrestlemania 26 3-Disc DVD set review!

Wrestlemania 24 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.

For this weeks post, I am going to review the 3-disc DVD set of Wrestlemania 24. This is a unique DVD set in that this was the first Wrestlemania that was broadcast in high definition by the WWE. What this means is that the aspect ratio the event is presented in will change based on the television on which you are watching Wrestlemania 24. For example, if you are watching on an older “box” television with a square screen, you will see the event in a 4:3 aspect ratio. If you watch it on a television with a rectangular shaped screen like most modern flat screen TVs, then you will see the event presented in a 16:9 aspect ratio. In my opinion, this is the best way to view it, as you will see a wider picture and things you will not be able to see if you were viewing it in a 4:3 aspect ratio.

The action kicks off on the first disc as it contains the first few hours of the Wrestlemania 24 pay-per-view. It starts off with John Legend signing the traditional “America the Beautiful” before ending with the Triple Threat Match for the WWE Championship between John Cena, Triple H, and Randy Orton. There are no bonus features on this disc so when you are finished with it, move on to disc 2.

The second disc picks up where the first disc left off by starting with the rest of Wrestlemania 24 with Big Show taking on Floyd “Money” Mayweather in a match that was called “the Biggest vs. the Best.” Aside from the rest of the pay-per-view, disc 2 also has the start of the 2008 WWE Hall of Fame induction ceremony.

Disc 3 has the rest of the induction ceremony on it as well as the 24-Man Battle Royal that took place at Wrestlemania 24 before the event went live. The wrestlers inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame included Mae Young, the Brisco brothers, and Ric Flair. One of the coolest moments from the 2008 ceremony was the Rock cutting an “electrifying” promo before inducting his father and grandfather into the hall of fame.

The packaging for Wrestlemania 24 looks good and has the wrestlers involved in the event’s biggest matches on the front. The inside of the packaging has pictures from the event with the two most prominent pictures featuring Mayweather punching Big Show and Ric Flair making his way to the ring.

In conclusion, the Wrestlemania 24 DVD set is a good home video version of the event. It is packaged very nicely and includes a really good Wrestlemania event. Matches like the Money in the Bank Ladder Match, the world championship matches, and the retirement match make this Wrestlemania stand out as one of the best Wrestlemanias I have ever seen. The only complaint I have with the DVD set is the lack of bonus content. With previous home versions of Wrestlemania having a ton of extra features, the fact that the Wrestlemania 24 DVD set has only one extra feature is pretty poor. Aside from that lone complaint, it still a good DVD set and you should definitely pick it up for your collection. If you have a BluRay player, I recommend you get the BluRay edition of Wrestlemania 24 as it offers better sound and picture.

Keep an eye out for the Wrestlemania 25 DVD set review!

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!

SmackDown Solutions

What do you think of when I say “WWE?” You probably think of the biggest wrestling event on the planet in Wrestlemania. Perhaps you think of legendary wrestlers such as Hulk Hogan, the Rock, or Stone Cold Steve Austin. Maybe you think of WWE’s weekly television program and my personal favorite show on television, Monday Night Raw. I’m sure a lot of people think of Raw as it is WWE’s flagship program that, to me and other wrestling fans, is must see television. It advances storylines, features a few quality matches and segments, and is overall a pretty entertaining way to close out the beginning of the week.

This same sentiment is not felt toward SmackDown though. SmackDown is known as WWE’s “B” show. It is taped on Tuesday and broadcast on Thursday. What was once considered another opportunity for WWE to showcase wrestlers and progress storylines has essentially become a watered down version of Raw.

Since SmackDown has lost its luster, I too have generally lost interest in it. I used to tune in every week to see what was going to happen on SmackDown. During the Attitude Era, it felt like it was as good as Raw and from about 2002 to 2005, it was better than Raw. Wrestlers like Edge, Eddie Guerrero, Kurt Angle, the Undertaker, Brock Lesnar, and Rey Mysterio among others put on classic matches that had me on the edge of my seat. Other notable SmackDown moments from this time period were Hulk Hogan and Vince McMahon being engaged in a classic feud during the Wrestlemania 19 season, Brock Lesnar and Kurt Angle having the best rivalry in SmackDown history, and Lesnar and Big Show causing the ring to collapse after a monster superplex. Sadly, SmackDown has since decreased in quality, and if you a miss an episode, it usually isn’t a big deal as you won’t be missing much.

So is WWE wasting its time with SmackDown? I think so and unless WWE changes the way it presents its blue-branded wrestling show, I think they should consider cancelling it. If WWE were to broadcast SmackDown live once it moves to USA Network in 2016, that could generate some buzz about the show and hopefully force WWE to treat SmackDown the same way they treat Raw by creating compelling content that viewers would feel a need to tune into SmackDown to watch. Also, spoilers for SmackDown would be a thing of the past if it were live. A lot of people read the spoilers for SmackDown since it is taped on Tuesday. This causes a lot of fans to not tune into SmackDown because they already know what happened.

Another solution I think WWE should look into is cancelling SmackDown and broadcasting NXT in its place. NXT is phenomenal and sometimes is as good if not better than Raw. The wrestlers in WWE’s “minor league” system are really good, and I think WWE should give them the opportunity to show the world what they can do on an actual television network instead of the WWE Network. I would defiantly watch NXT if it were on actual television, and I am sure a lot of wrestling fans feel the same way.

In conclusion, I think WWE should either treat SmackDown like it would an episode of Raw and broadcast it live, or cancel it and air NXT in its place. SmackDown today is just not a wrestling program worth watching every week. Hopefully WWE does something with its Thursday night television programming that will make it must see TV again.