A – Excellent
B – Good
C – Mediocre
D – Avoid
Release Date: 29th April 2013
Available From: www.wwedvd.co.uk
Price:
DVD £ 19.99
Blu-ray £ 22.99
Format Reviewed: DVD (3 Discs)
(Also Available on Blu-ray (2 Discs)
Because this release comes out the day after Wrestlemania 29 and because the usual time I post it would conflict with our Wrestlemania 29 preview I have chosen to put it up a fortnight early.
What It’s About:
The highlights from a whole year of Raw and Smackdown. Including the return of the Rock and his confrontations with John Cena in the preparation for their ‘Once in a Lifetime’ match, the second coming of Brock Lesnar and the devastation he left in his wake and C.M Punk’s epic WWE Championship reign.
Strengths:
Because of the amount of material across all three discs (DVD: Blu-ray 2 Discs) we’ll start from the earliest point and move forward in a chronologic order. Apologies in advance for whatever repetitiveness you may find.
The No Disqualification Match between Randy Orton and Wade Barrett (Smackdown, February 3rd) is a great star builder for Barrett, even though he should have gone over in this match to cement his status as a rising threat in WWE. Boasting some first rate exchanges, the meeting can’t live up to the excitement of their match two months previous where the duo battled into the rear of the building, up in an elevator and through the office building above, finally ending when Barrett threw Orton down a flight of stairs, which is recapped before the match, but is still exceedingly watchable. The match is brought down slightly by Booker T on commentary who absurdly states that Wade Barrett is the best to come out of England, totally ignoring the British Bulldog’s contribution to wrestling. It should be noted here that Randy Orton does more to elevate and advance Barrett than the WWE creative machine did all year. This match highlights two things; 1) how great a star maker Randy Orton is and 2) Wade Barrett was much more preferable and charismatic before his injury than he was when he returned later in the year.
A six man tag team match pitting Randy Orton, Big Show and Sheamus vs The Miz, Cody Rhodes and Daniel Bryan (Smackdown, March 9th) is fairly standard for the amount of talent on display and you do get the overwhelming feeling that Rhodes, Bryan and Miz are totally expendable. To its credit though, Randy Orton, Sheamus, and the whole of The Miz’s team do their very best to turn it around and crank up the pace and yardstick with some solid wrestling and an action packed finale. It’s a good sign for the future for wrestling that the best wrestlers in the company can spot when a match is coming to pieces and possess the talent to hold it together and turn it around.
The Rock Concert (Raw, March 12th) begins with you wondering if the Rock can make it better or as good as his Rock concert for Steve Austin before WrestleMania 19. As soon as Rock begins strumming his guitar though you know you’re in safe hands. The songs are a laugh a minute as per usual and the material about Cena’s mother may have been written by someone else but would fall flat on their face if not for the Rock’s pitch perfect delivery. Also flawless is the Rock’s ridicule of the grown male Cena fans. For as good as the Rock and the material is in this angle though it does greatly underline what the WWE both have been missing and do miss with their headline talent when the Rock isn’t around.
The Return of Brock Lesnar (Raw, April 2nd) is truly momentous and treated as such by the on looking audience who greet Lesnar with complete joy, especially when he attacks Cena. Next to the opening bell of The Rock vs John Cena at Wrestlemania 28, this was one of the best reactions of the entire year. It’s weird because as soon as Lesnar drops Cena with the F5, it’s like a weight has been lifted off of the WWE. You can count this a true moment in WWE history. Credit where credit is due, John Cena’s spiel about what a true champion is, is a little inspiring and he manages to get through most of the segment without grinning. Cena’s nod to Machine Gun Kelly at ringside and comment “Damn fine speech” referring to Kelly’s ill received outburst at Wrestlemania 28, which you can see either on the Wrestlemania 28 DVD and Blu-ray or ‘The Best Pay Per View Matches 2012’ DVD and Blu-ray, is highly misguided. I will just point out though that Cena does a huge three hundred and sixty turn when addressing the audience he says that he respects Dwayne Johnson, when on the February 20th Raw he said he had no respect for him. I smell a suck up.
Another No Disqualification Match between Randy Orton and Kane (Smackdown, April 6th) is miles better than their routine exchange at Wrestlemania 28, five days earlier, yet not as good as their Fall Count Anywhere Match at Extreme Rules 2012. Even though the No Disqualification rule isn’t used to its full effect by the two, it’s respectable enough to have taken the Wrestlemania 28 match’s place. In one on one competition Kane looks both limited, not just in his wrestling but also in his movement and way out of his depth, still, sixteen years after his third and most successful run in WWE (Glen Jacobs portrayed Issac Yankem and the fake Diesel in WWE before donning the red mask).
Happily, the confrontation between Brock Lesnar and John Cena (Raw, April 9th) is ultra intense and yields a classy looking pull apart brawl in which Lesnar inadvertently busts Cena's mouth open. It may have been a mistake or it may have been intentional, either way it looks great and adds fuel to the fire for their Extreme Rules 2012 war. Unfortunately, Cena is grinning all the way through the confrontation when he should be angry and vengeful. Had Cena done this with fuel in the fire and revenge on his face then it would have been an unbeatable scenario. Cena’s number one mark is out in force in Michael Cole. The guy is so far up Cena’s backside he can see the label on Lesnar’s footwear.
The influx of No Disqualification Matches continues with C.M Punk vs Mark Henry (Raw, April 16th). Regrettably the whole altercation is severely hampered by Mark Henry's inability to do much of anything. However it is kept watchable by several great moves from Punk, including a sensational dive through the ropes and an expertly executed run across the top of the crowd barrier ending in a fine bulldog on Henry, to the mat. Some dunce in the crowd possesses a sign that is visual on several occasions reading ‘C.M Punk is Pathetic’. This is highly disrespectful and at best guess made by someone who doesn’t know the word respect in wrestling or a John Cena fan. And before I get messages from Cena fans about either not being respectful or something else, take a look at the ‘Rock vs Cena: Once in a Lifetime’ DVD and Blu-ray, when a female Cena fans states that she’s almost jealous because the Rock comes back to WWE and is loved and Cena is here every week and is hated. The woman doesn’t take one second to realise that the Rock has done more for every opponent he’s stepped into the ring with than Cena has done for one of his with the exception of Umaga at Royal Rumble 2007. People respect and like professionals who advance the talent around them and the business. Cena has proven on more than occasion he can only be professional when the mood takes him and lacks the knowledge and talent to elevate anyone. This has been proved time and time again.
Sheamus and Randy Orton's top class battle (Smackdown, May 18th), begins as the most methodical Randy Orton match on the release but builds and builds into something truly unforgettable. I doubt Sheamus has had many better matches than this one. WWE should add this to the highlight reel of matches they should show development talent in how to expertly put a match and story together, hold by hold, move by move. There’s a reason Randy Orton is headed back to the top of the card and Sheamus is in for a great 2013. This match adds weight to WWE’s beliefs that both men are the future of the company.
A Fatal Four Way Elimination Match which sees Dolph Ziggler vs The Great Khali vs Jack Swagger vs Christian (Raw, June 11th), for the number one contenders spot to the World Heavyweight Championship at No Way Out, is remarkably superior once Khali has been eliminated. The guy is so big and his knees are so broken down and injured that it’s become painful for him to even walk to the ring. Every move sees Khali rooted to the spot and there’s no fluidity in anything he does. It obvious in 2013 that the Great Khali should have retired years ago. The exchanges between Christian and Ziggler in the finale of the match are nothing short of excellent and the near falls are sumptuous to watch. Yes, Vickie Guerrero is annoying at ringside as ever and the ‘Cougar’ necklace WWE make her wear tells you everything you need to know about how WWE view ‘Cougars’, what they are and what they wear. Should WWE take a chance and bolster their main event spots with the likes of Ziggler, Swagger and Christian then the whole company would be a lot better for it.
The most pleasant surprise is Vader vs Heath Slater (Raw, June 11th). Time may have aged Vader, he looks like he's lost some height and his gut may protrude more now than it did in the mid 90's, but it has not moderated his wrestling ability. Apart from it being good to see Vader in a wrestling ring again, it’s apparent even to the audience that Vader hasn’t lost a step in the ring. Chants of “Vader” and “You’ve still got it” attest to that. Fans are genuinely pleased to see Vader. A legend came home and the fans rose up and met him with love.
Sheamus vs Dolph Ziggler (Smackdown, June 22nd) once again isn't as pleasing as other matches the pair have traded blows in, but does contain a spectacular Ziggler fame-asser from the top of the steps to the outside and what looks like a devastating Brogue Kick finish. More than anything, you get the impression that Dolph Ziggler really does belong in the main event. Any doubt either WWE or the WWE Universe had about Ziggler taking the step up to the big stage in 2012 were put to rest by his energetic performances and thoroughly enjoyable enthusiasm. I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again. If Ziggler can keep this up and avoid the injury trap, then he’ll stave off all comparisons to Mr. Perfect and may even surpass one of WWE’s true legends.
The trip down memory lane comes courtesy of the DX reunion at Raw 1,000 (Raw, July 23rd). The reception Vince gets at the beginning of the show is truly heart warming and to hear him belt out "Welcome to Monday Night Raw!" once more brings back welcome memories of days gone by. It is sincerely special to see DX together once again, minus Chyna, and the whole angle is worth sitting through again even if you have seen it when it went out live and on the ‘Top 100 Moments in Raw History’ DVD and Blu-ray. Again, time hasn’t aged any of them well and the drug and alcohol habit haven’t served Sean Waltman well, nonetheless it’s a magnificent moment.
Josh Matthews provides the links and the back-story at the beginning of each disc (at random intervals for the Blu-ray release) more than adeptly. Matthews is a good presenter who knows what he’s talking about, much better than most WWE hire to do the links between matches or discs. Just a quick point on Josh. For me, you can make your own mind up; Josh is the most successful Tough Enough competitor to come out of the popular reality series. He may not be a wrestler as he trained to be and some will say John Morrison is the most successful but the way I see it, Morrisson and every other Tough Enough winner or competitor has either failed, quit or been fired before they had a chance to make it big. Josh has been in WWE constantly for a number of years now and he’s managed to keep a steady job both presenting and commentating and fans like him. He found a way of being in the business even though it was clear he was never going to be a wrestler. His constant bullying at the hands of JBL on Smackdown is painful to sit and listen to each week and paints him as a pushover, though if the guy would just answer back for once in his life JBL would stop the bullying. On the whole though, I have a lot of time and respect for Josh Matthews.
A Fatal Four Way Match for the number one contendership to the World Heavyweight Championship rivalling Rey Mysterio vs Kane vs Daniel Bryan vs Alberto Del Rio (Smackdown, July 27th) never relents on the action for a moment. It's never boring and keeps the attentions until the final deciding fall. It's rare to say about every competitor in a match, but all four men looked quality for their efforts and should be applauded for this match. Yes, even Kane. There are some really brilliant counters and Alberto Del Rio looks like a true champion. When he’s not saddled with Sin Cara, Rey Mysterio can really turn on the magic like he used to even with the constant knee injuries which he needs even more operations on.
John Cena's finest moments on this release come on the microphone and not in the ring, like we ever expected them to. Another example of this is his confrontation with C.M Punk (Raw, August 20th). Starting out and ending with a very uncomfortable quarrel between Punk and Jerry Lawler, in which Punk kicks Lawler in the head in the conclusion, I dare anyone not to cringe as they watch this, not because it’s bad but because it would lead to a tag team match between the pair shortly before Lawler would collapse with heart attack live on air. It’s not comfortable viewing. Thankfully, and you won’t hear me say this very often, John Cena breaks up the segment and the angle in question begins. C.M Punk is spot on in everything he says about not being respected. Still, in 2013 after his WWE Championship reign which carried the company through 2012, Punk isn’t being shown respect for his contribution. It defies belief. John Cena naturally sucks up to the crowd, but at least his speech here about if you don’t believe in yourself then you might as well get out, is delivered with fervour. Despondently though it all goes down hill for Cena from that point on. His comment that he has to believe he’s the best in the world is laughable. Cena then comically tells Punk that the only thing he’ll be remembered for is blowing a kiss to Vince and walking out of the company, without taking a moment to realise the only things Cena will be remembered for if he doesn’t up his game in the ring is waving a hand, having loud shirts and being one of the most hated and worst wrestlers in history. Yes the charity stuff will fall in there somewhere but I fear it will be overshadowed by everything else. The most preposterous comment Cena makes in this angle is that if C.M Punk doesn’t choose him to defend the WWE Championship against at Night of Champions then Punk has no respect for the company, the fans or himself.
Kane and Daniel Bryan's Anger Management Sessions (Raw, August 27th) are a good chuckle even though WWE should have included all of these sessions with the thoroughly exceptional Dr. Shelby. Putting aside the fact the sessions are obviously held in the backstage area and not a real anger management class, Daniel Bryan and Shelby are on top condescending form but it is Kane who steals the show with his harangue about his doomed past. I truly believe the line, “A few years ago, I had a girlfriend named Katie, but that didn’t turn out so well”, is one of the best lines WWE have ever written for any performer. For those who didn’t and still don’t know what Kane is referring to then I implore you not to go back and find out. The angle and story were tasteless, although Triple H dressing up in a Kane mask and having sex with a rubber doll in a coffin which was meant to be Katie Vick was distasteful, it was very funny.
Cody Rhodes vs Rey Mysterio (Smackdown, August 31st), is a so-so affair notable for its counters and Rhodes' sparkling fluidity. Like Dolph Ziggler, Cody Rhodes could be a solid main event player if WWE stopped burying him every week and actually gave him something to work with. We’ve seen WWE do it with countless others and if the WWE machine was to be put full force behind Rhodes then it would yield something special. Another run in the main event for Mysterio isn’t inconceivable if WWE were able to keep Mysterio on their books, allow him time to get his knees fixed and built him up for a number of months with a heel turn. In a time when the main even herd is thinning like the hair on Jerry Lawler’s head, WWE need all the help they can get.
Kofi Kingston vs Dolph Ziggler (Raw, September 24th) is of good quality and for the most part keeps the viewer on the edge of their seat. With high risk moves aplenty and the athleticism a sight to behold. When you realise the result wouldn’t mean anything for either man in the long run it does tar the match with a particular brush, almost more than basing the whole match and feud on some dumb twitter exchanges. WWE need to invest more in Kofi and stop losing interest in him. Overall though the match boasts some killer near falls and if WWE push the pair to stardom could be a Wrestlemania main event of the future.
Beth Phoenix vs Natalya (Smackdown, September 28th) should be given more plaudits for being a very good technical wrestling match. The pair put on one of the best divas matches in 2012 and the match does more to show off what could be accomplished with the ailing Divas Division than every other Diva has produced all year. Technically superior to everything else WWE has in its female locker; the company could have built the whole division around these two had they managed to retain Phoenix’s services. This match is also the end of Beth Phoenix’s WWE run although the door has been left open for her return should she wish to do so, with an indefinite suspension storyline. Just a little trivia now. Phoenix was suspended indefinitely until Eve and Booker T could work out who attacked Kaitlyn at Night of Champions, costing her the shot at the WWE Divas Championship. When it turned out that Eve and Aksana were in it together shouldn’t there have been some explanation as to why WWE hadn’t reinstated Beth? Anyone watching this will question that fact now they’ve been reminded of it.
Sheamus vs Damien Sandow (Raw, October 1st) is utterly competative and shows how much unlimited and untapped potential Sandow has in the ring. Yes, this match like at least one other on this release paints Sandow as a coward but more importantly, with constant performances like this in singles competition then Damien is going to leave WWE no excuse as to why they continuously bury him. The match features a fantastic flying clothesline over the barricade on Sheamus but forlornly, the ending is to the determent of Team Rhodes Scholars, yet again. Getting beaten down by one man sent out the message that there was no way Cody and Sandow were going to be successful against the tag team champions.
C.M Punk vs Dolph Ziggler (Smackdown, October 5th) is a top class outing that goes back and forth until the final, decisive fall. It may be an old cliche of this blog now but here it is again. Both men shone in this match which includes a hard hitting and potentially damage inducing fall from the top rope to the outside by Punk. He really does clatter the mat with some ferocity which wouldn’t have helped the knee injury he was working with at the time. I’ve been openly marking out for Ziggler in this review and for good reason when you see it. A few more performances like the one against Punk on October 5th and everyone will be able to believe that Ziggler will be a proficient Champion.
Another offering from the former, yet current here, WWE Champion sees C.M Punk vs Vince McMahon (Raw, October 8th). When you hear that a match is going to feature an old man against the then current WWE Champion, you immediately brace yourself for a farce of epic proportions. This though is wierdly entertaining. Vince has to be given a huge amount of credit for still getting in the ring at his age. As a rich and wealthy individual there really is no need for Vince to step through the ropes but he still does it for the good of business and dare I say it, he looks good. Even in his worst matches, Vince looks very good and is willing for anything to be done to him. There aren’t that many bosses you can say that about. Punk is made to look like a coward against his aged boss which there was no call for and the ending comes cheaply when Ryback runs in to make the save as Punk is about to deliver the GTS. Looking at Vince here, if he looks after himself which he does, then I’d go as far to say that he has one more quality Wrestlemania level match in him.
Randy Orton vs Alberto Del Rio in a Falls Count Anywhere Match (Smackdown, November 6th) is superlative in its efforts to help rebuild Orton for the main event spot he'll occupy after WrestleMania 29 and elevate Del Rio ready for his World Heavyweight Championship reign two months later. The match spills out all around the English arena and the crowd are hot for the moment. This caps off an uber strong showing for Randy Orton on this release and what a match it was. If you forked out the money on ‘Live in the U.K: November 2012’ DVD just for this match then you’ll kick yourself when you realise you could have saved money on the appalling release and got it here instead.
Weaknesses:
Another Falls Count Anywhere Match between Zack Ryder and Kane (Raw, January 23rd) is merely a glorified arse whipping of Ryder and a complete burial of his character. Let's just say this is WWE's way of punishing Ryder for getting himself over with the crowd when the company couldn’t be bothered to and a warning to other superstars that this is what happens when you go against the mighty WWE. You can count to offence Ryder is permitted on one hand. Kane throws Ryder around the arena for ten un-entertaining minutes before chokeslamming everyone’s favourite jobber through the stage for the finish. I say finish; WWE couldn’t even be bothered to give us a definitive ending. John Cena is pathetic in his attempts to feign shock and concern at the conclusion and even the sight of the delectable Eve can’t save this mess. Just a side note here, as the first match on the release, it comes immediately after the introduction by Josh Matthews. Matthews mentions that Ryder is Cena’s best friend, which is a need to know fact as the match existed solely to further the Cena vs Kane feud, yet isn’t given permission to mention that Cena have never done anything to help advance his friends career.
The edition of Chris Jericho's Highlight Reel (Raw, January 23rd) in which Y2J finally breaks his silence after weeks of monotonous nonsense is underwhelming and hardly worth the wait. When Jericho finally does speak after a Hulk Hogan inspired amount of time teasing the audience (Hogan used to take an age posing), all we get from his is some nonsensical drivel. “This Sunday at the Royal Rumble, it is going to be the end of the world as you know it!” This was proved to be nothing but bollocks by WWE, who couldn’t even be asked to come up with a game changing storyline for Jericho to follow up his promise. Nothing world changing happened after the Royal Rumble or through the rest of 2012 as a matter of fact.
Bizarrely, the links to the adverts are still left in. There is no reason for WWE to keep doing this on releases which went out on television in the first place. On the ‘C.M Punk: Best in the World’ DVD and Blu-ray, WWE took the time to add in the matches in full, including the action which transpired during the ad breaks. If they can do it for one release they can do it for all the others. The fact they don’t is sheer laziness on WWE’s behalf.
There are no dates on clips or matches to notify the viewer of when what they’re currently watching took place. If you want to know the dates of each match or segment then you have to trawl through the chapter menus, which is time consuming. Why they did this on ‘The Best of Raw and Smackdown 2011’ and not on this years release is never explained.
John Cena's address of The Rock (Raw, February 20th) is both samey, stale and infuriating. There's nothing in this segment that we haven't heard Cena spout twenty times before. The whole promo is filled with unreliable facts and complete lies. Cena claims that he has to speak to several people just to talk to the Rock. A fact disproven by two facts; 1) The Rock came out a week later and told the WWE Universe that Cena had the Rock’s cell phone number and 2) everyone who is anyone knows wrestlers mingle and talk to each other backstage; Cena’s constant and unrelenting babble about him being here and the Rock always being gone is going over old ground and maddening at the same time. WWE, John Cena and the WWE Universe know that the Rock’s schedule is full to bursting and that he can’t be there week in and week out. If they expect him to drop his movie career to get beat up every night then they’re delusional. I will say this once more because I’m tired of saying it. The Rock has paid his dues in the ring and in the business. Those fans that have respect for the business know and understand why he can’t be in WWE every week, it’s just those few morons who hang on every word Cena spits that don’t want to understand. To be honest, WWE were lucky to get the Rock at all. He didn’t need the money, he didn’t need the exposure and he didn’t need WWE. Cena’s comment that Rock came back to launch his twitter account is wholly dumb seeing as Rock could have launched it on a chat show whilst plugging his latest movie. This whole segment reeks of bullshit and to be honest sour grapes on Cena’s part. If you don’t think John Cena is jealous that the Rock made it in Hollywood when he couldn’t then you’re just as delusional as those who pull on that shirt and wave that hand in the hope it will make them a better person. It won’t.
The Triple Threat Match for the WWE United States Championship, which sees Santino Marella vs Dolph Ziggler vs Jack Swagger (Raw, April 2nd) is an underwhelming affair which only adds to the 2012 burial of Jack Swagger. The whole thing is played for laughs like most of Santino's matches and weakens the image of the United States Championship even more than Santino had done already. WWE can trace the downfall of the United States Championship back to matches like these. Comically, Vickie Guerrero is wearing the latest style from the ABBA range and Brodus Clay’s involvement and dance number at the finish is just shameful in every way you can imagine.
Daniel Bryan's total character assassination of A.J Lee (Smackdown, April 6th) is a total waste of time. It may be the beginning of the A.J mentally unhinged character that really did catch on in WWE in 2012 and got her into the spotlight and out of Bryan’s shadow, and the chants of ‘Yes’ are all too audible from the crowd but it far from warrants an inclusion on ‘The Best of Raw and Smackdown 2012’. It’s by far one of the best moments. For some strange reason, WWE want us to believe that Wrestlemania 28 was Daniel Bryan’s first ever Wrestlemania when everyone knows that he fought Sheamus on the Wrestlemania 27 pre-show for the United States Championship. Even on the pre-show, it still counts and is another fine example of WWE trying to rewrite history. I would however like to meet one of the people who put these releases together and ask them what criteria they use to do and what classes a match or moment as one of the best of that year.
The WWE Tag Team Championship Match between Epico and Primo defending against Kofi Kingston and R0Truth (Raw, Aprile 30th) is strictly by the numbers. This should have been special considering it was the beginning of the Kingston / Truth Tag Team Championship run, yet it wasn't and the team and Championship reign was a total flop. WWE let their talent down badly here and have been paying the price heavily where the tag team division is concerned. A little trivia fact here my good minions; on the back of R-Truth’s jeans was the misspelling of ‘Gonna’. Instead of reading ‘You’re gonna get got’ what Truth actually had on the back of his jeans read ‘You’re gone get got’. Can’t anyone in WWE spell?
Big Show vs Brodus Clay (Raw, May 28th) isn't strictly a match and not credited in the menu as being one. In the title menu it's noted down as 'Big Show goes on a Rampage', but is abysmal in every conceivable way you could ever imagine. Not content with throwing the hippo known as Clay around, WWE then have Big Show totally destroy the WWE Tag Team Champions, Kingston and Truth. Anyone with any sense would have known to omit this on account of decency, in place of another match or angle that actually was entertaining or worth the time to sit through. Clay’s excess skin is everywhere, its grotesque as is the mind numbing dance routine at the beginning. Maybe, with a little dedication from the creative team, Brodus Clay could be a great heel. In this role though he’s redundant.
'Santino Hosts Sign of the Night' (Smackdown, June 22nd) is totally set up by WWE. In fact the set up with the planted audience member takes away all originality and credit from the angle. Santino goes through the signs in the crowd and then predictably find one which read ‘I Love Santino’. Santino calls the woman into the ring and they kiss. Had this not been a plant then the woman wouldn’t have been sitting on an aisle seat so she could gain access to the ring easily, she wouldn’t have been wearing the full Santino outfit complete with karate robe t-shirt and cobra and she almost definitely wouldn’t have been allowed to shove her tongue down Santino’s throat when she arrived in the ring. False, predictable and a total waste of time.
Ryback vs Curt Hawkins and the pointless Tyler Recks (Raw, August 6th) like the above is surplus to requirements. The only notablething about this match is the interview with Ryback which is played throughout the match in a small box on the right hand side of the screen. Watch closely and you will see Ryback’s ears move freely of his head, it’s both distracting and very amusing. During the match, Michael Cole states that Ryback does 2,000 jumps on a jump rope for conditioning, but there’s no explanation then given as to why Ryback blows up in five minutes if he’s so well conditioned. If anyone especially WWE wants an explanation as to why Ryback can’t work long matches then this match is a prime example and a great place to start.
John Cena vs Alberto Del Rio in a Falls Count Anywhere Match (Raw, September 3rd), is mostly sloppy and both competitors look uninvolved and uninterested in what they're doing. This is the usual John Cena effort in that he sells next to nothing and that includes a back suplex through the announcers table, which Cena simply jumps up from after a few seconds like nothing has happened to apply the STF to Del Rio. Alberto Del Rio should be doing better here and looks visibly run down, tired and drained from WWE’s constant burial of him. It’s obvious to everyone else that Del Rio is a star, but for some reason in 2012, WWE refused to believe it and though he fitted the ‘jobber’ role much better. The ending which sees Punk attack Cena for Del Rio to make the cover and take the victory is WWE’s way of telling Del Rio that they don’t consider him good enough to beat Cena single handedly and that he needs help. And they wonder why we can’t buy into these people.
Randy Orton vs Damien Sandow (Smackdown, September 7th), is the only showing of Randy Orton which is a let down. The match doesn't last long enough to form a proper judgment of it and to make it worse Damien Sandow is portrayed as an absolute coward. This match along with many that Sandow was booked to run from the ring away from his opponent led to Team Rhodes Scholars being looked upon by the WWE Universe as mere cannon fodder. Had Sandow really took it to Orton in a competitive match in which he came within seconds of defeating ‘The Viper’, then everyone could have believed in both Sandow and Team Rhodes Scholars. It would have put Cody and Damien in a totally different position. It almost seems like WWE wants its new talent to fail. In the end, with Ziggler on commentary and the Orton / Ziggler brawl at the end of the match, you get the overwhelming feeling that the match existed to further the Orton vs Ziggler feud.
Ryback vs Tensai (Smackdown, September 28th) is a complete waste of time. It's another burial of Tensai, one which seems to be an ongoing trend in WWE since his re-debut to the company and if you think that his new team with Brodus Clay isn’t burial then you just wait and see what delights WWE have in store for the pair. The man that WWE hoped would be the next Goldberg of the company struggles through the short match and for someone who is meant to have top class conditioning Ryback has a hell of a job getting Tensai up for the Shell Shocked. It’s sad in a way though, because Tensai has a ton more talent than Ryback does or ever will, yet once again in WWE’s it’s the one with the least talent that gets a push. Maybe Ryback could develop a catchy hand signal to go with his character as well.
Team Hell No vs Alberto Del Rio and David Otunga (Smackdown, October 5th) is competent if pedestrian. The match was staged at a time when Team Hell No's bickering was still entertaining. Strangely, everyone in this match seems in a hurry to get it over with. There’s no passion. WWE should have found another tag team partner for Del Rio other than, Mr. Personality himself, David Otunga. There’s no real reason for this match be on this release let alone exist.
Blu-ray Exclusive Extras:
Raw – March 5th 2012
WWE United States Championship Match
Santino Marella vs Jack Swagger
Raw – 18th June 2012
C.M Punk and Sheamus vs Daniel Bryan and Kane
Smackdown – 27th July 2012
WWE Intercontinental Championship Match
The Miz vs Christian
Raw – 30th July 2012
Street Fight
Sheamus vs Daniel Bryan
Smackdown – 28th September 2012
The Smackdown Debut of Miz TV
Smackdown – 26th October 2012
Randy Orton vs Wade Barrett
Interviews and Behind the Scenes
Chris Jericho is Interviewed After His Return
Santino Marella Discusses Being Assistant to the General Manager
Santino Marella Talks About Winning the WWE United States Championship
R-Truth and Little Jimmy Remix Their Entrance Music
Ricardo Rodriguez Discusses His Sheamus Impersonation
Dude Love and Brodus Clay Hang Out At Raw 1000
Daniel Bryan is “Mr. Hug It Out”
Kane and Daniel Bryan Try To Settle An Argument
Conclusion:
One again, branding this release as ‘The Best of...’ doesn’t quite ring true by WWE. Undisputedly there are some really great moments that do deserve their inclusion in this release but also, there are some complete stinkers that should have been left off of the list completely in favour of other matches and moments. Some, like the Ryback matches for example are only on this release to get the walking disaster onto another WWE DVD and Blu-ray, ignoring the fact they don’t come close to the required criteria the title would suggest.
Strangely there are an inordinate amount of No Disqualification and Falls Count Anywhere Matches here but thankfully mostly all are eminently watchable. The first two discs in the set (DVD) run for a lot less than the 3 hours WWE had to pad them out and could have easily included a lot more material on both. I for one would have loved to see The Rock’s history lessons from Boston, in which he threw John Cena merchandise into the river and then sang a very funny song at the expense of Cena. This though is another minor gripe with what is a thoroughly enjoyable collection.
Thankfully WWE didn’t include any of Jerry Lawler’s real life heart attack and we were mercifully spared the angle in which he was shockingly treated by C.M Punk at WWE’s request upon his triumphant return. For some reason Raw seems to get a lot more coverage than Smackdown, despite the better matches of the release were held on the blue brand and anyone who watches week in and week out will tell you that on the whole, Smackdown is the better show.
Happily, WWE use this release as a chance to get over some up and coming talent. Dolph Ziggler and Cody Rhodes cement their claim to a future main event spot, Ziggler more so than Rhodes and Randy Orton and Sheamus have several very fine outing over the expanse of the discs. Mostly all are very welcome. WWE though, could have used this to showcase some of the other talent way down the card who were involved in some top class matches themselves in 2012.
Some bad but mostly good. The problem with rating this release is that it’s better than a ‘B’ but not quite good enough for an ‘A’. So where does that leave us? Somewhere in between that we don’t have a score for. Even though some of the inclusions are only here to get said wrestler on another release and one or two are unforgivable, there are enough excellent matches here to satisfy even the most hardcore wrestling fan.
‘The Best of Raw and Smackdown 2012’ is one of the best WWE releases of 2013 so far.
Rating: A
Onwards and upwards...
