This DVD is one of my favourites for the quality, content and even the extras. If you aren’t a wrestling fan you may not have any interest or be able to comprehend any of the information, but I urge those who are willing to try.
BREIF HISTORY WrestleMania was an experimental close-circuit television event (which was a good as pay-per-view at the time) the likes of which the world had never seen before. The very first WrestleMania was on March 31, 1985 in Madison Square Garden, New York and was a big gamble for World Wrestling Federation owner, Vince McMahon, one which if he won; he would have reaped the financial & business in a big way, but if he lost, would have quite likely out of business. The event was a huge success and it was held annually every year as the companies’ biggest pay-per-view event of the year, fast-forward nineteen years and we are set for WrestleMania XIX (19), the WWE (formerly WWF) are now the biggest wrestling company by a square-mile and one of the biggest grossing entertainment
outlets in the world.
THE EVENT Enter the bizarre, over-the-top, sweaty, mis-understood of professional wrestling, this is the biggest event of the year and the schedule reflected it, this review will take a look over certain key matches, but not all of them.
The first match was the Cruiserweight Championship match: Matt Hardy Vs. Rey Mysterio – this match was a good opener between two good entertaining wrestlers, Hardy played the role of the bad guy well with his sidekick helping him out on numerous occasions throughout the match, as well as Mysterio showing his great high-flying ability – as always. Matt Hardy won the match.
Undertaker Vs. Big Show & A-Train – Undertaker won.
Woman’s Championship match: Victoria Vs, Trish Stratus Vs. Jazz - Trish Stratus won.
Tag Team Championship Match: Team Angle Vs. Los Guerreros Vs. Rhyno & Chris Benoit – Team Angle won.
Shawn Michaels Vs. Chris Jericho – As this is my review it will clearly be full of my opinions and this match was the best – quality-wise in the event. The video montage before the match showing the history of the two and how the match came to be really helped construct the atmosphere before the match. The match itself was everything a modern wrestling match should be; it had psychology, skill, crowd interaction, good moves & spots, not to mention the fact that the ability and charisma of the two wrestlers really showed through in the perfect cross between traditional and modern wrestling.
World Heavyweight Championship Match: Triple H Vs. Booker T – The video montage before the match was another good build-up before hand and it documented Booker T’s past and how he came to be in the main event. The match had a good feel to it and it would have been really nice to see Booker T win the big title at WrestleMania, but it was one conclusion that was very unlikely to happen and in the end Triple H did indeed end-up winning the match. – Triple H wins
Hulk Hogan Vs. Vince McMahon – Of all the pre-match video montages this one was definitely the most epic. It documented the history of Hulk Hogan wrestling at the first WrestleMania 18 years ago, working for Vince McMahon and later went onto betray him and go to a rival company. The match itself was unexpected for two men over 50 years old; it was a no disqualification match with a lengthy battle, weapons, blood made for an entertaining bought. - Hulk Hogan won.
Steve Austin Vs. The Rock – Probably two of most popular wrestlers did battle for the third time at a WrestleMania event, Stone Cold Steve Austin had beaten the Rock in the previous two meetings and this was the Rock’s homecoming after starting a career in Hollywood. The match showed to be a classic as a result of the chemistry between the two. – The Rock won.
WWE Championship Match: Kurt Angle Vs. Brock Lesnar – The rookie with all the skills, Lesnar was thrown into the deep end against the highly-celebrated champion, Kurt Angle. This match was possibly the most technically orientated match for the first WrestleMania in a long while, with the two wrestlers being former amateur wrestling champions. The match was good technically and despite a huge mistake at the end – which caused a concussion to Lesnar, it was a solid wrestling bout. – Lesnar won.
THE DVD The DVD itself is packed with great extras; interviews, history flashbacks, related shows and pre-show matches. There is also a very nice feature which follows injured wrestler, Edge, around the city as he does media promotion for the event.
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