WWe Review - SummerSlam 2013

WWE crown 2 champions at SummerSlam

By Phil Allely

WWE's mid-year highlight PPV SummerSlam delivered not one, but two WWE title holders in one night. First up Daniel Bryan worked the socks off then champ John Cena in a superbly paced and well worked main event. Here Cena and Bryan embarked on a wonderful story of highs, lows, near falls, high spots and much more. Special guest referee Triple H played his role perfectly too. Bryan's win was an inspired one as well, however the swerve turn that followed was even more so. As Bryan relished in his title win and celebrations Money in the Bank case holder Randy Orton interupted proceedings. The big story here though was Triple H turning on new champ Bryan and his subsequent 'pedigree' that allowed Orton to snag himself yet another world title.

The card itself in a slightly slow manner with Rob Van Dam challenging Dean Ambrose for his United States Championship. The match was OK, but never really reached the peaks an on from RVD could do. The inclusion of Ambrose's fellow Shield members, Mark Henry and Big Show all did help here, but not as much as the WWE expected. Van Dam lost out on the title via DQ, when Rollins nailed a spear on him under the ref's watchful eye.

The Wyatt family then took Kane to school in a 'ring of fire' encounter. The concept here was that flames around the ring would contain the action and enhance events between Bray and the mighty Kane. The biggest thing here was that the Wyatt crew were able to get involved in some way and bypass the fire. The once unstoppable Kane was put down for the count with ease it seems and was also carried off to a fate we may yet hear about.

Cody Rhodes and Damien Sandow were the future of the WWE's tag team division in many peoples opinion. But now not too far down the line, here we had them going toe-to-toe in a nice scrap. Rhodes did redeem himself well but and pulled of a nice win over the 'money in the bank winner'.

Many fans hope that in this latest run with the company Christian gets his best shot at a title and here yet again he came so close. This time around the world Heavyweight Title Holder used his skills to work Christian's arm and evoke a submission victory, to retain his cherished belt.

Natalya versus Brie Bella quickly evolved in to a cat fight and that worked well here. A shrpshooter from the Hart family affiliate rounded this match off nicely.

Brock Lesnar and CM Punk then went on to have one amazing battle in the ring. The guys here weaved such an in-ring tale here that you simply had to watch it. Hard moves came thick and fast and the set-pieces were top notch as well. Paul Heyman and a steel chair were instrumental in the finish, but what will Brock's win lead too we wonder.

The Dolph Ziggler/Kaitlyn & Big E Langston/AJ Lee bout was OK, but did not really impress we have to say. This was merely a filler scrap and it felt like it, Ziggler and Kaitlyn won by the way.

SumerSlam was an ambitious event in many ways. It did falter a few times, but the pacing did pick up. We must also feel for Daniel Bryan, after all he has now seen his title dreams stolen away by an opportunistic young man called Randy Orton. This means the main event scene sill be shaken up again and we need that don't we?

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

DVD Review: The Best of WrestleMania 1-14

WrestleMania is of course the pinnacle of the WWE's pay-per-view calendar. The event itself has seen some of the company's best matches, feuds begin or end and it has featured a host of well-known faces. WrestleMania was the wrestling event that saw the worlds or entertainment and wrestling unite, it worked so well that the industry has never looked back.

Of course there are many DVD releases looking at the history of the PPV and they all will showcase the event well. But what is nice here is that this disc runs us through the pivotal events form WM 1-14 at a nice speed.

Matches are shown in well-paced segments. We also get to see some specially made talking heads (old and new). We also get to see the event grow and build up its reputation as a must-see wrestling show.

Along the way we see 'Rowdy' Roddy Piper face off against TV star Mr T in a boxing match, Hulk Hogan battle the massive Andre The Giant, Randy Savage become world champion and the rift between Savage and Hogan unfold.

What is nice is we also get to learn how having celebrity involvement helped the PPV build up its profile and we get to see many of them here too.

Told in a punchy style this DVD takes us on a swift and concise trip through WM's early days (as number 30 soon approaches). Watch out for the well-told scrap between Hogan and Ultimate Warrior for the title at Mania 6.

Watch out for early appearances by future champs Shawn Michaels and Bret Hart (amongst others). We also get to see some pretty recent interviews with them too.

The Undertaker's debut is here as well, we have to feel sorry for the legend that is Jimmy 'Superfly' Snuka in that one. He did after all become the first man to fall to Taker's streak.

Sgt Slaughter's anti-American slant is featured briefly. There are also spots showing Undertaker wiping out foe after foe. Randy Savage's epic encounter with Ric Flair and we also see the rise of the next generation of WWE super stars.

This is where the likes of Shawn Michaels and Razor Ramon came to the fore. Their ladder match was a genuinely exciting piece to view. We actually feel the pairs pain throughout.

There was also the highly anticipated and well told encounter between 'Bam Bam' Bigelow and former American footballer Lawrence Taylor.

There are also appearances by boxing legend Mike Tyson and other stars of stage, screen and more along the way too.

One curious aspect was the brawl between Roddy Piper and Goldust, which saw Piper strip his opponent down to a set of female underwear.

When you look back at the first 14 WrestleMania's you of course think of all of the above and the rich history they bring. The characters, the storyline's and the memories each installment brought with it.

Of course this was also the period which saw the WWE change and adapt to its surroundings. Here we met the Attitude Era up close and personal.

The Shawn Michaels/Bret Hart Iron Man match may be tough to view in full. But the edited version here is perfect.

The real highlight of this release is (your reviewers mate) 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin's rise as the ultimate tough guy of the WWE. His WM 13 battle with Bret Hart is iconic and brutal to view. This was the match that Austin became a legitimate WWE star. The ending is one of wrestling's most iconic.

To see Austin pass out in a pool of his own blood is amazing to see yet again.

We also see Undertaker battle fellow big men Diesel (Kevin Nash) and Psycho Sid (Sid Eudy). All of which fall under is undefeated streak remit.

WM 14 saw Kane face-off against his brother Kane. This was an amazing match and still is today.

Finally WM 14 offered up our friend Steve Austin's match with Shawn Michaels for the world title. The ending here was superb, guest enforcer Mike Tyson turning on DX leader Michaels and Austin standing victorious.

By Phil Allely

WWE DVD Review: Top 100 Raw Moments

WWE DVD Review: Top 100 Raw Moments

WWE's flagship TV show Raw celebrates its 20^th anniversary this year and has notched up over 1000 episodes along the way. It is also reputed to be the longest-running episodic TV show . That is no mean feat I am sure you will agree. Since it's debut Raw has been a must-watch show for wrestling fans young and old.

This 3 disc set offers us a countdown of the top 100 moments that have been compiled from those 1000 plus episodes.

Now I am unsure of who actually chose these moments, but they have chosen wisely on the whole. There are a few that perhaps seem odd choices and ones that you personally may not rate as highly. This is as always down to the individual viewer and not something to sway you from purchasing this set.

So what can you expect here? Well first off each moment is presented nicely with a short introduction by either someone involved in that moment or a figure in the wrestling industry who it touched in some way.

It may be hard to believe that it has been 20 years since Raw became part of our staple wrestling diet, but where would we be without it?

These moments do indeed capture a plethora of the WWE's finest moments. There are shocks, laughs, emotional scenes and some outrageous events here. Each one will ring a bell in your mind and some even warrant a replay or two.

Your reviewer was especially pleased to see this 100 moments list feature a nice mix of old school footage alongside more modern ones.

So watch out for 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin at his peak, DX in full on comedy mode, Santino and Kozlov having a tea party, Mae Young get powerbombed and the Stephanie McMahon vegas wedding. We are also treated to Bret Hart's return to the WWE, Edge's emotional retirement speech and we even get to see some stars from the now defunct WCW and ECW make their WWE debuts.

These moments may not be a definitive guide to the show that is Raw, but they do give you a broad view of just what this programme has meant to millions of fans over the last two decades.

Extras wise we are offered the entire 1000 episode of Raw, which of course features a wonderful mix of new talent with some ring legends.

Blu-ray buyers will get an extra 6 Raw moments and a 90 minute Legend Roundtable show on the subject of Raw. This features Jim Ross, Road Dogg and many more superstars.

WWE Raw Top 100 Moments is available now from www.wwedvd.co.uk and all good retailers.

RRP DVD £29.99/Blu-ray £34.99

www.wwe.com

By Phil Allely

WWE DVD Review: Hell In A Cell 2012

WWE DVD Review: Hell In A Cell 2012

Hell In a Cell has evolved from being a one-off gimmick match to becoming the star of its own pay-per-view. The match itself is a fun, involving and exciting one. This DVD offers us the opportunity to take home the 2012 event. The question is is it worth doing so?

Well we will leave that decision up to you. But how about we let you see what you missed, or remind you of what you saw live on the night.

In the main event WWE Champion CM Punk defended his gold in a thrilling encounter with Ryback. This was perhaps one of Ryback's longest bouts to date and he held up well against ring veteran Punk. The HIAC environment certainly suited the storyline and the grapplers in question really did build the action perfectly. This was a perfectly enjoyable cage match and one that was well worth a re-view in our opinion.

The World Heavyweight Championship was on the line as well. Here we had title holder Sheamus face the mammoth Big Show. Big Show may be running down his in-ring career these days. But when presented with the right opponent he can still cut it. This encounter is a fine example of the big man on top of his game.

The tag team scrap between Rey Mysterio/Sin Cara and The Prime Time Players had it moments too. However a mishap involving Cara left Mysterio fending for himself for a while.

Elsewhere Randy Orton and Alberto Del Rio had a fun battle. ADR worked Orton's arm over thoroughly throughout this fine addition to their feud.

The dysfunctional team of Kane/Daniel Bryan defended their Tag Team Titles against The superb combo of The Rhodes Scholars. This one had its ups and downs and unfortunately fell a bit flat at times.

The rest of the card saw The Miz battle Kofi Kingston over the Intercontinental Championship. 

We also had Antonio Cesaro put his United States Title on the line against Justin Gabriel and a triple threat Divas Championship war between Kaitlyn, Eve and Layla. 

HIAC 2012 was an event that had its fair share of ups and downs. However when things worked they really worked and there are a few surprises awaiting the viewer as well.

Hell in a Cell is available now from all good retailers and www.wwedvd.co.uk

RRP £17.99 DVD, £19.99 Blu-ray

Extras: DVD (interview with Sheamus), Blu-ray (interviews and a match from Smackdown)

wwe.dvd.co.uk

www.wwe.com

By Phil Allely

WWE DVD Comp

WWE Home Video UK are pleased to announce an exclusive signed sleeve competition. This time there are 40 Survivor Series 2012 sleeves (20 x DVD & 20 x Blu-ray) signed by the one and only RYBACK up for grabs. All you need to do is pre-order WWE Survivor Series 2012 from the website at http://www.wwedvd.co.uk/survivor-series-2012-p-11730.html and you'll automatically be entered. (Those who've already pre-ordered have been automatically entered.)

All pre-orders must be made before Monday 11th March in order to be entered.

Good luck to everyone who enters and please feel free to pass on this information!

The Wrestling Writer Experience

 The wrestling writer experience.

I must admit I have a dream job in many ways. As a wrestling fan for over 30 years I never for one moment thought I would be in a position where I not only get to see my heroes wrestle, but also get to physically meet them.

During the recent TNA Maximum Impact tour live show in Dublin, Ireland I had the thought that maybe it was about time I shared my back stage and insider experiences with our readers here.

My wrestling writing career started about seven years ago now. A simple email and DVD review were all it took to get my foot in the door. Since then I have many hundreds of articles/reviews and interview pieces for numerous websites/columns and I am extremely proud of them all.

Even before I first put pen to paper, I was one of those young men who spent Saturday afternoons watching the bets of British Wrestling talent on ITV. I also found myself drawn to US promotion WCW, which was broadcast late at night and also on various Sky channels. Of course Sky in the 1980s also offered us the hugely popular WWE (then WWF) and there my story begins.

Maybe it is something underlying in me as a person, but I always seem to root for the underdog and as such, even though I watched the WWF avidly and purchased their Videos (yes I am that old). I did however spend an awful lot of time sourcing WCW/NWA videos and I soon got into rising promotion ECW too.

Over the years I was fortunate enough to see both WCW and WWF shows live in Belfast and Dublin and see such stars as Shawn Michaels, Randy Savage, British Bulldog, Sting, Lex Luger, Diesel, Bret Hart, Catcus Jack and many others in action. I now look back on these times fondly and know that my enthusiasm back then was what drove me to get to the position I am in today.

In those good old days, I was more than happy to maybe get to shake a wrestlers hand or nab a sneaky autograph. I did once get to meet WWE/WWF legend 'Rowdy' Roddy Piper at a record signing as well.

But it was not until I began monitoring the upcoming company TNA in the early 2000's that my life would change forever.

Since the company was small and yet to make its mark many wrestling writers gave it a miss. Which left me an opportunity to grab and it is one that I will never regret.

As TNA grew so did my coverage of it. With each PPV event the promotion gained more respect. Along the way the company mixed some veteran performers with home grown stars and it was a privilege to be able to write about it all as it unfolded.

Backstage wise I have a few stories to tell. There is the infamous one where I personally was barred from interacting with a certain (big name) company's talent in any way at all. This was due to my coverage of their rival. So imagine my glee when that particular company saw their touring roster stranded in my home town for days (due to an ash cloud) and I was able to capitalise on the interview opportunities the situation created. I am now back in that companies favour by the way.

Meeting your heroes can always be a double edged sword. After all we love them the way we see them on stage or screen and don't want to ever think they are any different in real life. Fortunately I have never really found any wrestler to be any different than I expected. Many of them have been so nice and friendly that I felt even closer to them (whether they were face or heel).

My first real backstage experience was during the first TNA tour. I made the trip to Liverpool to join a few key wrestling writers I worked with (and still do). I had no real expectations back then. I knew it was perhaps my coverage of the company that had helped elevate it in fans minds. But I was after all just a simple wrestling from Belfast and I was a very small fish in a big pond.

Well firstly once we (the writers) hooked up and finally met in person. As many will know much writing work is done online and as such you can go years without meeting a colleague. Secondly we headed to a very posh hotel and there we met TNA President Dixie Carter. Dixie is a lovely person and one that every roster member I have spoke to has no bad words to speak of. I also met her husband Serge too.

After exchanging pleasantries and a few ideas about UK talent that TNA may be interested in (at that time it was Nick Aldis and Pac). FYI Nick was signed soon after and is now Magnus. We were then taken to the arena and I got to witness my first backstage experience. In my first few moments I was introduced to a man mountain of a man called Chris. He was very softly spoken and friendly. He also turned out to be the un-masked Abyss. Abyss was a scary character back then and I was amazed that Chris was so nice and respectful to a bunch of journo's.

During our walk around the empty arena we met and chatted to many roster members. I was even fortunate enough to take part in my first wrestling one-on-one interview that day. My interview subject was legendary referee Earl Hebner.

We were of course told to allow the wrestlers a chance to rest, relax, work out and eat prior to the show. Something which you always adhere to folks. The term Kayfabe in wrestling is one of high meaning you know. It means that the fans should never see the wrestlers interact personally and to a degree not see you out of character. I for one did not mind this.

On a trivia note here, this was back when TNA utilised the wonderful six-sided ring and I for one wish they still did use it.

The venue in Liverpool (Playhouse) was an old theatre and was perfect for the TNA product (which today as then is more suited to an intimate venue, in my opinion). I even ended up sitting in one of the raised boxes with Dixie (whilst I reviewed the show).

Since then I have of course interviewed (via phone and in person over 30 wrestlers) and along the way I have learnt one vital thing, that is to not actually prepare for the interview. The reason being as long as you know the current storyline, you can wing it from there.

Over the subsequent years I have been very fortunate to have been able to continually get backstage access to TNA UK tour shows. In Dublin I almost became a wrestling mark, when one of my all time heroes Ric Flair walked out from the 'wrestler only' area and talked to me. This was a dream come true for me. Luckily I do have photographic record of it too. During this live show I met TNA founder Jeff Jarrett, D Lo Brown, Dixie, Mickie James, Tara, Matt Morgan and many others. I was also fortunate enough to be given interview access to (ECW legend) Rob Van Dam and Knockout Madison Rayne.

This was the tour where Flair decided to cause problems for TNA and ended up being left behind in Dublin. I now wish to clarify that, even though I was drinking with the roster in their Dublin hotel that very night I was not responsible for Flair's actions (lol).

What is nice is that my work promoting TNA has seen me gain a level of respect from not only them, but companies they work with. I have been able to review TNA new DVD releases and much more because of my coverage of the company. I have also been able to amass a wonderful study full of signed pictures and other merchandise. All of which I treasure and am amazed at possessing.

So what am I getting at? Well the wrestling world is a weird one, wrestlers can be good or bad. Smart fans know that the guys in the ring beating each other black and blue may be real good friends and yet they still do it. Us fans love it, writers like me savour the industry and some wonderfully talented sports men and women strive to be a part of it.

I guess if you are still reading now I have you for the long haul here. Recent years have seen me being able to interview many of my all-time heroes and gain some level of respect as a wrestling writer.

Now to bring us back full circle I must say this. In 2012 I ventured to Manchester for a TNA live show. My reason was twofold, this year the company decided to miss Ireland off the tour and I also simply had to see Hulk Hogan and Sting both wrestle.

Roll along to 2013 and TNA came back to Ireland. So of course I was right up there with the journo's to maybe get a wee bit of interview time with a TNA wrestler of two. The one thing I have begun to realise is that what I take for granted now is so special to a wrestling fan. So since 2008 I have ensured I take a non-journalist person with me to each wresting show I attend. They are now my eyes and ears (as perhaps the multiple backstage passes I have had may blemish my memories).

January 2013 saw perhaps my best TNA/wrestling back stage experience. Within the first minute I saw two Knockouts chilling out. My interviewing/writing partner (Kate McMichael) and I then saw (heel group Ace's & 8's main man) Devon sitting on his lap top. He was courteous and so nice to speak to. We then walked into the main back stage area, here we saw the majority of the TNA roster all chilling out. Olympic Gold Medalist Kurt Angle was one of the first to rise and shake my hand. I had of course interviewed Kurt when he was hoping to participate in the 2012 Olympic Games. Mr Angle was wonderful here, he also by his kindness allowed 'Cowboy' James Storm to stand up and chat too. This was after all Kate's wrestling hero, so this meeting did indeed so down a 'Storm'.

Along the way we also met and chatted to Rob Van Dam (who I interviewed during the last Irish tour for TNA).

Once in the allocated interview space we were surprised to learn that we would be in the position of chatting to four top TNA grappler's.

Over the next hour we got to talk to Miss Tessmacher, Chavo Guerrero, Bully Ray and Kurt Angle. Three of the four were wonderful, the other was, as we now know from experience out to wind up the interviewer(but funnily enough not the girls). That is not to say that I (well we) did not enjoy our interview time. You our loyal readers will be seeing those interviews here very soon.

What TNA do over their rivals is bring a personal touch to proceedings. If you are ever fortuate enough to be backstage at a TNA show you will be made to feel welcome. This was perfectly highlighted by Kurt Angle, when he took it upon himself to bring James Storm upstairs to meet Kate (something that Kurt had no reason to do if he did not want it) . Storm subsequently arrived and we all had a brief chat and got pictures taken.

This however was not the end of or night, after all the matches had yet to start and I had hoped to catch up with Dixie Carter too.

Upon returning to the arena we were informed that Sting would be replacing World Champion Jeff Hardy on the tour and we also got to meet the lovely Ms Carter again too. I was also stunned to learn that Dixie could set up a short meeting between us and my hero Sting.

This meeting has already been covered here and for once I did become a real fan and fluff some words when talking to Sting. The man was all I expected him to be and so much more. 

I guess the reason for writing this is to give you the reader an insight into the wild and wacky world we wrestling writers live is. It is down to loyal readers such as yourselves that allow us to do it and we are unbelievably thankful.

By Phil Allely

Eve Torres Pics

TNA PPV Review: Genesis 2013

By Phil Allely

TNA's opening salvo into the PPV world of 2013 saw World Champ Jeff hard retain his gold over the troublesome duo of Bobby Roode and Austin Aries.

Genesis was also the first of only four (real) PPV's for the company in 2013. This year will see (as your writer has hinted) scale back their PPV schedule to one that they can successfully build up to. The normal monthly scatter gun effect has been hit and miss at best,so a revamp was long overdue. We will now see the months in between the PPV's being filled with a stand alone themed event. UK fans will of course still see theses three hour offerings on Challenge for free. US viewers will get them at a reduced rate.

The opening match between the combos of Joey Ryan/Matt Morgan and Chavo Guerrero/Hernandez (for the TNA Tag Team Titles) was a fun encounter and a nice opener. Ryan took a nasty looking series of moves to lose this one for his team. Morgan must have been relived to have not tagged in there. The champs kept their gold once again.

Mr Anderson tackled Samoa Joe next. This big man outing was a fine one that highlighted Anderson's ability to perform well with the right foe. Joe fell to a mic check to see the Aces & 8's affiliate pick up a well-earned win.

Kenny King and Christian York's match to be the number one contender for the X Division rattled along at a fine pace next. York and King were on fine form and worked well together. York however was the man fortunate enough to pick up the pin fall, but a post-match beat down by King dampened things somewhat.

X Division Champ RVD hit the ring next. He and York's mutual respect was on the back burner here. Van Dam showed his renewed enthusiasm in the sport and York (in his second match of the night) had to dig deep to match him. RVD retained his gold, but did show respect to his fallen opponent post-match too.

In your reviewers mind the Joseph Park character has outlived his use. The return of Abyss must happen soon. His match with Devon here was bearable, but limited. Both men are capable of so much more. A&8's man Devon scored the pin to put this one to bed. The TV champ performed a post-match beat down on Park too.

The Knockouts Gauntlet cat fight for the No 1 contender spot picked up the PPV momentum however. This one was all about Gail Kim and the recently re-signed Velvet Sky. Kim put away the competition (Tessmacher, ODB, James) until Sky entered the fray and put her down for the three count.

Daniels versus James Storm was pretty decent outing for the talented pair. Each got the opportunity to highlight their skills and Kaz at ringside proved to be a useful component too. It was Kaz's interference that saw Daniels net himself a number one contender shot over fan favourite Storm. Storms time will come we are sure. (Your reviewer met the man himself at the Dublin live show recently, see our pic)

Stings match with A&8's member DOC proved to be a fun encounter. DOC and 'The Icon' fought in and around the ring here. Each trading the advantage, even with interference from a few Aces and 8's members this was the Stinger's night. Bully Ray made an appearance to stop the gang from beating down on his fellow face.

Jeff Hardy's World Title defence against Bobby Roode and Austin Aries was a perfect showcase for the trio involved. Hardy was on fine form, Roode was his usual dependable self and Aries highlighted just how vital he is to the main event picture in TNA.

The Roode/Aries combo work well together and if given a chance will become the pairing to rejuvenate the tag team scene.

The only downside here was Hardy's swift disposal of his opponents. Roode and then Aries were put away (unfortunately) too quick and we the fans were left feeling short-changed by the finish.

Perhaps the move to four main PPV's per year will see us loyal fans appreciate the TNA product more. The new format will allow the creative team time to build storylines and make feuds a lot more believable. The introduction of themed three hour events (to fill the gaps left by the missing PPV's) may just be what the company needs. These shows will concentrate on such areas as the X Division, Tag Team matches and much more throughout the year.

Genesis was a fair to good effort by TNA. Their subsequent UK/Ireland tour heralded exactly what your writer has said for many years. The Impact Wrestling live product has always been one you simply need to see and this year was nothing different. The tour may have lacked World Champ Hardy, but it did feature Sting and the much hyped TV tapings included title changes, Aces and 8's member reveals and live appearances by Hulk and Brooke Hogan.

By Phil Allely

Jake Roberts seeking fan support for surgery

WWE Legend Jake Roberts seeks fan support for surgery

By Phil Allely

Financially struggling former WWE superstar Jake "The Snake" Roberts recently created an IndieGogo page to raise money for much needed shoulder surgery.

Roberts (aged 57) has to date lost 60 pounds in excess weight and been sober for over 75 days, the longest stretch in over a decade, but his shoulder injury is getting in the way of his new exercise regimen.

Jake recently agreed to work with former WCW and WWE wrestler Diamond Dallas Page and vowed to get himself back into shape. With decades of abuse to his body (through drug and alcohol dependency), this is a brand new 'Snake' and one that many fans would love to see appear in the ring one more time.

The amount needed for surgery and rehab is $9,200. A figure that the grappler cannot cover at present.

At his peak Roberts was not only a genuine talent, but also the master of in-ring psychology and the art of the killer promo. His subsequent fall from grace has been painful to witness for fans across the globe. His appearance on the documentary Beyond The Mat highlighted just how far the legend had fallen.

Recent years have seen him no show indie events and cause promoters much grief along the way.

Page's offer of help has been welcomed by not only Jake and his family, but also the loyal fan base who still adore the man who made the DDT a wonderfully brutal finishing move. His legacy will live on forever, but perhaps this is Jake's chance to shine one more time and finally net himself that elusive WWE Hall of Fame nod.

Fans wishing to make a donation can learn more here. http://www.indiegogo.com/jakethesnake

Rewards for supporting this worthy cause include a signed photograph, a personal phone call from Jake, signed tee shirts, dvds, training advice and even an 'accountability crib' experience with Roberts and DDP.

WWE Publish top 50 moments of 2012

WWE published article counting down the top 50 moments of 2012. Listed below are the top 10.

10: Ryback “Shell Shocks” CM Punk on top of the “Hell in a Cell”
9: John Cena grants his 300th wish for Make-A-Wish
8: The Shield’s debut at The Survivor Series
7: Jerry Lawler suffers a heart attack on RAW
6. The AJ Lee – John Cena storyline.
5: The 1,000th episode of RAW.
4: Brock Lesnar’s WWE return.
3: CM Punk becoming the longest reigning WWE Champion of the modern era.
2: The Rock defeating John Cena at WrestleMania 28.
1: The Undertaker defeating Triple H at WrestleMania 28.

WWE TLC Review 2012

WWE Live Show 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 table, 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 (dark match) battle of the 'Santa's Little Helpers' In other words a diva encounter. This will of course probably make its way on to the DVD version of the show. Here we had a reasonable if not too exciting Diva's style scrap. Competitors were Alicia Fox, Askana, Naomi, Cameron, Tamina, Kaitlyn, Layla, Natalya and Rossa Mendes. The match was short and sweet, with Divas champ Eve Torres sticking her oar in to allow Namoi a shot at her title.

TLC started (proper) 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 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 need 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 returned 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 enxt leevl 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.

TLC 2012 was a very good event to round off 2012 for the WWE. The company may be floundering slightly talent wise, but things are looking up and after so many journos like myself suggesting it, there are now some fresh faces in the mix.

Here's hoping Punk can recover OK in time for his Royal Rumble encounter with a certain Mr Johnston.

Wwe.com

By Phil Allely

Jerry Lynn Interview Highlights

Speaking to The Shining Wizards Wrestling Podcast, Jerry Lynn looked back at his career before his final Ring of Honor match at Final Battle. Highlights from the interview are as follows:

On his run with WCW and the creation of Mr. J.L.: "Brad Rheingans had ties with them, and he had asked me to come to his camp and help train the session he had at the time, and I asked him "It's been seven years, what do I have to do to get a break?" And Brad said, "Well, it's all changed, it's TV now, you have to come up with something visual." So I had an idea in my mind before he mentioned that, 'cause I'd been going to Japan quite a bit for Universal Pro and Michinoku, and saw a lot of cool masks, and no one was doing that in the states. 

"And at the time the Power Rangers were pretty popular on TV so I thought I'd come up with something similar to that but not exactly like it. And they (WCW) said that was exactly what they were looking for. So when I showed them the outfit, they brought me in, but they gave me such a lame name. But I was probably the last thing they had on their minds, because they had a lot of heavy hitters, with the NWO and stuff. I would tell people, no, that's Jushin Liger.

His time in ECW: "It was ironic that I even went to ECW because when I was living in Atlanta wrestling for WCW I'd get together at my buddy's place and watch ECW, and I always swore up and down that was one company that I would never work for. I was watching Balls and Sandman trading chair shots, then they'd hit each other with anything the fans handed over the rail; frying pans, Super Nintendos, and microwave ovens. It was crazy. But I ended up there anyway... 

"I had a tryout match in WWF with Taka Michinoku, and when that aired, Paul E. knew I wasn't with WCW anymore, and he had Chris Candido hunt me down. He asked me if I wanted to do a couple shots. So I was like OK, this is what I want, and one more thing: I don't want some idiot hitting me in the head with a frying pan. It worked out alright at first, but then I wound up getting clocked in the head with that kendo stick, a few chairs here and there, and I don't know how many tables I went through, and how many Van Daminators I took."

On working with Justin Credible and taking the next step: "At first, I would come up with ideas involving here and there, tables and who knows what else, and I always asked permission first, and I'd get shot down. And finally, Justin and I had a 2-out-of-3 falls match at the Arena, and I told Justin before the show that we're not going to ask permission to do anything out there. We're just going to go out there and do what we do. And after that, everything changed. I was just tired of being held back. I had more freedom."

Working with Rob Van Dam: "The first time I wrestled Rob, I came back through the curtain, my nose was bleeding, my lip was bleeding, I had blood coming out of my shoulder, my head was stuck turned to the side, and Al Snow sees me and said "you look like you've been through a war," and I looked at him and said "it's not supposed to be like this!" It's funny, Rob and I played rough, and it seems like every match either he or I or both of us got popped open. And the more they (the fans) were digging it, and the louder and rowdier they are, the harder we worked." 

The creation of the "New F'N Show" moniker: "This is the coolest thing. I never could never think up a weird, wacky gimmick for myself, you know, some show biz name or anything like that. And in Asbury Park at Living Dangerously, I think it was Rob and I in his first PPV match, after a series of moves, one whole section of the crown started chanting 'New F'N Show.' And the name just stuck. It was kinda cool that the fans gave me that name."

On the current state of pro wrestling: "When you have the bookers and storywriters hired from Hollywood, and they know absolutely nothing about wrestling, it becomes, you know, what do you do? When I do seminars, I tell guys watch older wrestling from the 80s. It was working, they must've done something right. Like in the earlier days of TNA, I liked the way they were furthering storylines. When I was in the feud with AJ Styles, we would do stuff like one of us would jump the other in catering, and we're fighting over tables and stuff instead of going to the ring and having a Def Comedy Jam with microphones. It's ridiculous. 

"There's so many times with guys out there sounding like two kids on a playground going 'my dad can beat up your dad.' If you're really pissed off and you're serious, and you're in a built up feud and there's heat, you're like alright, sh##'s on, let's go. That's why I miss the old NWA days where the Four Horsemen followed Dusty into the parking lot of the TV studio and jumped him. Stuff like that. Or when Eddie Gilbert and Tommy Rich in the USWA, Tommy Rich just bloodied him and Eddie came out and apologized, he had tears in his eyes, a heartfelt apology, and then he turned on him again. It was brilliant. Old school worked. Old school psychology will still work, you just fit the fancy new moves like a piece in the puzzle, where they make sense. Otherwise it's just a stunt exhibition. 

"There's a lot of guys that are in this to prove how tough they are. It's not about that. If you do this for any significant amount of time, you're gonna lose. The human body wasn't made for this whatsoever... Brad Rheingans, the guy who trained me, told me the secret to having a good match every time is if you and your opponent go out there and try to make each other look like a million bucks. But now it's so many guys that are like 'I wanna get this in.' It's all me-me-me. And when I'm gonna be in there with someone like that I'm just like 'oh, God, this is gonna be like pulling teeth' and 'am I gonna get out of this alive?' and all, and they forget the show isn't about one person, it's a team effort."

If there was anyone he didn't look forward to working with: "I'll have to admit, Rob and I were practically married it seemed for a couple of years there, and there were some nights I just wanted an easy night. And when I saw my name with Rob I was like 'oh, boy.' 'Cause he wasn't going to let up, I wasn't going to let up, we were wrestling each other three nights in a row on a weekend, it was crazy, and all those house show matches were PPV matches, I think."

If the future includes opening a wrestling school: "That's a tough gig. You gotta have a building, you gotta have a ring, you gotta have insurance in case someone gets hurt. Most people who wanna get into wrestling don't have money. I wouldn't want to put someone on a payment plan 'cause who's to say they won't quit after a few weeks and then run around and say Jerry Lynn trained me, and they're the drizzling sh##s. So I'd collect all the money up front, but no one has money. So that's a tough gig."

For more with Jerry Lynn, including his time in Global (GWF), his chemistry with Justin Credible, working up the ladder in wrestling, the family atmosphere and the fans in ECW, his time in the WWF, watching roller derby and wrestling growing up, the faceplant against Rob Van Dam, injuries over the years, the beginnings of the X-Division, his favorite metal bands, his upcoming, and last, match for Extreme Reunion with Homicide, and the possibility of coming out of retirement for Rob Van Dam's last match, go to ShiningWizards.com and listen to Episode 66.