Event Review: PROGRESS Chapter 36: We're Gonna Need a Bigger Room...Again (Tommy End v Mark Haskins v Marty Scurll)

It wasn't just the biggest show in company history, it was the biggest show England had seen since Big Daddy and his pals loomed large. It featured some of the best wrestlers in the country across the card and three of the very best in the entire world in the main event. Chapter 36 had a hell of a lot to live up as over 2000 PROGRESS Ultras descended upon the O2 Academy Brixton in the hope of being a part of something special. Now usually at this point, I'd tease that the show could end up being a disappointment, but this is PROGRESS and the real question here was, just how special would this show be? Let's find out, lads and lasses. 

Marty Scurll. Tommy End. Mark Haskins. Just looking at those names all in the same line should send a shiver down any die-hard wrestling fan's spine and if it doesn't...go away. These three men put on a real display, fitting of the main event slot and whilst most of the talk will be about the finish, it would be almost irresponsible not to begin by talking about the marvelous work that all three did to build towards it and the clever booking that steadily unfolded across over a half hour. After a tense start, displaying the lengthy history that all three share and an number of early pin attempts, each one of the trio was given ample time to shine. Haskins and End looked great when beating the shit out of The Villain, whilst equally upping their game when coming up against each other in a number of pacy and violent strike and grapple sequences. 

Whilst I've always preferred triple threats with two heels, despite some obvious examples on the other side of the coin, they just tend to produce the best opportunities for story-telling. However, I'm just gonna throw that line of thought out of the window, because this contest produced some of the richest narratives that one could hope for, whilst also being incredibly simple at the same time. Everyone wants the belt, everyone that isn't Marty really doesn't like Marty, Marty will do absolutely anything to walk out with the belt. This meant that every move hit on Scurll was extremely satisfying, because he's just so damn good at being a dick and with Haskins and End being some of the hardest hitting wrestlers in Europe you've got yourself a magic combination. The build of near falls for both challengers, the escalation of Scurll's chicanery, every agonising submission, the dramatic sequence on the apron that would lead to End and Scurll suplexing Haskins through a table and a lot more all came together to create a compelling, dynamic, convincing work of art, with an electric Brixton crowd adding a big scoop of whipped cream on the sweet, sweet pie that was this match. 

So, I should probably speak about the finish at some point, because if the crowd were electric to begin with things were about to become...ultra electric (yeah)! The narrative of Scurll being a man possessed trying to keep hold of his prize came to a thrilling climax as he took out every referee in the building after being unable to put End away with multiple Gotch-style piledriver attempts. As the crowd poured scorn on Scurll, The Villain ended up face to face with one third of PROGRESS' owners, Jim Smallman, when the familiar stab of former PROGRESS Champion Jimmy Havoc's music hit for the first time in over a year and Havoc nailed Scurll with a precise Acid Rain Maker, with a knowing nod to former arch rival Smallman. It was a marvelous moment that got the reaction it deserved, whilst setting up a now mouth-watering potential clash between The Villain and perhaps the only man in company history who could out Villain the Villain. This being PROGRESS, I'm sure we'll get to hear from Havoc in due course, to fully explain his involvement.

One of my favourite things about this match, was that the fall didn't come directly after Havoc's interference, because it easily could have felt like Havoc handing the belt to someone, which wouldn't have been the best way to start off a new technico champion. Luckily, after Havoc left, there was one last sprint of action with Scurll and Haskins grappling for just enough the right amount of time before Scurll found himself locked deep within the Sharpshooter. It was so very satisfying to see Haskins finally win the belt after coming supremely close on a number of occasions and do so in convincing form, finally getting a man who has terrorised him for months to submit. This match really did have a little bit of everything, transitioning from a strong wrestling three way into a more sports entertainment style with the angle in the final third, before finishing off with a wonderfully cathartic finish. If you like your wrestling to tell a story, then you'll love this match. 

I was almost tempted to do a similar opening for this match as I did for the last, as it really does have the same kind of feel. Two of the best, in a match type that when done well encourages great wrestling and story-telling, whilst also having a strong back-story and lead-in...there wasn't really a way this could go wrong. Honestly, having seen the previous two matches between the pair in May and December 2015, this was pretty much exactly what I wanted to see from ZSJ and Ciampa here. The duo have a tonne of chemistry in the ring, working holds as well as anyone, slick and crisp in every move and transition, that almost half an hour of wrestling seemed to pass by in a flash. Their previous matches have presented an interesting twist on the old cliche of technical wrestler vs physical brawler, because both men able to raise their game to meet the other in either category and the 2/3 falls gimmick allowed them to get into this even more than before. 

In the first two falls, ZSJ worked Ciampa's arm pretty extensively, with The Psycho Killer doing a stunning sell job, both when in the holds and when later on the offense. This worked nicely as a foundation, whilst also presenting a through thread to follow throughout the match, with the crowd popping anytime ZSJ went near Ciampa's hurt wing. There were also a plethora of pin falls, each made more convincing by the gimmick and the sheer smoothness of the pair's work. I lost track of the number of stunning sequences that the Cruiserweight Classic alumni put on here, but each would culminate with one of the other gaining a near fall, as the crowd got further sucked in. Slotted into this was ZSJ taking the opportunity to lock in a triangle choke with Ciampa fighting out and nailing a make-shift Project Ciampa, threading the two stories together well. This portion of the match would end with some more silky action, climaxing with both men managing to keep each others shoulders pinned to the mat, resulting in the match going to 1-1. I'm still undecided on this as a "finish" here, as part of me feels like it was trying to be a bit too clever, however the result did mean that the final fall would come out as the distinctive victory after both men had proved to be evenly matched. 

The final fall was an eight minute sprint that saw both men going all out to outdo his opponent, with a number of strong potential finishes and a riled up audience. The pair showed an impressive ability to switch gears in a match that could have easily have peaked too early, as ZSJ brought a renewed focus on Ciampa's arm following a wonderful back and forth submission sequence, whilst the former ROH World Television Champion dipped into his bag of tricks, including hitting a Pedigree for two and an Avalanche Project Ciampa. With both men becoming increasingly frustrated the match broke down in to a number of nasty slaps and strikes, somehow finding another place to take the contest, before ZSJ was able to get the win with Hurrah!... Octopus Hold. When all was said and done and Ciampa gave his last bow in an independent wrestling ring, Brixton had been treated to an incredibly technical, incredibly physical, strong-style epic!  

Topping the undercard was a sprawling encounter, that saw The Origin's Dave Mastiff, El Ligero, Nathan Cruz and Zack Gibson take on some of their biggest rivals in Damon Moser, Jack Gallagher and FSU's Eddie Dennis & Mark Andrews. However, the group's biggest rival of all has always been the fans and this was typified with the reaction that all the foursome and especially Gibson received as they attempted to cut their traditional pre-match promo. This included the crowd throwing so much toilet paper into the ring that I was expected a shit load of Andrex puppies to come flying down the aisle to reclaim it. It was an incredible sight, that made fun of the villainous group, with The Origin absolutely reveling in the reaction they were getting. The babyfaces did a great job of encouraging the crowd to keep going, controlling them well, adding to the brilliant work that Gibson was doing on the microphone, exaggerating ever syllable to get the best reaction, whilst Mastiff was making toilet roll angels. 

The match was a lorra lorra fun, as everyone brawled around the large room, featuring some great spots, including Andrews hitting a moonsault off a high barricade. As much as the issues between the teams felt serious, the tone of the match often verged towards the comedic with the performance skills of the likes of Ligero and Mastiff, helping to get the mood of the action spot on. The babyfaces would often get the better of their rivals, with a wonderful spot seeing Gallagher ties all of the opposite team (except Mastiff) in knots, whilst he, Dennis and Andrews basked in the glory. The contest also featured one of the best false finishes of the night, as after Ligero had pushed referee Joel too far, he took a Stunner from the ref, followed up by a beautiful Next Stop Driver from Dennis, assisted by a Shooting Star Press from Andrews, only for Gibson making the save just in time. The finish was a fitting end to Gallagher's time on the independents as he and the man he's faced more than anyone else in his career, Gibson, put together some lovely wrestling, for what was perhaps the final time. Of course, with this being The Origin the finish would have to include shenanigans as Mastiff nailed Gallagher with a car stereo, allowing Gibson to hit a spinning brainbuster for the win and keep The Origin together as a group. As much it would have been perfectly fitting to have broken up the Origin here, with various other feel good moments on the show, it makes sense to continue to build four of the promotions hottest heels, plus giving Gibson the pin on Gallagher on his way out the door gives Liverpool's Number One even more ammunition to fire at the crowd at future shows.

The biggest contest on the first half of the show was the Tag Team title bout, that saw British Strong Style (Pete Dunne & Trent Seven) go over The London Riots (James Davis & Rob Lynch) to pick up their first titles in PROGRESS. This was a very good, action packed tag bout, that rarely took time for a breath, featuring some quality spots and a perhaps surprising sprinkling of comedy. This was a style that suited all four men well, as they used spots like all four sitting on chairs outside the ring and trading brutal forearms and focused on Dunne's obsession with biting opponents, building to a bite-fest between all four. These sorts of sequences could have felt jarring with some of the more serious action, but in the context of the story, that didn't have a whole lot of prior build, made it feel more like both teams were trying to one up the other. 

I found it interesting that there was no notable face in peril and hot tag sequence, or at least a very short one, with both teams mostly just trading big moves and near falls. There was one section in particular, that featured biting, forearms, German suplexes and Powerbombs that really highlighted this as the four men rotated the momentum with no one holding it for long. This was arguably the best-booked match of the evening, as after proving they could go toe to toe with the Tag Team Champions, Dunne and Seven took the easy way out as following a ref bump, Seven drove the handle of London Riots' cricket bat straight into the already hurt eye of Lynch and finished things off with a piledriver combined with a running punt kick from Dunne. British Strong Style have risen quickly after only forming as a team at Chapter 33, but they are also one of the most interesting heel teams in recent memory, with plenty of depth to their act. As good a bout as this was, I feel the best is still to come from Pete Dunne and Trent Seven in PROGRESS! 

Joe Coffey and Rampage Brown could walk into pretty much any company in the country and end up in the main event, however their clash in the Final of the Atlas Championship tournament opened the show as the pair had a belting heavyweight tussle. I'll be honest and say that I haven't been overly enamoured by the "big lads" division heading into the show, with the tournament having a couple of issues, but this match was exactly what the division should be about. Coffey and Brown went right at it, keeping things fairly open throughout the bout, but giving both men ample time to look their best. The duo traded big blows throughout with the action spilling to the outside early on where Coffey hit a snap scoop powerslam, that really set the tone for how things would pan out. 

The match was full of impressive moments and well worked sequences, that got over the idea that Coffey and Brown were evenly matches, whilst also setting up the duos finishes, with a sequence where Coffey would struggle out of a piledriver attempt particularly standing out. After tonnes of tit for tat fighting that included chops and headbutts and a wonderful suplex sequence, it was Brown who weathered the storm, kicking out of a Discus Lariat, before nailing an avalanche samoan drop and a piledriver, which would be followed up by another following Coffey's resilient kick out to become the first Atlas Champion. Just like the tournament itself had been, putting these two at the start of the show was a brave choice by PROGRESS, but it paid off well, with the pace and make up of the contest getting the crowd even hotter for the rest of the show. A re-match is surely a must!

The lone women's match was a relatively low-key trios match, that still provided some strong action in an energetic ten minutes. With a tournament to crown the first Women's Champion supposedly just around the corner, Jinny, Dahlia Black and Alex Windsor went over Nixon Newell, Laura Di Matteo and Pollyanna in a match that was structured perfectly and got the most out of everyone involved. Pollyanna worked well as the face in peril as arguably the most over babyface, whilst TK Cooper's involvement at ringside and some wonderful rudo work by Jinny and Black got great reactions. Things would break down shortly after the hot tag, rolling along at break neck speed as everyone rotated in and out of the ring hitting big moves. The standout here would have to be Jinny's version of the Styles Clash which got a massive pop. The finish tied everything up neatly, as Cooper would end up hitting girlfriend Black in the face after Pollyanna ducked, then get kicked in the dick by Newell, before a busy busy finish saw Jinny able to put long-time rival LDM away with her Face Lift Finish. 

The second half would feature a bonus match, after Paul Robinson returned after a four month hiatus and his demand for a match was answered by Chuck Mambo, who was, perhaps surprisingly, having his first one on one match on a Chapter show. This was a simple bout done well, as Robinson had plenty of heat and Mambo is a popular persona. Structure wise this was plain, with a face shine, strong heat sequence, short comeback including a nice blockbuster, a decent near fall for Mambo, before Robinson collected the W with a nasty curb stomp. It was short, sweet, but effective, with both men working hard to maximise the time they were given, whilst also taking time to make sure the crowd were back up to their usual levels after the interval. Part of the enjoyment here was that both hadn't been seen all that often recently, and so their work seemed fresh and exciting, however they definitely both staked a claim to deserving more time on the product with their performances. 

Unfortunately, Pastor William Eaver and Sebastian's No Disqualification match ended within seconds after Sebastian was legitimately knocked out by a lariat and had to be taken out of the ring on a stretcher after being seen to by paramedics. This was handled well by everyone involved, including a respectful crowd. Hopefully, we get to see this match sometime soon, but more importantly I'd like to wish Sebastian a swift return to health following the accident. 

Finally... 

ATPW Scale Rating - 8.16/10 

Man, what a show. Seriously, this was the first event I've given above a "Superb" rating on the ATPW Scale. Top to bottom, each match outdid itself in it's position on the card and there was barely a moment where the crowd wasn't totally into the action and with 2400 in attendance the atmosphere made things extra special. The main event was my match of the night, because I love dramatic narrative wrestling, but you really could have picked any of the top half of the show. I could go on and on here, but if you've read the rest of the review and haven't seen this show yet, you'll know exactly what I'm going to tell you, go now, demandprogress.pivotshare.com.

Words and Images - James Marston 
Image Source - Facebook.com 

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TV Review: WWE NXT #203 - American Alpha v The Revival - 2/3 Falls (James Marston)

The first of two weeks of NXT with Takeover quality main events, kicked off with American Alpha challenging The Revival for the Tag Team Championships in a Two out of Three Falls match. It's been noted that I'm a big mark for Two out of Three Falls contests, so could Chad Gable, Jason Jordan, Dash Wilder and Scott Dawson, live up to my expectations? 

The Revival retaining their Tag Team Championships, coming from behind to win their Two out of Three Falls match with American Alpha, 2-1, was a superb main event, being a real example of what tag team wrestling can be when given the time and effort. What I enjoyed most about the contest was that the original fall felt like a regular match between the two teams. There was no flash pinfall early on or another gimmick that's been used time and time again in these types of matches, the contest just played out like a regular tag team match. The pacing of this first portion saw both teams jostling for control, with a American Alpha once again receiving an extended face shine, which played nicely into The Revival's period of control. 

This was the match that had me completely sold on The Revival as a duo. That isn't to say that I hadn't enjoyed the team previously, but this was the clash that made me see Dash Wilder and Scott Dawson as a special tag team. The pair worked so well together throughout the fight, cutting the ring and initially focusing on Jordan's leg (which would come back later in the match), before using every trick in the book to keep Gable in their corner. Both guys attitudes makes them easy to get wound up by, as they give very little away and go about their business in a fairly nonchalant manner, whilst at the same time making sure that whoever is waiting for the hot tag can up their game and get the crowd behind them. It's helped by the fact that pretty much everything The Revival do in the ring is crisp and tightly done, with very little wasted movement. 

The final stretch of the bout featured a lot of ideas that had been seen earlier in the contest, as well as all three falls. Everything revolved around Jordan's hot tag, as while a tremendous sequence of action would see Wilder tap to an Ankle Lock, it was Jordan's previously injured leg that would lead to him tapping to an Inverted Figure 4. Corey Graves did a world class job on commentary keep that story ticking over, although I wish Jordan had sold his injury a little bit more on his comeback. Lots of false finishes, Gable having to save Jordan from another Inverted Figure 4 and both teams just dodging their opponents double team finisher kept building the match's excitement levels as the crowd was whipped into a frenzy by the time The Revival nailed a Shatter Machine onto the apron on Gable for the win. The first must-see match on regular NXT TV for quite some time. 

The other notable match on the card was Bayley's victory over Alexa Bliss in a quality opener. A great piece of booking here, as after Bliss' victory over Carmella last week, this felt like the logical step up as the brand looks for a Number 1 Contender to Asuka's Women's Championship. The two character slotted together nicely, with both bringing something different to their game here. Bliss looked comfortable wrestling with the more accomplished Bayley, managing to keep up with the former Women's Champion, whilst Bayley unleashed a fiery comeback that showed her character frustration well. My only real complaint with the action was that Bliss wasn't going for her Twisted Bliss finisher when Bayley got her knees up to block en route to hitting Bayley to Belly, as this would have upped the drama of the contest. After the match, Bayley appeared to challenge Nia Jaxx to a future re-match. 

Elsewhere, Rhyno made his return to NXT as he interrupted a tag match between The Hype Bros and Blake & Murphy (yeah, they're back as a team, apparently) by managing to Gore three out of the four competitors. 

Finally

ATPW Scale Rating - 7.88/10 

The Two out of Three Falls match taking up a large portion of the show means that this week's NXT scores just under a "Superb" rating on the ATPW Scale. That's an amazing rating for a television show. This was indeed a great outing for the brand, with the main event being complemented by a strong women's opener between Bayley & Alexa Bliss. This is arguably the best edition of the show since Samoa Joe and Sami Zayn's Two out of Three Falls match took up the entire hour. 

With Finn Balor v Shinsuke Nakamura coming up next week, it looks like the good times may continue to roll for the yellow brand.

TV Review: WWE NXT #187 (Joe vs. Zayn *WWE NXT Championship #1 Contenders Two Out of Three Falls*)

On the 9th March 2016, WWE aired the 187th episode of NXT, taped on the 27th February 2016 at Full Sail University, Winter Park, Florida, USA on the WWE Network. Sami Zayn and Samoa Joe did battle in a Two Out of Three Falls match to determine the Number One Contender to Finn Balor's WWE NXT Championship...but was it any good? Let's find out! 

nxt #187 match card

Match 1 - WWE NXT Championship #1 Contender's Two Out of Three Falls - Samoa Joe vs. Sami Zayn

fast-forward...William Regal announced that Austin Aries will face Baron Corbin at Takeover: Dallas on 1st April

samoa joe defeats sami zayn two falls to one to become the number one contender to the wwe nxt championship

Wowza, where to start with a match that took up the entire show? Well, I suppose the beginning would be as good a place as any, right? Yeah, the beginning. Sami Zayn and Samoa Joe opened things up with some slick wrestling, trading holds flawlessly and running through some nice sequences. If the fact that match was starting the show wasn't a sign that we were in for a long one, then the deliberate pace certainly was. That isn't to say that the opening was slow or boring, it was anything but and Full Sail University was seemingly hooked on everything the two had to offer. The first ten minutes or so did feel like Joe and Zayn were teasing us just a little, showing glimpses of what was to come, whilst keeping things fairly low key. For a longer match, I like this style a lot, it makes you want to stick around to see more. 

The idea that we had to wait until over twenty minutes to see the first fall was pleasing, as on occasion WWE has been known to squeeze three falls into the time of a regular bout. If this had been a one fall bout, I think I would have been pretty happy with Joe getting a pinfall victory following a Muscle Buster. I got a kick out of Joe using his size to dominate the first half of the match, it built a solid foundation for a story that would continue to grow throughout the contest and the call-back to the finish of their previous Number One Contender bout from NXT #184 also raised a smile. The sequence of action that saw Joe get the initial pinfall was done very well, as just as Zayn seemed to be about to hit his biggest move of the match, his wrist-lock transitioned into a springboard Tornado DDT, Joe was able to dodge pulling Zayn into his STJoe and hitting the Muscle Buster for the pinfall. So far, so good.

The build towards Zayn leveling the score was another case of two performers knowing exactly when to raise the pace and when to let things settle. Joe attempting to get a countout victory on numerous occasions was cool, as it effectively allowed both competitors to rest, whilst keeping the crowd and television audience engaged. The thing that allowed me to stay involved was Zayn's stellar selling, it could easily have ended up a bit of a predictable mess, but Zayn told the story with his body and face which  alongside the frustration from Joe that he couldn't secure the victory made for compelling television. A flurry of offence from the former NXT Champion, not only lifted the pace and got the crowd bouncing, but logically allowed Zayn to pull back a fall as Joe tapped out to the Koji Clutch.

By the time Samoa Joe's hand had hit the mat in submission, we were over 32 minutes into the match, and I was still hooked by the story the two guys were telling in the ring. Full Sail University seemed to be feeling the same, and the match was about to step up a gear. Zayn's near falls upped the ante as he came close with a Blue Thunder Bomb and a Sunset Bomb, whilst a brilliant submission sequence from Joe as a reversal to Zayn's attempted Helluva Kick piled on the drama. The multiple submissions that Joe seamlessly transitioned through, allowed Zayn to get close to the ropes, before Joe would pull back another limb appear to have the match won on a handful of occasions throughout, only for Zayn to continue to find a way to stay in the match!

The bout built to it's crescendo as Zayn seemed to have one last burst of energy and with the crowd behind him, look to have the match in his sights as he set up for a Helluva Kick. After seeing Joe dodge the move earlier in the match, it felt like he was destined to hit it this time and roll on to Takeover:Dallas. But there was one last twist in the tale, as Joe ducked the kick and locked in Koquina Clutch to win the match in an astonishing 43 minutes. If you can't tell already I absolutely loved this match, it's almost certainly the best TV show match that's aired so far this year and will be very hard to beat. Two guys who understand their characters and built a fantastic story that filled pretty much an entire hour of TV time. Zayn continuing to stay in the match as the fiery babyface, and never managing to hit his Helluva Kick managed to keep him protected for any future big matches at Takeover: Dallas, as well as his new main roster feud with Kevin Owens, whilst Samoa Joe looked like an absolute beast throughout and garnered plenty of heat and still got a clean victory! 

finally...

atpw scale rating - 8.25/10

Ruddy hell, that was a bit good, wasn't it? Not seen it yet? Go and watch it now on the WWE Network. For me, this bout trumps the 2/3 Falls bout that Zayn had with Antonio Cesaro back on NXT #61, for having richer storytelling and that extra layer of drama that makes it stand out. Can I really say anything more about this show? It jumps right to the top of our ATPW Scale leaderboard. You can't really argue with that either, considering the show had one match and that one match was fucking awesome! 

WWE Daniel Bryan - Just Say Yes! Yes! Yes! DVD Review

WWE's Daniel Bryan - Just Say Yes! Yes! Yes! is out now on three-disc DVD and two-disc Blu-Ray, available from www.wwedvd.co.uk and all other good home video stores. The main feature is a documentary looking Bryan's life and career, with a focus on the build up to WrestleMania 30 (originally aired on the WWE Network as Journey to WM30: Daniel Bryan on 8th April 2014) as well as over fifteen matches from Bryan's WWE career, ranging from 2000 to 2015, alongside a new interview with the former WWE World Heavyweight Champion. The set includes matches against the likes of Chris Jericho, CM Punk, Antonio Cesaro, Randy Orton, Brian Kendrick and more.

Disc One

The Journey to WM30: Daniel Bryan documentary is exactly what it says in the title, a look at Daniel Bryan's journey to WrestleMania 30, with a peek at both Bryan's career to that point, as well as a closer look at the week leading up to Bryan's two matches on the biggest show of the year. Whilst brevity can be a plus point in these kinds of documentary, rocking in a just over an hour means the film struggles to cover any real ground when looking at Bryan's career, and anyone who's followed his course, even just his time in WWE, will notice major gaps in the narrative (most notably Bryan's team with Kane). Whilst there's some interesting insights into a number of major points in Bryan's career, including some good stories about Bryan's two bout with Sheamus at WrestleMania's 27 and 28, nothing is focused on long enough to really dig much deeper than what's mostly on the surface anyway.

The look at The Submission Specialist's lead-in to WrestleMania 30 is an interesting look at the life of a WWE superstar during such a busy period. Whilst there's been similar productions for guys like John Cena and Randy Orton over recent years, the focus on Bryan and WrestleMania gives a different kind of look, firstly because of his shy and humble personality and secondly for the sheer magnitude of the event surrounding him. It is at times a little for frustrating when the documentary tries to kayfabe the viewer, with Bryan talking about "if" he will be able to defeat Triple H, whilst previously in the same piece talking about the talent relations meeting where he and Sheamus found out they'd be the pre-show for WrestleMania 27, and whilst this may enhance the viewing experience for younger viewers, for older fans, like myself, it's a big turn off. 

Bryan's title win at WrestleMania 30 is central to the documentary

There's maybe just enough to make the documentary watchable, but it's not a piece which on it's own I'd recommend going out of your way to see.

Disc Two

The second disc heads into the matches, with both this and Disc Three including parts of an interview with Daniel Bryan (as well as appearances from other WWE personalities) which act as lead-ins for the matches, and do a much better job than the previous documentary does at covering Bryan's career.

Years before "YestleMania" Bryan was wrestling in Dark matches before Smackdown tapings

A dark match from a WWF Smackdown! taping (February 2000) kicks things off, pitting Bryan (under the American Dragon moniker and mask) and Shooter Shultz against Brian Kendrick and Lance Cade in what is an intriguing bout for how early it comes in Bryan's career, although it's essentially a "get your shit in" type affair. Bryan (under his real name, Bryan Danielson) shows much improvement in a hard hitting and technical affair with Jamie Noble from WWE Velocity (January 2003). A trip to the original version of NXT (February 2010) gives us a brief encounter between Bryan (accompanied by The Miz) and then World Heavyweight Champion Chris Jericho (with Wade Barrett), that whilst being pretty clunky at points, still features a handful of sequences that show off Bryan's potential well. A clash with The Miz over the United States Championship from Night of Champions (September 2010) is an underrated belter of a match, with some top quality storytelling, with both men putting in fantastic performances in their roles. 

A Smackdown (January 2012) bout with The Big Show over the World Heavyweight Championship is a decent enough TV main event, but doesn't feature much to write home about, other than the start of Bryan's first heel run in WWE. Things really begin to pick up with an outstanding Two out of Three Falls contest with Sheamus over the World Heavyweight Championship from Extreme Rules (April 2012) with the pair working hard to put on the match that they weren't afforded at WrestleMania 28. There's some fantastic selling, and a crowd that is into everything that the two do, even if they aren't inclined to cheer the babyface Sheamus. There's perhaps more sports entertainment elements in a No Disqualification bout with CM Punk over the WWE Championship from Money in the Bank (July 2012) than many would have liked, but there's still more than enough wrestling to keep things interesting. The physical clash features a good mixture of styles, with Bryan and Punk showing that they have a lot more in their arsenal than perhaps they are often given credit for.

The final bout of the disc see's Bryan team with Kane (just before they became Team Hell No) to challenge Kofi Kingston and R-Truth for the WWE Tag Team Championships at Night of Champions (September 2012) in a decent tag bout, with all the focus on Bryan's relationship with Kane.

Bryan's 2/3 Falls bout with Sheamus is one of the highlights of Disc 2

Disc Three

A Gauntlet bout from Monday Night RAW (July 2013) opens Disc Three, and whilst an encounter with Jack Swagger is short, the next bout opposite then Real American, Antonio Cesaro is an absolute cracker. A truly forgotten gem, Bryan and Cesaro have a brutal contest, full of vicious strikes and quality reversal sequences, that builds into something truly special by the end. Whilst the final match of the Gauntlet with Ryback can't compete with the match that goes before it, it still has it's own charm and is far from a bad match. 

From Daniel Bryan and John Cena's entrances for their SummerSlam (August 2013) WWE Championship bout (as well as Special Guest referee Triple H) you get a feeling for what kind of match is in store, with no frills and set pieces, this is all about wrestling. The pair wrestle a heated encounter, that has a hint of a Japanese styling to it, with the underdog Bryan attempting to hang with the ace, Cena. The pace of the collision could easily get swept under the carpet, but it is perhaps the matches strongest element with the two knowing exactly when to build and when to let the match breath. With everything that you'd want from a PPV main event of it's time, there's plenty of near falls, great storytelling and a lively crowd that all contribute to make this one of the best matches of the year. 

Occupy Raw was big moment on Bryan's Road to WrestleMania 30

A No Disqualification Match with Randy Orton from Monday Night RAW (March 2014) is a fine TV encounter with plenty of weapon shots, with more than one eye on the upcoming WrestleMania XXX. Bryan's WrestleMania XXX bout with Triple H is disappointingly omitted, although highlights are included as part of the entrances from Bryan's WWE World Heavyweight Championship Triple Threat (April 2014) with Orton and Batista. The three way is chock-full of sports entertainment style shenanigans with a number of twists and turns along the way, this is WWE-style storytelling at it's peak in front of over 75,000 people. It's a spectacular feel good moment, with dramatic near falls and some big spots, plus there's Stephanie McMahon in a silly pair of shorts.

Whilst it might have been a logical place to finish (tying in with the earlier the documentary) the disc continues with Bryan's comeback promo from Monday Night RAW (December 2014) which is an emotional rollercoaster of a speech from someone who apparently struggles on the microphone. The set finishes up with The Yes Man's underrated clash with Roman Reigns from Fastlane (February 2015) in which the pair seem to click early, with their contrasting characters creating an intriguing dynamic throughout. Bryan puts on an unselfish performance making Reigns look like a real superstar heading into the latter's WrestleMania main event.

Finally...

Cast aside the first disc and this is a terrific two-disc set with Bryan (and others) offering a good insight into his career, as well as the matches that follow each interview segment. The matches are for the most part very good, and those that don't quite make the high standard Bryan has set for himself are, at least, significant to his career or rare encounters. It would have been interesting to see how far the set could have gone if all three discs were presented in this fashion.

Whilst omitting Bryan's bout with Triple H might be the strangest decision of the entire set, due to it being the most heavily featured match of the documentary, most Bryan's best WWE matches are included here. There's an argument to be made for Bryan's bout with Punk from Money in the Bank being swapped for their earlier Over the Limit match, but both have their charms and the second one offers a nice contrast with the rest of the set.

On the strength of the second and third discs this should be a must-have for any fan of the modern day WWE product and even more so if you're a die-hard Daniel Bryan fan.

WWE Hell in a Cell 2014 DVD Review

     

 WWE Hell in a Cell 2014 is out on DVD and Blu-Ray on 19th January, available from www.wwedvd.co.uk and elsewhere. Broadcast live on Pay-per-View (and the WWE Network) from the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas, USA on 26th October 2014, the show features John Cena and Randy Orton going at it inside Hell in a Cell for a shot at Brock Lesnar's World Heavyweight Championship, a feud ending Hell in a Cell bout between Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins, Dolph Ziggler defending the Intercontinental Championship against Cesaro in a Two Out of Three Falls match and five other matches. The special features include the debut edition of Mizdow TV with The Miz and an extra match from the Hell in a Cell Kick-Off show, as well as two Home Video Exclusive interviews. The commentary is provided by John Bradshaw Layfield, Michael Cole and Jerry Lawler.

The Show

       The show kick's off with an enthralling Two out of Three Falls Match, between Dolph Ziggler and Cesaro over the Intercontinental Championship. The match is filled with sound storytellling, partnered with some sound wrestling and cool spots. A backstage segment featuring Triple H, Stephanie McMahon, Kane and Randy Orton, continues the discension between the Authority members, whilst also working nicely to build towards Orton's match with John Cena later on. The Bella Twins explode in a match that is surprisingly not awful, in which the loser is forced to be the winner's personal assistant for 30 days. The Usos chase Gold & Stardust's Tag Team Championships in a solid tag team encounter, although it's perhaps not as strong as their match at the previous Pay-per-view, Night of Champions. 

Orton and Cena battle inside Hell in a Cell

     John Cena and Randy Orton's Hell in a Cell match is curiously placed at the beginning of the second hour, given it's WWE main event style of wrestling. The two put together a number of interesting sequences and use the Hell in a Cell gimmick well. The storytelling in the first three quarters of the match are strong, with Orton attempting to get the pinfall at every opportunity and Cena fighting from underneath, it's a shame that most of this hard work is lost in closing stages of the match. Whilst the bout is also harmed by the lack of crowd involvment, it is still a good Hell in a Cell match and more than worth a watch. 

      Big Show and Mark Henry's backstage pep talk is untentionally hilarious, especially when you shut your eyes and just listen to the audio. A United States Championship match between Miz and Sheamus is a match that happened, not a bad match by any stretch of imagination but Damien Mizdow at ringside is perhaps the only highlight. More backstage antics with Nikki and Brie Bella are included, further showing up the duos lack of acting talent. Big Show is the Patriot of the Month taking on Rusev, in another surprisingly enjoyable match, even if Rusev's story is beginning to become a little formulaic. 

Dean Ambrose about to twat Seth Rollins with a chair.

      Dean Ambrose pulls out a terrific promo on Seth Rollins on the big screen, if this doesn't get you hyped for their clash later on nothing will. Paige challenging for AJ Lee's Diva's Championship as their never ending feud continues, is a decent match, although it lacks any real substance or anything resembling malice. Ambrose and Rollins close the show with an enjoyable Hell in a Cell match, chock full of big spots, storyline call backs and brutal weapon shots. However, the finish is questionable for such a big match, and doesn't quite feel like the satisfying end to ATPW's Feud of the Year.

Special Features

       The trend for talking segments on the Kick Off show continues as Mizdow TV is included here, The Miz and Mizdow are great to watch and there's some nice coverage for Miz's match with Sheamus. Mark Henry's bout with Bo Washingston is a classic squash match, although Washington's mic work is the highlight. Two home video exclusive interviews are also included as Tom Phillips interviews Gold & Stardust, in which Stardust continued to develope his character nicely and Byron Saxton speaks to The Miz and Damien Mizdow with the pair putting in another entertaining performance.

Finally...

Oh Miz, you cunt.

 
     This a decent enough PPV, with both Hell in a Cell matches and Cesaro and Dolph Ziggler's Two Out of Three Falls matches both being worth watching, whilst the Tag Title match presents the strongest effort from the undercard. The rest of the undercard though is completely missable, with not a whole lot of effort put into how it was put together and paper thin feuds. Not a must-watch PPV, but not a bad effort either.

WWE Hell in a Cell 2014 Review

After a run of three Hell in a Cell PPV's that have failed to deliver anything close to the level of match quality one would expect from a PPV, could WWE manage to do the unthinkable at Hell in a Cell 2014 and actually put on a decent show? Let's take a look!

Cena It All Before?

There was a lot made about this being John Cena and Randy Orton's 121st match against each other, which let's be honest is a bit silly. That number includes house show matches (and even a match in HWA back in 2001!), the number that gives the clearest view of the situation is 21. This was Cena and Orton's 21st televised match, which is obviously still a ridiculous number and with 10 of those coming on PPV, I can understand why many were not particularly looking forward to this bout and why this, as well as the outcome, will have clouded the judgment of many of the online wrestling community. But I went into this one with a fairly open mind, as more often than not Cena and Orton have put together good matches when called upon on PPV.

That's exactly what we got this time out. This was a good match, possibly the match of the night. I enjoyed the early storytelling, with Orton dominating most of the match up and going for a pin after hitting every offensive maneuver, whilst continuing to cut off Cena's come back attempts. Orton was on top form throughout, bringing an aggression that the majority of his heel run has been missing. The look of frustration on his face everytime he failed to put Cena away really sold those moments and the importance of the WWE World Heavyweight Championship for me.

Almost more importantly was that the pair produced something different, which had been my major complaint of their bouts at TLC and Royal Rumble, as well as using enough of the Cell structure to warrant the stipulation being used. A lovely Inverted Headlock Backbreaker using the ringpost from Orton and Orton reversing Cena's familiar shoulder block comebacks into an RKO were particular highlights for me, alongside Orton's block of the Five Knuckle Shuffle before hitting his Snap Scoop Suplex for a near fall.

My only real problem with this match were the final few minutes, as it didn't seem to suit the style the pair had used for the majority of the match, ending up in a finisher fest similar to Cena's WrestleMania 29 match with The Rock. At times the timing was off, such as Cena not giving Orton enough time to recover from Orton's near fall off of an RKO, before hitting an Attitude Adjustment for another near fall, meaning the false finish got almost no reaction from the crowd.

However, Cena picking up the win after a dramatic series of reversals on the top rope lead to an Attitude Adjustment through was a satisfying conclusion to the bout, although I still think it would have had more impact if a handful of the other AA attempts earlier on were taken out. Personally, I believe Cena was the right guy to win this match, as a bout with Brock Lesnar so early into (what is believed to be) a babyface turn for Orton, would have essentially crushed Orton's face run before it even began, whilst Cena has a legitimate reason to face Lesnar after a strong Night of Champions showing against the Beast Incarnate.

If Ambrose Wins, We Wyatt

This match needed to be significantly different enough from the previous Hell in a Cell match. Not only to differentiate itself from it predecessor, but also because there was a different dynamic between the competitors. Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins have been having one of the fiercest and most believable in WWE since the break up of The Shield in June. This needed to look, feel and sound like a grudge match and that's exactly what we got. 

It was clear from the opening of the bout that this is exactly what we were going to get. Ambrose battling Rollins and his lackeys Joey Mercury and Jamie Noble on top of the Cell was a great way to start the bout, as whilst it was a great spectacle, it also allowed Rollins to get plenty of heat for sending Mercury and Noble up before him, whilst the crowd quickly sided with Ambrose and stayed vocal throughout the rest the match. 

With the crowd clearly choosing their favourites, this gave the pair a canvas on which to place a series of impressive spots (especially for WWE in 2014). Starting with the pair battling on the side of the cage and both ending up crashing through the announce tables (monitors conveniently removed), and running through Ambrose front kicking Rollins off the apron into the cell, a back suplex from Rollins onto a pile of chairs, a terrific Cactus Elbow from Ambrose with Rollins laid out on a table bridging the apron and the cage and Rollins powerbombing Ambrose through a table propped against the cell. This match had some of the most impressive Hell in a Cell spots of the PG Era.

I thought about bringing up the huge amount of interference on Rollins' part, with Mercury and Noble involved earlier on, with Corporate Kane firing a fire extinguisher through the cell later on (Nice metaphors and some really good camera work here). But I think a quick series of moves towards the end of the match, with a number of reversals, made it look like Rollins could hold his own against Ambrose, yet chooses to take the cheap road because it's easier. I'd have liked to have seen this developed a little more in the match to make this assumption a little more solid, but it's not a massive criticism.

The finish is another one that is a funny one to gauge as things stand. In case you can't tell from the picture above, Bray Wyatt interfered hitting Ambrose with a huge Ura-Nage, allowing Rollins to pick up the win. This was after it seemed like Ambrose was about to hit Rollins with a Curb Stomp on a pair of flimsy cinder blocks. It was a freaky moment with some smoke and a bizarre chant, that perhaps took a little to long to set up, but it certainly built a level of intrigue going forward. It allows for a potential Ambrose vs Wyatts feud, whilst keeping the door open for Rollins and Ambrose to lock up again later down the line. Yes, I'd have prefered to have seen a conclusive ending tonight and if I were doing a star rating the ending would lose the match at least half a star, but without knowing what is exactly going to happen in the future, I wouldn't want to condemn this ending just yet.

Ziggler Act 2 - Back in the Habit

One of the most-oft cited criticism of WWE over the past few years has been that it's too predictable, but I'd love to know how many people had Dolph Ziggler to win two straight falls against Cesaro to retain the Intercontinental Championship in their Two Out of Three Falls opener. 

The opening fall was quick and pacy, with a handful of roll ups early on, before Cesaro managed to get Ziggler into the Cesaro Swing, which still get's a big pop from the crowd. As soon as Cesaro went for the pin however, Ziggler managed to slip out and catch Cesaro with an small package to gain the first fall. It was just over three minutes for the first fall to take place and this kind of finish is why Two Out of Three Falls Matches are one of my favourite gimmick matches, they force the wrestlers to come up with creative ways to get have early falls without the fans feeling cheated. 

It was however, the second fall where this match really came into it's own. With Ziggler hitting a gorgeous Leaping DDT variant on Cesaro's arm, this quickly became the focus of the match. Cesaro's selling of the arm was top drawer throughout and gave the match a rather interesting slant. It was clear the match was being used to showcase Cesaro's strength and aggression, with a terrific submission sequence that saw Ziggler transition from a Guillotine choke-esque move into a double wristlock, before Cesaro scaled the ropes and pulled out a Dead-Lift Superplex. A truly incredible sequence of moves. Cesaro earns extra points for the holding the injured arm and therefore being unable to get the three count. 

The finish came after the pair had gone back and forth following the superplex, with Cesaro attempting the Neutralizer, only for Ziggler to get free and hit a Stunner on the arm, followed up with a Superkick and a Zig Zag to allow the Show-Off to get the second fall and retain the Intercontinental title. Having the arm play a major part in the finish made me very happy indeed. This match was also cleverly constructed to help both men, as whilst Ziggler looked great winning in straight falls (and his post-match selling made it seem like he'd been an absolute battle, helping both he and his opponent), Cesaro was allowed to look like a beast using his strength despite an injury to the arm. With the way this match was booked I wouldn't be surprised to see a Cesaro face turn in the near future.

The Undercard

Elsewhere, Stardust and Goldust put their tag titles on the line against former champs The Usos in a decent tag team bout. The majority of this match operated a fairly basic tag team psychology, as The Cosmic Twins isolated Jimmy Uso. The crowd were almost silent at this point, however, with the action being kept fairly basic and none of the four guys in the ring attempting to draw the live audience into the match. It would have appeared that the veteran Goldust noticed this as he did try a bit later into the match to get the crowd to turn on him, it's a shame Jey Uso on the other side hadn't got the message.

Luckily, once Jimmy did get the hot tag, a series of exciting moves and quick paced sequences did liven the crowd up and luckily for The Usos they sided with them over the Cosmic Twins. A couple of nice near falls later, and the finish saw the referee distracted by the interfering Jimmy Uso, allowing Stardust to kick the legs from underneath Jey who was attempting a Samoan Drop on Goldust, and allowing Goldust to get the pin and retain the titles for his team. This wasn't exactly a good match, but I think the two teams could have done much jobs at getting the crowd involved earlier.

Given the unenviable task of following the first Hell in a Cell match, Sheamus and The Miz' United States Championship bout was a dull affair... is what I would have been saying had it not been for the involvement of Damien Mizdow at ringside. Mizdow brightened up a fairly mediocre bout, with some hilarious antics at ringside, as he mimicked Miz's every move in the ring, highlights included when Miz took Sheamus' Beats of the Bodrin and using the steel steps to represent a Steam Roller from Sheamus on the outside.

The action in ring saw Sheamus almost completely dominate Miz throughout, and whilst a few sequences managed to grab my attention, like Sheamus blocking Miz's Figure Four Leg Lock attempt by sending him into the ring ropes and hitting a nice Tilt-a-Whirl Powerslam. The closing section also went a way to keep this match from bombing, with a good false finish off a Skull Crushing Finale for the Miz and a well-timed Brogue Kick as Miz attempted an Axe Handle off the top rope, that allowed Sheamus to get the win. It's good to see the United States Champion being booked strongly, and I'm looking forward to the upcoming Miz vs Sandow feud, but I'd still like to see Sheamus get a real feud to get his teeth into before dropping the belt.

I'll make it clear that I have absolutely no interest in this USA vs Russia feud, but this was a jolly good match. It did exactly what it needed to do, telling a good story and using sound psychology to allow Rusev to keep control of Big Show by working his legs. Of course, this made it much easier for Rusev to lock in the Accolade. Rusev hitting a Suplex on the World's Largest Athlete was also an incredible sight. Big Show got in enough offence to make Rusev's win feel even bigger, getting near falls off a Spear and a "Chokeslam for America". I'm not quite sure the reason for Mark Henry coming out half way through the match, only to eat a Superkick from Rusev in the closing stages, and then hug Show at the end, but the main body of the match was much much better than I had expected.

AJ Lee and Paige delivered an enjoyable Diva's Championship bout. Plenty of back and forth action, that allowed both women to show their aggressive side. It was great to see Paige working closer to the gimmick she had in NXT as she delivered a vicious giant swing into the barricade, a series of nasty corner elbows and some tasty knee drives on the apron early on. The finish worked nicely for me, as AJ tripped Paige off the barricade causing her to crash to floor, Alicia Fox then rolled Paige into the ring to break the 10 count, only for AJ to lock in the Black Widow to retain the Diva's title. A nasty looking spot allowed Paige to remain looking strong, whilst AJ retained the title and a potential reignition of the Alicia and Paige feud we saw earlier in the year, which with Alicia as a babyface should work a lot better this time round. I would however have liked this match to receive an extra five minutes or so, as there were parts of the match and ideas that were dropped way to quickly as they simply didn't have the time.

The match I was least looking forward to on the show, and I'm sure many felt the same, was the Bella vs Bella match. The feud has done absolutely nothing for me for months and months and I genuinely couldn't care less about either women. But I'll give credit where credit is due, this match didn't stink the place up. It was kept nice and short, told a decent story with a clear heel and face divide and there wasn't a botch insight. It was disappointing see the Rack Attack move used twice, once for a false finish before returning as the actual finish, I would have liked to have seen something extra, but maybe that was asking too much.

Finally...

I have to say that I rather enjoyed this PPV, as you probably will have been able to tell if you've read the review up to this point. The two Hell in a Cell matches and the Intercontinental Championship all had a lot to enjoy and presented something different from each other. Those were the three matches that needed to deliver and they did. The undercard was perhaps not as strong as it could have been however, with Rusev and Big Show's match being the stand out match. Both Diva's matches were of a passable quality. Damien Mizdow's performanced saved Sheamus and The Miz's match, whilst the tag team title bout felt like one of missed opportunities, whilst still being a decent encount. Certainly this PPV beats the passed three years Hell in a Cell PPV's into a cocked hat, whether I'd consider it the best one since it's 2009 inception has a lot to do with how Bray Wyatt's involvement in the main event is covered going forward.