WWE Survivor Series 2020 Thoughts

Ryan of Cincy Fan Zone shares his thoughts on WWE Survivor Series 2020. 

Wrestlemania 26 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 set of Wrestlemania 26. The 2010 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.

The first disc of this set contains the first few hours of the Wrestlemania 26 pay-per-view. As you probably guessed, it starts with the traditional singing of “America the Beautiful” and ends with the five on five divas tag team match.

Disc 2 has the rest of the event on it as it features the last two matches on the Wrestlemania 26 card. Also on the second disc area a lot of great bonus features that really make this three-disc DVD set one of the better Wrestlemania DVD sets that WWE has ever released. The bonus features include the 26-Man Battle Royal that happened right before Wrestlemania 26 went live and a variety of matches that feature wrestlers from the 2010 class of WWE Hall of Fame inductees.

The third disc of the three-disc set contains the entire 2010 WWE Hall of Fame induction ceremony. While this class was not as star-studded as the 2009 version, it was still a really good group of wrestlers and entertainment personalities and included Wendi Richter, Stu Hart, and the “Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase among others. My favorite induction from this class is of Bob Uecker, and if you are a fan of baseball, wrestling, or both, definitely check out this disc to watch Mr. Baseball’s induction.

The packaging of this Wrestlemania is not as cool as the Wrestlemania 25 packaging, but it still looks good and is very appealing. The front features all the participants from the four biggest matches on the Wrestlemania 26 card with the inside featuring pictures from the various matches that happened during the event.

In conclusion, the Wrestlemania 26 three-disc DVD set is one of the best home video versions of the showcase of the immortals that WWE has ever released. The actual event was very entertaining and featured good matches such as both world title bouts, the Money in the Bank Ladder Match, and Rey Mysterio taking on CM Punk. The match that stole the show, however, was the rematch between Shawn Michaels and the Undertaker in which they put on a performance that blew the roof off the arena. That match alone makes this Wrestlemania a must-see for every wrestling fan. You can also find this event on a two-disc DVD set, which includes the pay-per-view and an abbreviated hall of fame induction ceremony. You can also get this event as a Blu-ray, which has better sound and picture than the DVD version.

Stay tuned for the Wrestlemania 27 three-disc DVD set 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 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.

Sting's SummerSlam Surprise

SummerSlam is WWE’s biggest event of the summer and its second biggest event of the year behind Wrestlemania. With this year’s edition being extended to four hours, one has to expect it be at the same level if not better than Wrestlemania. The card is shaping up nicely with matches that should be entertaining to watch but one match stands out from the rest. That bout, of course, is the Wrestlemania 30 rematch between the beast and the phenom.

Brock Lesnar and the Undertaker are set to square off in the main event of SummerSlam and while it looks great on paper, I can’t help but worry that this match will drag like their bout at Wrestlemania 30 did. The only thing memorable about their encounter at the 2014 edition of the showcase of the immortals was the jaw dropping finish in which Lesnar ended the Undertaker’s undefeated streak at Wrestlemania. So how can WWE salvage the match that is going to headline their second biggest event of the year? Enter Sting.

The vigilante has not been seen since Wrestlemania 31 after he was defeated by Triple H. What better way to reintroduce Sting to the WWE universe by having him interfere in the SummerSlam main event and cost the dead man the match? This is how I would book the ending of the bout.

After a grueling battle between the Undertaker and Brock Lesnar, the phenom has gained the upper hand and is about to tombstone the beast and claim the retribution that he has been so desperately craving since Wrestlemania 30. The Undertaker picks up Lesnar and slams his skull into the mat. As the dead man crosses the arms of the beast in rest in piece fashion for the pin, the lights go out as the cry of a crow echoes throughout the arena.

When the lights turn back on, the Undertaker is standing across the ring from the baseball bat-wielding vigilante. The crowd is roaring in shock and excitement as two of the biggest names in wrestling share the same ring for the first time in history. Then Sting makes his move. He swings for the fences and misses, allowing the phenom to pick up the vigilante in preparation for the tombstone. Before he can deliver the blow though, Sting manages to reverse the signature move of the dead man into a scorpion death drop. The vigilante connects and stands up and surveys the carnage in the ring. The lights go out and the cry of the crow echoes throughout the arena as Sting disappears.

When the lights turn back on, Lesnar, having recovered from the tombstone, staggers over to the Undertaker, picks up the limp body of the phenom, and delivers an F5 to the dead man for the pin and the win. This makes the Undertaker look strong in defeat, allows Lesnar to still remain undefeated since 2013, and more importantly, it sets up the long awaited dream match between Sting and the Undertaker at Wrestlemania 32.

That is how I would book the ending to the SummerSlam main event. It has shock value, violence, and it tells an intriguing story that will culminate in the biggest dream match in wrestling history. Hopefully this prediction I have for SummerSlam is correct and proves to be more than fantasy booking on my part!

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!