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

DVD Review: The Best of Raw and Smackdown 2012

The WWE produce so many of hours of TV each year that we fans cannot possibly tape or own them all. So the company very kindly produce DVD sets like this one. Here they pull together some of the best moments of the raw and Smackdown shows throughout the past year and offer them up in one nicely presented package.

This year we get to see the action unfold throughout 2012 and as all of us know this was a period in WWE's history that embraced not only the company's newest stars, but those of times gone by.

Across these three discs we get to see some superb matches and moments from 2012.

So what can you expect to see here? Well first up there are some superb verbal encounters between The Rock and John Cena. Rock and his guitar sing-along are worth the price of this release alone. You will also see Brock Lesnar make his return to the company.  There are also some nice touches as D-generation X re-form (for one night only) and some old school names turn up as well. I for one enjoyed seeing Vader back on WWE TV again. The build up to some of the biggest and most highly anticipated feuds of modern time are included here too. All of which make this a must-have purchase for fans across the board.

The Best of Raw & Smackdown 2012 is a nice look at the goings on within the company over the past 52 weeks. The best and most interesting matches and feuds are highlighted well. The quality of the bouts does range from decent to excellent and each does progress a storyline in some way. Nothing here is throwaway at all. 

One other bonus here is that the majority of the events featured here will be unique to this release and less likely to be repeated elsewhere. Which makes them all the more desirable for fans.

Whilst the matches are well chosen, it is nice to see the WWE have handpicked some choice moments from these shows too. I'll not ruin them, but any fans viewing will savour some of the events that book end the bouts here. 

Blu-ray buyer will be privy to six bonus matches and a host of back stage interviews and footage.

The Best of Raw & Smackdown 2012 is available now on DVD and Blu-ray from FreemantleMedia, via all good retailers.

RRP £24.99 (DVD), £34.99 (Blu-ray)

WWW.wwedvd.co.uk

www.wwe.com

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

Marty Jannetty news

Marty Jannetty revealed the severity of his ankle injuries stemming from his prolonged wrestling career on Facebook Sunday with a photo; one ankle is positioned sideways, and the other one requires a cast.

Jannetty is in dire need of surgery, but cannot afford it. He recently criticized his former employer, WWE, on the social networking website for financially assisting former talent with substance abuse problems and not those with debilitating injuries stemming from their time laboring for the company. He questioned whether he needs to abuse pain medication before he can receive financial assistance from the sports-entertainment organization.

Jannetty also ripped his former tag team partner and best friend, Shawn Michaels, for displaying little sympathy toward his ailments as well as his "fallen brothers," at an autograph signing last month in California. The tag team specialist showed Michaels an old wrestling program and said how sad it was that eight of the sixteen individuals who competed at the event died prematurely. Michaels' response was that he doesn't keep up with "that kind of stuff" and that he has other things to do, such as ride his tractor. Then, when Jannetty showed his shot ankle to Michaels, he only said "Damn!" and did nothing more. Bret Hart, on the other hand, who was never his tag team partner nor his best friend, vowed to take action in assisting him.

Here is Jannetty's post: "hey thanx for all of you expressing wonder and concern over them ugly looking ankles I got..maybe I shouldnt say too much right now for.. certain reasons.. but just know, they still work..and some days they dont really hurt that bad..it took a ton of hard work, training the ass off so that I could make it to the level where yall all know me at all..unlike Shawn, I wasnt a natural gifted athlete.. which is one of the reasons I tend to lean towards my students at the wrestling schools, who work the hardest, over those who may be a lil bit better but are naturals...oh, speaking of our Golden Boy Shawn..some of yall may have seen a lil while back where I said a couple of negative things about him, and..take it for what it is..I recently texted him about it..saying I wanted to apologize for things said in moments of extreme pain.. well, the Golden Boy yall love so much returned text saying, "I told you Marty, Im out of touch with the internet so I dont know what youre talking about"(the dude tweets more than anyone I know)..then he send a 2nd text saying, "are you still in high school?"....

"hmm, for apologizing ?? no one made me do that, I just felt it in my heart, and the lil bi### comes back with that?..I guess thats something the spoiled rich kid didnt learn about in high school or other wise...this is the same brat, who recently in an LA Rockers Reunion show, when I showed him an old wrestling program and said to him, "bruh, isnt this sad, look at all our fallen brothers just off this one card (it was about 8 of the 16 guys on the card had died, all fairly young..Curt hennig, Big Boss Man, Rick Rude Road Warrior Hawk, etc) and his response was.."Marty, I dont really keep up with that kind of stuff, I just got other things to do, like ride my tractor"...well, anyway, I said all that to say>> when he saw my f"ed up ankles, he had the same reaction Bret Hart did when he saw them..a Ron Simmons moment, they both said>>>"DAMN!!"...difference being, Bret, who was never a tag team partner, nor best friend at one time..took action..told me what we can do to get it fixed or burn the people who should but wont fix it..Shawn on the other hand, never did more than say DAMN!..well, moving on..for all of you sports peeps out there and you in particular Donut, yall all know that when you have one injury or ailing part, you focus on it during the next event trying to protect it..which Donut, yep, thats how I broke the collar bone last night in a match(Hedges, you were a pleasure to work with, wasnt anything you did and I think our match was GREAT!!)..bumping is an art, a must, and a thing you have to protect yourself with when doing...bumped a bit different last night, got a new injury now..one that will heal..but Im tired or this sh##..Im tired of being in such pain daily, when it could all be fixed..or should I go out and snort Peru and drink up Russia b4 the ones who I served, serve me???? and only need serving in a just way..aint wanting SH## for free..this is OWED!!..but...this post was just to say THANK YOU!! to all those who expressed concern on the emails..love ya all..we'll be fine!! and back again!!"

WWE DVD Review: Wrestlemania XXVIII

WWE DVD Review: WrestleMania XXVIII By Phil Allely The WWE of course always throw not only a huge amount of money at their annual PPV extravaganza WrestleMania, but they do also attempt to load the card with matches that merit the stature of the event. This year the company built the pay-per-view around two very promising matches and padded the the remainder out with some interesting and potentially exciting encounters. The two main high points for fans were the matches between The Rock and John Cena (which had a year long build up) and the hugely hyped re-match between Triple H and The Undertaker, which this time around was held within the confines of the Hell in a Cell cage. This DVD set not only features all of the PPV matches and the arena only dark match, but there are also some classic matches from The Rock and the entire Hall of Fame ceremony. From a match point of view the Taker/Triple H and Rock/Cena ones are of course the stand-outs. Shawn Michaels presence as special guest referee in the Cell certainly gives the ageing combatants a helping hand and shows that even though he is no longer an active competitor in the WWE ring Michaels can still make is mark there. The Daniel Bryan/Sheamus World Title match is worth a viewing (after the debacle at Mania 27), Team Teddy V Team Johnny has its moments and the WWE Championship match between Chris Jericho and CM Punk is a nicely paced affair. For many fans the crowning glory of this three disc set is the Hall of Fame Ceremony. This is a great event to witness and will appeal to fans old and new. The inductees are all worthy of their inclusion and each man (or their representative) genuinely appear moved to be there. Watch out for the reaction The Four Horsemen receive (this is the classic Ric Flair, Barry Windham, Arn Anderson, Tully Blanchard and JJ Dillon line-up), especially when you consider the fact that Flair was still under contract to TNA when he appeared on WWE TV. Dusty Rhodes may be a slight bit hard to understand, but he does a great job of introducing us to the legendary WCW/NWA stable here. Also of note is Christian's induction of his long time friend Edge, Christian offers up a funny, emotional and poignant speech that hits all the right spots and will make even the most hardened wrestling fan have a lump in their throat with its tone and delivery, Edge matches this and much more with his speech. The Mike Tyson induction is a real surprise too, his inductee's DX (Shawn Michaels and Triple H) ,make a superb comedy double act and this really adds to what could have been a very flat induction. WrestleMania XXVIII is a DVD every wrestling fan should own, the main PPV works well for the most part and the extras are more than worth the cost alone. WrestleMania XXVIII is available now from all good retailers and www.silvervision.co.uk Three Disc DVD RRP £29.99/Blu-ray RRP £34.99 By Phil Allely

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

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


By Phil Allely

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

RRP £29.99 (DVD), £34.99 (Blu-ray)

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

1PW Management/Shawn Michaels United Kingdom Tour Cancelled

For Immediate Release




1PW Management/Shawn Michaels United Kingdom Tour Cancelled



Due to circumstances outside of Shawn Michaels’ control, his agents at Encore Sports & Entertainment, LLC regret to announce that the advertised 1PW Management tour scheduled to begin on October 6, 2011 in London, England has been cancelled. Despite numerous efforts to work with and communicate with 1PW Management during the past month, our efforts have not been reciprocated. Shawn is very disappointed by this result, but it was unavoidable under the circumstances. It is Shawn’s hope that this announcement comes far enough in advance of the proposed tour dates such that there is no inconvenience to his fans.



To the extent you experience any issues relating to 1PW Management and Shawn’s cancelled tour dates, please communicate them immediately to info@shawnmichaels.com.



Shawn is anxious to see his fans in the United Kingdom, and efforts are underway to make this happen in the future.



- Stan sent word that there was 1 hour and 24 minutes of in-ring action at last night's WWE SummerSlam pay-per-view, down from the Money in the Bank pay-per-view.



- Carlos sent word that Marcelo Rodriguez made his WWE pay-per-view debut last night at SummerSlam on the Spanish broadcast team with Carlos Cabrera. Rodriguez has been working for WWE since 2000 on international versions of RAW and SmackDown plus hosting The WWE Experience recap show in Latin America.

Diehard DerekTalks Montreal Screwjob

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






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





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





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





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





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





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





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





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





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





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





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





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





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





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





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





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







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

Shawn Michaels DVD Review - Tagged Classics Heartbreak Express Tour, Hits From The Heartbreak Kid

DVD Review, WWE Tagged Classics – Shawn Michaels: Hits from the Heartbreak Kid/Heartbreak Express Tour


By Phil Allely

Considering his recent retirement and the fact that we will never see Shawn Michaels perform in the ring again (unlike many grapplers he has indeed stated that his retirement is permanent) this re-release of two previous discs is a welcome look back at vintage 1990s HBK.

Each one offers a nice collection of some of Shawn’s finest outings, Hits From the Heartbreak Kid features bouts against Bret Hart, Crush, Mr Perfect and Razor Ramon, there are also some tag matches with Shawn tagging with old pal Diesel. All of which showcase just how good the guy was in the ring and how vital he was to the WWE product in that boom period for the company.

Heartbreak Express Tour takes a slightly different tack as it covers mainly pay-per-view match-ups and spotlights two of the biggest events in 1996 for Michaels. These were of course his showing at the Royal Rumble (in highlight form) and of course the epic Wrestlemania XII encounter with Bret Hart that saw Shawn raise his first WWE Heavyweight Title.

Also on offer there is the match that defined Kevin ‘Diesel’ Nash’s career in the WWE, where he and Shawn had a wonderfully entertaining No Holds Barred battle. There is a fine effort against an on-form British Bulldog. The superb Summerlsam 1996 scrap with Vader and the In Your House spectacular with Mankind are also included in their entirety. A pair of matches with Michaels former bodyguard Sycho Sid are well worth seeing again too.

Overall these two shows perfectly encapsulate the classic 1990s style of wrestling and how much Michaels meant to the WWE back then. To think that a few short years later he would suffer a serious back injury and semi-retire is shocking (but displays just how dangerous wrestling can be), the fact that he returned to action in the 2000s and went on to be an even bigger superstar than before is amazing. The matches here on these discs are a great way to look back at what now can be called the first half of Shawn’s career and also give any newer fans the chance to see him at his in-ring prime. His second half of his career saw him adapt his style and whilst still putting in stellar performances, these are the bouts that Michaels true fans will adore.

Tagged Classics: Shawn Michaels – Hits From The Heartbreak Kid and Heartbreak Express Tour are available now from www.silvervision.co.uk and all good retailers.

RRP £19.99

Certificate 15

Running Time 4 Hours 1 Minute

WWE DVD Review - DX One Last Stand

WWE DVD Review – DX One Last Stand


By Phil Allely

D-Generation X at their peak were one of the wrestling world’s finest acts and biggest star attractions. Over the years the group has featured such performers as Chyna, Road Dogg, Billy Gun and X Pac (all of which featured in previous DX compilation discs), the leader always being either original frontman Shawn Michaels or his partner in crime Triple H, these days it is a joint deal with both men heading the 2000s version of DX.

This triple DVD set from Silver Vision showcases what must now be considered the factions last WWE hurrah (considering Shawn Michaels retirement) from mid-2009-mid-2010.

It was a slimmed down group this time around, no hangers on or lackeys threatened the limelight of our two headliners and the innuendo although there was some, was less in your face (if you pardon the pun) than previous tenures. This was down to Michaels own religious beliefs and the WWE toning down violence, sexual references etc. in favour of PG-rated output. DX 2009-2010 were a far more entertaining and less forceful team, and yet a frustratingly juvenile combo at the same time. But boy were they popular when they returned to the ring as a unit this incarnation, plus they shifted a heck of an amount of merchandise.

Across these discs we get to see the team reunite as Triple H locates Shawn and brings him back to the WWE. We see their decent feud with Legacy members Cody Rhodes and Ted DiBiase from its fruition to its end, their hilarious spats with Vince McMahon, Hornswoggle’s appearance as DX mascot and of course throughout the discs the lead pairing of Hunter and Shawn bicker, fight and have some crazy fun.

Alongside the collection of varying quality matches there are some priceless moments including a classic WCW influenced moment with Dusty Rhodes (featuring a guest appearance by Arn Anderson as the voice of the Shockmaster), a Mr McMahon birthday celebration plus much more shenanigans involving the DX posse. There are also skits with (US Price is Right host) Bob Barker, Ozzy osbourne and even boxer Mike Tyson, all of which keep things moving well and the momentum flowing nicely.

From a match point of view there are some nice meetings featured here, apart from the Legacy encounters (the Hell in a Cell match especially stands out due to Michaels performance), there are some fine outings against The Hart Dynasty, combos of Big Show tag teams (partnering Chris Jericho/Chavo Guererro etc.) plus the most memorable moments from this latest instalment of Triple H and Michaels mid-life crisis’.

The afore mentioned Cage match with Legacy is a prime example of just how well The Heartbreak Kid can play the crowd, work with anybody and how he had the unique ability to make anyone he entered the ring with into a star (just proving how much the man will be missed by fans, management and roster alike).

Running at almost 7 hours (standard DVD) and almost 8 hours (Blu-ray) this three disc set does just fall short of the previous D-Generation X DVD offerings (from a match quality point of view), but this does complete their story and for fans old and new does bring this chapter of the DX story to its logical conclusion. Rounding proceedings off is Michael’s emotional farewell from Raw and that really is the only way to do it.

DX – One Last Stand is available now from www.silvervision.co.uk for £29.99 (on both DVD and Blu-ray)

Wrestlemania Candid snaps

WWE Hall of Fame 2011 - Pics

Wrestlemania 2011 Final Card

WWE presents it's biggest show of the year

tonight at 7pm EST with WrestleMania 27 from the Georgia Dome in

Atlanta, Georgia. Below is the full line-up:

Guest Host: The Rock

America The Beautiful Singer: Keri Hilson

Special Appearances: 2011 Hall of Fame Class, WWE Tough Enough cast

WWE Title Match

John Cena vs. The Miz

No Holds Barred Match

Triple H vs. The Undertaker

World Heavyweight Title Match

Alberto Del Rio with Brodus Clay vs. Edge with Christian

Randy Orton vs. CM Punk

John Morrison, Trish Stratus and Snooki vs. Dolph Ziggler, Layla and Michelle McCool

Ezekiel Jackson, Heath Slater, Justin Gabriel and Wade Barrett vs. Big Show, Kane, Santino Marella and one other Superstar TBA

Rey Mysterio vs. Cody Rhodes

Special Referee: Steve Austin

Jerry Lawler vs. Michael Cole with Jack Swagger

WWE United States Title Match

Daniel Bryan vs. Sheamus

WWE Hall Of Fame 2011 Notes/Report

Ric Flair and Ricky Steamboat arrived together, Road Warrior Animal is

sitting with Sunny. Everyone is making their way in and this is truly an

awesome sight. I've spotted JBL, Kevin Nash, Sean Waltman it looked

like, Trish Stratus, Steve Austin and others.

* Jerry Lawler is

hosting the ceremony. Hulk Hogan's name got a bad reaction. Lawler

introduces the first induction, Hacksaw Jim Duggan. Ted DiBiase Sr.

comes out to induct Duggan. Ted talked about Duggan's football career,

his wrestling days and fight against cancer. Duggan came out to an

ovation and talked about getting into the business. He ended his speech

with a promo against the terrorists we fight and a trademark HOOOO.

Duggan's speech was met with lots of USA chants from the crowd.

*

Other people we've spotted include Stephanie McMahon, Linda McMahon,

Wendi Richter, Lex Luger, DDP, Sharmell, Booker T, Pat Patterson. Just

about everybody is here.

* Road Dogg Jesse James, Scott Armstrong,

Brad and Brian come out to induct their father Bullet Bob Armstrong.

Great reaction from the fans for BG James who doesn't look much

different from his DX and TNA days. This induction was way shorter than

Duggan's.

* A fan was just ejected by security for yelling.

*

All of the WWE Divas are out now to induct Sunny. Layla and Michelle

McCool put her over big as the original Diva. Nice touch with the Divas

inducting Sunny and a good speech by her. The Divas hung around on stage

with her. Sunny talked about her late husband Chris Candido and getting

into the wrestling business. She said that after tonight there is no

debate on who the original Diva is anymore. Ashley notes that only

LayCool spoke but the entire Divas roster was present for the induction.

*

Lawler introduced Terry Funk next who talked about his history with

Abdullah the Butcher. Funk is great on the mic as usual. Abdullah the

Butcher was introduced next for another short speech. Abdullah got

emotional and cried when talking about his family and talked about

getting the call from WWE. He had his trademark fork with him. Big pop

from Abdullah from the crowd. He thanked God, the fans and his family.

*

The Road Warriors and Paul Ellering are being inducted next. Their name

gets a huge reaction at first. Dusty Rhodes comes out to induct them

and puts over how important they are to tag team wrestling. Dusty has

the best speech of the night so far. Huge LOD chants as Animal and Paul

Ellering come out. Ellering and Animal have an action figure of the late

Hawk on the podium to commemorate him. Animal did most of their speech.

He and Ellering talked about Hawk. Animal talked about the day Hawk

died. They thanked their fans and family. Great moment.

* Drew Carey gets boo'd during his video and his jokes. Kane comes out to induct him. Drew said he doesn't care about the boo's.

*

Triple H is out next to induct Shawn Michaels. Triple H came out to his

King of Kings theme and put his friend Shawn over more than anyone else

has in their speeches tonight. He said Shawn won't admit that he's in

the Hulk Hogan Hair Club for Men. He also called Shawn the greatest

performer he's ever seen. He got emotional and told Shawn he loves him.

Triple H talked about their history together and gave HBK a new nickname

- Mr. Hall of Fame. Triple H has had the longest speech yet probably.

Shawn is out next to a huge standing ovation from the crowd.

Shawn

joked about how nervous he was. Michaels thanked everyone and said

there was one name he should thank but he couldn't say the name,

obviously referring to Ric Flair. The crowd "Whooo'd" at this. Shawn

thanked the WWE Universe, his family, the WWE talents and God. Great

speech by HBK, showed a candid side of himself we don't see often. Shawn

left to DX music and was joined on stage by Triple H, Sean Waltman and

Kevin Nash.

Shawn Michaels Interview Highlights and Links

The Score Television Network's Arda Ocal & Renee Paquette interviewed future WWE Hall of Famer, Shawn Michaels. Highlights:




Was WrestleMania 14 being the "toughest day at the office" in his career? (2:00)

"Yeah. Yeah it was. I wasn't in a good place physically, obviously. But also mentally. It was just bad, all around. It was the culmination of a lot of things - a lot of bad things. And I would love to tell everybody that I was faking - and fooling - everybody, but it was a pretty rough day at the office, to say the least. And I guess, because I was in such a horrible place at that time, I never really envisioned people really grasping the fact that - 'holy cow man, I don't care if I don't like him, that dude is beating the heck out of himself and he's not in any shape to be doing it'. Over time, people now get it. But when you're doing it, you don't realize that people are sort of uncomfortable watching you while you're doing it."



How he felt emotionally & physically after WrestleMania 14 (3:45)



His thoughts on Triple H vs. The Undertaker at WrestleMania 27 (5:45)



How he would feel if Triple H is the one to break the streak (7:40)



What he felt when wrestling Vince McMahon at WrestleMania 22 (9:10)

"What I really enjoyed about that WrestleMania is that I didn't feel the pressure as I did in every other one. Because that one wasn't so much - 'hey, Shawn Michaels has got to be Mr. WrestleMania and steal the show' - because I was in there with Vince McMahon, I don't think people expect a phenomenal wrestling match. Just from a pressure standpoint, that being off my shoulders allowed me the fact the enjoy that I was out there with my boss and I get to beat the heck out of him."



What he thinks of Vince McMahon, as a performer (10:00)



What was bigger for his career: the infamous barbershop incident or the creation of DX? (11:40)



Why a charity raffle draw to be HBK's guest at WrestleMania 27 (enter here: http://www.celebritiesforcharity.org/raffle/shawn-michaels-wrestlemania-raffle/)?



And lots more.



The full interview is here: http://radio.thescore.com/episodes/hbk-interview-mar-23-2011

DVD Review WWE Raw The Best of 2010

DVD Review: WWE Raw - The Best Of 2010




WWE’s flagship TV show Raw is perhaps its best known product and is also recognised as the longest running episodic programme on television (clocking up 900 plus episodes to date). This three disc set contains some of the most exciting, imaginative and entertaining things to have happened on the weekly show during 2010.



Raw like its stable mate Smackdown has featured many pay-per-view quality matches over the past few year sand 2010 was a year where the show itself was essential viewing week in week out.



Broken down into monthly chunks this box set has cherry picked the best bits from Raw and put them all in one place, making this perfect for everyone and of course meaning that we can all finally own and re-watch the great action and in-ring entertainment as it unfolded on TV, for the very first time on DVD.



2010 kicked off in style as WWE legend Bret ‘The Hitman’ Hart made a return to promotion after a decade , his triumphant return, hatchet burying with arch rival Shawn Michaels and ex-boss Vince McMahon made for great viewing and led to some nice storylines along the way. Of course this was also the year that we bade farewell to Shawn Michaels after his Wrestlemania re-match with Undertaker saw him fall short in ending the Phenom’s winning streak. Featured here are Shawn’s final Raw match and a his retirement speech, plus a nice match with Triple H as DX.



Elsewhere you can once again see how despised heel Randy Orton moved to the good side and became one of the company’s most liked faces in a short space of time. There is the Miz’s unrivalled rise to champion status and the formation and growth of the Nexus faction, all of which paved the way for many of the events that feature here.



Each month gets a quick rundown of highlights and then we see in full some of the events that transpired and often led into the upcoming PPV or next feud for those concerned.



All in all Raw - Best of 2010 has over 20 made for television bouts and each one is a cracker. Ones to watch out for are D-Generation X taking on CM Punk/Luke Gallows and ShowMiz for the Unified Tag team Titles, WWE Champ Sheamus tackling ECW Title Holder Christian, Chris Jericho against Evan Bourne, the King of the Ring final with Sheamus facing John Morrison and many others. There are also nice video pakcages showcasing the Shawn Michaels/Undertaker feud to date, a Piper’s Pit segment featuring Randy Orton and John Cena and a nice finishing piece looking back at the year that was.



The best thing about this DVD set is that even the most ardent of fan won’t have these matches on disc already and that makes them all the more irresistible to have.



WWE Raw The Best of 2010 is available now from www.silvervision.co.uk and all good retailers.



Upcoming releases from Silvervision include:

WWE Survivor Series 2010

WWE Tagged Classics: Wrestle fest ‘88 & ‘90

WWE Live in the UK (recorded November 2010)

WWE Top 50 Superstars of All Time

Bret Hart Tweets

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




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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Shawn Michaels Talks HOF and Triple H v Undertaker

Shawn Michaels was interviewed by WDFN.com this week and talked about WrestleMania 27, the WWE Hall of Fame and more. Shawn said that as of now, he's not aware of plans for him to be involved in the Triple H vs. Undertaker at WrestleMania and feels the match doesn't need him. Shawn said:


"I've heard all the rumors. As of right now, I'm doing one thing and one thing only at WrestleMania, and that's the Hall of Fame.



I don't think The Undertaker and Triple H need Shawn Michaels to deliver a spectacular match or make this incredibly interesting. Those two can do that on their own. Right now, as far as I'm concerned, I'm going to be there watching it like everyone else."



Shawn said he hasn't decided yet who will induct him into the Hall of Fame this year but mentioned names like Triple H, Kevin Nash, Scott Hall, Sean Waltman and others. Shawn said it's a decision he will have to make pretty quick.

Shawn Michaels Talks Wrestling

Shawn Michaels was interviewed at the first annual fund raising dinner for The Outdoor Adventure Foundation, Texas Chapter, yesterday. Here's what he said about his future in wrestling, thanks to Amarillo.com:


"I’m not going to wrestle again. The only way a 185-pound guy made it in that business is to do something nobody else ever did. The best thing I can do is to stay retired, because nobody ever stays retired. I’ll still be part of the company. You never really get out of the WWE unless you’re wearing concrete shoes at the bottom of the Hudson River, but no more active wrestling."



Shawn will be appearing on a new hunting TV show this coming June - "Shawn Michaels' MacMillan River Adventures."

John Cena Experience DVD Review

The John Cena Experience - WWE DVD Review




By Phil Allely



John Cena is one of the WWE’s most popular and most reliable superstars, he has been the company’s most dedicated spokesperson since his star rose there and he has of course stood stop the roster as champion on numerous occasions. This box set is probably the most comprehensive tribute to a grappler (alive or dead) that the WWE will ever produce, taking in many aspects of his private life and showcasing his many high points during his relatively short WWE run to date as well.



Whilst he is one of the most popular superstars in the WWE Cena has got his fair share of critics and people who loathe his act/style and persona. Although his ever faithful army of Cenation fans counteract them with ease. Saying that this DVD set goes some way to help those people understand just what makes him tick. It also highlights the huge amount of good Cena does for the general public and emphasises just how determined and hard-working he really is outside of the ring.



Apart from the two discs of matches on offer here the first disc is the one that will either make you buy the set or not. This disc is a breakdown of some of the activities Cena participates in on a day to day basis and showcases his life, home life and the charitable deeds he does in his role as a high profile WWE superstar.



There are looks at what work goes into the Wrestlemania experience, Cena’s movie work to date and the effect they have on him, the WWE toy range, his being a spokesperson for the WWE, make a wish appearances and his collection of classic cars. All of these pieces give you an insight into the life of one of the most well known men on the planet and lets us into his world for a while. It also lets you the viewer understand what being a WWE superstar or top level performer in any sport means to the individuals themselves.



One the match front there are a wealth of them to choose from, most are well known modern classics and feature some of Cena’s most best opponents and foes. Of course one of the problems with releases like this is that we already may own some if not all of the bouts included in the set. Luckily the range of matches on offer here make the likelihood of that minimal (as they cover 2004-2009 and take in various major and minor PPV events), look out for brawls with Rated RKO, Booker T, Kurt Angle, Shawn Michaels, Great Khali and Cena’s triumphant return to the WWE at Royal Rumble 2008, amongst others.



The John Cena Experience is out now on DVD and Blu-Ray, available from www.silvervision.co.uk and all good retailers.



Future WWE Releases include the Big Show starring movie Knucklehead (on release February 14th)