True Giants

Image Source: Amazon

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Running Time: 429 Minutes
Certificate: 15
Number Of Discs: 1
Studio: Fremantle Home Entertainment
Released: December 1 2014

Following on from the Cruiserweight-themed release Wrestling's Highest Flyers in late 2010/early 2011, True Giants takes the complete opposite approach by focusing on the largest performers in wrestling history (mostly).

You can look at this concept in two ways. On the one hand, it's nice that the mammoths are getting a spotlight (oxymoron, I know), especially since the vast majority have never or will never get a DVD profile of their own, even established names like Vader, Psycho Sid and Yokozuna. Plus, some are genuine major stars, such as Andre The Giant, Big Show and Kevin Nash (incidentally, why hasn't Nash received the DVD treatment on his own yet?). On the other hand, those who stand close to or above the 7-foot mark, and/or weigh in excess of 350 pounds, are rarely associated with classic matches. Some big men, such as Vader, have put on epic encounters on a regular basis, but such performers are generally the exception rather than the norm. A giant's job is generally to perform as a giant would, meaning that most of the stars highlighted on this release have only ever watched fantastic matches as opposed to working them.

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Hell In A Cell 2012

Image Source: Amazon

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Running Time: 166 Minutes
Certificate: 15
Number Of Discs: 1
Studio: Fremantle Home Entertainment
Released: January 28 2013

Unlike previous years, where WWE would overload the Hell In A Cell card with too many HIAC matches (there were three in 2009, none of which were particularly necessary), the 2012 event kept things simple with just the one Cell bout, a well-built collision between longtime WWE Champion CM Punk and the undefeated, Goldberg-like Ryback. That being said, it is another match which stands as the main reason to see this DVD.

Starting chronologically: Randy Orton vs. Alberto Del Rio is a good opener, if not the best match that the two could put together, followed by an entertaining yet forgettable bout pitting Team Hell No (arguably WWE's hottest act at the time of this PPV) against Team Rhodes Scholars. Kofi Kingston vs. The Miz is good, though, and a reminder that both men can deliver a thrilling contest despite each man's reduced status in recent times. Conversely, while well-executed, Antonio Cesaro bvs. Justin Gabriel isn't a PPV-calibre match, nor is Rey Mysterio & Sin Cara vs. The Prime Time Players

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Survivor Series 2013

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Written By: Mark Armstrong

Running Time: 181 Minutes
Certificate: 12
Number Of Discs: 1
Studio: Fremantle Home Entertainment
Released: February 17 2014

The status of Survivor Series has fallen in recent times. Whilst it remains one of the so-called Big Four PPVs, line-ups over the last couple of years have threatened to make it a B-show. A perfect example comes from watching the DVD of Survivor Series 2013, with inconsequential bouts and lethargic performances resulting in a mostly forgettable show.

The opening Survivors elimination match is the highlight of the card, as it features a few nice spots and puts over Roman Reigns in a big way as a star of the future. Conversely, the women's Survivors bout is nothing special and features strange psychology (why are AJ and Kaitlyn co-existing after their previous issues?), and Ryback vs. Mark Henry is pure filler and has a daft outcome (just like their previous PPV match at WrestleMania 29).

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Extreme Rules 2015

Image Source: Amazon

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Running Time: 187 Minutes
Certificate: 15
Number Of Discs: 1
Studio: Fremantle Home Entertainment
Released: June 29 2015

Extreme Rules 2015 didn't quite achieve the excitement that the card has in the last few years. One of the matches is very good (and few expected anything from it beforehand, making it doubly impressive), but the rest of the card is only adequate at best.

Dean Ambrose vs. Luke Harper, under Falls Count Anywhere rules, is an unusual opener, in that it is quite literally a match of two halves (I won't explain why as that would be a spoiler). Dolph Ziggler vs. Sheamus isn't very interesting, with the Kiss Me A--e stipulation remaining unexplained. Tyson Kidd and Cesaro vs. The New Day is pretty good, though, and it cements the New Day heel turn; on the other hand, Nikki Bella vs. Naomi has just one highlight, that being Naomi's new multi-coloured LED boots (unless the second highlight is working out the date of the phantom babyface turn for The Bellas).

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WWE Survivor Series 2013

Image Source: Youtube

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Genre: Wrestling
Produced By: WWE
Format: Pay-Per-View
Date: November 24 2013
Location: TD Garden, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
Attendance: 13,500

Survivor Series is traditionally one of the top four PPV events of the year in WWE. The nearly-30 year history of the event has seen many famous and infamous moments since the first edition in 1987, and its late autumn timing often makes it a good starting point for storylines which will ultimately culminate at WrestleMania. Even if that isn't the case on some SSeries cards, you can generally rely on big plotlines and important matches to peak on this show.

Unfortunately, WWE may not have gotten the memo this year, because the card looked subpar beforehand. A WWE Title match with a good build-up could not overcome the fact that Big Show was a less popular challenger for Randy Orton's title than Daniel Bryan. John Cena vs. Alberto Del Rio was a rematch from Hell In A Cell, which in itself is a rerun of their 2011 feud. And whilst CM Punk and Daniel Bryan vs. The Wyatts was a fresh match, it still didn't feel like a major match for a show of this magnitude. Considering that these were the three top matches on the show, it's no surprise that the anticipation wasn't exactly high for this card, especially since WWE used the pre-PPV episode of Raw to pay tribute to country music more than hyping up the last of the Big Four supershows of the year.

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SmackDown's Most Memorable Matches

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Written By: Mark Armstrong

Running Time: 86 Minutes
Certificate: 15
Number Of Discs: 1
Studio: Clear Vision Ltd/Silver Vision
Released: April 3 2007

Initially designed to be the first of a lengthy series of budget-priced DVDs relating to WWE's two top brands (it was scrapped after four, which is fairly lengthy I suppose), SmackDown's Most Memorable Matches provides six bouts which stand out as being noteworthy. In some cases, it's debatable as to whether this is applicable, but all six provide entertainment in their own way.

Kicking things off is Hulk Hogan and Edge facing Billy & Chuck for the WWE Tag Team Titles in a July 2002 bout that WWE has often released under the proviso of it being massively memorable, but it actually isn't (the huge crowd reaction to Hogan is noticeable, though). Better is Rey Mysterio's WWE debut three weeks later against Chavo Guerrero in the first of many great WWE matches for Rey Rey.

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