If you believed certain moaners on the Internet you’d almost think that the idea of a “Best of” Raw and Smackdown from 2014 would be a bit of misnomer. Nothing good ever happens on the WWE TV shows after all does it?
For those of us in the real world, there was plenty to enjoy on both shows throughout the year and this 3 DVD set, hosted by Byron Saxton, aims to highlight those bits. For the most part it does a stellar job.
Disc one starts with the only entry from January, an entertaining Six-Man Tag pitting The Shield against John Cena, Sheamus and Daniel Bryan where spots in the Elimination Chamber match were on the line. February is a popular month as the majority of the rest of the disc is taken up with matches and events from that month.
Randy Orton and Daniel Bryan have a good match, whilst the Four Way #1 Contenders math for the IC Title between Rey Misterio, Jack Swagger, Kofi Kingston and Mark Henry appears to be on more to get some different names on the set rather than being an absolutely great match. The John Cena/Cesaro match serves to show how wasteful it is to waste the Swiss Superstar in his current role and considering what it led up to, a retrospective of the Undertaker and Brock Lesnar feud (complete with their “contract signing”) is a welcome addition. There’s also an amusing look at Batista “going Hollywood”. Regardless of the reasons behind his forced heel turn, there’s no denying that Dave makes a very entertaining “bad guy”. The disc ends with a Tag Team Title match from March pitting The New Age Outlaws against The Uso’s. I have my own feelings about the NAO being brought in, but as a feel good moment, the Uso’s Tag Team Title win deserves it’s place here.
Disc Two starts a look at the Yes Movement versus The Authority before taking us to Daniel Bryan’s “occupation” of Raw. It was a bit cheesy but it certainly qualifies as one of the most memorable images/segments of 2014. A John Cena/Luke Harper match from the same month seems an excuse to squeeze more Cena on. April, and the post-Mania season, is heralded in by Paige winning the Diva’s Title from AJ Lee on her first night on the main roster. It’s a nothing match but the British fans in the audience certainly make it seem like a momentous moment. A handicap match pitting The Shield against 11 opponents is fairly ridiculous and perhaps most memorable now for a sighting of Alberto Del Rio, (who it is easy to forget was in the WWE as recently as this). April is wound up with a brilliant Bray Wyatt promo (the one with the children) and a Battle Royale for the United States title that would perhaps be more memorable if the US title actually meant anything.
May brings John Cena slumming it down the card in what is nevertheless an entertaining Six-Man as he teams with the Uso’s to take on the Wyatt’s. The Bo Dallas and Sin Cara match (complete with alternative commentary from Bo) might have meant something if the WWE hadn’t curtailed his push and returned him to obscurity within weeks. The disc rounds off with Seth Rollins turn on the Shield from June, which was certainly memorable and a good plot twist that few saw coming at the time.
Disc Three starts with Rollins explaining his actions before Cody Rhodes introduces us to the Stardust gimmick as he and Goldust take on Rybaxel. We then get a look at Vickie Guerrero’s goodbye to the WWE and her “Mud Pool” match with Stephanie McMahon. Although this fits more into the “memorable” side of things rather than the “best of” it’s fair to say that it probably deserves to be on here. The same probably can’t be said for the Brie Bella and Stephanie McMahon contract signing from August, which smacks of getting more Stephanie on the playlist, but the post SummerSlam promo of the Authority introducing Brock Lesnar probably does deserve to be on. It’s not as if they can put any Lesnar matches on here is it?
Things pick up with a riotous Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins Falls Count Anywhere Match before September’s only offering is a Chris Jericho/Bray Wyatt Steel Cage match. For me their feud was a bit of a disappointment, but this is a solid match. October sees The Rock return to make a fool of Rusev and Lana. Whilst I can understand why the WWE books angles like this, having part-time (at best) legends turning up to make fools of full-time roster members with potential just shows how screwed the WWE’s priorities can be at times.. Even more so than when Twitter jibes from the “Russian’s” aside, this led nowhere. Still, Rock fans will love it and lap it up. A 15 man Team Johnny Vs Team Teddy tag match is fun (if a little pointless) before November rolls in with a decent Randy Orton vs Seth Rollins match and a fantastic three-way for the IC Title between Dolph Ziggler, Tyson Kidd and Cesaro. Things wrap up with a December Six-Man pitting John Cena, Ryback and Dolph Ziggler against Seth Rollins, Kane and Luke Harper. It can’t match the previous match but it’s a decent enough effort.
Although, as ever with WWE releases, there is a little bit of a “political” steer with some of the match and promo choices on this set for the most part this is a balanced look at 2014 and is packed full of good-to-great matches and memorable moments. It’s rarely boring and whilst there are obviously some talents that appear more than others, the range of showcased performers is wide enough to avoid over-exposure. All in all this is a great look back at some of WWE’s most memorable TV moments in 2014.
Thank you to our partners, WWEDVD.co.uk and Fetch.fm for providing our review copy of WWE Best of RAW & SmackDown 2014. WWE Best of RAW & SmackDown 2014 is available on DVD right now. You can order your copy from WWEDVD.co.uk now by clicking here.
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