WWE - ECW The Most Extreme Matches (DVD)

...so, I think that the WWE are in need of thanks for releasing this DVD and putting the ECW archives to good use. Not only that, but the fact that the 'Mad Scientist' himself, Paul E. introduces each match, is pure genius. Now let's get onto the matches:

The Rotten Brothers - Ian and Axl. Notorious in ECW for having one of the bloodiest and possibly most creative feuds. This match shows exactly how personal the feud actually became, ...
...generously these days. Promoted in WWE mainly by Mick Foley, barbed wire is a lethal weapon which should never come into contact with humans. This is not 'rubber tipped barbed wire used in WCW', as mentioned in Have A Nice Day by Mick Foley, but the real stuff. This is the barbed wire that will, as Joey Styles so aptly put it, 'slice skin, mutilate muscles and tear tendons.' This Barbed Wire match between Terry Funk and Sabu for the ECW World Heavyweight ... more

E-C-DUB! E-C-DUB! The legendary words, that no one could or ever can put down. Even today, when things get a little extreme in the WWE, such as someone getting 'busted wide open' or someone using an assortment of weapons to put the hurt on their opponent, the chant begins and strengthens by the second.

ECW built up a rabid, cultlike fanbase and this dvd set highlights exactly why. I suppose if you are a die hard ECW fan, you can truly appreciate the 19 matches available across the 2 DVDs, however it's not too late to show your appreciation for a promotion that revolutioned the business.

I don't want to bore anybody or ruin the fun, so I will only outline my favourite matches. However, before I do so, I think that the WWE are in need of thanks for releasing this DVD and putting the ECW archives to good use. Not only that, but the fact that the 'Mad Scientist' himself, Paul E. introduces each match, is pure genius. Now let's get onto the matches:

The Rotten Brothers - Ian and Axl. Notorious in ECW for having one of the bloodiest and possibly most creative feuds. This match shows exactly how personal the feud actually became, culminating in this Taipei Death Match. Each brother wrapped their hands in cloth, which and then dipped into glue and then broken glass. The result was a bloodbath, which is amongst one of the most disturbing matches I have ever beared witness to. These two tore into each other like a cheetah does its prey and this match really showcased how extreme ECW was.

From 'The Doctor Is In' 1996, comes the Stretcher Match between Rob Van Dam and Sabu. It was mentor versus student in this extreme match, which pitted two of the best aerial wrestlers against each other. The results was pure bliss, a match mixed with with harcore, hard hitting moves.

Barbed Wire, an item which rolls off the tongue ever so generously these days. Promoted in WWE mainly by Mick Foley, barbed wire is a lethal weapon which should never come into contact with humans. This is not 'rubber tipped barbed wire used in WCW', as mentioned in Have A Nice Day by Mick Foley, but the real stuff. This is the barbed wire that will, as Joey Styles so aptly put it, 'slice skin, mutilate muscles and tear tendons.' This Barbed Wire match between Terry Funk and Sabu for the ECW World Heavyweight Championship proved that anecdote to be true. This match truly has to be seen to be believed, as the barbed wire gets wrapped up around both men, who are left lying in a bloody heap at the end of the match. The main part of the match, features Sabu slicing, or rather ripping his arm on the barbed wire, causing his bicep tear open, a wound which he simply tapes up, before carrying on the match as normal.

Again, it's a family feud, as The Dudley Boyz team up against Balls Mahoney and their Little Brother, Spike Dudley in a Chicago Street Fight, Falls Count Anywhere Match. This is a classic tag team match, although there isn't a great deal of tagging. Nonetheless, this match showcases the brawling technique that both teams were well know for and which the fans loved them for. You don't want to miss any of this match, especially the end, as things get awfully hot...

My final match is taken from ECWs final PPV, Guilty as Charged, from the Hammerstein Ballroom, where of the course the future One Night Stands took place. This is an 'I Quit' Match between Tommy Dreamer and C.W. Anderson. Things get awfully good and bloody quickly, making this match an instant classic.

Overall, both DVDs showcase the best of ECW and show what it means to be committed to professional wrestling. All the wrestlers that walked through the doors of the Bingo Hall aka ECW Arena, put their bodies on the line, to entertain the bloodthirsty fans. The result is a promotion that will never die and one which revolutionized the way professional wrestling is looked at today. Although ECW has been revived as a brand under WWE, this DVD shows where many of the WWE mainstays started off and why WWE felt the need to produce One Night Stand and eventually revive ECW altogether. Buy this DVD! 

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