DVD Review: The XWF Lost Episodes

When US wresltings number two organisation (well one for a while) WCW floundered and failed, a few key grapplers decided to take the WWE on at its own game and try to create their own wrestling league. So the XWF was born and even though it did not live for long this was a show that perhaps allowed many other companies to tackle the same thing (some to greater success over others).
The XWF was fronted by former WWE, WCW and many other promotions manager extraordinaire Jimmy 'Mouth of the South' Hart and Nasty Boy Brian Nobbs. Wrestling legend Hulk Hogan was along for the ride and so were a number of the industry's stars old and new.
This DVD is billed as the lost episodes for the short lived XWF series of recorded events and perhaps these are the best to view also.
From a talent point of view we have an all star list that any promoter would be proud of. The results are often surprising too, you can tell how the roster here hoped this promotion would work by the way some big names laid down for the pin fall loss.
Old school fans will love seeing Buff Bagwell, Marty Jannetty, Jimmy Hart, The Nasty Boys, Curt Hennig, Bobby 'The Brain' Heenan, Vampiro, Konnan, Jerry ' The King' Lawler, Jimmy Snuka, and even The Road Warriors all appear in matches and segments.
When you throw in XWF CEO Rena 'Sable' Mero, XWF commissioner 'Rowdy' Roddy Piper, talking heads by rock stars Alice Cooper, Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, Willie Nelson and other too and you have a show that entertains at many levels.
The XWF did something right, they left storylines to the background and let action speak for itself. The matches were exciting, the combatants were current and the concept worked well.
This may be a highlight reel for  a promotion that fell short of its expectations, but where else could you see some of the 80s-90s finest compete with some of the industry's best up and comers.
A special bonus on this three hour DVD is a unique interview with Hulk Hogan himself, but there is even a better bonus, because we get to see something I for have never seen. A match between the late Curt Hennig and Hulk Hogan.

The Lost Episodes of XWF is available now from all good retailers.
By Phil Allely