Skyefire's WWE DVD review featuring NOPE matches

[Skyefire]

And now on to the fifth and final volume of Wrestling Gold, "Beat Me If You Can". Isn't that pretty much the name of the game?

Nick Bockwinkel vs Terry Allen, Southwest Championship Wrestling
You may know Allen as Magnum TA. Here he's still using his real name as he goes up against the AWA World Champion in this non-title match. The two men start off with some amateur moves as they each take each other down. Bockwinkel soon resorts to punches to the gut of Allen followed by a Figure Four on the arm of Allen. Moments later, Allen picks Bockwinkel up with a body slam, followed by a second body slam. Allen then applies a side headlock on the champion. Bockwinkel gets up and backs Allen into the corner and delivers several blows to his opponent. Allen fights back with a hip toss followed by a flying drop kick. Bockwinkel comes back with a bodyslam, then drapes Allen throat first across the bottom rope and drops a knee on him. He follows that up with a piledriver and a three count. Nick Bockwinkel is your winner but Terry Allen comes out looking good in this match.

"Polish Power" Ivan Putski vs "The Continental Lover" Eddie Mansfield
Cornette describes Mansfield as being known in pro wrestling for his "lack of ability to get a job, lack of ability to keep a job, and tremendous complaining when he got fired from a job." Mansfield immediately cheap shots Putski with a thumb to the throat. He then wraps his wrist tape around the throat of the Polish Power. Putski attempts to get away and Mansfield jumps on his back. But Putski carries his opponent on his back across the ring while being choked. Mansfield then delivers another thumb to the throat. Mansfield attempts to ram Putski's head into the turnbuckle but Putski blocks it. As is common in pretty much every Southwest Championship Wrestling match on this collection, the TV commentator is hyping the promotion saying how it's the greatest and the fans are the greatest and you should check it out. It gets kinda old after a while. After a few more thumbs to the throat, Mansfield goes to the second rope and delivers an elbow drop. What do you known, he does know more than one move. Each time Putski fights back, Mansfield takes a walk to the outside. Then as Putski tries to go after Mansfield, the referee tries to stop him and Putski shoves him down. Soon the referee has no choice but to disqualify Putski. After watching this match now, I went back and rewatched it and counted 17 times Mansfield struck Putski in the throat in the span of a 6 minute match. I think Mansfield put together about five other offensive moves during this match.

Tito Santana vs Kelly Kiniski,
Yet another battle of West Texas State alum. Despite being a Texas native, no he's not actually from Mexico, Santana spent very little time wresting in Texas promotions. The match starts with a collar-and-elbow tie up, followed by an overhead wrist lock by Kiniski, then Santana takes Kiniski down to start things off. This match comes shortly after Santana won a tournament in Houston defeating the AWA World Champion Nick Bockwinkel in the finals. Santana applies a wrist lock to Kiniski but Kelly gets to the ropes. Santana takes Kiniski down with an arm drag. It's mentioned that Santana is a former WWF Tag Team Champion. See, wrestling promotions can mention other promotions by name. It's not that hard. Santana applies an armbar to Kiniski. Kiniski backs him up to the corner. Santana delivers his flying double arm clothesline to take Kiniski down and he covers Kiniski for the win.

The Sheik vs Tom Jones
Not, not the singer Tom Jones. This Tom Jones, also known as Bearcat Jones, Mr. Ebony, Gladiator, Red Shadow, Black Olympia who once held the Mid-South version of the NWA United States Tag Team Championships with Billy Red Lyons 10 months. Cornette describes Jones as Sheik's "hapless victim" and the original TV announcer says he "doesn't know what Jones has done to deserve such an opponent. Sheik wants the referee to check Jones' boots and while the ref is doing that Sheik attacks Jones. Jones fights out of it and Sheik retreats to his corner and soon to the outside. Jones is forced back into his corner as Sheik goes to his prayer rug. The crowd, of course, boos this. Now we're ready to officially get this match underway. Jones begins pounding away on Sheik. Sheik takes Jones down and then gets a hammer lock on Jones and is twisting the arm of Jones. This causes Jones to submit. The match lasts a minute and a half. Sheik refuses to release the hold. Whipper Billy Watson comes to Jones' aid but Sheik fights back against him. Sheik's manager, the original "Weasel", Eddie "The Brain" Creachman stands over the fallen Jones in the ring as fans get right up against the ring and throw trash into the ring.

Bobo Brazil vs Michael Angelo
We finally get a look at the legendary Bobo Brazil. His opponent, Michael Angelo is billed as being from Italy. The two men tie up and Angelo delivers some blows to Brazil and soon begins choking him. Angelo rams Brazil's head into the turnbuckle but it has no effect. Angelo uses some cheap tactics to take control of Brazil. Angelo seems to enjoy delivering shots to the throat of his opponent. Maybe that's where Eddie Mansfield learned it from. Brazil fights back. After knocking his opponent down, Brazil begins dancing in the ring. He then delivers his patented "Coco Butt" headbutt which keeps Angelo down for the three count.

Jerry Lawler vs Eddie Gilbert
Described by Dave Meltzer as a "dream come true" for Gilbert facing his childhood hero in Jerry Lawler. This is the first one-on-one meeting between the two. They had previously teamed together in six-man tag matches and faced each other in Battle Royals. This match comes from a CWA Memphis Championship Wrestling TV taping. "Hot Stuff" is a hot starter against "The King" her as he takes Lawler down multiple times. Lawler fights back and frustrates Gilbert. Gilbert takes a break to the outside of the ring. The two criss-cross and Lawler takes Gilbert down with a shoulder tackle. Gilbert takes a walk once again. Back in the ring the two lock up and Gilbert backs Lawler into a corner and begins punching him in the mid-section. Gilbert continues to work over Lawler. This only energizes The King as he goes to work on his opponent. Lawler gets Gilbert in the corner and begins pounding on him when Rick Rude and Jimmy Hart hit the ring and attack Lawler. Gilbert holds Lawler down with Rude hits him. Lawler goes to the outside and returns with a chair which sends everyone else running.

Mud Match, The Sheik vs Tiger Jeet Singh
Inside the ring is a tarp. On top of the tarp is something akin to a child's sandbox, only it's filled with mud. There's no original commentary for this match so all we get is Cornette and Meltzer on commentary. The two men battle in the mud and soon Eddie Creachman gets involved and thrown into the mud. The referee also gets muddy in this match. At times it seems like the wrestlers are intentionally getting the referee covered in mud much like in the bear match when Gene Dubois tried to get the referee attacked by the bear. Singh delivers some thrusts to the throat of Sheik and then rubs his face into the mud. Creachman gets involved once again which manages to distract Singh and give Sheik the advantage. Sheik gets knocked to the outside where he says "hi" to a fan. Singh gets a chair involved and goes after Sheik with this. The referee makes a two count while Singh has a chair to Sheik's throat. Singh pounds on Sheik. Sheik manages to get Singh down and pins him. Hank James, the half-brother of Bobo Brazil, comes out and attacks The Sheik. This match is difficult to watch. Between subpar video quality and the mud. Cornette on commentary delivers a few one-liners such "This looks like a political campaign there's so much mud slinging" and "I haven't seen this much mud slinging since my last trip to Hooters" as well as getting in a few shots at his arch-nemesis, Vince Russo.

CWA International Heavyweight Championship, Austin Idol (c) vs Masao Ito
Going into this match Ito claimed he was going to reach into Idol's chest and pull out his heart. Ito goes through his pre-match salt ceremonies, much like WWE fans may be familiar with from Yokozuna, but unlike Yokozuna, Ito is actually Japanese. This match is from a studio TV taping. Ito pounds away on Idol early on followed by several chops. Idol manages to fight back and soon bodyslams Ito twice. Idol goes for the Las Vegas Leg Lock but Ito's manager (not sure who it is but he's dressed like Kim Chee in camouflage), gets up on the ring apron and distracts Idol. The manager then pulls Idol out and hits him with nunchucks while Ito distracts the referee. Idol gets counted out and apparently Ito wins the title on a countout.

SCW Tag Team Championships, Gino Hernandez & Tully Blanchard (c) vs Scott Casey & Terry Allen
Terry Allen works over Blanchard early on but makes the mistake of letting Blanchard get the tag. But Allen immediately takes control of Gino Hernandez. Blanchard is tagged back in and drops and elbow on Allen. Allen tags in Casey who goes to work on Blanchard. A lot of fast action at this point. Soon all four men are in the ring as the babyfaces grab the heels by their heads and rams them together. Allen rams his knee into Blanchard before whipping him into the corner. Allen tags in Casey who gets a sleeper on Blanchard until Hernandez breaks it up. Aleen with a bearhug on Blanchard and once again Hernandez gets involved. Gino is tagged in and delivers a reverse elbow from the top rope onto Allen and gets the pin. The action in this match is so fast paced it's hard to describe what's going on. By time I type it, five more moves have happened.

AWA Southern Heavyweight Championship, Terry Taylor (c) vs Sabu the Wildman, Memphis 12/5/82
Not the Sabu of ECW fame. This Sabu is also known as Coco Samoa, bears a resemblance to and early-90's Jimmy Snuka and wrestled primarily in the 70's and 80's everywhere from Portland to Mid-Atlantic to Florida to Texas. Taylor gets a wrist lock in Sabu. Sabu takes Taylor down with a handful of hair. This match comes one week after Taylor upset Sabu to win the title. Sabu goes for a leg drop but Taylor moves out of the way. Taylor slams Sabu to the mat. Taylor goes for the pin but Sabu gets his foot on the ropes. Taylor begins pounding on Sabu but Sabu doesn't stay down for long. Sabu soon tosses Taylor over the top rope which results in a DQ against Sabu.

Wahoo McDaniel, Tommy Rogers, Marty Janetty def Ted Oates & The Grapplers, Central States Wrestling 7/19/84
Janetty starts off the main who trained him, Ted Oates. The two crisscross and Janetty takes Oates down with a hip toss. Janetty and Rogers are collectively known as The Uptown Boys. After one of the Grapplers is tagged in Janetty takes him down. Wahoo is in and begins working over the masked Grappler. Rogers in and applies a wrist lock on Grappler. Grappler soon distracts the referee allowing his partners to double team Rogers. Later in the match, the heels are in control of Rogers as he manages to tag in Janetty. Soon all six men are in the ring. It's down to Janetty and Grappler #2 in the ring. Grappler goes for a flying clothesline but misses. Janetty then hits a flying body press which is able to keep the Grappler down for the three. But the fight is not over as Oates brings a chair into the ring and delivers a piledriver to Janetty on the chair. Any true wrestling fan knows about Janetty and about Wahoo. Rogers is best known as one-half of the Fantastics who held numerous tag team titles including the NWA United States Tag Team Championships while in WCW. Like Janetty, Oates is a Georgia native who competed in several southern territories throughout the 70's and 80's. He held several tag team championships, most of them with his brother, Jerry Oates. The Grapplers were also known as the Dirty White Boys. Anthony also competed in the WWF as TL Hopper and managed The Godwinns as Uncle Cletus.

This concludes the Wrestling Gold series. This is a fine look into the territorial era of professional wrestling seeing stars that some people may not be familiar with as well as stars before they were national stars. I highly recommend this collection for anyone who is a die hard wrestling fan.

Next up time to examine the best matches from a summer tradition dating back to the 80's that returns for it's next installment this week.

 

[Skyefire]

The Great American Bash. It started as a regional summer tour in the 80's, later made it's way to pay-per-view. It was the second biggest show of the year for Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling. When Turner took over the show took a hiatus but returned. It's become so iconic that WWE has used the brand for an annual NXT special. This collection is hosted by Dusty Rhodes in the NXT Arena.

NOPE Match
NWA World Heavyweight Championship, Ric Flair (c) vs Nikita Koloff, Charlotte 7/6/85
Ric Flair arrives via helicopter to the baseball stadium in Charlotte. Flair is popular in his hometown going against the evil Russian Koloff. Some local yokel TV or radio host accompanies Flair to the ring and is the ring announcer for this match. He's also holding a rubber chicken for some reason. Dusty Rhodes and Larry Zbyszko are on special commentary for this match as there is no original commentary. Special DVD commentary is always guys talking about "back in the days" and making corny jokes. This is certainly no exception. Koloff uses his strength to his advantage early on in this match. David Crockett is the guest referee for this. He's not wearing a referee shirt he's just wearing a teal polo shirt and khakis. Crockett apparently has a beef with the Koloffs. Koloff applies a head lock to Flair. Flair soon backs Koloff into the corner and begins striking him with his patented chops. Koloff goes back to a bear hug which he utilizes a few times early on in this match. Flair is back out with more chops. On commentary Dusty says "a lot of people are going to bad at us...why aren't talking about the match. It was a hundred years ago. I don't care about the match right now, I care about the excitement." Flair is able to apply the Figure-4 to Koloff, but Koloff rakes Flair's eyes to get out of the hold. Koloff applies a headlock for about three minutes before Flair is able to escape and apply a sleeper. Koloff whips Flair into the corner and Flair does his typical 360 backwards over the top and down to the floor. Koloff rams Flair's head into the pole. A bleeding Flair gets back in the ring and Nikita begins biting him. Flair comes back and is finally able to knock his opponent down. Now the match is starting to get exciting. Flair as Nikita in the corner, and the camera doesn't quite capture it, but Ivan grabs Flair's leg and pulls him down. Crockett admonishes Ivan. What do you know, the referee saw the heel cheating but the camera didn't. That's different. Nikita begins biting the champion again and Crockett tries to get him off. The evil Russian then shoves the referee down. Now's a perfect time for Ivan to get in the ring. The Koloffs attempt to set Flair up for what appears to be a Doomsday Device of sorts, but the miss and Ivan hits David Crockett instead. Now we get more outside interference, this time from a fan. It's a legit fan and the police get in the ring and tackle him. Flair is in control now and has Koloff against the ropes. Koloff picks Flair up but I guess Flair grabs the ropes and that is able to turn the tide and Koloff falls backwards with Flair on top of him (Nikita almost acts as though someone tripped him but no one did). Flair is able to get the pin as Koloff isn't able to kick out until after three. Ivan gets back in the ring and they attack Crockett and Flair. They once again attempt the pseudo Doomsday Device and hit it. A few babyface jabronis hit the ring and they are all taken out by the Koloffs. Flair is knocked to the outside and the Russians depart the ring. This match is boring and very slow paced. For the first 15 minutes of this 25 minute match it almost seems as though they are pacing themselves for a 60 minute match. The commentary does not help. the match starts to get exciting but then comes back with a finish that was weak AF.

NOPE Match
Tag Team #1 Contender's Match: Arn & Ole Anderson vs Rock & Roll Express, Greensboro 7/26/86
More commentary of Dusty and Larry on this. Arn and Robert start things off. Robert his a dropkick to Arn. Ole comes in as does Ricky, but things calm down quickly. The early part of this match favors the Express. Not sure how it happened but somehow Arn is now busted open. It could have been a legit hit, it could have been set up by damage from a previous match. Not exactly sure. Arn backs Ricky against the ropes and delivers a few headbutts. Ricky is able to break free and take Arn down and tag in Robert. Robert is able to apply a Figure 4 to Arn. Ole comes in as does Ricky and Ricky puts a Figure 4 on Ole. The referee gets Ricky Morton off of Ole which allows Ole to go after Robert. The Andersons go to work on Robert but soon he's able to tag in Ricky. Ricky Morton doesn't get a whole lot of offense before the Andersons take control. Ricky is thrown to the outside where Arn grabs a camera that is on the ground and uses the strap to choke Ricky. Back in the ring Ole is tagged in. Ole applies an armbar on Morton. Morton is able to tag in his partner. Robert comes in and attacks both Andersons before applying a sleeper to Arn. The bell ring as the time limit has expired. The action continues as Robert grabs a chair and goes after the Andersons. This match is a draw as declared by referee Earl Hebner. This match was more exciting than the previous one. There are no major slow spots or three-minute long submission holds, which you can get away with a bit more easily in a tag team match as the man on the receiving end could be attempting a tag, you could get partners in the ring fighting, and we did see some of that but not in a three-minute submission. On the other hand there were no really exciting moments. It just felt like they were just wrestling a match with no team seemingly close to gaining enough of an advantage to get the win. I am somewhat surprised that RnR didn't react as though they had one the match after the bell rang. That was a pretty common occurrence in the 80's to make the fans think their heroes had one the match when they hadn't.

The next match is Ric Flair vs Dusty Rhodes in a Steel Cage Match for the World Championship. I reviewed that match on my very first review, the Bloodbath DVD, so check it out there.

War Games Match: Dusty Rhodes, Nikita Koloff, Road Warriors, Paul Ellering vs Ric Flair, Lex Luger, Arn Anderson, Tully Blanchard, James J. Dillon
The very first War Games Match. Somehow the video and audio quality seems worse than on the War Games DVD. Arn and Dusty start things off in the cage. Dusty pounds on Arn with some of his famous jabs followed by a low blow. Arn attempts to fight back but Dusty drops him with a DDT. Dusty then takes Arn to the top rope and rakes his face across the roof of the cage. Arn is now bleeding. Dusty applies the Figure 4 to Arn. Arn is begging for help. Dusty releases the hold but continues to work on the leg. The bell rings to signal the end of the first period. A coin toss is held to see which team gains the advantage and, of course, it's the Horsemen. Tully Blanchard is in and Dusty goes to work on him but soon the numbers game catches up to him. Tully has a Figure 4 on Dusty as Arn holds him down. It's time for Animal to come in. Animal is working on Tully while Dusty works on Arn. Dusty's hair is red I'm not sure if he's bleeding or if it's Arn's blood. The babyfaces maintain control for the entire tew minute period. As John Cena would say "The champ is here." Ric Flair enters the match and now the Horsemen are in control. Arn and Flair whip Animal against the cage wall and then begins pounding on him until Dusty comes to the rescue. Flair rubs Dusty's face into the cage. If he wasn't bleeding before, Dusty is definitely bleeding now. Nikita Koloff to the rescue. Nikita rams Tully into the cage. Dusty drops a knee from the second rope onto Arn. Flair tries chopping Nikita but with no success. Nikita rams Flair into the cage wall. Here comes Lex Luger for the Horsemen. Luger delivers a powerful slam on Nikita then sets him up for Flair to it a low blow. Flair and Tully hit a spike piledriver on Nikita. Twice. Dusty tries to protect his teammate and he takes a pounding. Here's the big man, Hawk. Hawk goes to work on Luger. Nikita is now bleeding from the beating he's been taking. Flair has a Figure 4 on Dusty while holding the ropes. JJ Dillon is the final member of the Horsemen team. He takes a shot at Hawk, but it has no effect. Hawk gives a punch to Dillon before Flair comes to his manager's aid. Hawk now rakes Flair's head against the cafe. Flair is now busted open. Animal holds JJ for Dusty to take a shot. In comes Paul Ellering and now "The Match Beyond" begins. Ellering goes right after Dillon. He's wearing a Road Warrior spiked sleeve on one wrist. Ellering drives the spikes into Dillon's forehead. Hawk and Animal deliver a double clothesline to a bloody JJ Dillon then pick him up and ram him head first into the cage. Now, the Doomsday Device. Meanwhile, Ric Flair has gotten ahold of Ellering's spiked sleeve and uses it on Dusty and Nikita. The Road Warriors are still working on JJ Dillon and the manager gives up. The Superpowers are victorious. But of course, the battle continues.

NOPE Match
World Tag Team Championships: Road Warriors (c) vs Sting & Lex Luger
Not sure why this match in on this DVD considering it takes place in November and is televised in December on the Main Event. And despite the fact that this match aired on TV, there is no original commentary, only Dusty Rhodes and Larry Zbyszko. Thankfully this is the last time we get these two on commentary and the last time I have to spell "Zbyszko". This comes after the Road Warriors turned on Sting. Lex Luger came in and joined up with the Stinger for this match. All four men start this match. Soon the Road Warriors retreat. Sting and Animal lock up. Animal whips Sting off the ropes and gives him a boot to the face. Sting comes back with a flying crossbody. Hawk comes in and Sting delivers a piledriver which has no effect on Hawk. Hawk comes back with a suplex which has no effect on Sting. Hawk then delivers a standing dropkick which hits Sting right in the face. Shortly thereafter Luger and Animal are in the ring and they go for a test of strength. Luger has Animal down on his knees and Animal delivers a headbutt to the gut of Luger. Later in the match, Hawk delivers a neckbreaker and Luger then goes for an elbow drop but misses. Luger tags in Sting. Sting takes on both Road Warriors with help from a lowblow on Animal. Sting whips Animal into the corner and then hits the Stinger splash. Sting then applies the Scorpion Deathlock which brings Hawk into the ring to break things up. That brings Luger into the ring. Hawk dumps Luger over the top rope. Road Warriors set Sting up for the Doomsday Device, but Luger nails Hawk with a chair. All four men are brawling on the outside. Both teams are counted out as they brawl to the back.

NWA World TV Championship: Sting (c) vs Great Muta, Great American Bash '89
The Bash is now on pay-per-view and the up-and-coming Sting is defending his TV title against the undefeated (in the NWA) Great Muta. Muta gets an entrance with a live gong in the arena and a small amount of pyro, mostly smoke. He's accompanied to the ring by his manager, Gary Hart. Sting is out next and also has some pyro and is accompanied by Eddie Gilbert. Because a War Games Match is later in the show there are two rings. Muta stands in the ring farthest from the ramp, while Sting, and the referee, stand in the ring closest to the ramp. The referee tells Muta to get in the ring he and Sting are in, Muta resists. So, Sting takes a running leap and dives over both sets of ropes onto Muta. Sting goes to the outside chasing Hart. When he gets back in the ring, Muta comes off the top rope with a karate chop. The action is off to a fast and furious start. Muta soon takes control of the match. Muta tosses Sting to the outside but that just rejuvenates the champion. Muta comes back with a poke to the eyes of Stinger. Sting comes back with a series of clotheslines. Sting delivers a standing dropkick to Muta. Sting whips Muta into the ropes, Muta goes to spray the mist in Sting's eyes, but Sting ducks and the referee gets hit. Muta takes advantage and soon delivers a moonsault to Sting and goes for a pin. A second referee gets in the ring and Sting kicks out. Sting comes back with a belly-to-back suplex which is able to keep Muta down for three. But there is controversy as both men's shoulders were down for the three. Muta and Gary Hart protest and steal the championship belt. The slow-motion replay shows Sting bridging Muta. The announcers are saying his shoulders are down, but it looks to me as if they are not. Meanwhile, Muta definitely got his shoulder up before the three. Sting is declared the winner, but there is controversy afoot. The title would be held up and Muta would defeat Sting in a rematch in September at the Omni.

NWA World Heavyweight Championship, Ric Flair (c) vs Terry Funk, Great American Bash '89
Back in May Flair regained the championship from Ricky Steamboat, and Funk attacked Flair after the match. Flair suffered an injured neck at the hands of Funk. This was Flair's first match in two and a half months. Funk is accompanied to the ring by his surprise manager Gary Hart. Flair, now a babyface for the first time in several years, is accompanied by four lovely ladies. Funk takes the fight to Flair on the outside of the ring. After they get into the ring they start some wrestling with chops back and forth. Flair knocks Funk ober the top and out with a chop. Soon Funk is back in the ring and Flair attempts to suplex Funk to the outside but both men end up tumbling down to the floor. More chops being exchanged followed by some eye rakes from both men. The two men are back in the ring but not for long. Funk attempts to piledrive Flair, but Flair reverses it sending Funk flying over the top rope to the outside. They fight on the outside with Flair twisting the neck of Funk. Back in the ring, Flair drops a knee on Funk's neck multiple times before going for a cover and getting two. Flair then hits a piledirver on Funk. Flair then hits another piledriver. Funk stumbles to the outside and begins crawling up the aisle. Flair brings Funk back in the ring. Flair hits a belly-to-back suplex followed by a Figure 4. At some point, Gary Hart slopped Funk a branding iron, then distracted the referee as Funk struck Flair across the head with the branding iron. Flair is now busted open as Funk hits a piledriver on the injured neck of Flair. Funk goes for a pin, but Flair gets his foot on the ropes. Funk goes outside and pulls up the mats, then drags Flair outside. Funk is setting up for a piledriver on the concrete floor but Flair reverses it and backdrops Funk. Flair rams Funks head into the ring post. Funk is now bleeding as well as Flair goes to town on him in the ring. Flair goes for a knee in the corner but misses. Funk then attempts the spinning toe hold, Flair reverses it and sets up for a Figure 4. Funk reverses that into an inside cradle, and Flair reverses the cradle into one of his own for the pin. After the match, Great Muta comes out and sprays green mist in Flair's face. Muta and Funk gang up on Flair. They set up for the piledriver, but head of security, Doug Dillinger, breaks it up. Dillinger gets a spinning kick from Muta for his troubles. Out comes Sting to Flair's rescue. As Funk and Muta start to take control, Flair gets back up and gets back in the fight. Flair and Sting high five. As Flair and Sting celebrate, one of the heels tosses a chair in the ring at Flair. Flair goes to the outside and begins fighting the heels in the aisle. Sting joins in the fight. The heels retreat. Flairs challenges them to come back and fight. We then see commentators Jim Ross and Bob Caudle talking about the TV title situation when Flair and Muta come fighting right by them. Sting and Funk are not far behind. Flair has the branding iron which he uses to hit Muta. Flair and Sting go up to the commentators for an interview. Flair's face looks like a Christmas tree between the red blood and green mist. Flair thanks Sting for his help. Time of the match: approximately 15 minutes. Time of the post-match brawl: approximately 6 minutes. This was certainly not the technical masterpiece that the Flair-Steamboat trilogy was but, damn it was fun to watch. Flair and Funk would continue their feud for the remainder of 1989. Flair and Sting would team up to face Funk and Muta in a Thunderdome Match at Halloween Havoc. The two men would settle the score in November at Clash of the Champions where Flair defeated Funk in an "I Quit" Match in what would be Funk's last WCW match until 1994.

NWA World Heavyweight Championship, Ric Flair (c) vs Sting, Great American Bash '90
Flash forward one year. In early 1990, Arn Anderson returned from the WWF and the new Four Horsemen were formed. Flair, Arn, Ole Anderson, and Sting. A match was signed between Flair and Sting for Wrestle War. Sting was soon kicked out of the Horsemen. Sting would suffered a legitimate knee injury early in February forcing the match with Flair to be canceled. Lex Luger, who was a heel, turned babyface to feud with Flair in Sting's absence. Sting would return and finally face Flair at the Bash. At ringside in Sting' corner, the "Dudes with Attitudes", Steiner Brothers, Junkyard Dog, and Paul Orndorff. Up in the aisle, Ole Anderson was seated and handcuffed to El Gigante. The match must be won by pinfall or submission. Sting dominates the early portions of the match. Flair turns the tide with a thumb to the eye. Sting comes back and hits a flying cross-body from the top ropes and gets two on Flair. Flair begins working on the knee of Sting. Flair places Sting's leg on the bottom rope and drops all of his weight on the knee of Sting. Flair goes to drop a knee on Sting, but Sting moves out of the way. Sting gets a Figure 4 on Flair but Flair gets to the ropes and Sting is forced to break. Flair sweeps the leg of Sting to take him down. Flair targets the knee of the challenger once again. Sting soon starts to fight back and press slams Flair. Sting whips Flair into the corner where Flair does his 360 and down to the ring apron. Sting suplexes Flair back into the ring. Sting hits the Stinger splash on Flair and goes for the Scorpion Deathlock. Down come Barry Windham, Sid Vicious, and Arn Anderson. The Dudes hold them off. Flair makes it to the ropes. Flair takes String down, goes for a pin with his own feet on the ropes but Scott Steiner knocks Flair's feet off. Sting whips Flair into the ropes and goes for a knee to Flair ion the corner but misses and his knee hits the corner. Flair sets up for the Figure 4 but Sting rolls Flair up and pins him. Sting is the new World Heavyweight Champion.

Tag Team Championship Quarter-Finals, Steve Austin & Rick Rude vs Barry Windham & Dustin Rhodes, Great American Bash '92
During Doom's title reign in 1990, the NWA Tag Team Championships were starting to be called the WCW titles and the NWA titles were considered vacant. In 1992 a 16-team tournament was created to crown new NWA Champions. The tournament included the likes of Chris Benoit & Beef Wellington, Jeff & Larry O'Day, and The Headhunters (not the guys from Puerto Rico who also competed in ECW but rather two jobbers in masks). The quarterfinals, semifinals, and finals comprised the majority of the Great American Bash PPV. Austin and Rude are accompanied to the ring by Medusa. Rude addresses the "Simple-minded sweathogs" before the match. Conspicuous by his absence is Paul E. Dangerously. Also a conspicuous absence is Jesse Ventura's commentary. Austin and Windham start the match off. The TV Champion, Austin has some right hands for Windham early on. Austin goes for a pin with a handful of tights but Windham kicks out. They do a criss-cross which ends with Windham delivering a right hand to Austin. Windham gets Austin off guard and he tags in Rude. The United States Champion in the match now as he goes to work on Windham. Much of this match is pretty standard wrestling. Nothing too special. Dustin Rhodes has an abdominal stretch on Austin. Rhodes tags in Windham who goes to the top rope and delivers a clothesline on Austin. Soon, the Dangerous Alliance turn the tides on Windham. Austin and Rude keep Windham in their half of the ring. This is especially necessary with Windham and Rhodes both being tall it would make it easier for them to make a tag. After what is probably more than five minutes, Windham is able to make the tag into Dustin. Dustin hits a bionic elbow on Austin followed by a drop kick on Rude. All four men are now in the ring., Austin tries for a piledriver on Windham and Rhodes comes off the top rope with a clothesline and pins Austin for the win. Rhodes and Windham would go on to defeat Shinya Hashimoto & Hiroshi Hase in the semifinals before losing to Terry Gordy & Steve Williams in the finals.

WCW World Championship, Sting (c) vs Vader, Great American Bash '92
The only match on the card that was not part of the tag team tournament. Vader comes to the ring accompanied by Harley Race. This is a rematch from a match where Vader put Sting in the hospital. Sting is out in his red, white, and blue. Of course the belt Sting carries is not the "big gold belt" as Ric Flair took the belt with him when he went to WWF and an new WVW belt was created. Sting is not intimidated by the big man. Vader backs Sting into the corner and delivers some nasty blows to the Stinger. The champ is down to one knee and is in trouble very early in this match. Sting has to take a break to the outside. Sting tries for a clothesline on Vader with no affect whatsoever. Vader charges after Sting in the corner but Sting moves out of the way. Sting hits a side suplex, several clotheslines, and then a clothesline to knock Vader to the outside. Vader seems to be caught off guard. Back in the ring, Vader takes a slow pace to Sting. Vader applies a move similar to the Funk spinning toe hold before turning it into the Scorpion Deathlock. Vader is not sitting back on Sting's back. Sting manages to power out sending Vader down. Sting is still in trouble, though. This match is pretty much all Vader. Vader powerslams Sting and goes for the pin, but Sting kicks out. Sting comes back with some martial arts move followed by a DDT to take the challenger down. Vader goes to the top rope but Sting knocks him off balance. Sting then picks Vader up own his back, carries him into the center of the ring and delivers a Samoan drop on Vader. Sting applies a standing side headlock on Vader. Vader picks Sting up for a side suplex, but Sting lands on his feet. In the process of the attempted suplex, Sting inadvertently kicks the referee. Sting hits a belly to back suplex on Vader. The referee is able to come around and count the pinfall but Vader kicks out. Sting hits the Stinger splash. Then a second Stinger splash, but this time, Sting overshoots Vader and hits his head on the ring post. Sting is busted open. Vader goes for a pin, but Sting kicks out. Sting swings at Vader but Vader avoids the blows. Vader hits a powerbomb on Sting and pins the champion to win the title. Vader's reign would be short-lived though, as he would only be champion for a full 21 days before losing the title to Ron Simmons.

Ric Flair vs Randy Savage, Great American Bash '95
After not being around in 1993 and 94, the Bash is back. This match is the main event because WCW Champion Hulk Hogan hadn't defended his title since February. The Macho Man is accompanied to the ring by his father, Angelo Poffo. This stems from an attack on Angelo by The Nature Boy. The action starts of fast. After a flurry of offense, Savage knocks Flair to the outside then ascends the top rope and delivers a double ax handle on the Nature Boy. Flair then rams Savage into the ring post. Back in the ring, Savage takes control of Flair and whips him into the corner where Flair takes a 360 dive over and out to the floor. On the floor, Flair threatens Angelo until Randy comes out to his father's aid. Flair delivers a chop block to the back of the knee of Savage. Flair then picks Savage up and drops him knee-first on the steel guardrail. Flair gets Savage back in the ring and goes to work on the leg. Savage turns things around with his one good leg. Outside the ring, Savage whips Flair into the guardrail. Flair gets back in the ring and applies the Figure 4 on Macho Man. The Dirtiest Player in the Game uses the ropes for leverage. Savage manages to reverse the hold. Savage goes to the top rope and hits the elbow on Flair. Savage goes for a pin, but Savage pulls Flair up. Savage is now bleeding from either his nose or cheek. Flair rolls to the outside. Savage goes to the top rope for another double ax handle, but misses and lands face first on the guardrail. Flair begins pounding on Savage. Flair again threatens Angelo, but this time the Poffo family patriarch turns the tide and begins choking Flair with his cane. Flair delivers a back elbow to Poffo knocking him down. Flair gets back in the ring with the cane and nails Savage with it while the referee is checking on Angelo. Flair covers Savage and gets the pin. Randy Savage is unable to avenge his father on Father's Day.

On to 1996 with a segment. Eric Bischoff interviews Scott Hall and Kevin Nash. Bischoff announces that Hall and Nash have the match they requested at Bash at the Beach. They want to know who WCW's three guys will be. Bischoff says he'll tell them the next night on Nitro. Hall punches Bischoff in the gut then Nash powerbombs him through a wood platform next to the stage.

Falls Count Anywhere Match, Randy Savage vs Diamond Dallas Page, Great American Bash '97
On to 1997, and Randy Savage is now a member of the New World Order. Once again this match is the main event of the show. Again no World Champion on the card. Savage is accompanied to the ring by Elizabeth. DDP's music hits and Kimberly comes out onto the stage. It's a distraction for DDP to enter through the crowd and attack Savage from behind. DDP goes for the Diamond Cutter early but Savage slips out of it and out to the outside. DDP delivers a leaping press over the top rope onto Savage. Page is also hurt as he comes into this match with bandaged ribs. Soon the two men are brawling in the crowd. Savage goes to throw DDP into a concrete wall, but DDP reverses it. DDP gets a crutch from somewhere and whacks Macho Man with it. The two men brawl their way back to the ringside area. In the ring, Elizabeth hands a packet of powder to Savage who throws it in Page's face. Savage beings removing the bandage from DDP's ribs. Savage then knocks out referee Mickey J followed by a piledriver to the ref. Referee Mark Curtis comes down and is also attacked by Savage. Savage clotheslines DDP to the outside. Savage then grabs Kimberly by the hair. Nick Patrick comes down and gets between Savage and Kimberly. The competitors make their way to a "VIP" picnic area set up next to the ring. DDP uses various objects from the picnic table on Savage including a flower pot. DDP then slams Savage through a picnic table and follows that up by dumping a charcoal grill on his opponent. Page brings Savage back into the ring. DDP deliver a move resembling the Styles Clash. Savage fights back. Savage removes the ringside mats and attempts a piledriver on the concrete floor, but Nick Patrick prevents him from doing so. I think you can guess what happens next. That's right, Nick Patrick gets taken out by the Macho Man. Savage then, for some reason, attacks a WCW photographer and smashes his camera. DDP grabs a chair and strikes Savage with it. DDP gets Macho in the ring and hits a Diamond Cutter on him. Nick Patrick manages to get back in the ring and begins the three count but is attacked by Scott Hall. DDP makes Hall pay but the distraction allows Savage to use Hall's tag title belt on Page. Hall then hits an Outsider's Edge. Savage then hits the elbow from the top rope. Hall revives Nick Patrick and he counts three. Randy Savage is your winner. This was a good, wild match. There were times in which I wondered if Savage, for whatever reason, wasn't quite all there. Such as when Nick Patrick came between him and Kimberly and again when he hit the photographer. Was the photographer spot even planned?

Next we move onto a three pack of Cruiserweight matches.

Ultimo Dragon vs Psicosis, Great American Bash '97
We go from the main event of the 97 Bash to the opening match. This is a respect match. Sonny Onoo is using to Psicosis to "teach some respect" to Dragon. Dragon starts off with a deep arm drag which sends Psicosis to the outside. Psicosis is taking his time getting back in the ring. Back in the ring a crisscross and Dragon goes for a leapfrog but Psicosis gives him a blow to the face. A short while later, Psicosis ends up on the outside and Dragon leaps over the top rope after him but Psicosis moves out of the way. Dragon appers as though he may have tweaked his knee. Psicosis gets back in the ring and is dristracting the referee while Onoo delivers a few martial arts kicks to Dragon. Psicosis, now being a heel, is wrestling at a slower pace than what is normal for him. Dragon is back on the outside and Onoo goes to attack him, but Dragon fights back and sets up for a suplex on his former manager, but Psicosis breaks it up. Psicosis ends up on the outside and Dragon hits an Asai Moonsault. Dragon brings Psicosis back in the ring and hits a brain busyer followed by a Tombstone piledriver. The match really hits a fast pace now. Psicosis tries for a moonsault but Dragon kicks him in the air. Dragon hooks the arms of Psicosis when Onoo distracts him allowing Psicosis to take control. Psicoss goes to whip Dragon into Onoo but Dragon reverses it and Onoo kicks his own man. Dragon applies the Dragon Sleeper getting Psicios to tap out.

Eddie Guerrero vs Chavo Guerrero, Great American Bash '98
Family pride is on the line in this match. Chavo gives Eddie a hard slap across the face to start the match. Eddie comes back with some chops but Chavo turns it around with some chops of his own. Eddie takes control and throws Chavo into the corner. Eddie charged after Chavo and Chavo lifts his up sending him into the ring post. Eddie seems to have opened up an existing wound or scar on his shoulder which is starting to bleed. Chavo has Eddie against the ropes and charges after him but Eddie moves out of the way and Chavo flies out over the top rope. Eddie brings Chavo back in the ring and hits a brainbuster. Eddie is taunting Chavo but Chavo fights back. Chavo is now enraged. Chavo chases Eddie around the ring and Eddie goes into the ring and grabs onto the referee for protection. Eddie hits a dropkick on the knee of Chavo and then applies a Figure 4. Eddie released the hold so he can apply more pain and punishment to his nephew. Eddie applies a Gory Special, followed shortly by the Camel Clutch. Eddie taunts the fans who are booing him. Eddie charges after Chavo who's now against the ropes and Chavo lifts him up and over to the outside. Chavo gets a running start and leaps over the top rope landing on his uncle. Chavo has Eddie back in the ring and sets him up for a frogsplash. As Chavo is on the top rope, Eddie gets up and knocks him off. Eddie then goes for a frogsplash of his own but Chavo moves out of the way. Chavo hits a springboard tornado DDT and finishes off Eddie. A huge win for Chavo in this match.

Vacant Cruiserweight Championship, Chris Jericho vs Dean Malenko, Great American Bash '98
Jericho had been insulting the memory of Malenko's late father and Malenko wanted to get his hands on Jericho. Jericho would only accept the match if Malenko forfeited the Cruiserweight title. Malenko agreed and now we have a match for the vacant title. Malenko is more interested on getting his hands on Jericho more than winning the title. The two men hit simultaneous clotheslines on each other to start the match and Jericho is the first back to his feet. Jericho sets up for the Lion Tamer but Malenko reverses it (I had actually forgotten the move was called that before it was the Walls of Jericho). Malenko is able to get a sleeper but Jericho is able to get out of it with a suplex. Jericho slows the pace of the match down. He goes for the Lionsault but Malenko moves out of the way. Jericho goes to the top turnbuckle but Malenko meets him there. Jericho is able to get a Frankenshteiner on Malenko to take him down. Jericho has a Boston Crab on Malenko but Malenko is able to get to the ropes. Malenko soon applies the Texas Cloverleaf on Jericho but Jericho is able to get to the ropes. Jericho beings taunting Malenko which enrages him. The men go to the outside where Malenko grabs a chair and strikes Jericho with it. Malenko is fighting Jericho all the way to the stage. Malenko whips Jericho into a concrete wall. They go outside the arena onto the streets of Baltimore. Jericho runs out into the street to get away from Malenko as Doug Dillinger holds Malenko back. Jericho wins the match by DQ for Malenko's use of the chair, and because the title had been vacant, he wins the title. This match was perhaps the most fast paced of the last three. Quite frankly, I'm not sure I was ready to review these matches.

Ambulance Match, Diamond Dallas Page vs Mike Awesome, Great American Bash '00
Mike Awesome is the "Career Killer" going into this match. DDP brings out Chris Kanyon who in a wheelchair and a neck halo after taking a fall of the triple cage at Slamboree. DDP hits the ring and they go at each other. Just seconds into the match the referee is knocked out by DDP. Awesome whips Page against the guardrail on the outside. Back in the ring the two men are dueling with chairs. DDP whips Awesome into the corner but Awesome leaps up onto the ropes and delivers a back elbow to Page. Awesome goes under the ring and pulls out a table. He hits an Awesome bomb through the table. The medics come to ringside and pick Page up and place him on a stretcher to roll him out to the ambulance but DDP rolls off. Awesome continues to work over DDP and hits a frogsplash in the ring followed by a second. Awesome now places one chair underneath Page and one on top of him. He goes for another frog splash but DDP moved out of the way and Awesome lands on the chairs. Kimberly comes down to the ring and hits DDP with a lead pipe. That brings out Miss Hancock and the hair grabbing is on. Awesome goes back to the top rope but DDP hits him with a low blow followed by a Diamond Cutter from the ropes. DDP calls for the stretcher and the medics roll Awesome back. Eric Bischoff comes out onto the stage with a chair and appears as though he's going to hit Kanyon, but Page stops him. Kanyon gets up from the wheelchair and hits a Diamond Cutter on Page off the stage. Kanyon rips off his shirt to reveal a New Blood shirt. He places Page onto the stretcher and Awesome rolls him into the ambulance for the win.

WCW World Championship, Jeff Jarrett (c) vs Kevin Nash, Great American Bash '00
Before the match starts, WCW Commissioner Ernest Miller comes out and introduces special guest timekeeper Rey Mysterio, special guest bell ringer Konnan, special guest belt keeper Disco Inferno, special guest ring announcer Juventud Guerrera, and special guest enforcer, himself. The New Blood stacks the odds against Nash. After a distraction, Jarett goes to town on Nash. Nash comes back with a hip toss to Jarrett. Apparently there's some mysterious sound that stops everyone. I didn't hear anything. On the outside Nash whips Jarrett into the guardrail and then picks him up drops him on the announcers' table. They brawl into the crowd. Nash grabs a chair and whacks Jarett with it. They make their way back to ringside where Rey hits Nash with a chair to the knee. Jarrett brings the chair into the ring and strikes Nash in the knee with it. Referee Mickey J takes the chair away but Jarrett continues to work on the knee. Jarrett applies the Figure 4 and after several long minutes Nash gets to the ropes. Nash starts to take control which brings in interference from the Filthy Animals. Nash fights back using the World title belt to his advantage. Nash goes for a pin, but Disco attacks the referee. Nash goes to the outside after Disco but he's attacked by Juvi. The Cat is now in as the referee. More interference. Nash fights back and takes control. He goes for a pin, but The Cat claims to have something in his eye preventing him from making the count. Nash attacks The Cat. Nash hits a powerbomb on Jarrett and goes for a pin with Charles Robinson coming out to count, but Rick Steiner attacks Robinson and then goes after Nash. Tank Abbot comes down to help Nash but is met by Scott Steiner. Goldberg's music hit and he arrives in a monster truck. Goldberg hits the ring and sets up for a spear on Jarrett but then hits it on Nash instead. Goldberg orders Jarrett to cover Nash and referee Mickey J counts the three. Bischoff and Russo come out and hug Goldberg as a pre-recorded chorus boos are blasted in over the speakers. Fans are throwinf trash into the ring. I'm not sure if it's because of Goldberg's turn or the terrible booking. This match is an overproduced clusterfuck. It got a 0.85 rating on Cagematch and well deserved.

That wraps up the Best of The Great American Bash. I generally enjoyed the classic matches. By time it got to the later years of WCW, I wasn't that interested. Two matches I skipped, just because, are Steiner Brothers vs Fabulous Freebirds from 1990 and Randy Savage & Roddy Piper vs Hollywood Hogan & Bret Hart from 1998. I would take off the Flair vs Koloff match as well as Jarrett vs Nash. I know WWE wanted to end the DVD with a main event match but there's nothing from 1999 or 2000 worth putting on there. I would put on Flair vs Ricky Morton Cage Match from 1986 and, in a perfect world, DDP & Kanyon vs Chris Benoit & Perry Saturn from 1999. Another worthwhile match from 1998 would be Sting vs The Giant. If there were to be a fourth disc with WWE matches, ones that could be included could be JBL vs Eddie Guerrero from 2004, Rey Mysterio vs Eddie Guerrero from 2005, Jeff Hardy vs Umaga from 2007, Chris Jericho vs Shawn Michaels from 2008, and Rey Mysterio vs Chris Jericho from 2009.

Next up, we dive deep into the vaults of WWE. We'll see matches involving The Undertaker, Steve Austin, Owen Hart, Mr. Perfect, and the only DVD appearances from The Patriot and Jean-Pierre Laffite and the only singles matches involving the Dynamite Kid.

 

[Skyefire]

(Really cool artwork imo. The artwork is NOPE. You can't get artwork like that on streaming.)

Next we enter the Dungeon. Wait, does this take place in my apartment? Oh, wait, it's the Hart Family Dungeon, not my dungeon. Bret Hart's Dungeon Collection. A collection of (mostly) unreleased matches and segments with a description from Bret. Every match up through Bam Bam Bigelow is a NOPE Match except for Ric Flair which is on the WWF Invasion 92 Coliseum Video (if that's still on Peacock). One thing that makes DVDs great, and not just WWE DVDs, is the cover artwork and this has some very good artwork that's something you can't find on any streaming service.

Cold open from Bret Hart talking about what we're going to see on this DVD. First segment Bret talks about growing up watching his dad run the Stampede promotion. [Bret on Dynamite Kid] Bret talks about Dynamite Kid and how Kid didn't like him at first. Bret talks about doing his first one-hour match against Dynamite. Bret says Dynamite Kid is the true best there is, best there was, and best there ever will be.

The format of this DVD is Bret telling a story from a time period then talking about the opponent in the next match.

Stampede British Commonwealth Junior Heavyweight Championship, Bret Hart (c) vs Dynamite Kid, Stampede Wrestling December 1978
Joined in progress, 17 minutes in Bret has a 1-0 lead in a Best 2 of 3 Falls Match. Bret is working over Dynamite's leg in the corner. Dynamite is the heel here as he has (according to the commentator) cheated a lot in the first fall. Dynamite throws Bret out of the ring between the ropes into the front row. There are no barriers between the fans and the ring. Dynamite refuses to let Bret back in the ring. Bret gets back in and Dynamite exits the ring looking like he's going to walk out of the match altogether, but he gets back in the ring. Bret now has an injured leg and Dynamite is working on it. These two show off their great wrestling technique throughout this match. Both men have bloody noses. It's now turning into a brawl. The finish comes with Dynamite suplexing Bret backwards over the top rope with both men falling to the floor. Dynamite is DQ'ed and Bret retains the title. A very good showcase of these two men's abilities over the course of about 13 minutes on the DVD.

Next, Bret talks about being the first Hart member to get booked in other territories. [Bret on Buzz Sawyer]: Bret says Buzz was a good wrestler with a flash of greatness. Bret talks about how significant it was to work for Georgia Championship Wrestling and all of the stars who were there and taught him the business.

Bret Hart vs Buzz Sawyer, Georgia Championship Wrestling September 1979
We start with Gordon Solie saying how they have received a lot of calls and letters wanting to see scientific matches, and so that's what we've got. Footage is very grainy. Bret is billed as being from Great Falls, Montana. This is a very mat-based match with a lot of amateur moves. If this match were judged on points, Buzz would be ahead. Nothing really special to talk about in this match, just a lot of good wrestling technique. The men start to pick up the momentum as the match goes on. Both men attempt dropkicks simultaneously both missing. Several rollups and cradle pin attempts. The bell rings as the 10-minute time limit expires.

Next Bret has returned to Calgary. [Bret on Leo Burke]: Bret talks about everything he learned from Burke and how Burke was a leader in the locker room and took Bret under his wing. Bret talks about how Burke accidently almost broke Bret's nose going for an abdominal stretch.

Stampede North American Heavyweight Championship, Leo Burke (c) vs Bret Hart, Stampede Wrestling January 1983
Joined in progress approximately 10 minutes in. Long time fan favorite Burke had very recently turned heel apparently because of inflation he makes more money now. Apparently Burke has spent much of the match running but is now in control of Bret. Burke goes to the top rope but Bret brings him down with a slam. Burke is now backing away from Bret. Burke manages to slap a sleeper on Bret. Bret attempts to escape but is unable to. He does manage to get to the ropes, though. Bret goes for a shoulder block on Burke, but Burke moves out of the way and Bret hits the referee. Burke decides to add insult to injury, or rather more injury to injury by attacking the referee while he's down. Burke reaches into his tights for brass knuckles, but Bret prevents the punch. Bret hits a piledriver on Burke, another referee enters the ring and counts the three. Bret is the new champion...or is he? The original referee says that he has disqualified Burke and Burke keeps the title. The match goes about 5 minutes on the DVD. Got exciting near the end, but nothing too special. In a post-match interview a frustrated Bret says he wants the title, but more importantly he wants Burke.

[Bret on Dynamite Kid] Bret talks about a lot of his Hitman gimmick came from Dynamite Kid, but also from John McEnroe. Bret talks about how this match with Dynamite is the only time they wrestled one-on-one in WWF.

Bret Hart vs Dynamite Kid, Capital Centre October 8, 1985
These two are on fire in this match. One of the highlights in the early going of the match is Dynamite delivering a slingshot (or catapult as it's called in the UK according to Lord Alfred Hayes) on Bret sending him to the outside. There's a lot of great action in this match that it's too much to describe/ Later in the match, Dynamite whips Bret sternum first into the turnbuckle. Dynamite delivers a side suplex to Bret then drops a knee from the second rope. They try to do a crisscross but Dynamite trips over Bret. Bret tosses Dynamite to the outside. Back in the ring Dynamite reverses a sunset flip into a pinfall for the win. Anvil hits the ring and he and Bret double team Dynamite until Davey Boy comes to his partner's aid with a huge press slam on Bret. These two were well ahead of their time. Imagine watching Kurt Angle vs Chris Benoit but it's 1985 when guys like Hulk Hogan were the norm.

[Bret on The Islanders]: Bret says he loves the energy of the match. Bret says Philadelphia had the craziest fans and sometimes you had to fight your way back to the locker room.

WWF World Tag Team Championships, Hart Foundation (c) vs The Islanders, Philadelphia Spectrum March 17, 1987
Flashforward to 1987. Bret and Jim Neidhart are now the WWF Tag Team Champions and are defending against Haku and Tama, The Islanders. It takes a while for this match to get going and starts off slow. Haku uses some Martial Arts moves on Bret causing Bret to leave the ring to regroup with Anvil, Jimmy Hart, and Danny Davis. Later in the match, Tama gets a sunset flip on Bret and goes for a pin, but Bret is too close to the ropes and tags Anvil. Anvil delivers a blow to Tama knocking him outside the ring. The commentators confuse which one is Haku and which one is Tama. The Hart Foundation are now dominating the match. Tama picks Anvil up, but the referee is distracted by Haku and Bret comes in and delivers a drop kick intending to get Anvil on top of Tama, but Tama reverses it into a pinfall attempt. Tama manages to make the tag into Haku, but after just a short time Haku tags back out to Tama. Danny Davis gets up on the ring apron and Haku gives him a shot. Tama is now legal and he delivers a flying cross-body splash from the top onto Bret and has Bret in a roll-up. The referee is distracted by Anvil and Haku fighting and Danny Davis gets in the ring and reverses the roll-up so Bret is on top and gets the pin. This match is not as exciting as Bret made it out to be. It goes more than 15 minutes and the first 10 minutes or so are a very slow pace.

[Bret on Andre]: Bret said he was initially confused as to why he was booked against Andre. He asked Andre what they were going to do and Andre responded with "Don't worry. We'll figure it out." Bret said he found out later that Andre requested to work the match with Bret.

Bret Hart vs Andre the Giant, Milan, Italy 4/10/89
This was initially televised on Italian TV and the original broadcast, with original Italian commentary is featured on this DVD. Andre steps of the top rope to enter the ring. The two men lock up and Andre backs Bret into the corner. Andre backs himself into Bret once. Attempts to do it a second time but by then Bret has moved out of the way. Bret dropkicks Andre and Andre falls backwards into the ropes and ends up with his arms tangled up in the ropes. Much as he did in pretty much every match around this time. It's at this point the video and audio quality suddenly gets better. Bret is pounding on Andre. Andre gets out of it and goes after Bret. It sounds like the crowd is chanting "Hogan". Andre covers his ears. Andre puts Bret in a bear hug. Long before WWE had "Prime" energy drink on their ring mats here they are with "Halls" cough drops on the mat. Andre has Bret on the mat as he drops an elbow (more like an armpit) onto Bret and pins him for three. This was a pretty typical late-80's Andre match. His size and years in the ring had taken a toll on his body and he really couldn't do much. With the finisher he comes a mere couple of inches from dropping his hip on Bret's ribs which could have caused injury.

[Bret on Mr. Perfect]: Bret says about how they got along really well and how they were both really good workers and that other wrestlers wanted to see the two of them work with each other.

Bret Hart vs Mr. Perfect, Maple Leaf Wrestling 4/23/89
Whenever I see old WWF matches from Toronto I'm intrigued to see that they have an elevated walkway to get to the ring. Much like WCW did in the early 90's. Perfect comes out with no music. Gorilla Monsoon and Lord Alfred Hayes are on commentary. The two start off with some classic wrestling holds. Bret gets a standing side headlock, Perfect shoves him off against the ropes, Bret comes back with a cross body block for a pin attempt but Perfect shoves him off. Bret slides underneath the bottom ropes. Perfect comes after him. Bret leaps over the top and hits a sunset flip. Perfect kicks out of the pinfall attempts gets up, Bret brings him down with a side headlock and the two are on the mat. Wow, that was a fast paced exchange. I had to pause the DVD multiple times to type it all up without missing anything. This is the point where, if this was the 2024, the fans would be applauding the efforts of both men. Perfect tries to slow the pace down in the match and gives Bret a cheapshot behind the referee's back. The classic wrestling has turned to punches and kicks from Perfect as he tosses Bret out to the outside. Perfect follows him out and slams his head into the ring apron. Every time Bret tries to get back in the ring, Perfect knocks him down. This match comes before Mr. Perfect was aligned with Bobby Heenan (and even before The Genius which came before he joined the Heenan) family and Gorilla Monsoon and Lord Alfred Hayes on commentary mention that Heenan has been "sniffing around" Mr. Perfect and both agree that Perfect is "too smart" to join the Heenan Family. Back in the ring, Perfect appears to have a Funk spinning toe hold on Hart and Hart uses his spare foot to push Perfect into the turnbuckle. Bret is now going to work on the arm and elbow of Mr. Perfect. Perfect shoves Bret against the ropes. Bret applies a crucifix on Perfect and Perfect drops backwards landing on Bret. Perfect then deliver a diving headbutt to the "diaphragm" of Bret (it looked pretty damn close to a low blow). Bret is able to come back with a snap suplex. Brer goes to the second rope and drops an elbow on Mr. Perfect. Bret is going for a pin just as the time limit expires. This macth is a draw. Fans in the crowd are holding up signs that say "10" for this match. Bret gets on the microphone and wants five more minutes with Mr. Perfect. Perfect says "You couldn't beat me in twenty, five more minutes won't make a difference." Perfect starts to walk away but then attacks Bret as his back is turned. Perfect goes to the top rope but Bret knocks him down forcing him to crotch the top rope. Bret knocks Perfect out of the ring onto the ramp. This match wasn't as good as their match at SummerSlam two years later, but it was very good nevertheless. A slower pace than what they would do.

[Bret on Big Bossman & Akeem]: Akeem used to laugh at Bret's cartoons. They all said this match was for them.

Hart Foundation vs Twin Towers, TV Taping 5/17/89
This match was taped for Coliseum Video WWF Fan Favorites. Anvil and Bossman start. Anvil runs the ropes trying to knock Bossman down with a shoulder tackle but gets knocked down himself. Anvil delivers a dropkick to Bossman. Something you don't see everyday. A short while later Hart and Akeem are in as Bret jumps on the back of Akeem with a sleeper until Bossman breaks it up. Bret then runs off the ropes, and leaps over Akeem for a sunset flip, but Akeem doesn't budge and instead drops off of his weight on Bret's chest. Bret says in his interview that after this move he felt a numbness over his body briefly. Bossman is tagged in and begins punishing Hart instead of pinning him. Bret makes multiple attempts to fight back but is stopped quickly. Lord Alfred Hayes, on commentary along side Sean Mooney, says that Bossman is "undoubtedly one of the best wrestlers in the World Wrestling Federation" and "with a little more maturity he will become one of the greatest wrestlers of all time." That's laying it on a bit thick, I think. Bossman whips Bret into the corner and charges after him. Bret moves out of the way and Bossman lands on top of the turnbuckle. This allows Bret an opportunity to tag in Neidhart. Akeem also tags in. Soon things break loose as the four men are all battling. Bret leaps over the top rope onto Bossman on the arena floor. During all of this Akeem, the legal man for the Twin Towers sneaks back into the ring, while Anvil is counted out. Twin Towers are your winners in what was a good match. But, wait, things are not over as Hart Foundation come back in and take out Bossman and Akeem. They then handcuff Slick to the ropes and take a few shots at him. The Foundation then use Bossman's nightstick on Bossman and Akeem.

[Bret on Tiger Mask]: Bret says working in Japan was a struggle and that they other wrestlers didn't care if you got your teeth knocked out saying "if anything it's good for business". Bret says he wanted to have the greatest match he ever had and wanted a match on par with his matches against the original Tiger Mask.

Bret Hart vs Tiger Mask (Mitsuharu Misawa), Wrestling Summit
WWF, New Japan, and All Japan come together for this mega supercard at the Tokyo Dome in front of more than 53,000 fans in attendance. Tiger Mask controls the match early on. Mostly a slow pace with some wear down holds including and armlock that he holds on to for a while. A few high flying moves are incorporated into the match in the first few minutes, though. Bret gets a headlock on Tiger Mask which he holds onto for a couple of minutes. Tiger Mask fights back delivers a slingshot which Bret has to oversell by leaping into the corner. Bret ends up on the outside and Tiger Mask leaps over the top onto him. Back in the ring we get some more standard wrestling moves. Tiger Mask runs the ropes, Bret delivers a leapfrog, but appears to injure his knee on the landing. But, wait, it's all a ruse as he clotheslines Tiger Mask as the crowd boos. Bret soon has a sleeper applied. The referee keeps checking Tiger Mask more than three times to see if he's still awake. Bret has Tiger Mask down and goes for an elbow drop from the second rope, but Tiger Mask moves out of the way. Tiger Mask goes to the tope rope and delivers a flying body press on Bret. Bret fights back with some punches, Tiger Mask runs the ropes and the time limit runs out. This match is a draw. This was a much slower paced match than you might expect from these two and it made it kinda boring at times. This would be near the end of Misawa's run with the mask as he would switch to wrestling under his real name just a month later. This card also featured Ultimate Warrior vs Ted DiBiase for the WWF Championship (which was on The Ultimate Warrior Ultimate Collection DVD that I previously reviewed), Jimmy Snuka & Tito Santana vs Kenta Kobashi & Masanobu Fuchi, Mr. Perfect & Rick Rude vs Haku & Jumbo Tsuruta, Randy Savage vs Genichiro Tenryu, Andre The Giant & Giant Baba vs Demolition, and the main even of Hulk Hogan vs Stan Hansen.

[Bret on Ric Flair]: Bret says he has a lot of respect for Flair and was excited to work with him. He says that he let Flair take charge of the match. He says his one criticism was that Flair had no psychology and made things up as he went. He says that a lot of the stuff Flair was doing was the stuff he always did and this was a clash of the eras.

I-C Championship: Bret Hart (c) vs Ric Flair, TV Taping 11/13/91
Flair still has the NWA World title belt at this time. Sean Mooney, on commentary with Lord Alfred Hayes, refers to the NWA belt as the "Outlaw belt". This match was taped for Coliseum Video's Invasion '92. The two men lock up and Bret takes Flair down with a headlock. The two men soon find themselves exchanging slaps to the face. The two men whip each other into the corners. Bret delivers multiple clotheslines to Flair. Flair whips Hart into the corner knocking him down. Flair goes for a pin placing his own feet on the ropes. Bret manages to get his shoulder up. Fans are yelling that Flair is using the ropes and Flair tells the fans to shut up. Flair gets the Figure Four on Hart but Bret is able to reverse it. Flair tries to suplex Hart from the ring onto the floor but the referee stops him and Bret reverses it suplexing Flair into the ring. Flair begins hitting Bret in the corner with some chops. Bret resists the chops and soon lowers the straps on his wrestling gear as he goes after Flair with punches and headbutts. Hart whips Flair into the corner and Flair does his signature 360 over the top rope. Bret gets the Sharpshooter on Flair and Mr. Perfect pulls Flair to the ropes. The Hitman delivers a backbreaker to the Nature Boy. Perfect gets up on the ring apron distracting Hart allowing Flair to toss Bret to the outside. Bret gets back in the ring. Flair has Bret down in a headlock. Bret bridges up and gets Flair into a backslide pinfall but Flair kicks out. Bret knocks Flair to the outside then follows him out there. Flair goes for a piledriver on the outside but Hart reverses it. Both men attempt to get back in the ring, but Perfect pulls Bret down. Flair gets in the ring and Bret is counted out. This match was much like the Tiger Mask match in which it was a rather slow pace, especially the earlier parts of the match. It goes nearly 20 minutes but doesn't really get exciting until the last 5-7 minutes.

[Bret on The Undertaker]: Bret says the fan part of him didn't buy into The Undertaker and that he did such a good job that you could suspend the beliefs. He says that Undertaker was mostly kind of a Frankenstein (monster) and that he (The Undertaker) wanted to have a match against Bret and show that he could wrestle.

Bret Hart vs The Undertaker, Madison Square Garden 1/31/92
This comes just days after WWF taped Saturday Night's Main Event (yet to air) with Hulk Hogan & Sid Justice vs Ric Flair & Undertaker. They had also started taping segments for TV to set up Undertaker's babyface turn and feud with Jake Roberts, which also had not aired on TV yet, so Undertaker is still a heel for this match. We get the greatest commentary duo of all time on this match. Bret attempts to enter the ring after giving away his sunglasses only to get attacked by The Undertaker. Undertaker has his one handed chokehold on Bret. Bret hits Undertaker with an inverted atomic drop followed by a dropkick which sends Undertaker backwards into the ropes and over landing on his feet. Bret dives over the top rope onto The Undertaker finally taking the Dead Man off his feet. Back in the ring, Bret is pounding on Undertaker. He goes to whip him into the ropes but Undertaker reverses it sending Bret into the turnbuckle. Undertaker does his signature walking the ropes while holding Bret's hand, the move that would come to be known as "Old School" for this very reason. He goes for a pinfall but Bret kicks out. Undertaker whips Bret off the ropes and does his leaping clothesline. Undertaker begins smothering the face of Bret. Undertaker goes back to walk the top rope again but this time Bret pulls him down. That doesn't seem to phase The Undertaker, though. Bret hits a suplex on The Undertaker and goes for a pin but Undertaker kicks out and does his sit up. Bret goes to the second rope and hits a flying clothesline to Undertaker. At this point, Paul Bearer is up on the apron distracting referee Danny Davis. Bret grabs Paul Bearer and Danny Davis finds himself squashed in the middle of the two men. Undertaker kicks Bret in the back also knocking Davis down. Bret goes for the Sharpshooter. Paul Bearer is once again distracting the referee. Undertaker gets up and grabs the urn hitting Bret in the face. Undertaker crosses Bret's arms across his chest and gets the pin. I enjoyed this match better than the Flair match.

[Bret on Bam Bam Bigelow]: Bret talks about the difficulties of the travel schedule and sleeping on the airport floor. He calls Bigelow the best big man he ever worked with. Calling him strong and safe.

Bret Hart vs Bam Bam Bigelow, Milan, Italy 4/25/93
Just a few weeks after The Hitman lost the WWF title at WrestleMania, here the WWF is in Italy for the European Rampage tour and this match was the main event of the card. In fact these two men main evented 12 consecutive nights in Europe, this one being the last. If you watch the first Bret Hart DVD you'll see a match between these two in Spain just the night before this show. This match was televised on Italian TV and we get commentary in Italian in this match. Bam Bam is pounding on Bret early on in this match. Bret comes back and applies an armbar. Bigelow picks Bret up for a press but Bret shifts his weight and Bigelow falls backwards with Bret on top of him. Bam Bam falls to the outside. Bret leaps over the top rope but is caught by Bam Bam and slammed into the ring post repeatedly. Bam Bam delivers a vertical suplex to Bret in the ring first holding him up in the air for several seconds. Bigelow then applies a bearhug on the now former WWF Champion. Bigelow drops him with a side suplex. Bigelow picks Bret up for a standing back breaker submission. The referee checks Bret's arm which goes down twice but not a third time. The crowd is chanting "Hitman". Hart gets out of the hold and takes Bigelow down with a side suplex of his own. Bret's advantage does not last long as Bigelow takes back control of the match. Bigelow goes to the top rope for a diving headbutt but Bret moves out of the way. Bret gets Bam Bam into the corner and begins pounding on him. Bret goes to the second rope and takes Bigelow down with a bulldog. Bret goes for the Sharpshooter but Bigelow kicks him off before he can turn him. Bigelow whips Hart into the corner and charges after him. Bret gets his boot up in Bam Bam's face. Bret then sets himself up on Bigelow's shoulders. Bret pulls Bam Bam down into a schoolboy rollup and pins him. So, not a terrifically exciting match. Bigelow shows off his strength but not a whole of what he can do in this match. I was rather distracted by the commentary being in Italian. Actually, it was more like I was just generally distracted and not understanding the commentary I couldn't follow what was going on simply by commentary alone. I do wonder, you hear a lot of women wrestlers today talk about being inspired by the likes of Trish Stratus and Lita, I wonder if any big man wrestlers were inspired by Bigelow and/or The Undertaker. Prior to them the big men did not do a lot, and nowadays they can move with the best of them.

[Bret on Diesel]: Kevin was a nervous wreck going into the match as this was his first big main event match. Bret likes the one from Survivor Series '95 best of their matches. Bret says he was trying to help Diesel in this match to make him a star.

WWF Championship, Bret Hart (c) vs Diesel, King of the Ring '94
Now we get to a match that is readily available on Peacock. From the second annual King of the Ring PPV. Not only was this Diesel's first World title match, this was his first PPV singles match. Diesel has HBK at ringside, so Bret is coming with backup in the form of Jim "The Anvil" Neidhart. Gorilla Monsoon, Randy Savage, and Art Donovan are on commentary. Donovan doesn't even know who Shawn Michaels is. Diesel takes control of the Hitman backing him into a corner. Diesel goes who a high knee in the corner but Bret moves out of the way. Bret goes to work on the knee of the big man. Bret gets a figure four on Diesel. Diesel manages to use his height to reach the ropes. Bret continues to work on the knee. Bret brings Diesel down and rams his knee into the ring post. Shawn comes around and clotheslines Bret. Neidhart then chases Michaels around the ring. Diesel takes control of Bret. Shawn takes a few cheap shots on Bret. Diesel slows the pace down with some wear-down holds and punches. Shawn starts to remove the turnbuckle padding while Diesel has Bret in a backbreaker. Bret slips out of the hold and applies a sleeper. Diesel backs himself, and Bret, into the corner. Diesel whips Bret into the referee. Diesel finishes removing the turnbuckle pad and goes to ram Bret's head into the turnbuckle but Bret reverses it sending Diesel's head into the exposed steel. Bret sets up for the Sharpshooter. Shawn gets on the apron and Bret knocks him down. Diesel knocks Bret down with a big boot. Bret dropkicks Diesel to the outside. Diesel delivers a blow to Neidhart while Michaels sneaks in the ring and hits Bret in the back of the head with the I-C title belt. Diesel drops and elbow and goes for a pin but Bret kicks out. Diesel hits the Jackknife on Bret. Neidhart and Michaels brawl on the outside then Neidhart gets in the ring and attacks Diesel. Bret is DQ'ed. Gorilla says that he may have just saved the WWF title for Hart. Neidhart leaves the ringside area immediately after while Michaels and Diesel double team Hart. This match goes over 20 minutes and it doesn't feel too long. There's some good storytelling and good psychology in this match. It's not as good as their match at Survivor Series '95 but still good. Of course, later in the evening Jim Neidhart would help Owen Hart beat Razor Ramon to win the King of the Ring. Neidhart would side with Owen and claim that he helped Bret retain the title so Owen could beat his brother for it.

[Bret on Owen]: Bret says Owen cared about his matches and took pride in them. Bret says that for their match at WrestleMania, Owen wanted to do a lot of good wrestling moves, but Bret told him that he needs to cheat and be the heel otherwise fans would cheer for Owen and turn on Bret. He says their matches got better about 2-3 weeks after WrestleMania.

No DQ Match, Bret Hart vs Owen Hart, Raw 3/27/95
In the second half of 1994, Bret and Owen would face off in a Steel Cage Match at Summerslam with Bret coming out on top. They would face off again on The Action Zone for the WWF title and on Raw in a tag team match. At Survivor Series, Owen would con his parents into throwing in the towel and costing Bret the WWF title against Bob Backlund. Surprisingly they would not be booked against each other at WrestleMania XI, with instead Bret facing Bob Backlund in an "I Quit" Match and Owen teaming with surprise partner Yokozuna to win the Tag Team titles from the Smoking Gunns. On the last Raw before WrestleMania XI, the two brothers faced off one more time. It would be their last TV match against each other until late 1996. Owen jumps Bret as he's getting into the ring. Bret uses some cheap shots of his own to take his advantage. Bret tosses Owen to the outside and begins whipping him into the guardrail and then the ring steps. The fight up the aisle. Bret slams Owen on the floor. Back in the ring, Bret remains in control. Owen rakes the eyes of Bret to take control. Jim Ross, on commentary with Gorilla Monsoon, describes this match as a "real slobberknocker". Owen delivers a crescent kick to the back of the head of Bret, or as Gorilla describes it the "external occipital perturbance." On the outside, Owen slams Bret's head into the ring steps. Owen removes the turnbuckle pad and goes to ram Bret's head into it but Bret reverses it. Bret goes for the Sharpshooter but Owen delivers an eye poke then throws Bret, chest first, into the exposed turnbuckle. Owen goes to the top for a dropkick, but Bret moves out of the way. Bret slingshots Owen into the exposed turnbuckle. Bret applies the Sharpshooter and Owen gives up quickly. Bret refuses to let go of the hold, though. Three referees are trying to get Bret off of his brother. After about a minute or so, Bret finally releases the hold. Another good match between these two. But imagine if instead of a 9 minute match in front of a couple of thousand fans on Raw, they had a 15-20 minute match in front of 15 thousand at WrestleMania XI.

[Bret on Jean-Pierre Laffite]: Bret says French-Canadian wrestlers don't get enough credit. Bret loved working with Pierre and that he was a safe wrestler. Bret describes their feud as the "lamest" of his career.

Bret Hart vs Jean-Pierre Laffite, In You House III
So, Pierre's gimmick is that he's a pirate, complete with eye patch, and he likes to steal things from people and he stole Bret's ring jacket and that's why Bret's mad and why they're having this match. Bret does his posing in the ring while his music plays, meanwhile JPL is on the outside. Bret gets a running start and leaps between the ropes onto Pierre to start the match. They get in the ring where Bret whips Pierre into the turnbuckle. Bret then charges after Pierre but Pierre moves out of the way and Bret rams his shoulder into the ring post. Vince, JR, and The King are on commentary for this match and Lawler is all over Bret and, of course, making jokes about Stu and Helen Hart. Pierre works over the shoulder of the Hitman. The two men end up outside where Pierre continues his work on Bret. Pierre applies a sleeper on Bret inside the ring. Bret uses some punches to the gut to break the hold. Pierre goes to the top and delivers a leg drop onto Bret and goes for the pin but Bret kicks out. Pierre goes up to the top for his Cannonball splash finisher but Bret moves out of the way. Bret tries for the Sharpshooter but Pierre uses his legs to push Bret out of the ring. JPL then goes for a Cannonball over the top but Bret moves out of the way and Pierre hits the floor. Bret whips Pierre into the corner and charges after him but Pierre gets his knee up. Pierre goes for a pin with his feet on the ropes but Bret kicks out. Pierre goes to the top rope, this time going for a splash and again Bret moves out of the way. Both men are down in the ring now. Bret grabs the legs of Pierre and slowly gets on the Sharpshooter. Pierre submits and Bret is your winner. Not a bad match just pretty standard. A bit long at more than 15 minutes. Bret gets his jacket back and puts it on. The two men would have a rematch a couple of weeks later on Raw with Bret winning again. This was not the first time they met each other as, in addition to a handful of house shows and dark matches in the weeks leading up to this match, they faced off in a tag team match at Royal Rumble 94. It was The Quebeckers, Jacques and Pierre, against Bret and Owen Hart. That was the night Owen fully turned on Bret. This match would be Pierre's only PPV match under the Jean-Pierre Laffite gimmick, and one of only five he would have in the WWF. Seems like there should be more considering the Quebeckers run in the tag team division.

Bret talks about taking time off from the wrestling business after WrestleMania XII and how he was pursuing an acting career during that time.

[Bret on Steve Austin]: He likes to think he helped Steve develop his character and steer him through the career he had. He says that the two always had great chemistry and that Austin made wrestling fun. He says he wishes he could face Austin one more time.

NOPE Match
Bret Hart vs Steve Austin, Sun City Superbowl (9/14/96)
Before the match we get promos from both men. Austin talks about how Bret has been dodging him. Bret talks about being off for five months. He says this match is his last commitment to the WWF and he hasn't decided whether he's done for good or not. Bret says that when he left that Austin was the best technical wrestler in the WWF, not Shawn, not Owen. This show was televised in South Africa and Jim Ross and Owen Hart are on commentary. Austin comes to the ring and grabs a microphone and tells Owen not to interfere or he'll whip his ass. The two competitors lock up in the ring. Austin takes Bret down with a headlock. Bret reverses it into a wrist lock but Austin grabs Bret's hair and reapplies the headlock. The first hald of this match are filled with some classic old-school wrestling holds. Of course, eventually the match has to break down. It starts with Austin grabbing the hair of Bret. Then Austin slowly backs the referee into the corner and as Bret approaches him, with the referee distracted, Austin delivers a mule kick south of the border on Bret. The men go to the outside where Austin picks Bret up and drops him throat first on the guardrail. Austin applies a sleeper hold on Bret in the ring. On commentary, Owen Hart definitely is rooting for Bret, oddly enough. Bret fights back and Austin tosses him over the top rope to the outside. Austin begins pulling up the mats on the outside of the ring. Austin sets up for a piledriver but Bret reverses it with a backdrop. The two men pick up the pace in the ring. Bret tosses Austin over the top rope and then leaps over the top onto him. Bret gets Austin back in the ring and sets up for the Sharpshooter but Austin pokes him in the eye. Austin sets up for the Stunner but Bret counters the hold into an inside cradle to pin Austin. This was certainly not the best match these two would have but Bret really helped elevate Austin heading into their clash at Survivor Series. It's not widely known but Bret actually wrestled more than 20 matches between WrestleMania and Survivor Series. All of them were part of international tours. In April it was Germany which started with Bret and Austin just one week after WrestleMania. Keep in mind, Austin was still a mid-carder feuding with Savio Vega. Bret also wrestled Owen, Davey Boy, and Hunter Hearst-Helmsley during that tour. In May they went to Kuwait, where Bret competed in the Kuwait Cup Tournament defeating Leaf Cassidy before losing to Owen for his only loss in those months. Bret also wrestled Austin in Kuwait as well as teaming with The Undertaker against Owen and Bulldog. Then in September it was South Africa where Bret wrestled Bulldog, teamed with Marc Mero against Owen and Bulldog and finally this match with Austin.

Next Bret talks about the summer of 1997 being one of, if not the, most fun times in his career. It was fun to be hated and fun to be loved.

[Bret on The Patriot]: The gimmick was the "perfect cartoon character" to be thrown against The Hitman

WWF Championship, Bret Hart (c) vs The Patriot
We start with a pre-match interview with The Patriot conducted by Sunny. The Patriot comes out to music later famously used by Kurt Angle. Next Bret is interviewed by Michael Cole. Bret says American wrestling fans don't know what a hero is. He says he's going to "kick the crap" out of The Patriot and he's going to enjoy doing it. The crowd in Louisville is not supportive of the WWF Champion, though there are a few signs in the crowd supporting him. Bret attacks The Patriot before the bell to start the match. After Patriot takes control with a whip to the corner Bret takes a walk to the outside. Back in the ring, Bret goes to work on The Patriot's legs. Bret drags Patriot to the corner where he applies the Figure Four around the ring post. Bret is forced to break the hold but continues to work over his challenger. British Bulldog makes his way to ringside. Patriot rungs to the ropes and is tripped by Bulldog. Bret takes advantage and rolls Patriot up from behind and gets a two count. Patriot shoves Bret into Bulldog the rolls him up from behind for a two count. Patriot then hits his Full Nelson Slam called Uncle Slam and goes for a pin, but Bulldog breaks up the pin. Patriot goes out after Bulldog and Vader comes down to The Patriot's aid. Vader whips Bret into the ring steps then throws him back in the ring. The referee allows the match to continue despite all of the interference. Patriot goes to the top and hits the Patriot Missile on Bret. He then hits a side suplex. Patriot goes for a pin but only gets two. Bret pick Patriot up and drops him throat first across the second rope. The Patriot is pounding on Bret in the corner and accidently hits the referee with an elbow. Patriot then hits Uncle Slam on Bret and covers him and the referee slowly makes his way around to count but Bret kicks out. Patriot whips Bret hard into the corner. He then applies Bret's own Sharpshooter on him. Bret reverses it and applies a Sharpshooter of his own. Patriot tries to make the ropes but eventually gives up. Bret is your winner and still champion. Bret continues to beat down The Patriot after the match including hitting a piledriver on him. Bret grabs the American flag, breaks this stick in half then chokes The Patriot with it. Officials come down to break things up and Bret attacks them before going back to The Patriot. Bret soon walks away with his title reign in tact. Jerry Lawler, on commentary with Vince McMahon, states that this was reminiscent of Vietnam when the United States couldn't win the war. Vince looks at him in total confusion like "what the fuck was that." This was a decent match. It goes just shy of 20 minutes. Nothing too special other than the interference. This would lead to a tag team Flag Match with Bret and Bulldog vs Patriot and Vader at Bad Blood. Soon after Bad Blood The Patriot suffered a career ending injury. Bret, of course, remained champion until Survivor Series and the Montreal Screwjob. Interestingly enough, counting the UK event One Night Stand, Bret competed in three PPV events between Summerslam and Survivor Series and was never in the main event. All three times Shawn Michaels was in the main event.

We skip ahead to his WCW days as Bret talks about getting injured in a match against Dean Malenko where Dean dropped him awkwardly on the top rope and he ended up tearing his groin. He had a date for surgery but it was two months away. But, WCW needed him for his match against Booker T as well as the incident where Goldberg speared him but he had a steel plate under his shirt.

[Bret on Booker T]: He says working with Booker was a privilege. Booker has natural born athleticism. He says it's a shame he didn't get to work with him more.

WCW United States Championship, Bret Hart (c) vs Booker T, Nitro 1/25/99
Tony Sciavone, Mike Tenay, and Bobby Heenan are on commentary as Bret makes his way to the ring. Tenay says that Bret has been favoring his injury for several weeks now and that wrestlers compete with injuries all the time. Heenan comes to Bret's defense. Time to raise the roof as Booker T comes to the ring. Booker gains the advantage early on and Bret steps out of the ring multiple times. Bret works over Booker's legs and then gets the Figure Four and him. Booker fights back and turns it over. Bret breaks the hold just to reapply it. Once again Booker reverses it and Bret gets to the ropes. Booker comes back and hits the scissors kick to the back of Bret's head. Booker does the Spinaroonie and then hits a Harlem Side Kick. Booker goes up to the top rope for a forward senton but misses. Bret brings the title belt into the ring and goes to the top rope. He's going to hit Booker with it but Booker gets his boot up. The fight goes to the outside and Booker drops Bret throat first across the guardrail. Bret has a TV camera cable and goes to choke Bret with it but the referee pulls the cord away. With the referee distracted, Bret hits Booker with the belt and covers him for the pin.

[Bret on Sting]: Bret says he misjudged Sting at first as being a difficult guy to work with but says that that's not the case. He says Sting was using the Scorpion Deathlock before he was. He says that Sting is everything you like in a wrestler.

WCW Championship Tournament Semi-Finals, Bret Hart vs Sting, WCW Mayhem
At Halloween Havoc, Sting defended his WCW Championship against Hulk Hogan only to have Hogan lay down for Sting and that was it. Later in the show, Sting faced Goldberg in an impromptu match. Goldberg won, though it was unclear whether or not the title was on the line. The referee handed the belt to Goldberg though Sting had apparently thought it was non-title. The title was declared vacant the next night and a 32-man tournament was set up. This was one of the semi-final matches in that tournament. Bret comes out to a hero's welcome in Toronto. The two man stand nose-to-nose in the ring. They exchange blows. Bret takes control and throws Sting to the outside. They brawl on the outside for a minute. Sting takes control in the ring as the crowd boos him. Sting seems to embrace being hated and plays the heel role. Sting throws Bret to the outside then throws him on top of the announcers' table. Sting goes for the Stinger Splash on the table but Bret moves out of the way. Back in the ring, Bret goes to the top rope. Sting grabs the referee and Bret comes off with a double ax-handle and hits the referee. Out come Lex Luger and Miss Elizabeth. Luger has a baseball bat and hits Sting with it. He goes to hit him again, but Bret stops him and applies the Sharpshooter to Luger. The referee calls for the bell and declares Bret the winner by DQ. Bret doesn't seem to want to accept the victory by DQ and requests the match continue, and it does. Bret hammers on Sting. Bret goes to the second rope for an unknown move and Sting gets his foot up. Sting applies the Scorpion Deathlock. Bret grabs Sting's leg and turns it into a Sharpshooter. Sting taps out and Bret moves on. Sting asks Bret to return to the ring. It looks like they're going to fight but instead Sting shakes Bret's hand. This match could have been better. Maybe if they were given more time as this only goes about 10 minutes. Bret goes on to defeat Chris Benoit in the finals later that night to win the title. A month later, the infamous Goldberg incident. At Starrcade came the Goldberg match, which while infamous for the kick heard round the world, also had a worked Montreal Screwjob ending with Bret winning thanks to referee Roddy Piper. The title was held up the next night and Bret beat Goldberg in a rematch. Bret later had to retire due to the concussion and at Souled Out in January, Chris Benoit beat Sid Vicious to win the title. The next day Benoit left for WCW and the title was vacant again. A week later Sid Vicious won the vacant title beating Kevin Nash only to be stripped of the title that week on Thunder, have it awarded to Nash by Nash and then Sid wins the title back later that night. Six title changes, three vacancies between November and January. Of course April and May would see nine title changes because that was WCW at the time.

Next Bret wraps things up recalling the kick from Goldberg and the concussion and subsequent stroke. He says if he hadn't gotten hurt he probably would have run out the contract with WCW for two years and then retire.

While the title of this DVD sort of implies that it's going to be mostly, if not entirely, matches never released, which may have been true, and this was released before the debut of the WWE Network, you kinda expected more than mainstream wrestling PPV matches. Two things that are somewhat surprising are number one the fact that there are only two Hart Foundation tag team matches as the DVD focuses on singles matches even during his tag team run, and secondly, the absence of Shawn Michaels. Perhaps it's that Bret didn't want to talk about Shawn, though it would have been fun to see a rarely seen Bret vs Shawn match. Overall, this was a good collection and is worth checking out.

Hmm. What should I review next? Let me take a survey. Do you want to see a DVD from WCW or from one of the founding members of the nWo? Survey says...one for the Bad Guy.

 

[Skyefire]

Say "Hello" to the Bad Guy, it's time to look at the Best of Scott Hall.

NOPE Match
American Starship vs The Infernos, Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling 12/25/84
American Starship, consisting of Starship Eagle & Starship Coyote. If you don't already know it's fairly easy to guess that Scott Hall is Coyote. His partner, Dan Spivey. Their opponents in this Christmas Day showdown, The Infernos, a couple of masked jobbers. This comes just two months into Hall's career. Spivey with some quick arm drag take downs on an Inferno before tagging in Hall. Inferno manages to get some elbows on Spivey but Spivey fights back. Soon all four men are in. Spivey applies a Full Nelson to one Inferno while Hall picks the other up by the throat. Spivey gets a submission and in about 2 minutes this match is over.

NOPE Match
Scott Hall vs Michael Hayes, AWA Championship Wrestling 11/19/85
Hall is introduced as "The Coyote" Scott Hall. Hayes is accompanied by Buddy Roberts. Hall is described as one of the fastest rising stars in the wrestling industry, but has "too nice of a temperament". Hall uses his strength to his advantage early on. Hayes gets Hall in a headlock and, while in the headlock, Hall picks Hayes up and places him on the top turnbuckle. Hayes decides to take a walk. The crowd is wild for Hall. Late in the match, Hall begins working on the leg of Hayes. Hayes comes back and tosses Hall over the top rope. In the NWA that would have been a DQ against Hayes. Hall tries to get back in but Hayes knocks him down. While the referee's attention is tuned to Hayes, Buddy Roberts gets in some cheap shots on Hall. Hayes goes to ram Hall's head into the turnbuckle, but Hall reverses it and rams Hayes' head into the turnbuckle multiple times. Hall hits a bulldog on Hayes and goes for the pin, but Buddy Roberts gets involved. It's two-on-one against Hall until Curt Hennig comes to Hall's rescue. The Freebirds walk away. No word on an official decision but Hall does look good in this match.

NOPE Match
$100,000 Battle Royal, AWA Championship Wrestling 11/28/85
Joined in progress. This match includes Larry Hennig, Larry Zbyszko, Ray "Crippler" Stevens, The Road Warriors, and Leon White. That's right Big Van Vader, before he was Vader was in this star-studded Battle Royal. It's a madhouse that is hard to follow especially poor lighting and one camera. Stevens is eliminated by Jerry Blackwell and Larry Hennig. Leon White is eliminated by Boris Zhukov and someone else. Hawk eliminates himself by jumping over the top rope to go after Jimmy Garvin who was on the outside but not eliminated. Scott Irwin and Bull Irwin tossed Larry Hennig out. Guys keep leaving the ring and coming back or getting on the ring apron to get involved. Final four are Hall, Animal, Garvin, and Steve Regal (not WWE's William Regal). Hall and Garvin go to the outside as Animal works over Regal. Garvin back in goes after Animal and the double team is on. Animal fights back against them both. Animal tossed Garvin between the ropes and outside. He goes for a clothesline on Regal who's leaning against the ropes, but Garvin, from behind, shoves Regal out of the way and pulls down the top rope and Animal goes over and out. Hall gets back in the ring. Hall is now bleeding. He whips Regal into the ropes and then a back body drop. Hall then tosses Regal out. Hall delivers a big boot to Garvin then tosses him out. Scott Hall wins $100,000. He also gets a title shot against Rick Martel and use of the "Wrestle Wagon". After the match we get an interview with Hall and the "Wrestle Wagon", which is a large SUV with special graphics on it. The general manager of a local Chevrolet dealership which sponsors and provides the "Wrestle Wagon" is there to present the keys to Hall, and he's dressed as The Green Hornet.

AWA World Tag Team Championships, Scott Hall & Curt Hennig vs The Long Riders (Bill & Scott Irwin), WrestleRock '86
Prior after to the start of the match, Hall is presented with the award from Most Popular Wrestler voted by the readers of Pro Wrestling report. The two big Scotts start the match. Curt Hennig comes in and delivers a beautiful dropkick to Irwin. Bill Irwin in and whips Hennig into the corner but Hennig moves out of the way and the two keep trying moves on each other with the other moving away. Hennig gets Irwin down with a side headlock. Irwin grabs the tights and pulls Curt over for a pin attempt but Hennig reverses it. Bill Irwin hits a vicious clothesline on Hennig before tagging in brother Scott "The Hog" Irwin. The Long Riders are now keeping Hennig in their corner with frequent tags and occasional double teams. After one of the Irwins misses an elbow from the second rope, Hennig is able to tag in Hall. Scott Hall soon goes to work on both Irwins. Curt Hennig back in and hits a dropkick on Scott Irwin. Now all four men are brawling in the ring and Hennig is thrown over the top rope. Double team on Hall until Hennig gets back in the ring and delivers a dropkick from the top rope onto Bill Irwin. Hennig covers Irwin for the pin. But the action doesn't stop as Scott Irwin now has one of his motorcycle boots, that he apparently was not allowed to wrestle with because it's "too dangerous" which he uses to hit both Hall and Hennig. Hall and Hennig retain. Larry Nelson interviews the champions post-match and asks Curt about the shot from the boot and if the boot was "loaded" to which Hennig replies that it is a loaded boot and that's why it was banned in the first place. Hall then says the belts don't matter, and they want another match with the Long Riders. This was one of AWA's big events of the 80's, that, like many regional promotions big events of that decade was held in a big stadium, in this case the Metrodome in Minneapolis, in front of an arena-sized crowd, in this case about 21,000 (according to Cagematch). The headlining matches for this card included AWA World Champion Stan Hansen vs Nick Bockwinkel and The Road Warriors vs The Freebirds in a Steel Cage Main Event.

The Diamond Studd (w/Diamond Dallas Page) vs Tommy Rich, Clash of Champions XXV
DDP invites a woman in from the crowd to undress Studd as he's looking for a "Studdette". Hall now looks like what most fans know of him. Dark, slicked back hair, no mustache, the toothpick, everything we've come to expect. Despite being a former NWA World Champion, Rich is an "already in the ring" guy and basically a glorified jobber for this match. Studd jumps Rich from behind. Rich gets a couple of moves in before Hall delivers a side-slam. Studd continues to go to work on Rich. Studd goes to the second rope for a splash but Rich gets his feet up. Rich goes from a flying crossbody but misses. Studd hits the Diamond Death Drop or "DDD" for short (which is a Razor's Edge) and gets the win in about two minutes. This match is very much what you've come to expect from Hall.

NOPE Match
The Diamond Exchange (Diamond Dallas Page & The Diamond Studd) vs Brian Lee & Chris Sullivan, World Championship Wrestling 12/7/91
Diamond Dallas Page laces up the boots for his first televised match of his career team with his protégé to take a perennial jobber and a future member of the Disciples of Apocalypse. This match is your basic TV squash match. It goes seven minutes with plenty of time to make Page look good. Studd hits the Diamond Death Drop only to tag in Page for the pin.

Razor Ramon vs Paul Van Dale, Superstars 8/8/92
Another squash match as Razor makes his WWF TV debut. Highlights of the match include a chokeslam by Razor and a side suplex from the second rope. Razor finishes his opponent off with the Razor's Edge. If you want to check this match out, this show is available on Peacock.

WWF Championship, Bret Hart (c) vs Razor Ramon, Royal Rumble '93
Just five months into his WWF career and Razor is already challenging for the WWF Championship on pay-per-view. Mean Gene interviews Bret before the match. Bret says the match is personal and that he's defending his family's honor. Stu and Helen are in the front row for this match. After Bret gives a young fan at ringside his sunglasses, Razor gives that same fan his toothpick. That was rather nice of him. Of course he threw it at the kid from the ring. That upset Bret as he goes right after Razor. It's not long before Bret applies the Figure Four on Razor. Razor gets to the ropes. Bret continues to work on the legs of his larger opponent. Bret drags Razor to the corner and slams his leg into the ring post. Razor whips Bret into the turnbuckle. Razor goes to work on Bret. Gorilla Monsoon and Bobby Heenan are on commentary and this would be the last pay-per-view event they would work together. It's all Razor for the next few minutes. Razor applies an abdominal stretch on Bret and works over the ribs and mid-section of Bret. Bret reverses it into an abdominal stretch of his own, but Razor gets out of it quickly. Razor picks Bret up in a bearhug. Bret fights back and gets out of it by raking the eyes of Razor followed by tossing him outside. Bret goes flying through the ropes out onto the floor. Bret is now in control. Bret hits a running bulldog on Razor followed by a Russian leg sweep. Bret keeps going to pinfalls but gets nothing out of it. Bret sets him up for the Sharpshooter but Razor kicks him away. Heenan claims Razor's legs are too long for the Sharpshooter. Bret gets a side suplex on Razor. He goes to the second rope comes off for some sort of move but is caught by a boot from Razor. Razor sets up for the Razor's Edge but Bret slips out of it and gets Razor in a backslide for a pin attempt but only gets two. Bret gets the Sharpshooter on Razor and Razor gives up. Bret is still the champion. Razor looked good in this match. Held his own against the experienced champion.

Razor Ramon vs The Kid, Raw 5/17/93
You might think a match in which the featured superstar gets beat by a jobber wouldn't appear on said superstar's DVD, but this match is famous. Kid had previously wrestled on Raw as the Cannonball Kid, The Kamikaze Kid, and the Lightning Kid, and still has lightning bolts and "L. Kid" on his tights. Razor throws his toothpick in The Kid's face at the start of the match. Razor tosses The Kid around the ring then hits him with a fallaway slam. Razor whips The Kid into the corner then charges after him, but The Kid moves out of the way and Razor hits his head on the ring post. The Kid climbs to the top rope and hits a moonsault on Razor and pins him 1-2-3.

NOPE Match
I-C Championship, Shawn Michaels (c) (w/Diesel) vs Razor Ramon, TV Taping 9/1/93
The Bad Guy is now a good guy as he takes on the Heartbreak Kid in this Coliseum Home Video exclusive match. Shawn applies a headlock to Razor early on. Razor slingshots Shawn all the way to the outside. Razor whips Shawn corner to corner in the ring before Shawn comes back with a clothesline from the top. Razor goes to the outside and is confronted by Diesel. The referee goes outside to stop Diesel which allows Shawn to attack Razor from behind. After Shawn controls the next few minutes, Razor comes back with some punches turning Shawn inside out then throwing him into the corner when Shawn does one of Ric Flair's favorite moves in taking a 360 over the ropes and down to the outside. Shawn decides to take a walk. He's content to lose on a countout and retain his title. Referee Earl Hebner goes over the ring announcer Mike McGuirk who then makes the announcement that if Shawn does not return to the ring he will lose the match AND the title. Razor goes to the outside to bring Shawn back in. Razor delivers a backdrop to Shawn which launches him 10 feet in the air. Razor delivers a fallaway slam and gets a pin on Shawn, but Shawn's foot was on the ropes. Referee Tim White who was outside to deal with Diesel saw the foot and the match continues. Shawn hits the Sweet Chin Music just as a simple move no fanfare. Razor gets the Razor's Edge on Shawn but Diesel pulls Shawn out. Razor wins by DQ but Shawn keeps the belt. So, if Shawn can lose the belt if he walks out of the match, how come he doesn't lose the belt on an obvious DQ? After the match, Diesel distracts Razor while Shawn attempts to hit Razor from behind with the belt, but Razor stops him, grabs the belt, and hits Shawn with it.

Vacant I-C Championship, Razor Ramon vs Rick Martel, Raw 10/11/93
In the fall of 1993 Shawn Michaels was suspended after failing a drug test and was stripped of the belt. A battle royal was held with the final two facing each other a week later for the title. Arrogance is not just Martel's fragrance but his attitude as well as she shows it off early in this match. The two put on some good moves in the first few minutes of this match. Martel applies a front face lock to Razor, which Vince McMahon on commentary insists is a choke. After a commercial the two are battling on the outside with Martel slamming Razor on the ground. Back in the ring Martel whips Razor in the corner. Martel goes for a pin on Razor with his own feet on the ropes but the referee spots it. Martel works on the back of Razor. He applies the Boston Crab on Razor but Razor makes it to the ropes. Bobby Heenan refers to Razor as Desi Arnaz. Another Boston Crab this time in the middle of the ring. Razor powers out of the hold. Razor hits the Razor's Edge and The Model is done. Razor Ramon is the new I-C Champion. This was a very good match. Martel showed he could still put on a good match, one of the best of Martel's WWF career. Of course, this lead to Shawn returning and claiming to still be I-C Champion with his own belt. That lead to the two belts being set up high above the ring in the first live televised Ladder Match in WWF history.

I'm actually going to skip a review for the WrestleMania X Ladder Match between Razor and Shawn Michaels as it's been reviewed so many times. It's one of the greatest matches in WrestleMania history it set the bar for ladder matches to come. They may not have done all of the fancy moves that some of today's stars do, but the moves they did do had not been seen in wrestling up to that point. If you haven't seen this match, you can't really call yourself a wrestling fan, so go check it out.

I-C Championship, Diesel (c) (w/Shawn Michaels) vs Razor Ramon (w/Walter Peyton), Summerslam '94
A few months earlier, Diesel defeated Razor for the I-C title with the help of Shawn Michaels. This time, Razor had help in the form of Chicago Bears' Walter Peyton, since this event was taking place in Chicago. Diesel and Michaels had just won the Tag Team Championships the day before at a house show. Razor starts things off hot and heavy with some right hands to the champion. Diesel has to take a break to the outside. Diesel comes back with a knee to the gut of Razor and takes control of the match. After Diesel tosses Razor to the outside and the referee begins his count, Shawn removes one of the turnbuckle pads from the ring. Outside the ring, Shawn appears intimidated by Walter Peyton and backs away from him. The referee comes to stop Peyton and Shawn runs around and gives Razor a cheap shot. Back in the ring the referee spots the exposed turnbuckle and prevents Diesel from throwing Razor into it. Shawn gets up on the apron and distracts the referee allowing Diesel to throw Razor into the exposed steel. Diesel goes for a pin, but Razor kicked out. Diesel still maintains control on Razor. A short while later Diesel picks Razor up with intention to drop him on the exposed turnbuckle but Razor slips away and pushes Diesel into the steel. Razor then takes the big man down driving him crotch first into the pole then going to the second ropes and hitting a bulldog. Shawn gets up on the apron but Razor knocks him down. That provides enough of a distraction to allow Diesel to attack Razor. Diesel sets up for the Jackknife but Razor reverses it into a backdrop. Shawn grabs the I-C title belt, but Walter Peyton steps in to prevent him from using it. Peyton wins the tug-o-war over the belt and the referee then goes to take the belt from him. Shawn slips into the ring and goes for Sweet Chin Music on Razor but Razor moves out of the way and Shawn hits Diesel. Both competitors are down in the ring. Peyton is chasing Michaels around the outside as Razor covers Diesel for the win. Shawn walks away as Diesel is angry with him. Another great showing for the Kliq in this match. The two outside men provided an extra level to this match.

I-C Championship, Razor Ramon (c) vs Jeff Jarrett, Royal Rumble '95
Razor again opens up with some punches to Jarrett. The match is slow paced early on. After Razor gets tossed to the outside by Jarrett and seemingly injures his knee, The Roadie takes advantage and delivers a chop block to Razor. Razor gets counted out. Jeff Jarrett is your winner, but Razor keeps the belt. Jarrett grabs the microphone saying he didn't come there to get his hand raised, he came there to win the title and demands Razor return and continue the match. Jarrett teases Razor by calling him a chicken. Razor hobbles back to the ring and agrees to continue the match. Razor shoves Jarrett into the turnbuckle then rolls him up for a pin attempt, but Jarrett kicks out and goes back to work on the knee of the Bad Guy. Jarrett gets the Figure Four on Ramon. Razor is in agony. After several minutes, Razor begins to fight back and forces Jarrett to break the hold. Razor signifies that he's going for the Razor's Edge, gets Jarett up but his leg gives out. Jarrett rolls him up and gets the three. Razor's title reign comes to an end. This was a dull match. Nothing really exciting happened. Razor does do a good job of selling the knee injury, but there are some oversold spots such as when Jarrett "throws" Razor to the outside in what leads up to the countout, he barely touches him. Razor basically takes a dive.

I-C Championship, Razor Ramon (c) vs Goldust, Royal Rumble '96
Flash forward a year and Razor is champion again. He regained the title defeating Dean Douglas at In Your House in October of 1995. The same night that Razor reclaimed the title a new superstar made his debut. That was Goldust. Goldust comes to the ring accompanied, for the first time, by Marlena. Goldust starts off with his bizarre gestures and Razor replies by throein his toothpick at him. Razor takes control early on with an armbar followed by a standing side headlock. Razor gets a waistlock on Goldust, Goldust reverses it and then begins rubbing his hands all over Razor's chest. Goldust delivers a hard slap to the face of Razor which only serves to make the champ mad. Razor returns the gesture followed by a hard slap to the backside of the bizarre one, who then suggests that he liked it. Razor knocks Goldust down who goes to the outside. Razor follows him and Goldust hides behind Marlena. Razor gently picks her up and moves her out of the way, and Goldust attacks him from behind. Back in the ring, Goldust whips Razor into the turnbuckle repeatedly then hits a side suplex. Razor goes to the punching game followed by a chokeslam and a pin attempt, but only gets two. Marlena gets in the ring as Razor hits a side suplex from the second rope and distracts the referee from counting the pin. While the referee is distracted, 1-2-3 Kid comes through the crowd and attacks Razor allowing Goldust to pick up the pin and win the title. This match wasn't much better than the Jarrett match, but the Goldust character and the things he did made it enjoyable. Mr. Perfect, who was doing commentary along side Vince McMahon, stated that we hadn't seen the last of Razor and Goldust. Of course, at the time WWF was setting up a match between the two at WrestleMania, but Razor would reportedly back out of the match which set up the Hollywood Backlot Brawl between Goldust and Roddy Piper. On a side note, I'm disappointed that WWE never put out a DVD on Dustin Rhodes/Goldust. I would love to have heard the stories about the character as well as seen a compilation of matches and segments from the bizarre one.

By spring Scott Hall was gone from WWF. Of course I'm sure everyone is familiar with the "Curtain Call" at MSG. He would end up "invading" WCW on Nitro. He was soon followed by Kevin Nash. The two, dubbed The Outsiders, along with Hulk Hogan would form the New World Order.

The Outsiders vs Sting & Lex Luger, Hog Wild '96
The rematch from the Hostile Takeover Match at Bash at the Beach, and it takes place at WCW's annual free-to-attend PPV, Hog Wild. Nash comes to the ring wearing a vest with the original NWO logo (see attachment). Luger and Hall start things off. Hall gets a twisting armbar on Luger early on. Luger turns things around and slams Hall to the mat. Nash gets tagged in and wants Sting in the match which he gets. Nash delivers a hard right hand to the Stinger. The Outsiders take turns beating Sting down. Really a slow, plodding match at this point. One of the Outsiders hits a move on Sting and then just stands around for 20-30 seconds. A running shoulder block knocks both Sting and Nash down. It would seem as though that would be when Sting would be able to tag in Luger, but he doesn't. The dominance continues. Finally after Hall sets up for an Outsiders Edge, Sting reverses it and makes the tag to Luger. Luger takes both Outsiders down. Sting comes back in and hits the Stinger Splash on Nash. Sting and Nash go to the outside where Sting applies the Scorpion Deathlock. In the ring, Luger attempts to get Hall up in a Torture Rack. Hall kicks referee Nick Patrick in the process. Nick Patrick then "inadvertently" delivers a chop block to Luger allowing Hall to fall on top. Patrick then makes a (seemingly) fast count and the Outsiders are victorious.

WCW Tag Team Championships, Harlem Heat (c) vs Outsiders, Halloween Havoc '96
Fast forward two months and the nWo has taken over. Hollywood Hulk Hogan is now the WCW World Champion, and The Outsiders are challenging for the Tag Team belts. We start with Ted DiBiase and Vincent in the crowd to introduce Hall and Nash. Harlem Heat are accompanied to the ring by Sister Sherri and Col. Robert Parker. Hall and Booker start the match with some good wrestling. Booker delivers a hip toss sending Hall to the outside where Stevie Ray comes around and takes him out. Soon Stevie Ray works over Nash in the ring. Booker delivers a scissor kick to the big man and goes for a pin, but only gets two. Nash comes back with a side slam on Stevie. Hall delivers a bulldog from the second rope. Outsiders take control thanks to a cheapshot from Nash to Stevie. Hall gets a sleeper on Booker T. Booker reverses it into a sleeper of his own. Hall drops Booker on the top rope to break. A head-to-head in the center of the ring knocks both men down and Harlem Heat make a tag. Stevie Ray picks Hall up and throws him into Nash. Booker hits the Harlem Hangover. He then inadvertently has the referee distracted. Col. Parker gets in the ring and goes to hit Nash with his cane, but Nash grabs the cane from him and hits Stevie Ray. He places Hall on top and the Outsiders are the new Tag Team Champions. I mentioned how Goldust should have gotten his own DVD, well so should Booker T.

Scott Hall vs Scott Steiner, Nitro 10/20/97
Steiner is accompanied by Ted DiBiase. Steiner takes Hall down with a shoulder block. Hall comes back with a kick to the gut and an armbar. Steiner delivers a suplex to Hall who then goes to the outside where he's met with a right hand from DiBiase. After a commercial, Hall delivers a chokeslam to Steiner then begins mocking The Giant. Steiner comes back with a belly to belly suplex. Hall inadvertently punches the referee trying to hit Steiner. Steiner hits a powerbomb on Hall but the referee is out. Hall gets an Outsiders Edge. A new referee comes out wearing a black hood over his head (think the blindfold match at WrestleMania VII). He counts the three for Hall. All we can tell about the referee is that he's a black man slightly shorter than Hall.

Scott Hall vs Chris Jericho, Nitro 11/3/97
Hall comes to the ring wearing a tag team championship belt much to the confusion of the broadcasters. Hall gets on the mic before the match does his survey, then calls out Larry Zbyszko and shows footage of Eric Bischoff knocking out Zbyszko with a kick at Halloween Havoc. Hall then says he's ready for Jericho. Hall knocks Jericho down with a right hand then delivers a fallaway slam. Hall sets up for the Outsider's Edge, but Jericho reverses it into a small package and pins Hall. Jericho wins! The crowd pops huge. After the match Hall attacks Jericho and hits the Outsiders Edge, twice. He then threatens the referee. Jericho with a huge, clean victory over Scott Hall.

WCW World Championship, Sting (c) vs Scott Hall (w/Dusty Rhodes), Uncensored '98
Hall had won the World War 3 Battle Royal to earn a title shot against the champion, Sting. Sting starts off hot and fast with Hall. Hall escapes to the corner. Hall suggests he wants a test of strength but pokes the eye instead. Hall takes Sting down with a chokeslam then mocks The Giant. Sting comes back with some punches and a dropkick. Hall whips Sting into the ropes and Rhodes grabs Sting's foot. Hall then delivers a clothesline to Sting on the ring apron. Later, the two men collide in the center of the ring and both go down. As Hall begins to grab the referee's attention, Dusty Rhodes gets in the ring and drops his elbow on Sting before telling Hall to "take it home." Hall covers Sting and Sting kicks out. Sting comes back with an atomic drop and a Stinger Splash then sets up for the Scorpion Deathlock. Before he can get the submission fully applied Dusty gets up on the apron and Sting goes over and nails him. Hall then nails Sting from behind. Hall sets Sting up for an Irish Whip, but Sting reverses it sending Hall into referee Mark Curtis. Dusty tosses in a pair of brass knuckles which Hall nails Sting with. Hall goes for the pin, but Sting kicks out. Hall sets up for the Outsiders Edge but Sting gets out of it and hits the Scorpion Death Drop for the win. One of Hall's better WCW matches.

The Outsiders vs Goldberg & Mystery Partner, Nitro 11/22/99
A year and a half later and things have changed drastically. The nWo split, then got back together. Goldberg rose to fame then had it all halted by Kevin Nash. Hall comes into this match as both US and TV champion, having been awarded the TV title by The Powers That Be, though Nash is wearing the TV title to the ring for this match. Goldberg issued the challenge to the Outsiders earlier in the evening. As Goldberg comes out, Sid Vicious comes out behind him, and apparently Sid is Goldberg's partner one night after fighting each other. Hall and Goldberg start the match. Hall seems to want Sid in the ring, so Goldberg complies. Sid uses his strength to dominate Hall, but gets too close to the Outsiders' corner and Nash gets involved. Sid comes back with a big boot to Nash then tags in Goldberg. Goldberg delivers a powerslam to Hall then gives Nash a shot. Later Goldberg ends up outside so Sid comes in and takes care of both Outsiders. The referee seems to be letting things go. Goldberg gets back in and spears Hall. Sid then hits the Powerbomb and covers Hall but Nash comes in and drops and elbow on Sid. He then puts Hall on top for the pin. All hell breaks loose after the match and security fills the ring to keep everyone apart.

Scott Hall vs The Rock, Smackdown 3/7/02
Now, as we all know, WCW was bought out by WWE in 2001. Then in 2002 Vince McMahon brought the nWo into the fold. The Rock comes running to the ring with his ribs taped up and charges after Hall. Rock hits the double leg takedown and then applies the Sharpshooter until Hogan and Nash come to ringside distracting The Rock allowing Hall to take advantage. Rock comes back and runs off the ropes but Hogan trips him and pulls him off. Hogan then drops Hall on the ring barrier. Hall covers Rock, his own feet on the ropes, but The Rock kicks out. Hall hits a fallaway slam on Rock then signals for the Outsiders Edge. Rock reverses it, though with a back body drop. Rock begins fighting back. Rock hits the Rock Bottom. Nash into the ring and get takes some shots from The Rock. Hogan in next and the WrestleMania opponents are face-to-face. Hall comes back then Nash. Rock fights them off at first but soon it's three-on-one. The glass shatters and the crowd comes unglued as Stone Cold makes his way to the ring, chair in hand and goes right after Hall. He then strikes Nash with the chair before Rock tosses Nash out. This match, while short, was far more exciting than anything Hall had in WCW, and the crowd reaction, to everything, certainly helped.

Scott Hall vs Steve Austin, WrestleMania X-8
The nWo has arrived at WrestleMania, WWF's biggest event. Austin comes out first. Hall then comes out, but he's not alone, as Big Sexy is with him. Austin goes right after Hall from the get-go. Hall takes a beating then takes a walk to the outside. Austin goes after him, getting Nash first before ramming Hall head-first into the ring steps. Back in the ring, Hall pounds on Austin in the corner while Nash removes the top turnbuckle pad on the opposite side. Hall then whips Austin back-first into the exposed turnbuckle. Hall hits the fallaway slam on Austin. Hall drapes Austin throat first across the middle rope and begins choking him. As the referee pulls Hall away, Nash gets in a cheapshot. After Hall gets a few more shots on Austin, Austin hits the Stunner out of nowhere and goes for a pin, but Nash pulls the referee out of the ring. Hall gets a chair as Nash holds Austin in a Full Nelson. Austin kicks Hall then gets out of the Full Nelson with a low blow to Nash then hits a Stunner on Hall and a Stunner on Nash. Austin covers Hall and has more than three before another referee comes down. Nash then drops and elbow on the new referee. Austin then clotheslines Nash out of the ring. Hall sets up for the Outsider's Edge, but Austin reverses it and backdrops Hall over the top rope. More referees come out and send Nash to the back. Austin begins pounding on Hall on the outside. Austin goes for the Stunner on Hall in the ring, but Hall reverses it and hits Stunner of his own. The original referee gets back in the ring and counts but Austin kicks out. Austin then hits a Stunner of his own and wins the match. After the match, Stone Cold celebrates in a way only he can with some Canadian Stevewisers. Once again, this was an exciting match and the crowd was super hot for it.

Scott Hall carved a legacy in the wrestling business through his unique gimmick and talking style. This is reflected in the vignettes promoting the debut of Razor Ramon that are featured on this DVD. He wasn't the best in the ring, his famous ladder match with Shawn Michaels is best remembered for Michaels' performance rather than Ramon's but he could still put on a show. I do wish this DVD included more of the early nWo segments including Hall's arrival and the Hostile Takeover Match.

I don't know about where you are, but it's damn hot around here. Let's take a break from the heat and think about cooler times. I've got a single disc DVD that will put some chill in the air. And it has multiple appearances from a figure more famous than Hulk Hogan, more beloved than Mick Foley.

 

[Skyefire]

You better watch out

 

[Skyefire]

You better not cry

 

[Skyefire]

You better not pout I'm telling you why

 

[Skyefire]

It's time to Ring in the Holiday with WWE. And what great artwork that is by Jerry "The King" Lawler

It's Ring in the Holiday, WWE's three hour look at the magic of the holidays. Your host is jolly ol' St. Mick...Foley that is.

Mick introduces himself from "Right here in Santa's Village (New Hampshire)". That's followed by a crowd pop as Mick explains that he's over with the elves. Mick's jpined by his daughter Noelle (as in The First Noel). He's in search of Santa Claus to co-host this DVD. That leads us into the first match.

Boiler Room Brawl, Mankind vs Santa Claus, Raw 12/20/99
Mick has to enter the boiler room to face his childhood hero, Santa Claus in a match. Michael Cole interviews Mankind right outside the room before the fight. Mick is reluctant to go in as he's jumped by the Mean Street Posse. "Did I just get my ass kicked by the Mean Street Posse? That's embarrassing." Mick spots Santa inside the boiler room and is willing to let Santa walk out and win the match. Mankind then gets jumped by three more Santas. He uses a variety of weapons including a metal trash can on them. He's then met by two more Santas. One is a total Ass and the other is a bit of Dogg. Mankind gets backdropped through a table. Mankind fights back against the New Age Santas. He's about the hit Santa Ass with a glass picture frame when he's attacked by another Santa. This Santa knocks Mankind out. "And I heard him exclaim as he rose out of sight, 'I've got two words for all...Suck It!'" Santa Game is your winner.

Tribute to the Troops 2005
Coach is in the ring and introduces Santa Claus. Santa comes dressed in camouflage. He's got no belly and a terrible beard. "Santa" says the troops have been bad this year and that he's going to skip them this year. Out comes a different Santa. A jolly Santa dressed in red and looking a little more like Santa than the first one. The "real" Santa says he's going to deliver gifts to all the good boys and girls "right here in Afghanistan." The other Santa replies with "The only Ho-Ho-Hos around here are our Divas and I'm cancelling Christmas." Good Santa suggests they have a No Ho-Ho-Holds Barred Match.

No Ho-Ho-Holds Barred Match, Santa Mick vs Santa Bradshaw, Tribute to the Troops 2005
Bad Santa jumps Good Santa from behind and the fight is on. Good Santa whacks his opponent with his Santa bag. He then pulls a set of tongs from the bad which he uses on bad Santa's "chestnuts". Bad Santa comes back with a boot, but misses the Clothesline from Hell. Good Santa hits the double-arm DDT and then pulls out Mr. Socko which gets bad Santa down for a pinfall. Santa Mick is your winner.

Xanta Klaus vs Scott Taylor, Superstars 12/23/95
Xanta comes accompanied to the ring by Ted DiBiase proving everyone has a price for the Million Dollar Man, even Santa. Xanta whips his opponent into the turnbuckle. In a picture-in-picture interview DiBiase says he's found his new Million Dollar Champion who will be debuting soon. Xanta drops and elbow on the future Scotty Too Hotty. Xanta then delivers a suplex and follows that up with a Camel Clutch and the match is over.

Back to Mick and Noelle as Mick mentions that it's unseasonably warm there. Noelle says "Yeah, I thought snow would be all over." To which Mick replies "Snow never goes over" referring to Al Snow. Mick comes across some reindeer and talks to them (in reindeer language) asking them where Santa is.

NOPE Segment
Prime Time Wrestling
Bobby Heenan tells all of the kids at home that Santa isn't real. Roddy Piper is in the next studio and objects to what Heenan has to say. Heenan continues to say how there is no Santa. Piper tells all the kids that there is a Santa. After a commercial Heenan continues with his schtick. He says if you want to believe in something, believe in the Heenan Family, that's what Christmas is about. Piper is not getting angry. After a match (on the original program), we get more of Heenan as he says he's telling the truth. Piper is now gone from his spot. Monsoon says he'll knock him out himself. Piper comes in and shoves Heenan. He and Heenan argue. Heenan takes off his Santa suit and beard saying that they're fake. He's met with a clothesline from Piper who proceeds to beat him up. Piper says he's not putting up with Heenan. He knows what it's like to not have toys. Monsoon wraps things up.

Santino tells the fans that he has a secret about Santa. He's confronted by John Cena. Cena says Santino's never liked Santa. Santino tells John "Chena" that he has a big mouth and wants to shut it and challenges him to a mixed tag team match. Santino says when they will he will tell the secret of Santa.

John Cena & mystery partner vs Santino Marella & Beth Phoenix, Raw 10/22/08
Glamaraella are out first. Santino says he's going to reveal the secret of Santa right then. Cena comes out and introduces his mystery partner...Trish Stratus. Naturally, Trish gets a huge pop, especially being in her hometown of Toronto. The men start things off. They don't fight for very long before Santino tags in Beth and she and Trish now go head to head. Trish takes Phoenix down and pounds on her. She then delivers some chops in the corner. Phoenix fights back and wants Santino to come in and fight Trish. Santino goes to the top rope as Trish throws Beth into the corner causing Santino to crotch himself. Trish then takes Santino down off the top rope. The Glamazon is right behind and takes Stratus down. Phoenix uses her strength to her advantage. She then drags Trish around by her hair. Trish fights back and tags Cena. Cena takes Santino down, does the "You Can't See Me", the Five Knuckle Shuffle and sets up for the AA when Phoenix comes in. She gets a Chick Kick and Cena hits the AA on Santino for the win.

Kofi Kingston vs Tyson Kidd, Smackdown 11/29/11
It's Christmas in November on Smackdown and Michael Cole is dressed as a reindeer for this match and was trending on Twitter. The highlight of this three-minute match is when Kofi steals Cole's antlers and red nose, places them on his own head, and becomes a flying reindeer splash from the top rope for the win.

Miracle on 34th Street Fight, Randy Orton vs David Otunga, Smackdown 11/29/11
Later that same night we get this match. This match made by special guest GM Mick Foley. Otunga is competing in this match "under protest" according to an antlerless Michael Cole. The fight quickly goes to the outside as Orton throws Otunga into a Christmas tree. Orton then drops Otunga onto the announcers table. He then picks up the tray of Michael Cole's "homemade cookies" (they're clearly store bought), eats one and then hits Otunga with the tray. Orton picks up a Singapore Candy Cane and whips Otunga with it. Orton delivers a DDT from the ring apron to the floor. He's then attacked from behind by Wade Barrett. Barrett throws Otunga into the ring to cover Orton, but Randy kicks out. Orton hits an RKO on Otunga and that's all she wrote.

"All I Want For Christmas" Battle Royal, Smackdown 11/29/11
A bunch of wrestlers are aleady in the ring, but Hunico gets a televised entrance. Sheamus is next and he's the last to enter...or is he. Hornswoggle comes out and he decides to hide under the ring. In this match is a who's who of WWE 2011 including Heath Slater, Darren Young, Justin Gabriel, The Usos, JTG, Yoshi Tatsu, Ted DiBiase, Kofi Kingston, Curt Hawkins, Tyler Reks, Titus O'Neil, Jinder Mahal, Ezekiel Jackson, Tyson Kidd, Johnny Curtis and a few others. Kidd gets some revenge from earlier by eliminating Kofi right after Kofi had eliminated one of the Usos. As Kidd hands on to the ropes, Hornswoggle comes out and pulls him out. Titus is somewhat impressive before being eliminated by Sheamus. Two-thirds of the future 3MB double team the Great White but not for long before Sheamus fights back. Sheamus follows Reks under the bottom rope and soon a half a dozen guys are on the outside ganging up on Sheamus. The remaining guys then pull Hornswoggle out from under the ring and into the ring. It's four-on-one against a guy who's four-foot-one. Sheamus comes back. Out goes Reks, then Hunico, then Jinder, and then Slater leaving Sheamus and Hornswoggle, who will have the luck of the Irish. Swoggle wants to fight but Sheamus tells him to leave. Hornswoggle wants Sheamus to leave. Hornswoggle then kicks the shins of Sheamus. Sheamus picks him and tries to eliminate him. Soon both men are on the apron. Swoggle wants a hug from Sheamus but instead pushes him off the apron to win the match. That's right, Hornswoggle just beat the former WWE Champion.

So, what does Hornswoggle want as his Christmas wish? He asks Santa for the ability to talk, so Santa grants him his wish. "Thank you" Hornswoggle says as he starts identifying everything. Santa, tree, twins (Bellas), grandma (Vickie Guerrero). "EXCUSE ME?!" "Excuuse me!" He then meets Dusty Rhodes and Roddy Piper. Mick Foley then enters the room and Dream and Hot Rod look to where Santa was (thinking Mick was Santa), but Santa's seat is empty.

Raw 12/24/12
It's Christmas and Santa is the special guest host of Raw. He comes out and is greeting the fans at ringside when all of a sudden Alberto Del Rio's car comes out and runs over Santa. The fans are chanting "You killed Santa" at Alberto. This leads to a match between ADR and John Cena in a Miracle on 34th Street Fight.

Miracle on 34th Street Fight, John Cena vs Alberto Del Rio, Raw 12/24/12
Ricardo Rodriguez is crying as he introduces Del Rio. The car, surrounded by crime scene tape remains at ringside. Del Rio takes control of the match early. He asks Ricardo for a microphone and says it was an accident and he wasn't tying to hurt Santa. Cena grabs the mic and yells "SANTA!" Cena grabs a present from ringside and it's a steel chair. He jabs Del Rio in the mid-section followed by a blow to the back. He goes for the pin but Ricardo pulls the referee out. Ricardo hands Alberto a present which he opens and it's a pumpkin pie. Del Rio goes to hit Cena with it but misses and hits Ricardo in the face with the pie. Cena looks at some more presents and opens one to find an old TV monitor which he hits Alberto with. After a commercial Del Rio is in control thanks to Ricardo. Del Rio has another present which is a teddy bear. He throws it at Cena. Del Rio then hits a low blow on Cena which is far more effective than the teddy bear. Soon Cena is looking at presents as the crowd chants "Use the tree". Cena obliges and hits Del Rio with a Christmas Tree. He goes for another present and finds a bowling ball. So, of course, he rolls it at Del Rio's nether region. Ricardo jumps on Cena' back and get him in a sleeper when Santa comes out. Ricardo is happy to see Santa but Santa isn't happy to see Ricardo. After knocking Ricardo out with his bag, Santa pulls out Mr. Stocking and applies the Mandible Clause on Alberto. Cena hits an AA and gets the win.

Next we get a montage of WWE superstars reciting their own versions "Twas the Night Before Christmas". Hulk Hogan, The Artist Formerly Known as Goldust (now known as a Christmas Tree), Tazz, Carlito, Santa Show, Captain Lou, The Rock, Dolph and AJ all give their renditions.

Next we get the World's Strongest Santa and The World's Smartest Santa with their versions of the poem leading up to a match.

Santa Henry vs Santa Sandow, Raw 12/23/13
Both Santas have their own Santa Titan Tron videos. Bad Santa, of course, has lumps of coal for everyone. Good Santa takes Bad Sahta down quickly and opens a present in the ring to find a toilet. Good Santa shoves his opponent's head in the toilet bowl. Bad Santa opens a present and gets a fire extinguisher, which he can't seem to figure out how to use. Good Santa takes it and uses it on Bad Santa. Bad Santa gets a Singapore Candy Cane which he uses to beat his opponent and destroy some of the decorations. Back in the ring, Good Santa fights back with the World's Strongest Slam, er, the Sleigh Ride, for the win. There are still more presents to open as Good Santa gets a tray of holiday cupcakes, takes a bite of one and then shoves them in the face of Bad Santa.

Next, Mick Foley finally finds Santa who says he's been avoiding him. We get a montage of Santa getting a Stunner, then other wrestlers beating up Santa. That's why Santa's been avoiding Mick. Mick offers to teach Santa how to fight back. Santa then wants to know where the divas are and says "We'll be back faster than you can say 'Candy cane Dewey.'"

Santas Little Helper Match, Alicia Fox, Emma, Naomi vs Paige, Summer Rae, Cameron, Raw 12/22/14
So, of course, we get the divas do battle. And they're all dressed in little red Santa outfits...except for Paige who's dressed in black. Not much to talk about in this match. Paige shows she can actually wrestle as she beats up the bubbly Emma. Naomi and Cameron, the former Funkadactyls go at each other. Naomi shows some good wrestling moves of her own. Alicia Fox uses some sort of leg-drop type move to take Cameron down and pin her.

Miracle on 34th Street Fight, Dean Ambrose vs Bray Wyatt, Raw 12/22/14
Our final match puts Dean Ambrose against Bray Wyatt. This was the year that the Shield broke up and down Ambrose was in a feud against Wyatt going back to Wyatt's bizarre involvement in Ambrose's Hell in a Cell Match against Seth Rollins. Wyatt won nearly every match except for a Boot Camp Match at Tribute to the Troops. Bray takes the mic and talks about how people surround themselves with loved ones at the holidays because it makes them feel safe, but the safety is all a facade. He says there's another world out there, the "real world", his world, where there is only suffering and pain and he's going to take Dean Ambrose to his world once again. He says the fans can be apart of this world if they look to the sky and follow the buzzards. This match was set up by guest host, Hulk Ho-Ho-Hogan. Ambrose comes ready for a fight. Things naturally spread to the outside as Ambrose whips Wyatt into a Christmas tree, then throws the tree onto him. Ambrose opens a present and finds a modern TV, which apparently one had blown up in Ambrose's face in a recent match between the two so he puts it down. Dean goes under the ring and pulls out a table. Bray throws Ambrose back in the ring and places the table back under the ring. Ambrose brings the table back out and sets it up. He places Wyatt on the table and goes to the second rope but Wyatt gets off of the table before Ambrose can hit him. The fight continues on the stage as Wyatt throws Ambrose off the stage through a table. After a commercial Wyatt is tossing chairs in the ring. He then hits Ambrose with a Singapore Candy Cane. Wyatt picks up a chair and wedges it between the turnbuckles in the corner. Ambrose reverses an Irish whip and sends Wyatt in the chair. Ambrose pulls out a ladder and sets it against the second rope. Wyatt does his upside-down pop up and slams Ambrose into the ladder. He goes for Sister Abigail but Ambrose reverses it sending Wyatt into the ladder. Ambrose goes for a pin, but Wyatt kicks out. The Lunatic Fringe goes to prove his nickname by setting up the ladder and climbing it. He leaps off the ladder and hits a standing Wyatt with an elbow. Dean places some chairs on Bray's body then climbs the ladder again with a ladder in hand. Wyatt throws a chair at Ambrose knocking him off the ladder. Wyatt then throws Ambrose into the Singapore Candy Cane which has been placed on the turnbuckle sticking out. That's enough to keep Ambrose down for a three. The fight's not over, though, as Ambrose sprays Wyatt with a fire extinguisher. He then places Wyatt on the table set up on the outside of the ring, climbs to the top rope and delivers an elbow sending Wyatt through the table.

We wrap things up (no pun intended) with Mick and Santa. Mick has the Mandible Claw on an elf as he's teaching Santa how to use it. Mick and Santa walk away with Mick saying "She heard us explain as we walked on our way, Merry Christmas to all..." as Noelle enters the picture with "...and have a nice day."

This was fun to watch. A little Christmas spirit in what has been the hottest week in several years. Mick Foley does a wonderful job at hosting as well as appearing as Santa in several segments.

Next up, something that's at the heart of professional wrestling. It's a big reason why we tune in every week. It's Hulk Hogan vs Roddy Piper, Mankind vs The Undertaker, The Rock vs Triple H, and Steve Austin vs The McMahons.

 

[Skyefire]

It's been a while, but I'm back now with another review.
Rivalries are the hear of professional wrestling. They're what keep fans tuned in week after week, month after month. It's only natural that WWE put together a compilation of the greatest Rivalries in wrestling history. This DVD starts off with a documentary counting down the Top 25 followed by two discs of 13 matches presented in chronological order.

The first match is Hulk Hogan vs Roddy Piper at War to Settle The Score that I've already reviewed from the Roddy Piper DVD, so you can check that out.

NWA United States Championship, Steel Cage/"I Quit" Match, Tully Blanchard (c) vs Magnum TA, Starrcade '85
This match was on the Cage Matches DVD that I reviewed but I didn't give this match a proper review, so I thought I would review it now. As you might expect, it stars off with some standard wrestling. It becomes a brawl with lots of punches between the two. Magnum has Tully between the ropes and the cage and attempts to ram his head into the cage but Blanchard gets his hands up. Blanchard whips Magnum cross the ring into the cage cutting Magnum's forehead slightly. Magnum comes around and rams Blanchard into the cage. Magnum is now starting to bleed. Blanchard's arm has been cut open and is bleeding. Blanchard's valet, Baby Doll, is at ringside and looks concerned for her man. The two men take turns with the advantage over the next few minutes. Late in the match, Baby Doll tosses a wooden chair into the ring for Blanchard. Blanchard smashes the chair and forms a spike with one of the legs. He attempts to ram it into the forehead of Magnum but Mangum resists. Magnum breaks free from Blanchard and grabs the chair leg. He then rams the spike into the forehead of Blanchard who has no choice but to quit. A brutal finish to a brutal match. I dare say, one of the most brutal finishes in wrestling history.

Abdullah the Butcher vs Bruiser Brody, World Class Championship Wrestling 7/25/87
This match is available on Peacock as part of this episode of WCCW. Butcher is already in the ring as Brody approaches. Butcher starts to exit the ring and Brody whacks him over the head with a steel gas can. Abdullah is bleeding already. Brody goes to the top rope and strikes Abdullah with a double ax handle. Abdullah grabs a foreign object out of his tights and strikes Brody with it multiple times. Brody is now busted open. Abdullah drops an elbow on Brody and goes for a pin but only gets two. Brody takes control of the match for a moment until Abdullah hits a low blow on Brody. The two men go to the outside. Brody grabs a plastic chair and strikes Abdullah over the head with it. They start brawling into the crowd. They continue brawling as TV footage ends.

NOPE Match
Badstreet Rules, Kevin & Kerry Von Erich vs Terry Gordy & Buddy Roberts, World Class Championship Wrestling 2/12/88
More World Class action. It's "Come as you are, Badstreet Rules" and all four men are wearing jeans. Kerry and Gordy start off with brawling. Kerry knocks Gordy down with a discus punch. Buddy Roberts gets tagged in. Kerry removes the belt from his pants and begins whipping Roberts with it. He then wraps the belt around his fist and punches him with it. Kerry tags in Kevin. Kevin hits an elbow on Roberts before giving Gordy a shot. Soon all four men are in the ring brawling. Outside the ring Gordy suplexes Kevin onto the concrete floor. Roberts removes his cowboy boot and nails Kerry with it. Kevin grabs the boot and strikes Roberts with it. Gordy grabs a steel chair and strikes Kerry with it multiple times. After a commercial things have settled down a bit and it's one-on-one in the ring. Kerry tosses a foreign object to his brother which he strikes Gordy with. Gordy comes back and hits a piledriver on Kevin. Things soon break down again. Iceman King Parsons comes to ringside and he's looking to help the Freebirds. Chris Adams comes out and goes after Parsons. Now there are six men in the ring and the referee calls for the bell. The action does not stop there. Out comes the Angel of Death who pulls Kevin out of the ring and handcuffs him to the turnbuckle. This becomes an out of control brawl. Kevin is released from the handcuffs and hits the ring. The heels all depart. Angel of Death competed in quite a few of the territories in the late 80's including Stampede, UWF, World Class, and Mid-Atlantic. He was Russian Assassin #1 in Mid-Atlantic and WCW. This was mostly a wild, out of control brawl. Difficult to describe the action, but fun to watch.

Hulk Hogan & Randy Savage (w/Miss Elizabeth) vs Ted DiBiase & Andre the Giant (w/Bobby Heenan & Virgil), Guest Referee: Jesse Ventura, Summerslam '88
Hogan and Andre's rivalry of course started in early 1987 and led to a match at WrestleMania III. Then early in 1988 came the epic rematch in which Andre won the WWF Championship, thanks to a crooked referee, then handed the belt over to Andre. DiBiase was forced to forfeit the title and a tournament was held at WrestleMania IV in which Randy Savage defeated Ted DiBiase in the finals. This all led to this epic tag team match between The Mega Powers and The Mega Bucks. The DVD starts after Jesse Ventura has already been introduced and the Mega Bucks start to come out. This was still before DiBiase had his iconic entrance music. Right before the match starts Jesse Ventura decides to move which corners the teams will be in. The smallest and the largest in this match start off as Randy Savage battles Andre, but quickly Andre tags in DiBiase. DiBiase wants Hogan, though, so Savage tags him in. Not even a minute into the match and each team has tagged. DiBiase gets his clocked cleaned by Hogan, then stumbles into the wrong corner where he takes a shot from Savage. The Mega Powers then double team DiBiase. They go back to one-on-one but are Savage and Hogan are making frequent tags. Andre comes in and attacks Savage behind Ventura's back. Soon Andre and Hogan are in there and Andre uses his weight on Hogan. Andre gets a nerve hold on Hogan and Hogan goes down. Andre then uses his singlet to choke Hogan while having his arm in front to block the referee's view. DiBiase is tagged back in. DiBiase has a sleeper on Hogan (which of course MUST be a choke). Jesse Ventura seems to think it's legal, though. Hogan "Hulks" up and meets the Million Dollar Man with a double clothesline knocking both men down. Hogan gets the tag to Macho Man. Andre comes in as well and soon Savage is down in the corner as Andre sits on him repeatedly. Later Hogan has a sleeper on DiBiase as Andre comes in from behind and headbutts Hogan. Elizabeth gets up on the ring apron to argue with Ventura. Heenan also gets up on the apron. Elizabeth removes her skirt revealing her panties which has everyone distracted. Hogan and Savage come up from behind. Hogan slams DiBiase and holds him down for a Macho Man elbow followed by a Hogan leg drop. Jesse Ventura is reluctant to count the three but finally does. The Mega Powers are victorious. This match is not as exciting as the Hogan vs Piper match but still has its moments.

Undertaker vs Mankind, King of the Ring '96
The first major match between these two in their epic rivalry which started the night Mankind arrived in WWF right after WrestleMania. They did previously meet in a dark match at In Your House in April. At the May In Your House, Undertaker faced Goldust in a Casket Match and Mankind hid in the casket and attacked Undertaker. Mankind comes out first, then Undertaker's music hits and Paul Bearer comes out, but no Undertaker. Paul Bearer stand on the ring steps and raises the urn. The lights come on and Undertaker is standing on the top rope. He comes off and clotheslines Mankind before delivering some punches to the deraigned one. Undertaker tosses Mankind to the outside. Mankind begins stalking Paul Bearer before getting back in the ring. Mankind takes control with a clothesline then knocks Undertaker to the outside. Mankind rams Undertaker into the steel steps. Mankind then pulls up the ring apron for some toys. He tosses a steel chair into the ring. The referee then goes to grab the chair while Mankind pulls out another chair and charges after The Undertaker, but Undertaker gets his boot up and drives the chair into the face of Mankind. Undertaker delivers a back body drop to Mankind onto the chair on the arena floor. Back in the ring, Paul Bearer has the referee distracted while Undertaker strikes Mankind in the back with a chair. Undertaker sets Mankind up for the Tombstone but Mankind slips out and hits a swinging neckbreaker. Both men are down. Mankind is the first to get up and drops a leg on Undertaker then goes for the Mandible Claw but Undertaker blocks it. Undertaker delivers an uppercut to Mankind then clotheslines him out to the outside. Mankind drags Undertaker out to the outside and rams him into the steps. Mankind gets a running start and rams his knee into Undertaker's head which is up against the steel steps. Mankind bodyslams Undertaker on the floor then goes for his patented elbow drop from the ring apron, but Undertaker grabs a chair and uses it as a shield. Undertaker then strikes Mankind directly on the head of Mankind. Back in the ring, Undertaker hits his leaping clothesline on Mankind. Mankind comes back with a piledriver to the Dead Man. Mankind goes for a pin, but only gets two, then has a temper tantrum, rams his own head into the turnbuckle pad then pulls his own hair out. Mankind then grabs the urn from Paul Bearer. Vince McMahon on commentary states "if he uses the urn, he'll be disqualified for sure". Hell, they've already hit each other with chairs why not an urn. Paul Bearer grabs the urn away from Mankind. Mankind still gets the Mandible Claw on Undertaker. Undertaker comes back with a chokehold. They make their way to the corner where Paul Bearer is ready to strike Mankind with the urn, but he misses and hits Undertaker instead. Mankind reapplies the Mandible Claw and Undertaker is out, Mankind is your winner. Mankind chases Paul Bearer back to the back with a chair. Owen Hart, who's on commentary with Vince and Jim Ross suggests that Paul Bearer struck Undertaker on purpose. Of course we all know what happened two months later. This match is often overlooked and underrated among all of the other epic matches in their rivalry but it's still a good one. This was Mankind's first big win in the WWF and against someone like The Undertaker, that's huge.

Next up we jump from the Golden Era and New Generation Era of WWF to something much different, ECW in 1997. ECW's two greatest rivalries both come to a head in the same year.

Taz vs Sabu, ECW Barely Legal
"The grudge match of the century" as described by the ring announcer. Taz comes to the ring accompanied by Bill Alphonso and Team Taz. Sabu comes out before his music. These two legitimately disliked each other. Despite being seemingly anxious to get at Taz before the bell, Sabu stands face to face with his opponent as the bell rings as the two seemingly wait for the other to make the first move, which Taz does. Taz goes for the Tazmission early but Sabu blocks it. Taz gets a body scissors on Sabu then delivers several stiff blows across the face. Sabu comes out of it with a broken, bloody nose. Sabu is bleeding from the bridge of his nose. He comes back with a dropkick to Taz. The fight goes to the outside. Sabu hits a triple jump plancha on Taz who's on the outside of the guardrail. The two men brawl through the crowd. The fight continues in the ring as Sabu brings a chair into the ring, first throwing it at Taz who's down in the corner of the ring, then setting it up for a leaping kick. After hitting the kick once, he goes for a second, Taz moves out of the way, picks Sabu up and drops him on the chair. Taz whips Sabu off the ropes and delivers a stiff clothesline. Sabu fights back tossing Taz to the outside. He then goes for a triple jump plancha, but Taz apparently moves out of the way (though the camera doesn't quite catch it). Taz then delivers a belly-to-belly Tazplex sending Sabu over the guardrail into the crowd. Alphonso starts telling Taz to stay on his opponent. Taz drags Sabu back into the ring. Team Taz has now set a table bridge up from the ring and the guardrail. Sabu sets Taz onto the table. Taz starts to get up. Sabu goes for a swinging DDT through the table, but Taz tosses Sabu off and through the table. The two men continue their fight in the ring. Sabu goes to the top and hits a legdrop on Taz. Sabu is hurt just as badly as Taz from that move. Taz hits a head-and-arm Tazplex dropping Sabu on his head. Taz sets up for a T-bone Tazplex, but Sabu reverses it into one of his own. Sabu then stands in the ring mocking Taz unaware that his opponent has gotten up and is behind him. Taz charges at Sabu, but Sabu gets a Tazmission on Taz. Taz gets out of it with several Tazplexes dropping Sabu on his head each time. Taz then gets the Tazmission on Sabu with a body scissors and Sabu is out. Taz is your winner. Taz asks for a microphone. He tells Sabu that he choked him out and that Sabu gave him the fight of his life. He says anytime Sabu wants a rematch he can have it and he shakes Sabu's hand. Sabu then raises Taz's hand and the two hug it out as the crowd groans (remember this was 1997 and this was the ECW Arena, they didn't come for some healthy competition). Rob Van Dam enters the ring and attacks Taz from behind. Soon Sabu and RVD are double teaming Taz. Another table has been bridged between the ring and the guardrail and RVD sets Taz on it. Sabu leaps over the top rope onto Taz on the table. Sabu then applies the Tazmission on Taz on the floor. Bill Alphonso gets in the ring and appears to be ready to fight Sabu and RVD but removes his shirt revealing a Sabu shirt. Fonzie has just jumped sides. He tells Taz that he owns him and that Taz cost him a lot of money tonight. RVD then says he's now a Pay-Per-View superstar and that if other promoters want him they should contact his manager, Bill Alphonso. He then says the he "loves to work Monday Nights". I love this match. It's my favorite match from Barely Legal. This so much brutality in this match but with not a lot of use of weapons.

NOPE Match
Tommy Dreamer vs Raven, WrestlePalooza '97
The feud that started in summer camp leads up to this, Raven's last ECW match before going to WCW. To this point, Dreamer had never won a match against Raven, will that all change in the main event of WrestlePalooza? Raven comes accompanied to the ring by Chastity and Lupus. Dreamer comes to the ring accompanied by the woman at the center of the rivalry, Beulah. After Raven is introduced the crowd begins chanting "You sold out." A fan in the crowd has a sign that says "We'll mi$$ you, Raven." Before the fight can start, Lupus grabs the mic and tells Raven to just leave and that he'll take care of it for him. Raven attempts to leave but Dreamer tracks him down. They're fighting up against the walls of the building and through the crowd. They fight to the top row of the bleachers then Raven tosses Dreamer through the merchandise table. It appears as though Raven sets Dreamer up on a table and goes for a piledriver but the table slips out from underneath them and both men tumble to the concrete floor. Raven drags Dreamer to the platform underneath the announcers. Dreamer is already busted open as Raven throws him through a table that is set upright leaning against the wall. Raven sets up another table and goes for a piledriver on Dreamer but Dreamer reverses it into a back bodydrop. Shane Douglas and Francine are shown nearby watching the match. The brawl continues to the entry way. Dreamer whacks Raven over the head with a chair busting him open. The fight is several minutes old when they finally make it into the ring. Raven tosses Dreamer from the top turnbuckle through a chair set up in the ring. Dreamer counters with a DDT. He then grabs a sign from a fan in the front row. Dreamer and Raven play tug-o-war with the sign before whacking the referee. Dreamer then strikes Raven with the sign which is actually a street sign. Dreamer hits a piledriver on Raven onto the sign and goes for a pin, but Lupus breaks up the count. Beulah gets in the ring and hits a DDT on Lupus. Chastity then gets in the ring and sprays Dreamer with hairspray. Raven goes for a pin on Dreamer, but only gets two. It is then that Beulah begins fighting Chastity. Raven pulls Beulah off of Chastity and she delivers a low blow followed up with Dreamer hitting a DDT on Raven. Dreamer sets up for another DDT but Raven pushes Dreamer into the referee. Louie Spicoli comes out and hits a DDT on Dreamer. Raven goes for a pin, but Dreamer kicks out. Dreamer hits a DDT on Spicoli. Dreamer picks Raven up and hits a Death Valley Driver on Raven. Dreamer hits another DDT on Raven and finally after years of feuding, Tommy Dreamer has defeated Raven. An emotional win for Dreamer over his arch nemesis. The next time we would see Raven at an ECW show would be two years later as he would come to the aid of Dreamer and win the Tag Team Championships from the Dudleyz.

Ladder Match for Control of WWF, Steve Austin vs Vince & Shane McMahon, King of the Ring '99
This match comes from Linda McMahon stepping down as CEO of the WWF and naming Austin as her replacement. The McMahons start off this match by deciding to walk away from the ring, I guess to get a ladder, and Austin jumps them from behind. Austin stomps a mudhole in Vince's ass and then one in Shane's. The first several minutes of this match are all Stone Cold until Austin starts chasing Vince around the ring and Shane hits him with a clothesline. There's only one "official" ladder for this match and it's in the entry way, but a trussell made up of ladders is staged at the entrance for decoration. Austin begins throwing the McMahons into the ladders. He knocks down nearly every ladder on one side of the entrance by throwing a McMahon into them, then the last remaining ladder, conveniently has a chain attached to it which Austin pulls on to bring the entire structure down on Shane. Austin brings the ladder in the ring and rams it into Shane sending Shane into JR and King. Austin then places Shane on top of the Spanish announcer's table, climbs the ladder and drops an elbow onto Shane. Vince climbs the ladder outside of the ring, for some unknown reason, and Austin follows him. Vince knocks Austin off of the ladder through JR and the King's broadcast table. Later in the match Austin has the McMahons down in the ring and places the ladder down across the fallen body of Shane McMahon and stands on it as Shane taps out. Austin climbs the ladder for the briefcase but the McMahons knock him off. The dumbass McMahons then decide to have Shane stand on Vince's shoulders to try and get the briefcase and Austin punches Vince knocking them both down. Austin hits a Stunner on Vince and one on Shane then begins to climb the ladder. The briefcase then suddenly start to be raised higher as Austin tries to grab it. Austin starts threatening everyone at ringside. Vince then climbs the ladder for the briefcase which is now lowered to where it's supposed to be. Austin follows him up the ladder and Shane knocks them both down before climbing and gaining control of the company for him and his father. The next night on Raw Austin announced that prior to losing the match he made on last decision as CEO and that was to book himself into a WWF title match against The Undertaker which he ended up winning. This match gets a lot of hate, and while it isn't as good as many of the ladder matches we've come accustomed to, it's not a bad match. I do feel, however, like the Cage Match at St. Valentine's Day Massacre would have been a better choice. Or you could even put the Austin vs Dude Love match from Over the Edge in here as it was a great representation of the Austin vs McMahon feud.

WWF Championship, Triple H (c) vs The Rock, Guest Referee: Shane McMahon, Backlash '00
Steve Austin was supposed the be in Rock's corner for this match, but was mysteriously absent. Triple H came accompanied to the ring by his wife, Stephanie, and Vince who had turned heel (again) and united with Triple H screwing over The Rock at WrestleMania. Vince grabs a mic before the match. He says that the fine print on the advertisement for the show says "Card subject to change." He "regrets" to inform the fans that Austin will not be there. Rock comes to the ring and stares down the champion. After a back and forth in the ring, the battle expands to the outside where Triple H throws Rock first in the steel steps and then into the announcer's table. Helmsley gets back in the ring and Vince lands a few blows on Rock. Triple H goes for a pin and only gets two despite the somewhat quick count. After a double clothesline takes both men down Shane begins a double count and actually taps Triple H on the leg to bring him back around. Rock gets back to his feet first and Shane turns his attention to Triple H while Vince nails Rock with the WWF title belt. Triple H goes for a pin, but The Rock kicks out despite the obvious fast count. Rock begins laying the Smackdown on Triple H. Rock hits a DDT on Triple H and goes for a pin but Shane refuses to count. Rock then knocks Shane out but is then blindsided by Triple H. Triple H removes the hood from the Spanish announcers' table and sets Rock up for a Pedigree. Rock hits a low blow then goes for a Rock Bottom. Shane tries to stop The Rock, but Rock just hits them both with the Rock Bottom on the table. Rock brings the champion back in the ring. Vince comes in and attacks The Rock but the blow doesn't phase him. The Great One starts to go to down on the boss but Triple H hits a low blow on The Rock. Triple H goes for a pin, but there's no referee. Vince signals for another referee and both Pat Patterson and Gerald Brisco come down in referee shirts. Patterson counts the pin, but Rock kicks out. Patterson, Brisco, and Triple H all gang up on The Rock. Vince brings a chair into the ring and hits The Rock in the head with it. Triple H sets up for the Pedigree, but out comes Stone Cold. Chair shot to Helmsley. Chair shot to Brisco. Chair shot to Patterson. Chair shot to Shane. Chair shot to Vince. And a chair shot to The Game. As Austin departs, Linda McMahon comes out with Earl Hebner. She shoves Stephanie down. Rock hits the Rock Bottom and People's Elbow on Triple H and Earl Hebner counts the three. The crowd goes wild as The Rock captures his first WWF Championship in over a year. Rock is celebrating his win when Austin's music hits once again. Austin comes to the ring driving an "Austin 3:16" truck and towing the D-X Express Bus that he destroyed the week before on Smackdown. Austin toasts The Rock. The Rock stands tall. This was an exciting match. Probably the best of the Triple H vs Rock rivalry.

WWF Championship, Steve Austin (c) vs The Rock, Rebellion '01
Up next we get a UK exclusive PPV from the Invasion Era. Austin is the WWF Champion, representing the WCW/ECW Alliance while The Rock is representing the WWF. Austin jumps The Rock from behind to start the match. Rock comes back with some chops and a swinging neckbreaker. Naturally the brawl extends to the outside of the ring. They brawl their way up the steel ramp to the stage where Rock suplexes Austin onto the steel. They make their way back towards the ring where Austin catapults Rock into the ring post. They make their way to the announcers table where Austin sets Rock up for a piledriver but Rock hits a lowblow. The two men are beating the hell out of each other on the outside of the ring. Austin picks Rock up and drops him on the announcers' table. Austin brings Rock into the ring where he begins working over the knee of his challenger. Austin gets a sleeper on The Rock. The referee checks the arm of The Rock but he's not done. Rock gets a sleeper on Austin but Austin hits a stunner taking The Rock down. Austin gets a Boston Crab on The Rock. Rock ends up whipping Austin into referee Earl Hebner. Rock then charges at Austin who ducks and Rock clotheslines Hebner. Rock applies a Sharpshooter on the champion but there's no referee. Rock goes to revive the referee. Austin comes back and gets a Sharpshooter of his own on his opponent. Still, no referee. Rock reverses it and has the Sharpshooter on Austin when Kurt Angle comes out at hits Rock with a chair. That brings out the WCW Champion, Chris Jericho who hits Angle with a chair. Rock gets up, sees Jericho with a chair and begins to assume that Jericho hit him with the chair. Rock then knocks Jericho out of the ring then hits a Rock Bottom on Austin. But, still no referee. Angle comes back in and attacks The Rock but Rock lays the Smackdown on Angle. Rock hits a spinebuster on the WWF Champion and goes for the People's Elbow but Angle grabs his foot and then hits him with the WWF title belt. Austin hits a Stunner on Rock and gets the win. This match was a far cry from any of their WrestleMania matches but it was still enjoyable and I think it was good to have this on this DVD as their WrestleMania matches are on so many others.

WWF Championship, Kurt Angle (c) vs Brock Lesnar, Summerslam '03
At WrestleMania XIX, Lesnar defeated Angle to win the championship. Angle took some time off due to a neck injury and returned at Vengeance where he won the title back beating Lesnar and Big Show in a triple threat match. In the month that followed Lesnar turned heel and aligned himself with Vince McMahon. The two men start the match with some amateur wrestling moves. Brock is cocky as he uses his power to knock Angle down. Angle takes Lesnar down with a series of arm drags which makes Lesnar frustrated. The challenger begins throwing objects around at ringside including the steps. During the match, Angle hits a trifecta of German Suplexes on Lesnar. Lesnar comes back by going for an F-5 but Angle turns it into a DDT. Angle pulls the straps down and he's revved up. Angle hits an Angle slam and goes for a pin, but Lesnar kicks out. Angle applies the Ankle Lock to Lesnar. Brock reverses the hold sending Angle into the referee. Angle gets the Ankle Lock back on. Brock makes it to the ropes but there's no referee there to force the break. Lesnar starts tapping out. Vince comes out and hits Angle in the back with a chair. Brock hits and F-5 on Angle despite the injured ankle. Lesnar goes for a pin but Angle kicks out. Lesnar goes for another F-5 but Angle takes Lesnar down and gets an Ankle Lock on the champion. Lesnar tries making it to the ropes but to no avail. Lesnar has to tap out. Kurt Angle is still the WWE Champion. Angle's celebration is short lived as Vince tries to attack him with a chair after the match but Kurt catches him, sets up the chair and then delivers an Angle Slam to the boss onto the chair. Unlike most of the matches on this DVD this was primarily a technical wrestling masterpiece. These two had three great singles matches in 2003. I feel like this one was the least of the three but it still works on this DVD as their feud had heated up more than when they faced each other at WrestleMania and the Iron Man match probably would have been too long, though if the two ECW matches had been moved to disc two, that would have freed some space.

WWE Championship, Steel Cage Match, John Cena (c) vs Edge, Raw 10/2/06
This feud had been going on since the very beginning of 2006 when Edge cashed in his Money in the Bank briefcase on Cena at New Year's Revolution. Cena would win the title back at Royal Rumble. At One Night Stand Cena would lose the WWE Championship to Rob Van Dam thanks to Edge's interference. Edge would win the title from RVD in a Triple Threat Match on Raw which included Cena. Edge would beat Cena at Summerslam in Cena's hometown of Boston but Cena would repay the favor beating Edge in Edge's hometown of Toronto in a TLC Match at Unforgiven. That brings us to the payoff, a Steel Cage Match. The crowd pops for John Cena as The Champ arrives. Cena hits the first big move of the match with a suplex on Edge and goes for a pin, but only gets two. Edge tries to escape the ring twice early on but Cena stops him. Cena has his left arm wrapped up due to an attack the previous week at the hands of King Booker, William Regal, and Finlay. The two men both soon find themselves standing on the top rope and Cena delivers a bulldog to Edge into the ring from the top rope. After a commercial, Edge has a crossface on Cena. Cena comes back and hits a belly-to-belly suplex. He goes for a pin but only gets two. Cena whips Edge into the ropes but Edge comes back with a spinning heel kick. Edge then attempts to crawl out of the cage, but Cena prevents him. Edge tosses Cena arm first into the cage. The Rated R Superstar then climbs the cage but is met by his opponent. The two sit on top of the cage. They both end up standing on the top rope and Edge delivers a side suplex off the top of rope. Cena fights back, though. He takes Edge down then hits the Five Knuckle Shuffle. Cena picks Edge up for an F-U but Edge grabs onto the cage to get out of it. Edge begins slowly crawling towards the door, but Cena stops him. With the cage door open, Lita hands her man a steel chair. The referee outside the ring ejects Lita from ringside. Edge goes to the second rope for a shoulder tackle on Cena, but Cena moves out of the way and Edge hits the referee. Edge then grabs the chair but Cena takes it away from him and strikes Edge with it. Cena applies the STFU to a lifeless Edge. The outside referee opens the cage door so he can enter, but is cut off by Lance Cade and Trevor Murdoch. They take Cena out with a high-low shot and try to revive Edge. They drag Edge towards the door but are stopped by D-X. HBK hits Sweet Chin Music on Murdoch sending him into the cage door and sending the cage door into the face of Edge. Cena hits the F-U and it's all over, John Cena is still The Champ. This was a fun match with great use of the cage. I do feel like a little bloodshed might have made things a bit more exciting. This put an end to the Edge vs Cena rivalry for the time being but they would pick things up again a few years later with an exciting Last Man Standing Match in 2009. I do kinda feel like either the Last Man Standing Match or the TLC Match may have been better choices for this DVD.

Stay tuned as I take a look at the Top 25 Greatest Rivalries Countdown and give you my picks for what matches of 12 feuds that were not featured in full matches should be used.

 

[Skyefire]

Here's the complete list of 25 Greatest Rivalries as decided by WWE:
25. Triple H vs Mick Foley
24. Taz vs Sabu
23. Rey Mysterio vs Eddie Guerrero
22. Bruiser Brody vs Abdullah the Butcher
21. Hulk Hogan vs Roddy Piper
20. CM Punk vs John Cena
19. Kurt Angle vs Brock Lesnar
18. Randy Orton vs Triple H
17. Verne Gangne vs Nick Bockwinkel
16. Undertaker vs Mankind
15. Tommy Dreamer vs Raven
14. Shawn Michaels vs Undertaker
13. Triple H vs The Rock
12. John Cena vs Edge
11. Hulk Hogan vs Randy Savage
10. Magnum TA vs Tully Blanchard
9. Undertaker vs Kane
8. Edge & Christian vs Hardy Boyz vs Dudley Boyz
7. Dusty Rhodes vs Ric Flair
6. Von Erichs vs Freebirds
5. Steve Austin vs The Rock
4. Hulk Hogan vs Andre the Giant
3. Ric Flair vs Ricky Steamboat
2. Shawn Michaels vs Bret Hart
1. Steve Austin vs Mr. McMahon

Besides the matches I reviewed on the DVD, an additional three were released on the Blu-Ray edition:
Shawn Michaels vs. The Undertaker, SmackDown March 27, 2009, Shawn Michaels’ promo on The Undertaker where Michaels appears dressed as The Undertaker but in white and compares his light to Undertaker's darkness.
Randy Orton vs. Triple H, Backlash 2009, Randy Orton teaming with Ted DiBiase and Cody Rhodes to defeat WWE Champion Triple H, Batista, and Shane McMahon to win the title.
CM Punk vs. John Cena, Night of Champions 2012

Here are my picks for matches from the other rivalries that did not have full matches on the DVD:
Edge & Christian vs. Hardy Boyz vs. Dudley Boyz: Ideally the TLC III match from Smackdown in May of 2001 that included Chris Benoit & Chris Jericho as the third team, but in it's place I'm going to go with Insurrextion 2001 an elimination match between the three teams as well as X-Pac & Justin Credible.
The Undertaker vs. Kane: Raw June 1, 1998 a match to determine the #1 Contender for Austin's WWF title. Kane wins after Mankind distracts Undertaker. That would set up the top two matches at King of the Ring including the Hell in Cell Match.
Mick Foley vs. Triple H: Raw 8/23/99, Triple H wins the WWF title for the first time beating Mankind one night after Summerslam.
Shawn Michaels vs. Bret Hart: Going to go all the way back to July 21, 1992 and the WWF's first ladder match. It was Bret defending the I-C title against Shawn. It was shown on a Coliseum Home Video release and also on WWE's Ladder Match DVD.
Ric Flair vs. Ricky Steamboat: Spring Stampede '94, a forgotten classic as the two men collide at what is considered one of the greatest WCW PPV events. The match ended in a double pin but that doesn't take away from how great it was.
Dusty Rhodes vs. Ric Flair: Great American Bash 1986, Dusty finally capturing the NWA World title from Flair inside of a steel cage.
Hulk Hogan vs. Randy Savage: Going to go back to December 30, 1985 at Madison Square Garden. Hogan was the WWF Champion, Savage was a relative newcomer to the WWF and he showed he belongs with the big boys
Verne Gagne vs. Nick Bockwinkel: Not sure which matches have video coverage but ideally I would pick the Comiskey Park show from July 1980 where Gange defeats Bockwinkel in the main event to win the AWA World Championship.
Rey Mysterio vs. Eddie Guerrero: A lot of good matches to choose from, but I would pick WrestleMania 21.

Now here are a couple of rivalries that got full matches on the DVD but I would like to change the match.
Austin vs McMahon: Replace the Handicapped Ladder Match with Steel Cage Match from St. Valentine's Day Massacre.
Cena vs Punk: Replace the Night of Champions match with the number one contender's match from February 2013 Raw.

Here are a couple of rivalries that I would remove from the DVD as a whole.
Magnum TA vs Tully Blanchard. The feud was mostly a one-match feud. And while it was a great match, I don't think their Rivalry deserves a spot on this DVD.
Triple H vs Randy Orton. They had a good feud but I just don't think it measures up.

Replacements for those two rivalries
Triple H vs Shawn Michaels: the match I would pick is the Last Man Standing Match from Royal Rumble 2004
Randy Orton vs John Cena:I would include their "I Quit" Match from Breaking Ground 2009 to represent their Rivalry.

Next up on the DVD reviews is not a DVD titled "Attitude Era" but really plays to the heart of the Attitude Era. It features everyone from The Rock, Mankind, and The Undertaker to Steve Blackman, Al Snow, and Crash Holly.

 

[Tommy Shelby]

Nice to see that Stone Cold v Mr McMahon At number one. It started the biggest boom period in wrestling history. Shocked Cena v Orton Rivalry didn't make it on the list. Also Austin v Rock should of been second no way was Bret v Shawn a bigger feud or drew as much money.

 

[Tommy Shelby]

Whomever does these list for the E has no clue about which matches were top 25. They've missed a ton of good feuds Batista v Triple H was cool AF. At the time Batista was huge over as hell.

 

[Tommy Shelby]

Keep doing this as it's very interesting factual wise. Congrats man.

 

[Skyefire]

I haven't given up on this, just been busy, Here's my latest review,

History of the Hardcore Championship. This DVD chocked full of dozens of matches, the exact number may depend on your definition of a match.

Tommy Dreamer in a voice over introduces Mick Foley, Rob Van Dam, and Raven who will be the official hosts of program. They will be sitting in an (seemingly) abandoned building discussing the Hardcore Championship. Raven comes in with a shopping cart full of weapons. They start by discussing the history of hardcore wrestling and how ECW influenced the Hardcore Division in WWF.

Raw 11/2/98
Mr. McMahon presents Mankind with the WWF Hardcore Championship as a present to prevent him from interfering in a match between Ken Shamrock and The Rock.

Mankind (c) vs Ken Shamrock, Raw 11/9/98
We start off with Mankind arriving at the arena where Mr. McMahon tells him that he's going to defend his Hardcore Championship that night. We cut to Shamrock, the I-C Champion, entering the ring. Mankind is out next clean-shaved wearing a tuxedo, part of a "makeover" given to him by Mr. McMahon. Shamrock goes right after Mankind as Mr. McMahon and the Stooges arrive on the stage to watch the match. Mankind uses one of his shoes on Shamrock then takes off his jacket and chokes Shamrock with it. After a couple of minutes of wrestling in the ring, they go to the outside. Shamrock hits Mankind with the championship belt. A handful of fans right behind the announcers' table are chanting for Socko. The two begin brawling on the announcers' table. Mankind tosses Shamrock into the ring. He sets up for a piledriver onto a chair, but Shamrock reverses it into a back body drop onto the chair. The fight goes back to the outside where Mankind applies the Mandible Claw on Shamrock, but Shamrock picks Mankind up and sends him face-first into the steel steps. Shamrock hits a belly-to-belly on the floor. Mankind comes back with a DDT onto a chair. They brawl up the ramp. Shamrock hits a side suplex on Mankind on the steel stage. Shamrock strikes Mankind over the head with a chair. Big Bossman then hits Shamrock with the nightstick and Mankind falls on top to win the match. There you have the very first WWF Hardcore Championship match.

Ladder Match, Mankind (c) vs Big Bossman (w/Commissioner Shawn Michaels), Raw 11/30/98
After Mr. McMahon screwed over Mankind at Survivor Series, now Mankind is going up against the Corporate enforcer in a ladder match. A ladder match is not exactly either man's forte. Early on, Mankind tosses the ladder into Bossman. Mankind is the first to set up the ladder and climb it. Bossman gets in the ring and Mankind leaps off with a clothesline. Mankind then sandwiches Bossman in the ladder and drops an elbow on him. Soon both men are climbing the ladder but Mankind pulls out Mr. Socko and applies the Mandible Claw to Bossman while on the ladder. Bossman goes down and The Rock comes out and knocks Mankind off of the ladder. Mankind fights back with a low blow to The Rock then climbs the ladder but The Rock gets up, pulls him down and hits the Rock Bottom. Bossman climbs the ladder and grabs the belt. Rock continues to beat down Mankind after the match. Shawn Michaels soon joins in the beatdown. This was still before the ladder match became associated with the high flyers. But still not the level of Rock vs Triple H, two heavyweights. Neither man falls from higher than the third rung from the bottom.

Road Dogg (c) vs Al Snow, Raw 1/4/99
We jump ahead to January of 1999. Mankind is no longer Hardcore Champion, but a few minutes after this next match he would become the WWF World Champion. But before that can happen we have a Hardcore Championship Match. Al Snow comes out first. His shirt is stained red from a recent bloodbath at the hands of The Brood. Head is now nearly hairless and her mouth is taped over. Snow places Head down on the stage and then hides behind the curtain awaiting Road Dogg's arrival. Snow's forehead now says "Fear Me". Road Dogg comes out, is distracted by Head and is jumped from behind by Al Snow. After a brief brawl, Road Dogg gets out some props. Several chairs and a table are brought out from underneath the ring. Snow strikes Road Dogg with a chair and then places him on a table. Snow leaps up onto the barricade and goes for a moonsault but Road Dogg moves out of the way and Snow goes through the table. They brawl their way back to the tech area. Road Dogg leans a table against the guardrail and slams Snow through it. They're now back in the back of the arena and make their way to a Janitor's closet. Snow dumps a box of toilet paper on Dogg then hits him with a mop handle. Road Dogg reverses Snow into a stack of beer kegs. The two men make their way outside where it's snowing. There's a dusting of snow on the ground as well. Dogg strikes Al Snow with a snow shovel in the snow. Referee Jack Doan is struggling to not fall down. Dog hits a kick to the mid-section of Snow then hits a piledriver onto some wood pallets and pins Snow. This is what we've come to expect from the Hardcore Championship. Not once did they get into the ring.

Vacant Hardcore Championship, Al Snow vs Bob Holly, St. Valentine's Day Massacre
Imagine going back to 1996 and telling fans that in a few years Bob "Spark Plug" Holly and Leif Cassidy would fight in a No Holds Barred match with tables, chairs, and a variety of weapons and it would be on a WWF PPV. This was originally supposed to be Snow vs champion Road Dogg but Dogg got injured and had to forfeit the title. The previous night on a Saturday edition of Raw, Snow had issued an open challenge for a hardcore match, and no one answered. Thus, Snow had a match with himself. Snow's JOB Squad buddy, Bob Holly came out and attempted to intervene and the two got into a fight. That leads us to this match for the vacant title. This match takes place at The Pyramid in Memphis. Early on, Snow strikes Holly with a chair over the head. And after about 20 seconds in the ring they make their way into the crowd. The fight their way back to the back of the arena where Holly slams a metal trash can onto Holly. Snow strikes Holly with the receiver of a payphone (kids, payphones were telephones that were outside in public and for a quarter you can call someone and talk to them). Michael Cole on commentary states "It takes a certain kind of mentality to compete in these Hardcore matches:", to which Jerry Lawler replies with "It takes no mentality". Holly strikes Snow with ceramic floor tiles. They're now leaving The Pyramid. Snow throws Holly into the WWF tech truck. Holly sends Snow into the wall of the arena. Snow is laughing as Holly continues to beat him. Snow rams Holly into a flood wall. The two men make their way down to the banks of the Mississippi River. Snow grabs some barbed wire from a fence and strangles Holly with it. They use whatever trash they can find on the river bank including a wheelbarrow. Snow tosses Holly into the river then tries for a leaping body press but Holly sends Snow into the water. They fight in the water using a discarded tire. Snow unravels some loose fencing but Holly comes up from behind with a tree branch and nails Snow with it. Holly then wraps Snow up in the loose fencing and pins him to win the title. Sparky Plugg is now the Hardcore Champion. I thoroughly enjoyed this match. It's so much fun to watch.

Mick Foley: "We've seen Al Snow buried in the Mississippi River. We've seen Al Snow buried in the snow. Where hasn't Al Snow been buried?" Mick laughs while Raven rolls his eyes and RVD doesn't really react. Mick Follows up with "Knock knock." "Who's there?" "Al Snow." "Al Snow who?" "Exactly." The three talk about how hardcore matches explore creativity.

Bob Holly (c) vs Steve Blackman, Raw 2/15/99
The night after Holly won the title he defended the belt against Steve Blackman. Holly still comes out to the JOB Squad entrance video and is still referred to as "Bob Holly". Blackman makes his way out and Holly meets him on the ramp where he's met with a suplex from the Lethal Weapon. The two men go back to the back. A variety of objects are used. Blackman whips Holly into a pile of beer kegs. They're out on the loading dock now. Blackman kicks Holly into a garbage dumpster. Droz arrives and attacks Blackman. Holly takes advantage with the pinfall victory. Afterwards Holly gets in the ring and grabs a mic and talks about the bad gimmicks he's had and the weak tag team partners he's had in WWF. He issues an open challenge and is accepted by his former tag team partner, and Brawl For All Champion, Bart Gunn. Holly mentions that he's the only guy Gunn couldn't knock out in the Brawl For All.

Hardcore Holly (c) vs Bart Gunn, Raw 2/22/99
Holly is now referred to as "Hardcore Holly". After some left hands by Gunn the match goes to the outside where Holly shatters a pitcher across Gunn's face. Holly then whacks his former Midnight Express partner with a chair. Gunn fights back and uses the ring bell on Holly. They're now fighting into the crowd. Holly sprays Gunn with a fire extinguisher which is at ringside for an Inferno Match later in the show. Gunn suplexes Holly on the steel ramp and goes for a pin but only gets two. Now Gunn uses the fire extinguisher on Holly. The fight moves to the stage. Gunn manages to find a watermelon, from where no one knows, and uses it on Holly. Holly picks up a small wooden crate of bananas and hits Gunn with it (why is there fruit on the stage). Gunn then picks up a bag of flour which he hits Holly with. A mysterious masked ninja comes out on the stage and attacks Gunn. The mystery man throws Gunn off the stage through a table. Holly takes advantage and pins Gunn to retain. Once again Holly needs help to beat his opponent. (It's not revealed on this DVD but the masked man is Al Snow)

Holly would lose the belt to Billy Gunn (why, I still don't know) and then win it back at WrestleMania. Al Snow would win the title from Holly and hold it for three months before losing to Big Bossman. Next up is the rematch between Snow and Bossman.

Big Bossman (c) vs Al Snow, Summerslam '99
Snow jumps Bossman during his entrance. Snow grabs a chair and strikes Bossman with it. Road Dogg, who had been doing commentary along side JR and King, now has a microphone and is following the action as they move backstage. Bossman hits Snow with a chalkboard. Bossman then uses a small dog carrier, which is supposed to be holding Pepper. They fight their way to the outside of the arena and onto the streets of Minneapolis. Bossman throws Snow into a road construction sign. Snow attempts a pinfall on the sidewalk. They fight into a group of plastic tables and chairs outside of a restaurant. They go inside a bar called Blues Alley. They fight among the customers inside the bar. They fight their way into the restroom where a urinal cake is used as a weapon. Snow gets a chain from a customer and uses it on Bossman. Snow delivers a moonsault off the bar onto Bossman who's on a table. Bossman threatens Road Dogg then Road Dogg hits Bossman knocking him out on a pool table. Snow pins Bossman to become the new champion. Snow makes his way back to the arena and in the back area he runs into Stevie Richards and Blue Meanie who apparently have pepper and attacks them. Snow uses a crutch on both men.

NOPE Match
Al Snow (c) vs Steve Blackman, Jakked 10/9/99
The only NOPE Match on this DVD is from Jakked. Remember Jakked? No? I don't blame you. It was a syndicated weekend show during the Attitude Era. This match is boring, the crown is dead, and Kevin Kelly and Michael Hayes on commentary just want to talk about anything other than the match. Everything from Mankind and The Rock to Mark Henry being in sex therapy. One of the few interesting moments from this match is when Blackman is down leaning against the guardrail and Snow rolls a bowing ball into Blackman's nether region. Blackman has Snow on a table and goes to the top when he's distracted by WWF's head of security who has some sort of beef with Blackman and Snow throws Blackman through the table and pins him.

Test (c) vs Gangrel, Smackdown 1/27/00
Gangrel is accompanied to the ring by Luna Vachon. The fight starts on the ramp and soon Luna gets involved spitting red mist in Test's eyes, which doesn't do much. They fight their way to the back and the loading dock. They go outside where their is snow on the ground in Baltimore. Luna gets involved but Test picks her up and drops her into a pickup truck bed filled with snow. Gangrel starts to mount some offense. Gangrel sprays Test with a fire extinguisher. Test tosses Gangrel into a piano and slams the lid on him. Luna comes back and accidently hits Gangrel with a shovel. Test then powerbombs Luna onto the piano. Test then drops an elbow on Gangrel and pins him.

Test (c) vs Crash Holly, Smackdown 2/24/00
Before the match we see Crash and Hardcore Holly arguing in the locker room. Crash then shoves his cousin down. Crash comes to the ring carrying a scale and weighing in at 400 pounds. This match actually starts in the ring, but still before the bell. They fight into the crowd. Back at ringside Crash uses a fire extinguisher on Test. Hardcore Holly is now on the stage watching the match. Crash arranges the steps and leaps off of them but is met with a chair from Test. Test sets up two chairs in the ring and goes to powerbomb Crash through them but Crash reverses and hits a low blow on Test before sending him outside. Hardcore comes to ringside seemingly goes to hit Crash but misses and hits Test. Crash pins Test and Crash is the new Hardcore Champion.

Crash Holly (c) vs Tazz, Smackdown 3/2/00
Back when for former ECW champion still had a shred of credibility in a WWE ring here he is challenging Crash. Once again the fight starts at ringside and Tazz tosses Crash into the crowd. The fight goes to the back and they're now in a hallway where Tazz is slamming Crash against the walls. Prince Albert gets involved and is met with a wrench from Tazz. Tazz locks Albert in a walk-in freezer before getting attacked by The Big Bossman. He disposes of Bossman quickly but is sprayed with a fire extinguisher by Crash who then hits him with a board and pins him to retain.

Later that night Crash is interviewed by Lilian Garcia and he says that he's going to defend the title 24/7. Later on Crash is leaving the arena and going to his car when he's attacked by The Mean Street Posse. Rodney hits Crash with a trash can. The Posse are all fighting among each other as Crash escapes.

Raw 3/13/00
Referee Tim White arrives at the airport and is greeted by the Mean Street Posse who want him to referee their Hardcore Title fight. The Posse jump Crash at the baggage claim. Pete Gas pins Crash to win the title. Crash hits Gas with his scale and regains the title.

Smackdown 3/16/00
We move on to Funtime USA. It's the Headbangers who are now the challengers and they have to walk through a metal detector to enter. The employee, who seems to ignore the fact that they just set off the metal detector, points them to Crash. Mosh attacks Crash in the arcade area. Crash escapes down a slide as the cameraman follows. Thrasher is at the bottom of the slide and attacks Crash. It's now two on one. Mosh rams Crash's head into the test of strength. Thrasher goes to use the hammer but Crash fights back. They go into the ball pit. They continue fighting in the playland until Crash manages to escape. That was rather fun to watch.

Hardcore Holly (c) vs Crash Holly, Raw 4/3/00
One night earlier at WrestleMania 2000, a botch in the Hardcore Championship match resulted in Hardcore Holly becoming champion. One night later he defends the title against Crash. The two cousins start off in the ring. Hardcore brings out a push broom and strikes Crash with the stick. Once again a fire extinguisher is used, this time by Hardcore Holly. Hardcore brings a chair into the ring Crash fights back and drops his cousin face first on the chair. The go outside and the APA join them attacking Hardcore Holly. They toss Crash on top and Crash picks up the pin. Crash is jumped on the stage by the Mean Street Posse who all fight with each other as Crash escapes

Crash Holly (c) vs Tazz vs Perry Saturn, Raw 4/17/00
The new ECW Champion, Tazz comes out first. Next out is Perry Saturn, a member of the Radicalz who's jumped by Crash. Tazz uses a cookie sheet on both of his opponents as the crown chants "ECW". Tazz and Saturn hit a high-low on Crash. Hardcore Holly comes out and attacks his cousin. Tazz and Saturn are still fighting in the ring while the Hollys are fighting outside both fights for the Hardcore Title. Tazz gets the Tazzmission on Saturn until Crash breaks it up. Crash pins Saturn to retain then runs away from his cousin.

Smackdown 4/20/00
Crash is fresh off a visit to the circus when he's attacked by the Mean Street Posse, disguised as clowns, outside the arena. A potted plant is used by the Posse during this fight. The each attempt to pin Crash but he manages to get away.

Crash arrives at the arena and enters a bounce house in the back of the arena when he's attacked by Dean Malenko. They fight inside the bounce house until Crash flees into the arena. They fight into the crowd and down to ringside. Malenko whips Crash into the stairs. They enter the ring. Malenko has Crash on the top rope and suplexes him off the top rope. Malenko goes for the pin but is interrupted by Perry Saturn. Holly hits both men with a metal trash can and pins Malenko. Malenko and Saturn continue fighting amongst each other.

Smackdown 5/18/00
Crash enters the APA office looking for some protection. Crash pays them to protect him while he takes a nap for an hour. Crash takes a nap in the corner of the APA office. Later on, The Godfather's Ho (the one who won the Hardcore Championship earlier in the week on Raw) comes in and grabs a chair wanting to win the title again but the APA stop her. Later on still, Gerald Brisco is seen talking to a referee. He enters the APA office where the APA are now gone. Brisco places one finger on Crash as a referee quietly counts the pin. The referee trips on the way out waking Crash who chases after Brisco. Brisco makes his way to the ring. Crash grabs him but Brisco has a mean left hand. Crash eventually gets the better of his older opponent. Crash breaks a broom handle over Brisco. Pat Patterson comes down and the two begin double teaming Crash. Patterson drops his pants and goes for a stinkface on Crash but Crash fights back and chases after Brisco.

Mick explains how the 24/7 rule ran it's course and now tough guys were winning the title. The guys explain that Steve Blackman was a legit tough guy.

Steve Blackman (c) vs X-Pac, Smackdown 7/27/00
X-Pac has a weight belt in his hands and is whipping Blackman with it. Blackman takes the belt and begins whipping X-Pac. X-Pac goes under the ring and brings out a garbage can lid which ends up being used against him. Blackman tosses X-Pac in the air dropping him face first in the ring while hitting him in the back of the head with the garbage can lid in the process. Blackman pulls out a bag of weapons. From it he gets a pair of nunchucks which he gives to X-Pac while taking a pair of sticks for himself. X-Pac does his best Michelangelo impression then charges after Blackman who nails him in the gut with the sticks. Blackman now has a kendo stick while X-Pac has a fire extinguisher, of course. X-Pac sprays Blackman with the fire extinguisher to take control of the match. X-Pac has Blackman down in the corner and goes for the X-Factor but Blackman pulls up the trash can and X-Pac crotches the metal can. Blackman hits X-Pac over the head with the Kendo stick and pins him for the three. X-Pac's tag team partner, Road Dogg, who has been doing commentary during the match jumps Blackman from behind and the two member of D-X double team the champion.

Shane McMahon (c) vs Steve Blackman, Summerslam '00
Shane won the title from Blackman the previous week on Raw using the 24/7 rule with help from Edge and Christian, Commissioner Mick Foley made the match between Shane and Blackman for Summerslam and Shane tried to take the easy way out by having Edge pin him for the title, but Foley suspended the 24/7 rule until after Summerslam. Before this match, Lilian Garcia interviews Shane and asks him about Kurt Angle kissing Stephanie. The interview is interrupted by Blackman who scares Shane off. Blackman tosses a kendo stick to Shane but Shane tosses it back like it's hot. The fight quickly goes into the crowd where a metal garbage can is used on Shane's head. Back in the ring, Blackman brings out another trash can as well as his sticks. He places the can over Shane's head and beats on the can with the sticks. Shane is down on his knees as Blackman kicks him on the side of the can. Blackman gets a leather strap and ties it around Shane's neck and begins dragging him around by it. Test & Albert come out and attack the Lethal Weapon. Albert places the trash can lid on a fallen Blackman and Test goes to the top rope and drops an elbow. Test & Albert then hold Blackman while Shane delivers some jabs to him. The crowd begins chanting "Shane's a pussy". The fight goes toward the entry way. Albert accidently hits Test with the Kendo stick. Blackman takes the stick and knocks Albert out. Blackman then goes after Shane. Shane begins climbing the entrance set and Blackman follows him. Blackman whips Shane with a Kendo stick until Shane falls backwards from high up. Blackman then leaps off the set apparatus and delivers an elbow to Shane and then pins him to regain the title. A classic Summerslam moment. This is one of my three favorite matches on this DVD.

Steve Blackman (c) vs Raven vs Hardcore Holly, Raw 12/25/00
Holly comes out unarmed. Raven brings a trash can full of miscellaneous junk. As Blackman is making his entrance Holly attacks Raven. Raven strikes Blackman with a trash can lid. Holly does the same to Raven. Raven sprays both of his opponents with a fire extinguisher. All three men begin fighting in the crowd. Raven uses a metal trash can that's actually filled with trash. The fight goes to the back where a couple of random jobbers are standing and get taken out by the competitors in the match. The fight then goes outside, since after all, it is cold outside so of course they're going to fight outside. Holly goes to hit Blackman with a board but misses. Blackman delivers a belly-to-back suplex on Holly onto the hood of a car and pins him for the win (though both men's shoulders were down). Blackman is making his way back to the arena when he is attacked by Raven who pins him to win the title. Raven is now the Hardcore Champion.

What about Raven? Raven talks about being a 27 time champion, RVD replies with "You lost the Hardcore Title 27 times?" Raven says it wasn't the number of times he held the title that was important to him but all the opportunities he had show what he could do with it and all of the things he did as champion. Raven says his best match in WWE was against Rhyno when Rhyno gored the shopping cart. RVD says that WWE signing and using Raven meant that WWE was watching ECW, but at the same time some fans didn't know about ECW and thought that all of that only happened in WWF.

Raven (c) vs Crash Holly, Raw 1/29/01
Crash is back in the title picture and he runs up the ramp to go after Raven. Raven brings a shopping cart full of weapons the ring. They fight beneath the stage and into the crowd. The fight then goes all over the public areas of the arena. Raven gets a mop and hits Crash with it. Raven goes to ram Crash's head into the rolling steel door but Crash throws him off into the door. They then go outside (in the cold and snow, of course). Raven gets thrown into the snow. Cousin Molly Holly gets involved to help crotch Raven on a tree. A mystery woman then gets out of a car and attacks Crash and Molly allowing Raven to retain the title.

Raven (c) vs Big Show, No Way Out '01
Raven comes out first followed by Big Show but Show is attacked by the mysterious masked woman with a board. Raven then attacks Big Show after the distraction. Show knocks Raven down and takes him to ringside. Surprise, surprise, a fire extinguisher is used once again as Big Show is on the receiving end. One of the concession guys from the crowd comes in the ring and hits Raven with a tray of popcorn bags. The man bulldogs Raven and goes for a pin, but Big Show picks the man up and slams him. Show takes Raven down only to get attacked by Steve Blackman. Then comes Hardcore Holly. Everyone is beating on Big Show. Blackman his Big Show over the head with a Kendo stick. While this is going on "The One" Billy Gunn enters the ring and hits the Fame-ass-er on Raven and pins him to win the title. Now everyone is going after Gunn. Hardcore Holly drops him with a suplex. Holly and Blackman double team Gunn until Big Show gets involved. Behind Show's back Raven pins Gunn to win the title back. The concession stand guy, who we can now tell is Crash Holly tries to get involved again but Big Show stops him. The Masked Ninja lady comes out with a board but is attacked from behind by Molly with a trash can lid. Big Show chokeslams Raven onto a metal trash can and pins him. Gunn then attacks Big Show from behind but Big Show disposes of him. Big Show is officially the winner of the match and the new Hardcore Champion.

Big Show (c) vs The Rock vs Kurt Angle, Raw 2/26/01
The next night on Raw, it's the new Hardcore champion Big Show, new WWF Champion The Rock, and former WWF Champion Kurt Angle doing battle. Rock and Angle stare at each other in the ring as Big Show attacks them both. The fight quickly goes to the outside where Big Show slams Rock's head on the announcers' table. Show goes to send Rock into the ring post but Rock reverses it. Angle and Rock battle inside the ring as Rock begins laying the smack down on Angle. Rock applies the Sharpshooter but Big Show breaks things up. Big Show goes to chokeslam Rock but Rock hits him with a low blow. Rock and Angle then work together to suplex The Big Show. Steve Blackman hits the ring and tries to pin Big Show while Rock and Angle are fighting on the outside. Hardcore Holly joins the party followed by Albert. Albert hits a bicycle kick on Big Show and goes for a pin but Saturn breaks it up. Billy Gunn comes down and hit Big Show with a baseball bat. Show, Gunn, Blackman, and Holly battle to the base of the stage. Essa Rios leaps off of the stage onto Big Show but is caught and dropped. Crash Holly then attempts to do the same and is met with the same results. The fight goes toward the back and once again a fire extinguisher is used. In the ring, Angle, Saturn, and Albert are working over The Rock. Rock fights back. In the back the battle continues. Show tosses Rios into a wall and pins him up against the wall. So apparently Big Show can pin someone not involved in the original match to win. That was a lot in the span of 10 minutes.

Raven (c) vs Chris Jericho, Smackdown 3/22/01
We go from the WWF Champion challenging for the Hardcore title to the I-C Champion challenging for the belt. This time Raven is the champion once again. Raven brings a shopping cart full of goodies to the ring. Raven is standing on the ring apron with a trash can when Jericho leaps off the ropes and kicks the can into Raven's face as Raven lands in the shopping cart. The fight to the back where Jericho slides Raven across a table with a coffee dispenser. The fight then goes to Commissioner Regal's office where Jericho smashes a picture of the Queen over Raven's head. Regal then comes in and smashes a glass flower vase on Jericho. Raven knocks Regal out an pins him. Raven is still champion.

Raven (c) vs Kane vs Big Show, WrestleMania X-Seven
Another favorite match. In front of 60,000+ fans, the Hardcore Championship is on the line. Raven comes down with his usual shopping cart. It would seem, on paper, that the odds are stacked greatly against the defending champion. The fight starts before Big Show comes out as Raven goes after Kane. Kane picks Raven up and tosses him out onto Big Show who catches him. Big Show has Raven in a modified sleeper when Kane comes off the top rope out onto the giant. Raven takes advantage and goes for a pin, but only gets two as Kane breaks up the count. Kane tosses Raven over the barricade and they're out into the crowd. Big Show soon follows. They fight through the crowd as the cameraman has a difficult time making it through the mass of humanity to follow the action. They're now back in the back of the stadium. Big Show slams Kane onto some wood pallets then tosses Raven into a fenced in area and locks the two of them, and the referee, in the area. But of course, since Big Show had been in WCW, he didn't know that Kane was more than capable of ripping locked cage doors off their hinges, as he did when he first arrived in the WWF. They leave the fenced in area and Kane tosses Raven through a window into an office area. Big Show then throws Kane through a door into another room. The two big men barrel their way through the wall of the room to where Raven is. Raven then commandeers a golf cart with Big Show hitching a ride. Big Show is choking Raven as they go and they crash through a fence. Kane then has another golf cart with the referee on board and he goes after his opponents. Kane brings the cart to a screeching halt but nearly runs over Raven's leg. After some more brawling in the back from the three men they make their way up onto the stage. Big Show picks Raven up and goes to slam him off the stage but Kane kicks Show sending both men off the stage. Kane then drops a leg from the stage and pins Big Show. Kane is your new champion. That was a fun match to watch.

Kane (c) vs Steven Richards, Raw 4/16/01
And the award for best use of the "Mute" button on the TV goes to...Right to Censor's entrance music. Richards hits Kane in the head with a trash can but it has no effect. They fight to the back. Nothing really special here. Things get interesting when the other members of Right to Censor get involved. But, Kane has backup of his own in the form of the American Badass The Undertaker. Kane rams Richards head first into a truck then pins him to retain the title.

Kane (c) vs Rhyno, Smackdown 4/19/01
This match is made by Commissioner William Regal after Kane and Undertaker attacked Steve Austin and Triple H a few days earlier on Raw. Rhyno is accompanied by Edge & Christian. It starts off as essentially a 3-on-2 match. Soon Undertaker works over E&C, while Kane and Rhyno fight. Kane goes to the top rope and hits a flying clothesline on Rhyno. Kane then hits a chokeslam but before he can go for a pinfall, Austin and Triple H come out and attack Kane. Both men deliver multiple chair shots to the arm of the Hardcore Champion. Rhyno pins Kane and is the new Hardcore Champion. Of course, it's Triple H's music that plays. Undertaker, who had fought Edge & Christian through the crowd returns and chases off Austin & The Game.

Rhyno (c) vs Raven, Backlash '01
Two former ECW Champions collide in this fight. Rhyno hits Raven over the head with a metal trash can. Rhyno then sets up the steel stairs and rams Raven's head into the top of the steps. Rhyno sets up a chair at ringside and places Raven upright on it. Rhyno then runs up the steel steps and leaps off headed for Raven, but Raven moves out of the way and Rhyno lands on the chair. Raven then runs up the stairs and leaps off hitting Rhyno with a clothesline. The two men fight their way up the ramp where Raven gets his brains scrambled by a trash can lid. Rhyno rolls Raven into the ring then picks up Raven's shopping cart and hits him with it before throwing it in the ring. Rhyno whips Raven off the ropes. Raven reverses Rhyno and drops him face first into the shopping cart. Raven whacks Rhyno with some street signs then hits a bulldog on him. Rhyno picks up the shopping cart with the intention of hitting Raven with hit, but Raven hits Rhyno with a trash can sending the champion down with the cart on top of him. Raven then grabs the cart and rolls it into Rhyno. Rhyno fights back with a street sign to the head of Raven. Rhyno is setting up for the gore, but Raven moves out of the way and Rhyno ends up perfectly in the shopping cart. Raven then hits Rhyno with a literal kitchen sink. That doesn't keep Rhyno down for long as he comes back with a gore and a pinfall to retain the title. This match doesn't crack my top three for this DVD but maybe the top five. It was a good follow-up to the WrestleMania match.

Big Show (c) vs Chris Jericho, Raw 5/28/01
In the last 8 days leading up to this show, Jericho won a tag team gauntlet match alongside Chris Benoit to become number one contenders for the Tag Team Championships, beat Steve Austin and Triple H to win the tag team titles, then successfully defended the titles in a 4 team TLC Match. Now he has a hardcore match against the massive Big Show. Jericho goes right after Big Show to start the match. Big Show tossed Jericho into the stairs. Show then grabs some trash cans. Show picks Jericho up and drops him on the guard rail before tossing the steel steps in the ring. Show then tosses Y2J in the ring. Show picks Jericho up and tosses him into a trash can that has been set up between the ropes in the corner. Show places Jericho's head on a trash can in the ring and goes for a leg drop but Jericho moves out of the way and Big Show drops his leg on the trash can. But it's not long before Big Show takes control again. Big Show has Jericho on the top turnbuckle and picks up the stairs. Jericho leaps off the top turnbuckle with a missile drop kick to the stairs taking Big Show down with the stairs hitting him on the head. Jericho hits the Lionsault and becomes a double champion. Jericho's celebration doesn't last long as he is gored on the stage by Rhyno who pins him to win the title.

"And now to the three guys WWE thought were more presentable on camera than Tommy Dreamer..."

We move on to the Invasion Era. So many new wrestlers on the roster gives less time to guys like Raven.

Test (c) vs Rhyno, Raw 6/25/01
The Invasion hits in a big way this night at Madison Square Garden. This match is a rematch from a recent Smackdown when Test won the title from Rhyno after Stacy Keibler provided a distraction. This match actually starts in the ring. Rhyno then goes outside to grab some accessories including some metal trash cans. The brawl goes out into the crowd. Rhyno grabs a metal guard rail and sets it semi-upright. He goes to suplex Test into it, but Test turns it around into a suplex of his own onto the guard rail. The continue fighting back to the back of the arena. Rhyno sets a couple of tables up. Test fights back with a fire extinguisher, this time using it as a blunt object rather than spraying it. He places Rhyno on the tables and climbs some sort of shelves or something. They appear to be about 10 feet tall. Test leaps off and drops and elbow onto Rhyno. The tables don't break but rather separate away from each other sending both men to the floor. Test grabs a ladder and jabs it in Rhyno's gut. Test sets up for a powerbomb onto the ladder, but Rhyno reverses Test with a backdrop onto the concrete ground. Rhyno then gores Test into a wall and pins him to win the Hardcore title. Immediately afterwards, Mike Awesome attacks Rhyno and powerbombs him onto the ladder and becomes the first WCW wrestler to win a WWF title.

Mike Awesome (c) vs Jeff Hardy, Smackdown 7/12/01
Awesome knocks Hardy down early on and goes for the trash cans. Hardy delivers a sliding dropkick into the can that Awesome is holding. Hardy then gets a running start, hops onto the guardrail then leaps off towards Awesome, but Awesome has a trash can lid which he strikes Hardy with. Awesome goes for a pin on the floor but only gets two. Hardy soon brings out a ladder. He sets the ladder up in the ring. Awesome gets up, and picks up one end of the ladder knocking it down with Hardy on it. Awesome goes for a frog splash from the top but Hardy moves out of the way. Awesome soon sets the ladder leaning against the turnbuckle and goes to throw Hardy into it, but he's interrupted by Edge & Christian. E&C deliver a standing con-chair-to to Awesome. Hardy then hits the Swanton bomb to pick up the win.

Before I move on to the next match, I want to take a moment to say that it's a damn shame that neither WCW nor WWF ever did anything with Mike Awesome. The guy could have been a huge star. WCW stuck him with some bad gimmicks, though at least he managed to get some TV time. WWF must have just seen him as the guy with the bad gimmicks in WCW and did nothing with him. Perhaps if he had spent a little more time in ECW it could have helped get him some attention from the other companies. During this match with Jeff Hardy it was suggested that he could be a member of Team Alliance in the main event of Invasion. That would have worked and possibly better than having Rhyno there. He did have a match teaming with Lance Storm against Edge & Christian, which is a lot better than some other guys got, but still the guy deserved better.

Jeff Hardy (c) vs Rob Van Dam, Invasion
Now we move on to my other favorite match from this DVD. Prior to this match, in an attempt to get over as a heel, RVD attacked Matt Hardy with a chair while Hardy was talking with his brother. Jeff storms the ring and goes right after RVD. An "RVD" chant goes out throughout the arena. These two start out with some great fast-paced wrestling. Van Dam hits his rolling senton on Hardy. RVD goes to whip Hardy into the turnbuckle, but Hardy reverses sending Van Dam to the corner. Van Dam leaps up onto the turnbuckle but is shoved off by Hardy. Hardy then hits a sliding dropkick to Van Dam. Hardy goes for his running leap from the guardrail but Van Dam meets him on top and knocks him off. We're 3-4 minutes into this match when the action spills to the crowd for the first time. Still no actual use of weapons. Van Dam dumps Hardy face down across the guardrail then goes to the ring apron and delivers a spinning leg drop to Hardy. RVD takes a bow as the crowd chants for him. Hardy delivers a sunset-flip powerbomb from the ring apron to the floor. He then pulls out a very tall ladder and climbs it. Van Dam gets up, goes to the ring then pushes the ladder over knocking Hardy off of it onto the ramp. It's then that JR, for the umpteenth time delivers his "how do you learn to fall off of a 20 foot ladder" line. It's in response to people claiming that the wrestlers know how to fall, but it's really annoying. Hardy steals a chair from Van Dam and begins to use it against him. They make their way up the ramp onto the stage. Hardy sets up to hit RVD with the chair but Van Dam hits the Van Daminator kick to the chair knocking Hardy off of the stage. Van Dam sets Hardy in the corner of the ring and delivers a running Van Terminator with the chair to Hardy's face. He then pulls the champion away from the corner and goes for the split-legged monnsault but Hardy would get his knees up. Hardy is now starting to bleed from the chair shot to the head. He has Van Dam down in the ring as he goes to the top and goes for a Swanton Bomb but Van Dam moves out of the way. RVD then grabs the Hardcore title belt, places it on Hardy's chest and hits the Five Star Frog Splash and pins Hardy to win the match. Jim Ross gives props to both men in this match and it's well deserved. These two put on quite a show. RVD was another guy who got held back by WWE for many years. I think it was Triple H that held him back, much like with Booker T. When RVD finally got his big break he shot himself in the foot.

We enter the RVD era of the Hardcore title. The guys talk about how Van Dam elevated the title in 2001. Van Dam talks about how before him wrestlers would use "Hardcore shenanigans" in place of a good match, while he had a good match and used the hardcore elements to elevate the matches.

Rob Van Dam (c) vs Tajiri, Raw 7/30/01
Where better for two former ECW competitors to collide for the Hardcore title than Philadelphia? The early parts of this match resemble the Van Dam vs Hardy match. After some back and fourth offense, Van Dam does his "Rob Van Dam" gesture and for it he gets a kick in the teeth by Tajiri. Van Dam goes to bring a chair into the ring and Tajiri does a summersault kick to the chair to the face of Van Dam. RVD is tied to the tree of woe with not one, but two chairs in front of his face as Tajiri delivers a sliding kick to the chairs. Van Dam takes back control and hits a split legged moonsault to Tajiri. Van Dam then places a chair on Tajiri and hits the Five Star Frog Splash and picks up the win. For a random TV match that goes less than five minutes this was a good match.

Rob Van Dam (c) vs Kurt Angle, Raw 9/10/01
Steve Austin gives Van Dam his marching orders before the match. Van Dam says he's going to do what Austin couldn't do at Summerslam and that is pin Kurt Angle. It was a random Monday Night Raw but it was just 12 hours before the world changed forever. Angle takes Van Dam down early with a belly-to-belly throw. The two exchange wrestling moves before Angle goes for the ankle lock, but RVD gets to the ropes. The two men go to the outside where Angle throws Van Dam towards the steps and RVD leaps onto the steps and delivers a moonsault to Angle. Angle then gets an ankle lock on Van Dam on the outside. RVD grabs a chair and hits Angle with it to get out of the hold. RVD goes for a piledriver on the floor, but Angle shoves Van Dam into the guardrail to get out of it. Angle grabs a chair and begins chasing Van Dam up the ramp. Van Dam went for a spinning kick but Angle grabbed his foot and applied an ankle lock. RVD had no way to escape and quickly tapped out. Kurt Angle is the new Hardcore Champion. His celebration is short lived as Austin comes out and shoves him off of the stage. Austin then helps Van Dam up before tossing him off the stage onto Angle. Austin then demands the referee go down and count as Rob Van Dam covers Angle to win the title back.

Rob Van Dam (c) vs The Rock, Raw 10/25/01
For possibly the first time since joining the WWF, Rob Van Dam finds himself the less popular wrestler in the match as the fans chant for Rocky. RVD hits a monkey flip followed by Rolling Thunder early on. Rock soon tosses RVD to the outside. The fight goes up the ramp to the stage. Rock charges after Van Dam and Van Dam delivers a spinning kick to The Great One followed by a moonsault. They make their way back towards ringside where RVD rams The Rock into a ring post. Back in the ring Van Dam gets powerbombed from the top rope through a metal garbage can mangling the can, and Van Dam's body. Rock then gets the Sharpshooter applied. Van Dam is about to give up when Shane O-Mac pulls the referee out of the ring and delivers a DDT to The Rock. Van Dam hits the Five Star Frog Splash on The Rock as Shane tosses the referee back inside to count the pin, but The Rock kicks out. Shane gets back in the ring, but his daddy comes down and chases him away. RVD goes for a Van Daminator but The Rock ducks and DDTs Van Dam onto the chair. Rock slowly covers Van Dam but the champion kicks out. Out comes Test who delivers a pump handle slam to Rocky. The WCW Champion Chris Jericho comes out for the save. Y2J is met with a Harlem Side Kick from Booker T. Booker then gets a beatdown from The Rock. Rock hits a spinebuster on RVD. Rock is setting up for The Most Electrifying Move in Sports Entertainment, when he's tripped by Booker T. Booker hits The Rock with a metal trash can. Van Dam rolls The Rock up and pins him. This was easily the best non-PPV match on this DVD.

Rob Van Dam (c) vs The Undertaker, Vengeance '01
A lot has changed in the WWF in the past two months. The WWF won the war against The Alliance. Steve Austin turned babyface while The Undertaker and Chris Jericho turned heel. Undertaker was still getting some cheers here, but so too was Rob Van Dam. Things start clean for the first couple of minutes until Undertaker drops Van Dam crotch first on the top rope. Then they go to the outside. Van Dam reverses The Undertaker and sends him into the ring post before knocking him over the guardrail into the crowd. Van Dam hits a moonsault off the hockey boards and goes for a pin on the concrete but only gets two. They fight their way back to the base of the stage. Undertaker grabs a chair and is ready to use it when RVD sprays a fire extinguisher in the face of the American Badass. Van Dam then hits Undertaker over the head with a metal trash can. He then goes up into the stands above an exit and leaps off onto Undertaker. They're now fighting on the entrance stage. Undertaker picks Van Dam up and rams him head first into the stage set. Taker goes for a last ride on the stage but Van Dam is able to escape. Van Dam fights back with his educated feet and then hits the Rolling Thunder. Van Dam tosses a chair to the Undertaker to go for a Van Daminator but Undertaker moves out of the way of the kick. Undertaker then strikes Van Dam with the chair. Undertaker picks RVD up and chokeslams him off the stage through a table. Taker goes down and pins Van Dam to win the Hardcore Championship.

This brings RVD's run with the title to an end, and of all of the champions to have a block of matches on this DVD, Van Dam's were the best.

Undertaker (c) vs Jeff Hardy, Raw 12/17/01
Six months before their epic ladder match, these two meet for the Hardcore Championship. Jeff is accompanied by Lita. This comes after the Hardyz had split and had a match at Vengeance. Undertaker goes right after Hardy before the bell. Taker tells Hardy "You will respect me, boy". Jeff Hardy uses his high-flying abilities to his advantage. Undertaker gets knocked to the outside. Hardy leaps off the top rope toward Undertaker but misses and hits the guardrail. Matt Hardy is shown at WWF New York (remember that place?). Back in the ring, Undertaker hits the last ride on Hardy and pins him to retain the title. Undertaker gets on his motorcycle, but decides not to ride off. Instead he gets back in the ring and goes after Lita. Lita backs away and Undertaker tosses Hardy to the outside. 'Taker then carries Hardy up the stage as Lita follows. He then picks Hardy up and hits the last ride off the stage onto a table below. He then grabs Lita by the hair and tosses her off the stage.

Undertaker (c) vs Tajiri, Smackdown 12/27/01
In the locker room before the match, Vince praises The Undertaker for what he did to The Hardyz and Lita. He then hypes the champion up for his match but warns him that Tajiri's manager, Torrie Wilson, can be quite a distraction. Undertaker goes right after Tajiri from the start. Tajiri comes back with a missile drop kick from the top rope. Tajiri soon attempts the Tarantula on Undertaker but isn't able to get it on fully. Undertaker takes Tajiri to the outside. Undertaker goes for the Last Ride through the announcers table but Tajiri sprays the green mist in Undertaker's face. Tajiri begins attacking with a trash can. The Japanese Buzzsaw then leaps off of the ring apron but is caught by The Undertaker who throws him into the ring post. Back in the ring, Undertaker chokeslams Tajiri and goes for a pin but pulls him up before the three. He then applies a Dragon Sleeper and Tajiri quickly taps out. Big Show makes his way down to the ring and The Undertaker walks away. Now, while it may not seem like it makes much sense, but considering that this show was two days after Christmas it would have been fun to see The Undertaker get busted open and have the red blood go down his green misted face.

Undertaker (c) vs Maven, Smackdown 2/5/02
Al Snow accompanies the Tough Enough winner, Maven to the ring for this match. This comes after Maven eliminated Undertaker from the Royal Rumble Match. Snow immediately tosses a garbage can lid into Maven which he uses on Undertaker, but it does little good as Undertaker brushes it off and begins beating down on Maven. Undertaker then grabs a trash can and strikes Maven right over the head with it. He then uses it to beat Maven down until Al Snow pulls Maven out of the ring. Undertaker gees out and goes after Snow tossing him over the guardrail. Maven is now busted open. Undertaker goes for the Last Ride but Snow attacks him from behind with the ring bell. Undertaker tosses Snow out of the ring and then chokeslams Maven. Undertaker goes for the pin, but he pulls Maven up before the three. Undertaker gets a dragon sleeper on Maven. Out comes The Rock who hits Undertaker with a chair and then delivers the Rock Bottom. Maven starts to move and crawls to The Undertaker and pins him. Maven with a huge upset over The Undertaker to win the title. Undertaker's reign as champion was designed to help establish him as a heel once again by putting him against smaller, weaker opponents and beating the shit out of them. This was a whole new side to The Undertaker as it was his first, and only, heel run as The American Badass, and showed a new vicious side to him as during his last heel run in 1998-1999 he used his minions in the Ministry of Darkness to do a lot of his bidding. Here, he was kicking ass on his own.

Maven's title reign ended at the hands of Goldust on Raw a few weeks later. It was the first title change under the 24/7 rule since Rob Van Dam beat Kurt Angle the previous September. Al Snow would take the title from Goldust, then Maven would win it from his teacher. At WrestleMania X-8 Maven defended his title against Goldust in a one-on-one match which was interrupted by Spike Dudley winning the title from Maven. Later in the night The Hurricane, Mighty Molly, and Christian would all win the title before Maven finally took it back from Christian. Thus began a sort-of new era for the 24/7 rule as we would frequently see three or more title changes in a night.

Bubba Ray Dudley (c) vs Raven, Raw 4/15/02
The Dudleyz had been split up in the draft. D-Von became Reverend D-Von on Smackdown, while Bubba became Hardcore Champion on Raw. Raven would bring his shopping cart of weapons to the ring with him once again. Bubba uses a garbage can lid on Raven's head. Raven comes back with a clothesline. Raven then hits Bubba with a trash can followed by a stop sign. Both men then hit each other simultaneously with trash can lids. Bubba comes back and soon it's time to get the tables. As Bubba is trying to bring a table into the ring, Raven delivers a sliding dropkick to the table. He then brings Bubba into the ring, hits a DDT, and gets the three. Raven is immediately attacked by Tommy Dreamer who hits a Death Valley Driver to pin Raven. Dreamer is immediately met with a Stevie Kick from Stevie Richards who wins the title. Bubba gets back up and smacks Richards over the head with a guitar and wins the title. This ECW melee ends with Bubba walking out with the title.

Steven Richards (c) vs Booker T, Insurrextion '02
We go to the UK for this next match. Booker gets Richards in the corner and begins beating him down. Booker then begins tossing weapons into the ring and Richards immediately tosses them out until Booker whacks Richards with a serving tray. Booker then strikes Richards over the head with a trash can. Booker is in control of Richards. The crowd is popping for Booker. He brings in a trash can and places it over the head of Richards. Booker then goes to the top rope and delivers a leaping kick to the trash can over Richard's head. After Richards starts a comeback, Booker hits him with the Bookend and picks up the win to become new Hardcore Champion. But, wait, Crash Holly comes out, gets a weak rollup on Booker and manages to pin him. I'm not even sure both of Booker's shoulders were down. Crash looks to be getting ready for a Spinaroonie of his own, but Booker gets back up, hits the scissors kick and pins Crash. Tommy Dreamer and Justin Credible both come out and go after Booker. Dreamer pulls out a table and he and Credible set it up. Justin goes for his superkick with Dreamer holding Booker, but Booker moves out of the way and Justin hits Dreamer. Booker takes both men out and begins celebrating. Jazz comes from behind with a low blow. Steven Richards then puts Booker through a table and pins Booker. This match was boring and had no right to go 10 minutes (even without the post-match brawls it's still about 10 minutes).

Next Mick, Rob, and Raven talk about how the title lost some prestige when they brought back the 24/7 title changes and many lower card wrestlers competing for the belt.

Raw 5/27/02
Terri is interviewing champion Stevie Richards. Richards is talking about Jazz who's out with an injury and he calls her "cute and cuddly". Jacqueline then comes in and objects to Jazz being called "cute and cuddly." Jacqueline kicks Richards in the leg, hits him with Terri's microphone and goes for a pin, but it's broken up by Shawn Stasiak (I didn't know he was still in WWF at the time). Stasiak goes for a pin but it's broken up by Big Bossman (I didn't know HE was still in WWF either). Bossman goes for a pin, but Stasiak breaks it up and the two start brawling their way away from Richards. Terri takes advantage and pins a fallen Richards to become the champion. Richards then immediately rolls Terri up to pin her (as her panties are showing).

It's kind of a shame that three women held the Hardcore title, only one of them was an actual wrestler (that being Molly Holly), but women like Jacqueline and Jazz did not. I kinda wonder if maybe Jazz hadn't gotten injured she might have had a reign (or two or ten) as champion in 2002. At one point I thought Jacqueline and/or Ivory were supposed to be booked into the title picture and involved in the Hardcore Battle Royal at WrestleMania 2000 making it an even 15 competitors, but that was scrapped.

Bradshaw (c) vs Jeff Hardy, Raw 7/29/02
Bradshaw comes to the ring with his custom Hardcore title belt with the Texas flag on it. Same old script. Some fighting inside the ring then they go outside and get weapons involved. Bradshaw hits Hardy with a trash can and tosses him in the ring. Hardy then grabs the trash can and slams it over the head of Bradshaw. Jeff Hardy goes under the ring and brings out a ladder. Hardy sets the ladder up in the corner. Hardy climbs the ladder and hits a Swanton Bomb on Bradshaw and pins him to win the title. Hardy is then attacked by Johnny the Bull Stamboli who pins Hardy (much to the disinterest of the crowd). Bradshaw then hits a clothesline from Hell on Stamboli, but before he can take advantage, Tommy Dreamer comes out and strikes Bradshaw with a Singapore Cane and pins him to win the title.

Tommy Dreamer (c) vs Bradshaw, Raw 8/5/02
Dreamer is shown backstage as JR and King hype his match with Bradshaw later in the night. Bradshaw comes up to him and the fight is starting early. Bradshaw strikes Dreamer with a Singapore Cane. The fight makes its way into the arena. They begin fighting into the crowd. Soon they make their way to ringside where Bradshaw goes under the ring and pulls out his bullrope. He strikes Dreamer with the cowbell. Dreamer fights back and pulls out some trash can lids. Dreamer whips Bradshaw into the steps. They get into the ring where Dreamer begins choking Bradshaw with the bullrope. Bradshaw comes back, picks Dreamer up, goes to the second rope and hits a fallaway slam from the second rope. Bradshaw then hits Dreamer with a powerbomb. The fight goes back to the outside where Dreamer hits a DDT on the base of the steps and pins Bradshaw.

I-C Championship vs Hardcore Championship, Rob Van Dam vs Tommy Dreamer, Raw 8/26/02
It's title for title as the Hardcore title goes away. Dreamer now has a custom title belt with a New York license plate on it (seems like a waste for WWE to create these custom belts for the Hardcore title). Van Dam applauds his rival and the two men shake hands before the match as the crowd chants "ECW". The match starts off as more of a RVD-style match. After a couple of minutes Dreamer goes under the ring and pulls out a ladder. Van Dam then kicks the ladder into Dreamer. RVD then bridges the ladder between the guardrail and the ring. Dreamer takes advantage and attempts the suplex Van Dam over the top rope onto the ladder, but Mr. Monday Night fights back. Dreamer then attempts to bulldog Van Dam onto the ladder, but Van Dam shoves him off sending him falling into the ladder. Van Dam then seats Dreamer on the guardrail and climbs up onto the horizontal ladder then delivers a Van Daminator (minus the chair) to Dreamer. Van Dam places Dreamer in the ring and sets a ladder on top of him. He then goes for the split-legged moonsault but Dreamer gets his knees up, with the chair into the gut of RVD. Dreamer brings the ladder into the ring. He picks RVD up and drops him back first onto the ladder. It's then that Jim Ross once again brings out the "and they say they know how to fall. How do you learn how to fall on a steel ladder?" With RVD laying on the ladder, Dreamer goes to the second rope and goes for an elbow drop but Van Dam moves out of the way. Van Dam then places the ladder on top of Dreamer and hits him with the Rolling Thunder. Dreamer manages to crotch Van Dam on the top rope. Dreamer the bridges the ladder across the second rope and stands on top of the ladder as if he's going to suplex Van Dam but Van Dam fights back and Dreamer falls split-legged on the ladder. Van Dam then delivers a spinning heel kick to knock Dreamer off of the ladder. RVD hits the Five Star Frog Splash and pins Dreamer to retain the I-C Championship and become the final ever Hardcore Champion. The two men share and emotional hug in the middle of the ring. Dreamer walks away doing the "RVD" hand gesture.

A new era had fallen on WWE. Hardcore matches were not as popular as they once were. Wrestling was back in. After a four year run, the Hardcore title was retired.

While some of these matches were kinda dumb, overall this was a good look back at a staple of the Attitude Era and some stars who are often overlooked. I think there are a couple of matches that could be left off of this. Maybe a Crash Holly match and maybe a 2002 match. I would have liked to have seen WrestleMania X-8 added to this. It started as a title match between Maven and Goldust which ended with Spike Dudley winning the title. Then over the course of the evening The Hurricane would win the belt from Spike. His faithful sidekick, Mighty Molly would attack him and win the belt. The dastardly Christian (who had lost a European title match to DDP earlier) defeated Molly for the title. Then as Christian was about to get in a cab and leave, he was attacked by Maven who took his belt and took his cab.

Next up, let's see, I've reviewed DVDs that were rated TV-14, TV-MA, TV-PG (some bordering on TV-G), what haven't I done? How about one that's Rated R.

 

[Chris]

This actually seems like a very well compiled history of that belt