Pads & Panels

Title: WWE Extreme Rules 2011

Format: DVD

Studio: WWE Home Video

Review by: Bill Jones

Extreme Rules was introduced to WWE as the ECW pay-per-view of the year, but since going PG, it has become more about gimmick matches – cages, ladders, last man standing – than anything truly “extreme.” And while 2011’s iteration still finds itself stuck in that rut, it has a few gems. While it never tops the bill, Christian and Alberto del Rio put on a solid (not classic) ladder match, with the great story of Christian’s first championship win behind it. CM Punk and Randy Orton also have a knock-down drag-out last man standing bout. The triple threat main event cage match between The Miz, John Cena and John Morrison also has its moments, but feels awkward all around, and the end of The Miz’s reign is a disappointment. (more…)

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Title: Over the Limit 2011

Format: DVD

Studio: WWE Home Video

Review by: Bill Jones

Over the Limit has been a strange pay per view for the last few years in World Wrestling Entertainment. Its speedometer and car theme seems entirely random, in comparison to its wrestling theme, which mostly seems to be that John Cena has an annual “I Quit” match that mostly consists of him being whooped for an unbearably long time, only to refuse to quit and eventually prevail. It’s like the writer of The Passion of the Christ is called in to handle this PPV once a year. This time, Cena’s getting whooped by The Miz and his protégé, Alex Riley. It’s unbearably long and boring, and like a superhero, Cena takes a ridiculous amount of punishment and never gives up, only to slap a quick finisher on The Miz, who taps immediately. WWE should not be allowed to have these matches anymore, if that’s how they book them, because this is an awful excuse for sports entertainment. (more…)

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Title: WWE Capitol Punishment

Format: DVD

Studio: WWE Home Videos

Review by: Bill Jones

WWE Capitol Punishment. If nothing else, it was one of the more entertainingly named pay per views in awhile, and the Barack Obama skits had potential, if ultimately put together seemingly lazily. R Truth’s turn toward craziness was also an entertaining build to the show, and his match with John Cena wasn’t half bad. Alex Riley and The Miz also put on a good show, as do Rey Mysterio and CM Punk. Randy Orton and Christian have another solid World Heavyweight Championship bout. None of it is particularly groundbreaking, and it still has the feel of a second-tier PPV for WWE, but it’s a solid show from start to finish. (more…)

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Title: WWE Royal Rumble 2011

Format: DVD

Studio: WWE Home Video

Review by: Bill Jones

Royal Rumble marks the official start of the Road to WrestleMania in the WWE, and this year it was bigger than ever, upping the traditional 30-man over-the-top rope affair to a 40-man match for the first time. Though it is bigger, the massive cadres of jobbers that are Nexus and The Corre essentially take up the additional 10 spots. Still, WWE found the space for some fun surprise returns, which spiced up an otherwise middle-of-the-road rumble. The two championship matches – The Miz vs. Randy Orton and Edge vs. Dolph Ziggler – also provided enough entertainment value. Which is good, because the four-way Divas Championship bout was little more than filler and a chance for the live crowd to do a beer run. The special features, as per usual, are also disappointing. (more…)

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Title: TLC 2010

Format: DVD

Studio: WWE home Video

Review by: Bill Jones

TLC — Tables, Ladders, Chairs — yet another specialty match turned pay-per-view event for World Wrestling Entertainment. But only one match on the card is a true TLC Match, while the rest break down the concept, pitting The Miz and Randy Orton in a Tables Match, John Cena and Wade Barrett in a Chairs Match, and John Morrison and Sheamus in a Ladder Match. It’s a Triple Threat Ladder Match between Dolph Ziggler, Kofi Kingston and Jack Swagger that takes the cake at this show though, with the four-way main event having its moments, but ultimately disappointing. That speaks to most of the matches on the card — some fantastic big moments under the catalyst of the special stipulations, but the matches overall aren’t memorable. (more…)

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Title: RAW: The Best of 2010

Format: Three-Disc DVD Set

Studio: WWE Home Video

Rating:

Review by: Bill Jones

The first third of 2010 for Monday Night Raw, or what is covered on the first-disc of the new three-disc Best of 2010 DVD from WWE Home Video, proves that 2010 was an extremely front-loaded year for WWE. In the opening months, we see Bret “The Hit Man” Hart make his return to the squared circle, some great DX tag team bouts, and Shawn Michaels bidding the WWE Universe farewell after his Mania loss to The Undertaker. The rest of the set highlights The Nexus invasion and feud with John Cena, the “rise” of Randy Orton, The Miz launching his championship reign, and more than 20 matches. The best moments though may be CM Punk’s look back at 900 episodes of Raw, and Santino’s tea party with Sheamus. (more…)

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Title: Bragging Rights 2010

Format: DVD

Studio: WWE Home Video

Review by: Bill Jones

Bragging Rights – another chance for a big tag battle squandered by World Wrestling Entertainment. The company’s annual event features a 7-on-7 tag team elimination bout between the rosters of Raw and Smackdown. But there are no great team ups, or interesting situations presented by the eliminations – only poorly handled storylines and bad wrestling. Meanwhile, Kane and Undertaker end the current incarnation of their brotherly battle in a disappointing Buried Alive match, and John Cena is forced to stand in Wade Barrett’s corner during a title match with Randy Orton. But when the announcers spend the last few minutes of the broadcast trying to explain what went down, the in-ring storytelling clearly isn’t getting the job done. (more…)

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Title: Hell in a Cell 2010

Format: DVD

Studio: WWE Home Video

Review by: Bill Jones

The Devil’s Playground. Satan’s Structure. Whatever you want to call it, Hell in a Cell matches have a storied history in World Wrestling Entertaining, with a slew of classic moments. But those days are long gone, and nowadays Hell in a Cell has been relegated to a pay-per-view event, devoid of blood and (most of the time) even any big risks or moments. Here we see two of WWE’s most famous demons, Kane and The Undertaker, do old-man battle inside the structure, with a finish that is poorly planned and executed. Meanwhile, John Cena becomes a member of The Nexus, and Randy Orton and Sheamus slug it out in another 4-star match (Note: On a 5-star scale. Note 2: By today’s standards. Note 3: Considering the competitors). Daniel Brian vs. John Morrison vs. The Miz is by far the best match on the card, and even that leaves this reviewer without any fond memories. (more…)

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