PG Tips #1 - Edge apologises to Vickie Guerrero and a Fatal Four-Way for an ECW Championship shot (22-25/07/08)

On 22nd July 2008, WWE's television output went from being rated TV14 to TVPG. 

This series plans to take a week by week look at how the RAW, SmackDown and ECW on Sci-Fi developed under this new rating, as well as the quality of the PPVs. The era hasn't been particularly romanticised, especially by the older generation of fans, but considering that those who were ten years old when WWE turned PG are now old enough to be attending University, it's certainly time to look back and re-evaluate just how good or bad for WWE the shift was in terms of quality. 

This week's edition see's us feature a Fatal Fourway for a shot at the ECW title at SummerSlam and Edge attempt at an apology to Vickie Guerrero following his affair with their wedding planner, Alicia Fox! 

We join the Universe just a few days after the last TV-14 PPV, The Great American Bash 2008/ Just to lend some context, here's the results from that PPV.

This week's trip to the "Land of Extreme" brings us a main event of The Miz, John Morrison, Matt Hardy and Finlay battling it out for a shot at Mark Henry's ECW title, which whilst sounding like an interesting match, makes little sense considering all four men lost on the PPV...but was the show any good?

Mark Henry received a new ECW Championship belt in Philadelphia 

An eventful opening segment to begin the show, as we get a new ECW title belt, a promo from Tony Atlas and Colin Delaney (who Atlas calls "Collars Delaney" for reasons) explaining his heel turn from two days earlier. It's not a good segment by any stretch of the imagination, but there was something persevely entertaining about watching Teddy Long and Atlas stumble through their awkwardly worded promos. Considering the show is in Philadelphia, the home of the original ECW, Atlas gets very little heat for mentioning that fact and then telling the crowd "for all of you all, who tired to hold onto yester year, you're going to get squash". I would've expected the comparisons between the two ECW brands to met with at least some kind of derision, but this crowd is almost completely apathetic towards Atlas and his charge Mark Henry. Perhaps by after two years of WWE's version of ECW the crowd had gone past the point of caring that it bore zero resemblance to the rebellious company that Paul Heyman used to run. However, they do come alive once Colin Delaney starts burying Tommy Dreamer, eating up Delaney's burial, before Long gets a nice pop from announcing we're getting Dreamer v Delaney next! 

• Tommy Dreamer def. Colin Delaney. An almost complete squash match for Dreamer here as he gets his revenge on Delaney with a flurry of offence, before picking up the victory with a Dreamer DDT. 

• Backstage - The Miz and John Morrison are upset about dropping the WWE Tag Team Championships two nights earlier, but both put each other and their clothing over, before shaking hands and wishing each other luck in the main event. 

• Promo - Actress Jenny McCarthy will be at Saturday Night's Main Event on August 2nd, to promote the organisation, Generation Rescue. This was an organisation that advocated that autism was caused by vaccinations, which is total utter trash and should never have been promoted on WWE's television product or anywhere else. 

• Evan Bourne def. James Curtis [KC James]. Bourne looks pretty good here, even if extended squashes for high-flying babyfaces don't really work all too well, we did get to see Bourne landing on his feet out of a snapmare early doors, as well as a rana out of a pop-up from Curtis, before a shooting star press got the three count. Bourne was then able to dodge a post-match attack from Chavo Guerrero and Bam Neeley, who had been on commentary. 

• Backstage - A weird backstage segment where Assistant General Manager Tiffany [Taryn Terrell] told Ricky Ortiz about her education, before Teddy Long placed Ortiz in a match next week after Ortiz had claimed her was undefeated after just one match on the brand. 

Matt Hardy def. The Miz, Finlay and John Morrison to earn an ECW Championship match

Despite a shaky start and some terrible commentary from Mike Adamle, this ended up being a more than competent television main event. The opening played up the partnership between The Miz and Morrison, but lacked any notable action as we got the four repeatedly splitting off into pairs and not a whole lot else. The action in the first third was dull and slow and despite all four men being in the ring for an extended period of time, not much actually happened. However, once the action spills to the outside things begin to pick up, as Morrison and Finlay brawl on the outside, before Miz & Morrison are able to hitting their catapult into a forearm smash and then elbow drop/backbreaker combination using the barricade on the Irish man. After this things are much better, with Miz and Morrison trying for victories on Hardy, whilst trying to outwit each other at the same time, before we get a couple of sequences with all four men involved that are particularly well-done. The finish is a frenzied affair with Finlay nailing Miz with a Shillelagh, before getting knocked to the outside himself with a roundhouse kick from Morrison, leading into Morrison springboarding into a Twist of Fate from Hardy to take us home. Despite the early awkwardness and the lack of any convincing near falls, the last five or six minutes featured some really good TV action and provide us with the first recommended match of the PG Era. 

• In Arena - Mark Henry comes out to the ramp for a stare down with his SummerSlam opponent. 

ATPW Scale Rating - 3.83/10 

A good main event, but beyond that there wasn't much on this episode and it's clear that WWE isn't putting a whole lot of effort into the brand or anyone on it. Colin Delaney cut a strong promo in the opening segment, but was surrounded by bumbling speeches from Teddy Long and Tony Atlas and then had his feud with Tommy Dreamer almost immediately put to bed. The build towards Matt Hardy vs. Mark Henry at SummerSlam begins next week so it shall be interesting to see how that is handled and where the likes of Finlay, John Morrison, The Miz, Evan Bourne, Chavo Guerrero and Tommy Dreamer find themselves fitting onto the hour long show.

The episode aired on 25th July 2008 on the CW Network, having been taped on 22nd July at the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvannia. The episode included Edge's apology to wife Vickie Guerrero after the previous episode revealed he'd been cheating with wedding planner Alicia Fox and an edition of The VIP Lounge (hosted by Montel Vontavious Porter) with Jeff Hardy, but was it any good? Let's take a look. 

The VIP Lounge with Jeff Hardy

I didn't enjoy this segment at all, but the Philadelphia crowd was massively into both men. The main thrust of it was that MVP was being a massive dick to Jeff Hardy, bringing up his suspensions, issues with drugs and the death of Hardy's dog, Jack, whilst Hardy looked uncomfortable with the content, delivered his lines with very little enthusiasm or believability and looked like he'd rather be anywhere else. Some of the dialogue was terrible here, when MVP bought up Hardy saying in WWE Magazine (remember that?) that he wouldn't get suspended again, Hardy replied with "I wouldn't, I'd be released", which, whilst in line with WWE wellness policy rules, is hardly the most inspiring babyface line. We close with Hardy pushing MVP over and shouting "You make me sick", for reasons I'm not quite sure. They'll both be involved in the "Biggest Blockbuster of the Summer" Battle Royal later on for a shot at Triple H's WWE Championship at SummerSlam. 

• United States Champion Shelton Benjamin def. Jimmy Wang Yang - A swifty victory for the US Champ with Paydirt, after cutting an uninteresting promo.

• A nervous Edge congratulated Curt Hawkins and Zack Ryder on their Tag Team Championship win, before awkwardly looking at his hands for a bit. 

• Festus def. Curt Hawkins - This went under two minutes with Festus winning with a the one man flapjack, before his lame gimmick of going into a vegetative state when the bell rings for a pinfall allowed Hawkins and Zack Ryder to hit a double-team DDT on the Corn-Fed Colossus. 

The Biggest Blockbuster of the Summer Battle Royal for a shot at Triple H's WWE Championship at SummerSlam 

So when I saw the lineup for this battle royal and knowing the time period, I thought this was going to a car crash and it wasn't. Was it a classic? No. But it was well-booked and made the most of its components. We had Mr. Kennedy, The Great Khali, MVP, Umaga, Jeff Hardy and The Big Show; six men who didn't make it onto the Great American Bash card in an unusually thin over-the-top affair. This took away part of the spectacle of a battle royal, but also negated those early stages where a bunch of no hopers are thrown out. The opening portion was kept interesting with a couple of nice spots, like a Poetry in Motion to Khali from Hardy using Kennedy, a Khali and Show face-off being interrupted by a pair of thrust-kicks from Umaga and a Whisper in the Wind from Hardy to Umaga. The match built well towards its conclusion as Hardy eliminated Show by turning a powerbomb into modified hurricanrana that sent the World's Largest Athlete over the top rope, leaving The Charismatic Enigma alone with The Great Khali. The crowd was super hot for Hardy, with Philadelphia desperate to see the underdog overcome, however despite a Swanton Bomb and a low blow to escape a vice grip, Khali picked up the win, dumping Hardy over the top after a Khali Chop. We get a staredown between Khali and Triple H to end the segment and I am already dreading this match. 

• R-Truth is coming to SmackDown soon and we get a package of him in North Carolina talking about his time in prison. Truth had been having dark matches since March, included one before this episode with Sheamus O'Shaunessy.  

• Michelle McCool def. Maryse - Another quick bout as the first ever Diva's Champion picked up a submission victory with a MADT Heel Hook.

• The Brian Kendrick def. Shannon Moore -  A quick promo from Kendrick about his new persona, as he let the roster know that if anyone had a problem with him they should take it up with his bodyguard Ezekiel [Jackson]. This was followed up by Kendrick quickly going over Moore with The Kendrick. 

Hell Hath No Fury Like Vickie Guerrero

Edge and Vickie Guerrero were both brilliant in this segment as Guerrero took revenge for her husband's infidelity by reinstating The Undertaker and placing Edge in a Hell in a Cell Match with the Deadman at SummerSlam. Edge trying to explain away the footage claiming that "No means no, but she wouldn't listen" in regards to Alicia Fox and then explaining he only got involved with Fox in order to make sure the wedding went smoothly was played perfectly by the Rated R Superstar. Edge gets the cowardly cheat act just right, remaining entertaining and getting a couple of laughs, but also being utterly contemptible as a character and someone who you look forward to seeing getting what they deserve. Vickie seemed to relish getting to say something that the crowd would pop for and paced her lines wonderfully getting a huge pop for almost every word that came out of her mouth. The crowd went nuts for The Undertaker coming back, leaving Edge having to let them get on with it whilst looking terrified and trying to come up with a way out of facing his rival again. The segment could have done with a better conclusion as once the announcement has been made there was a lack of a climax or conflict, perhaps just playing Undertaker's music and a few special effects would've rounded off the segment perfectly. 

Finally... 

ATPW Scale Rating - 4.29/10 

Not a terrible episode, but not a great one either. This is pretty much saved by the strength of it's closing segment as Edge and Vickie Guerrero shone in an emotional climax that both played wonderfully, as the opening segment was dire and the Battle Royal was okay. Elsewhere the show was filled with short, inconsequential matches, that did very little for anyone. 

An interesting start to the PG Era as ECW and SmackDown took the leap first. The ECW Four Way main event producing the strongest action of the week, whilst the closing sequence of SmackDown was a great example of the chemistry between Edge and Vickie Guerrero and just why that feud involving the pair and The Undertaker worked so well. Across the three hours there was a lot of talking, with three of the five major segments being promo based and I noticed that the matches were a lot shorter than what we are used to seeing in 2017. When we begin to include next week, a show that is known to include more talking and entertainment segments, it will interesting to compare that to what the other two brands were offering, as the company moves away from the adult and teen orientated programming that caused it's late nineties boom and more towards the family and children market. 

Next week - RAW features a Tag Team main event pitting John Cena & Batista against John "Bradshaw" Layfield and Kane, ECW sees John Morrison and The Miz take on Finlay & Hornswoggle, SmackDown features a classic segment between Edge and Mick Foley, before the Rated R Superstar faces off with one of his signature foes, Jeff Hardy, on the final Saturday Night's Main Event.

Wrestling Isn't What It Used to Be...But Why Does That Always Have to Be a Bad Thing?

So, after what has seemed like a lifetime since I found out I would be doing this, it is time for me to write my first piece for Across The Pond Wrestling.

I was deciding for a while what I wanted to write about first, and eventually decided that I wanted to start off by writing something positive, because there doesn't seem to be so much of that out of there.

It's always easier to criticise things. People like to focus on the bad things about pro wrestling these days and don't get me wrong, I'll certainly be doing that regularly in the future but I wanted to start off by doing something a bit different.

This piece is about wrestling not being what it used to be, it is about it not being as popular as in the past but it's also about why that is absolutely okay.

Now, just to add a little bit of context to my views, I'll tell you a bit about my background. I'm 24 years old and I've been a wrestling fan since roughly late 2000, when a school friend introduced me to the crazy world of the World Wrestling Federation. It's been something that bar a couple of short hiatuses, I've had an interest in ever since.

Now, as amazing as it seemed at the time, the main angles during my first year watching wrestling saw Stone Cold Steve Austin turn heel at WrestleMania X-7 as well as the infamous Invasion angle... hindsight kind of proves that I was introduced to wrestling just as its mainstream popularity began to dwindle, which was also around the same time WCW and ECW were about to close their doors.

Since the true competition disappeared, there's been a lot of discussion amongst fans about WWE's lazy approach to storytelling, with many suggesting that they need to push boundaries in order to recapture lightning in a bottle like they did in the eighties and nineties.

I personally think that this is unlikely to happen regardless of what they try to do but that is something I'm fine with, simply because it's not something I blame the industry for.

We do live in a period where pro wrestling doesn't really fit in with society's mainstream culture any more but then what does that really mean in 2017? Pop culture in general is an a perpetual state of nostalgia when it comes to film, television and music. There's very little fresh being brought to the table in any area of entertainment.

In fact, funnily enough, I think whilst the WWE in particular can be very heavy on nostalgia at times, wrestling is actually one of the few artistic pursuits that is beginning to change. For a start, wrestling is now being made for the pure wrestling fan, which means it is catering to the audience that remains. This is a smart business strategy, even if it's not always the most successful one.

Today's wrestling has become purely athletic competition for the most part, and that is a direct result of the new generation of talent. That is never going to bring in the mainstream crowd but is it really that big a deal? Popularity and quality aren't two things that go hand in hand. As long as the industry is still surviving, and it is more than doing that, it will continue to entertain generations for years to come.

People will miss the larger than life characters from the childhood without a doubt, but the pure wrestling fan is absolutely spoilt for choice in terms of content these days if they look hard enough.

You only have to look at the situation here in the UK to see how much better our scene is for this, with the likes of PROGRESS, WCPW and IPW:UK in particular flourishing in a British scene that is hotter than it has been in years. I was used to All-Star Wrestling shows as a kid with the main attractions being WWF tribute acts. It's now the other way around, and WWE are using our wrestlers to enhance their product.

Add in the likes of New Japan, Lucha Underground and NXT across the world and there has never been such a high calibre of in ring talent in the industry.

While WWE in 2017 might not always be everyone's cup of tea, even their product has suddenly started to resemble an independent promotion these days. I'm not just talking about NXT either, RAW in particular has never been less about storylines and more about in-ring action on a weekly basis than it is today.

Something else that you can look at as a positive is the way women are treated in wrestling these days. Although as a red blooded male there were always some positives to the way women were portrayed in the past, I've also always realised that it was a bit tacky, and there wasn't really any true justification for the industry to be as misogynistic as it was.

It is truly refreshing that the industry has decided to grow up a bit and champion equality. In addition to the huge strides women's wrestling has already taken, we're getting the Mae Young Classic on the WWE Network and the first ever Women's Money In The Bank Ladder match in a few short weeks, so the boundaries are being pushed all the time.

Then, there is the most important thing. The deaths. A wrestler's lifespan has been greatly increased as a result of the changes in the industry over the last few years, and there is no way, shape or form that this can't be considered a good thing.

There was a point where it seemed a weekly occurrence that another wrestler had died young, and it was quite soul destroying. You watch pay-per-views from twenty and thirty years ago now and it's often quite ridiculous how many people on those shows have passed away when you consider how young they were at the time.

It might have taken an absolutely horrific incident in June 2007 to kick start this whole movement, but nobody should ever have to die for their craft and to entertain others, which is something that the younger generation should never have to deal with when it comes to their heroes..

So, as I said at the start of the piece, wrestling isn't what it used to be, but lets not ignore the positives either, both in and out of the ring.

Written by Andy Phillips 

Opinion: 2017 - I Knew You'd Come

This time last year, I gazed into my crystal ball gimmick in an attempt to forecast the year ahead for professional wrestling. On reviewing the article, it’s fair to say that I got more of my assumptions wrong than right. However, I’m claiming credit for my prediction that Paige would marry Ric Flair: what is Alberto Del Rio, with his expensive suits and love of a bevy, if not a Mexican Ric Flair?

Given my less than stellar hit rate, I’ve adapted the column for the new year: I’m not predicting what will happen in 2017; rather I’m stating what I would like to see happen, a pro-wrestling wish list if you will. Let’s start with matters close to home.

The British Wrestling Wars.

WWE vs WCW was an American wrestling conflict that audiences were deeply invested in. Many fans watched both shows but everyone had their favourite, their brand that they wanted to see secure bragging rights when the Monday Night Wars reached their inevitable conclusion. The action on television may have been scripted but the real life competition gave it an edge that elevated the viewing experience.

Could British wrestling be about to get a taste of such competition? For years, the UK scene has been territory based, with promotions running certain towns and cities, happy to share talent and never going head to head within the same market. This collaborative approach has been great for the wrestlers and the fans but could the business model be about to change? As WWE prepare to launch their own UK brand, ITV have resurrected World of Sport: two major companies are set to fund the biggest battle UK wrestling has ever seen, competing over talent and media attention. This could lead to great storytelling and immense match ups. Marquee events could go head to head as WWE run London while WOS hit up Manchester: wrestling would be a hot ticket across the land. And with PROGRESS making reference to their own “tapings” in March, it could be that a third dog will enter the fight, with Camden’s finest taking the ECW role: the alternative, cult offering with the rabid following and unique vibe. 2017 could well be the year when wrestling goes mainstream in the UK.

TNA finds a home…the WWE Network.

There is a chance that this is the year in which TNA might be deleted. But let’s stay positive. Sure, it seems that no network in the US or UK is keen on picking it up but this is 2017- streaming is where it’s at. TNA could become the crown jewel of the Floslam network or it could go where the real money is…

If the WWE Network is to become the true hub of wrestling, it needs as much diversity as possible. It has NXT, 205live and now the UK brand but these are all quite similar: indie in HD. TNA has more history attached to it, a roster that sets it apart and a touch more sports entertainment in its DNA: its back catalogue could be promoted alongside new episodes of Impact and current WWE performers such as Bobby Roode, Samoa Joe and Sting could make cross-over appearances. We all know that Vince has never seen TNA as competition so an invasion angle with the WWE wouldn’t happen. However, a TNA vs NXT feud could allow Triple H the chance to rebook the invasion in his own image, providing Network only content that could legitimately appeal to new subscribers.

Due to various court cases, legal disputes and interference from mid 90s alt rockers, this happening is the longest shot of all. But if a deal could potentially be made that results in Broken Matt Hardy on Renee Young’s Unfiltered, I think we should allow ourselves to dream.

Connor McGregor at WrestleMania.

I’m a big Ronda Rousey fan but this year’s WrestleMania may be a bit soon to book the MMA star, who, whilst a pioneer to be respected, has lost some lustre in the wake of two devastating knock outs. This doesn’t mean that WrestleMania can’t have some MMA involvement: in fact, Connor McGregor should be booked in a prominent role. Just as Mike Tyson’s notoriety enlivened the build to WrestleMania 14, the UFC lightweight champ, a bona fide super star and, despite his comments in the media, a wrestling fan, would  use his promotional know how to draw attention to the show of shows. There is no way that the UFC would let him wrestle but as he is on a hiatus from the fight game, he would be available to appear (should the price be right). Best use of the man: he and The Rock enter a Trump/McMahon style challenge and select and corner two fighters for a mega match. That’s a massive rub for the two wrestlers chosen but the real appeal would be the promo wars between The Notorious One and The Great One. Elite banter guaranteed.

The Omega Man

Hey RevPro, book Kenny Omega for York Hall in 2017. Cheers.

The Miz gets one more World title run

One of my predictions for 2016 was for the The Miz would have a great year; the thing is that I thought it would come as result of a managerial role, whereby he represented a larger, more dominant wrestler, essentially becoming a Paul Heyman who could bump. Instead, the addition of a manager to the Miz’s own act, in the form of his real-life wife Maryse, has proven the catalyst to refining and perfecting his arrogant, Hollywood bubble heel. His feud with Dolph Ziggler in the fall was excellent, their bout at No Mercy the first time that the former reality show star has truly competed in a near perfect match. Now WWE should strike while the iron is hot. A title run in 2017 would reward Miz’s self-belief and hard work and he would be the perfect foil for John Cena and (the surely soon to be babyface) AJ Styles. If John Morrison where to come back, that’s a three month programme that writes itself.

I’d slightly tweak the gimmick and add Baron Corbin to the package as a heater; such chicanery would suit the Miz’s act, allowing him to keep the strap whilst preventing Maryse’s interference from getting over-exposed. It would also set up a future programme between the two. Miz vs Corbin could be effective whichever way you cast the face/heel roles. Whilst I’m at it, here’s a crazy prediction for 2018: The Miz will be one of the biggest babyfaces in the promotion.

Whilst, I’m sure you would agree, that has the makings of a damn good year, I wouldn’t be rushing to Paddy Power to stick an accumulator on it all coming to pass. But when we’re following a year in which a Hall of Famer became the president of the United States, Spud got beaten by a toddler, World of Sport was revived and Goldberg returned to absolutely ruin Brock Lesnar, then I guess anything is possible really...

Words - Sean Taylor-Richardson

Images - James Marston

Editor - James Marston

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Opinion: Brand Wars - The Best Brand-Exclusive Pay Per Views of 2003-2007

Last month, Raw and Smackdown purported to celebrate their first brand exclusive Pay per Views, with this development personifying the continuation of the WWE’s New Era gimmick. Truthfully both the red and blue brands have had plenty of previous form for presenting their own unique content. When the company first made the decision to split their roster into two, way back in April 2002, they originally decided on dual Raw and Smackdown PPVs, seemingly believing that the paying public would not commit to purchasing shows deprived of several key performers. It wasn’t until over a year later, in June 2003, that Raw hosted it's own special event in the form of the forgettable Bad Blood; Smackdown followed suit with the far superior Vengeance in July. Whilst the brands continued to share ownership of the traditional big four shows (Royal Rumble, Wrestlemania, Summerslam and Survivor Series), all other events were brand specific, with Raw and Smackdown taking alternate months to present their stars and storylines. This pattern lasted until February 2007, with the Smackdown exclusive No Way Out ending the experiment; over the next few years Raw and Smackdown shared the spotlight until the initial brand split was quietly dropped in 2011. From 2005-2009, the third brand, ECW, was also a part of the mix, hosting three of its own distinct PPVs and contributing talent to the collaborative shows between 2007-10.

This particular era of brand exclusive Pay per Views isn’t especially celebrated by modern fans. It doesn’t yet command the nostalgic appeal of the Attitude era and, bell to bell, the standard of wrestling was not as consistent as it is today. However, 2003-2007 remains a fascinating period in WWE history: each PPV was TV 14, allowing for a mature, at times shocking, presentation of the form; notable young performers rose to prominence and classic matches were crafted. Indeed, several of the shows are very good indeed, with the best of the bunch listed below.

ECW's One Night Stand 2005

This show, from New York’s Hammerstein Ballroom, was a legitimate representation of the ECW product, reflecting the styling and  ethos of Paul Heyman and not Vince McMahon. ECW or WWE, undoubtedly this is one of the best PPVs of all time, overshadowing many a Wrestlemania. The crowd is red hot, the commentary is passionate and the action is insane. Mike Awesome vs Masato Tanaka is simply breath-taking.

RAW's Vengeance 2005

This is the best Raw exclusive show, and was also the best performing of all of the brand exclusive PPVs, drawing a total of 420,000 buys. The card was deep, mostly due to the fact it took place during the middle of a month long draft, meaning that Raw found itself in possession of both the WWE and World titles. As a result this show delivered an early John Cena title defence against Christian and Chris Jericho (this marked one of the first occasions of the crowd turning on the babyface champ) and the best ever contest between HHH and Batista. The mid-card featured an instant classic between Kurt Angle and Shawn Michaels and a very decent match between Kane and Edge.

Smackdown's  Vengeance 2003

The Smackdown PPV era began with a US title match between Eddie Guerrero and Chris Benoit; many might have seen this as an indicator of a serious, scientific wrestling product but later in the show Vince McMahon pulled a gruesome juice job in a vicious match with Zach Gowen. The main event between Angle, Big Show and Brock Lesnar was as an excellent example of the triple threat format.

RAW's Backlash 2004

The undercard was far from gripping but the big two fights delivered in a huge way: Randy Orton vs Mick Foley was a bona fide hardcore classic, easily in the top three bouts of each man’s career. The sight of Orton’s back, lanced with dozens of thumb tacks lingered in the memory and the decisive win he secured set him on the way to the main event scene. The Wrestlemania 20 rematch between Benoit, Triple H and Shawn Micheals was a shade below the original but still delivered action aplenty as Benoit won before a hometown crowd.

RAW's Unforgiven 2006

Speaking of hometown crowds…live from Toronto, this event was largely sold on two big matches: the first was a spectacular TLC stunt-fest where the champion Edge (who, despite being the heel, is moved to tears during his rapturous ring introduction) squared off with arch rival John Cena; the second was a Hell in a Cell match in which D-Generation X faced the McMahons and the Big Show. This match was not a purist classic in any sense but showcased a memorable spot whereby Vince got up close and personal with the Big Show. Vince’s special club was very much a product of this era…

RAW's Vengeance 2006

This event didn’t feature the best wrestling but the roster was so eclectic that it made for absorbing viewing. The return of DX was the headline attraction here as HHH and HBK lined up against all 5 members of the Spirit Squad but this was a card that featured Flair vs Foley, Cena vs Sabu and RVD vs Edge. The opener between Randy Orton and Kurt Angle was an excellent start to the show.

Smackdown's No Mercy 2003

Largely forgotten, this was a very enjoyable show. The battle between Vince and Stephanie McMahon was initially engaging before morphing into some ultimately uncomfortable viewing but there was plenty to enjoy on the card: Brock and Undertaker competed in a spirited main event, Rey Mysterio and Tajiri battled over the first incarnation of the Crusierweight title and Cena entered a, then, career best performance in the match of the night with Kurt Angle.

There you go: seven shows that celebrate the work of departed legends, showcase the early years of current stars and present a more bloody, controversial style of wrestling. Maybe you’ve never seen the aforementioned events; maybe you haven’t re-watched them since they first aired: regardless, it may be time to fire up the WWE Network and appreciate what the original brand wars contributed to the history of the business.

Editor - Arguably the Top 4 performers of this period, but that's another article for another day....

Words - Sean Taylor-Richardson
Images - James Marston
Editor - James Marston 

All images remain the property of their respective owners.

WWE ECW Unreleased VOL. 3 DVD Review

WWE's ECW Unreleased VOL 3 is out now on DVD and Blu-Ray, available from www.wwedvd.co.uk and all other good home video stores. The three disc set features over twenty matches from ECW, ranging from 1993 to 2000, alongside a handful of promos and connecting segments from Joey Styles, Stevie Richards and The Blue Meanie. The set includes matches from the likes of Chris Jericho, Eddie Guerrero, Terry Funk, Cactus Jack, The Eliminators and many more. 

Disc One

The set begins with a basic tag bout from Hardcore TV pitting Kevin Sullivan and the Tazmaniac against Tommy Dreamer and Shane Douglas, that shows little signs of what the promotion would become. Dean Malenko and Too Cold Scorpio put on a nice display of technical prowess, that is cut short before it can develop fully. The crowd is disrespectful of the action throughout chanting "Boring", a chant that appear way too often throughout the DVD, almost exclusively for technical wrestling. "All American" Ron Simmons and Shane Douglas have a surprisingly good World Heavyweight Championship match on Hardcore TV, telling a great story throughout. 

A bloody weapon-based brawl for the World Tag Team Championship with the Public Enemy opposite Sabu and The Tazmaniac is a must-see for any fan of hardcore wrestling. Announced as a "Dream match", the newly christened "Human Suplex Machine" Taz teaming with Eddie Guerrero (accompanied by Paul E. Dangerously) battle "The Shooter" Dean Malenko and Too Cold Scorpio in a very different match. It's a superb showcase of a variety of different wrestling styles from all four men in the ring, especially in the early stages, although lacks any attempt at storytelling. Almost certainly remember for Taz breaking his neck during the match, Guerrero's performance to keep the match going after the incident is a testament to the skill of the WWE Hall of Famer.

Cactus Jack vs. Sabu from Holiday Hell is exactly what you'd expect it to be, being a bloody hardcore brawl. However, it was Jack's promo prior to the match that was the highlight for me, as his incredible character work works the crowd into a frenzy before the match even begins. A weird segment that includes a pull apart brawl and a ambush attack, eventually errupts into a tag team match with The Eliminators taking on Rey Misterio, Jr. and 911, I have no idea what was happening at any point.

Disc Two

The second disc begins with a match that is criminally short between Bam Bam Bigelow and Cactus Jack from Just Another Night, in which the after-match becomes a little silly. A promo from Cactus Jack and Raven is absolutely incredible, full of emotion and manipulative storytelling, this should be seen by anyone looking to improve their promo abilities. A slow burning clash between Shane Douglas and Chris Jericho for the Television Championship features some lovely sequences and a series of well-done near falls. The finish is frustrating in the realms of a DVD set, calling for a rematch that isn't included, but it's still a good watch. 

Just because the match takes place in Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Japan, one of Raven and Tommy Dreamer's many singles matches is a great inclusion on the set. It's a big ol' brawl with some top notch near falls, that unfortunately ends up getting a little over-booked in it's conclusion. The Eliminators are so over with the Philadelphia crowd as they collide with The Dudley Boyz at Hostile City Showdown which certainly helps the home video experience. It's another brawling bout that travels what feels like the entire arena, with plenty of weapon shots. Kronus absolutely pisses blood which won't be for everyone, neither will Buh Buh Ray's fake southern accent in his pre-match promo though. 

From earlier in the same event Rob Van Dam and Taz (accompanied by Bill Alfonso) have a short but enjoyable bout. A lengthy promo from Big Stevie Cool does what ECW did best, pulling real life events into the companies current angles, even if Richards comes across as a little forced. A rehash of the main event from the original ECW PPV main event see's Big Stevie Cool, Raven and The Sandman battle it out in an absolute clusterfuck of a match for the chance to face Terry Funk for the World Heavyweight Championship. The bout is chock-full of interference, to point where there is very little action between the three guys actually in the match. The winner against Funk is also included with the first section of the match telling a good story, but being let down by a wank finish.

Disc Three

Shane Douglas putting the World Heavyweight Championship on the line against Bam Bam Bigelow from Hardcore TV is a short but fun encounter, worthy of inclusion here. The lengthy introduction the segment including "Ravishing" Rick Rude, Francine, Chris Candido and Tammy Lynn Sytch has a number of twists and turns to keep things interesting, in front of a loud crowd. Candido is in action next in a short, fast paced bout, filled with big impact moves and good story elements, opposite Lance Storm from Cyberslam. A technically sound and smooth collision between Yoshiro Tajiri and Taz from Hostile City Showdown is let down by a finish that makes Tajiri look like a twat.

On their way to the WWF, The Dudley Boyz challenge Spike Dudley & Ball Mahoney for the World Tag Team Championship in a brief clusterfuck of a bout. The resulting promo and bout with Tommy Dreamer and Raven is a classic ECW moment, it's mind boggling that this hasn't been put out by WWE before. The crowd is reserved in Poughkeepsie for a decent encounter between Rhyno and Rob Van Dam over the Television Championship, which does effect the match, especially on some nice near falls. It's a shame that one of the pairs earliest matches is chosen here, as they would a number of matches on ECW's House show circuit over the next three months.

Rhino and Corino are back next for a curious tag team encounter with Tommy Dreamer and "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes from ECW on TNN, as part of Rhodes' brief run with the company in 2000. The match is watchable, but I couldn't tell you why. Two under the radar ECW roster members get the time to shine next as EZ Money and Kid Kash put on a match in the style that would become synonymous with TNA's X Division. Whilst the earlier segment is a bit of a mess, the contest is packed with flips and tricks with some well-done near falls throughout.

The Double Jeopardy match from November to Remember closes the set in a confusing batchshag (I'm trying not to clusterfuck again). Steve Corino, Justin Credible, Jerry Lynn and The Sandman have a match that left me questioning the universe, especially the first section which is completely bypasses any storytelling possibilities that the concept might offer itself to. There's blood and weapons and stuff to disguise the lack of anything really happening, with Sandman turning up late and then twatting everyone with his singapore cane a few times. Luckily the match is (almost) saved by the closing section between Corino and Credible with a well-done turn and some tremendous near falls, it's just a shame the encounter lacked the foundation that the earlier portion should have provided.

Finally...

Alongside the first two Volume's of ECW Unreleased this set works well at provided a cross section of ECW's product, featuring a number of different styles throughout. All the big ECW names are there, alongside names associated more with other groups, like Ron Simmons and Dusty Rhodes which adds a new element of intrigue to their particular matches. The match quality is mixed, ranging from god-awful to pretty good, but almost everything seems to have it's place on the set.

I've left out any real review of Joey Styles, Stevie Richards and The Blue Meanie's presentation segments, as it would be difficult to talk in too much detail without spoiling your enjoyment of these if you purchased the DVD. The same goes for a number of added promos that are also included here.

Worth a look at getting if your interested in introducing yourself to the product, with a smattering of important moments in company history, although perhaps starting with the other two volumes would be a better place to start. If you've already got your hands on those two and enjoyed them, you won't be disappointed with this.

Two Years of ATPW

Yes ladies and gentleman, it has been two whole years since the first proper article was posted on the then acrossthepondwrestling.blogspot.com. Over those two years we've developed into acrossthepondwrestling.co.uk, built a strong social media following with nearing 2000 followers on Twitter and over 1250 likes on Facebook, created partnerships with TNA Impact Wrestling and WWE Home video that continue to grow, featured numerous British wrestling promotions, and changed from a one man blog to featuring some of the most talented wrestling writers from across the United Kingdom. I'm truly proud of what ATPW has become and I look forward to seeing what the future holds. Believe me, I've got big plans for what ATPW should and could be in two years time.

I wanted to use this article to look back at our ten most popular articles over the last two years, in chronological order, to showcase the story of ATPW (so far) with the ten most important moments. Better get on with it, I suppose!

Five Questions With...Jay Hunter

Wednesday, 12th June 2013. 19:30

Five Questions With... was our first series of article, in which I interviewed a wide variety of wrestling personalities, from wrestlers to bloggers and everything in between, in a thinly vieled attempt to gain a viewership! Our most popular FQW article (and most popular article of all time) was with OSW Review's Jay Hunter. Gaining over 3000 views, Hunter discusses getting into wrestling, how OSW Review originated, the differences between 80's and modern wrestling, his top three matches of all time and more. A big thank you to Jay Hunter for the interview once more, and if you've never caught OSW Review you can check out their website here.

WWE Money in the Bank 2013 Review

Tuesday, 16th July 2013. 00:07

Our most popular PPV review ever (I'm not sure why this one get's more views than any other) with over 350 views. Money in the Bank 2013 featured Randy Orton and Damien Sandow winning Money in the Bank briefcase, whilst John Cena and Alberto Del Rio defended their respective World titles against Mark Henry and Dolph Ziggler respectively. The show received a fairly positive review from ATPW, and can viewed on the WWE Network here. 

WWE Smackdown 19th July 2013 Review

Wednesday, 24th July 2013. 00:12

The most popular review of a TV show from ATPW, was the 19th July 2013 episode of Smackdown! Back when ATPW was reviewing almost every wrestling TV shows on the market, for some reason this review has stood out and continued to get views. Whilst criticising Randy Orton for going through the motions in a main event bout with Alberto Del Rio, the review had praise for Vince McMahon announcing Vickie Guerrero as the new General Manager of Smackdown, with a rather optimistic hope that a strong heel Vickie could revitalise the waning brand.

WWE ECW Unreleased Volume 2 DVD Review

Friday, 16th August 2013. 04:30

DVD Review have been a big part of ATPW since it's inception and this one has received over 850 views, proving that there's still a hunger for ECW content out there. There's big praise for the set throughout, notably the variety of matches present on the three disc set and strong presentation from Joey Styles and Tommy Dreamer. A triple threat bout between Bam Bam Bigelow, Sabu and Taz is noted as the strongest of the set, which is still available for purchase here.

Five Questions With...Matt Striker

Wednesday, 21st August 2013. 19:30

Just two months removed from his WWE release ATPW was able to secure an interview with Matt Striker, under the FQW banner. Striker talks getting into wrestling, the circumstances involving his WWE release, his fondest memories of working for WWE, his three favourite matches and more. This is one of my personal favourite FQW interviews, with Striker engaging well with the interview style. 

WWE NXT 21st August 2013 Review

Friday 23rd August 2013. 01:47

August 2013 continued to provide articles that have kept people coming back to ATPW with this review of WWE NXT, in it's pre-WWE Network days. Of course, this was the episode that featured Sami Zayn and Antonio Cesaro battling it out in a Two out of Three Falls match. The review of this match was one of my favourite to write and one of the earlier pieces of writing I am most proud of for ATPW. The review also includes an interesting look at a bout between Dolph Ziggler and Rusev, as well as AJ Lee defending her Diva's Championship against Bayley.

TNA Impact Wrestling's Christopher Daniels Interview

Saturday, January 25th 2014. 22:42

The most popular article of 2014 was a BIG interview with then TNA star Christopher Daniels ahead of the 2014 Maximum Impact tour of the UK. Infamous for breaking the news that Daniels contract with TNA was up in April, and gaining coverage from the dirt sheets, this was an article that put ATPW on the map in terms of big name wrestler interviews. It's one of my biggest disappointments that half of the interview was lost due to a recording error, but still I spoke to Christopher Daniels for twenty minutes and no one will ever know what we spoke about!

TNA British Bootcamp's Grado Interview

Tuesday, 25th November 2014. 22:24

Recorded on the telephone in a hospital car park in Aberystywyth (it's a long story), this interview with Grado came at a time where he was featured in the final six of TNA's British Bootcamp. Actually ATPW's third interview with Grado (following a FQW interview and one recorded on the streets of Glasgow for Youtube), this one features a lot of talk about British Bootcamp, getting "over" in America, British wrestling, social media and more. Oh also the possibility of a Grado vs. Goldberg dream match!

Making Noise, Drinking Cider: Maffew at PCW Road to Glory Night 1

Friday, 27th March 2015. 19:53

The only writer other than creator James Marston to make the Top 10 is Botchamania's own Maffew! Proving instantly popular on ATPW, Maffew brought his own fanbase over to ATPW and introduced a different style of writing to the site, as he looked at the first night of PCW Road to Glory tournament. Featuring a no holds barred looked at the show, with a refreshingly honest review, Maffew also offered plenty of laughs and gags to keep things entertaining. Brit-Wres reviews always prove popular and this is the most popular of them all on ATPW.

TNA's Rockstar Spud Interview

Monday, 30th March 2015. 23:16

Coming as part of the #ATPW24 campaign that raised over £200 for MIND, there was a special interview with then TNA X Division Champion Rockstar Spud! Spud discussed the previous night's WrestleMania, changes in the Spud character, his on-screen feud with Ethan Carter III, his involvement in the second series of British Boot Camp, his return to the British indy scene and what the future might hold for Spud. It's our most popular article of 2015 so far, and for interview conducted by someone nearing 60 hours without sleep, is bloody good if I do say so myself!


I hope you've enjoyed this trip down memory lane as much as I have have, or if this is your first ATPW article has enjoyed what is ensentially a starter pack to knowing what we do here at ATPW. To all those who have viewed ATPW in the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Russia, China, Israel, Canada, Ukraine, Turkey and anywhere else over the last two years a big thankyou and I hope we continue to produce content that keeps you coming back for more. Peace, love and wrestling. James.