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(no, it’s not on the list, but you can purchase it here)
As owners of the biggest wrestling library in the world, WWE utilizes their staggering amount of material to bring this entertainment to the homes of the fans.
Since my 14th birthday in 2003, I have collected a vast amount of WWE discs. Of course these range from pay-per-views to documentaries to straight-up match compilations. Not just WWE, but tons of DVD’s in general.
Now it’s time to see what is the best of the best.
A list too big for one entry, I have split up this countdown to two lists. This entry will cover #20-11, while the next one gets the top ten, but not with Wayne and Garth as illustrated.
There’s a lot to cover, reminiscence, and discuss, so time to get to it!
20. Mick Foley’s Hard Knocks and Cheap Pops
Year Released: 2001
# of Discs: 1
Total Running Time: 206 minutes (or about 3.5 hours)
MSRP: $24.95
Favorite Bonus Feature: Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. Dude Love, WWE Championship, Over the Edge 1998
Most superstar features nowadays feature on that particular man’s life story, spanning some 30+ years of their lives in a short span.
This one is a little different.
The disc seen here only covers truly about 1.5 years of action, with some anecdotes stretching back a few years.
As his career of ‘Hard Knocks’ ends with the No Way Out 2000 Hell in the Cell/Wrestlemania 2000 faux-pas, Mick dons the flannel for some “Cheap Pop” action of being Commissioner for the WWE.
Superstar appearances by Al Snow, Triple H, Edge & Christian, amongst others gives this documentary a personal reflection on a Hardcore Legend, but also pokes fun where it needs to be poked (chicken suits anyone?).
While the documentary is above average, the bonus features are pretty stout too.
In total there are five matches and four “music videos”.
There is the always-classic Mankind encounter with Shawn Michaels, Stone Cold and Mankind the RAW after Survivor Series 1996, the Halftime Heat encounter with Rock, and Dude’s encounter with Stone Cold, which is in my mind the best match featured.
In addition, there’s a “gag” match Kennel from Hell, which features Mick and Kevin Kelly dubbing commentary over the infamously awful Bossman and Al Snow bout. THAT my friends is a hoot, and makes the match look much better than it has ANY right to be!
Those music videos are all Titantrons, essentially the collages of characters set to music. Dude’s is by far the most awesome, complete with flying, fish, and reverberating snapping fingers!
19. Wrestlemania 22
Year Released: 2006
# of Discs: 3
Total Running Time: 9 hours
MSRP: $34.95
Favorite Bonus Feature: Hall of Fame Ceremony
Back when this card was being built up, I couldn’t feel more underwhelmed if I tried. It seemed as if WWE went on a “meh” route, and tried to say how to make a Wrestlemania unexciting in 35 easy steps!
When the actual event hit the airwaves, I was pleasantly surprised. While the in-ring action wasn’t the greatest ever seen, the Chicago crowd was hot, and the viewer at home felt like they were with them.
Whether it’d be Mickie James doing inappropriate gestures (one in particular was edited out), or John Cena being booed out of the arena as a face versus godly heel Triple H, the atmosphere was as hot as any Wrestlemania would ever be!
While I won’t list the full card here, it’s easy enough to look up. If anyone can guess, the best match is indeed the Hardcore bout between Mick Foley and Edge.
Also take note this is the event where Undertaker made that leap over the top rope a yearly tradition, on top of the streak.
What put this DVD in the top 20 definitely would not be the card by itself.
As a matter of fact, discs two and three have some awesome features to them.
While disc one had a couple of bonus features in the form of small vignettes of Foley and Edge, disc two had the rebirth of the once-legendary Saturday Night’s Main Event.
Broadcast on NBC just a couple weeks out from the big show, the show had a great throw-back intro, a ‘hardcore’ Cutting Edge, and Shane McMahon nearly killing himself against Shawn Michaels in a Street Fight. That contest was ended in “screwjob” fashion as Shane “won”, while Shawn laid on the mat a victim of a Sharpshooter. A very good effort by WWE to hype up ‘Mania, and it succeeded.
Of course what wouldn’t be a modern Wrestlemania without the now-traditional night-before Hall of Fame ceremony?
The Blackjacks (Lanza and Mulligan), Verne Gagne, William “The Refrigerator” Perry, Sensational Sherri, Tony Atlas, Gene Okerlund, Eddie Guerrero, and Bret “Hit Man” Hart all took turns being indoctrinated into the WWE Hall of Fame.
While all the speeches were good (except Verne’s which seemed oft-bitter), two have to be mentioned in particular.
The late Eddie Guerrero was posthumously inducted about 5 months after his death. Since Eddie was up and center in the culture of WWE, the fans reacted to his induction the strongest, and rightfully so. Inducted by Rey Mysterio, Chris Benoit, and Dean Malenko, Vickie Guerrero physically represented her husband as the “inductee”. Glowing with a fresh hint of tears, Vickie thanked the fans for being loyal to Eddie, and her family after the passing. She didn’t get much in because the fans pretty much did the talking. While some may soon it’s too soon, in my opinion, it’s just right. And I hope they do the same for Edge in 2012 at that Hall of Fame.
Bret Hart definitely would not be remiss. Inducted by Stone Cold, his opponent for Wrestlemania 13 in Chicago, Bret’s 35 minute+ speech featured plenty of feel-good moments, particularly revolving around Owen and his ability to prank the unprankable. The story where the LOD put Vince in the Doomsday in a bar was pretty funny too. It must also be said though that since Shawn and Bret were still bitter towards each other at this point, Bret didn’t attend the big show the day after, but it wouldn’t retract from this speech.
Sometimes the main course isn’t as filling as the appetizer and/or dessert, but as a whole, the entire meal may be the amongst the best considering the many depths of flavors. This sums up Wrestlemania 22 for me.
Year Released: 2001
# of Discs: 1
Total Running Time: 3+ hours
MSRP: $24.95
Favorite Bonus Feature: Paul Heyman’s Firing
Ironically held at the Greensboro Coliseum, this is the event where WCW and ECW “died”, as per the stipulation of the main event.
This event was stacked. Ranging from a title versus title unification with Test against Edge, William Regal/Tajiri, Dudleys and Hardyz in a cage, and of course the main event, the show had what seemed to be a little bit of everything for everyone.
The main event was one of the longest matches in WWE PPV history, lasting at some 44 minutes. As the match chipped away, Austin and Rock would be the final two. While I already spoiled the result, I will say the way it happened wasn’t that telepathic. The one lasting thing about this show is how EVERYTHING would be reset the next night, with Kurt Angle placed as a heel for pretty much saving the WWE. Then of course Ric Flair would return to the WWE after nearly nine years away, and it got a HUGE pop!
The Flair return was a special feature, but Heyman’s firing was too. While it’s not the shoot interview everyone references, its also how Heyman sells being fired as icing on the cake. Jerry Lawler would return after a ten month sabbatical (of a forced variety), and somehow “all in the world is right again!”
In total, Survivor Series 2001 represents a lost breed in WWE DVD making. A quality event backed with quality special features, it was a value at the time. Now you might need to provide the value in order to procure it. Let me tell you this though, it was worth every penny.
17. Jake “The Snake” Roberts: Pick your Poison
Year Released: 2005
# of Discs: 2
Total Running Time: 6 hours
MSRP: $29.95
Favorite Bonus Feature: for the sake of history, vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin at King of the Ring 1996. At least it was before JD was poured down
Jake Roberts is a study of psychosis.
Born to an abusive childhood, Jake would later get in a fruitful wrestling career, where his charisma mixed with sheer terror got himself and opponents over.
That was until the drugs got to him.
You see, there was a movie released in 1999. You might have heard of it, it’s called ‘Beyond the Mat’.
Jake, along with the likes of Foley, Funk, and Rock, had their lives chronicled in the name of research for one Barry W. Blaustein.
Sadly, even in 1999, Jake’s personal life was in shambles because of his never-ending drug use. The ties to his family are all but cut off, and it is evident in his face that there is a painful void he wants to fill.
Essentially, the documentary is a rough, but well-done nonetheless two hour piece of business. No punches were pulled, and some of the anecdotes are BRUTAL. Seriously, don’t go watching the main doc without putting both feet into the proverbial water.
That being said, the extras on disc two are AMAZING. There are multiple Snake Pits to devour, as well as many classic bouts between Austin, Rude, Steamboat, etc. Watching a Jake Roberts promo should be mandatory for ANYONE knowing how to cut a promo with precise measurements and impact. For its price and content value, kind of like the man himself, there is almost no comparable.
16. Road Warriors: The Life & Death of the Most Dominant Tag-Team in Wrestling History
Year Released: 2006
# of Discs: 2
Total Running Time: 6 hours
MSRP: $29.95
Favorite Bonus Feature: The music video is hilariously bad. I’ll give it that nod for its uniqueness amongst a eclectic extras list.
Although they were never made famous for ***** matches like Ric Flair, Ricky Steamboat, etc., Road Warriors Hawk (Michael Hegstrand) and Hawk (Joe Laurinaitis) were absolutely innovative went it came to the wrestling scene.
Raised and trained in Chicago, the two would embark on world-wide domination. With herculean physiques and unique promo style, they started in the NWA as perennial bad guys. Over time the two were eventually turned face by doing absolutely doing nothing different.
And by different I mean, “SQUASH ‘EM LIKE PEAS!”
By the time the two made it in WWE in around 1990, it was evident the credentials they had. Their World Tag Team Championship was pretty much the sole reasoning behind the team’s signings.
Success would be had, but the relationship would turn rocky. Hegstrand, one who was known as the life of the party, ditched his partner in London after Summerslam of 1992, and for a while the team ceased to be of any value.
They would get back together in later 1995, and WCW was on their warpaths, with WWE close behind.
After some horrible storylines, the LOD left WWE once again after Hegstrand STILL didn’t sober up (which ironically was sickenly portrayed in WWE storylines).
LOD shocked the world in 2003 when in what would be a one-off, they faced the tag champs of the time RVD and Kane in a title match on RAW. Sadly, this would be the last time Mike would be seen alive on television, as a heart attack would befall him shortly after the TV appearance.
The 90 minute doc is a REALLY good one, and although it had dark points, has a high rewatch value.
Even more intriguing is the extras accompanying the main course.
There are A LOT of matches (squash variety, primarily NWA matches), A LOT of promos (WELLLLLLLLLLLLLL...), and even more goodies than that! Animal does commentary with JR on some contests (like the Japanese ones), and that music video... man is it awesome! Cheesy 80s sound and visuals, weird feeling of nostalgia. Like the discs listed already, this comes highly recommended. Very comprehensive and doesn’t dumb things down.
Year Released: 2006
# of Discs: 2 (including Barely Legal ‘97 bonus disc)
Total Running Time: 6 hours
MSRP: $24.95
Favorite Bonus Feature: There wasn’t much to the main show, so I’ll say the six-man tag from Barely Legal ‘97 wins by itself.
It was so popular that Vince McMahon wisely went to the well yet again, and produced a highly-underrated event in it’s wake.
Once again hailing from the Hammerstein Ballroom, ECW’s second annual outing for WWE features the hardcore action the namesake is known for. Hardcore maybe the name of the game, but there are bouts to everyone.
Angle/Orton is a good singles match on its own, but the crowd COMPLETELY puts it over the top. Tajiri/Super Crazy/FBI (Nunzio) was a spot-fest of the fastest variety. Rey and Sabu was BRUTAL, while the Mixed Extreme Tag battle was blood and guts as “good stuff”.
The main event of the evening however is an experience. Rob Van Dam, cashing in Money in the Bank (still the only one to do so in advance), against WWE Champion John Cena, who is pretty much a bad guy although he is the strongest babyface on the roster.
Chants, taunts, and downright obscenity drown down to Cena. This doesn’t deter the professionalism of both men, as their contest was pretty good on its own. Add a screwball finish with a new champ, and something legendary has been made!
As for the “bonus”, well it’s a doozy. It’s the controversial inaugural Barely Legal event that almost didn’t hit PPV because of the ‘Mass Transit’ incident.
For the “first time”, certainly not a bad show. Crowd was red-hot! There was Eliminators/Dudleys, RVD/Lance Storm, the aforementioned six man tag sponsored by the FAA, and of course the dual-layered main event.
First was a three-way dance between Sandman, Stevie Richards, and TERRY FUNK to determine the #1 contender for the ECW Championship. Against all odds, Terry wins, only to be jumped by champion Raven as the subsequent title match begins.
After a hard fought and bloody battle, Terry does the impossible and wins the belt! About ten seconds later, no joke, the power goes out. That is of course after the event signs off.
Overall, get this. Two quality events for a low price, and it’s not a Tagged Classic! A complete anomaly in the WWE cannon, and one to seek out!
14. Hell in the Cell
Year Released: 2008
# of Discs: 3
Total Running Time: 9 hours
MSRP: $34.95
Favorite Match: No special features, so it’s a match. I’m split between HBK/Taker and Lesnar/Taker. I’m giving it to Michaels match with the Dead Man.
Originally a feud-ending gimmick match, Hell in the Cell has now encompassed two generations+. Every single man who has entered this device of disaster came out a changed man. Even grizzled veterans like Undertaker and Triple H are not immune to the “quirks” of the Cell.
That being said, it’s one of two match compilations to make this countdown. Usually match comps have little rhyme or reason, but at least this one compiles almost all the Cell matches competed up to the point of release.
Most of these matches are classics. While you want a bloodbath (Lesnar/Taker), frightening bumps (Taker/Mankind), or even some good ol’ fashioned brawling intertwined (Jericho/Triple H), Cell matches are the epitome of where a feud goes.
That being said, there is one big elephant in the room, and no it’s not Mick Foley.
From December of 1997 to very early May of 2002, the WWF has that scratch logo that makes most matches from that era distracting to view. Not the logo itself, but the mindless blurring. Some matches are better than others in this regard, but once you get into the mindset, then visuals suddenly rank higher than quality.
That being said, it’s a great DVD to own. Lots of good matches, and better yet, there are some not on DVD yet!
Year Released: 2005
# of Discs: 1
Total Running Time: 3 hours
MSRP: $24.95
Favorite Match: No special features, so it’s a match. Have to go with Awesome/Tanaka.
Back in 2005, a storyline “invasion” began. Vince McMahon announced that ECW would be resurrected for one night only, to the enraged face of Eric Bischoff. This is the event that ensued.
From the Hammerstein Ballroom, it was pretty much a feel-good night of nostalgia and brutal memories. Ones everyone wouldn’t mind reliving time after time.
There was the Lance Storm match with Chris Jericho, also having Chris Benoit and Eddie Guerrero face off in what would be one of their final matches together, and also have Dudleys vs. Sandman and Dreamer in one of their epic hardcore bouts. More on that later.
As for the match of the night, there is no question on this one. Mike Awesome, former ECW Champion who jumped to WCW while being said champ, was taunted by Joey Styles on commentary. A couple of pretty awful-sounding remarks on Joey’s part ensued about suicide, especially considering a couple of years later, Awesome would commit suicide by hanging. Tanaka, Awesome’s nemesis from the original ECW, is as brutal as you would expect. Carnage, tables, and BOMBS AWAY!
As for Sandman, one gripe about the DVD. On the original broadcast, Sandman’s entrance featured Metallica’s “Enter Sandman” as his music. For DVD release, it was dubbed over, and chaos ensued over the IWC. It’s not a deal-breaker for me, but don’t tell me I didn’t tell you about that tidbit.
For everyone else, indulge on this one. Sure it sounds like a one-watch only, but it isn’t. It’s a rich and rewarding experience, full of technical switchbacks and cheese graters to the forehead. If only it was available in sepia...
12. The Best of Saturday Night's Main Event
Year Released: 2008
# of Discs: 3
Total Running Time: 9 hours
MSRP: $34.95
Favorite Bonus Feature: Wow, this one is TOUGH. I’m gonna go on a limb and say HBK vs. British Bulldog for the Intercontinental Championship.
NBC told Vince McMahon, “You got an hour and a half. Fill it.”
Thus Saturday Night’s Main Event is born.
For the better part of a decade, SNME made an impact. With big-names appearing on TV and unique segments as the compliment, this was MUST-WATCH TV at the time, whereas now PPV-worthy main events are given away for free on SMACKDOWN or RAW.
Over three discs in length, this covers Hogan in 86 to Hogan in 06, Bob Orton to Randy Orton, and a lot of quality side-shows, like a Safari trip for Gene Okerlund.
Now there’s a lot of content to think about. Most of your SNME’s have your main eventers in the FIRST MATCH instead of the last one, well technically in most house shows in that era the champ went about halfway through. Not just the main eventers, but lets point to the last “traditional” SNME, that was on FOX, from 1992.
British Bulldog had won the Intercontinental Championship from brother-in-law Bret Hart at Summerslam in London. Shawn Michaels, newly hailed #1 contender and still fresh off the heel turn, was in hot pursuit. A really good match ensues, with Michaels getting the duke after reversing a superplex because Davey’s knee gave out. Now also keep in mind DBS would be let go shortly thereafter because of substance abuse queries, and therefore the Survivor Series main event was shuffled last minute for Hart/Michaels instead of Hart/DBS in a rematch.
As a guy who wasn’t around for grand majority of the original shows, I felt a major rush of adrenaline watching this. Everyone was over, the matches were good, but more importantly, it serves as a template for what superstars of today aspire to be. Sure there were some good moments on the newer ones (like the intro for the first show of the 2006 run), but the older ones are the meal ticket on this collection. Recommended to the Uncle Elmer wedding power!
11. Wrestlemania XX
Year Released: 2004
# of Discs: 3
Total Running Time: 8+ hours
MSRP: $34.95
Favorite Bonus Feature: Wow, this one is TOUGH. I love the Easter Eggs of Wrestlemania Recall, but the ‘Mania of Wrestlemania documentary that originally aired on UPN takes the cake.
Building up this major event, WWE used the slogan, “Where it All Begins... Again.”
For about ten or so months, this event’s logo was on EVERYTHING, from DVD’s to advertisements on local shows. When this show was announced, it was clearly evident something special was in the works.
It succeeded.
Recorded before a live arena audience in beautiful Madison Square Garden on 34th Street and 6th Avenue in New York City, the air was cold yet the atmosphere was as red hot as ever. From the first to the tenth, now the twentieth edition of the “biggest event in sports-entertainment” came “home”.
Most of the undercard, while unspectacular, had a peculiar historical note of trying to fit as many people on the roster on the card as possible. For example, both tag title matches were Fatal-Four-Way bouts. Also there was a Cruiserweight Open that featured TEN MEN vying for that championship.
Also this is the event where John Cena defeated Big Show to capture his first singles title in the WWE, the United States Championship. A fine event to start a man’s ride into the stratosphere, a destination he will land a year later.
The less said about Goldberg/Lesnar the better.
However there are four matches in particular that grabbed my attention.
Firstly was Christian vs. Chris Jericho. A feud made out of lady troubles, Jericho fell hard for Trish. As a heel that is. Jericho was so up in the heavens that Christian slapped sense into him, or just really beat him down, and Jericho turned babyface. After weeks of humiliation and unfriendly lady beat-downs, here we are. A back-and-forth encounter was turned upside down after Trish smacked Jericho upside the head, and it allowed Christian to give Chris the Unprettier for the duke and the newly-turned-heel girl. A massive swerve, and an enjoyable one indeed.
Second was the WWE Championship match between Eddie Guerrero and Kurt Angle. Guerrero, who had won the title at No Way Out the month before, faced his first massive challenge in newly-turned heel Kurt Angle. In a irony-laced promo, Angle attacked Eddie for being a drug user and immoral representative to the title. Adding in Paul Heyman’s (General Manager of SMACKDOWN at the time) lust of destroying Guerrero, we have the big stage matchup. Beautiful mix of high-flying and technical maneuvers. In traditional Guerrero style, Eddie “cheated” to win. After being stuck in the Angle Lock once again, Eddie was able to roll out of hit, then untie his boot. While originally this had the look of “swelling”, Kurt applied it once again only to be snookered by a pinfall, which Eddie did by having his feet on the ropes.
Third was the impending return of Undertaker to face his unmasked brother Kane. It all started at Survivor Series when the younger brother buried his older brother Biker Taker alive. Starting at the Rumble, Undertaker starting spooking out Kane, with gongs and caskets and supernatural oh my! Even Paul Bearer, who had recently undergone gastric bypass surgery for weight loss, showed up to be the “manager” of Dead Man ‘Taker. After a spooky entrance, Undertaker came back to the loudest pops of the night. A boring match ensued, but no one saw the contest for the match! A Tombstone, and that’s all she wrote. Resident hybrid phenom is back in the hizzouse!
Finally, our main event. Triple H, all-around bad guy and leader of Evolution, put his World Heavyweight Championship up against perennial nemesis Shawn Michaels and Royal Rumble winner Chris Benoit. Originally a member of the blue brand, Benoit jumped the ship to RAW after Heyman’s abuse of him. Two months of beat-downs and handshakes ensued, as Benoit and Michaels were passionate about making sure Helmsley wouldn’t leave the Garden WHC. Hey, Michaels did it before! Twenty four minutes of fantastic action followed, complete with table bumps and egregious blood loss. After HBK was eliminated from the equation, Benoit slapped the Crossface on The Game. Hunter tried to reverse, but to no avail. Struggling valiantly, HHH had no choice but to tap, and Benoit is the new champ! As confetti streamed down, Guerrero embraced his friend Benoit in the ring as the two vanilla midgets who couldn’t do it! Yes, that was a ‘poke’ at Kevin Nash. That moment feels tarnished now, but I look at it the same way for the most part as I did when I was 14. Hardly the worst thing in the world is it?
As you can see, the DVD package was LOADED. There’s interviews, promos, documentaries, and a photo gallery. Why the hell doesn’t WWE do THAT anymore?
Speaking of documentaries, ‘The ‘Mania of Wrestlemania’, the documentary about Wrestlemania XIX, was aired on UPN about a week before the big show (and I don’t mean Paul Wight). Narrated by Jesse Ventura, it showed multiple superstars’ journeys ranging from Undertaker to Shawn Michaels. It is wonderfully done and almost worth the purchase on its own.
There’s also the Top Ten list done hosted by Ric Flair (originally aired on Spike TV), and NUMEROUS Easter Eggs of Wrestlemania Recall. Those EE’s aired on RAW and SMACKDOWN in the weeks leading to Wrestlemania.
A worthy purchase to the fan or collector. Be aware of this though: later releases have the discs stacked (ala Tombstone: History of the Undertaker), and therefore minor scratching my occur. The original release is a limited edition now-common digipak with darker coloring. I didn’t know this when I purchased the event from WWEShop in 2005, and disc one looked to be not so healthy. Oh well, there’s a trade-off to paying $15 instead of $35!
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