Video Review: WCW Souled Out 2000

VHS Review: WCW Souled Out 2000

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

By Phil Allely

WCW Legend DDP coming to the UK in 2014

WCW legend DDP comes to the UK/Ireland

Former WCW World Champion Diamond Dallas Page is to tour the UK in early 2014. This will be the grappler's first ever Q&A's in the country and will also offer special VIP packages, where fans can meet/greet, get items signed and of course have a photo taken with ring legend.

Page had a remarkable run in WCW (where held numerous championships), he was also a manager and did much more before the company folded. He then progressed the WWE, where he had a memorable feud with Undertaker.

Since retiring from the ring DDP has been working on his yoga empire. His methods have helped people across the world, many of them in the world of sports. He has also worked closely with former wrestlers Jake Roberts and Scott Hall, moving the pair in to his own home and working on getting the pair back in shape. He has also dabbled in acting and is a firm fixture at many fan events across the US. 

This Q&A event will certainly touch on many of his famous feuds, life inside and outside of the ring and much more we are sure.

You can see DDP at:

London, The Leicester Square Theatre – Sunday 2^nd March

Cardiff, The Glee Club – Monday 3^rd March

Birmingham, The Glee Club – Tuesday March 4^th

Manchester, The Comedy Store – Wednesday March 5^th

Glasgow, The Garage – Thursday March 6^th

Belfast, The Empire Music Hall – Sunday March 9^th

For more info visit www.eroscomedy.com

www.diamonddallaspage.com

By Phil Allely

---

Phil Allely

Retro Video Review: WWF Action

This will be the first of many retro video tape reviews I do here for my wrestling ramble column. I am finally disposing of these tapes and want to make sure all you wrestling fans know what they were before I do so.

First up we have the WWF's (yes this was pre-WWE times) release 'Action' .

This special video was a 90 minute look at some of the best action from 2001 in the world of the WWF/WWE.

First up we got a look at just how wonderful the attitude era was. The much-missed Hardcore Championship was one of the best inventions during this era and it was perfectly suited to the time in the companies growth.

The Hardcore Title was created for Mick Foley, but as the violent matches grew so did the titles legacy. By 2001 the championship had become one that had evolved into one that was defended on a 24/7 basis. This led to countless titles changes, many memorable encounters and of course some brutal scraps between some of the WWF's finest at the time. There are many highlights included here. This was a time where the title could change many times on one night and blood would flow with ease, unlike today's family friendly WWE.

Next up we saw one of the WWF of the times less family friendly approaches to wrestling. This was the 'bra and panties' series of matches. These were basically the companies attempt to draw in more male viewers and they were more than often shot scraps that saw one or both of the females involved standing in the ring in their underwear. Here we get to see Ivory, Chyna, Trish Stratus and Terri all involved in these poorly judged encounters.

We then get to see Perry Saturn become a deranged madman (due to countless head shots), the former ECW legend ended up becoming a joke of a character and instead of being aligned with Terri he became obsessed with a mop. I'll not say any more about this storyline as it was awful in my opinion and went on far too long.

The risque and Vince McMahon ego-stroking storyline involving Trish, his wife Linda and daughter Stephanie is equally weird as we get to see Vince kiss, degrade and obsess over Stratus, use his wife for his own maniacal schemes and utilise his daughters love the same way. We do get to see Trish gain a measure of revenge, but much of this was unnecessary.

This all led to a few matches that gave Vince his dream of entering the ring as a wrestler. His appearance in a tag match with Trish, William Regal, Stephanie is featured here in parts and works ok until we see poor Stratus degraded once more. (this was not a highpoint in her illustrious career of the WWE's)

Next up we got the fun and very well conceived romantic relationship between Spike Dudley and Molly Holly. This was a great idea and one that saw the Dudley clan embark on a violent series of match-ups against the Holly family. We don't get to see a while match here, but we do get to see some great highlights and some pretty brutal spots.

WWE legend 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin's heel turn as a member of Mr McMahon's posse is then given some time. This was a period where Austin held the World Title, was joined at the hip with (a comical) Kurt Angle and also put forward some of his most comical performances, just watch out for his guitar spots with Angle and you will see what I mean.

The buyout of WWF rival WCW was a wonderful event and one that many thought the WWE/WWF would have handled expertly. Initially this was the case and the beginnings were indeed boding well for an invasion storyline. However when push came to shove even after an initial burst of well-received matches and even a few title changes the WWE roster began to dominate proceedings and the idea of a separate WCW brand within the WWE/WWF drifted away quickly. The inclusion of the (also) defunct ECW helped a little, but did not do much to boost PPV buy rates and it dropped off the radar too. (ECW did make a brief comeback though).

Had the WCW/ECW invasion been handled better it could have become a huge piece of wrestling history. WCW had of course dominated the ratings over the WWE for many months and had almost crippled the company. Had Steve Austin and his era of superstars not taken with the fans they may well have lost the fight. ECW were never direct competition, but they did offer something different to the WWE product and gave us a much more violent approach to grappling. The inclusion of Vince's son Shane and Daughter Stephanie to the mix was a nice move, but yet it never saw its full potential.

'Action' offers a wonderful peek at the WWF/WWE at a pivotal time in its existence. The 'Attitude' era had begun, Steve Austin's star had risen and a man called 'The Rock' was nipping at his toes. There was also end of rival companies ECW and WCW to factor in, this was the time that the WWE/WWF saw its full potential as world leaders in wrestling.

It may not be available on DVD yet, but this video tape is a very interesting look at the WWF/WWE in a time of its history that many of remember fondly.

By Phil Allely

DVD Review: WWE Battle Ground 2013

DVD Review: WWE Battleground 2013

In recent years the WWE have taken to creating new Pay-Per-View events and expanding their reach as it where. We are all used to the brands main events, but sometimes it is good to see them offer up something else to us.

Battleground 2013 is an event that saw the company present us with a 'hardcore rules' match, a tag team scrap that involved three generations of a family and a world title encounter that had been many months in the making. There were also many other storyline spots and concepts along the way too.

Yes there were some big stories here at Battleground, but the one that that appealed to your reviewer was the one revolving around the Rhodes family. I have seen Dustin (Goldust) on a few occasions over the years and was always amazed by his in-ring ability. I even fondly remember seeing him at a WCW show in Belfast in the early 1990s and he had a wonderful match with Barry Windham that blew me away. Both men never entered the ring and Rhodes bled heavilly, it was amazing to see live from ringside.

In the last few years Dustin's younger brother Cody had made his mark in the WWE and he has fared well. But when the WWE decided to make a storyline about the Rhodes family it only made sense to involve Dustin/Goldust and their dad Dusty. Dusty is of course a NWA/WCW/WWE legend and one of the men who trains the up and coming WWE stars in the developmental side of the WWE.

I did digress a bit there, but what we have here on this show is a tag team match between The Shield and the combo of Cody and Goldust. With Dusty and Dean Ambrose ate ringside, this leads to a few fun spots I promise and a bionic elbow you simply have to see.

Let's just say this match is an 'American Dream' to see. Elsewhere we get to see Santino and The Great Khali tackle The Real Americans. This is well worth a view for the amazing sight of Cesaro doing the 'Cesaro swing' on the huge frame of Khali.

We are also given a Hardcore Rules match between Rob Van Dam and Allberto Del Rio, an I.C. Bout between Curtis Axel and R-Truth and a Divas cat fight with AJ Lee and Brie Bella.

The Kofi Kingston and Bray Wyatt match did its job well we must add, whilst CM Punk and Ryback went to exactly where it should have too.

The main event featuring Daniel Bryan and Randy Orton (for the vacant WWE Championship) was a joy to behold as well. The finish and twists and turns we dare not say.

WWE Battleground 2013 is a great addition to the WWE PPV calendar and it is well worth a viewing,

Extras wise we have matches, interviews and more.

RRP £17.99 (DVD), £19.99 (Blu-ray)

WWE Battleground is available now from www.wwedvd.co.uk and all good retailers.

Www.wwe.com

By Phil Allely

WWE DVD Review: Triple H - Thy Kingdom Come

DVD Review: WWE – Triple H 'Thy Kingdom Come'

Triple H (Paul LeVesque) is one of the biggest names in the history of the WWE. He has done it all in the company, from working his way up from an undercard status, to a 13-time World Champion and he has now of course not only made his mark behind the scenes, but married into the McMahon family as well.

This triple-disc set features a two hour documentary that continues to build upon his enduring legacy.

What can you expect from this documentary then?

Let us tell you some of the things you may learn within and also some of the facts and trivia. First up we must say that this may be one of many DVD's dedicated to Triple H, but this is the first that has really made the effort and allowed his real story to be told. We are also treated to a host of talking heads (from stars old and new), back stage moments, interesting information and much more throughout the show.

We kick off with a look at the early days of LeVesque (training under the watchful eyes of wrestling legend Killer Kowalski). We see his bodybuilding days and his entrance into WCW as Terra Ryzing. There are some nice points here as we here that Ric Flair pushed for his signing to WCW and also that our star opted out of a two year deal of $52.000 a year because 'I'll starve for a year, by the end of year one you will know I am worth more. It won't take longer than that for you to find out'.

There are nice moments were we hear that Paul was always at WCW training facility the Power Plant. He had the backing of top WCW stars Terry Taylor and of course his hero Ric Flair as well.

This led to his being repackaged as blue blood type character Jean Paul LeVesque and also a tag team partnership with UK star Steven (later William) Regal.

We then see him get an offer from the WWE and his career come on leaps and bounds. There were of course teething problems with the initial character and of course his adapting to the style of WWE to contend with.

Nicely covered are his inclusion in the infamous 'Kliq' (alongside Shawn Michaels, Kevin Nash, Scott Hall, Sean Waltman). Which led to not only some backstage power, but his loss at the King of the Ring tournament , the infamous moment where Nash, Hall and the rest of the Kliq broke character damaged Paul's future for a short while at least here in the WWE (an event that saw Stone Cold Steve Austin win the title and take the WWE to new heights).

However Paul was not a man to give up his dream, so he weathered the storm of losses and even battled to add Chyna (Joanie Laurer) to his character and thus we had our very first ever female wresting bodyguard.

This partnership and his friendship with Shawn Michaels saw the formation of DX. A faction that broke all of the rules within the WWE and rode roughshod over the faces.

This led to some great matches and also the formation of similar factions to compete with the group. The biggest turning point for Triple H was when Michaels was injured and he had to carry the group for a while. Mind you it was not until DX broke up that the Triple H really picked up speed and had some of the finest matches and titles wins of his career.

We are also treated to behind the scenes looks at how his storyline romance with Stephanie McMahon became a reality.

There are also looks at the nasty injuries that almost ruined LeVesque's career, the formation of Evolution (Triple H, Batista, Flair and Randy Orton). His returns form injury and the inevitable return of a more comedic DX (2006), the PG era had to reduce the level of extremity the faction could do these days.

Proceedings here saw Triple H reduce his in-ring presence due to more injuries and his back stage roles.

Along the the way our subject was (like many WWE stars) a part-time actor. He netted himself roles in the Blade 3 and also his own movie vehicle 'The Chaperone'. However he states here that he is not really into movies and thinks that he is happy to do whatever pleases the fans.

The documentary winds up by telling us how Triple H felt about Shawn Michaels retiring, his getting a real job (in the WWE boradroom), having a family and where he sees his future.

From a match point of view we only get to see one WCW encounter (unfortunately). However it is a belter with WWE legend Ricky Steamboat. We also get to see matches with Mick 'Dude Love' Foley, The Rock, Kurt Angle, Steve Austin, Shawn Michaels and a few other key WWE stars.

Blu-ray buyers will also see a wide range of extra features as well.

WWE: Triple H – Thy Kingdom Come is available now from all good retailers now.

DVD RRP £29.99/Blu-ray £34.99

wwe.com

By Phil Allely/Kate McMichael

WWE DVD Review: War Games - WCW's Most Notorious Matches

WWE DVD Review: War Games – WCW's Most Notorious Matches

Cage matches have been part of wrestling for a long time now. More modern viewers of course be aware of such structures as the 'Hell in a Cell' and 'Elimination Chamber' cages. But long before they saw the light of day there was the formidable feud ending 'War Games' match. Up until then the cage match was a rather clunky affair that offered up blood, but no real excitement.

War Games changed all of that. Created by WWE hall of famer Dusty Rhodes this was a match that took the traditional cage environment and put a unique spin on it.

Hosted by Rhodes himself this three disc set takes a look at each and every War Games encounter ever made. The design of the match was simple and yet very effective, WCW took two rings and encased them in a steel cage. Two teams would face off in the match, but as per the stipulation two men started and then after an allotted time members of each would enter alternately.

In the majority of these scraps the heels would always hold the advantage (even though a coin toss was supposed to make that a random thing). This of course added to the atmosphere and made us the fans cheer on the faces.

For the most part the matches here are above average. There are a few duds, but fair play to the WWE for including them all and letting us make the decision as to what works and what doesn't.

Highlights for me are the original match (1987) featuring Rhodes, The Road Warriors, Nikita Koloff and Paul Ellering versus The Four Horsemen (Lex Luger, Ric Flair, Tully Blanchard, Arn Anderson) and JJ Dillon. Which set the standard for this type of match and really does stand the test of time.

Another stand-out match is the 1991 Wrestle War bout between The Four Horsemen (Flair, Sid Vicious, Barry Windham, Larry Zbyszko) and the unit of Sting, Brian Pillman and The Steiner Brothers. This was a very brutal and hard-hitting affair and one that showed all involved at their best.

Other worthy additions are the ones involving Stings Squadron and The Dangerous Alliance, the Tower of Doom match and of course the first time we saw Hulk Hogan enter the structure in 1995.

On the minus side some matches, as stated previously are less worthy of repeated viewing. They still possess some interesting moments. The N.W.O. Make an appearance or two and some work better than others. The infamous Shockmaster turns up too (the former Fred 'Tugboat' Ottman) making a very bad first impression on WCW fans.

War Games was a wonderful concept and one that I do hope the WWE resurrect even for a one-off event.

Yes we have Hell in a Cell, Elimination Chamber and other similar matches, but there will only ever be one truly exhilarating cage match and it is War Games.

This set is slickly produced (as expected) and will most certainly appeal to many fans of WCW and those who long to explore the history of the industry beyond the WWE. Newer fans may find it less interesting, but to be perfectly honest everyone who says they like wrestling should give this. The matches here are (mainly) from an era where the action spoke for itself and storylines were more of an afterthought. Which is something we do not see as much these days. The matches themselves are also predominantly stiff and at times bloody. They are also unbelievably inviting and innovative at the same time.

Blu-ray buyers get a match Rage in the Cage match from Smoky Mountain Wrestling (1993), the Ultimate Jeopardy scrap from ECW's December to Dismember (1995) and a similar encounter from ECW's Cyber Slam 1999.

War Games: WCW's Most Notorious Matches in available now from all good retailers.

RRP £29.99 (DVD), £39.99 (Blu-ray)

www.wwedvd.co.uk

www..wwe.com

By Phil Allely

WWE DVD Review - Top 25 Rivalries

WWE DVD Review: Top 25 Rivalries

This latest WWE DVD is an interesting one. Whilst many of the matches/stories featured are likely to be in a lot of wrestling fans collections, they have never been compiled like this.

The Top 25 Rivalries set is a really great effort at letting us see just how important feuds are in the world of wrestling. What is also nice is the way the WWE are embracing the products of other companies too. Which means that even though this is a WWE heavy effort, we do see some WCW, NWA, ECW and other promotions classic encounters featured too.

Of course what any fan of wrestling will know is that it is a good, well-planned rivalry that will make us tune in each week to see what is happening next. I for one have been a fan for almost 30 years so have seen my fair share of top quality feuds and witnessed their final pay-off match-ups too.

Here we get to see the top 25 rivalries from across all the promotions already mentioned. Now fans of the more modern day WWE will feel a bit put out as many of these scrap/storylines here are from eras gone by. But you know what give them a chance as this is a wonderful way to learn about the grapplers that wrestling industry we know today.

Many of the faces and matches here feature some of the industries legendary names. Now our host Renee Young and her references to the periodic table did confuse me, but that is only a minor thing for me and does in no way take anything away from the show here.

So what can you expect here? Well you will get to see Sabu and Taz battle it out in ECW, Mr McMahon and Stone Cold have the feud that took the WWE to a whole new level, Ric Flair and Ricky Steamboat have matches that we all wish we could have seen live in the NWA/WCW, Edge take on John Cena in some thrilling encounters, Hulk Hogan at his WWE prime, Undertaker and Mankind's most brutal outings and much more.

What I personally enjoyed here were the references to the 1980s legends who paved the way for the rise of the WWE's 'Attitude Era' and WCW's now period. This is where we get to see the Fabulous Freebirds, Von Erich's, Bruiser Brody and many more old school stars highlighted.

The talking heads with each rivaly are well sourced and give us a nice insight into the affair at hand. Be it former announcer Mean Gene, Billy Gunn, Shane Douglas or Road Dogg, they all have a fair point and story to tell.

It is a shame that due to Hogan and others being in TNA we do not get any up to date interviews with them. But its no real big deal they are not here.

Now a few feuds featured I have not mentioned yet are the ones that will enthral many viewers the most. These are the infamous Shawn Michaels and Bret Hart one, which of course led to the Montreal Screwjob for the WWE title. There are also nice looks at Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage feud. Plus of course the way that the WWE (then WWE) built WrestleMania into the monster it is today.

The first disc here features the 25 rivalies countdown. The others house the matches and other extras. All of which are well worth a view.

WWE The Top 25 Rivalries is available from all good retailers on June 24^th 2013.

DVD RRP £24.99/Blu-Ray RRP £34.99

www.wwedvd.co.uk

www.wwe.com

By Phil Allely

WWE DVD Review - Top 25 Rivalries

WWE DVD Review: Top 25 Rivalries

This latest WWE DVD is an interesting one. Whilst many of the matches/stories featured are likely to be in a lot of wrestling fans collections, they have never been compiled like this.

The Top 25 Rivalries set is a really great effort at letting us see just how important feuds are in the world of wrestling. What is also nice is the way the WWE are embracing the products of other companies too. Which means that even though this is a WWE heavy effort, we do see some WCW, NWA, ECW and other promotions classic encounters featured too.

Of course what any fan of wrestling will know is that it is a good, well-planned rivalry that will make us tune in each week to see what is happening next. I for one have been a fan for almost 30 years so have seen my fair share of top quality feuds and witnessed their final pay-off match-ups too.

Here we get to see the top 25 rivalries from across all the promotions already mentioned. Now fans of the more modern day WWE will feel a bit put out as many of these scrap/storylines here are from eras gone by. But you know what give them a chance as this is a wonderful way to learn about the grapplers that wrestling industry we know today.

Many of the faces and matches here feature some of the industries legendary names. Now our host Renee Young and her references to the periodic table did confuse me, but that is only a minor thing for me and does in no way take anything away from the show here.

So what can you expect here? Well you will get to see Sabu and Taz battle it out in ECW, Mr McMahon and Stone Cold have the feud that took the WWE to a whole new level, Ric Flair and Ricky Steamboat have matches that we all wish we could have seen live in the NWA/WCW, Edge take on John Cena in some thrilling encounters, Hulk Hogan at his WWE prime, Undertaker and Mankind's most brutal outings and much more.

What I personally enjoyed here were the references to the 1980s legends who paved the way for the rise of the WWE's 'Attitude Era' and WCW's now period. This is where we get to see the Fabulous Freebirds, Von Erich's, Bruiser Brody and many more old school stars highlighted.

The talking heads with each rivaly are well sourced and give us a nice insight into the affair at hand. Be it former announcer Mean Gene, Billy Gunn, Shane Douglas or Road Dogg, they all have a fair point and story to tell.

It is a shame that due to Hogan and others being in TNA we do not get any up to date interviews with them. But its no real big deal they are not here.

Now a few feuds featured I have not mentioned yet are the ones that will enthral many viewers the most. These are the infamous Shawn Michaels and Bret Hart one, which of course led to the Montreal Screwjob for the WWE title. There are also nice looks at Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage feud. Plus of course the way that the WWE (then WWE) built WrestleMania into the monster it is today.

The first disc here features the 25 rivalries countdown. The others house the matches and other extras. All of which are well worth a view.

WWE The Top 25 Rivalries is available from all good retailers on June 24^th 2013.

DVD RRP £24.99/Blu-Ray RRP £34.99

www.wwedvd.co.uk

www.wwe.com

By Phil Allely

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

RRP £24.99 (DVD), £34.99 (Blu-ray) 

wwwedvd.co.uk

By Phil Allely

Book Review: The Hardcore Truth - The Bob Holly Story

Book Review: The Hardcore Truth – The Bob Holly Story

American wrestler Bob Holly first popped up on your reviewers radar when he one of the company's mid-card stars and your reviewer was a mere fan with mere dreams of having his own wrestling column (we both have come a long way since then). Holly back then was one of the WWE (then WWF's) newest stars, he was then portraying a character called Thurman 'Sparky' Plugg and to a degree was living the dream, as this car racing incarnation somewhat echoed his own life.

Plugg soon became a thing of the past and Holly went through various in-ring persona's. Some worked better than others, but to his credit Bob still went out there each night and performed to the best of his ability. It was his rejuvenation as a hardcore brawler that saw him finally find career fulfilment and main even wrestling honours.

I first encountered Holly's co-writer Ross Williams a few years back when I was working on piece on Ireland's most famous wrestler Dave 'Fit' Finlay. Williams was a wonderful person to work with back then and we have since became good friends. However whilst I knew of his career in business, acting and as a wrestler, I was quite excited to hear he was embarking on one as a writer too.

So now a few years down the line I am very proud to be one of a few select UK reviewers to be able to critique this fine look at the life of Bob Holly, written by Bob Howard (aka Bob Holly) and of course Ross Williams.

'The Hardcore Truth' is a very well told account of how a hard-working man from Califronia was able to overcome the odds in one of the worlds biggest wrestling organisations and come out of it relatively unscathed.

Howard's early wrestling career was a tough one. He worked hard and kept his head down, as most young grapplers do and he still encountered much politics.

What is refreshing here is that unlike many wrestler biographies this is a book that does not dwell on any bad times. Here we get a warts and all take on Holly's life in the WWE and beyond and it is a wonderfully entertaining and informative one.

The backstage tales of wrestles egos, tantrums, storyline madness and much more make this a book no serious wrestling fan can be without.

I don't want to ruin your reading pleasure, but lets just say that this is one of those rare things, it is a book you cannot put down when you start reading.

Williams and Holly/Howard have worked very closely here. Their images of life in the WWE are unbelievable and yet we now know they are true. The quotes and stories are superbly told too. This is a unique look at the life and career of someone who gave 16 years of his life to an organisation and whilst he found found fame and fortune, he was still left adrift by them.

Bob Holly will always be the hardcore wrestler I remember him as. He was always entertaining, gave his all and most of all he believed in what he did.

I for one would love to see Bob find a place in some wrestling organisations backstage team someday soon. He would be a wonderful trainer/backstage producer. I also wish Ross all the best in his future writing career too.

The Hardcore Truth – The Bob Holly Story, is available from ECW Press now.

Www.ecwpres.com

By Phil Allely

TNA Lockdown 2013 Review

TNA Lockdown Review 2013

By Phil Allely

In a perfectly pitched reveal/swerve TNA's Bully Ray not only won the World Heavyweight Championship, but proved that the long-running Aces & 8's storyline arc was well worth the wait too.

Ray's main event cage match with Jeff Hardy was a hard-hitting, back and forth affair. During the match Bully kept high-flyer Hardy at bay, unleashing solid shots on the champ. The match took a new turn when A&8's members hit the ring. Ray/Hardy joined forces to dispatch their collective foes. However things got interesting when Hulk Hogan and (Ray's wife) Brooke Hogan joined in the mayhem. During a scuffle with the Ace's Ray pulled off one of the best swerves in recent wrestling history.

He with an assist from his former tag team partner Devon nailed Hardy with a weapon to net himself his first World Heavyweight Title.

Post match Ray announced his true colours, as the President of Aces & 8's, shocking the Hogan’s and fan alike.

The event also offered up many exciting bouts. Some within the steel cage and the always entertaining Lethal Lockdown match was set to pit Team TNA against The Aces & 8's.

Kenny King successfully defended his X Division Championship. His opponents Zema Ion and Christian York were on fine form throughout. This opener did exactly what it should, it picked the viewer up and drew them into proceedings. King retained his gold after a well-paced finishing sequence.

The Joseph Park and Joey Ryan feud took a more comedy route next. Ryan and Park (Abyss) tried their best, but it never really gelled. Park overcame Ryan, to pull off his first ever TNA PPV win.

The Knockouts Championship encounter between Gail Kim and champ Velvet Sky was a short, but well-received affair. Kim's frustration with referee Taryn Terrell saw her slap the ref and fall to Sky whilst being distracted.

Robbie E and Robbie T then went toe-to-toe in a fun, but ultimately unexciting affair. Big man Robbie T's win was a well-earned one for the often underused Welshman.

There were fears that TNA Tag Team Champions Bobby Roode and Austin Aries title defence may not happen as rumours of Roode's contract situation unfolded. Thankfully all was good for all concerned and the match took place. Chavo/Hernandez were definitely the men to watch out for here. Roode pulled off the win for his team after all six men fought their way around the arena and traded some fluid exchanges.

The first cage match of the nigh saw Wes Brisco face former mentor Kurt Angle. The action was solid, but not spectacular. A ref bump and D-Lo Brown run-in allowed Aces & 8’s member Brisco to nab a surprise victory.

ACE & 8’s dominated the early stages of the always enthralling Lethal Lockdown match. Told well the action unfolded perfectly with the heel team having the numbers advantage for the majority of the scrap. Bischoff took the brunt of Team TNA’s assault. Things really kicked off when last man out Sting brought an assortment of weapons with him. There were some nice spots including a ‘tower of doom’ and Eric Young’s cage top elbow to win the encounter.

Team TNA’s celebrations over the Aces were short-lived of course, as the faction’s President was unveiled (Bully Ray) and he is now also the world champion too.

What this means for TNA we don’t know, but whilst one half of the Aces & 8’s storyline has unfolded, there are still many questions to answer. Its nice to see Ray & Devon back together, Ray as champ will freshen up the title picture.  Lockdown offered up some solid action, Lethal Lockdown, the tag team, X Divison and main event all delivered the goods, making it an above average TNA PPV.

 By Phil Allely

www.impactwrestling.com

---

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

By Phil Allely