WWE DVD Review: ECW - Unreleased Volume 2

In its heyday US wrestling promotion ECW was one of the hottest products on the market and it gave grapple fans something different to what the 'big two' company's were offering. That something was violence, enthusiasm and energy. These were things the company had loads of.

Paul Heyman (who is now back in the WWE) was the main man behind ECW and whilst the company did fold, due to money issues he created a very special thing here.

It is nice to see the WWE utilising the back catalogue of ECW footage (ECW was bought over by WWE) and letting the many fans of the promotion gain access to some of its older footage.

Here in one very nicely compiled DVD/Blu-ray package we have a wonderful snapshot of some of ECW's finest match-ups. The great thing here as well is that we have not seen these matches before and that makes this release all the more special.

ECW had a unique aura around it and this is captured perfectly here. The arena's were small, yet filled with energy and that transferred to each and every wrestler's performance.

From a match point of view we are presented with some superb lost battles involving Sabu, Mick Foley, Tommy Dreamer, Sandman and many more ECW names. There are also some surprises for even the most die hard fan, these feature such well known talent as The Steiner Brothers, hardcore legend Terry Funk and WCW stars Arn Anderson and 'Beautiful' Bobby Eaton. There are also some imported Japanese stars and much more thrown into the mix as well.

ECW - Unreleased Volume 2 is an above average DVD set and one that certainly adds to the legacy of Heyman's company. The match quality is amazing and the violence levels are through the roof. If you like to see bloodshed, people being hit by weapons (of all shapes and sizes) and enjoy seeing wrestling as it used to be before the PG ratings took over, then this is the package for you.

The image of Terry Funk and Mick Foley amid a ring full of metal chairs (thrown by the fans) is a sight to behold.

ECW - Unreleased Volume 2 is available now from www.wwedvd.co.uk and all good retailers
DVD RRP £24.99/Blu-ray £29.99
Blu-ray extras include a number of additional matches.
wwe.com
By Phil Allely

WWE DVD Review: WrestleMania 29

WWE DVD Review: WrestleMania 29

It is the biggest show in the WWE calendar and it also one of the most sought after wrestling show tickets too. It is of course WrestleMania. This is the show that even the most die hard anti-WWE fan will take notice of and maybe even watch as well.

WM is the event that kick started the WWE's rise to global domination and means so much to so many fans across the globe as well.

Now nearly 30 years on the event still send goosebumps down the spine of many as they eagerly await the action to start. The WWE have now rather cunningly made this a weekend long event too, with fan events, signing and memorabilia on show too. Alongside countless veteran and current roster members, there is also the annual Hall Of Fame Ceremony.

Now back to the DVD at hand. First up like many Mania's of recent years there are a few poor matches here, but when things kick off they really kick off in style.

This event was a card of three parts. First up we had John Cena taking on The Rock for the WWE Championship. Which was of course a marked improvement on their previous encounters. However it did come at a cost to Rock who absorbed some nasty injuries along the way.

Next on the fans hit list was the ultra intense 'No Holds Barred' scrap between Brock Lesnar and Triple H. They certainly had their work boots on here. You could feel every bump like it was your own body.

But of course the match most people were yearning to see was the return of Undertaker to defend his winning streak against young upstart CM Punk. Punk had after all belittled the memory of the late Paul Bearer and was certainly a hated man before the get go. Considering he rarely makes more than one appearance a year these days Taker showed no signs of slowing down. Although by the end you could see his pain and delight in what he had just participated in.

Elsewhere on this well put together CD set you get the pre-show encounter between Wade Barrett and The Miz for the Intercontinental Championship. The Shield making their WM debut against the trio of Randy Orton, Sheamus and The Big Show. The Tag Team titles on the line as Team No Hell defend against Dolph Ziggler and Big E Langston. Chris Jericho facing the over the top Fandango and Jack Swagger tackle the World Heavyweight Champion Alberto Del Rio.

The under card and World Title match are all worthy additions here, the main issue is that some play out to indifference. Fandango, The Shield and Ziggler come out of proceedings very well indeed I must add.

On the extras front we are as always spoilt for Mania moments and choice. The Hall Of Fame footage is superb and very interesting. Younger fans may skip through a few inductions of course, but those old enough to remember Bob Backlund, Bruno Samartino and even celeb Donald Trump will enjoy their montages and speeches. Backlund is hilarious and Samartino seems very moved to be there.

More modern entrants Mick Foley, Trish Stratus and Booker T are also very well received and each makes us feel their pride as they give their speech. It was especially nice to see Booker's brother Stevie Ray on TV again. Foley was as expected totally over the top with his section of the show, but we come to expect that from him these days.

There is also the post-show event from the MetLife Stadium too.

Blu-Ray owners get even more bang for their buck here with some episodes of Monday Night Raw, the Triple H/Lesnar contract signing, CM Punk challenge to end the streak and a Q&A with John Cena and The Rock.

WrestleMania 29 is a roller coaster of a ride from start to finish. There are some dips along the way, but when it climbs it does indeed climb. The final flourish of matches here will certainly leave you on an adrenaline high.

WrestleMania 29 is available now via Freemantle Media.

Www.wwedvd.co.uk and all good retailers.

RRP £24.99 (DVD), £34.99 (Blu-Ray)

By Phil Allely

WWE DVD Review: For All Mankind - The Life and Career Of Mick Foley

As wrestling fan for nearly three decades (scary I know) I feel I  have pretty much seen it all and watched it all in the industry. I was fortunate enough to become a fan at a time when Ted Turner's WCW were on the rise, The UK scene still had a TV outlet and the WWE (then WWF) were on the brink of world domination.

During these years I was able to see many of my heroes perform live. This was a time when the WWE, WCW and UK promotions toured one to two times a year and we got to see some of the companies top stars perform for a very reasonable fee.

I over a short time saw Sting lose the WCW World Title, Shawn Michaels and Bret Hart perform live in a small hometown ring and even got to meet WWF superstar Rowdy Roddy Piper in person too. He was a pop star back then (don't ask).

You may wonder where I am going here? Well the answer is that whilst much of the wrestling industry at that time was about the performers physique and character, there were the odd few who defied the rule and broke the mould.

I am of course talking about such guys as Vader, The Fabulous Freebirds and others who stood out for not being musclebound cartoon-ish characters.

Mick Foley was one such wrestler. Mick is not a man who has the conventional build of a grappler. Yet this is a man who as brightened up every company he has worked for and also netted himself a nice selection of title belts along the way.

Foley's secret to his success is one that many will not follow. He found out early on in his career that he was not only able to receive an absurd amount of punishment, but he made it look easy. Mick was (and still is) that rare breed of wrestler who would willingly bleed, take un-protected blows to the head with weapons and accept some of the worst beatings imaginable.

Although he started out as the crazed Cactus Jack Mick over the years has fought as himself, Mankind and the party loving Dude Love. Each of which have proved their worth in some way or another.

Mick has always been a wrestler I look up to and I very rarely saw him work a match that I felt short-changed by. Of course to many fans he is the guy who Undertaker famously threw off the Hell In A Cell Cage (which has been seen on many WWE DVDs since). But this is a man who has done so much more.

The worry sometimes with wrestling profile DVDs is that sometimes they can repeat their previous selves (Foley to date has at least five DVDs about him on the market). What is nice here is that even with Mick's previous DVD outings we do have some new material here.

Foley now seems to be happy with his place in life and wrestling. The documentary section here is well made and covers his career perfectly. We get to learn about his early days and the struggles (gambles) he undertook to achieve his dreams. We also get to learn about his trips to Japan, his big breaks and the pivotal moments in his professional life as a wrestler.

This is a man who very literally has given his body, blood, sweat and tears for his profession.

So what can you expect to see here across these three discs? First up disc on is a fine documentary. Mick is wonderfully nice and witty in his pieces and each talking head (from WWE staff old and new) adds to the piece perfectly. Of course we don't get to see anything from any current TNA staff (but that is to be expected). Even the most diehard Foley fan will find something new here.

His charity work for example has not really been touched upon before. It really does endear you to the man.

Discs 2 and 3 house over 15 matches, taking in most of his career and many companies he has worked for. There are also a few nice alternate commentaries by Foley and former ECW commentator Joey Styles (this includes the infamous Hell In A Cell with Undertaker). There are many new to DVD matches, some from WCW, ECW, early WWF footage and much more. We also get to see Foley in Tag action, him battle Sting, being brutalised by The British Bulldogs and a graphic scrap between Cactus Jack and The Sandman. This last one is fought under barbed wire rope rules and leaves nothing to the imagination.

For All Mankind: The Life and Career of Mick Foley is available from April 22nd 2013.

Visit www.wwedvd.co.uk for more details.
RRP: £24.99 (DVD), £34.99 (Blur-ray)

By Phil Allely

Mick Foley interview highlights

Mick Foley joined The Big Mosh and "The Chairman of the Board" Todd Vincent for an interview Monday Night Mayhem, which is now available for free download, exclusively on the WrestleView Radio Network (available here). Highlights from the interview are as follows:

How he wanted to have his latest book ("A Most Mizerable Christmas") stand out from his previous releases: "It is a story based on my own son, who as a three-year old, told me he didn't need anything from Santa, no matter how much I tried to prod him. When I approached the WWE about the idea of doing it, I knew the book market had changed a lot, and that there wasn't going to be a lot of money in a children's book. So, I made it very clear that it wasn't about the money, that it was about trying to get a fun story with a positive message out there. I think we've accomplished that."

Why he wanted to return to the WWE at this time in his life/career and if his on-air return lived up to his personal expectations: "Yeah, anything I do on the show is just a bonus, because I didn't have any expectations as an on-air personality. That is one of the reasons why I really wanted to come back to the WWE, because there are so many ways to make contributions without being on the show. I'm happy for anything that comes my way."

If he believes that a WWE Hall of Fame induction next April is closer to happening, after the recent focus given to him on WWE television: "I'm happy that the rumor I started has gotten this far. Yeah, I love the idea that people are talking about it. It is a big deal. If it were to happen at Madison Square Garden, it would be a bigger deal that if it happened anywhere else. It seems like a good idea, but I don't call those shots. There are other guys that did better in that building than I did who should get the call as well. I would certainly accept it if it came my way, but I won't be to bitterly disappointed if it doesn't. I hope it does."

Much more is contained in Mick Foley's exclusive interview with Monday Night Mayhem, including his candid thoughts on how the WWE locker room has responded to "A Most Mizerable Christmas," how he believes The Miz has shed the image of the "reality TV star," getting the opportunity to work with CM Punk on the WWE stage, how their exchange of promos delivered for the audience, and why he decided to become part of the WWE's "Be A Star" campaign.

Mick Foley Interview Highlights

Belwo is from silvervision.com

Interview with Mick Foley - He's Back!


07-02-2012



Mick Foley is back in WWE! He was in the UK last year for his Stand Up Comedy Tour and he's back again this February for a second tour. He's also returned to WWE and has even wrestled! We chatted to Mick about his comedy and his wrestling.



QMick, when we last spoke you were about to embark on your comedy tour of the UK, how did that go?

AWell, I guess it went well enough to merit a return. That's the thing about sequels; they don't make them very often for failures. Which is why there was never a second Chamber of Horrors match...or a second Kennel From Hell. I had a blast on that last tour, and I think just about everyone who showed up did as well.

QDid the audiences differ from much those in America?

AThe audiences did differ quite a bit from those in America - nowhere near the number of Americans! Actually, without pandering (not that I'm above it) the UK audiences seem to pick up on subtleties more than most US audiences do. A smaller percentage of the US audience picks up on some of the things the UK audiences appreciated readily. That makes it fun for me.

QTell us about Tori Amos in Glasgow?

AOh, that night in Glasgow was an incredible experience on that last tour! Never again will be able to walk a single block from one of my gigs into a venue where my favorite performer is playing. It was just great; a sold-out, very enthusiastic crowd, a great night of music, and a very nice chat with Tori. She's been just great to me. But I say it will never happen again, because if it happens once, it's a charming circumstance. If it happened again, she might find it a little creepy. She might have extra security waiting for me at the door!

QYou'e recently returned to Raw, what was it like to be back in WWE again?

AReturning to Raw was very nice - like returning home after a few years away. But my first WWE shows back were off televsion, in Dublin, Manchester, Birmingham and Newcastle. Dublin was the first, and it was a surprise to everyone, even the WWE Superstars and Divas. Everyone did a double-take, and said, "oh, it's you" and walked away unenthusiastically. Actually, it was a happy scene - plenty of hugs to go around!

QDo you think maybe there's one more WrestleMania match left for Mick Foley and if so who would you like it to be against?

AI just don't think I've got another great Wrestlemania match left in me. I mean, I could always be IN a match, but i think my days at or near the top of the card are behind me. But the Rumble showed that there might be a market for a Santino/Foley team...maybe a "Crouching Cobra, Hidden Socko" type of thing.

QWill you be doing anything differently on your second comedy tour here in the UK?

AI like to go with the flow when I do these shows. On one night, for example, I may do mainly material inspired by questions I get during the meet and greet, which will inspire some type of story or ridiculous observation. I'm also thinking of debuting some things that have been bouncing around inside my brain for a while. The only thing I can guarantee is that the material will be almost completely different than what I did in November on my last tour. Plus, I am working on an entrance that will be woth the price of admission alone! People can just get up and leave after the entrance if they want; I won't be offended. Especially if they buy a t-shirt on their way out.

QLots of fans have been calling for you to become the new GM of Raw. Is this a position you'd like and if so what be your first big change?

AI would love to be the GM of Raw. Talk about a dream job. I really wish I'd stayed on long-term when I had that gig in 2000. I'm not sure what my first move would be, but there are so many good young Superstars I could play off of. I still get fans asking me about the suff I did with Edge and Christian when I was commissioner. I would love to create that type of chemistry with some of the current Superstars..and Divas. There is already a vague sexual tension between me and the Bellas backstage - so thick you can cut it with a knife!

QDo you have another book planned? Any scoops for us?






AI actually just started my next book today. It's a WWE children's book and I'm hoping it will be out before Christmas 2012. It will be a unique holiday tale, with a little bit of a lesson learned for a naughty kid like the Miz.

QIn one sentence, why should people come to see one of your stand up comedy shows in February?

AMy comedy is still largely an unknown entity to people on both sides of the Atlantic. So most of those who come are still taking something of a leap of faith; trusting that i will not let them down. Almost everyone who showed up last time walked away very pleasantly surprised. I think that will be the case again this time. Just lower your expectations and you'll be fine!

Mick Foley Comments on TNA Departure

Mick Foley wrote the following on his blog regarding his departure from TNA:




"A few days ago, I woke up to the harsh realization that leaving Impact Wrestling meant I couldn't take my kids to Universal Studios any time I pleased anymore. No Mummy or Simpsons without waiting, no post pre-tape rides on the Hulk-coaster. A few days from now, I will come face to face with an even harsher reality; for the first time in several years, there will be no paycheck awaiting me in the Foley mailbox. So with those two realities coinciding, I think it's only fair that I've been asking myself whether working for TNA (Impact Wrestling) was really all that bad.



The answer I keep coming to is "no" - it really wasn't all that bad. In fact, it was pretty good. Sometimes it was really good. I was treated treated with respect, paid well, and pretty much liked everyone I worked with... including Russo, Hogan and Bischoff, in case you were wondering.



I think it's always a good idea to try see problems from other people's points of view. I mentioned on Twitter a few days ago that I pushed hard for changes I thought would be beneficial to Impact, and as a result, was thought to be "difficult to work with." You know, after a few days of serious thinking, I can really see how that "difficult" label could indeed apply to me. I was incredibly critical of the company on Jeff Katz's "Geek Week" last November, did an interview with the opposition to support my book, forgot to mention the company I worked for on several interviews, took part in a handful of interviews that I was asked politely not to by the company that employed me, and lastly, sent out a fairly immature and hurtful tweet comparing my Empty Arena match with the Rock in 1999 to Impact house shows - in terms of attendance. If not for Congessman Weiner's boner shot, my "empty arena" crack may have been the most ill-thought and costly tweet of the month.



I also mentioned my "request" to be released from my contract. Actually, it began as an a legitimate offer to Terry Taylor to help trim the Impact roster of some expensive fat. I had some genuine differences creatively with Impact, and honestly didn't think the company should have to continue to pay good money to someone who had lost faith ion the product. At the time, it seemed like a pretty fair offer. But at the point we agreed to forge ahead with me as the Network rep, I should have just shut up and done the best I could in the role, at least until the Destination X show was over - at which point my departure could have become an interesting part of the show. I regret that an initial offer made in the company's best interest became a request and maybe even a demand in my own self-interest - or at least what i thought was my own self-interest.. until I realized I didn't get to go to Universal or to the mailbox anymore.



Somehow, during the exit process, I forgot the central theme of the Rally to Restore Sanity (and/or fear) - that people could disagree without being disagreeable. I think I did become disagreeable there for a few days, and ultimately, the manner in which I departed was not good for anybody involved - me, TNA, the wrestlers, or the fans. I am especially sorry that some of the things I did or said hurt Dixie Carter personally. While some of the criticisms leveled at TNA/Impact by me or others are valid, I think it's been very helpful for me to step back and visualize the landscape of the wrestling business without the faith and vision of that one specific person. Because, make no mistake about it, without Dixie's leap of faith several years ago, Impact does not exist. 100's of incredibly talented wrestlers wrestlers would not have had the chance to show what they could do on a national stage. Dozens of others, myself included, would not have been able to enjoy second chances, last chances, or have the luxury or making choices, had Dixie chosen not to invest her time, passion and money into the complicated, frustrating world of pro-wrestling/sports entertainment. For me, personally, the opportunity at TNA/Impact afforded me the chance to enjoy almost three great years with my family, while being able to explore other passions, like my work with RAINN - even while my passion for wrestling was fading.



Far too often, I was guilty of looking at the Impact glass half-empty - wishing the show and the company could be what I thought it should be, instead of seeing it half-full and appreciating TNA/Impact for what it was - a very good place to work, full of good people, who treated me and my family very well."

Eric Bischoff Interview HIghlights

Monday Night Mayhem: Hosted By The Big Mosh & “The Chairman Of The Board” Todd Vincent


Heard LIVE Monday Evenings @ 7PM ET/6PM CT



TNA’s Eric Bischoff was one of the featured guests on this week’s live edition of the award-winning Monday Night Mayhem.



Eric Bischoff Discusses The Importance Of How TNA Is Actually Doing As A Company In The Eyes Of Spike TV, The Rumors Of Impact Wrestling Going On The Road This Summer, How Disappointed He Would Be If Mick Foley Left TNA At The End Of His Contract & If He Would Ever Classify Mick Being “Hard To Work With,” Whether Or Not Kurt Angle’s Full-Time Absence From TNA While Training For The 2012 Olympics In London Would Be A Blow To The Company, Chyna’s Decision To Restart Her Career In The Adult Entertainment Industry vs. Her Career In Professional Wrestling & His Reaction To Her Comments Of TNA “Missing The Boat” After Choosing To Not Bring Her Back After The Sacrifice Pay-Per-View, Why He Has Mixed Feelings About Mr. Anderson’s Impersonations Of Sting Over The Past Several Weeks On Impact Wrestling, Plus Much More In The Return Of “The Hot Seat With Eric Bischoff” (Flavored By Sizzlin Sauces)



You can listen to an MP3 of the appearance by clicking here.



Interview highlights courtesy of Paterson, MNM’s associate producer & official correspondent:



The importance of talking about how TNA is actually doing as a company in the eyes of Spike TV: “People keep making statements about how TNA is not doing well, or TNA sucks, or whatever juvenile trite that comes out of their heads. It occurred to to me that no one is talking about how TNA is doing as a company. Coincidentally, I got an e-mail from Spike Television talking about last Thursday night’s ratings. In the e-mail, it said that Impact Wrestling was the #1 rated show in its demo & in its time period, despite that we were up against the NBA Finals. Impact Wrestling is the #1 program on all of Spike Television. We outperform the UFC. To be able to be the the #1 show on that network in prime-time is a very significant achievement. I just wanted to point that out, because not enough people are talking about the good things going out in TNA.”



How disappointed he would be if Mick Foley left TNA at the end of his contract & whether or not Mick was ever hard to work with on or off-camera: “Mick wasn’t hard for me to work with. I thoroughly enjoyed the on-camera work that Mick & I had together. I think some of the best moments that I’ve had on camera on Impact Wrestling I’ve had with Mick Foley. I will miss working on camera with Mick Foley. In terms of being disappointed, as much as I enjoyed working with Mick, there’s a very limited role for someone like Mick Foley, a character like me who doesn’t wrestle, who is really only a talker. If you look at where Impact Wrestling is right now, there’s just not a whole lot of room for more guys like me or Hulk Hogan. We just have to be the central focus of the storyline and probably will be for some time, and there’s only so much real estate. A lot of that real estate has to go to guys who can deliver action in the ring.”



How big of a blow would Kurt Angle’s full-time absence be for TNA while he is training in London, England for the 2012 Olympics: “I don’t think it’ll be a problem at all. I’m a strong believer that when you have large characters like a Kurt Angle, or a Rob Van Dam, or a Ken Anderson, or you name it, you have to cycle those personalities out from time to time in order to keep them fresh. We have seen a lot of Kurt Angle over the last year & a half. He has been central to so many storylines that if Kurt needs some time away to pursue the Olympics, and I think the publicity surrounding that would be great for our company & for Kurt Angle himself, that it will give his character time to refresh and come back more valuable than if he would just stay around and work a full-time schedule like everyone else.”



His thoughts on Chyna’s decision to restart her career in the adult entertainment industry vs. her career in professional wrestling & his reaction to her comments of TNA “missing the boat” after choosing to not bring her back to the company: “I didn’t know she made the comment that TNA ‘missed the boat,’ but I was not excited with the fact that the company decided to bring her in for the (Sacrifice) Pay-Per-View. The initial thought was a turnoff for me, but I kept my mouth shut. When I saw her at the Pay-Per-View and saw that ‘deer in the headlights’ look in her eyes when it actually came time to do something, it kind of confirmed what my instincts told me. Then I read about the fact that she wants to build her career around doing anal sex videos for Vivid. I was really, really, really, really glad that I don’t have to try & explain to anybody why I work in the same company as her.”

Mick Foley - Is He WWE Bound?

Is Foley WWE Bound?


By Phil Allely

He has only been back on TNA screens for a few short weeks, but it seems Mick Foley may have left the company already.

In storyline terms Foley returned as the network representative, who was able to wrestle power and decision making away from Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff, and was a key mover and shaker in revamping the TNA brand as Impact Wrestling.

However behind the scenes many have said that Foley was becoming increasingly disillusioned with TNA and was looking to get out of his current contract. This past week on Impact Wrestling, a smug and gloating Hulkster informed the fans that he had pulled some strings and gotten Mick fired by the network.

Now it is looking like this firing may well be the real life exit for Foley from TNA. His profile has been removed from the TNA website and Foley’s own tweets seem to hint that he is open to a WWE return.

These tweets include him mentioning that with Alex Riley gone The Miz may need a new assistant, and he (Foley) was in need of a job. His stating that he can’t be fired, he only got back a few weeks back, right?. Plus putting it out to his followers that he seemed to think many of them may wish to see him back in the WWE. The most recent post being ‘I Pushed hard for changes I felt would benefit Impact Wrestling, I can understand how some people would interpret that as difficult to work with’.

There have been no official statements from Foley or TNA in relation to his leaving the company, but it’s is certainly looking highly likely that his storyline removal from TV is a case of life imitating art.

If this is true Foley may well return to the WWE, he recently made some positive comments in relation to Linda McMahon’s political aspirations and even saw his last book mentioned on WWE TV. With former stars such as Stone Cold Steve Austin, Trish Stratus, The Rock, Booker T and Kevin Nash all on the WWE’s books maybe Foley and his various characters (Cactus Jack, Mankind) would compliment them. After all we still have to find out who the mysterious Raw GM is don’t we?

TNA DVD Review - Mick Foley Hardcore Legend

TNA DVD Review: Mick Foley – Hardcore Legend


By Phil Allely

Over the years there have been a few DVDs dedicated to the in-ring work and life of Mick Foley. This TNA produced release of course alludes to Foley’s past in the WWE, WCW and ECW, but there is no footage on show due to the WWE owning the rights to it all. What we have here is an interesting look at the hardcore wrestling legends time so far in TNA. Those previous encounters/characters and historic moments have been well documented before, so it’s nice not to have them thrust upon us once more. This nicely produced three hour disc is a worthy addition to the collection of any Foley fan and for those who appreciate just how much the guy has given to the business he loves so much.

Kicking off with his debut appearance this is a well put together snapshot of the angles, matches and highlights of how much Mick has given to the TNA product and to its fans since then. There is of course plenty of blood on display here. Foley’s scrap with Ric Flair is according to the man himself one of his favourite matches for the company and even perhaps his last. Other encounters may not be as bloody, but they are often brutal and really do show that even in his broken down state Mick has got an awful lot to offer the industry today.

Alongside some battles with Sting, Kurt Angle, Jeff Jarrett and others across the latter portion of the disc, this DVD features a host of current TNA staff talking about Foley’s in-ring career, his contributions to the sport and the fact that he has been able to slide easily into the world of writing, and has written some excellent books. We then get to know about his lesser known charity work to a wider audience, Foley we learn works tirelessly for various charities and even gave the full advance for his Countdown to Lockdown book to charity.

Mick Foley – Hardcore Legend is certainly an appropriate release, not only with Foley’s re-appearance on TNA TV, but with the company’s new re-brand and embracing of the term wrestling.

Check out www.tna wrestling.com for more information on this release and others from TNA.

Mick Foley new TNA DVD match line-up

he following matches will be appearing on TNA's new Mick Foley DVD, Hardcore Legend, which comes out on April 19th: 
* Mick Foley's TNA Wrestling debut in September 2008 
* TNA Genesis 2009: Mick Foley, AJ Styles and Devon vs. Booker T, Scott Steiner and Kip James
* Sting and Kurt Angle vs. Jeff Jarrett and Mick Foley 
* Mick Foley Interviews Cactus Jack 
* TNA Lockdown 2009: Sting vs. Mick Foley for the World Title 
* TNA Victory Road 2009: Kurt Angle vs. Mick Foley for the World Title 
* TNA Bound For Glory 2009: Abyss vs. Mick Foley in Monster's Ball 
* TNA Final Resolution 2009: Abyss and Mick Foley vs. Raven and Stevie Richards 
* TNA iMPACT: Jeff Jarrett vs Mick Foley 
* TNA iMPACT: Ric Flair vs. Mick Foley 

TNA Bound For Glory 2010 DVD Review

TNA Bound For Glory 2010 DVD Review




By Phil Allely



TNA’s flagship pay-per-view Bound For Glory had to pull off an awful lot to please its loyal fans, the event promised a new world champion, RVD’s revenge bout with Abyss, Mickie James first PPV appearance, the EV 2 and Fortune feud was to culminate in Lethal Lockdown and after some teases Abyss would finally reveal who ‘They’ were, so did 10/10/10 ultimately fulfil its obligations? This newly released double DVD set helps make sure it does.



Opening things with a bang were Generation Me who took on the Motor City Machineguns for the Guns World Tag Team Belts. Shelley and Sabin proved once again just how slick a unit they are, systematically picking apart their younger rivals.



New signing Mickie James featured in the TNA Knockouts Title match, holding the action together well in her role as special referee.



The four-way battle saw Knockouts champion Angelina Love defend against, her Beautiful People partner Velvet Sky, returnee Tara and Madison Rayne.



Oddball team Orlando Jordan and Eric Young were up next battling the colourful duo Ink Inc. Jesse Neal and Shannon Moore were on form throughout. Their bizarre opponents were fun, but a tad too off kilter for many in attendance, Young’s comic turns however were spot on.



The UK’s own Douglas Williams represented Fortune in his quest to recapture the X Division Title, current champion Jay Lethal of course had other ideas. Both men used their particular talents to their own ends, Williams utilising his mat based style, whilst Lethal tried his best to fly and use his speed.



Rob Van Dam then finally got his hands on Abyss, seeking revenge for the brutal and bloody beat down that saw him lose his beloved heavyweight championship. The best place to do this was of course a Monster’s Ball match, where weapons are welcome and rules don’t exist.



Handicap rules were to the fore as Samoa Joe and Jeff Jarrett faced off against the trio of Kevin Nash, Sting and The Pope. With some bitter attitudes on hand, the teams recent war of words became a stiff reality.



Team 3D then made a special appearance to announce their retirement, the 23 time former tag team champs asked for one more match with the Motor City Machineguns before hanging up their boots.



Lethal Lockdown was everything it should be, a full throttle cage match where all hell breaks loose and the opposing teams finally get the chance to work through their differences with the cage and weapons as added extras. Mick Foley and Ric Flair had a brief ringside brawl before the EV 2/Fortune team stepped inside, Fortune having the man advantage throughout the first portion of the ten man event.



Flair’s foot soldiers took control from the outset, having a fired up Foley, Flair and the remaining team members at ringside helped keep the crowd pumped up as well. EV 2 however quickly clawed back some leverage of their own with each fresh man who entered, the extreme team proving to be better at handling the brutal setting.







The main event promised a new TNA World Heavyweight Champion and the trio participating all seemed equally likely candidates. Kurt Angle said he’d quit if he was beat, Mr Anderson was the star on the rise out to prove a point and Jeff Hardy was atop a short list of men who deserve a long world title run, if they can keep their noses clean.



The finish was a shock for many reasons, after the many near falls, moonsaults, Angle Slams, swanton’s, mic check’s and obligatory ref bump, the title went to the unpredictable Hardy, but he had a bit of help.



Prior to his win Eric Bischoff and an on-crutches Hulk Hogan appeared and in a major swerve turn Jeff turned heel to join them, blasting both opponents with the walking aids, to gain an easy pin.



The crowd were obviously stunned, as we saw a newly heel Hardy deck an enquiring RVD, he joined a smiling Hogan, Bischoff, Abyss and Jarrett, subsequently revealing them to be the mysterious ‘They’ as the PPV went off the air.



Bound for Glory was perhaps TNA’s best offering of 2010, a new champion was crowned, we finally saw EV 2’s veterans beat Ric Flair’s young guns Fortune, the under card held its own amongst the bigger tales unfolding, RVD got his vengeance on Abyss, plus we finally saw who the much hyped ‘They’ were.



The second disc here adds to the value of the package greatly, BFG was a fine example of how to do a PPV right but the extras go above and beyond the call of duty and help enhance an already purchase worthy item. There is a nice documentary style feature on the event, interviews, fan interaction footage and photo galleries to peruse at your leisure.

TNA Genesis Card to Date

It was announced on iMPACT! that Rob Van Dam would be competing at Genesis against a mystery opponent selected by Immortal.




Below is the updated card for the Jan. 6 pay-per-view event:



TNA World Heavyweight Championship #1 Contender’s Match

Matt Morgan vs. Mr. Anderson



Rob Van Dam vs. Immortal’s Mystery Opponent



TNA Television Championship Match

Douglas Williams (c) vs. AJ Styles



TNA Tag Team Championship Match

Motor City Machineguns (c) vs. Beer Money, Inc.



TNA X Division Championship Match

Jay Lethal (c) vs. Kazarian



TNA Women’s Knockout Championship Match

Madison Rayne (c) vs. Mickie James



Brother Ray vs. Brother Devon

Wrestlemania 2011 - WCW Themed Hall Of Fame!!!

According to sources the 2011 Wrestlemania (hailing from Atlanta) is to be WCW orientated/themed. Considering the company that rivalled the WWE for many years and almost beat it into submission in the late 1990s, is owned now by the WWE this makes perfect sense for the McMahon run operation to do. There are already rumours flying about that Lex Luger, Arn Anderson and Ron Simmons are to be inducted into the WWE Hall Of Fame as part of the event. There are of course possibilities that such former WCW stars as Booker T, Scott Hall, Kevin Nash and other may also be added to the HOF ceremony, they are all not under cntract to TNA at present. A big coup would be Sting, who was such a huge part of WCW that his inclusion would make the event very special indeed, however sources are saying that the Stinger is set to re-sign with TNA soon. Ric Flair, Mick Foley, Vader and others are off the card due to TNA contracts or other issues with the WWE.

Mick Foley Admits He May Have Brain Damage

TNA's Mick Foley has been saying in recent interviews that he firmly believes that he has suffered some form of brain damage, after all those years of taking brutal chair shots to the head.
Interesting to hear Foley admit to this as he was the one who willingly took those very chair shots, memorably the ones in his match with the Rock where a handcuffed Foley was knocked senseless by multiple head shots.

Mick Foley Headlines Irish Wrestlefan Fest

by Phil Allely

TNA star Mick Foley will be joining a whole host of wrestling legends this November in Dublin Ireland as part of the Wrestlezone event at the Glenroyal Hotel.

On November 13 and 14 Foley and many other names in the world of wrestling will be making appearances, talking about the business and signing autographs.

Check out www.wrestlezoneireland.com for more info.

Line-up so far includes: Mick Foley, Chyna, The Million Dollar Man Ted DiBiase, Virgil, Lilian Garcia,, The Honky Tonk Man, Brutus The Barber Beefcake, Tito Santana, The Genius, Rick Martel, Greg Valentine, Candice Michelle and (tbc) Jimmy Hart.

The event Will be one of the biggest ever hosted in Ireland and will see fans from all over the UK descend on Dublin to see their heroes.