Blu-Ray Review: WWE TLC: Tables, Ladders and Chairs 2016

The last Smackdown PPV of 2016 has finally arrived on DVD and Blu-Ray and we've got the lowdown. TLC: Tables, Ladders and Chairs is available now from Amazon, Ebay, Base and more, ranging between £13.99-£17.29 at time of writing. The event tends to be one of the most violent and exciting nights in the WWE calendar, as the WWE Superstars get to play with some dangerous toys. This year's event is no different, as AJ Styles defends the WWE Championship against Dean Ambrose in a TLC match, The Miz puts the Intercontinental Championship on the line in a Ladder match with Dolph Ziggler and Alexa Bliss challenges for Becky Lynch's Smackdown Women's Championship in a Tables match. Randy Orton, Bray Wyatt, Natalya, Zack Ryder, Nikki Bella and others also feature across the single disc release.

The Show

The event begins with short and energetic Smackdown Live Tag Team Championship match, with The Wyatt Family (Bray Wyatt & Randy Orton) challenging for Heath Slater & Rhyno's belts, it's a basic tag affair, that's help by a clear sense of direction. Carmella and Nikki Bella have a gritty scrap in a No Disqualification match, that is unfortunately held back by silly conclusion. 

The first use of the show's gimmick comes in a Ladder Match over the Intercontinental Championship, between Dolph Ziggler and The Miz, that grows into a wonderful battle at the top of the ladder. It's not on the same level of their No Mercy collision, but is still a compelling and dramatic watch. Personally, I think the two went a little bit longer than was necessary as the first ten minutes provide very little of note. 

Baron Corbin v Kalisto in a Chairs match is the sleeper contest, with the pair producing physical and intense spot-based contest that doesn't pull it's punches. A tables match for the Smackdown Women's Championship with Alexa Bliss and Becky Lynch sees the pair struggling to get to grips with the gimmick, often grappling with the weapons, rather than each other. The bout never really connects with the Dallas crowd, leaving a lot of the action feeling flat, which is a shame because both women have talent and worked hard throughout. 

The main event see's a World class performance from AJ Styles opposite Dean Ambrose in the Tables, Ladders and Chairs match for the WWE Championship, as the Face That Runs The Place kills it in the stunt show environment. Living up to the demolition derby moniker, Styles and Ambrose work their socks off in over half an hour of thrilling highspots, that keep the viewer on the edge of their seat throughout. Even the involvement of James Ellsworth doesn't stop this from being one of the best WWE main events of 2016 and well worth the price tag on it's own. 

Special Features & Blu-Ray Exclusives

A ten man tag team test with Apollo Crews [Uhaa Nation], American Alpha (Chad Gable & Jason Jordan), & The Hype Bros (Mojo Rawley & Zack Ryder) against The Ascension (Konnor & Viktor), Curt Hawkins & The Vaudevillains (Aiden English & Simon Gotch) from the Kick-Off show is a cute contest, that entertains for it's time on the screen. An Intercontinental Championship match between Kalisto and The Miz and Becky Lynch v Natalya (both from Smackdown Live #901) are also included, but the strongest Blu-Ray exclusive is a tag match between American Alpha and Bray Wyatt & Randy Orton of the Wyatt Family (Smackdown Live #902), which is a real sleeper match that is arguably stronger than the Smackdown Tag Team title match on the main show.

Finally... 

The Smackdown brand put on another PPV event that is well worth checking out, with two great matches included. The Intercontinental and WWE Championship match are two very different, but wonderful matches, featuring strong performances from AJ Styles, Dean Ambrose, The Miz and Dolph Ziggler, four men who have owned the blue brand since the split. It's a shame that the Alexa Bliss and Becky Lynch are unable to make the most of their high position on the card, but the Chairs match with Baron Corbin and Kalisto manages to make up for it. The added content on the disc provide some watchable action, but nothing worth going out of your way to check out. 

Review - James Marston 

Twitter - @ATPWrestling 

Facebook - /acrossthepondwrestling 

Instagram - @ATPWrestling

Blu-Ray Review: WWE Extreme Rules 2016 - Jericho v Ambrose - Asylum Match

It's been a while since we've had a WWE Home Video review on the site but they're back, as we take a look at the latest release Extreme Rules 2016, which is being released on DVD and Blu-Ray today in the UK. With Chris Jericho, Cesaro, AJ Styles, Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn all on the main card, how would WWE's "most extreme night of the year" turn out? 

Main Feature

The first ever Asylum Match is the main event, as Chris Jericho and Dean Ambrose continue their feud inside a steel cage with various weapons attached to the top, in a mostly dull encounter. The match feels like it goes on forever, and the crowd begin to lose interest after ten minutes of nothingness. Both performers do take nasty bumps and weapon shots, but in the twenty five minute match, there's about five minutes of worthwhile action. 

Roman Reigns defends his WWE World Heavyweight Championship against AJ Styles in a brilliant Extreme Rules match. There's a great mixture of styles spread throughout the match with the pair brawling around the arena, creating big spots and then a boat load of false finishes that have the Chicago crowd going nuts. There's plenty of interference from the pairs respective factions, adding to the drama of the match and producing some sweet moments of their own.

In what is arguably the best match of the show, Cesaro, Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn challenge for the Intercontinental Championship, in a Fatal Four-Way Match also involving title holder, The Miz. The bout twist and turns, all four men being involved in exciting multi-man spots and plenty of well-timed cut offs and breath-taking near falls. A United States Championship bout between Rusev and Kalisto is less exciting, with the two men never quite connecting in what becomes a fairly disjointed class. Natalya and Charlotte's Submission battle over the Women's Championship features some nice wrestling, but never feels like a grudge match, with the finish being a particular cop out. 

Whilst the crowd is reluctant to go with the match, both The Usos and Karl Anderson & Luke Gallows put on strong performances in an enjoyable Tornado tag bout, that does it's job well. A Tag Team Championship match between The New Day's Big E & Xavier Woods and The Vaudevillains is frustratingly brief, but the two tandems manage to squeeze a lot of satisfying action into their short clash. 

Special Features

A No Disqualifcation match between Baron Corbin and Dolph Ziggler (from Extreme Rules 2016 Kick-Off) is a solid enough match for the Kick-Off show, but nothing worth going out of your way to see. 

Blu-Ray Exclusives

Charlotte and Natalya's Contract Signing featuring Shane McMahon and Stephanie McMahon (from Monday Night RAW), features some great work by the Women's Champion on the mic in front of her home state crowd, but gets a bit lost towards the end, shifting focus onto Stephanie and Ric Flair rather than the match. Cesaro teaming with Sami Zayn against Kevin Owens and Intercontinental Champion The Miz (from Thursday Night Smackdown) features some great build for their Four Way bout, showcasing the relationships between character, whilst also having entertaining action in it's own right. World Heavyweight Champion Roman Reigns' match with Luke Gallows (from Thursday Night Smackdown) is a little pedestrian in the ring, but the action on the outside and after the match, involving The Club and The Bloodline picks things up. Dean Ambrose destroying Chris Jericho's light-up jacket (from Monday Night RAW) is a fun segment, helped by Jericho's reactions and Big Cass putting in a star turn.

Finally...

ATPW Scale Blu-Ray Rating - 5.93/10

The main feature is two match PPV, but what a two matches they are. The Fatal Four-Way and Reigns v Styles will both be contenders for WWE's match of 2016 and are definitely worth a watch. The majority of the show's undercard is also pretty easy going, with a couple of tag team matches being especially fun bouts. The main problem with the card is the length of the Asylum match, which takes up about 15 minutes more than it needed to, or had content for, but that match also includes the most "extreme" moments of the entire show. There's nothing that's particularly blow away good in the special features, but the tag bout is a good watch if you missed it on Thursday Night Smackdown. 

Coming out with an above average rating, that's ever so slightly below being good, this certainly wouldn't be a bad addition to your collection. WWEDVD.co.uk is your cheapest option here at £13.99, but you can also find Extreme Rules 2016 at Amazon, Zavvi, Hive, Base.com and Blackwell.

Special thanks to Fetch Publicity and Freemantle International. 

Blu-Ray Review: WWE TLC: Tables, Ladders and Chairs 2015 (Reigns vs. Sheamus)

WWE TLC: Tables, Ladders and Chairs 2015 is out on DVD and Blu-Ray now in the UK. You can order here at WWEDVD.co.uk and all other reputable Home Video stockists. Broadcast live on PPV (and on the WWE Network) from the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts, USA on 13th December 2015. The show features Sheamus defending the WWE World Heavyweight Championship against Roman Reigns in a Tables, Ladders and Chairs match in the main event. The Blu-Ray edition includes either other matches featuring the likes of The Wyatt Family, The Dudley Boyz, The New Day, The Lucha Dragons, Alberto Del Rio, Jack Swagger, Tommy Dreamer, Rhyno and The Usos in prominent bouts. Commentary is provided by John "Bradshaw" Layfield, Michael Cole, Jerry "The King" Lawler, Xavier Woods Byron Saxton, Booker T, Rich Brennan & Kevin Owens.

tlc: tables, ladders and charis 2015 blu-ray match listing

Match 1 – WWE Tag Team ChampionshipTriple Threat Team Ladder – The New Day: Big E & Kofi Kingston © with Xavier Woods vs. The Lucha Dragons: Kalisto & Sin Cara vs. The Usos: Jey Uso & Jimmy Uso

Match 2 – Singles – Rusev with “The Ravishing Russian” Lana vs. Ryback

Match 3 – WWE United States Championship Chairs – Alberto Del Rio © vs. “A Real American” Jack Swagger

Match 4 – Tag Team Tables Elimination – Rhyno, Tommy Dreamer & The Dudley Boyz: Bubba Ray Dudley & D-Von Dudley vs. The Wyatt Family: Braun Strowman, Bray Wyatt, Erick Rowan & Luke Harper

Match 5 – WWE Intercontinental Championship – Kevin Owens © vs. Dean Ambrose 

Match 6 – WWE Diva's Championship – Paige vs. Charlotte © with Ric Flair

Match 7 – WWE World Heavyweight Championship Tables, Ladders and Chairs – Roman Reigns vs. “The Celtic Warrior” Sheamus © 

Match 8 – Singles – Sasha Banks with Team B.A.D.: Naomi & Tamina vs. Becky Lynch (Taken from WWE TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs 2016 Kick-Off)

Match 9 – WWE Intercontinental Championship #1 Contender's Men's Triple Threat – Tyler Breeze with Summer Rae vs. Dolph Ziggler vs. Dean Ambrose (Taken from WWE Thursday Night Smackdown #849)

main feature

TLC: Tables, Ladders and Chairs 2015 begins with a brilliant three-way ladder match with The New Day's Big E and Kofi Kingston putting the WWE Tag Team Championships on the line against The Lucha Dragons and The Usos. Whilst one particular moment will get replayed for years and years to come, the whole match is choc-full of world-class spots utilising the toys available to produce car crash of a bout, in the very best sense of the phrase. The only let-down for me is flat finish that doesn't come close to matching any of the action across the previous twenty minutes. 

Rusev and Ryback then put together a decent clash, working surprisingly well together in physical outing. Again the bout is hampering by an overly complicated and theatrical finish. A United States Championship defense for Alberto Del Rio against Jack Swagger produces a strong Chairs match in one of ADR's best matches since returning to the company in October. Lots of sweet looking chair shots and some wonderful selling from ADR makes for pleasant viewing, even if the duo fail to keep the entire crowd involved. 

An elimination tables match pitting The Wyatt Family (Braun Strowman, Bray Wyatt, Erick Rowan and Luke Harper) against The Dudley Boyz (Bubba Ray & D-Von), Rhyno & Tommy Dreamer has a few well-timed table spots, but unfortunately ends up being a bit of a drag. Too much mis-communication and a plodding pace mean that it's not exactly a classic. A WWE Intercontinental Championship match between Kevin Owens and Dean Ambrose somehow manages to blend into the background, despite the obvious talent and chemistry of the performers. Perhaps the lack of a gimmick and that it's a least five minutes too short have something to do with that. Charlotte's WWE Diva's Championship defense against Paige is painfully booked at times, but helped from being a complete mess by the talents of the two performers. The duo manage to salvage some good looking moves, and a handful of nice sequences to keep things just about bearable. 

The main event is, of course, the eponymous TLC match with Sheamus putting his WWE World Heavyweight Championship on the line in a great match with Roman Reigns. The two men make good use of all the weapons, pulling off some brutal spots that drive the story of the clash. Despite this however, I'd recommend watching with the sound off as the crowd, for whatever reason, decide they don't want to see the match and set about trying to turn the attention to themselves. Just like the previous month's Survivor Series 2015, the show closes with a major angle that will drive the storylines of the first few PPV's of 2016 and beyond.

special features

Sasha Banks and Becky Lynch combine for a decent match taken from TLC: Tables, Ladders and Chairs 2016 Kick-Off, although obviously the pair have had better matches together elsewhere. The Blu-Ray exclusives begin with a segment featuring The New Day cutting a fun heel promo, taken from Monday Night RAW #1174, although there is a slight lack of direction once The Lucha Dragons and The Usos interrupt. Dean Ambrose, Dolph Ziggler and Tyler Breeze have a fluffy but watchable triple threat with a shot at the WWE Intercontinental Championship on the line from Thursday Night Smackdown #849 in the only Blu-Ray exclusive match. 

Monday Night RAW #1176 brings us a strange edition of Miz TV featuring Charlotte, Ric Flair and Paige in which The Miz becomes the shining light. From the same show we then have the infamous "tater tots" promo from Roman Reigns in a horrendous in-ring segment with Sheamus, that at best will make you cringe yourself inside out. It's particularly painful to watch Reigns struggling to recall words that clearly he doesn't feel comfortable saying. The disc rounds of with a fun twist on the cliched contract signing from Thursday Night Smackdown #851 with Kevin Owens and Dean Ambrose confirming their match for TLC. 

finally...

blu-ray rating - 5.58/10

A couple of off-beat finishes aside, TLC 2015 is a bloody good wrestling show. Book-ended by two great ladder matches, the show manages to close out WWE's 2015 events very well indeed. The WWE Intercontinental Championship and WWE United States Championship matches are also worth checking out. However, the Blu-Ray edition loses part of it's rating for a lacklustre selection of Special Features, with the decision to include the Reigns and Sheamus "tater tots" promo being one that I will never understand. No one should have to see it more than once. 

Blu-Ray Review: WWE Survivor Series 2015 (The B.O.D. vs. Wyatt Family)

WWE Survivor Series 2015 is out on DVD and Blu-Ray now in the UK. You can order here at WWEDVD.co.uk and all other reputable Home Video stockists. Broadcast live on PPV (and on the WWE Network) from the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia USA on 22nd November 2015. The show features The Brothers of Destruction clashing with The Wyatt Family's Bray Wyatt and Luke Harper in the main event. The Blu-Ray edition includes nine other matches featuring the likes of Dean Ambrose, The New Day, The Lucha Dragons, King Barrett, Charlotte, Paige, Sheamus, The Usos, Roman Reigns and Ryback in prominent bouts. Commentary is provided by John "Bradshaw" Layfield, Michael Cole, Jerry "The King" Lawler, Byron Saxton, Booker T & Rich Brennan.

survivor series 2015 blu-ray match card

Match 1 – WWE World Heavyweight Championship Tournament Semi-Final – Roman Reigns vs. Alberto Del Rio w/Zeb Colter

Match 2 – WWE World Heavyweight Championship Tournament Semi-Final – Dean Ambrose vs. WWE Intercontinental Championship Kevin Owens

Match 3 – Traditional Survivor Series Elimination – Ryback, The Lucha Dragons & The Usos vs. Mr. Money in the Bank Sheamus, 2015 King of the Ring King Barrett & WWE Tag Team The New Day

Match 4 – WWE Diva's Championship – Paige vs. Charlotte ©

Match 5 – Singles – Tyler Breeze w/Summer Rae vs. Dolph Ziggler

Match 6 – Tag Team – The Wyatt Family (Bray Wyatt & Luke Harper) w/Braun Strowman & Erick Rowan vs. The Brothers of Destruction

Match 7 – WWE World Heavyweight Championship Tournament Final – Roman Reigns vs. Dean Ambrose 

Match 8 – WWE World Heavyweight Championship – Roman Reigns © vs. Money in the Bank Contract Holder Sheamus

Match 9 – Five on Five Traditional Survivor Series Elimination – The Miz, Bo Dallas, Stardust & The Ascension vs. “The Man That Gravity Forgot” Neville, The Dudley Boyz, Titus O'Neil & Goldust

Match 10 – Tag Team – WWE Intercontinental Champion Kevin Owens & Alberto Del Rio w/Zeb Colter vs. Dean Ambrose & Roman Reigns

main feature

Survivor Series 2015 kicks off with a solid bout between Roman Reigns and Alberto Del Rio, as the pair battle it out in the Semi-Final of the WWE World Heavyweight Championship tournament. At times it feels like ADR is simply going through the motions, however it is some competent selling from Reigns that manages to drive the clash. A second semi-final bout between Kevin Owens and Dean Ambrose is probably of a similar quality, with Owens standing out as the star of the bout as he works hard to lift a initially flat crowd. Despite an excellent finishing stretch, there are still portions of the match that one would expect to have been a lot tighter from workers of this calibre.

The only Traditional Five on Five Elimination contest on the bout begins brightly with King Barrett and Sheamus bringing a different energy to The New Day's pre-match promo. However, the clash with Ryback, The Lucha Dragons and The Usos suffers from some bizarre booking, an off-beat pace and a crowd that doesn't seem to be interested at all. That being said, there are some nice spots peppered throughout the contest. 

The first title match see's Charlotte defending the WWE Diva's Championship in a scrappy fight with Paige, who was in the middle of another ill-advised heel turn. Whilst there are some nice ideas on display, the contest never really comes together, which isn't helped by a flat finish. Dolph Ziggler and Tyler Breeze then run through some decent sequences of action, but a lack of time, character-depth and crowd interaction hurt what feels like another throwaway match.

The main event of the evening has The Undertaker and Kane teaming up once more, as The Brothers of Destruction, as part of the celebration of 25 years of The Undertaker, an idea that dominates the presentation of the bout. Opposite Bray Wyatt and Luke Harper of The Wyatt Family, there are a lot of cool moment that play well off the different characters signature move and mannerisms. The crowd being so into the action makes the match a lot more watchable than perhaps it would've been otherwise. 

To close the show, Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose are back to compete over the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, in what is a good, little match, which it's difficult not to feel disappointing by. The crowd continue to give a korma reaction to action, but they do wake up for the big post-match angle. 

special features 

From Survivor Series 2016 Kick-Off, there's another Traditional Five on Five Elimination bout, with The Miz, Bo Dallas, Stardust & The Ascension taking on Neville, The Dudley Boyz, Titus O'Neil and Goldust in a very meh kind of match. The wrestling throughout is all completely fine, but with no real drive and a lack of quality booking there's no real reason to check this one out. 

Onto the Blu-Ray exclusives and we start with a fun, back and forth between The Undertaker and Bray Wyatt on the mic from Monday Night RAW #1173, that build towards the PPV well. From the same show there's a contract signing between Charlotte and Paige for their bout, which features some strong mic from Charlotte and an enjoyable ringside brawl. An edition of Miz TV from Thursday Night Smackdown #848 with appearances from the four semi-finalists in the WWE World Heavyweight Championship tournament is highlighted by a comedic appearance from R-Truth. The set rounds off with a fairly straight-forward tag bout from the same show, with Kevin Owens teaming with Alberto Del Rio against Dean Ambrose and Roman Reigns.

finally...
blu-ray rating - 5.02

A distinctly average show here. The WWE World Heavyweight Championship tournament provides the best action across the disc, but with the four performers involved I think many would expect a lot better quality. The Brothers of Destruction make for a fun main event, but one that ultimately lacks substance. The special features are also a bit of a downer, for not including any of the prelimary tournament matches. A miss opportunity to include the likes of Cesaro vs. Reigns, Owens vs. Neville or Ambrose vs. Ziggler, all of which could have boosted the quality of the content on the disc.

Blu-Ray Review: Owen Hart - Hart of Gold (Documentary & Match Compilation)

WWE's Owen Hart - Hart of Gold is out now on DVD and Blu-Ray, available from www.wwedvd.co.uk and all reputable home video stockists. The two disc Blu-Ray features The Hart of Gold Documentary looking at Owen Hart's life and career, as well as a number of stand-alone stories and matches. The Blu-Ray edition houses 21 of Hart's best matches from across his career in Stampede, WWF and WCW, with contests including the likes of Shawn Michaels, The Hart Foundation, Edge, Mr. Perfect and "Stone Cold" Steve Austin.

owen - hart of gold blu-ray match listing

Match 1 - Stampede British Commonwealth Mid-Heavyweight Championship - Viet Cong Express #1 vs. Owen Hart (C) - Stampede (Calgary, Alberta, Canada - 5th December 1986)

Match 2 - Stampede North American Heavyweight Championship - Owen Hart (C) vs. Makhan Singh - Stampede (6th May 1988 - Calgary, Alberta, Canada)

Match 3 - Singles - George South vs. The Blue Blazer - WWF Wrestling Challenge #161 (11th September 1988 - Hartford, Connecticut, USA) 

Match 4 - Singles - Mr. Perfect vs. The Blue Blazer - WWF on MSG Network (8th May 1989 - East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA)

Match 5 - Singles - Mark Kyle vs. Owen Hart - WCW World Championship Wrestling (16th March 1991 - Atlanta, Georgia, USA) 

Match 6 - WWF Intercontinental Championship - Owen Hart vs. Shawn Michaels - WWF Wrestling Spotlight (28th August 1993 - Alexandria Bay, New York, USA)

Match 7 - Singles - Owen Hart vs. Bret "Hitman" Hart - WWF WrestleMania X (20th March 1993 - New York City, New York, USA) 

Match 8 - King of the Ring 1994 Final - Razor Ramon vs. "The Rocket" Owen Hart - WWF King of the Ring 1994 (19th June 1994 - Baltimore, Maryland, USA)

Match 9 - WWF World Heavyweight Championship Lumberjack - Owen Hart vs. Bret "Hitman" Hart (C) - WWF Superstars #414 Taping (17th August 1994 - Portland, Maine, USA)

Match 10 - Exhibition - Owen Hart vs. Nick Barberri - WWF WrestleMania XI Public Workout (28th March 1995 - New York City, New York, USA) 

Match 11 - WWF World Tag Team Championship - Owen Hart & Yokozuna w/James E. Cornette & Mr. Fuji vs. The Allied Powers - WWF In Your House 2: The Lumberjacks (23rd July 1995 - Nashville, Tennessee, USA)

Match 12 - WWF World Heavyweight Championship #1 Contendership - Owen Hart w/Jim Cornette vs. Shawn Michaels - WWF In Your House 6: Rage in a Cage (18th February 1996 - Louisville, Kentucky, USA) 

Match 13 - Singles - Owen Hart w/Clarence Mason vs. Mankind w/Paul Bearer - WWF Monday Night RAW #191 (30th December 1996 - Albany, New York, USA) 

Match 14 - WWF European Championship Tournament Final - Owen Hart vs. The British Bulldog - WWF Monday Night RAW #199 (26th February 1997 - Berlin, Germany)

Match 15 - WWF Intercontinental Championship - Owen Hart w/Bret Hart & The British Bulldog vs. Rocky Maivia (C) - WWF RAW is WAR #207 (28th April 1997 - Omaha, Nebraska, USA)

Match 16 - Ten Man Tag Team - Goldust, "The World's Most Dangerous Man" Ken Shamrock, The Legion of Doom & "Stone Cold" Steve Austin vs. The Hart Foundation w/Diana Smith - WWF In Your House 16 - Canadian Stampede (6th July 1997 - Calgary, Alberta, Canada) 

Match 17 - WWF European Championship - Owen Hart vs. TAFKA Goldust with Luna - WWF RAW is WAR #244 (20th January 1998 - Davis, California, USA)

Match 18 - Hart Family Dungeon - Owen Hart vs. Ken Shamrock - WWF In Your House 23: Fully Loaded (26th July 1998 - Calgary, Alberta, Canada)

Match 19 - Singles - Edge vs. Owen Hart - WWF In Your House 24: Breakdown (27th September 1998 - Hamilton, Ontario, Canada)

Match 20 - Singles - The Red Rooster vs. The Blue Blazer - WWF on MSG Network (30th December 1988 - New York City, New York, USA)

Match 21 - King of the Ring 1994 Semi-Final - "The Rocket" Owen Hart vs 1-2-3 Kid (19th June 1994 - Baltimore, Maryland, USA)

disc one

documentary

A highly anticipated release, this documentary had to hit a home run and the 65 minutes presented here did just that. From the opening when a variety of talking heads discuss Owen Hart's personality through to the closing moment discussing his untimely death and legacy on the industry this is an entertaining watch, for both fans of the WWF in the late 80's and 90's and newer fans looking to find out more about Hart. The set flies along at decent pace, making stops on all the major landmarks within The Rocket's career, mainly sticking to Hart's tenure within the WWF, whilst skimming over his time spent outside the US. The film keeps things fairly postitive with lots of praise for the former IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion as both an in-ring performer and a human being, with hardly a bad word said about him, however we don't shy away from times when Hart struggled with the company, including his initial run as The Blue Blazer and when the film reaches Hart's death in 1999 it's time to reach for the tissues.

At various times throughout the documentary, one or two interviewees tell stand-alone stories about their time spent with Owen, these are usually based on the fun ribs that he would pull on his colleagues. Alongside these there's a strong variety of interviewees with a large contingent of Hart Family member involved, as well as Hart's comtempories like Lex Luger, Mick Foley and Edge and more recent performers that Hart inspired like Chris Jericho, Beth Phoenix and Daniel Bryan, which allows the film to give a strong overall of how Owen was viewed. Obviously, the one major name missing from the interview is Owen's wife, Martha, as he is quite often described as family man throughout, but we never get the chance to hear just how good a husband and father he was directly.

stories

As well as the stories that are told within the documentary, there is 45 minutes of extra stories included within the first disc, ranging from 30 seconds, up to 2 and a half minutes. A variety of faces tell a mixture of tales of either their personal memories of Owen, or just exactly how he effected their career. This seems like a new feature WWE is including along with it's documentaries (it was also used on Sting's recent WWE release), potentially as a way to make the home video releases more appealing, seeing as most of the documentary find their way onto the WWE Network within twelve months. Whilst there's no crazy revelations to be found here, there's plenty a funny story about Owen ribbing one of his colleagues and even his boss. Younger performers also offer a great look at just how far Hart's influence has traveled within the business, with former WWE Women's Champion Beth Phoenix in particular standing out as someone you might not initially associate with Hart.

matches

A technical showcase to start as Hart faces Viet Cong Express #1 in a lengthy first bout. It's clear that he still has a long way to go here, but after just a few years in the industry it's clear that Hart has a raw potential. While the footage is a little shaky, a bout with Makhan Singh prooves to be anything but as the two put on a rock solid David vs. Goliath style match. Under the Blue Blazer mask, Hart has a technically sound contest with Mr. Perfect, but at this point it's clear that he's being held back by the WWF style, as well as his position within the company.

After losing the mask, Hart shows chemistry in the ring with Shawn Michaels over the WWF Intercontinental Championship, in front of a hot Alexandria Bay crowd, in a match that is let down by a poor finish. A WrestleMania classic follows, as in the first great match of the set, Hart puts on a clinic with his brother Bret. Considered on of the best matches in the history of WWE's centre piece event, this is a technical and storytelling masterpiece. The finish tops of the long bout perfectly as the action builds to a crescendo and whips the crowd into a frenzy.

There's nothing wrong with the 1994 King of the Ring Final with Razor Ramon, but for me it's The Rocket's coronation ceremony that was the real money moment as he proclaims himself to be the King of Harts. A curious Lumberjack match with Bret Hart over the WWF World Heavyweight Championship is included, instead of the more famous Steel Cage match from SummerSlam. The match features the brothers stringing together great strings of action with ease, but definitely lacks the big feel of the bout that proceeded it on the disc. A squash match with Nick Barberri is surrounded by two strong promos, but seems mainly to have been included because it took place in the unique location of Times Square!

disc two

matches

Disc Two begins with a decent tag team clash, as Owen helps to carry Yokozuna against The Allied Powers in a match over the WWF World Tag Team Championships. A second contest with Shawn Michaels manages to trump the first one, and provides this set with another world class match. An electric Louisville crowd is treated to some brilliant wrestling, that makes the WWE World Heavyweight Championship (the two were fighting to become #1 Contender) look amazing. A different for style for The King of Harts is next, with a well-done brawl with Mankind, with lots of action taking place around the ringside area and the commentary team constantly pushing it as "Hard Man Contest"

A glorious European style match to crown the first holder of the WWF European Championship is next, as Hart faces The British Bulldog. The developing relationship between the two is handled very well, with both men bringing little touches to their game that manage to keep the story building as the match goes on. Hart then helps a still-green and floundering Rocky Maivia to a decent bout over the WWF Intercontinental Championship.

After the documentary spent a good chunk of time talking about this ten-man tag team match I was glad to see it included in full here. Owen teams with the rest of The Hart Foundation against a team lead by "Stone Cold" Steve Austin in a physical match with a partisan Calgary crowd. Whilst Owen spends a long time outside of the contest, his story throughout the bout is the glue that holds it together as the narrative twists and turns and the action begins to heat up. For me, the only thing that let's this downis an over-booked finish, but even with that it's a brilliant WWE main event and a welcome change of pace on the disc.

A goofy contest with TAFKA Goldust (dressed as Triple H) isn't a favourite of mine, but I did get a kick out of the segment with D-Generation X and Sgt. Slaughter that immediately follows it. An utterly ridiculous "match" with Ken Shamrock takes place within the Hart Family Dungeon and is certainly one of the more unique matches WWE has ever put on. The final match on the main feature sees Hart opposite a young Edge, with the two putting a pleasant rookie vs. veteran style contest, with the younger performer showing signs of what would become a Hall of Fame career.

blu-ray exclusive special features

matches

Add caption

Only two matches are included as Blu-Ray exclusives, but the first one is a lengthy encounter with The Red Rooster with Owen under The Blue Blazer gimmick. The pair struggle to hold the crowd for the allotted time, but there's still plenty of nice back and forth wrestling on display here. A sprint with the 1-2-3 Kid on the other hand is almost an indy style "get your shit in" sprint, going just a few minutes but managing to produce more thrills than some matches do in double the time.

tributes

Also included as Blu-Ray exclusives are a number of the tribute videos that were filmed for Monday Night RAW #313, the night after Owen's passing. There's 42 seperate videos in total ranging from 20 seconds from Gangrel, up to almost 4 minutes for Triple H & Chyna. Major tributes include the aforementioned Triple H & Chyna, as well as Jeff Jarrett, Debra, Hardcore Holly and Edge who's instant reactions to Hart's passing are genuinely upsetting to watch at times. A worthy inclusion in my opinion, with a cool cross-section of WWF's employees at the time being involved, you get a great look at just how much everyone in the company was effected at that time.

finally...

Blu-Ray Rating - 7.08/10

This would be a very good addition to any wrestling fans' home video collection, with a strong documentary as the main feature, backed up by a mixture of brilliant wrestling matches and intriguing, unique bouts. I feel even the newest of WWE fans would find this release to be a fascinating watch, as Owen Hart appears to have been just as much of a larger than life character off-screen as he was on it. There is, of course, universal themes that would make the documentary portion interesting to pretty much everyone, as the story of Hart's struggle to reach the top of his industry and his love of family can be understood by all. 

Get your grubby mits on a copy of this, whether you're a weather beaten fan from the 1990s looking for a nostalgia trip (even then I bet you there's some matches you won't have seen on here) or someone who's only just started to delve into the world of pro wrestling, you won't regret it. 

Blu-Ray Review: WWE Sting: Into the Light

WWE's Sting: Into the Light is out now on DVD and Blu-Ray from www.wwedvd.co.uk and all other good home video outlets. The set includes a brand new documentary on the 2 time NWA World Heavyweight Champion's career, including footage surround his WWE debut at Survivor Series 2014. There's sixteen complete matches on the DVD spanning the Stingers career in MSW, UWF, NWA, NJPW, WCW and WWE, with an extra four bouts included on the Blu-Ray...but is it any good?

The Documentary

The documentary kicks of the set, in a pretty familiar style for these types of releases. There's a look at Sting's career as a whole (although don't get your hopes up for too much TNA coverage), mixed in with specially filmed footage looking at the build towards The Icon's signing with WWE. The true highlight for me was Sting sitting down to watch some of his most famous matches (with Luger vs. The Steiner, vs. Hogan at Starrcade 97 and more), allowing for a real insight into how those bouts were put together. There's also a strange pleasure to be found in watching the Vigilante enjoying his own contests. 


I found that certain elements were pushed a little too hard to fit the narrative that had been chosen, like how much kids loved Sting (there's a lot of interviews about this) to build towards his Crow transformation. Whilst Sting comes across as a humble ("what an honour to have a match with Triple H"), at times his faith is pushed a little bit too much for my taste. I understand the idea of giving an insight into someone's private life, but these were the only sections that turned me off this set, coming across as a little too preachy.


The documentary as a whole is an easy watch and fires along at real pace, with plenty of treats for all the little Stingers out there along the way. 

The Matches

The first bout to really get your teeth into see's The Blade Runners (Blade Runner Sting & Blade Runner Rock) battling Tracy Smothers & Ricky Gibson (MSW, 2/3/1986) in a basic tag match, with a lively crowd. A UWF Tag Title encounter with The Stinger teaming up with Rick Steiner against Tim Horner & Brad Armstrong has it's moments, but is a mostly slopping affair, that more than outstays it's welcome. The booking is weird and whilst there's clearly potential in the the future Icon he's clearly still too green to carry a bout of this calibre. 

The first great match here (and almost certainly the best on the entire set) is a classic encounter with Ric Flair over the NWA World Heavyweight Championship (NWA Clash of the Champions #1, 27/03/1988). Whilst Sting has clearly improved ten-fold by this time, it's the Nature Boy's brilliance that shines through here, as his selling allows The Stinger to look every inch of the star he needed to be. The back and forth technical wrestling builds and builds to a thrilling climax, with excellent use of the old-school time-limit concept, that has a fully invested live-crowd begging for more. It's a lengthy epic that some fans may find hard to adjust to, in comparison to today's WWE product, but if you stick with the action you'll be rewarded.


Whilst all the trademarks are present when The Franchise of WCW's bout with Great Muta (NJPW Starrcade 1991- 21/03/1991) doesn't quite hit the spot as a standalone contest. However, the tag bout that follows is another terrific effort out of Sting, as he tags with Lex Luger against The Steiner Brothers (WCW Superbrawl - 19/05/1991) in a pacy, back and forth face vs. face encounter over the WCW World Tag Team Championships. A Submit or Surrender contest with Cactus Jack (WCW Power Hour - 11/1991) isn't the greatest example of the style, but is a welcome change of pace. There's no commentary for a bout with Rick Rude (WCW Clash of the Champions #21 - 18/11/1992), due to Jesse Ventura being part of the announce team, but this actually ends up working in the matches favour. A masterclass in why being over is so important, as the crowd eats up every minutes of what is a fairly basic encounter, loudly cheering on Sting and getting on Rude's back throughout. 


A clash with Vader over the WCW International Heavyweight Championship (WCW Slamboree 1994 - 22/05/1994) has another hot crowd, with the two character slotting together nicely, even if it struggles to reach the heights of their Strap match from SuperBrawl III the year before. An obligatory match with "Stunning" Steve Austin (WCW Saturday Night - 08/04/1995) is a disappointing confrontation, in which the duo take some tame to connect, after a pretty sloppy opening. A pre-nWo, tweener version of Hulk Hogan (with Randy Savage) provides an intriguing contest (WCW Monday NITRO #21 - 20/11/1995), that includes some surprisingly good technical wrestling and is only let down by it's TV finish. A massive jump forward to a clash with The Giant over who got to hold the WCW World Tag Championships (WCW/nWo The Great American Bash 1998 - 14.06.1998) is our first look at "Crow" Sting, in what is a short, but enjoyable, story-driven contest.

There's a big match feel as The Vigilante and Goldberg make their way into the arena for a WCW World Heavyweight Championship contest (WCW Monday NITRO #157 - 26.04.1998), with a lively South Carolina crowd helping to make the build up feel extra special. It's a shame then, that the match is mainly used to build Goldberg as the World Champion, but this does mean we get an awesome example of Sting's selflessness as he bumps around for Big Bill. A title match that doesn't disappoint however, see's Sting tackle Diamond Dallas Page (WCW Monday NITRO #189 - 26.04.1999) in one of the best bouts to be broadcast on NITRO. Arguably Sting's last truly great bout, there's a cracking mix of technical wrestling, brawling, dramatic near falls and a lively crowd, whose pop for the finish is incredible. 


It's a shame that the DDP bout wasn't the last WCW contest on the set, as whilst another WCW World Heavyweight Championship bout, this time opposite Bret Hart (WCW Monday NITRO #213 - 18.10.1999), isn't bad, it never threatens to break out into anything of interest. The set jumps to Sting's WWE debut then, joining the Team Cena (Dolph Ziggler, Erick Rowan, John Cena, Ryback & The Big Show) vs. Team Authority (Kane, Luke Harper, Mark Henry, Rusev & Seth Rollins), Traditional Survivor Series Elimination tag match in progress (WWE Survivor Series 2014 - 23.11.2014) with only Dolph Ziggler and Seth Rollins left, and whilst the booking for the guys involved in the match is questionable, the reaction for the Icon is marvellous and he plays his part perfectly.


The ridiculousness of the entrances for a match with Triple H (WWE WrestleMania 31 - 29.03.2015) are presented in their full glory here and if for some reason you missed them earlier in the year, you're in for a treat here. In his first WWE bout, the Stinger does himself proud opposite the Game, in a silly run-in filled No Disqualification clash, looking like a star on the biggest stage available. Whilst some of the excitement of the bout is removed on a second viewing, it's still an entertaining bout that carries the time it was given well.

Blu-Ray Exclusives

Teaming up with Dusty Rhodes, opposite Arn Anderson & Tully Blanchard with the NWA World Tag Team Championships on the line (NWA Clash of the Champions #2 - 08.06.1988) gives us the best of the Blu-Ray exclusives, with plenty of old-school heel tactics and a build to a fantastic hot-tag, only being let down by a TV finish. Sting's next opponent is Flyin' Brian (WCW Saturday Night - 07.11.1992) features some decent action, but could have been a whole lot better considering the talent in the ring. A decent TV clash with Scott Steiner (WCW Monday NITRO #37 - 27.05.1996) features some big moves from both men, as part of the build to their SuperBrawl tag match. A nothing clash with Booker T (WCW Spring Stampede 2000 - 16.04.2000) only stands to highlight just how much WCW was fucking up during this time period.


A "face-to-face" confrontation with Triple H (WWE Fastlane 2015 - 22.02.2015) is a curious addition, and whilst it goes a little too long, features plenty of interesting visuals as the pair built towards their WrestleMania 31 collision. A back and forth with Stephanie McMahon (WWE Monday Night RAW #1139 - 23/03/2015) is a much better example of the genre with Stephanie putting in a stellar performance with a terrific script, and a lively Los Angeles crowd. 

Finally...

This is another stellar addition to the WWE Home Video catalogue, with the documentary providing an enjoyable look at Sting's WCW career and his signing with WWE and a varied selection of matches. Three truly great matches (vs. Flair on Clash of the Champions #1, with Luger vs. The Steiners at SuperBrawl and vs. DDP on Monday NITRO #189) are included and with pretty much every other bout having something to enjoy (vs. Vader at Slamboree '94 and with Dusty Rhodes vs. Anderson and Blanchard at Clash of the Champions #2 standing out as the best of the rest of the set), making this a very easy watch from start to finish.


Whilst there were elements that could have been improved upon for my personal tastes, like the heavy focus on Sting finding God, I'd recommend any fan of Sting or WCW picks this up on either Blu-Ray or DVD, it also works as a terrific introduction for younger fans, in way that the previous WWE release "The Best of Sting" match compilation didn't quite manage. 


A big thanks to WWE Home Video and Fetch FM for our copy of this release.