Hunt to Kill - Steve Austin Movie/DVD Review

Hunt To Kill DVD Review

By Phil Allely

Former WWE headliner and all round wrestling legend Steve Austin has been fortunate enough to make the move from grappling to acting relatively smoothly and has missed out on many of the pitfalls his peers have encountered over the years. Many wrestlers ending up portraying parodies of their former selves or making the odd hit film and then slipping back into the ring when the movie business stops calling.

Austin has had a fair few hits in the last few years, his acting experience of course dates back to his early WWE days when he had some TV bit parts, featured in the Adam Sandler vehicle The Longest Yard and their success sowed the seed that he one day may become a full time actor.

Recent outings in mega action hit The Expendables and his own vehicle The Stranger are now followed up by this film Hunt To Kill. After rubbing shoulders with such legends as Sylvester Stallone, Jet Li, Bruce Willis and genre greats like, Jason Statham, Dolph Lundgren, Hunt To Kill is Austin’s latest attempt to crack the big leagues and become a headline star in his own right. The good news is that he has achieved just that, his previous roles and dedication to his acting work have paid off in spades here, as he holds his own against some top class actors and has a lovely few scenes with Hollywood star Eric Roberts amongst other s here.

Hunt to Kill follows the life of hard as nails Border Patrol Agent Jim Rhodes (Austin) and his teenage daughter. Rhodes’ is struggling to bring up a rebellious teenager and get over the loss of an old friend, when a group of nasty killers decide to visit town in search of their missing heist money and the man who betrayed them.

The story itself is a decent enough affair, Rhodes’ is forced to assist the group, or risk his daughters life and in turn utilise all of his survival skills and natural born ability to stay safe, well and avoid the brutality the gang can hand out. Eventually turning the tables on the hard-nosed crew of misfits as he outsmarts them and begins his own game of hunt the bad guy. Rhodes is the perfect character for Austin to portray, he has the rugged appeal that fans of his will approve of and the wilderness and remote setting of the action helps build things up to make him the focus of all the action.

Austin is a very good leading man, taking on the mantle from the likes of Willis, Segal, Stallone etc in letting his action hero bravado and nice selection of one-liners make up for any acting gaps. The picture’s pacing is great building up nicely to a frantic finish, the small cast of well known actors help elevate the project too, Michael Hogan (Battlestar Galactica), Gil Bellows (The Expendables) and Roberts all lend weight to a pretty good plot that invites you into the pain and pressure Rhodes is put under.

Hunt to Kill does indeed offer plenty of thrills and spills, it sets Steve Austin in good stead as a natural successor to the throne of all round action hero and go-to-guy that the aforementioned legends once had. Wrestling fans and action movie enthusiasts will enjoy this in equal measure.

Hunt to Kill gets a 4 out of 5

Hunt to Kill is released on 11 October on DVD and Blu-Ray from Anchor Bay Entertainment

Look out soon for our exclusive Steve Austin interview, talking about Hunt to Kill and Wrestling.

DVD Review: Glamour, Glitz & Divas

DVD Review: Glamour, Glitz and Divas

By Phil Allely

Women wrestlers have always been a part of the sport since it began, back in the day they were of course actually able to work a match and not the untalented eye candy they are represented by in many of today’s wrestling organisations. These ladies were hard-hitting, tough talking all action heroines and they did indeed pave the way for many of modern wrestling’s leading starlets or divas as they have become known.
But just what does it mean to be a wrestling female? This release from Big Vision tries its best to show you what many of the women in wrestling have went through and also what they achieved.

The idea behind this documentary is to let us the viewer into a world we know nothing about, the one where females have to try to find their niche in an industry predominantly promoted, watched and competed in by men.

The stories are amazing to hear, sometimes hilarious, often shocking and yet so unbelievable to hear ,that each woman and her tales are welcomed with opened arms.

Going way back to the 1940s and The Fabulous Moolah and Mae Young this show takes in everything it can about the idea of women facing each other in the ring. Each of the talking heads has a story to tell and most present their particular one with style, honesty and aplomb.

This DVD is a wonderful insight into a world we only see one side of as fans and rarely if ever do we see it form the female perspective. To hear road stories, the experiences of these ladies and their peers, plus the peek behind the curtains into how they are often treated is impressive to say the least.

The fact that this release talks to some of the industries most well know females helps too, seeing people like Joanie ‘Chyna’ Laurer, Tammy ‘Sunny’ Sytch, (the late) Sherrie Martel and Missy Hyatt talk openly about the industry, their experiences, their various addictions, personal issues and more all helps to build up a picture that a great many wrestling fans don’t realise even exists.

For fans new and old this is a nice little snapshot of one side of wrestling that although highly publicised, mainly through photo shoots and some glamourous ring outifts, we really dont know much about the way the ladies are treated and how they feel about their place in wrestling.

There are some great sections too, where some of the girls openly discuss how they capitalised on their fame and high profle, many have went on to write books, act, sing and of course the inevitable Playboy Photoshoot that can earn them big bucks and gain them a cult following. Of course the flip side is presented too, the one where careers never pick after being dropped by a company, personal issues and ego prove to be downfalls and some never recover from them. The dark side of wrestling is not a male only part of the business and thast something this production goes out of its way to show.

Many of the lesser known faces who were interviewed during the making of this dvd have now went on to bigger and better things, most were struggling nightly at Indy shows here and now work for the likes of the WWE or TNA. Of course some have had their moments in the limelight and are now back receiving low payment sat small shows once more after being used and thrown away by the big two US companies, Nikki Roxx being one of them. She was better known as TNA's Roxxi, who returned in 2010 for a short run with the company, after being willing to have her head shaved and bleed for the promotion, yet in a very short time she was let go again.

Extras wise we have a selection of matches featuring Sara Del Ray, Nikki Roxx, Mercedes Martinez and Cheerleader Melissa. all of which are roughly shot, but great to see.

Glamour, Glitz and Divas gets a 7 out of 10, check out www.bvdvd.com for more information.

TNA's Tommy Dreamer Interview

Tommy Talks About His Extreme Dreams For TNA

By Phil Allely

Legendary extreme wrestling hero Tommy Dreamer booked and organised TNA’s celebration of that often violent genre at this years HardCORE Justice event. Sunsport caught up with EV2.0 leader Tommy following that very PPV and learnt what we viewers in the UK can expect to see when it’s shown on the Extreme Sports Channel this Friday.

As you know we here in the UK won’t be able to see HardCORE Justice until this Friday, can you tell what we can expect?

“If you are a fan of the original company you will feel very nostalgic. If you’ve never seen it, you will be blown away by these guys, Rob Van Dam versus Sabu is awesome, Myself and Raven stepped up to the plate and went all out, guys like Too Cold Scorpio went out there and showed no signs of missing a beat. Nobody held back or took a breather.”

What’s it like working with TNA compared to your previous companies?

“When I left WWE I had no hatred towards them, I still talk to many of the people there, I hired many of them and still keep up with things. The difference here (in TNA) is the creative freedom I have got and the confidence they have in me and my abilities.
My problem in the WWE was their version of ECW, it was like my child and I couldn’t stomach where they were going with it. In TNA I have the control I never had before and that’s why I love it here. I booked this entire PPV and had input in everything from the people involved and the event itself to changing the look of Impact Zone.”

Was this closure for you in relation to the original ECW?

“I feel I had my closure at One Night Stand, but then they brought it back and it wasn’t what I thought it was supposed to be. I even spoke to fans and they didn’t like what became of it. But it worked out ok in the end I guess, that version finished and they made the NXT show, I’m happy to see them do well with that.
As you can see I’m open and honest about theses things.
Now what I’m finding is that all the guys at HardCORE Justice have been thanking me for the show and people like Hulk Hogan has said how he enjoyed what we came up with.
To be honest I was just fortunate enough to be able to jump that guardrail and perform in the ring, after being a lifelong fan of the sport.”

What’s it like to work with people like Hulk Hogan and of course TNA President Dixie Carter?

“Dixie is amazing she asked to meet all the guys before HardCORE Justice and spent time with them, she goes above the call of duty all the time. Hogan himself has been very supportive of what were are doing and approved of what we have done so far. I’m proud to say that the ratings are picking up since we (EV2.0) turned up, so things are going very well indeed.”

RVD as champ, were you surprised to see your old ECW buddy as company figurehead?

“I was very, very happy (to hear of his title win), he is one of the most amazingly gifted performers I’ve ever seen. I enjoy watching him as a fan and as a peer. He does things that you think he shouldn’t be able to do, he is a very deceptive man and extremely talented. Him and Sabu tore the place up at this PPV, you will see what I mean, when you watch their main event.”

It’s one of the most talked about things in wrestling, but do TNA really need former ECW creator Paul Heyman?

“Well Paul has always been his own man, he marches to his own drum. He is an amazing man, with a wonderfully creative mind for this sport, if he comes in we’d welcome him. But if not we will still go on without him, if I left it would still go on, so that’s how it works.
He (Heyman) has many projects outside wrestling and of course he has those to pursue. Paul loves the rumours though and enjoy the game of that almost as much as being there in the centre of things.”

Was there any animosity in the TNA Locker room, after all you brought in this bunch of guys and they took TNA‘s roster place for an event?

“I oddly was the only real outsider in the whole PPV, there was no animosity, that was all internet fodder, everyone else was here before in some way. I was the only one who never actually stepped into a TNA ring before. We all are on the same page, it’s good for TNA’s business.”

Were there and matches or people you wish you could have got for HardCORE Justice?

“I’d have loved to have had Terry Funk there, but it just wasn‘t possible, one match I really hoped for was Super Crazy, Tajiri and Little Guido in a three-way-dance, that was one I thought of first and then I found that Crazy and Tajiri were booked elsewhere, so couldn’t do it.
But then that opened up things for other guys. I mean I lost Jerry Lynn two days prior to the event. I literally rewrote the main event match on the flight to Orlando. That’s why I love this business, it‘s never predictable and you just never know what‘s gonna happen next.”

Do you feel wrestler have been penalised for being involved with the original ECW?

“I can’t answer for WWE on that one, I’d a great send off form there, I mean we all have to put the past in the past. We have all moved on and look forward to what comes next.”

So what’s the future of EV2.0?

“Personally I’d love to help behind the scenes, if I can lend my skills and help I will. Writing, booking whatever they want ,I’ll do. I mean they said to me you go out and book this show and I went from sitting in the crowd to doing that. I don’t want to manage, I want to get out there and keep going. I’m 39 so there’s still some time left in me. EV2.0 has some left in the tank yet believe me.”

Who on the TNA roster impresses you?

“I’m loving the Motor City Machineguns and Beer Money matches, AJ has immense talent, Joe is awesome , there are guys like Kazarian, Abyss and Jay Lethal, then guys like myself Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair, Kurt Angle, Jeff Jarrett. The roster is so deep with talent, the knockouts (believe me they are called that due to looks and the fact they will knock you out) division are unbelievable. This is a roster that can compete with anybody out there. I just want you guys to see how everyone stepped up to the plate to raise the bar at HardCORE Justice.”

Some people say the extreme trend is over, or do you feel there is a market still for it?

“Yes 100% there is a market out there, its not marketing violence towards violence though, people want to see people fight, not bleeding for the sake of it, but yet to see blood if it happens. I mean WWE stop matches now for blood. That may make them more marketable, but it’s the whole product that sells. This for us is a team effort and I personally feel that we are winning.”

What about Ric Flair’s fortune group, are they a Four Horsemen rip off, or a genuine group that can make their mark in TNA?

“Well not wanting to spoil things, but this isn’t a Horsemen wannabe, some big things are happening,what I’ll say is that Ric Flair as a manager is awesome, Ric Flair as a wrestler is awesome, to even have him behind you ,or on the mic is unbelievable. The art of the manager is a lost one, Ric can do it with ease and does it well. He has been a part of Evolution, The Horsemen and now fortune. Let’s just say check out HardCORE Justice and The Whole F’N Show episode of Impact!. You will see where we are going from here and just what TNA has to offer.”

TNA Star Nick 'Magnus' Aldis Interview

Interview: TNA Star Nick ‘Magnus’ Aldis

By Phil Allely

He has just signed a new long-term contract with America’s Florida-based TNA Wrestling Company and already has held the companies Tag Team Gold, plus the highly prestigious Japanese IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championships, amongst many other successes in a few short years.

Yes indeed young British wrestling star Nick Aldis (better known as Magnus) has come a long way from his early days of wrestling on small UK shows and of course his stint as Gladiator Oblivion (in the Sky TV revamp).

Here he exclusively talks to Phil Allely about his tenure in TNA to date, the upcoming UK/Irish tour and what the future holds for Magnus.

You’ve been in TNA a while now Nick, plus you’ve just signed a new deal, so I assume you’re very happy there?

I’m really pleased to be here, I’m very happy to have worked out a new agreement, it’s a great place to work. I am having the best time I could wish for and doing what I love to do.

You had a three month lay-off earlier this year, what necessitated that and how does it feel to be back?

My time off wasn’t organised or pre-arranged, it just coincided with working out my new contract and to be honest I was itching to get back in the ring for TNA. So I’m really enthusiastic to be back in the ring and that we were able to get my new contract worked out so well.

You started off as a solo star in TNA (the Gladiator-based Brutus Magnus gimmick), then had a successful tag team run with Doug Williams as The British Invasion and of course as a member of the World Elite faction, you now team with fellow British star Desmond Wolfe, which do you prefer tag or solo wrestling?

I honestly enjoy both, at the moment (in TNA) the tag team division is amazing, there are some of the best pro wrestlers in the world in that part of the roster. That’s not taking it away from the singles guys, but they are all working hard for a few spots and chasing those titles against fierce competition, which is great.
But tag team wise we have an equally excellent selection of worthy opponents and great teams. The likes of the Motor City Machineguns, Beer Money, Ink Inc. and guys like Team 3D are all the best at what they do and a pleasure to work with.

With regards to Desmond and I, our team was purely an organic thing, we compliment each others styles and I’m enjoying our time together thoroughly. I have more experience as a tag team wrestler right now, so I’m happy with my spot as one.

My only regret with the British Invasion was we never got to really work with the Motor City Machineguns. We had one great match on Pay-Per-View and that was it unfortunately, but at least Desmond and I seem to be heading that direction now. So I’m hoping we can have some wonderful big guy/high flyer stuff with them. There are some excellent storylines we could play out with the Guns and ourselves.

What was it like to win gold in TNA with Doug as your partner and is it something you see Desmond and yourself achieving?

I was both surprised and unbelievably pleased to hold the IWGP and TNA tag belts, actually they are the only two belts I’ve ever held in wrestling. I see them as what they are in wrestling, they are wonderful to receive, but you can’t hold onto them forever and it’s a privilege to hold them when the opportunity is presented to you.

At present we are seeing the EV2.0 and Fortune groups collide, what do you think of these groups and how do you think they will assist TNA as a whole?

I hope it will work, so far it has got a good reaction and has a great story to be told. It’s the rich snobby bad guys versus the poorer good hearted good guys, in a way I think. It’s a story we can all relate to in some way and connect with.
I am really pleased for Doug, because he’s found himself a part of that storyline and I hope it goes well for us all.
It reminds me of the World Elite/Main Event Mafia stuff we did, which went down a storm.
When it all works it’s great for the whole roster and all of us in TNA, which is where I fit in I guess, their success helps us all achieve our goals.
It’s basically legendary guys reunited by the fact that they were in the original ECW and wanting one more chance, taking on a bunch of elite guys recruited by Ric Flair to take over TNA if they can.

Are there any dream matches you hope to achieve whilst working for TNA?

Dream match wise, the Guns will be up there, hopefully Desmond and I can get that one under our belts soon. I got one fulfilled recently when I worked with Sting in the Impact! man event of Impact!, I was taken aback when they came up to me and told me about that one.
I’d love to face Kurt Angle one-on-one, I‘ve been in tag matches with him, but never as a singles.
I wrestled Doug (Williams) in my third ever match, back in the day, in Worthing (if I recall), but I’d love to face him in TNA and see if we gel as well now, as we did then.

As a young guy on the roster (Nick is 23 years old) what’s it feel like to working alongside legendary veterans like Hulk Hogan, Sting, Ric Flair etc?

I sometimes have to take a step back and realise I’m working with these guys as peers, it’s amazing really, I feel admiration for them and appreciate all they do for us.
I do even think about pinching myself sometimes, when you see them in the flesh and know them as their real selves, it takes a bit of getting used to.
Yeah to see guys like Ric Flair, Hulk Hogan, Sting and Kurt Angle in that way is amazing, but I even have to consider guys like Team 3D as veterans and personal heroes. I have a great respect for them, Bubba and Devon have helped me lots and I sometimes have to explain that when they did that big series of match in 2000 (for example) I was barely a teenager. They’ve been about for as long as I’ve been a fan.
It’s hard to explain what it feels like to work in the same company as all of these guys.

TNA are embarking on another UK Tour in January, will you be there and what can Irish fans expect when the tour hits Dublin?

I will be there of course, I can’t wait, its easily my favourite dates on the calendar each year , we always do great houses on the UK tours.
It’s great to work with your own people in the audience, I have more confidence and understand them more than the Americans (after all I‘ve been a fan there myself and of course began my career wrestling in front of these people), it’s easy to please them (in a good way) they react so well to us.
TNA live shows as a collective deliver so much, it’s not just a gimmick either, we really do pull out all of the stops.
Dublin will be awesome in January, we found the Irish fans to be amazing last time round, Doug and I did the British Invasion stuff then and got so much heat from the fans there, it was election time and we made a speech, we even sang the (British) national anthem and I remember it fondly they really went for us and got into our match with Beer Money that night.
We were all so tired and burnt out after our European tour, but we all fed off the fans in Dublin and they were so hot we all went from being dead on our feet, to being at the top of our game.
I personally can’t wait to get back in the ring on UK/Irish soil.

You can catch up with Magnus and his tag team partner Desmond Wolfe each week on TNA Impact! And of course each month on Pay Per View, check back here for reviews and previews of forthcoming TNA events, DVD releases and a follow up interview with Nick ‘Magnus’ Aldis from the UK/Irish tour next January.

See www.tnawrestling.com for more information and ticket details for the UK/Irish tour in January 2011.

Undertaker's Deadliest Matches DVD Review

The Undertaker’s Deadliest Matches

By Phil Allely

The Undertaker has been one of the WWE’s most enduring and most popular characters for the majority of his 20 year career to date. From his Survivor Series debut alongside manager Brother Love, to his more well-known stints as Paul Bearer’s undead monster and even through the ill-fated biker and short haired-stints as an ‘American badass’. Taker has always been there in the WWE for many of us, in fact very few of today’s fans would even recognise the man who would become Undertaker as he plied his trade in such promotions as WCW (where he was a ginger haired, heart punching monster under the wing of manager extraordinaire Paul Heyman and as Sid Vicious’ Skyscraper replacement, before Vince McMahon repackaged him as the pale faced man with supernatural abilities we know now).

This three disc set (released on 13th September) has had to dig deep into the WWE vaults to bring some previously unreleased matches to the fore, after all, over the last few years Taker has been in many of the WWE’s most famous, well received and successful matches, which of course means we already have them included on box sets, PPV releases and perhaps even DVD/VHS recordings. Luckily the WWE took this as the challenge it should be and went through the past 20 years of Undertaker’s destruction of their roster with a fine tooth comb.

So what gems are on offer here?, I hear you ask. Well before I start, remember that the original incarnation of Taker was one that saw a lot of action with some really dodgy wrestlers, he was pitted against some huge guys with little talent and forced to bring some type of decent match from them. Thankfully there are only a few of these here though, as even back then they did lack any real appeal or long term excitement. The majority of bouts here are ones that have been missed of previous DVD releases and ones that have some form of meaning rather than simply padding out a set.

What’s great about this set is that we get to see the Undertaker in his many guises and characterisations throughout his career. For every so-so match against someone like Kama, Big Daddy V or Kamala, there are some superb brawls with Mankind (a man who knew how to evoke a five star bout from Taker), ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin, Batista and Kane thrown in for good measure and some interesting, quirky and different matches with guys like The Ultimate Warrior, The Dudleys, Edge, Heidenreich, Randy & Bob Orton and Big Show.

Also featured are a few of the oddly entertaining and now probably never to be seen again matches from ‘the dead man’s’ illustrious career. The new WWE PG style will mean that these discs are the only place you’ll see such things as a brutal Boiler Room Brawl, Inferno, bloody Hell in a Cell, First Blood, Concrete Crypt or a Body Bag stipulation.

The Undertaker’s Deadliest Matches covers over 20 of Mark Calaway’s best and most interesting fights of his WWE Tenure, yes quality does vary, but as I’ve said before the weaker entries are actually eventful and worthy of being here. The better offerings are perhaps likely to be doubled up in your collection, but they do suit this set more and will help it appeal to a long time Taker fan, and the newcomer alike.

This is a rare release in that it takes in all of its chosen characters nuances and storylines, not simply the best or highlight friendly bits. Taker for many years was wasted talent wise in the WWE and here we see him go through his paces against some unworthy opponents, but somehow he pulls a good match out of them and therein lies his skill. Of course he is still doing this even today, although injuries etc do mean he has to take some lengthy breaks between them to pull such matches off. As a homage to the career of Undertaker this is a worthy addition to the previous DVD releases based on him, perhaps its even the best, as it gives a broader spectrum of coverage to his legacy in the WWE than they did.

I give this three disc set a 9 out of 10.

Undertaker’s Deadliest Matches is released on 13th September by Silvervision, check out www.silvervision.co.uk for more information.

Rock n Roll Express at NWA Legends Fanfest DVD Review

NWA Legends Fanfest DVD Review: The Rock ‘n’ Roll Express

By Phil Allely

In their 1980s/90s heyday Ricky Morton and Robert Gibson were the wrestling tag team everybody loved, they had good looks, cool ring gear and worked superbly together in the ring. The duo had some blistering feuds with many of the worlds top teams and had a long-running and highly engaging series of matches with the various incarnations of Jim Cornette’s Midnight Express team.

The RNR Express were a slick team who knew their strengths, worked hard in the ring and became an innovative pairing that many up and coming wrestlers copied and looked up to. Morton often taking a beating before Gibson hit the hot tag to clean house and then they could hit their double drop kick move to round off a great crowd pleasing match-up. The formula worked well in every territory they worked in, not many teams can say they headlined for the WWE, WCW, NWA, Smoky Mountain Wrestling and across the globe can they.

This DVD release (the first in the NWA Fanfest range) features Ricky and Robert honestly and openly talking about their careers with legendary wrestling writer Bill Apter on hand as host.

Recorded in 2004 the main feature here has the good friends joking about their connectivity, some interesting chats and conversations on the subjects of favourite feuds, trivia notes and of course the questions offered up by the gathered fans are answered in such a way that you grow even more fond of Ricky and Robert than before, if that is possible.

With over three decades on in-ring action to cover and many a historic bout under their collective belts there is never a dull moment in this hard to find gem of a DVD.

Great for the loyal fan base of the Rock ‘n’ Roll Express and anyone with an interest in wrestling history this is a great addition to your collection.

The extras are wonderful too, as they are a whole disc of 2004’s Fanfest highlights, so after you’ve savoured the banter and comic tales of life on the road with Morton and Gibson, you can also sit down to hear snippets of interviews with such legends as Mick Foley, Magnum TA, the late Sherri Martel, Ivan Koloff and Ole Anderson, amongst many others.

Visit WWW.NWALegends.com for more information on these events.

TNA HardCORE Justice

Hard Justice Goes Extreme

By Phil Allely

TNA’s annual hard Justice Pay-per-view is getting an extreme makeover this year.

Company President Dixie Carter and “The extreme original” Tommy dreamer have just announced that the event will transform into ’HardCORE Justice’, a one-night-only celebration of extreme, hardcore wrestling featuring a never before seen reunion of legendary wrestling superstars.

The hardcore originals group fronted by Dreamer, which features Mick Foley, Raven, Rhino and Stevie Richards were granted their ‘One last chance’ by Dixie Carter to celebrate the history and the passion of extreme hardcore wrestling.

Dreamer and Co. were of course legendary stars of the 1990s extreme wrestling brand ECW and still have a huge cult following today.
“Giving Tommy this chance is one of the easiest decisions I’ve ever made as TNA President,” Carter said. “For years I’ve heard fans talk about the similarities between TNA and what these guys accomplished. Tommy, Mick and these superstars sacrificed everything, and not for money, but for the love of our sport and for the fans.”
Carter continued, “These guys set the bar so high with the passion they brought to this business. I’ve been lucky to have had so many work for me through the years, and now to have a locker room today with that same fire and drive to help build TNA. This is my chance to show our appreciation.”
“Dixie has allowed us to have a chance to finally thank the fans that have supported us for all of these years,” Dreamer said. “In the past, we’ve been lied to and we’ve been punished for being who we were and building what we did. Now we have a chance to get everyone back together for one last night.”
Carter also announced today that Dreamer would be given full creative control of “HardCORE Justice.” In addition to the hardcore originals, Dreamer revealed a few more names for “HardCORE Justice,”: Current TNA agents Al Snow and Simon Diamond, as well as tag team legends Team 3D and current TNA World Heavyweight Champion Rob Van Dam. Dreamer confirmed that Van Dam will compete at the pay-per-view event, but will not defend his title.
“TNA is the only place that this event could happen,” Dreamer said. “There are no politics to worry about and no restrictions in place. The fans know that I have a lot of extremely close friends, so they can expect anything and everything to happen. I have some surprises for everyone,” he said.
More matches, surprises and further Extreme decisions will undoubtedly unfold in coming weeks on TNA Impact!
HardCORE Justice will be Live in the US on August 8 and on UK satellite/cable channel Extreme Sports on August 13 at 10pm, following TNA Xplosion.

Hard Justice Goes Extreme

By Phil Allely

TNA’s annual hard Justice Pay-per-view is getting an extreme makeover this year.

Company President Dixie Carter and “The extreme original” Tommy dreamer have just announced that the event will transform into ’HardCORE Justice’, a one-night-only celebration of extreme, hardcore wrestling featuring a never before seen reunion of legendary wrestling superstars.

The hardcore originals group fronted by Dreamer, which features Mick Foley, Raven, Rhino and Stevie Richards were granted their ‘One last chance’ by Dixie Carter to celebrate the history and the passion of extreme hardcore wrestling.

Dreamer and Co. were of course legendary stars of the 1990s extreme wrestling brand ECW and still have a huge cult following today.
“Giving Tommy this chance is one of the easiest decisions I’ve ever made as TNA President,” Carter said. “For years I’ve heard fans talk about the similarities between TNA and what these guys accomplished. Tommy, Mick and these superstars sacrificed everything, and not for money, but for the love of our sport and for the fans.”
Carter continued, “These guys set the bar so high with the passion they brought to this business. I’ve been lucky to have had so many work for me through the years, and now to have a locker room today with that same fire and drive to help build TNA. This is my chance to show our appreciation.”
“Dixie has allowed us to have a chance to finally thank the fans that have supported us for all of these years,” Dreamer said. “In the past, we’ve been lied to and we’ve been punished for being who we were and building what we did. Now we have a chance to get everyone back together for one last night.”
Carter also announced today that Dreamer would be given full creative control of “HardCORE Justice.” In addition to the hardcore originals, Dreamer revealed a few more names for “HardCORE Justice,”: Current TNA agents Al Snow and Simon Diamond, as well as tag team legends Team 3D and current TNA World Heavyweight Champion Rob Van Dam. Dreamer confirmed that Van Dam will compete at the pay-per-view event, but will not defend his title.
“TNA is the only place that this event could happen,” Dreamer said. “There are no politics to worry about and no restrictions in place. The fans know that I have a lot of extremely close friends, so they can expect anything and everything to happen. I have some surprises for everyone,” he said.
More matches, surprises and further Extreme decisions will undoubtedly unfold in coming weeks on TNA Impact!
HardCORE Justice will be Live in the US on August 8 and on UK satellite/cable channel Extreme Sports on August 13 at 10pm, following TNA Xplosion.