Tremendous Tirades: The History of WWE – 50 Years of Sports Entertainment Blu-ray Review (Discs 1 & 2)

WWF Championship Match
Hulk Hogan vs. Andre the Giant
WrestleMania III * March 29, 1987: The biggest doesn’t always mean the best, which was the case here. While it wasn’t a “wrestling clinic” it is still arguably the biggest match ever to take place in North American Wrestling. This match was the draw of the card, it was truly the giant of wrestling battling the “indestructible” champion. The match had the larger than life feel to it, and the people responded to it in a huge way. Whether the gate was truly 93,000 or 78,000 as some “insider sources” claim, it was huge. In the end, Hulkamania was an even bigger phenomenon than it was going in as Hogan defeated the mystique of the giant. It wasn’t pretty, but it made a lot of money and in reality made the WWF the big dog in wrestling by creating a moment that just about every fan knows about. NOTE: This is a new presentation of the match. It is only the hard camera footage, and the match is shown without commentary. It’s a nice change on a match that has been on so many releases, and allows you to get pulled into the crowd’s reactions even better.
Rating: Match was shit lets be honest, although for historical purposes, entertainment wise and the gate it drew, it was a perfect.

Royal Rumble Match
Royal Rumble * January 24, 1988: This was the first Rumble, which was solely put on to fuck with Jim Crockett promotions and the Bunkhouse Stampede event. The NWA was on a down turn, and Vince wanted to counter-program and did so here. In all honesty, for the first one (yes I know that there were Rumble matches in 86 and 87 on house shows) it comes off rather well, and it still enjoyable. The Final Four are the One Man Gang, Don Muraco, Jim Duggan and Dino Bravo, which led to the UWF finals of Duggan and Gang. Gang went for the kill, Duggan low bridged him and Gang flew to the floor allowing old Hacksaw to win. Hoooooooooooo!
Rating: ***

First Episode of Raw
Koko B. Ware vs. Yokozuna
RAW * January 11, 1993: This was the first match on the first edition of Raw. It lasts approximately 3:45 seconds, and features Yoko murderizing Koko with ease. It was the first match on the first Raw. Historical yes, interesting fact sure; but something once you’ve seen it, you never have to see it again.
Rating: Seriously? Ok, ½*

King of the Ring Finals
Jake “The Snake” Roberts vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin
King of the Ring * June 23, 1996: The 1996 KOTR Finals between Austin and Roberts is a pretty shit match, but thankfully no one remembers that 4 ½ minutes they “wrested.” Roberts was selling the rib injury from Vader, Austin jumped him and beat his ass, stunned him and that was that. The match is shit, but the post match moment is what this is all about.
Rating: ½*

WWF Championship Match
Bret “Hitman” Hart vs. Shawn Michaels
Survivor Series * November 9, 1997: Much like the KOTR deal with Austin, you aren’t here for the match, this is all about the finish. This is the famed Montreal Screw Job; Bret gets screwed because he didn’t want to lose to Shawn, especially in Canada. So much comes from this match; completely unlikable Shawn Michaels, Bret to WCW, heel Vince McMahon, Bulldog and Neidhart to WCW, Owen becoming the Black Hart; a lot changed all due to this. In terms of a wrestling match it is a fine match, not a great main event, but of course historically you have to have this on the set.
Rating: ***½

TYSON AND AUSTIN~: In my opinion, this is a moment that that doesn’t get a lot of praise and is not understood by a lot of fans today. I guess you had to be there at the time. Tyson coming in and getting into the altercation with Austin was simply electric at the time. But not only was it a cool moment, it led to so much more. It led to mainstream coverage of the promotion as Tyson became a fixture in the build to Austin vs. HBK, and that media attention they got helped make the event a very successful one as they entered into the Austin Era. If you don’t get it, I feel sorry for you.

WWF Championship Match
Triple H vs. The Rock
SmackDown * August 26, 1999: This was from the first episode of Smackdown. Commissioner Shawn Michaels ordered Triple H to defend the WWF World title against The Rock, and also announced he would be the special referee. Shawn wore his shorty shorts here, and the finish is Shawn turning as Rock goes for the people’s elbow and superkicking him to allow Triple H to win. Rock and Triple H always worked well together, and this was no different. This was a much better inclusion that Yoko vs. Koko.
Rating: ***½

Mr. McMahon Announces the Purchase of WCW
RAW * March 26, 2001: We get the WCW logo to start, and then Vince McMahon appears on the Raw set in a totally surreal moment. Vince says, “he bought his competition, and he owns WCW. He says he has the opportunity to address the WCW fans and superstars. What is the fate of WCW he asks? Tonight there will be a special simulcast and you will all find out, because the fate, the very fate of WCW is in, “MY hands.” A night I thought would never happened, but as a fan at times dreamed would happen. Unfortunately the invasion tanked (I don’t want to hear how it was fine, it tanked) but that night was surreal, and certainly deserves a spot on the DVD.

The Rock vs. Hollywood Hulk Hogan
WrestleMania X8 * March 17, 2002: I remember personally not expecting much at all from this match, I just did not think that Hogan could keep up with the Rock and that people would find Hogan at his age going toe to toe with Rock believable at all. But I will gladly admit that I was wrong and I say that as a guy that is not a huge fan of Hogan at all. Each guy got his shit in, which was perfect because this was the kind of match that needed that. But when they did, the crowd responded perfectly, and when you look back on it, the match was tremendously entertaining as an overall product. Plus the fact that we actually did get Rock vs. Hogan is rather special.
Rating: ***½

Battle of the Billionaires – Hair vs. Hair Match
Bobby Lashley vs. Umaga
WrestleMania 23 * April 1, 2007: I have said that they have done a great job of building the match, they got a ton of publicity and it will create a lot of buys. They got Austin involved and that made fans happy, and helps promote their movie, which is smart business. But I also hated that the IC and ECW titles were tied down to this and not defended. It worked and worked about as perfectly as you could have hoped. Lashley and Umaga looked as if they worked as hard as they could. Umaga took a sick charge to the floor, than ended up as a suicide senton that only connected with the floor, no hand man, and that had to suck. And then Lashley did almost the same bump through the ropes off a spear miss, and that had to suck as well. Lashley got to beat down Estrada early for getting involved, which people popped for so it worked. Austin was playing impartial, pulling the guys off of each other and Shane McMahon hits the ring and then WHAM Samoan Spike for you Stone Cold. Shane then gets involved, he jabs at Lashley, he and Umaga double team him, we get more wildness as Austin takes another spike and then Trump does a horrible diving clothesline on Vince, with even worse punches, but it all worked because people popped. Shane connected with Gimmick Infringement on Lashley and then showed off his referee shirt. But Austin would live, dispose of him, Stun Umaga, allowing Lashley to get the spear for the win. Not a classic, but entertaining due to all of the bells and whistles. After the match they delivered as well. Vince tried to run, Lashley brought him back and they tied him down to the chair. They gave him about the quickest haircut you’ll ever see in wrestling, including a bunch of shaving cream and regular razors as well. They shaved Vince pretty clean in the time they had, and then after a small Vince explosion of madness, Austin got about the worst stunner ever on Trump, but again it worked. The promised a haircut, you figured on stunners and they gave it to you. It isn’t rocket science, you make a promise, you build something up and you deliver. It worked. but it wasn’t great.
Rating: **½

6-Man Tag Team Match
John Cena, Batista, & Rey Mysterio vs. Chris Jericho, Big Show & Randy Orton
Tribute to the Troops * December 20, 2008: This was from the Tribute to the Troops show, and was the big “star power main event” for the show. John Cena, Batista, & Rey Mysterio won when Rey hit a double 619 on Orton and Jericho, followed by an FU non Orton and a Batista Bomb on Jericho for the double pin. Not a memorable match by any means, but more to show WWE’s support of the troops through the show.
Rating: **½

CM Punk Speaks His Mind
RAW * June 27, 2011 – PIPEBOMB: While CM Punk had a good WWE career up to this point, this is what really got him to the next level in WWE. He had the good matches and title runs, but this kind of promo (which is something WWE dint mess with) felt fresh, and more importantly it felt real because of Punk’s delivery, his emotion, and for the fact that he was speaking from the heart. This promo led to him getting the huge reactions, the new contract and becoming a bankable star for WWE.

#1 Contender’s Match for the WWE Championship
John Cena vs. CM Punk
RAW * February 25, 2013: This was the match that led to Cena vs. Rock II, and was the culmination of the two-year Cena vs. Punk feud. They played up the rivalry between the two, the fact that Punk had actually gotten the better of Cena, and that he was a real threat to Cena’s title shot. I wouldn’t call this a historically significant match on the level of HBK vs. Hart or Austin winning KOTR, but it is easily one of the best TV matches of 2013, and since I always appreciate good wrestling I am fine with it being on the set. Punk and Cena have tremendous chemistry, and seem to deliver each time out.
Rating: ****¼

Floyd “Money” Mayweather vs. Big Show
WrestleMania XXIV * March 30, 2008: I know a lot of people hated this, but I think that this went off as well as it possibly could have. The crowd was into everything that they did, they loved Show and wanted him to kill the cocky little fighter and all of his crew. This could have been a disaster, Floyd could have decided not to take anything and have his crew do all of the work. But he worked the match, he took shots from Show, side slams and allowed Show to walk on him. He worked hard, Show was great and they came away with a good match overall. The bottom line is this. Show didn’t come off looking weak here. It took Floyd, a bunch of his crew, multiple chair shots, a low blow and KNUX to “KO” the Big Show. And it wasn’t like he dropped Show and left him for dead. Show almost beat the count. Floyd was a chicken shit that escaped with his life, and Show looked like he got screwed. It worked and came off very well, actually way better than it had any right too.
Rating: ***

The Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels
WrestleMania 25 * April 5, 2009: I will say that heading into the big event that HBK vs. Taker was THE match I waned to see. Partly because I thought it could be great, partly because I have always wanted to see it on the big stage, and also because it was easily the best built feud on the card. And quite simply, this was an amazing match. The beginning was about what you’d figure, HBK avoiding the big man, using his speed, it was smart booking. I loved the part where HBK knew the dive was coming, bumped the ref and then sacrificed the cameraman. The best part was actually right after that, as he grabbed the ref, pulled him into the ring, and was praying for the count out victory. The desperation was evident as HBK was willing to end the streak in any way possible. From there they both survived each others finish, they “dug deep” and it developed into a heavyweight slugfest as Taker’s chest was being destroyed by chops. The finish was sweet as HBK went for the moonsault press, only to be caught and planted with the tombstone. The match not only lived up to, but it exceeded my expectations on every level. Some say that it can’t be a classic because we all knew that Taker was winning, but I disagree. The match was amazing, they told the story of two warriors, and they MADE the live crowd believe that HBK could win, and that makes it great. Taker is a guy that fights through injury, but once again put on a great performance. HBK is stuck together by duct tape and chewing gum, but he goes out there and shows why he is one of the very best once again. At their age, and with their physical condition factored in, I am constantly amazed at the matches they are having, but at this point I guess I shouldn’t be. Awesome match, awesome performances and it will be what this event is remembered for. I would also be missing something if I didn’t mention the performance of Jim Ross. I have said time and time again that NO ONE calls the big match better than Jim Ross and he did it once again here. He took a great, great match and made it EPIC with his call.
Rating: *****