WWE DVD Review: Money in the Bank 2013

WWE DVD Review: Money in the Bank 2013

The Money in the Bank matches first appeared  few years back and since then they have grown in stature and now even have their own pay-per-view as well. This years effort was a very well received one and here it is for us all to own.

This year we also got to see the WWE use the event to build up the hype for SummerSlam and reinvigorate a few storylines as well

MITB is a simple enough premise. There are two marquee matches on the card and in each the prize u for grabs is a metal birefcase that contains a contract for a shot at the Title (at any time). This leads to many interesting storylines and match-ups. The matches themselves are also multiple participant affairs and they pretty much always deliver on the action front.

Damien Sandow vs. Wade Barrett vs. Cody Rhodes vs. Dean Ambrose vs. Fandango vs Jack Swagger vs. Antonio Cesaro

The opening encounter here was interestingly the MITB scrap for a World Heavyweight Championship shot.

This is a fun match that features a rather unique concept. That being the seven combatants were all heel characters, so the crowd had to decide who to root for themselves and the action was needed to keep our attention. The end sequence worked very well too.

Curtis Axel vs. The Miz

The Intercontinental Title has lost a lot of its prestige in recent years and whilst Miz and Mr Perfect's son (Axel Curtis) is a decent enough match, there was something lacking here. Axel is coming along nicely with this latest character and does his family proud by showing some true in-ring talent. Miz though in my opinion will inevitably always be a mid-carder. 

AJ Lee vs. Kaitlyn

The Divas division is one that I personally feel needs an overhaul. The WWE have some fine female grapplers and yet fail to utilise them to their best advantage. This was an average cat fight and saw the former best friends tackle each move with everything they had.

Ryback vs. Chris Jericho

Chris Jericho (someone we have interview many times) is a part-timer now in the WWE and this match really did showcase that his time may well be over as a main eventer. Ryback was once the unstoppable 'Goldberg' type character and at this point in time he was jobbing to many as well. So in reality this should be a match where the pair took it upon themselves to show their worth.

Alberto Del Rio vs. Dolph Ziggler

Ziggler and Del Rio do it again this review should read. Why? well after thier hugely popular match at Extreme Rules, the duo did it once again here. They had already switched places in the heel/face divide and now we were presented with a smart long-term piece of booking by the WWE. 

This match deserves repeat viewing, hence the need to add this to your WWE DVD collection.

John Cena vs. Mark Henry

Now forgive me Cena fans, but I am not sold on him and never was if i am honest. But you cannot fault his appeal to the masses and the sheer volume of merchandise he shifts. The other reason why this match should not have worked for me was the fact that the barely mobile Mark henry was in the ring with him. However you know what this actually did work. Henry's Philadelphia fan base helped as well. The match itself was a strong man type thin and showed both men to be tough, strong guys. Henry especially came across as a real bad ass.

Randy Orton vs. Rob Van Dam vs. CM Punk vs. Daniel Bryan vs. Sheamus vs. Christian

The main event MITB scrap for the WWE Championship was of course the big one and featured a lot more a-list WWE names. It also saw the return of Rob Van Dam to the fold. The combatants really went for it here and made this the match of the night. RVD provided some highlights, Daniel Bryan and CM Punk paid their dues as well. The only odd man out for me was Christian, who perhaps needs to upgrade his character.

MITB 2013 is available now from Freemantle Media and all good retailers.

On the extras front we also get: The pre-show match (The Shield versus The Uso's). 

Blu-Ray buyers will also get some matches (Kane/Christian, CM Punk/Randy Orton, Sheamus/Randy Orton) and some confrontations between some key wrestlers.

RRP £17.99 (DVD), £19.99 (Blu-ray

By Phil Allely

WWE DVD Review: The Best of In Your House

In the mid-1990s the WWE created a new concept in pay-per-view programming. This idea was to make a number of PPV's that were of the same quality as the 'big four' Royal Rumble, WrestleMania, SummerSlam and Survivor Series. Entitled In Your House these events were cheaper in price than the main events we were used to and yet they often featured some high quality bouts.

The concept did not last forever, but during its duration there were a number of excellent encounters between many WWE superstars, who were at the very top of their game.

This 3 disc set takes a nice look at the IYH franchise and documents the best it had to offer.

There were 28 IYH events in total over a five year period and whist the original premise (a real-life fan won a house) became a thing of the past, the match quality did not. There were often better battles on these events than those appearing on the main shows.

So what can you expect here then? Well first up mid-90s on air WWE presenter Todd Pettengill returns to host the DVD and that certainly makes proceeding special for more long-term fans. Pettengill is perfect for the role and does have some nice anecdotes as well.

From a match point of view you get a reasonable mix of impressive scraps, near classics and all out exceptional encounters here.

Stand-outs for your reviewer are the 'No Holds Barred' war between Shawn Michaels and Diesel, Shawn Michaels versus Mankind, Steve Austin v Bret Hart v Vader v The Undertaker, the ten man tag from 'Ground Zero' and to be honest a great number more.

The Best of In Your House is a wonderful DVD release and one that has been long-awaited by many. The extras are pretty good too.

Available now via www.wwedvd.co.uk and all good retailers this release is available on DVD (RRP £24.99) and Blu-ray (RRP £34.99).
www.wwe.com
By Phil Allely

WWE DVD Review: TLC - Tables, Ladders, Chairs 2012

WWE DVD Review: TLC – Tables, Ladders, Chairs 2012

To round off 2012 the WWE offered up its TLC pay-per-view.

TLC is an interesting event to witness. It is also one that does exactly what it says on the tin, as in it offers us a tables match, a ladders match and a chairs match, plus we also get them all combined in one TLC encounter.

This time around we got to see Irishman Sheamus and Big Show battle it out in a hard-hitting chairs match. John Cena and Dolph Ziggler had a belter of a ladder match for Ziggler's Money In The Bank briefcase.The Shield were also on hand to challenge the mighty trio of Team Hell No and Ryback in a match that really put the faction on the map.

The TLC concept has been watered down slightly in the more PG version of the WWE, but that is not to say that the concept is lost on its new audience. In fact it is quite the opposite, the action is now a lot more intense and the lack of blood, headshots or other career shortening moves make things all the more enjoyable.

The elevation of The Shield as a worthy addition to the WWE roster started here and it is very good to see the company do such a thing at long last.

There are many surprises during TLC 2012 and the match quality is certainly above par throughout.

On the extras front the DVD has an interview with Dolph Ziggler (by Matt Striker). The Blu-ray however has a wealth of additional features. These includes matches and excerpts from the December 16^th Monday Night Raw event and the December 18^th Smackdown shows. Highlights here are Ric Flair presenting the Slammy to the Superstar of the Year, The Miz, Alberto Del Rio and Tommy Dreamer facing 3BM, Ryback versus Antonio Cesaro and a Miz TV segment with AJ Lee, Dolph Ziggler and Big E Langston.

TLC (Tables, Ladders, Chairs) 2012 is available now from all good retailers.

RRP £17.99 (DVD), £19.99 (Blu-ray)

Www.wwedvd.co.uk

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By Phil Allely

WWE DVD Review - Live in the UK November 2012

With each UK tour the WWE keep pushing the envelope as they try to give their loyal fans even more value for their money. This past November saw the company roll into Birmingham, here they would not only put on one heck of a show, but they would also record episodes of the Monday Night Raw and Friday Night Smackdown shows before thousands of lively and excited fans. 

Another bonus here is the complete (unaired in the UK) WWE Main Event show that was recorded in Birmingham too.

Live in the UK saw many of the Survivor Series 2012 combatants and teams in action, as they embarked on the road to that Pay-Per-View.

So what can you expect from this two disc set? First up there are some nice features on the UK's own Wade Barrett and William Regal. Irishman Sheamus is also given the spotlight treatment. 

On the match front we have a great many to choose from. Highlights of which are CM Punk and Dolph Ziggler versus John Cena and Ryback. Wade Barrett teaming with Big Show to combat hard-hitters William Regal and Sheamus. Elsewhere Randy Orton and Alberto Del Rio have a well-paced Falls Count Anywhere encounter. Kofi Kingston and The Miz face-off for the Intercontinental Championship and the colourful combo of Sin Cara and Rey Mysterio tackle the fun duo of The Primetime Players.

WWE Live in the UK November 2012 is a very good DVD set indeed. Fans who attended will love this memento of their time there, others will enjoy seeing their heroes on UK soil and adapting their styles etc to suit them. These UK releases are very popular indeed and this is one of the best yet.

Extras wise we get two WWE Championship matches that were held in the UK. One is the near-classic Randy 'Macho Man' Savage and Ultimate Warrior scrap from Summer Slam 1992. The other is the very inventive match between The Rock and X Pac from the 1998 Capital Carnage PPV.

WWE Live in the UK November 2012 is available now on two disc DVD.

RRP £17.99

www.wwedvd.co.uk

www.wwe.com

By Phil Allely

WWE DVD Review - TLC 2012

WWE DVD Review: TLC (Tables, Ladders, Chairs) 2012

WWE's TLC pay-per-view event is one that has a tendency to deliver greatly with its match quality and results. Even the lack of blood can't affect the violence that many of the wrestlers bring to the ring when foreign objects such as tables, ladders and steel chairs become legal weapons. This year we were also treated to a few new faces, which helped create new feuds and elevate some often neglected mid-card talent. With CM Punk injured there was some re-jigging behind the scenes match wise, but perhaps it was for the best. WWE need his fresh and ready for his upcoming scrap with The Rock.

It was also nice to see the legendary Jerry 'The King' Lawler return to his commentary duties. Lawler seems to have recovered well after his near fatal heart attack (which occurred during a live raw show).

TLC kicked off with a very reasonable tables match for the number one contender spot for the WWE tag team belts. The duo of Rey Mysterio and Sin Cara battled Damien Sandow and Cody Rhodes in a fun battle. Cara is looking so much better in the ring now he is teamed up with fellow high flyer Mysterio. Rhodes Scholars on the other hand are a wonderfully fresh addition to the diminishing tag ranks. Rhodes and Sandow picked up the win after Cody caused Cara to plough through a table.

Your reviewer is not a hug fan of US Title holder Anonio Cesaro, but he can put together a pretty decent match with the right (talented) performer. The match however didn't really sizzle as much as we had hoped it would. Cesaro was able to overcome a few nice looking pin attempts by Truth and nailed a 'Neutralizer' to retain his gold.
Uk wrestler Wade Barrett has been making real strides in recent months to get one more big push for his WWE career. His match with Kofi Kingston here highlighted the fact that Barrett does have potential. Putting Kofi's Intercontinental Title on the line helped as well of course. Wade is a very good big man and has an aura about him, perhaps he will be William Regal's successor to the role of sterotypical British bad guy. Kofi did manage to fend off his European influenced assault and retained the belt.
Whether they are associated with Champion CM Punk The Shield were (and are) a welcome addition to the WWE roster. Their sneak attacks and N.W.O. Inspired storyline is something that may just inject some much needed adrenaline into the WWE product.

The match here was a TLC one and The Shield (Seth Rollins, Roman Reigns, Dean Ambrose) faced off against the formidable trio of WWE Tag Team Champs Kane/Daniel Bryan and the fastest rising star of the year Ryback. This match was a brutal, tough and well-paced affair. Working with such talented opponents The Shield team were on perfect form. What was nice was that amidst the weapons based fun and games, we saw some new faces get their hands raised (over some more established acts). This angle by WWE may just work out very well for all concerned. The Shield pulled off a rather good win, to continue their progression.
The Divas were up next, with Eve defending her title against (pre-show match winner) Naomi. Naomi did show some impressive in-ring ability here. It was of course always going to be Eve's night and here she did not disappoint. Eve retained her glamorous belt as predicted.
As explained before a TLC PPV should really feature some blood. But you know what sometimes the spilling of claret is not necessary. The World Heavyweight Title match between champion Big Show and challenger Sheamus was a real barn-stormer. Sheamus seems to bring something out in show that we have not seen in a while and perhaps Show himself has grabbed this opportunity to highlight how valuable he is to the company. The match was violent, hard-hitting and worked to both men's advantage. Shows win maintains his grasp of the belt and Sheamus' loss does little more than make him a man we will root for next time.
Next up we saw an interesting battle. This was Heath Slater, Jinder Mahal and Drew McIntyre taking on Alberto Del Rio, The Miz and Brooklyn Brawler. This was a nostalgic match for veteran fans, as longtime jobber the Brawler (Steve Lombardi) returned to the ring. Lombardi is a familiar face to anyone whoo who watches WWE biographical or special edition DVDs. He often pops us as a talking head on such releases. Lombardi never won a major title, but he did elevate many superstars to the next level and his simple style made him a minor league star. Brawler got his chance to shine on PPV in Brooklyn (of course) and even picked up a rare win.

Love him or hate him John Cena is one of the few real stars the WWE have available to perform at present. His act may need polished and a break from his main event appearances would help things. But 

with no one else ready to fill his spot or shift as much merchandise this is a picture we will have to expect for a while, the one of Cena in the main event.

The storyline featuring Cena/AJ/Vickie Guerro has been fun (even if it does echo a recent ill-fated TNA one). This match between Dolph Ziggler and Cena was a curious entry too. Ziggler could have as easily cashed in his 'Money in the Bank' title shot, but instead he offered it up in a match with Cena. This was a ladder match to remember. Cena took some stiff shots, Ziggler was a bump-machine (in the style of Shawn Michaels) and the outside interference proved to be beneficial to the pair. Cena in a rare moment for his character stared at the lights for the ever-exciting Ziggler. AJ did prove to be the thorn in Cena's side, but this was really all about raising Dolph to the next level. After all if he can beat Cena, this man may just be able to win the big one.

On the Extras front the DVD has an interview with Dolph Ziggler only, Blu-ray owners will be able to witness an episode of Monday Night Raw, Slammy award presentations and some very nice matches.

RRP £17.99 (DVD), £19.99 (Blu-ray).

TLC 2012 is available now from all good retailers.

Wwe.com

By Phil Allely

World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. : FremantleMedia Enterprises Gets into the Ring With WWE®

World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. : FremantleMedia Enterprises Gets into the Ring With WWE®

Major Distribution Agreement Announced

FremantleMedia Enterprises (FME) today announced a major new distribution agreement with WWE (NYSE:WWE) for the exclusive home entertainment rights to WWE's catalogue of programming across Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA).

The deal goes into effect in January of 2013 and will see FME manage the DVD, Blu-ray and digital rights for all new and existing WWE content, making it the first time that fans of WWE's popular programming can access it digitally across EMEA. Some of the new titles that will be released include Night of Champions 2012, Hell in a Cell 2012, Top 100 Raw Moments, Attitude Era and WrestleMania 29.

WWE is a recognized leader in global entertainment. The company consists of a portfolio of businesses that create and deliver original content 52 weeks a year to a global audience. WWE is committed to family-friendly entertainment on its television programming, pay-per-view, digital media and publishing platforms. WWE programming is broadcast in more than 145 countries and 30 languages and reaches more than 600 million homes worldwide.

Pete Kalhan, SVP Home Entertainment & Archive EMEA, FME, commented, "WWE is an incredibly strong and ever-growing brand with a huge and extremely dedicated global fan base. The brand has a rich history and has performed exceptionally well on DVD for many years. We look forward to working with WWE to grow all aspects of their home entertainment catalogue and are particularly excited about introducing the content to the masses across EMEA via digital platforms."

"WWE is pleased to partner with FremantleMedia Enterprises on the digital and retail distribution of our content in EMEA," said Casey Collins, Executive Vice President, Consumer Products for WWE. "FME's broad retail reach will allow us to place more WWE content across all channels where our fans shop."

WWE Money in the Bank 2012 DVD Review

WWE DVD Review – Money In The Bank 2012 For years the MITB concept was the highlight of WWE events. Now that the innovative match has been given its own PPV we can enjoy it even more. The idea behind MITB is simple a match winner gets to grab a case and in that he has a shot at the World Title (which can be cashed in at anytime). The MITB matches have been the ones that have elevated many of the WWE's current stars and made them real stars for the company. This DVD release by Silvervision is a nice addition to the calendar and one that really does warrant a second or third viewing. The opening scrap between Hunico/Comancho and Kofi Kingston/R-Truth is an entertaining effort. Next up the MITB Ladder Match revs things up and gives us an insight into the excitement a match of this style can offer up. Dolph Ziggler, Christian and Cody Rhodes stood out here and gave their all in the spot-fest that ensued. The world Heavyweight Title was up for grabs next and it featured Ireland's own Sheamus (champion) battling his long-term thorn in his side Alberto Del Rio. Sheamus is indeed improving and Del Rio is a man so talented that he could get a good match out of anyone. This is well worth a punt. Unfortunately for your review the Titus O'Neil/Darren Young and Primo/Epico bout didn't float my boat. The addition of R-Truth and Kofi on commentary did help but. As a big fan of Daniel Bryan I don't wish to be biased here. Suffice to say that the NO DQ match between him and CM Punk is a real highlight of MITB 2012 for me. Viewers will see exactly why when they view it again. Ryback continued his 'Goldberg' style run next with a decimation of Tyler Reks and Curt Hawkins in a swift encounter. The two-on-one odds proving to be not a huge deal to the big man. The Diva's got their chance to shine next and whilst the division is knocked often for its poor talent the ladies here were mostly above par. The teams of Layla, Kaitly, Tamina and Beth Phoenix, Natalya, Eve featured at least four good workers. This may be a short match, but it is fun. Up next we get the MITB Ladder match for the WWE Title shot. The name value hee alone makes this worth watching. When you factor in Kane, Chris Jericho, Big Show, John Cena and The Miz you know you are in for something special and this one is indeed. The finish may be popular knowledge by now, but that cannot ruin the encounter. MITB 2012 is a great DVD and one that will sit nicely alongside your collection. The matches are mostly above par and the action throughout will certainly keep you entertained. MITB 2012 is available now from www.silvervision.co.uk and all good retailers. By Phil Allely

Bully Ray Interview Highlights

Bully Ray recently spoke with The Phoenix New Times. Here are some highlights. How he reinvented himself in TNA: "Well, you have to reinvent yourself in this business. I was part of the most successful tag team in the history of pro wrestling, other than the Road Warriors, for 15 years. Twenty-three major world tag team titles and I've done just about everything you could possibly do as a tag team on the planet." Re-signing with TNA: "My business negotiations with TNA is my business and my business only. The only thing that you need to do is watch me on TV and pay-per-view." Devon leaving TNA: "I really could not care less about Devon. I haven't cared about Devon in almost two years. If Devon didn't let Chris Sabin kick out of the 3-D, I would've never blasted him in the back of the head and turned on him. Devon is not my concern. I have one business interest in Devon outside of TNA and that is [our] professional wrestling school, the Team 3-D Academy. Other than that, I really don't care about him. (When asked to comment on Devon's departure in a non-kayfabe way) "I don't understand. Non kay...what?... I'm giving you my legit answer. I...really...don't...care. Whatever he does with his time, and whatever he wants to do is fine. We have one business interest that is extremely successful, so we choose to continue with that successful business interest, which is our wrestling academy. Other than him deciding not to sign, his business. He doesn't want to be with TNA, his business. Whatever he decides to do with his life, his business." If he would return to WWE: "Pro wrestling is a business just like any other business, and you always go where the best opportunities and the best money is. So whenever it comes time to negotiate, I always leave myself open to make whatever the best decision is in my world, in my best interest. Sticking with TNA right now was in my best interest. When my contract is up with TNA, you never know. I might retire, I could end up with another company. You never know where you're going to end up and you never know if a company's gonna still want you around. So you always leave things open-ended. It's a smart move."

New WW Brock Lesnar DVD News

Silvervision.co.uk has released the trailer for WWE's upcoming Brock Lesnar video release, Brock Lesnar - Here Comes the Pain!. The majority of the content will be the same as the 2003 DVD of the same title, but updated with new footage and interviews to reflect Lesnar's 2004 departure and return to the organization. The synopsis for the product reads: "The night after WrestleMania XXVIII, Brock Lesnar made a shocking return to the ring and leveled John Cena with an F-5, sending a message that after eight years, the pain is back! In 2002 and 2003, The Next Big Thing brought it to the biggest and baddest competition in WWE, becoming the youngest WWE Champion of all time and a household name virtually overnight. His awe-inspiring physique, amateur championship pedigree and affinity for punishing opponents made him an unstoppable force in the ring. Now, after years of dominating the MMA scene, Brock is back and looking to steamroll the biggest Superstars of today. This rerelease of the 2003 DVD, Here Comes the Pain, includes the original documentary that chronicles Brock's meteoric rise to fame, as well as six hours of additional matches not included on the original DVD! Plus, here Brock's controversial comments upon his return to sport entertainment! . Fans can experience classic matches against Hulk Hogan, Undertaker, Rey Mysterio, Randy Orton and many more!" The set will be released on DVD and Blu-ray on Oct. 30, 2012. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOzyB_7lRKI&feature=player_embedded