Video Review: WCW Souled Out 2000

VHS Review: WCW Souled Out 2000

Here we go folks yet another retro video review of some of my wrestling collection (before they get confined to the bin). 

Here we have WCW presenting a show that had many promising bouts on paper, but they lacked to ignite a fire in the crowd when they played out. This was unfortunately the way WCW was functioning in this period and it was sad to see the once mighty company reduced to this.

However we did have some decent stuff here and for fans of the era, there are a few faces you will want to see and some moves we have long missed.

In no particular order here are some highlights form Souled Out 2000:

The Hardcore match (for the HC title) between Norman Smiley, Meng, Fit Finlay and Brian Knobbs was a great affair and one that does indeed warrant a few viewings. This is a level of aggression that we miss in this day and age of the PG programming.

Buff Bagwell and Diamond Dallas Page had a decent scrap. This was all down to Bagwell possibly being a love interest for Page's wife Kimberly.

The Madusa/Oklahoma match for the Cruiserweight Title was an odd beats. This was seemingly there purely to show Madusa in her bra and pants.

There were also a few reasonable appearances by Billy Kidman, Vampiro and other low/mid card players in WCW at the time, but they really did not set the place alight.

The two main matches here were the battle for control of the company between the veteran grappler Terry Funk and Kevin Nash. Which was a brutal at times encounter.

The other one was the main event which (due to injuries suffered by Bret Hart and Jeff Jarrett) saw Chris Benoit face off against Sid Vicious for the WCW World Title.

The main event saw Benoit win the gold (even though he was destined to leave the company). This meant that the next night it was deemed that Vicious' leg was under the rope when the three count was called, so he could not be pinned legally. The belt was once again held up.

Souled Out 2000 was a mid-reasonable PPV by WCW, but the cracks were showing here and the bookers were not really making the effort. The writing was on the wall and the WWE buyout was not too far away I am afraid to say.

By Phil Allely

DVD Review: The Best of Monday Night Nitro Vol. 2

These days many wrestling fans will be unaware of just how cutthroat the industry was in the late 1990s/early 2000s. Yes the WWE may be the most well known name in the grapple game today, but it does have serious competition from its young challenger TNA/Impact Wrestling.

However during this period the good ship WWE was almost sunk by the might of the Ted Turner funded and Eric Bischoff ran WCW. 

This battle between the WWE (then WWF) and WCW kickstarted the infamous Monday Night Wars and created a wonderful few years for wrestling fans across the board.

WWE's Monday Night Raw went head to head with WCW's Monday Night Nitro and Raw lost an awful lot of the time, but the bubble did indeed burst and a 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin led WWE clawed things back.

This second installment of the best of Monday Nitro is a very welcome release for anyone (like myself) who was a loyal fan of both promotions during this time and relished the way both organisations attempted to outdo their opponent.

There were of course over five years of Nitro and here we have another selection of the best, most memorable and interesting moments from them.

Our host Diamond Dallas Page is perfect for his role. He after all worked his way up through the ranks in WCW. Page first started off as a cocky manager type character and eventually after many years of hard work and determination he became an active wrestler and even a World Champion. Page is now known for his work as a fitness/yoga instructor and aide to fallen wrestlers.

Content wise this three disc set features matches involving Ric Flair, Hulk Hogan, Sting, Kevin Nash, Rey Mysterio, Goldberg, Bret Hart, Lex Luger and many more. 

DDP is an amiable host, he may not say much at times, but his smile and enthusiasm is infectious. 

The Best of Monday Night Nitro Vol 2 is a wonderful homage to a bygone era and a nice tribute to a company that were so close to taking the mantle of the number one wrestling company in the world.

WCW in its prime were able to poach countless WWE stars and make them (both WCW and the wrestler in question) a fortune too. This period saw many of the WWE's top stars jump ship and in many cases rejuvenate their careers.

The creation of the N.W.O. was the catalyst back then and its presence is felt here throughout. This was one of the first times the wrestling industry in the US had seen a faction invade a promotion at this level and dominate its show. many have tried to re-create the magic, but none have succeeded yet.

Match quality wise we range from decent to very good, we also see as many of the WCW key roster of the time too at some point.

I highly recommend this to any old school fans who have longed for a DVD of classic WCW matches and also suggest newer fans check it out to see what all of the fuss was about.

The Very Best of WCW Monday Night Nitro Vol 2 is available now on DVD and Blu-ray.

RRP £24.99 (DVD), £34.99 (Blu-ray) 

wwwedvd.co.uk

By Phil Allely

DVD Review: Hitman Hart - Wrestling With Shadows (10th Anniversary Collector's Edition)

DVD Review: Hitman Hart - Wrestling With Shadows (10th Anniversary Collector's Edition)

Wrestling DVD fall into two distinct categories. There are those that present us with wrestler bios and matches (these are usually done in character). However on the other hand there are DVD releases that take us behind the scenes and let us into a world that very few fans ever get to see.

One such release that falls into the latter category is this one. Hitman Hart - Wrestling With Shadows takes us on the road with legendary wrestler Bret Hart, taking in every aspect of what would be a remarkable year for him. In 1997 Bret was not only the most popular man in the WWE, but he was also the World Champion. But when rival company WCw came calling Hart took the decision to remain with the WWE and forgo a large pay rise, for 20 year contract with Vince MacMahon's company.

The real story here was that as the year progressed McMahon decided to withdraw this multi-year deal and force Bret to open up negotiations once more with WCW. As Hart drew near his final days with the company McMahon grew even more cagey about the situation.

By November 1997 Bret was still the WWE Champion and he was more than happy to lose the belt before he moved on to pastures new. The only snag was that he did not want to lose it on Canadian soil (Bret is a loyal Canadian and his family are very well respected there). Which meant that Hart would retain the gold at Survivor Series (held in Montreal) and subsequently lose it the next day at Monday Night Raw.

But as history now states that was not the way things panned out. McMahon for some reason felt that (the loyal to WWE) Hart may decide to break character and sully the belt. So he decided to insure the title was taken away in Montreal instead.

The event itself is a shocking one and one that filmmaker Paul Jay has been able to capture perfectly. Referee Earl Hebner and opponent Shawn Michaels were both in on the plan and knew that McMahon was about to pull the rug out form under Hart's feet. The match itself was fine and yet now it is almost forgotten, its aftermath is now the thing we all know about.

Fans of wrestling will love this new edition of the DVD and especially the extras.

Firstly we all know that Bret Hart is only one member of a wrestling dynasty and that whilst he is the most famous, one other brother made a name for himself in the WWE. The second disc here looks at the life and sad death of Owen Hart.

Owen was a talented wrestler and yet throughout this release we learn that he only grappled to provide for his young family. He longed to have a normal day job instead.

Unfortunately just as his career rose and he began to main event shows across the country, 'The Montreal Screwjob' happened and Owen was left to fend for himself in the WWE (without his big brother). This meant Owen was saddled with some dodgy storylines, he was also involved in an infamous match with rising star 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin. During this bout Hart botched a piledriver and severely injured Austin. Austin never fully recovered form this and Hart had to live with the knowledge that he could have killed or paralysed a fellow wrestler.

But an event even worse was about to happen. With Bret in WCW, Vince Mcmahon and his creative team decided to mock many of their rivals top stars. They used Owen (as The masked Blue Blazer) to do so. Poor Owen was even forced into using a harness type of device to drop into the ring (like WCW's Sting).

On one fateful night live on Pay-Per-View Owen plummeted to his death. Falling nearly 80 feet into the ring the wrestler stood no chance (his head snapping back on the ropes during impact. Your reviewer was one of the millions who were watching the event live and can still remember the chaos and drama that occurred when Owen fell. The PPV did continue though and many felt that was in poor taste.

This bonus DVD takes us into the life of Owen. It features some moving tributes by many of his peers and also some key family members too.

Hitman Hart - Wrestling With Shadows is available now from all good retailers.

By Phil Allely

CM Punk Interview Highlights

In a newly published interview with SunSport, WWE Champion CM Punk commented on becoming a hated figure again and his alignment with Paul Heyman. For Punk, getting fans to react to his character is one of the best parts about being a WWE Superstar. “Anytime I get to do stuff hands-on I’m more into it. To me I started to feel like I wasn’t where I should be at that stage, creatively. And I wanted to get there," Punk said. "To me it’s the name of the game – you have to evolve. You have to constantly change. I think the best wrestlers have always evolved." He continued, “I’ve never been the same for too long, but my changes have always been extremely logical. I don’t just wake up one day and I’m a different character. I’ve pretty much always been the same guy, I’ve just dialed things up or dialed things down certain things based on the circumstances. It’s important to not be a phoney, to not just one day say one thing and then the next day say another. Then people will never buy you’re whole stick if you are that wishy-washy.” A little over a year after referencing himself as a "Paul Heyman guy" during his infamous speech chastising WWE brass, Punk is now aligned with the man. He said, “I’m very excited about it. It’s pretty crazy to me. We’ve never gotten to work together in front of the camera. "I have worked with him extensively behind the camera. I think a lot of people are in for a treat." Punk also dismissed people who feel he shouldn't have a mouthpiece. “Rick Rude didn’t need anyone to talk for him, and Paul Heyman was his manager. Bobby Heenan didn’t need to talk for Ric Flair. Those are two examples of great duos," said Punk. “You’ll just have to wait to see what happens.”

WWE DVD Review - Greatest Rivalries - Shawn Michaels Vs Bret Hart

WWE DVD Review: Greatest Rivalries – Shawn Michaels Vs. Bret Hart


By Phil Allely

I like countless other wrestling fans of a certain age have been waiting for this DVD box set for a great many years now. Why you may ask, well because it not only features two of the WWE’s most popular and influential superstars, but also finally lets us hear their own (perhaps slightly WWE endorsed) thoughts on the infamous ‘Double Cross’ form Survivor Series 1997 that saw Bret hart get screwed out of the WWE World Title by Vince McMahon (with assistance from Michaels and referee Earl Hebner).

Over three (or two on Blu-ray) packed discs we get a nicely made documentary/sit down interview with Bret & Shawn, plus a good mix of their best matches, including a few early bouts and never seen before on DVD ones.

The sit down interview is the main selling point here. Hosted by good old Jim Ross this is a well-paced and decently put together piece. We get brief glimpses of the pairs early years as tag team grapplers, their progression to singles runs and their subsequent title wins.

There are of course numerous parallels in the in-ring careers of both men. Hart being form a wrestling family had it in his blood and was destined for greatness. Michaels was the stand out tag team star who needed an attitude adjustment to find his true role in the WWE (then WWF).

Jim Ross does provide some interesting questions here and he does probe both guys about early matches, their title wins, match highlights and the fact that no matter how much they disliked each other, these were two men who kept the WWE ticking over in the 1990s.

Michaels and Hart appear to be genuinely pleased to have buried the hatchet with each other. The legendary ‘Double Cross’ was a situation that McMahon felt was necessary, Hart was about to leave for WWE rivals WCW and he was unwilling to drop the title to Michaels on PPV in his home country of Canada. This volatile situation grew out of Hart’s 20 year contract with the WWE being shot to pieces due to budgets and him having to source a new contract elsewhere, it also spiralled out of control as his and Michaels’ turbulent relationship began to blur reality with storylines.

It is interesting to see how these men now feel many years later about what transpires that November night in 1997. Hart did indeed sign with WCW, he also saw his brother Owen die in a freak accident live on WWE PPV, he himself suffered a career ending concussion and went on to see many other friends die early due to their grappling career. Michaels had to retire from the WWE himself due a severe back injury and somehow returned a few years later to surpass his previous successes, now with a new found faith in god he tore the house down and stole the show wherever he could.

Now both retired this release is perhaps the best way to see two pioneers of the sport at their best, it also highlights just how real a planned sport can become.

On the match front we have some true classics, these include The Rockers versus The Hart Foundation (1989), a ladder match for the IC Title (1992), a good Steel cage match (1993) and the highly regarded Iron Man scrap from WrestleMania 12. There are also both men’s Hall of Fame inductions.

Greatest Rivalries – Shawn Michaels Vs. Bret Hart is available now from www.silvervision.co.uk and all good retailers.

RRP £29.99 (DVD), £34.99 (Blu-ray)

Running Time 7hrs 5mins (DVD 3 discs), 8hrs 22mins (Blu-ray 2 discs)

Diehard DerekTalks Montreal Screwjob

Did I ever tell you the story about my involvement in the infamous Montreal Screwjob? Ok, before you get your panties in a bunch, let me first clarify that I wasn't directly involved in the screwjob. I wasn't even associated with it. Truth be told, I just happened to be "around" it. Not as a "worker" or decision maker, but as a broadcast journalist.






See, for those who don't know - this is where I get put myself over for a minute - I had the FIRST EVER pro wrestling radio talk show (later turned TV show) on the internet. At the time, there weren't too many people who understood the concept of what the internet was, and even fewer owned computers in their own home. In 1997, I signed on with the first ever streaming broadcast company in New York and brought my creations to the air for a global audience. The name of the show was, "...And Justice For Brawl", and because of my ties in the wrestling business, the show shot off like a stud in the last minute of a porno - but without the sticky mess, of course.





Because the show was still in its infancy and I was still working on strategic marketing and building a fan base, I didn't want to start booking big names just yet and blow my load too early - there we go again with the adult references. You may be too young to remember, but internet porn was TERRIBLE back in the 90s. It was basically websites for photographers that took 3-hours to download one picture with a dial-up modem. Oh, how we've come so far since those days.... I mean in terms of progress. Not in the trajectory or distance you can...nevermind. Back to the screwjob....Here we go again! Get your minds back to pro wrestling!





Long story short, I decided to give Bret Hart a call at the end of October to see if he'd be interested in doing a rare interview. As the true professional he is, was and always will be - Bret obliged. The "Hitman" was one of my all-time favorites and getting the rare opportunity to interview him gave me the jitters. I wanted to do some prep work and ask questions that he had never been asked. What also made the opportunity so rare was that Bret was the reigning WWE champion at the time and during an era where the title was much more valued than it is today. Scoring an interview with the WWE's title holder was unheard of at the time. So Bret and I agreed to wait a few weeks to do the live interview. It would give me enough time to promote the appearance, and I could tie it into a Survivor Series promotion if the WWE office gave any resistance in having their heavyweight champion doing an interview leading into one of the most anticipated events in history.





The Monday Night Wars were in the heat of battle. The WWE's attitude era had just started picking up some steam with the formation of Degeneration-X, led by Shawn Michaels. The white hot heated history between Bret and Shawn had already been exposed to the public and was being used in the storylines. Bret blasted Shawn for what his character had become and what it was doing to the industry. The "Hitman" questioned The Heartbreak Kid's lifestyle and choice of attire. He ridiculed Shawn's Soho Fashion ring outfits that looked like they were designed by Hank Shalom. But as the date drew closer to the Survivor Series event, and to my interview which was scheduled days before the pay per view, the industry blew up with rumors that Bret Hart was leaving the WWE and signing with the rival WCW.





My heart raced like fat man running to an alton brown ribs all-you-can-eat buffet! I knew that with the interview scheduled, it was my responsibility to address the rumors. My fear was that Bret might have been gag-ordered to keep quiet until after the pay per view. Perhaps by discussing his decision live on the air, fans would lose interest in the event if they could figure out the result based on Bret's decision to stay with the company or not.





So I called Bret, and explained to him my concerns about doing the interview and how he'd like to approach it. I even offered to postpone the interview until everything was finalized and he could openly speak about the rumors and his decision. Bret calmly said, "I don't have anything to hide. You can ask me anything you want and I will tell you as much as I can. Don't hold anything back."





Not only was I relived after hearing Bret giving me the green light, but I also realized the pressure I was under. I was the ONLY journalist on the planet who could publicly discuss the rumor of Bret Hart leaving the WWE with the man himself. The show was booked for Tuesday, November 4th. The Survivor Series was set for Sunday, November 9th. Bret hadn't addressed any of the rumors and decided to wait to make his first statement on my show. Not only were the wrestling fans eager to hear the broadcast, but I'm sure the WWE offices were listening too.





On that Tuesday, Bret made his scheduled appearance on my show. The draw and out-pour of the fans crashed our broadcast servers several times. And when the time came for me to ask, "...Bret, are you going to WCW?...", I literally felt the world stop moving for a moment. Bret gave his explanation and discussed his feelings, and without giving a final or definitive answer, he concluded in saying that at that very moment, his decision was "strongly leaning towards going to WCW".





Yeah, some of you may be saying - "Big fucking deal!". Well, at the time it was. It was a big deal for Bret Hart, for the WWE, for WCW and for the industry as a whole. It was a move many thought was even bigger than when Hulk Hogan signed with WCW. Afterall, here is your current heavyweight champion publicly stating that he is going to work for the competition. But for me, it was the real launch of my career. I may not have been the guy who broke the story, but I was the guy who got the answer to confirm the rumor. What made it more magical is that it wasn't a "hear-say" story. I had the power to put the champion under the interrogation light to ask the question and get the answer that the world wanted to hear. It was my Edward R. Murrow moment.





So I guess Vince McMahon and the WWE locker room was listening too. Between my show on Tuesday and Sunday's PPV event, Bret got screwed out of the title on live television, punched Vince in the eye and hastily departed the WWE to join its arch enemy.





Almost two months later, it was finally announced on WCW television that Bret Hart would be joining the company leading into their Starcade event. Ironically enough, the WCW office was listening to my show as well and I surprisingly got a call where I was offered a contract to work for WCW as a broadcaster on their soon-to-launch internet programming and as the Tuesday voice on the n.W.o. hotline. I was flown down to Washington D.C. to sign my contract at the Starcade PPV, the same night Bret debuted for the company. Not only did I start with Bret on the same day, but we were stranded together at the airport during a nasty blizzard that had our flights delayed for hours. When we talked about the irony of the interview and how it ended up with us both working for WCW, Bret said, "Things have a really weird way of working out and it's only proof that your destiny is already chosen".





I never thought I'd have the chance to be on an open forum with one of my childhood heroes. I never thought I'd be in the center of the news with the exclusive scoop on a breaking story. And I never thought that based on those events, I'd be working with Bret Hart in WCW. And that was just the beginning.





A year later, Bret's fascinating documentary "Wrestling with Shadows" was set to debut. A few months before the public got to see it, Bret contacted me to do a follow up interview and promotion. Although our interview wasn't featured in the documentary, I felt it had its own place in part of that history. Bret felt the same way and it was one of the reasons he sought me out. Unfortunately, Bret's run in WCW had been botched, and by the time the movie was ready to debut - he had already regretted making the decision. It was at that point that I reiterated his own words, "Things have a really weird way of working out and it's only proof that your destiny is already chosen".





Hearing the sentiment in Bret's voice, I wanted to do something on the show that expressed the appreciation that the fans wanted to share with him. I took it to task and edited my first ever videos. Don't be too harsh on me, this was before Final Cut Pro!





The videos are two tributes to a legend, Bret Hart. And some of the footage used was from the screener copy that Bret had sent me himself. So if you're a fan of the "Hitman", I not only ask you to enjoy the video, but to share it so that fans will remember and honor the legacy of the best there is, the best there was and the best there ever will be.





Bret Hart Tribute Video 1 - Song: Measure of a Man - Performed by Elton John







Bret Hart Tribute Video 2 - Song: Untouchable Themes - Performed by Ennio Morricone

Bret Hart video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFTBXcd0a30&feature=player_embedded

Bret Hart - Wrestling With Shadows Link

http://www.snagfilms.com/films/title/hitman_hart_wrestling_with_shadows/

Bret hart Cartoon auction in aid of Japan

http://shop.ebay.com/hitmanproductionsinc/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_from=&_ipg=

some cartoons by Bret Hart of Ric Flair and Hulk Hogan, both for sale on ebay, all proceeds go to charity in aid of Japan.

Bret Hart Tweets

After going on a scathing tirade against Hulk Hogan last week on Twitter, WWE Hall of Famer Bret Hart is back with another batch of fan Q&A. Here are some highlights of what Bret said about:




Lawler vs. Cole at WrestleMania: "I hope Lawler rag, bags, and shags (that's british slang) him royally at WM."



Shawn Michaels and Sunny In The Same Hall of Fame Class: "It's kind of ironic. We're all enjoying sunny days again. haha ;)"



Whether He Watched Laycool's Parody Of Him A Few Weeks Ago: "Yes, I did. They did a good job. Michelle McCool is such a pro. Despite her beauty, she can stay heel which is difficult"



His Favorite WWE PPV: "The SummerSlam PPV has always been a favorite. Almost always had a good match at that event."



Least Favorite WWE PPV: "Survivor Series. The initial concept was lame."



Vince Russo's Involvement In His Canada/USA WWE Storyline (1997): "Zero input from Russo for Canada/USA storyline. He wasn't much more than a pencil holder till I left."



Five TNA Originals Who Would Be Good in WWE: "AJ Styles, Samoa Joe, Abyss, Kazarian, Jeremy Borash"

Bret Hart Tweets

Bret Hart wrote more about The Rock and John Cena on his Twitter yesterday. Here's what The Hitman said:




"After watching Monday Night Raw last night I have to say I'm Looking forward to the showdown between John Cena and The Rock at Wrestlemania!



When I was WWE champion back in 1997, I often gave Dwayne all the advice I could, I remember watching him wrestle for the very first time and telling the wrestlers next to me, that Dwayne was going to be the biggest Superstar in the wrestling world and to mark my words. "

Bret Hart Facebook comments

WWE Hall of Famer Bret Hart has a new blog on his Facebook page where he reflects on a busy 2010 for him. Here are some highlights:




"There was some great television moments I had with both Shawn Michaels and Vince McMahon. Coming back and doing Monday Night Raw was such a blast from my supposed broken leg by the limo on the ramp to my sister Alison storming out to be a lumberjack at Wrestlemania in Phoenix. It was great returning to WWE and some of my favorite wrestling cities from Austin to Boston and everything in between. To have had the thrill of being in the ring cutting promos with Stone Cold, Undertaker, Shawn, and even Vince again was a dream come true as much for myself as it was for my fans around the world.



I think back to what a thrill it was winning the US Title in Toronto and the wild after hours party with Jericho and Dibiase, Steph and Beans, old pal Don Kolov and his "Russian Mafia" in the wings. The decision to forfeit the US Title came to me that night; the celebrating nearly killed me.



Today, when I see the Miz as the newly crowned WWE champion, the thought doesn't escape me that if I technically beat him to win the US title last spring, could I not come back and try one last time against all odds and somehow take that WWE world title back again? Ahh, that's the beauty of pro wrestling. Never stop dreaming; anything is possible. I smile at the memory of the Hart Dynasty winning the tag titles in April and Natalya fullfilling her childhood dream of winning the Divas title. Summerslam 2010, Madison Square Garden tagging up with the Hart Dynasty against Nexus being cheered on by my granddaughter Kyra, oldest daughter Jade, her boyfriend Kyle, and my lovely wife Steph, for me this was one of 2010 real highlights. I thank everyone in New York who came, especially WWE, for this night in particular. I'd also like to thank all of the wrestlers for letting me join them on the tours in Europe this year

DVD Review: WWE Raw - The Beginning : The Best of Seasons 1 & 2

WWE Raw - The Beginning : The Best of Seasons 1 & 2




By Phil Allely



Back in 1993 the WWE (then the WWF) decided to up the ante in terms of it’s wrestling TV output and created what would become its flagship show Monday Night Raw. The show all but revolutionised the concept of weekly Grappling shows and helped to kick start one of the hottest times in the industry the legendary Monday Night Wars between WWF and its nearest rival WCW. This four disc set takes a look at the first two years of Raw and offers forth a nice insight into just what was happening in this historic period of Vince McMahon’s company history.



The idea of Monday Night Raw was that instead of the constant stream of squash matches that WWE programming offered until then, the shows would sprinkle in many top class match-ups and even title challenges (including the odd title change). This all helped elevate the show to it’s current state as the number one wrestling show in the world.



Some of the confrontations on offer do pale in comparison to the events that we se these days on free TV, but back then such matches as Ric Flair versus Mr Perfect, Lex Luger versus Crush and Shawn Michaels versus Marty Jannetty were things that we all usually had to pay for on PPV or in the case of the UK shell out for a video tape of the event.



Over the course of this set there are some great moment to become nostalgic, there are events like the 123 Kid’s (Shawn ’XPac’ Waltman) upset win over Razor Ramon (Scott Hall), Yozozuna decimating the roster, Doink The Clown’s debut, Bret Hart’s rise from a tag team master to World Title Contender, Macho Man Randy Savage’s final run as a top class performer, Jeff Jarrett’s debut in the WWE, comic character Duke ‘The Dumpster’ Drosse’s appearance and Shawn Michaels career skyrocketing as he turned heel on his former partner Jannetty.



Raw in 1993-1994 was where we all looked to for our entertainment and for a retro look back at the era where muscle men vanished and characters and performers took over you really cannot fault this first instalment of the Raw story. Just how impressive other entries will be is another and one for another time.



This DVD set gets a lofty 8 our of 10 and deserves a spot on every WWE fans shelf.



WWE Raw The Beginning: The Best of Seasons 1 & 2 is available now, check out www.silvervision.co.uk for more information.

Bret Hart Interview From a Canadian Paper This Week

In his 53 years on this planet, Bret Hart has known pain and heartbreak.




There have been tremendous highs and rock-bottom lows.



Now, arguably Canada’s most famous wrestler has found contentment, a respite from years of bitterness spawned after a dispute with WWE kingpin Vince McMahon at Survivor Series in Montreal in 1997.



The awesome documentary Wrestling with Shadows is out again on DVD and Hart knows it is a benchmark.



“It’s always made me melancholy. It really captured the final fleeting moments of the the full Hart family.



“When I watch it, I have mixed emotions. It’s very stirring, sad, but very powerful in its own way. They told a story which vindicated what I did (spit on McMahon, then later punched him).”



On the plane ride home from Montreal, Hart told Wrestling with Shadows director Paul Jay the film wouldn’t work.



“I said there was no point in filming anymore, you missed it,” said Hart. “But he said, ‘This is going to be amazing’ and he had this gleam in his eye. When I saw the first rough cut, I was like, ‘Wow! I can’t believe this.’ I remember thinking, ‘He did tell the story.’



“Paul and those guys happened to be there and got that moment. A week before, he had called me and said he didn’t have an ending. I told him to come watch me wrestle one last match in Canada. That moment defined me as a person. It’s a big compliment when you can take something as silly as a wrestling match and make it such a powerful moment. I was able to stand tall as a Canadian.



“Before it came out, (WWE) did everything they could to put a different spin on it, to make me look like the bad guy. But their story came out in the wash as being a bunch of baloney.”



Hart says after being “screwed” out of his championship belt against Shawn Michaels, the after-match confrontation with McMahon was a doozy.



“I thought it was perfect the way it was,” he said. “He defamed me as a character. I would have regretted it for the rest of my life if I hadn’t (hit him).



“As time went on, it’s always been such a serious thing for me. It wasn’t only Survivor Series, it was Owen’s (his brother’s) death. Wrestling has been such a touchy subject. With Survivor Series, people were saying, ‘We get it and we understand why you got mad, but what is the purpose of you sitting down and being angry about it?’



“I gave so much and it bothered me. I didn’t want to be erased. I always thought I would be the Babe Ruth or Mickey Mantle of wrestling one day, but when I pounded Vince that day, I lost some of that.”



Hart says his return to a WWE ring was good for him and for others.



“I believe that Shawn and me shaking hands buried the hatchet and it really did set him free. At the same time, I felt deep relief myself. And I’m sure Vince felt it, too.”



Michaels endured plenty of heat in Canada after the incident, also partly because he put a Canadian flag on the ground and rolled around on it as Hart walked toward the tunnel.



“I think that set off a timebomb in every Canadian. My dad was furious. And I never forgave Shawn for that specific scene. On Nov. 11, I had my poppy on. I’m a proud Canadian. I don’t think anybody thought Survivor Series could have the effect it did. It was a defining moment for Canadians. And how many guys get to knock out their boss on their last day of work?”



Hart says WWE purposely attempted to make him look bad.



“They put out a Best of Wrestlemania and they put my worst match on there — me against Bob Backlund in an “I Quit” match. When I saw it, I thought they did it as a thumb in the eye to me.



“Later, Vince let me do the DVD set the way he promised me. It was the first door that we really opened that made the hard feelings that still existed melt. The Hall of Fame was another gesture, although I thought it should have waited a while ... I wasn’t ready for it.



“They’ve giving me my due now. And there’s the upcoming Hart Generation — TJ, Harry and Nattie. I really wanted to have some fun and I’ve had that.



“It’s a very happy time for me right now. I’m remarried. I don’t have to be a slave to my suitcase. I can sit home and watch hockey.



“And with wrestling, I get to dress up and put on my Batman suit again.”

Bret Hart Addresses The European Tour Incident

Bret Hart has a new blog post up where he addresses the recent incident on the WWE European tour where some of his belongings were stolen, here are a few pieces of it.

"On another thankful note, I wanted to say that my recent WWE tour that landed me back in London, England's 02 Arena, Brussels, Belgium, Mannheim, Cologne, and Nuremberg, Germany and capped off with an amazing couple of days in Istanbul, Turkey. I usually try to write about my wrestling life experiences such as being the enforcer in Randy Orton's bout, but I'll skip right to one of the highlights of my storied career: standing in as the #3 man of the Hart Dynasty, David Hart Smith (Harry Smith) and Tyson Kidd (TJ Wilson), throughout the German leg of the tour. The Nexus crew were spoiling for a pier 6 brawl and they got one; one that landed one of them in the sharpshooter every night. It was such a thrill for me to live a sweet dream, perhaps Davey Boy Smith's dream, but a sweet one all the more knowing that when young Harry was but a lad, he never ever stopped believing he'd someday grace a WWE ring. Even as a mere boy, I think we both often wondered if somehow, someday, somewhere we'd team up and work together. Same for Tyson Kidd, whom I've also known since he was around 10 years old. Like Harry, he too, never gave up on his dream of doing the same. As for Germany, I can't think of a better wrestling environment to let that wonderful dream play out. Thanks to the Hart Dynasty for letting me be part of the show, thanks to my German fans for coming, and lastly, thanks to the WWE for letting me have this special moment at this stage of my life and career."

"The only sour note was the loser who stole my ring jacket. I fully expect that this thief will eventually wear it only to be mobbed and stripped of it by my fans over there, who will always be on the lookout for it. No real Hitman fan would want to steal from me! It's all the more frustrating since nearly all my career ring jackets have been stolen mostly during my WCW days. I'd have someone take my jacket at ringside and never see them again. It got so bad that, as ridiculous as it is, I stopped wearing jackets because that hapless company of inefficiency couldn't stop letting them get stolen. Anyway, one more gone and, like always, I'll simply get another. Enough on that."

WWE Summerslam 2010 DVD Review

WWE Summerslam 2010 DVD Review

By Phil Allely

Summerslam is the WWE’s annual mid-year card that helps build on the Wrestlemania fallout and create a buzz as the winter season approaches. This year the main storyline evolving in the WWE was the newly titled Nexus group (members of the NXT series) and their frustration at WWE management.

This combined with the firing of their main man Daniel Bryan (a cleverly worked storyline or a real life travesty of Political correctness gone mad, no one really knows) led to a seven-on-seven main event between the Nexus and John Cena fronted WWE mainstays (including Bret hart, John Morrison, Edge and Chris Jericho).

The match itself has been documented before, but the in-ring action and surprise appearance by Bryan (as a team WWE member) all helped elevate it to a decent effort form all concerned. Considering the Nexus were not ready for such a high level bout they did try their best.

Elsewhere Kane continued his pursuit of the mystery man who injured The Undertaker and battled Rey Mysterio for the maniacal monster’s World Title.

Sheamus Defended his WWE Championship against perennial thorn in his side Randy Orton, Alicia Fox tackled Melina over the Divas belt, Dolph Ziggler and Kofi Kingston butted heads with the Intercontinental strap on the line and The Big Show took matter into his own hands with the Straight Edge Society by battling all three members in a handicap match.

Summerslam was not perhaps one of the WWE’s many highs of 2010, but it did continue to build up the Nexus groups standing and push along some decent storylines, things were dodgy in parts, but it does still hold its own and merit a purchase.

Summerlsam 2010 is out on general release on November 15th 2010 and is available from www.silvervision.co.uk