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D.P.'s Profile
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Reviews Written by
D.P. (California)
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
16 Years In The Making...But IT'S ABOUT TIME!, April 29, 2010
When people think of the music of Death Row Records...various things come to mind. Either it's artist (2pac, Snoop Doggy Dogg, Dr. Dre, Tha Dogg Pound, ect.), it's various albums ("The Chronic", "Doggystyle", "All Eyes On Me", "Makaveli"), or the various incidents of violence linked to the record label but the general image of Death Row Records is that it's a music label based on the image of hardcore west coast "gangsta rap." Because of that image given to the label for it's music inside the studio & actions outside of the studio, the one element that's always overlooked was the R&B; presence from such artist as Jewell, Michel'le, and the man who's debut song on the soundtrack "Murder Was The Case" was definately a standout R&B; track on that album that was heavily based on rap music. After appearing on 2pac's hit albums (All Eyes On Me & Makaveli), soundtracks (Murder Was The Case, Gridlock'd, DysFUNKtional Family), compilations (Chronic 2000 & Ultimate Death Row Collection), some guest appearences ("Snoopin" by Twista & "One Thangs For Sho" by Kurupt), and even an appearence on American Idol...Danny Boy's album is finally released with the title that's so fitting (over 15 years after his first appearence with the track "Come When I Call") called IT'S ABOUT TIME!
Now with the exception of 3 songs produced by Jodeci member DeVante Swing ("If U Don't Mind", "It's All About You", and "Just Ride"), and Demetrius Shipp ("Break U Off"), all the songs on here were produced by DJ Quik (he also co-produced the "Come When I Call Remix" with George Archie) and features guest appearences from JoJo from Jodeci ("Just Ride") & Roger Troutman ("Between Me & U"). This is one of those soulful R&B; albums with a 90's production sound that you could just sit down, relax, and listen to with your lady to set a romantic mood. The standout tracks on here where "Blow Your Mind Away", "How Many Times", "So In Love" (same song from the Ultimate Death Row Collection), "Steppin", and his own version of the old school classic song "Mama Used To Say".
The only songs on here that are repeats are "So In Love" from the Ultimate Death Row Collection & the remix to "Come When I Call" but that's no big deal to me. This is a very different release from Death Row than the usual music that the label is known for (similar to the Michel'le "Hung Jury" album from years ago) so unless your a fan of the R&B; music Death Row released on their later soundtracks & group projects, interested in Danny Boy after his appearence on 2pac's singles like "I Ain't Mad At Cha" & "Toss It Up", or a fan of DJ Quik's diverse production (one of the most underrated in the history of music...not just rap but music) then this is worth picking up as you won't be disappointed.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
An Ultimate Collection For Any Fan Of Death Row, April 29, 2010
After WideAwake Entertainment purchased Death Row Records, their promise was to give the world the contents of the music that was saved in the vault. With the re-release of the classic "The Chronic" & supplying us an album full of lost tracks from Snoop Doggy Dogg, Death Row now gives us an "Ultimate Collection." Also as a side note, I have to let you know that I don't have any information on the bonus T-shirt that comes with this package.
Now anyone who's familiar with Death Row's previous history knows that they have released so many "Greatest Hits" albums (Death Row's Greatest Hits, Very Best Of Death Row, 15 Years On Death Row, Singles Collection, 2pac, Snoop Doggy Dogg...and the various "import" collections & re-releases with bonus DVD's) that with this being an "Ultimate Collection", your going to have some repeats of songs from Death Row's most successful albums. From 2pac's All Eyes On Me ("California Love", "How Do You Want It", "I Ain't Mad At Cha", "2 Of Amerikaz Most Wanted", "All Eyes On Me") & his Makaveli album ("To Live & Die In L.A.") to Dr. Dre's The Chronic ("Nuthin' But A G Thang", "Dre Day", "Let Me Ride") to Snoop Doggy Dogg's Doggystyle ("Gin & Juice", "Who Am I", "Doggy Dogg World", "Ain't No Fun") to Tha Dogg Pound's Dogg Food ("New York, New York") along with various soundtracks like Above The Rim (Warren G & Nate Dogg's "Regulate", Lady Of Rage's "Afro Puffs", Dogg Pound's "Big Pimpin'"), Murder Was The Case (Snoop Doggy Dogg's title track & "Natural Born Killaz" with Dr. Dre & Ice Cube), and Gridlock'd (2pac's "Never Had A Friend Like Me") with other various popular tracks (Dr. Dre & Snoop Doggy Dogg's "187" & Daz Dillinger's "It Might Sound Crazy Remix" with Too Short). Along with these classic tracks come the classic music videos on the bonus DVD from 2pac ("Live & Die In L.A.", "Hail Mary", "I Ain't Mad At Cha"), Dr. Dre ("Natural Born Killaz"), Snoop Doggy Dogg ("Vapors" & "What's My Name") along with a few rare ones from Lady Of Rage ("Get With The Wickedness"), Top Dogg ("Cinderfella"), Daz Dillinger (the street version of "Way Too Major"), Soopafly ("Like It Or Not"), Danny Boy ("Slip & Slide"), Nate Dogg ("Never Leave Me Alone") and an unreleased video from the song "Puffin' On Blunts..." with Dr. Dre, Tha Dogg Pound, and Lady Of Rage.
Now this difference between this & the previous "Greatest Hits" albums I mentioned earlier is that the classic tracks are only half the album as the other half of songs on here are all "advertised" as unreleased (I'll get back to that later) and these are all songs featuring the lesser known members of the Death Row roster (with the exception of Kurupt & Lady Of Rage) such as Crooked I, L.B.C. Crew, J. Flexx, O.F.T.B., Lil C-Style, Swoop G, Doobie, Soopafly, Big Pimpin', and the R&B; artist of Jewell & Danny Boy & Sixx Feet Deep. As I pointed out earlier, two songs on here are advertised as "unreleased" but for those who are long time followers of Death Row would know that when Daz Dillinger left Death Row, he took various tracks with him & released them on his own and two of those songs appear here as The Dogg Pound's "I Don't Care What The People Say" (on D.P.G.'s "Tha Last Of The Pound") & Soopafly's "This Type Of Flow" (on Soopafly's album "Dat Whoopty Woop"). All the new/unreleased/vaulted tracks are definitely worth a listen as Doobie's "Caught Up In The Game" & Swoop G's "All We Do" are the only tracks I didn't really care for with L.B.C. Crew's tracks ("6 Shooter" & "Doggystyle '96"), O.F.T.B.'s "That Was Then, This Is Now" & the R&B; tracks (Sixx Feet Deep's "Consider Me", Jewell's "With Me Tonight" & "Black Diamond", Danny Boy's "So In Love" & "Rock, Roll, Bounce") were the standout songs for me.
In the end, this is one of those "Greatest Hits" type of collections that would appeal to everyone across the board. The newer fans of Death Row have the classic songs & music videos from the flagship artist while the older fans of Death Row have the rare/vaulted songs & music videos from the lesser-known talents on the label. This is definitely one worth giving a listen to for Death Row fans of any generation.
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A Nice (But Incomplete) Timeline Of The West Coast, April 29, 2010
From the late 80's throughout the 90's into the early 2000's, one of the most influencial rap/hip hop labels was Priority Records. This label is responcible for the launch/success of so many legends & well known names in rap music from Eazy-E & N.W.A., Ice Cube & Westside Connection, Snoop Dogg, Master P & others. However the label was later merged into Capitol Records (and later under EMI) & reduced to just releasing various "Greatest Hits" albums using the same songs from their vault for years along with re-releasing it's past albums over & over again after a couple of years (Eazy-E's "Eternal E" Greatest Hits album got repackaged at least 2 different times). The label is now making a comeback for it's 25th Anniversary with Snoop Dogg having an executive position as Creative Chairman along with Snoop re-releasing classic albums from their vault with his "Uncut Snoop Dogg Approved" stamp on them. Snoop has also released this album full of tracks from the catalog to represent the catalog's influence when it came to west coast music.
Snoop Dogg broke this album down into three different eras from late 1980's to the first & last half of the 1990's. The early era is represented with Eazy-E's "Eazy Duz It", King Tee's "Act A Fool", The D.O.C. "No One Can Do It Better", Low Profile "Pay Ya Dues", and Kid Frost "La Raza". N.W.A.'s "Always Into Something", Rappin 4-Tay's "Playaz Club", and Ice Cube's original version of "Check Yo Self" with Das EFX & his "You Can't Play With My Yoyo" collaboration with Yo-Yo herself complete the 1990-1995 era. The era of the late 90's has the most tracks on here with Mack 10's "Foe Life" & his collaboration with Death Row Records' artist Tha Dogg Pound on "Nothin' But The Cavi Hit", Luniz' "I Got 5 On It", Ras Kass' "The Evil That Men Do", Westside Connection's "Gangstas Make The World Go Round", Ant Banks "4 Tha Hustlers", and Snoop Dogg's own song "Trust Me." Also on here is Snoop Dogg's own remake on the Ice Cube classic "Check Yo Self (The Message Remix)" featuring the Hustle Boyz which is a nice bonus track but nothing worth going out of your way to listen to.
Now this is one of those releases that, eventhough the title suggest that this is a represenation of west coast music, is very limited as various artist & their record labels who were very influential on the west coast moment didn't have their catalogs available for various reasons (like how Death Row owns their own masters & catalog regardless of who distributes it or how 2pac was under a deal with Interscope Records throughout his career). Knowing that, one of the things I like about this album is that certain lesser known tracks were picked so those artist who they didn't have access to had their presence was represented through a collaboration that was done such as Snoop Dogg's "Trust Me" represented Suga Free, the Ant Banks song also having appearences from 2pac & Too Short, Death Row Records being represented by Tha Dogg Pound on their song with Mack 10 "Nuthin But The Cavi Hit", W.C. as part of the Westside Connection, and picking the N.W.A. track "Always Into Something" that was just Dr. Dre & MC Ren since both Ice Cube & Eazy-E already had their own solo tracks on here. The only things I really would have stressed on here is that there was a way to get Ice-T on here since he did some songs in their vault along with some collaborations with artist on the label like Ice Cube & Ras Kass while Above The Law is once again unrecognized when it comes to their influence on the west coast. In the end, most older fans have most of these songs in one way or another through either the original albums, re-releases with bonus materials (Ice Cube, N.W.A., and Eazy-E's albums), or Priority constantly releasing various albums reusing the same songs in their catalog. However there are a few rare tracks here that haven't been recycled or re-released in years (at least to my knowledge) so that may have some appeal. As for newer fans, concider this a mixtape (or as another review put it, a sampler) highlighting the record label's history. Under those basis, it's something I recommend to check out.
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A Year Of Cells, Submissions, Tables, Ladders, Chairs, Championships, And More, April 21, 2010
The year long period between WrestleMania 25 & 26 was definately one of the more interesting periods in WWE history when it came to their pay-per-view presentation as various changes were made with some of the more traditional shows of the past. Unforgiven & No Mercy & Cyber Sunday & Armageddon were dropped in favor of new shows based around either a new concept ("Bragging Rights" brand warfare), gimmick matches (Hell In A Cell & T.L.C.), or a stipulation ("Breaking Point" matches being based on submission). Various matches happened throughout the year with some ranging from either a standout performance to a memorable classic enounter and WWE decided to select a few of these matches & put it on this 3 disc set to showcase what they were were the "best of the best" during this time period.
Matches Include:
Last Man Standing Match: World Champion John Cena vs. Edge - Anyone who's seen their previous encounters knows that Edge is the one guy who can bring out the best in Cena while Cena gives his best performances in matches where there are "no rules brawls" & this match proved my point. They've fought countless times over the years but yet was able to still pull out a match that was different than their previous matches they told a great story about how they just beat each other into exaustion & knew each other so well that they were able to counter their signature moves right from the start, built up the pace over time, came up with some new creative spots throughout the match (boy, the front row got their money's worth didn't they?), used weapons, went all over the place, and had an ending that was quite the visual when it happened. Their best match IMO outside of their T.L.C. match at Unforgiven '06 & match of the night, no questions asked.
Backlash
ECW Champion Jack Swagger vs. Christian - Damn, they knew how to kick off this PPV as this was the best in-ring performance from both men in their current runs...with the sidenote that Swagger is still in his WWE rookie year. Christian showcased what anyone who's watched during his time in TNA knew in that he was a great performer while Swagger is really coming into his own by showcasing good wrestling in his own right along with some strenght like his pressing Christian over his head & tossing him out the ring at one point. Great match.
Backlash
World Champion Edge vs. Jeff Hardy - I've said it before that Jeff & Edge never had a bad match to my memory...and this is no exception as they did a good wrestling match with each man vibing off each other well with J.R. doing a great job on the commentary putting over how Hardy kept using "calculating risk" with his offense instead of just being a daredevil including pulling out a few moves we aren't used to them like Jeff doing Bret Hart's Sharpshooter & taking one hell of a superplex from Edge with a sick looking landing. The ending was a bit of a jip but it doesn't take away from these two putting on a great solid performance here.
Judgment Day
Mask vs. Title: Intercontinental Champion Chris Jericho vs. Rey Mysterio - The feud of the year (IMO) continues here as they used the motto "it it ain't broke, don't fix it" as they used the same formula that's worked before & even had some counters to moves in their previous matches (watch out for that Codebreaker in mid-air). Just like what this feud was based on, the mask did come into play at one point but it was another creative finish here that again delivered the match of the night.
The Bash
United States Champion Kofi Kingston vs. Primo vs. M.V.P. vs. Jack Swagger vs. The Miz vs. Carlito - This was one of those matches that was fun to watch as all six men were allowed in the ring at the same time which made for various good multiman spots like the classic "electric chair." Not everyone had a highlight reel but you saw various highlights like Swagger showing his power, Carlito & Kofi showing their athletic ability various times, a reunion of Carlito & Primo, and a very unique version of M.V.P.'s playmaker with Swagger & Miz. Again, a very fun match to watch.
Night Of Champions
WWE Champion Randy Orton vs. John Cena vs. Triple H - The rematch from WrestleMania 24. This has a funny beginning as it was clear that Randy Orton was the guy with the target on him from both Cena & Triple H and Orton tried to seperate himself from them but they both went right after him. This built up & got better over time with good multiman interaction before it erupted into what Michael Cole described best, "Chaos!" While what happened towards the end with all three men & the referee looked confusing, it's something we've seen around 8 years ago but a nice twist along with an RKO that took out two people at once, this was a good match. Eventhough I enjoyed the WrestleMania match more, this wasn't a disappointment.
Night of Champions
Intercontinental Champion Rey Mysterio vs. Dolph Ziggler - Anyone who saw their match at Night Of Champions knows that Dolph had an impressive performance & this was no different as Dolph grounded Mysterio & focused on his neck making moves like a lariat he gave more high impact. Mysterio as usual did use his high flyin' moves like doing this standing moonsault from the top turnbuckle off of countering a backdrop in the opening moments while also getting caught by Ziggler with a dropkick in midair. Great opener & another impressive performance from Dolph.
SummerSlam
T.L.C. Match: World Champion Jeff Hardy vs. C.M. Punk - This match was very similar to how Edge & Jeff Hardy had their ladder match months earlier in that this wasn't a non-stop spotfest more than a match where they used the weapons to make moves more high impact & trying to tell a story. It's a TLC match so all elements were used as expected along with various moments such as Punk slamming Hardy onto an open chair to the backrest hit his spine, Hardy missing a splash & crashing through a table on the outside, Hardy reversing Punk's running knee kick/bulldog combination into a toss to the outside table, and of course Jeff Hardy being the human highlight reel with the swanton bomb that you have to see to believe...and I still didn't believe I saw it when I was there. This was a great one on one TLC match from both men while what happened to end the show was probably just as shocking as we saw another WWE return & great way to end the show.
SummerSlam
"I Quit" Match: WWE Champion Randy Orton vs. John Cena - Due to what happened at SummerSlam, the stipulation here was that Orton will lose the title if anyone get involved. This is one of those matches that's more about "putting over a character" more than actual wrestling quality because the actual physical part of the match itself (haven't seen their matches past this PPV) ranks below their previous two SummerSlam matches but above their other two PPV matches that were also setup to just further a storyline. This match heavily showcased Orton's "Viper" character as being cold hearted & calculating & merciless by just attacking Cena's head with the hanging DDT and weapons like a monitor & steel chair & the steps. Orton also at one point had Cena handcuffed and just beating the hell out of him & so obsessed with having Cena say "I Quit" that he even refused to allow Cena to "get out easy" & passout from the pain while Cena's character was pushed here too as he just kept taking a beating but refused to quit. I'll give credit in that I thought it was a creative way of applying the STF but the finish just came too quick to be believeable. In the end, you have to look at this match for what it was in that it was more of a "character driven" match more than anything else.
Breaking Point
Hell In A Cell Match: D-Generation X vs. Legacy - This match definately stood out from others as it started off as a brawl on the outside of the with Legacy jumping DX on their way to the ring while using the method that worked in their favor at Breaking Point which was "divide & conquer" with Triple H being knocked out on the stage while Shawn was locked inside the Cell with Legacy. From there, it was an exact copy of what happened at Breaking Point with Shawn being tortured by both men with Triple H unable to make the save for several minutes using a chair & the cage to their advantage. Triple H was able to enter the cage & dominate before using Legacy's methods against them in route to victory. I just really didn't like this match past the opening brawl as their previous matches were encounters that left both teams leaving with a strong performance while this one had Dibiase & Rhodes looking heavily inferior to just Triple H alone and unlike how they tortured Shawn at Breaking Point, you didn't know if Triple H was going to be able to save Shawn even if he made it to the ring while here where you just knew Triple H was going to somehow get in the cage, dominate & raise hell...it was just very predictable for me. Just again, after the previous matches were great strong performances...this did a poor job of following those two & the only person come out strong in this case was Triple H (and I'm not one of those anti-Triple H internet marks). I'm guessing that I'm in the minority here but I felt like this was the weakest match out of their series & probably my least favorite HIAC match of all time.
Hell In A Cell
D-Generation X, Big Show, Jack Swagger, Mark Henry, Cody Rhodes, Kofi Kingston (RAW) vs. Chris Jericho, Kane, Matt Hardy, Finlay, R-Truth, Hart Dynasty (SmackDown) - The final match to determine who gets the Bragging Rights trophy however this match heavily resembled what I classified as multi-diva matches earlier in that only certain people work the matches while others just come in to get a spot in before being forgotten about. This was a good match that had some moments like Finlay & Shawn facing off (I think for the first time) and literally "butting heads" while old rivals fought again at various times (Hardy with Henry & Swagger along with Kane & Big Show). I'll say that it was creative how everything that happened in the ending would set up various angles following the match but overall, this match was a bit of a disappointment for me.
Bragging Rights
Elimination Match: John Morrison, Matt Hardy, Evan Bourne, Shelton Benjamin, Finlay vs. The Miz, Drew McIntyre, Sheamus, Dolph Ziggler, Jack Swagger - As the commentators would point out in the commentary, this is the "future of the WWE" in this match with all of those young guns involved. This had some moments I didn't care like the quick eliminations & Shelton Benjamin's time (or lack thereof) in the match but definately had it's share of highlights like Drew McIntyre's piledriver that just spiked Evan Bourne, the always underrated Matt Hardy being the workhorse that the fans know he's capable of being, the referee being a victim of being in the wrong place at the wrong time, and John Morrison putting up one hell of a fight in the end. Definately a good way to open the show but it was quite of sight seeing the sole survivors just knowing that within the coming weeks, all of them would win championships.
Survivor Series
Ladder Match: ECW Champion Christian vs. Shelton Benjamin - With the ECW brand being lost in the shuffle for the past couple of PPV's (which Christian openily admitted weeks earlier), they came back with a bang here with the two men who have their own highlight reels when it comes to ladder matches. Michael Cole described this match just right in the end when he called it a "thriller" because you just had so many moments such as various moves done off the ladder (flying clothesline, powerslam, scorpion deathdrop) and done onto the ladder (frog splash) and one moment where Shelton showed heavy strength by catching Christian off the ladder into a powerbomb onto another one. The only thing I can really say that was negative here was when Christian got busted open at one point & the match was stopped so the EMT can attend to it leading the crowd to chant "WE WANT BLOOD." Despite that one negative, they did what they acomplished to do & that's steal the show.
T.L.C.: Tables, Ladders & Chairs
Womens Champion Michelle McCool vs. Mickie James - All I can say here is that after all the "Piggy James" comments & actions from both McCool & Layla, they got exactly what they deserved. Just think of this match as the female version of Ultimate Warrior vs. Honky Tonk Man.
Royal Rumble
Streak vs. Career: Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels - Seeing how this is only the fourth time in WrestleMania history & the first time in 15 years that a non-title match is the final match at WrestleMania, you could tell that the quality they delievered last year was enough to warrant the closing position. Eventhough these two put on such a memorable classic last year, they were able to put on another classic but different match this year as the stipulations of only winning by pinfall/submission along with the story of Shawn being so obsessed with ending the streak that he risked his own career...this match was more intense than the last one right from the opening moment when Shawn did Taker's trademark signature "throat slash" at the start. Taker hurt his leg early in the match giving Shawn the advantage by heavily working over that leg with various moves like the figure four & even the anklelock. Things really picked up from here with such moments as Shawn getting the tombstone on the floor, HBK executing a moonsault that you have to see to believe, and being able to counter moves from Undertaker that nobody else was able to counter before him while Taker himself was able to keep getting up from everything Shawn delievered. I don't want to reveal the ending but the match had such an effect on Taker to the point where he showed more emotion towards Shawn that we've seen from "The Dead Man" before Shawn refused to go out without a fight. As what has been the case with most of the matches here, keep watching after the match as you got got a very emotional WrestleMania moment.
WrestleMania XXVI
(Blu-Ray Exclusive) Singapore Cane Match: Kane vs. Great Khali - Kane is in a match that was named after him (get it...Kane & cane?). Alright, I know that was a bad joke but that was more entertaining than this match itself as these two just don't work well together with Kane only being as good as the person across from him while Khali just isn't good unless he's with a small guy who knows how to bounce around & be a personal spot monkey for him & the canes hurt more (as if that's possible) than it helped here. Sorry for the rant but whoever seriously thinks that these two facing each other are an attraction that people want to see needs to be fired.
Breaking Point
(Blu-Ray Exclusive) Unified Tag Team Champions Chris Jericho & Big Show vs. Batista & Rey Mysterio - Eventhough it was heavily put over that Mysterio & Batista were former WWE Tag Team Champions, the little known fact is that they were only champions for a week & have teamed up together so many times that you can count them on one hand & hadn't teamed together in years. Knowing that fact, this match was the shock of the night because Batista & Mysterio worked really well together here as they did great teamwork & kept Jericho away from Big Show various times in the match and working him over. Watch out for the kick Mysterio gave Jericho at one point that looked like it was out Tajiri's old playbook and just how massive Show is to Mysterio as he palmed his head on the outside & lifted him into the ring. This played match played out well as it worked towards everyone's strengths & there wasn't a dull moment. Definately the best performance in both of these teams history.
Hell In A Cell
(Blu-Ray Exclusive) T.L.C. Match: Unified Tag Team Champions Chris Jericho & Big Show vs. D-Generation X - DX was out to gain their first set of tag team championship (eventhough technically the New Age Outlaws were tag team champions as members of DX a decade ago). This started out as you would expect with an all-out brawl on the from the ring to the floor all the way to the arm with dueling chair being used. This match had it's various moments with Big Show actually being the M.V.P. of the match like how Triple H was sprawled across a ladder in the corner only for HBK to the thrown against him & be squished by Show, Big Show punched through a chair into Triple H's face, the power of Show destroying more than one ladder with his bare hands, and the comedic ending with Jericho & Show working together to grab the belts only for that to backfire in a nasty way for Jericho as he took the worst fall than anyone else the entire night. If your expecting the heavy "spotfest" that you've gotten from TLC/Ladder matches in the past that you won't get it here but this was still a good contest with plenty of moments to not leave you disappointed.
T.L.C.:Tables, Ladders & Chairs
(Blu-Ray Exclusive) World Champion Undertaker vs. Rey Mysterio - Just by looking at these two, you got the type of match expected here in that it was "David vs. Goliath" and just like usual when Mysterio plays the "David" role, he puts up one hell of a fight. Taker showcased his superior power early by just tossing Mysterio over the top in the opening moments & blocking Mysterio's high flyin' moves. Mysterio did the old Bret Hart strategy by working on Taker's legs, maked Taker's nose bleed from various kicks to the face, and even hit two 619's before he got caught with the Last Ride. This was the best non-Rumble match of the night & was a good encounter.
Royal Rumble
DVD extras are set to include the various wrestlers discussing their matches from that year including John Cena (Backlash & Breaking Point), Christian (Backlash), Rey Mysterio (The Bash & SummerSlam), Kofi Kingston (Night Of Champions), Legacy (Hell In A Cell), Matt Hardy (Bragging Rights), and The Miz (Survivor Series). There were certainly some matches I felt should have been on here more than some that they left off because of various reasons like it wasn't the best encounter they had on PPV (Mickie/McCool) or that the quality of the match just wasn't as good as other matches they decided to leave off this set (I would have put Kofi/Miz from Breaking Point on here than that other U.S. Title match from Night Of Champions) but in the end, you can't win them all...like always...so this is definately something I would pick up for those who already aren't heavly collectors of the WWE PPV's.
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Relive A Standout Year Of Total Nonstop Action, April 21, 2010
Without a doubt, 2009 was a standout year for TNA. There were periods where the company clearly had it's ups & downs from the Main Event Mafia vs. TNA Frontline/Originals story, the influx of so many old & new faces coming into the company, Sting's career taking a different direction than it ever did before, new championships introduced into the company, storylines/angles that still standout to this day (remember the riot on Impact?) and changes throughout the entire company. This DVD is set to showcase the highlights of that year along with various matches.
Matches Include:
Sarita vs. Alissa Flash - This was the technically the TNA debut for both women here (eventhough Flash was already in TNA under the alias of Kong's manager, Raisha Saaed). This match was heavily put over for weeks leading up to it as a showcasing for the debuting Sarita but Flash made a statement in her own right straight from the beginning when she told the ring announcer to call her the "Future Legend" & took the fight right to Sarita from the start. Sarita was able to showcase her lucha style with out of the ring dives & a armdrag off the top rope while also displaying some MMA with an arm bar. This was a very competitive match for the time they had & both ladies left an impression when it was over.
"Impact" July
Tables Match: A.J. Styles vs. Kurt Angle - As anyone can tell you, whenever you get an A.J. Styles vs. Kurt Angle match...it's quality viewing. However out of all the matches I've seen from them, this is probably the weakest one because the gimmick handicapped them from doing what they did best & wrestle. They were able to tell a better story than you usually get from tables matches with both men trying creative ways to put them through the table while also avoiding & countering the attempts for themselves to go through it. It was a good match but the gimmick handicapped them from giving us the classic performances we're used to...but look out for the one moment where A.J. Styles used the table on Kurt Angle in a way that had every single match watching go "OUCH!"
"Impact" Jan.
Empty Arena Match: Sting vs. Kurt Angle - It seems like we only get this type of match once every decade (Funk/Lawler in the 80s & Rock/Mankind in the 90s) but that's what makes this match special...so special that this match got Impact it's highest rating in the history of the company to that point. Both Sting & Angle were in the Main Event Mafia however Kurt's ego got out of control to the point where he wasn't only the "Godfather" of the group but he wanted Sting's TNA Championship as well. As you would expect, they fought all throughout the Impact Zone from the ring through the empty seats in the stands & ramming Kurt against the wall various times. Their emotions kept boiling over leading to both men just screaming at each other "I'M GONNA KILL YOU KURT!" & "I HATE YOU STING!" Another match that was good for what it was but it's more about pushing the story between the two men than anything else.
"Impact" Feb.
No Disqualification Match: Jeff Jarrett vs. Kurt Angle - After months of Kurt's personal attacks towards Jarrett's family, Jarrett came for revenge here & you saw that right from the start with Jeff giving Angle strong irishwhips into the turnbuckles hurting his back & even giving Angle a low blow early just escape his sleeper hold. This got violent later on as Angle nailed Jarrett with the ringbell in the face before Jeff came back with a DDT on the ramp that resulted in both men being busted open before continuing the brawl on the entranceway & Angle even delievering an Olympic Slam off the stage through a table that took so much out of both men that they had to crawl back to the ring to continue to match. Both men used the chair against each other before it took a wrestling move to end this physical encounter. I've openily been one of those people who feel like "you've seen one Jeff Jarrett match, you've seen them all" as a high majority of them always start off with a little wrestling before going into a brawl through the crowd & back into the ring before tons of interference & the use of his gutair happens. However Angle was able to get a damn good match that was one hell of a brawl & told a great story at the same time.
Genesis
Ultimate X Match: X Division Champion Amazing Red vs. Daniels vs. Chris Sabin vs. Alex Shelley vs. Suicide vs. Homicide - The setup for this Ultimate X was new as they had the usual ringropes stretched out above the ring with the championship hanging in the middle but above that was the Elevation X structure as well that was also used in the Ultimate X match back at Victory Road '07. Just as you would expect from the Ultimate X match, this was a wild & crazy stunt fest that led to us chanting for the wrestlers to "Please Don't Die" at one point. One highlight without a doubt was the team of the Gunz themselves as their speed & doubleteam moves were just amazing to watch. And speaking of amazing, other moments to look out for were the wrestlers fighting on top of the Elevation X structure & the failed attempts at winning the belts resulting in some heavy falls like Sabin & Red landing facefirst at one point while Daniels landed so nasty on his head that most of us were shocked that he was able to walk out the ring.
Bound For Glory
TNA Champion A.J. Styles vs. Sting - This was a true "gentleman's match" here as they shook hands before the match & put on a performance that didn't need "heel" tactics as both men kept a level of respect with each other throughout the match. As usual when it comes to Bound For Glory & even pointed out various times throughout the night, Sting is TNA's "Mr. October" & did bring his "A" game here for this match as he kept up with A.J. Styles here & took the fight to him straight up with even hitting his Scorpion Deathdrop & locking in the Scorpion Deathlock at various times for Styles to keep fighting while A.J. did tone down his high flyin' offense for more of a grounded style. If you can get past the ending which came sudden & had a poor setup to it...this match surpassed their previous match a year earlier from Turning Point however I enjoyed Sting's performances against Samoa Joe & Kurt Angle at the previous BFG's more than this one.
Bound For Glory
Kurt Angle vs. Desmond Wolfe - This was the PPV debut of Desmond Wolfe (the former Nigel McGuiness) and after weeks of attacking Kurt Angle & leaving him laying, Kurt got his chance for revenge here. Kurt played a smarter game than expected here as he remained one step ahead of Wolfe & counter the moves that were used in previous weeks by Wolfe in his attacks against Angle. Wolfe was able to work over Kurt's arm with moves like a keylock while being able to reverse Angle's trademark moves like the Angle Slam into a DDT. Kurt used various submission moves of his own that we aren't used to seeing from him such as a side triangle choke while also being able to deliver six german suplexes at one point. All I can really say to summerise this match is that this was a wrestling (not sports entertainment but pure straight WRESTLING) fans dream here as both men came into this match studying each other so hard that they had the answer to everything expected from their opposition. To modify a pun from Kurt himself...this was awesome, it was damn awesome!
Turning Point
TNA Champion A.J. Styles vs. Daniels vs. Samoa Joe - For the first time since Unbreakable 2005 (if you don't count the 2006 PPV's of Against All Odds & Destination X), these three meet once again in a rematch of one of the most famous matches in TNA history. With the conflict between the friends in Daniels & A.J. Styles, Daniels punched A.J. right at the start of this match & later showed that he wouldn't be overlooked in the match with various moves like applying a double submission on both A.J. & Joe at the same time with a Camel Clutch/Boston Crab combination. A.J. Styles pulled out various moves that he don't see from him on a regular basis like the Fosbury Flop twisting dive to the outside while later being monkeyflipped into a powerbomb by Samoa Joe. It should be noted that Daniels was without a doubt the M.V.P. of this match & was a performance that elevated a talent...even in a losing effort which has been needed from him since he came back to TNA earlier in the year. I can try to pick out some of the highlights like I just did but this is one of those matches that I seriously can't describe as it lived up to the hype based off the quality they had 4 years earlier but it was given but these three men delievered a match completely different than their previous three that was quality in it's own right that resulted in "Screw Hulk Hogan" chants from the fans.
Turning Point
In addition to the matches, video packages are shown recapping 2009 & some of the acomplishments TNA made in the year. DVD extras include a music video featuring various highlights from the year, the Dixie Carter sitdown interview, and highlights of the Hulk Hogan press conference at Madison Square Garden. The only real negative I have to say is that some of these encounters certainly wouldn't qualify as the best ones to pick out when highlighting the year while others were good in their own right but certainly not better than the picks they decided to leave out such as why put an irrelevant tables match between A.J. & Kurt on here yet leave out their much talked about 20 min. classic right before Bound For Glory off? In the end, I have to say that all the PPV matches were quality in their own right while the Impact matches are good but nothing that you really HAVE to go out of your way to see (with the exception of the Knockouts match) but this is still a gem that I would recommend to see.
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Tons Of Twist & Turns On The Road To WrestleMania 26, April 21, 2010
Elimination Chamber Match: WWE Champion Sheamus vs. John Cena vs. Triple H vs. Kofi Kingston vs. Randy Orton vs. Ted Dibiase - Before the match started, you got a bit of a "chuckle" moment as Kofi Kingston made his way to the ring & checked behind himself to make sure he didn't get jumped again like how he was by Edge the previous year. This Chamber match made history as it was the first time that all six participants where in the match at the same time with no previous eliminations which made for such moments as both Kofi & Cena & Orton performing signature moves over the top rope onto the chamber floor, Randy Orton focusing on Sheamus to the a positive reaction from the crowd, the relationship between Legacy in the match before Cody Rhodes made an appearence that resulted in Ted Dibiase "picking his poision", Kofi in an usual position of being in a boston crab while his head was wedged inbetween the chamber walls of chains, Cena coming out of his chamber swinging, and the back to back to back eliminations before we had a new WWE Champion....before Mr. McMahon appeared after the match resulting in an aftermath that resulted in another new WWE Champion.
Intercontinental Champion Drew McIntyre vs. Kane - Both men's usual wrestling styles are slowpaced which made this match not do a good job of following the previous match. Drew did attempt to tell a story by working over Kane's arm with various armbars & using the single arm DDT while he also went on the defense of taking some bumps from the ring to the floor but this match was just really too dull & dry for my taste to the point where it's just a boring filler for me.
Gail Kim & Maryse vs. Michelle McCool & Layla - This was originally suppost to be the tournament finals for the vacant Divas Championship however due to some negative words said towards the SmackDown divas backstage before the match, Vickie Guerrero changed this to a tag team match. This was a match strickly to put over a storyline more than anything else as this was a glorified handicap match as Maryse refused to tag into the match leaving Gail Kim all alone against Team LayCool who's numbers were just too much for Gail Kim in another boring filler.
United States Champion The Miz vs. M.V.P. - This was their Royal Rumble rematch & just like the Rumble, this was put together at the last minute but the different this time being that their tag team partners (Mark Henry & Big Show) were in their corners. M.V.P. was out to punish & hurt Miz more than winning which saw him be very aggressive and pull out some moves I haven't seen from him before such as a Kurt Angle-like belly to belly superplex that tossed Miz from corner to corner and even had Miz bleeding (at least they didn't stop the match this time). Miz brought his game as well & even executed his own variation of Chris Jericho's "codebreaker" after catching M.V.P. in the corner before Big Show & Mark Henry got invovled leading to Miz retaining his championship. This was easily better than their previous match at the Royal Rumble & definately the best match on the undercard as this didn't come off as a filler.
Elimination Chamber Match: World Champion Undertaker vs. John Morrison vs. R-Truth vs. Rey Mysterio vs. C.M. Punk vs. Chris Jericho - Before the match got started, you'll notice that Taker didn't do his usual entrance as he powerwalked right to the ring when in reality, a pyro accident caused Taker's jacket to catch fire so he quickly went to the ring. This match was different the previous Chamber match as there were eliminations throughout the match including R-Truth being eliminated before the first chamber opened allowing Punk some time to do more of his "straight edge" preaching. Mysterio was definately a highlight reel here with such moments as performing a frankensteiner from the top rope to the chamber floor & even pulling out a reverse dragon sleeper while having a great "triple threat" interaction between Morrison & Jericho...who also had a good matchup against Taker himself that saw Jericho try to hide in one of the chambers from Taker who eventually broke the door to get at Jericho. In the end, it was another unexpected appearence by Shawn Michaels that led to a new World Champion while also setting up another road to WrestleMania for Undertaker.
DVD extras include a post match interview with Chris Jericho, Edge making his WrestleMania announcement on RAW, and highlights of the issues between Shawn Michaels & Undertaker. This was one of those PPV's just like how Royal Rumble was where the main attraction match were the highlights of this PPV as the only other match worth watching is the Miz/M.V.P. match with the other two being boring fillers. Just like the Royal Rumble, this is worth a rental but if your a big diehard fan of the Elimination Chamber matches then go ahead & pick this up if you got a few spare bucks.
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A "Rated R" Return Along With An EXTREME Exit, April 21, 2010
ECW Champion Christian vs. Ezekel Jackson - This was a real solid opening match as we all know what Christian is capable of but Ezekel Jackson stepped it up here in getting himself over as a powerman that all about what his entrance music implies...Domination. Ezekel overpowered Christian various times throughout the match causing Christian to play defense, use his speed, & take high risk to get an advantage. It was a solid opening match & good showcasing for Jackson even in defeat as they would go on to have better matches (like their Extreme Rules match on the final ECW broadcast) but one funny moment was Matt Striker bringing up a note in the history of the ECW Championship to no immediate responce from the others leading to Michael Cole saying, "I'm trying to forget that moment."
As a side note, this would end up being the last ECW match on PPV as WWE ended the brand right before the next PPV.
United States Champion The Miz vs. M.V.P. - Eventhough this was building for the previous month, this was a last minute bonus match. M.V.P. dominated early before Miz was able to recover with these two going back & forth against each other before Miz was able to pull out a win in another solid match...but the biggest highlight of this match was the aftermath between these two that ensured that we didn't see the last of this issue between these two men.
WWE Champion Sheamus vs. Randy Orton - Before the match, Orton told Ted Dibiase that he didn't want Legacy getting involved in his match based off the conversations he had with Rhodes & Dibiase seperately earlier in the night. This was a rare "heel vs. heel" match for the championship that saw the crowd starting to favor Randy Orton over Sheamus. Both men focused on a body part such as Sheamus' ankle & Orton's arm to the point where his arm was rammed into the steel steps. Cody's appearence (remember, he told Dibiase for them to not get involved...he didn't tell Cody) cost Orton the match resulting in Orton taking it out on Legacy before Orton would be left laying himself.
Womens Champion Michelle McCool vs. Mickie James - All I can say here is that after all the "Piggy James" comments & actions from both McCool & Layla, they got exactly what they deserved. Just think of this match as the female version of Ultimate Warrior vs. Honky Tonk Man. If your looking for an actual match...check out their encounter from the month before at T.L.C.
World Champion Undertaker vs. Rey Mysterio - Just by looking at these two, you got the type of match expected here in that it was "David vs. Goliath" and just like usual when Mysterio plays the "David" role, he puts up one hell of a fight. Taker showcased his superior power early by just tossing Mysterio over the top in the opening moments & blocking Mysterio's high flyin' moves. Mysterio did the old Bret Hart strategy by working on Taker's legs, maked Taker's nose bleed from various kicks to the face, and even hit two 619's before he got caught with the Last Ride. This was the best non-Rumble match of the night & was a good encounter.
Royal Rumble Battle Royal - As usual, WWE put together a great "by the numbers" video package featuring facts & highlights from the previous Rumble matches. Various moments such as C.M. Punk preaching during the match, the interaction between Punk & Great Khali & Beth Phoenix, Miz & M.V.P. picking up where they left off earlier, Legacy working together, Shawn fighting to get his match against Undertaker at WrestleMania...at ANYONE'S expense, Mark Henry's slam on Big Show, and the "Rated R" return. This was one of the best Rumbles in recent history as it had plenty of stories, action, and entertaining moments in the match that just came together perfectly.
DVD extras include the confrontation between Bret Hart & Mr. McMahon the next night on RAW. In the end, this event resembled the earlier Royal Rumbles where the undercard matches were solid but nothing memorable as a majority of these matches (except the World Title) weren't the best encounters in their series of matches while the Rumble itself was the highlight of the night. Bottom line, this was worth a rental but if your a diehard fan of the Rumble match then go ahead & pick it up.
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Can The Tag Teams Survive The Thirst For The World Titles?, April 21, 2010
Elimination Match: John Morrison, Matt Hardy, Evan Bourne, Shelton Benjamin, Finlay vs. The Miz, Drew McIntyre, Sheamus, Dolph Ziggler, Jack Swagger - As the commentators would point out in the commentary, this is the "future of the WWE" in this match with all of those young guns involved. This had some moments I didn't care like the quick eliminations & Shelton Benjamin's time (or lack thereof) in the match but definately had it's share of highlights like Drew McIntyre's piledriver that just spiked Evan Bourne, the always underrated Matt Hardy being the workhorse that the fans know he's capable of being, the referee being a victim of being in the wrong place at the wrong time, and John Morrison putting up one hell of a fight in the end. Definately a good way to open the show but it was quite of sight seeing the sole survivors just knowing that within the coming weeks, all of them would win championships.
Right around here was a backstage skit with Kofi Kingston's team where Christian (as usual) was the highlight because he was so "different" than everyone else.
Batista vs. Rey Mysterio - It should be noted that eventhough Batista came into this match as a heel for the first time since his Evolution days, he was cheered with this PPV being held in his hometown. Mysterio tried to use his speed here (including trying an old Eddie Guerrero move that the crowd booed) but kept getting caught by Dave who used his power to inflict punishment & just punish Mysterio thoughout the match to the point where it had to be stopped after 3 Batista Bombs. This was one of those "put a storyline over" matches as it heavily established the new Batista as he was more focused on embarrising & hurting Mysterio than just getting a win.
Elimination Match: Kofi Kingston, M.V.P., Mark Henry, R-Truth, Christian vs. Randy Orton, Ted Dibiase, Cody Rhodes, C.M. Punk, William Regal - Unfortunally, this match didn't begin well as they had a series of quick eliminations but really picked up when the numbers were even at three men per team. The match was good from there but the highlight was definately when Randy Orton decided to sitout for a while & we were treated with a "match inside the match" between the former tag team champions of C.M. Punk & Kofi Kingston that made both men come out strong IMO. In the end, Michael Cole perfectly summerized this match, "A Star Is Born!"
World Champion Undertaker vs. Chris Jericho vs. Big Show - This was the first of the World Title matches where tag team partners were going against the champion in a triple threat match...but this came off as a triple threat match in name only. Jericho & Show worked as a team throughout a majority of this double teaming Taker until Jericho showed that he was really out for himself by attempting to pin Show at one point & even breaking up his pin on Taker. Taker was able to take advantage of Jericho "poking the bear" in Big Show one too many times with countering the chokeslam into the Hells Gate after Show knocked out Jericho to retain the title. This was better than the Show/Taker match they had the year before but this match was just good but wasn't a standout performance from either man.
Elimination Match: Mickie James, Eve Torres, Kelly Kelly, Melina, Gail Kim vs. Michelle McCool, Jillian Hall, Beth Phoenix, Layla, Alicia Fox - Unfortunally this wasn't the quality of the divas match we got the month before as there was various botches & missed spots in this match that was really nothing noteworthy past Beth Phoenix's domination, the Mickie James/Michelle McCool showing along with McCool being a workhorse in this match. This wasn't bad at all unlike previous multi-diva matches but definately a stepdown from the rest of the card.
WWE Champion John Cena vs. Shawn Michaels vs. Triple H - The second triple threat title match featuring the champion defending against a tag team...however this match was completely different than the previous World Title match. This was truely every man for himself as was shown by what happened right at the opening bell that had everyone from the crowd to the announcers to Cena thinking "What The...Did I Just See That?" This match played out more as a bunch of singles matches in one instead of the usual "3 way dance" formula as there were various moments when one wrestler was taken out of the match leaving the other two to battle it out over the championship. Various moments occured such as Shawn Michaels delievering "Sweet Chin Music" to the point that Triple H got it at least 3 times, Triple H delievering a spinebuster through the announce table, and both members of DX being stacked on each other thanks to the "Attitude Adjustment." The one moments to definately look out in my opinion was this one sequence that started with Cena's STF on HHH going into a HBK crossface on Cena into an attemped "Attitude Adjustment" that morphed into another STF. This was definately a fun match to watch, the match of the night for me, and a great way to end the show.
DVD extras include a look at what happened between DX after the match & Christian saying "What's Up!" to the Bella Twins. With the exception of the divas match being the weak link of the card, this was a solid event from top to bottom as not only did we get quality but WWE did a great job in establishing the talent in the elimination matches while pushing storylines & characters (like Batista's heel turn) so this is definately a PPV from 2009 that's worth taking a look at.
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RAW vs. SmackDown (Sorry ECW), April 20, 2010
John Morrison (SmackDown) vs. The Miz (RAW) - The former World & WWE Tag Team Champions, former host of "The Dirt Sheet", and the holders of the top midcard titles (I.C. for Morrison & U.S. for Miz) finally clash here in their first singles meeting since being split up as a team back in April when Miz turned on Morrison after being drafted to RAW. No pun intended but this was "total nonstop action" as both men went back & forth here with Morrison showcasing his high flyin' style while Miz was more grounded but also very aggressive while using few heel tactics here & there. The only bad note I can say here is that the ending looked a little weak to me but a great way to start the show.
Melina, Gail Kim, Kelly Kelly (RAW) vs. Michelle McCool, Beth Phoenix, Natayla (SmackDown) - Normally when you get a multi-diva tag match, it's full of botches or they just stick to the wrestlers doing most of the work with the other pretty faces just getting a move in. However this one is a standout out of the past few matches on PPV because just like the first match, it continued to be fast paced action while everyone put in a good "botchless" effort from everyone. It should also be noted that there was some good foreshadowing of things to come from the SD team with Beth Phoenix dominating before McCool would make the blind tag to take over & be a glory hog with Beth returning the favor later.
World Champion Undertaker vs. Rey Mysterio vs. Batista vs. C.M. Punk - No different than the previous two matches, this was another quick fast paced one (as usually these multiman type of matches are) that had it's various moments like Taker tossing Punk over the top rope with Rey sitting a sitdown splash on Punk right afterwards on the floor with Mysterio again taking advantage of a situation by hitting another splash on Taker after a superplex with C.M. Punk. The main story here though was Batista & Rey Mysterio working together as a team thoughout the match only for Rey to break up Batista's pin at one point leading to what happened after the match between Rey & Batista that started with the words "I can't believe my best friend stabbed me in the back...I'm gonna rip your head off."
D-Generation X, Big Show, Jack Swagger, Mark Henry, Cody Rhodes, Kofi Kingston (RAW) vs. Chris Jericho, Kane, Matt Hardy, Finlay, R-Truth, Hart Dynasty (SmackDown) - The final match to determine who gets the Bragging Rights trophy however this match heavily resembled what I classified as multi-diva matches earlier in that only certain people work the matches while others just come in to get a spot in before being forgotten about. This was a good match that had some moments like Finlay & Shawn facing off (I think for the first time) and literally "butting heads" while old rivals fought again at various times (Hardy with Henry & Swagger along with Kane & Big Show). I'll say that it was creative how everything that happened in the ending would set up various angles following the match but overall, this match was a bit of a disappointment for me.
Falls Count Anywhere Ironman Match: WWE Champion Randy Orton vs. John Cena - The final encounter (or so they say) between these two who have been going at it on & off for the past two years for an entire hour and there was a special stipulation in that there was a one minute rest period between each fall. This was different than their typical matches in that knowing they are going for a complete hour, both men were more cautious as shown early when Orton tapping out very quickly the moment he got caught to avoid long term damage. Cena was bleeding at one point (and they tried to stop the clock to tend to the cut) but didn't stop & continued the match until the next fall as they tended to the cut during the rest period. There were some other standout moments like the "Attitude Adjustment" being countered into the RKO, the appearence of Legacy & Kofi Kingston, Orton trying to use the stage pyro against Cena, the fight through the crowd, tables & chairs & the steel steps being used, and Cena executing one of the most aggressive versions of the "STF" that I've seen from him. I've always said that Cena is at his best when he's in these "hardcore" type of matches & Orton definately held more than his own here in this match.
In the end, this was one of those PPV's that didn't have a bad match on it with the only negative thing I can say is that with the main match behind this "brand war" concept was a disappointment. Overall, this is definately one worth checking out.
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3 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
HART-felt Returns & HEARTBREAK-ing Exits At WrestleMania, March 30, 2010
A couple of notes here in that the commentary team for this event is Michael Cole & Matt Striker & Jerry Lawler making this the first Mania since XII/12 that Jim Ross didn't appear or do commentary on. Singer Fantasia did the "National Anthem" while former ECW/current RAW star Yoshi Tatsu won the pre-show battle royal. Also it should be noted that if my counting is right, this Mania featured the most debuts on the main show in a decade.
Unified Tag Team Champions Big Show & The Miz vs. John Morrison & R-Truth - Unfortunally this wasn't a good opening match as it was real short to get into as this just showcased Big Show being dominate more than anything else.
Normally I don't comment on backstage segments but check out this interview with Vickie Guerrero & her team in the Divas tag match that eventually resulting in Gene Okerland & Mae Young delivering a WrestleMania moment that ranks right up there with Howard Finkel with hair & Jim Ross in a toga.
Randy Orton vs. Ted Dibiase vs. Cody Rhodes - After being associated & together as members of "Legacy" for around a year & a half, the group finally broke apart resulting in this showdown. Eventhough this was advertised as a triple threat match, it was a glorified handicap match in the beginning as Dibiase & Rhodes double teamed Orton & even showcased what they learned from Orton as they used some of his own inring style & methods against him like his version of the "Garvin Stomp." However when it came down to who would get the victory over Randy, that's when Dibiase & Rhodes finally turned on each other allowing Orton to divide & conquer over both men executing his trademark moves on both men...to the overwhelming cheers of the fans.
Money In The Bank Ladder Match: Kane vs. MVP vs. Christian vs. Matt Hardy vs. Evan Bourne vs. Kofi Kingston vs.
Shelton Benjamin vs. Dolph Ziggler vs. Drew McIntyre vs. Jack Swagger - Just looking at the amount participants, you know this is the BIGGEST Money In The Bank yet & as you expect, this was your "carcrash match" full of spots: Dolph Ziggler doing his "Zig Zag" onto Christian off the ladder, Christian & Hardy wedging Swagger inbetween ladders in a way we've never seen before, Evan going "Air Bourne" off a ladder before later being hip tossed off a ladder straigh to the floor, and Drew McIntyre falling off the ladder & landing in a way that had to make every man watching feel his pain. Unlike how in previous years, Kofi & Shelton Benjamin's performances stood out, Kane was that person for me this year by showing his power by catching Kofi & powerbombing him on a ladder followed by later squashing Ziggler inbetween the ladder before ripping the ladder in half...only for Kofi to later to try to use those pieces as stilts (I'm not making this up) & even throwing an open ladder out the ring with such force that it came close to hitting a fan in the front row. When it came to memorable spots & highlight reel moments, this wasn't the best Money In The Bank they've done but it delivered. I'm not sure if they're going to edit this in the DVD or not but pay attention to the ending as we had a "TNA/Homicide/Steel Asylum" moment where it took longer to end the match than it should have.
Triple H vs. Sheamus - No, you aren't reading this wrong...Triple H is in the first half of the card & not in the World/WWE Championship match. I'll give credit where it's due in that this is probably the best performance I've seen from Sheamus so far in that not only was he able to come up with various ways to block/counter the pedigree but also told a good story of heavily focusing on Triple H's back with various submission holds to the point where it had to be pointed out on the commentary how eventhough he was still in his rookie year, his methods were very "veteran like." Triple H's offense here was uneventful but did a good job of selling for Sheamus before coming out with the eventual victory.
Rey Mysterio vs. CM Punk - If Mysterio was to lose this match then he would have to join the "Straight Edge Society." Before I get started, it should be noted that there was a malfunction with Mysterio's "catapult" entrance so it took longer for him to come to the ring than usual but when he did eventually make out, his costume this year was inspired by the Avatar movie...complete with the hair attached. For those you remember this previous PPV match (Armageddon '08) then you knew to expect a good match here & that's exactly what you got. Fast paced non-stop back & forth action here with some moments like Punk missing the baseball slide that had him feeling Drew McInytre's pain from earlier before being able to counter one of Mysterio's dives into a face first slam into the steel steps. Mysterio got his moments in such as executing a DDT onto Punk from a top rope jump & delivering various loud kicks that sounded stiff. Luke Gallous & Serelda did get involved more than once but it did eventually backfire in the end with Punk going headfirst downstairs on Gallous before Mysterio picked up the win.
No Holds Barred Match: Bret Hart vs. Vince McMahon - Before the match gets started, Vince revealed that he purchased his own set of lumberjacks in the Hart Family (including the Hart Dynasty) with Bruce Hart appointed as the special referee before Bret revealed that they already cashed the checks & that they were there to support Bret, not Vince. Now this was one of those "put a story over" encounters where you have to accept everything for what it is. It's well known that with Bret retiring after the concussion & later having the stroke, he can't take a bump or possibly give an "Excellence Of Execution" performance like he did over a decade ago so the Hart Dynasty were there to do most of the beating on Vince while execute the big moves like delievering a Hart Attack from the top rope that had Vince's head bounce off the mat when he hit the floor...while Bruce was counting out Vince on the outside in a NO HOLDS BARRED MATCH which was so silly that you have to listen to Lawler try to cover that up on the commentary. The only real thing Bret did that was noteworthy was constantly hitting Vince hard with the chair before executing one more sharpshooter for victory. If your expecting the quality Vince McMahon beatdown that he's recieved in previous Mania matches then your going to be disappointed but again, this was more about the story of Bret getting his revenge than anything else.
World Champion Chris Jericho vs. Edge - For those trivia fans, eventhough Edge & Jericho did have some interaction over the years in TV matches along various tag & multiman matches, this was their first ever one on one PPV match. As it was put over throughout the match, these two men knew each other so well here that they were able to reverse & counter each other's trademark moves at various times like Jericho being able to counter the spear various times into other moves like the Walls Of Jericho & even a Codebreaker while Jericho even attempted the spear only to run into a big boot. As Jericho made clear going into this match, he focused heavily on Edge's ankle including viciously stomping on it & even stealing his a move from his old "Thrillseakers" tag team partner Lance Storm with the half crab where he put the pressure on Edge's ankle. This wasn't a fast paced match but one that had a calculated pace that allowed them to tell a story that was constantly built over time but left you wanting more when it was over. However, the biggest highlight & memorable moment came afterwards when Edge delievered the one word that he promised would happen to Jericho at WrestleMania..."SPEAR" and boy did he ever.
Mickie James, Beth Phoenix, Gail Kim, Eve, Kelly Kelly vs. Michelle McCool, Layla, Maryse, Alicia Fox, Vickie Guerrero - All I'm gonna say here is that if your a fan of the Vickie Guerrero character (which I personally am) or seeing finishing moves executed back to back then you'll enjoy this one as I was just laughing at her from start to finish & you'll be entertained with the commentary as well then just go to the bathroom or get something to eat/drink & it will be over by the time your done. I gotta say that it was cool seeing Vickie kiss up to her late husband Eddie before attempting the "BULLfrog/HOG splash."
WWE Champion Batista vs. John Cena - For their SummerSlam match being remembered as shocking for how good it was just knowing how limited both guys are, they proved here that the quality of that match wasn't a fluke. Batista heavily focused on Cena's neck that he injured in that SummerSlam match including one moment delivering such a stiff DDT that Cena needed a few moments to recover. Both men delivered their various trademark moves in more impactful & unique ways that we're used to seeing such as Cena's Attitude Adjustment where he released Batista & tossed him instead of just slamming him down. This had plenty of counters, kickouts, moments revisted from their previous SummerSlam match, and was even able to do some grounded holds that kept people on their feet. Cena & Batista just work well off each other & This was a match that definately lived up to the hype & Cena's best WrestleMania match. Just like the other Edge/Jericho match, keep watching afterwards as Cena addressed the crowd wearing the infamous "We Hate Cena" shits the only way John Cena knows how.
Streak vs. Career: Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels - Seeing how this is only the fourth time in WrestleMania history & the first time in 15 years that a non-title match is the final match at WrestleMania, you could tell that the quality they delievered last year was enough to warrant the closing position. Eventhough these two put on such a memorable classic last year, they were able to put on another classic but different match this year as the stipulations of only winning by pinfall/submission along with the story of Shawn being so obsessed with ending the streak that he risked his own career...this match was more intense than the last one right from the opening moment when Shawn did Taker's trademark signature "throat slash" at the start. Taker hurt his leg early in the match giving Shawn the advantage by heavily working over that leg with various moves like the figure four & even the anklelock. Things really picked up from here with such moments as Shawn getting the tombstone on the floor, HBK executing a moonsault that you have to see to believe, and being able to counter moves from Undertaker that nobody else was able to counter before him while Taker himself was able to keep getting up from everything Shawn delievered. I don't want to reveal the ending but the match had such an effect on Taker to the point where he showed more emotion towards Shawn that we've seen from "The Dead Man" before Shawn refused to go out without a fight. As what has been the case with most of the matches here, keep watching after the match as you got got a very emotional WrestleMania moment.
In the end, this WrestleMania was definately one of the best ones from top to bottom in recent years. It wasn't perfect as some matches were too short (both tag matches on here) & one wasn't good as far as match quality (Bret/Vince) but everything else on here makes up & surpasses the faults so this is definately a 4.5 PPV and with the DVD adding the extras like the battle royal & the Hall Of Fame ceremony (Ted Dibiase, Antonio Anoki, Georgous George, Mad Dog Vachon, Wendi Ritcher, Stu Hart, Bob Ueker) along with Shawn Michaels' retirement speech then that bumps the rating up to 5 so this is definately one you would & should add to the collection.
UPDATE: WWE will be releasing 3 different versions of this WrestleMania with all the extras I mentioned earlier however the two disc set will feature the edited version of the Hall Of Fame ceremony that aired on TV & if you buy it from K-Mart then it comes packaged with the "Greatest Superstars Of WrestleMania" DVD set. The 3 disc "collector's edition" will show the H.O.F. ceremony in full. The Blu-Ray version will also include the RAW & SmackDown episodes from that week along with the following bonus matches showcasing the 2010 members of the Hall Of Fame:
*Mad Dog Vachon vs. Rick McGraw
Primetime Wrestling January 1, 1985
*WWE Women's Championship
Wendi Richter vs. Fabulous Moolah
Madison Square Garden July 23, 1984
*Japanese Heavyweight Championship
Antonio Inoki vs. The Great Hossein (aka Iron Sheik)
Madison Square Garden December 17, 1979
*Gorgeous George vs. Frankie Talliber
AWA 1951
*Ted DiBiase vs. Jake Roberts
WrestleMania 6 April 1, 1990
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