Stick Or Twist: WWE Taboo Tuesday 2005

WWE Taboo Tuesday 2005

November 2nd 2005

iPayOne Center, San Diego, California

Attendance: 6,000

* Oh yeah, this is the first Pay Per View for the awesome "We promised you a great main event tonight..." brand ident.

The opening video is all about power and control, highlighting Steph, Vince and Eric on the war path and outlining what people could vote for - including Flair begging to be put in a cage ("A CAGE!!!"). Weirdly the opening pyro goes off before the "And now..." intro. Hey look! Joey Styles is on commentary with King because Coach is in a match (haha).

*Edge, Lita and "The Masterpiece" Chris Master come out for their tag match. This was part of the Raw vs Smackdown feud at the time so people voted for two Smackdown guys to face them. Computer-side Todd Grisham outlines the options - Christian, Matt Hardy, Hardcore Holly, JBL or Rey Mysterio. Naturally Matt Hardy (31%) and Rey Mysterio (29%) win. Rey's got his pre P.O.D Booyaka song that sounds like Daddy Yankee.

*Hang on... Edge isn't wrestling tonight. He says beating either man does nothing for him. (In reality he had a torn pec) He doesn't care about them, Raw, or what the fans voted for. Edge: "I care about MEEE!" Joey: "Shocking!" His replacement is Snitsky.

Match 1: Snitsky & Chris Masters (r/ Raw) vs Matt Hardy & Rey Mysterio (r/ Smackdown)

Masters Pearl Harbours the faces as Snitsky enters. King: "I thought it was still Halloween when I saw Snitsky's face come out." Beautiful one armed stalling suplex by Masters on Rey. Hey, there's both a Smackdown and Raw referee in the ring! They argue over who counts the fall. Sign in the crowd: "Austin Flakes Again". Snitsky tags in and tries copying Masters' suplex but Rey small packages him and again the refs get in each other's way. They coordinate eventully. Masters tags in with a great series of backbreakers. Another sign: "Mom did U vote?" Rey tries the wheelbarrow bulldog but Chris just plants him face first for 2. RESTHOLD.

Headscissors by Rey sees both fresh tags both sides! Matt hits the world's lowest baseball slide to get Masters off the apron. King: "That was like one of Coach's dropkicks." After a struggle the Side Effect gets on Snitsky gets 2. Twist of Fate is countered only for Matt to hit a weird, botched super DDT thingy that was more like a superplex. 

Masters breaks the count, almost eating a Twist of Fate, but after Matt ducks a Snitsky clothesline Chris shoves him into a Snitsky boot - nice. Masters tags in, hits a gorgeous butterfly suplex and a surfboard, working the back. Matt slugs out but gets clotheslined, allowing Masters to tag. Huge jumping suplex by Snitsky gets 2. RESTHOLD. It's on the arm rather than the back they've worked on so fans chant "Snitsky sucks!" King: "Can you understand these fans here in San Diego?" Joey: "I think they're saying Snitsky creates a partial vacuum with his mouth."

Massive spinebuster and a guillotine by Snitsky. Matt hits a second rope clothesline on a newly tagged Masters, but Chris hooks his leg as he crawls for the tag and Snitsky tags in to wipe Rey off the apron. BOO! Snitsky catches a Matt crossbody but his front powerslam is countered into a reverse DDT! TAGS BOTH SIDES! FLYING DICK TO THE FACE by Rey! Springboard crossbody gets 2. An interfering Snitsky winds up posting himself and Rey tries to Tornado DDT him... but gets thrown off into the UNBREAKABLE MASTERLOCK! Rey tries kicking off the buckles but Masters keeps the hold on his back. The Smackdown ref counts Chris' shoulders down but the Raw ref stops him and they argue. Matt legdrops Chris to break the hold and shit cans both heels.

Stereo top rope crossbodies to the heels on the outside by Rey and Hardy! Back in, Rey tries a springboard sunset flip and Masters holds his ground... but Matt clotheslines him! 1... 2... no! Fans were into that. Snitsky sneakily tripped Rey up as the refs got Matt out, allowing Masters to hit an AWESOME torture rack into an airplane spin neckbreaker! 1... 2... Matt breaks the count. Snitsky tries to backdrop him but eats a HUUGE swinging DDT! Hardy drop toe holds Masters to the ropes... 619! Twist of Fate! Torpedo Splash by Rey! 1, 2, 3!!!

Winners: Matt Hardy & Rey Mysterio

Verdict: 8/10. Wheeew! What a long match. It had a really interesting story with the two refs. Some of Matt and Snitsky's exchanges were awkward but Masters was hugely impressive here, especially his exchanges with Rey (I'd have love to have seen more between the two, even a singles match) and the final minutes from Rey's hot tag onwards were GOLD.

* Mick Foley gets a cheap pop backstage and wonders if his luggage got mixed up with someone off camera. Oh, it's Maria, who agrees since she's wearing the Mankind mask. She takes it off ("Interesting smell!") and gives it back, but because she's stupid she thinks her entire outfit is Mick's, so she removes her top and panties (off camera) too. Maria: "Have a nice day!" Mick: "...I think I just did." King on Maria: "Not much upstairs but what a staircase!"

* Aw yeah, one of the best lame theme tunes ever heralds the arrival of Rob Conway. *Randy Newman voice* Juuust look at me! He's been on an "anti-legend" campaign so to speak while feuding with Eugene, so fans vote for a legend to team with Eugene. Bischoff gave Conway Tyson Tomko as a partner because he's still mad at Eugene for shaving his head last year. Choices are: "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan ("I wanna beat somebody up!"), "The Uganda Giant" Kamala and "Superfly Murderer" Jimmy Snuka (who looks ancient). Snuka (43%) wins. If only they knew...

Juuust look at me!

Match 2: Rob Conway & Tyson Tomko vs Eugene & Jimmy Snuka

Tyson obviously overpowers Eugene to start. Eugene winds him up over starting a knucklelock, chops his throat and slams him. He teases tagging Snuka but Conway (still in his shades!) cheapshots him. He tags officially and gets a Scott Steiner tribute elbow for 2. Nice dropkick, then a tag to Tomko who hits a neat powerslam for 2. A freshly tagged Conway withstands Eugene's JYD headbutts out of his RESTHOLD and cheapshots Snuka. Eugene escapes a double team and clotheslines Rob. Tag to murderer. Chops and headbutts galore. Tyson nails him but gets shit canned by Eugene, who counters Conway's one man Magic Killer with a jawbreaker. Him and Snuka take turns headbutting Rob before a Eugene Rock Bottom and Snuka Superfly Splash gets the 3.

Winners: Eugene & Jimmy Snuka.

Tomko blindsides the faces as they celebrate, but the other legends come out. Three point stance clothesline by Duggan and Ugandan Splash by Kamala takes Tomko down and the faces celebrate.

Verdict: 3.5/10. Mostly harmless, with Snuka wisely kept out of most of it. Outside of a couple of moves from the heels there wasn't anything all that inspired here. It suffers for being next to that awesome opening tag.

* Carlito is out with his ace red apple sky blue shirt. He's challenged Foley but the fans vote for which "Face of Foley" he faces: Dude Love, Cactus Jack or Mankind. The landslide winner was Maaaaankind (52%). A video recap of the "feud" shows Foley on Carlito's Cabana at Raw Homecoming calling him a horse's ass. He then cut a fun promo as each of his personalities, the best being Mankind's riff on Mick's old "O' Candido" promo from Smoky Mountain Wrestling ("If you're into cotton tacos, say hello to Mr. Socko!"), promising Carlito will leave "skid marks in his speedos".


3 Faces of Foley - Raw 2005 by PWF

Match 3: Carlito vs Mankind

Mankind is in a shirt and tie but has his New Generation era music. Carlito does well with jabs and a dropkick but Mankind doesn't go down, and scores with an elbow and rakes the back, then the eyes over the rope. He hooks Carlito in the Tree of Woe to hit the running elbow, then catapults him to the middle rope (same as the opening match, Fuck you Finlay). Baseball slide (Joey: "and heeee's out!") and a neckbreaker on the floor by Mankind, who rocks sat upright. He chases Carlito with a chair(!) but eats a drop toe hold to the steps! Carlito follows up with a dropkick  sending the back of Mick's head to the steps again!

Side Russian Leg Sweep and a strange spot where Carlito sneaks underneath Mankind for an electric chair both get 2. Carlito hooks a sleeper but Joey points out the leather mask is stopping it being fully effective. Mick grabs Carlito's hair to mare him over his shoulder. Stereo clotheslines put both men down. Makind sits up, rocks some more and pulls his hair out  before running through his comeback: running knee to the corner, Cactus clothesline, elbow from the apron, double arm DDT, then Socko's arrival (in a Carlito wig to boot haha) brings the Mandible Claw, and Carlito's out. The relaxing Mankind New Gen music plays after his victory.

Winner: Mankind

Verdict: 6/10. I remember Mick saying he was disappointed in this match and I can see why. The flow was so basic with Mick dominating early, Carlito controlling the middle then Mick steamrollering him at the end. What keeps this just about above average is the story of the Mankind mask protecting Mick's head and Mick returning to some of the older Mankind character beats (the raking, the rocking the hair pulling).

* Eric Bischoff is on the phone and furious. Mr McMahon arrives, supposedly to late to the show (kayfabe!), missing the Raw vs Smackdown tag he was looking forward to. He expresses disbelief at hearing Raw lost and tires of Eric's excuses before asking where his "kill or be killed" instinct went and wishing him luck with the other inter-promotional match, Coach vs Batista haha!

* Todd is about to reveal the result for the main event vote, as the two losers challenge for the tag titles next. WWE Champion John Cena will defend the title against Kurt Angle and one more man - Big Show (who's REALLY big at this stage), Kane or Shawn Michaels. HBK (46%) wins and tries to shake hands with the losers but only Show obliges.

Match 4: World Tag Team Championship Match - Lance Cade & Trevor Murdoch (C) vs Big Show & Kane

The challengers' pyro scares Joey. King: "Aren't you loving these guys' entrances?" Joey: "You put me on this side as a rib didn't you?"

The champs try to stall outside so the challengers do the old pincer move to trap them for a double noggin knocker by Show. Kane & Murdoch start. Trevor tried to leave but Show stopped him. He throws a fit and pushes Kane, so he eats an uppercut. King: "I think I saw a molar fly out." Trev finally gets a boot up from Kane's corner clotheslines and tags Cade, who doesn't have much luck either. Show tags in for the "Shhh" chops and mudhole stomping. A rake in the eyes allows Cade to tag out. Naturally Murdoch can't whip Show and gets chopped too. Ouch, Show steps over Trev to tag Kane. Another thumb to the eye sees Lance tag. Him and Kane horribly mistime a big boot spot. 

Kane climbs up top but Trev's distraction eventually sees him fall to the outside and eat a Sweet and Sour on the floor by the champs! Back inside an inverted atomic drop by Murdoch is followed nicely by a Cade swinging neckbreaker. Kane sits up! Cade kicks him and tells him to stay down only to get goozled. Cade escapes and the champs try to double backdrop Kane but Trev eats a punt and Lance a clothesline. Tag to Show. He cleans house with clotheslines and headbutts, stacking the champs in the corner. Only Cade eats the splash and Murdoch's back rake is no sold by Show. Top rope clothesline by Kane! He shit cans Trev and directs traffic for a DOUBLE chokeslam to Cade. 1, 2, 3.

Winners: Big Show & Kane (new champs, 1st reign)

Grisham tries a post match interview but Murdoch is begging for a chokeslam too, so the new champs oblige.

Verdict: 6/10. Nothing spectacular here, but the fans reacted well for the win, Cade & Murdoch were very good at isolating Kane and I've always been a fan of Murdoch's expressive performances.

* Oh boy, it's Vader and ooooooooh... Goldust time *Nomn*! They're backstage with Coach, who predicts big things after he slapped Batista's lips off Monday night. Coach: "No announcer in the history of the business has done more than the Coach." If he beats Dave tonight, it's only a matter of time before he's WWE Champion ahahahahaha!!!

* Todd invites the Divas out for the result of the vote for their outfits in tonight's battle royal. Options were lingerie, leather & lace and cheerleader outfits. Todd: "THERE IS NO WRONG ANSWER!" Lingerie (43%) wins. King is marking out. Joey: "I know I'm not as excited as you because that table moved and your hands were on top of it."

* They recap the one night build for Coach vs Batista. Vince told Coach original opponent Stone Cold Steve Austin was in an accident at the weekend. "I don't know whether it's valid or, Coach, whether he's just plain afraid of you." Since Coach is Raw's number one announcer, his initial idea was for Coach to face the number one Smackdown announcer - Funaki! But, after Goldust squashed him, Coach gets cocky and challenges ANYONE from Smackdown. Cue World Heavyweight Champion Batista. Vader and Goldust somehow beat him down long enough for Coach to slap him though!

* Lilian announces the gimmicks fans could vote for in this match: a verbal debate, arm wrestling match or street fight (to which fans yell STREET FIGHT). Styles on Goldust: "I don't know if he'd be the first pick of somebody I'd want watching my back." Then when Vader comes out he says "Now that looks like a bodyguard!" King: "That looks like two bodies." Vader: "It's tiiiime for the paiiin gaaame!" T-Grish says Coach called everyone in his home state of Kansas to tell them to vote for the debate. Of course, street fight (91%) won. King: "Kansas is not that heavily populated of a state."

Match 5: Street Fight - World Heavyweight Champion Batista (r/ Smackdown) vs The Coach (w/ Goldust & Vader, r/ Raw)

Dave gets a gargantuan pop. Goldust and Vader don't leave the ring and Coach stays on the apron. Dave initially forces the heels out with rights. He charges Vader into a corner, then DEMOLISHES Goldust with a spear. Coach tries to sneak in but gets punched. Batista tries to suplex Vader(!) but Goldie whacks him with a cane. Coach steals the timekeeper's belt and the real wrestlers hold Dave down so Coach can whip his back. His mistake is asking them to turn him over so Dave can see him, allowing Dave to escape and clean house with clotheslines and whipping everyone with the belt. Heavily edited spinebuster on Vader sees a chair magically appear in the ring (in the replay you see Goldie brought it in but got spinebustered). Dave hauls Coach up just to SLAP THE PISS out of him. Batista Bomb! 1, 2, 3.

Here's what got edited out

Winner: Batista

Verdict: 3/10. What the hell were they thinking bringing Vader in here? He embarrassed himself. This was thoroughly beneath Batista but he was still treated like a star by the audience and that slap and powerbomb to Coach almost made it worth it.

* Grisham snuck backstage to interview HBK, using a handheld mic while still wearing his Michael Jackson face mic. Shawn knows it's a tough guy business but it's great to be popular. Angle interrupts and proposes they take Cena out so they can settle their tied rivalry (1-1-1). Shawn: "I'll think about it."

Match 6: Fulfil Your Fantasy Battle Royal for the WWE Women's Championship - Trish Stratus (C) vs Ashley vs Candice Michelle vs Mickie James vs Maria vs Victoria

Joey: "I'm just going to let you run with this, King." King, upon seeing Candice gyrating: "Oh I'd love to run with that." Mickie's gimmick is she's a mark for Trish so she applauds when she poses with the belt. As usual with Diva Battle Royals, you just need to be thrown out of the ring, rather than over the top, to be eliminated.

Schmoz to start. Trish tries the Stratusphere on Victoria early but is hauled up top for a brawl. Mickie saves Trish and almost helps her eliminate Victoria. Candice pulls both Trish & James down by the hair from behind. Ashley & Maria whip Vic and Candy into each other. Maria celebrates only for Trish and Mickie to eliminate her. Candy nails Ashley with a forearm and hooks her hanging headscissor choke over the top. She celebrates on the apron but Ashley punches her off to eliminate her. Vic knees Trish right in the damn face with her brace and hits her side slam. Mickie, out for revenge, gets her corner headscissors to try and pull her out. When it fails Ashley tries to help but STILL Vic survives and catapults Ashley over the top to eliminate her, then side slams Mickie.

Now it's Trish's turn for revenge with a really cool handstand into a whirling headscissor. Both girls fight around the bottom rope trying to eliminate each other, Trish hooking her leg under the rope to save herself. Mickie brings Trish back inside and rightly gets clotheslined by Victoria. Ma-Trish! But Vic butt bumps her mid bridge! Mickie saves Trish from getting dumped again, then awkwardly spears Vic through the ropes to eliminate Vic and herself! That looked bad, it's amazing neither girl got hurt. Anyway, Trish wins by default.

Winner: Trish Stratus (still champion)

Todd tries interviewing Trish post match but Mickie hot dogs it, marking out at Trish doing it for herself and being the greatest Women's Champion of all time.

Verdict: 5.5/10. A startling display of competence besides the finish. The Diva Search girls were eliminated fairly promptly and botch-free, plus Trish and Victoria had some neat exchanges.

* Video package for Triple H vs Flair highlights Hunter's devotion to his idol, turning him from a shell of a man into someone who appeared great again "standing in [Hunter's] light". H teamed with Ric at Raw Homecoming just to turn on him, furious he's let people spit in the face of his legacy and "wallowing in mediocrity" as IC Champ. Faint burial of the IC Title there. "I'd be damned if I was going to let somebody tarnish MY memories of Ric Flair." Fans could vote for the match to be one fall, a submission match or a cage match. Naturally, after Flair's campaigning ("A CAGE!") the cage (83%) wins and descends.

Match 7: Steel Cage Match for the WWE Intercontinental Championship- Ric Flair (C) vs Triple H

Win is by pinfall, submission or escape. H climbs the cage to do his spit pose, the speed of his ascent worries Joey as he could win by escape. Joey's attempt at putting over the personal feud here has him calling the IC belt "a footnote" and King has to reel him back in, so he points out Trips want to take more than the title instead. Much better. Flair is in a fucking GLORIOUS pink robe that's sequinned and bejewelled featuring pink feather trim. The balls on that man to wear that to a cage match.

King makes an excellent point that when explaining his actions Hunter always talked about Ric in the past tense. In a great bit of body language, Trips watches Flair's entrance standing on the top rope, then comes back down to start the match, as if to say "I could just leave and take your title with ease, but I'm here to fight you and END you." Both men mouth "We're gonna find out once and for all now" to each other.

Lock up to start (in a blood feud?). H takes a swing at Naitch but eats a chop. Woo! Flair: "Bring it on." Again Flair gets the best of the resulting brawl with his chops, a big one knocking Trips down. Hunter replies with the Harley Race high knee, and an Arn Anderson spinebuster. He rams Flair into the cage, naturally busting him open. King: "That didn't take long." Joey points out that with all Ric's scar tissue of course the cage would bust him open. Trips zones in on the wound with a knee drop, grinding and ramming it into the cage and using a head of steam to knock Flair into the cage again. He pulls his knee pad down for another knee drop, waves goodbye and climbs. Naitch gives chase and chops him while on the top rope. Both men hit each other and both get crotched on the ropes!

HHH still tries to climb and in the process pulls some chain from the bracket. He tries to use it for a second rope fist drop... and Ric gets a foot up. Hunter flops. Shin breaker by Flair. Figure Four attempt... but Hunter decks him with the chain! 1, 2... no. He goes to the well again with a fist drop. Flair: "AAH! JESUS CHRIST!" That leads to the ref confiscating the chain to BOOs. H just slaps and pounds Flair. King: "This is uncomfortable to watch. It's reminiscent of what Triple H said - it's about who he is and who Flair used to be." Knee drop to the back of the head and Hunter mocks the strut. Oh you fucker - FIGURE FOUR BY TRIPLE H. Flair: "I'll kill you!" Ric's shoulders are down a couple of times for near falls. Hunter's trash talk drives Flair to spit at him and flip him off before reversing the pressure. Trips rolls again to get the rope break (in a cage?).

H mocks Flair's pre-Figure Four dancing and goes for it again, but gets kicked off right into the cage, busting him open! FLAIR BITES THE WOUND!! Then grinds and drives him into the cage. King: "What's good fo the goose is good for the... Game." Ric fishhooks Hunter's face. Ha, one of the feather's from Flair's robe is stuck to H's back. Stalling suplex by Flair gets a damn near standing ovation. He chop blocks Trips in, as Joey points out, the quad he had surgery on. He really goes to town on the knee Garvin style. Figure Four! The Game's in agony. His shoulders are counted down for 2, causing H to reach for the ropes and Flair to pull him back to the middle and flip him off. Trips has to knock the ref into Ric to break the hold. Naitch knees the leg and climbs. H tries cutting him off but Flair comes off the top with an rope axe handle - AND IT WORKED! 1... 2... no.

LOW BLOW by Naitch. H crumples, but manages to grab Ric's feet when he heads for the door. Flair grabs a chair a ref was conveniently sitting on by the door as he's dragged back in. He swings at H while on his back but Trips stamps on the chair. He takes a swing himself... TESTICULAR CLAW BY NAITCH! He whips Hunter in... oh, but lowers his head too soon! Pedigree... backdrop counter on the chair! Flair then whacks HHH right between the eyes with the chair three times, allowing him to walk out of the door and win!!!

Winner: Ric Flair (still champion)
Verdict: 9/10. A flat out classic. By winding the clock back to the old school cage matches these two wound up having one of the best modern day cage matches. Tonnes of dirty tricks by Naitch, and H was great at rubbing Ric's heritage in his face, reminding Flair of the great company he kept by using their moves. Oh, and then the Figure Four. It was bloody, violent, and the best match Flair had in years.

* 6,351,188 votes were cast in total.

Main Event: Triple Threat Match for the WWE Championship - John Cena (C) vs Kurt Angle vs Shawn Michaels

FFS the graphic for the title STILL has the Smackdown plate on it. Lol at some guy in the crowd flipping Cena the bird.
Contrary to his earlier offer, Kurt decks HBK from the get go and wears Cena out with uppercuts. Cena sledges and suplexes Angle but Shawn breaks the fall. Kurt tries a back suplex on HBK, but Shawn turns it into a crossbody in mid-air for 2. Angle charges at Cena and get backdropped over the top. Michaels gets whipped by Cena but turns it into a baseball slide to Kurt. Backslide by Cena gets 2. Angle returns with Germans and belly to bellys for both men. HBK sunset flips out of an Angle Slam attempt but Kurt rolls through for the anklelock! Shawn rolls out, sending Kurt into an F-U attempt by Cena. Michaels tries to superkick John but he drops Angle to block and clothesline Shawn - nice sequence. Cena cradles Angle for 2. Sunset flip by Kurt(!) sees Cena stand his ground, Shawn try to crossbody him and John rolling through for 2.

The veteran's double up on Cena, sending him shoulder first to the post. Shawn sets up the Spanish table as Angle sends John to the steps. Joey: "Shawn Michaels wasn't always a choir boy." Wow DOUBLE GORDBUSTER through the Spanish table!! Now the chop war is on. Powerslam by Shawn back inside gets 2. Angle responds with a suplex (for 2) and a bodyscissors. King thinks Kurt should try something more high impact whilst Cena's still down. Shawn brawls out but runs into a belly to belly. HBK then blocks a super belly to belly and goes for the elbow... but Kurt runs the ropes to get a SUPER ANGLE SLAM! 1... 2... NO! The straps are down... CENA'S BACK! He shit cans Angle and clotheslines HBK. Baaack body drop. He starts the five moves of doom but Kurt pulls him out to stop the Five Knuckle Shuffle. Senton plancha by Shawn on both men! Back inside, Shawn starts HIS five moves of doom on Angle, but John returns before he can climb for the elbow.

Flying forearm to Cena by Shawn. Nip up! Right into a belly to belly over the top by Angle!! Holy shit! Angle: "YEEEEAH SCREW YOU!" Protobomb by Cena! U can't C me. Five knuckle shuffle. F-U... countered to the anklelock! Angle hangs on from John's roll throughs and grapevines the leg. Shawn gets up top and elbow drops Kurt! Time to tune up the band... SWEET CHIN MUSIC TO ANGLE! F-U TO HBK!! 1... 2... 3!

Winner: John Cena (still champion)
Verdict: 8.5/10. While a lot of the stuff where Shawn had Cena alone in particular was a bit of busy work, this match took off whenever all three men continued to be involved, with some great spots and nice, flowing sequences.

Final Thoughts: Overall this was a thoroughly watchable show. The opening match was great. The match quality took a bit of a dip after that. Despite most of what came between the opener and the cage match being barely above average the show still remained an easy watch, with Eugene and Coach's matches being the only ones to be actively bad. Seeing Mankind again (as opposed to simply Mick Foley) was quite neat, while the super gargantuan Kane & Big Show team becoming tag champs and Trish and Mickie's relationship gave interesting plot points for the future (Murdoch, Trish and Victoria provided some notable performances in those matches too). Then the all time classic cage match kicked things up a notch, with lots of great subtle detail and storytelling to get your teeth into on top of the violence. The main event proved to be a fun outing too, with Angle and HBK delivering the goods as usual and Cena carrying his fair share of things too. That's enough for me to keep this.

TL;DR - Lots of fun to watch with three great matches and even the average matches have something to hook you.

Final Verdict: STICK

Stick or Twist: ECW One Night Stand 2005

ECW One Night Stand 2005

June 12th 2005

Hammerstein Ballrom, New York City, New York

Attendance: 2,500

* Rampant ECW chants kick things off. Out comes Joey Styles. He looks like he's either trying really hard not to cry or trying really hard TO cry.

"Oh my God!" He introduces his colour commentator, Mick Foley! He's in Cactus Jack attire and comes out to Cactus' music. The ring is much more like an ECW ring with the glossy ropes and no fat, square WWE logo turnbuckles.

Match 1: Lance Storm (w/ Dawn Marie) vs "Lionheart" Chris Jericho

I think Dawn was pregnant when she did this show? Joey touts The Impact Players, Lance's team with Justin Credible, while Foley hints it could be Lance's last match - facing his opponent from his first match too.

Handshake and smooth technical wrestling to start. Both trade armdrags then stand off. Bow and arrow by Y2J as fans chant "She's a crack whore" at Dawn. Storm is first to resort to blows, then after escaping a whip to the corner he eats a sick bottom rope dropkick by Jericho. Baseball slide by Chris but he hits the barricade trying to leap onto Lance outside. Joey claims New York made them have mats and they wouldn't be there otherwise - yeah right! A great dropkick and big stalling suplex both get Storm near falls. RESTHOLD.

Y2J brawls out. Storm leaps to the top buckle from a whip only to jump back first into another Jericho dropkick! NYC: "Holy shit!" Joey: "I believe we have our first faecal chant of the evening." Running enzughiri by Jericho. Both men fight for a waistlock, trading near falls from victory rolls. TIGER SUPLEX by Y2J. 1, 2... no. Lance comes back with a leg lariat and teases a cradle piledriver but has to settle for a superkick for 2. Foley: "We're not going to see some of that Lance Storm emotion in slow motion, are we?" Top rope reverse elbow gets Jericho 2. He hits the ropes only for Storm to beautifully slide under and lock in the Calgary Crab!

Y2J rolls through and tries the Walls but Lance wisely grabs Chris' legs so he can't be rolled over. Jericho settles for a catapult to the buckle. Bulldog! Lionsault... Storm got the knees up but Y2J blocks and hooks the Walls of Jericho! Dawn distracts the ref and out come Justin Credible and Jason Knight (breaking Joey out in hives) whom Jericho springboard dropkicks off the apron. Reverse victory roll by Y2J but Lance kicks him off into a cane shot from the outside by Justin! 1, 2... 3!

Winner: Lance Storm

Verdict: 8/10. Lots to like here, both men were great technically and Jericho busted out some different stuff for his buddy. Great opener.

* The camera pans to an empty balcony soon to be filled with "anti-ECW crusaders" from Raw and Smackdown. Then the Pitbull Gary Wolfe introduces an "in memoriam" package of ECW alumni no longer with us. It's pretty sad how young some of these guys died. Mike "Crash Holly" Lockwood (didn't know he was in ECW) and Chris Candido especially.

Match 2: Three Way Dance - Tajiri (w/ Mikey Whipwreck & The Sinister Minister) vs Little Guido (w/ The Full Blooded Italians) vs Super Crazy

Fuck me the announcement of Guido and the FBI takes forever. Joey: "Earlier JT Smith came over and asked me if an innuendo was an Italian suppository." This is an elimination match unlike WWE triple threat matches.

Brawl to start. Tajiri tosses LG out only to suffer a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker by Crazy. Hand spring elbow by Tajiri! Guido counters his tilt-a-whirl into an armbar, which Crazy breaks up with a standing moonsault. Crazy counters sunset flip attempts by both men by just dropkicking them in the fucking face. He was going to dive out onto Tajiri but Tony Mamaluke tripped him up and Guido gets the Sicilian Slice. Everyone somehow winds up in the audience. Oh God, Crazy climbs the balcony... MOONSAULT OFF THE BALCONY TO THE FBI!!!

Joey: "¡OH DIOS MIO!" Massive ECW chants. Crazy gets in the ring to show everyone he's alive but gets caught in the TARANTOOLA! Crazy punches Tajiri in the corner and fans count along in Spanish - ace! The FBI drag Crazy balls first into the ring post - ouch! Big Guido tries a powerbomb/Doomsday Device combo with LG on Tajiri, but when he gets Tajiri up he spits the mist into LG's face! Then Sinister Minister hits a shit low blow and Tajiri kicks BG and Tracy Smothers. Super Whippersnapper by Mikey Whipwreck! 1, 2, 3! LITTLE GUIDO ELIMINATED

Great double springboard moonsault by Crazy gets 2. Tajiri counters a powerbomb with a DDT for another 2. Crazy tosses him down and tries the triple moonsaults but Mikey pushes him off on the last attempt. Buzzsaw kick ducked... then an awkward pause draws "You fucked up" chants before Crazy hits a powerbomb and the final moonsault for 3!

Winner: Super Crazy

Verdict: 7/10. A really fun match that served as a nice introduction to the newly signed Super Crazy. The other two guys did enough not to be considered passengers too.

* We then get a sizzle reel of classic ECW clips. Notable ones not seen in the Rise and Fall DVD include Mike Awesome nearly breaking JT Smith's back on a tope into the barricade, somebody getting hog tied and Terry Funk branding Cactus Jack.

Match 3: Psicosis vs Rey Mysterio

Psicosis comes out in his mask then unmasks as a show of respect apparently. Foley calls their '95 rivalry feud of the year, while according to Joey these guys have wrestled each other 500 plus times!

Psicosis makes hard work of flipping out of an arm wringer. Rey shows him how it's done before they convolutely get into a knuckelock that Psicosis again flubs arm dragging out of. Rey sunset flips out of another knucklelock for 2. NYC to Psicosis: "Put the mask on!" He rolls through a springboard crossbody to hit a nice spin out facebuster, then covers Rey after a hard whip to the corner(!) Springboard moonsault by Rey gets 2 but he winds up in a sleeper. The hold is heavily booed so Psicosis just uninspiringly tosses Rey about. He hangs Rey on the barricade then gets the Psycho Guillotine leg drop from the top! Cover back inside gets 2.

Psicosis tries a running dropkick in the corner but Rey ducks and hits an X-Factor style move for 2. Psicosis randomly posts himself while charging to the corner and theatrically bumps all the way to the front row. Seated senton from the top to the outside by Rey! Oh God, 619 back inside gets severely booed, before the West Coast Pop gets the 3.

Winner: Rey Mysterio

Verdict: 5/10. Really flat match barring a couple of spots. Psicosis wasn't on form tonight, flubbing lots of spots and not really doing anything to justify him getting signed by WWE.

* As Rey celebrates, the Smackdown crusaders arrive. Loads of people flip off JBL. Joey says it sucks that they're here hot doggin' and grand standin' when they already get global exposure through WWE - tonight should be ECW's night. Sign in the crowd: Cane Bischoff. NYC: "Fuck you Smackdown!" Foley: "I don't think we can repeat that chant, can we?" JBL to Rey: "I got a ticket you little Mexican!" He's the only one not wearing a Smackdown shirt incidentally. They cut to more ECW highlights including Dreamer cuffing Raven to the cage and Taz's title win.

*Weeelllll weeeelllll weeellllll, it's the quintessential stud muffin Joel Gertner. But before he can even finish a rhyme Kurt Angle nicks his mike, then JBL shoves him down hard and literally kicks his ass. NYC: "You suck dick" Angle: "Your mother taught me how!" ...Erm, what?! Angle calls ECW scum and morons and promises everyone will get their asses kicked. JBL points out Madison Square Garden is only a block away and claims to be able to sell it out unlike ECW. He goes off at online fans telling each other they're hardcore and picks on one guy in the crowd saying he just needs to cane himself and bleed to be ECW. NYC: "Shut the fuck up!" JBL: "Nobody in that ring will make it to my level."

* ROB VAN DAM is here with Bill Alfonso to a tremendous response. He still has a big brace on from his knee surgery. He says everyone's sick of JBL being forced down their throats when they want wrestling. He's got no script tonight, so relishes having a vocabulary and reminisces about being the "Whole Fucking Show". He pitched this show to Vince ("we don't even need a storyline" *pointed look to crusaders*). His knee injury means he can't wrestle tonight. It sucks worse than missing the Japan tour, Booker T's wedding and Wrestlemania!

*GORE! GORE! GORE! It's Rhyno!! He beats up RVD's injured leg but then the lights go out. IT'S SABU!!! I think we have an impromptu match...

Match 4: Rhyno vs Sabu

Belly to belly by Rhyno. He goes up top but Sabu hits a huge chair shot to send him over the top! Baseball slide and triple jump clothesline to the outside by Sabu. He just throws a chair at Rhyno, who luckily got his hands up. The Man Beast blocks a springboard and gets a running kick back inside for 2, then a front powerslam. He goes up top but gets cut off again... Frankensteiner by Sabu! Then a slingshot leg lariat gets 2. He leaps off a chair for Poetry in Motion and Rhyno's throat hits the chair. Legdrop off the chair gets 2.

Sabu tries to run up for the triple jump moonsault but Rhyno trips him face first into the chair. TKO into a chair! 1, 2, no. An alley oop into the turnbuckle sets Sabu up for the Gore, but he dodges and it hits the ref. Piledriver by Rhyno. Van Dam throws a chair at him! One man Van Terminator in the corner! Fonzy gets a table and tosses Sabu a chair while he's up top as Van Dam drapes Rhyno on the table... Arabian Skullcrusher through the table!! 1, 2...3.

Winner: Sabu

Verdict: 7.5/10. Wow, what a sprint that was. Sabu was really on his game tonight and didn't fluff anything, while Rhyno got hit stuff in too. This whole segment was gold really, with JBL being a great troll and RVD giving the promo of his life leading into this pretty neat match.

*Al Snow blames Head for inviting the "Smackdown assholes" to the show before introducing more classic ECW clips.

*Now the Raw guys have arrived. Joey on Edge: "I'm glad I didn't bring my wife today." Random smark to Eric Bischoff: "Fuck you and fuck WCW." Some other guy spat beer at him. 

Match 5: Chris Benoit vs Eddie Guerrero

JBL to Benoit: "You make money, you should be here [with the crusaders]!" Oh yeah, Eddie has his awesome heel Lie Cheat and Steal song. He looks a little off tonight though. He had only just turned heel about a month ago so he may just be trying to keep kayfabe.

Pair of lock ups go nowhere but Chris gets a couple of armdrags. Eddie accidentally gets thumbed in the eye when Benoit escapes his go behind and take a breather, teasing leaving. He brawls and gets a reverse elbow back inside. Benoit chops back but Eddie thumbs his eye and stomps his face. RESTHOLD. There's a cut on the bridge of Eddie's nose from the stray thumb. Benoit suplexes out only for Eddie to hit chops, forearms and ANOTHER RESTHOLD. Fans distract themselves chanting "Fuck you Bischoff". Benoit fights back with a shoulderblock, but when he tries another Eddie ducks and he falls through the ropes.

Eddie whacks Benoit in the back with a chair and hauls him up for a massive superplex. Froggy splash... missed. Chris brawls back, a Northern Lights Suplex and superplex of his own getting near falls. Triple Germans. Throat slash! Diving headbutt. 1, 2... no. Eddie rolls through another German attempt but inevitably winds up in the Crossface. It takes ages despite Eddie offering no resistance, but eventually he taps.

Winner: Chris Benoit

Verdict: 4/10. Guh, what the fuck was that? Again, maybe they were just trying to maintain Eddie's character (it wouldn't make sense for a despicable heel to be happy to be at a reunion show and to seek approval) but this match had so little substance it was unbelievable. A huge letdown.

* Joel tries coming out again, but when he spots Eric he just begs for a job. Obviously Bisch refuses, calling him a scab. He says these fans don't have the class to watch Raw because they're just garbage.

Match 6: Mike Awesome vs Masato Tanaka

Joey launches a huge tirade at Awesome for leaving for WCW. The Raw guys turn their back to him when he tells them to fuck off.

Trading chops to start before Mike hits a belly to belly. Tanaka hauls him on the apron but Awesome springs back in with a shoulderblock. Tope by Awesome! Joey: "Suicide dive by Mike Awesome, and it's a shame he didn't succeed in taking his own life!" Guess how Mike Awesome died, boys and girls? Tanaka backdrops him over the barricade then runs a chair right into his head! Foley: "Is it just me, or does Awesome lack the awesome force now he's without the 1980s haircut?" Clothesline by Mike who sets up a table. He gets on the apron and reaches into the ring to clothesline Tanaka. Running Awesome Bomb off the apron through the table!!

Back inside a huuuuuuge Aweseome Splash gets 2. Tanaka backdrops out of a powerbomb attempt but Mike hangs on and powerbombs him anyway. Both men get chairs, Awesome dodging Tanaka's shots then finally getting him down after three utterly vile headshots. Tanaka get right back up! He lures Awesome to the corner and scores a blockbuster cutter, then a Tornado DDT on a chair! 1, 2, no! He lays a chair on Mike's face and whacks another chair into it, then goes up top for an elbow drop with the chair! 1, 2... no! ECDUB! ECDUB!

Dangan elbow ducked... big release German by Awesome. Tanaka no sells only to eat a spear. Jesus Christ, top rope chair shot by Aweseome! He tries to bring a table inside but breaks its leg doing so and has to bring a fresh one in to ironic cheers. He gets Tanaka up top... Tanaka fights back... TOP ROPE DDT through the table!! 1... 2... NO! Joey thinks JBL has started to support Awesome because of the pay off he took from WCW. Aweseome cuts off Tanaka up top... TOP ROPE POWERBOMB ON THE BROKEN TABLE!!! 1... 2... NO!! That gets a huge standing ovation and ECDUB chants. Awesome sets up another table outside to "This match rules" chants. Awesome hauls Tanaka up at the second time of asking... Awesome Bomb over the top through the table outside!!! AWESOME SPRINGBOARDS OUT ONTO TANAKA!!! Cover outside - 1, 2... 3!!!

Post match a clearly concussed Awesome powerbombs the ref!

Winner: Mike Awesome
Verdict: 8.5/10. Holy shit what a violent match. Back and forth, brimming with action, both guys putting themselves through hell. A crazy match that was a great watch, even if some of the headshots might make you cringe.

* Look out, here comes Paul Heyman!!! Nearly the entire crowd does the "We're not worthy" arm waving to massive "Thank you Paul" chants. It clearly leaves him a bit teary, but he claims it was because he had a joint with RVD haha! He thanks Tod Gordon and Ron Buffone... and then decides to shoot on the crusaders! Hey Eric Bischoff, he's not at a WCW show with his tail between his legs is he? "You're in our house, Bitch!" Hide your wives, it's Edge. JBL: "Nobody here is married." Paul: "I have two words for you... MATT FREAKIN' HARDY!" Naturally the crusaders go crazy over that being three words and JBL starts pretending to write cheques that are bouncing - brilliant! So Paul addresses "Mr. Shoot Promo"... "The only reason you were WWE Champion for a year is because Triple H didn't want to work Tuesday!" That causes John to feign a heart attack and proclaim "At least I'll have Wrestlemania." Paul closes by reminding everyone where they are - "This is E C FUCKING W!" He kisses the fans goodbye and flips off the crusaders.

* The Dudleys are out for the main event. They do a pretty poor job of overdubbing their "Drop The Bombshell" theme. Both are in old school tie dye. They applaud Tommy Dreamer as he comes out. Joey: "People call Paul Heyman the brains of ECW, they call me the voice of ECW. Tommy Dreamer, always the heart, the soul, the guts of ECW." Naturally The Sandman's Metallica theme is overdubbed too. The guy JBL picked on earlier hits himself with Sandman's cane while he's in the crowd - ace! As he stands on the barricade one guy holds up his replica ECW title around his waist, aww. They drink beer from the breasts of blonde women. Sandman wanks his cane at the crusaders and JBL is furious.

Main Event: The Dudley Boyz (Bubba Ray & D-Von) vs The Sandman & Tommy Dreamer

Wait, before the match even starts out come the bWo!

Joey: "If any gimmick didn't deserve to make a dime and went out and made a butt load of cash, this is it!" Look at the Blue Meanie's muffin top! Foley: "I can only imagine what the uninitiated are thinking at this moment." Stevie says a true hardcore invasion needs the bWo. We're taking over! Stevie kick to Sandman! Kid Kash (Joey: "Mr TNA - Total Non-stop Attitude") is out but gets shitcanned before Balls Mahoney and Axl Rotten join the fray. They take out the bWo with jabs and chairshots. Everyone brawls outside. Foley: "There are some hideous looking human beings running around." Kash convinces the ref to help him do a triple jump heelo onto everyone outside!!! That gets rid of the interlopers as the Dudleys find some plunder and the bell FINALLY sounds. It's main event time!

Main Event: The Dudley Boyz (Bubba Ray & D-Von) vs The Sandman & Tommy Dreamer

Dreamer tries to use a cheesegrater(!) on Bubba but gets suplexed. Joey suddenly notices how big Bubba's arms are. Oh fuck Bubba rakes the cheesegrater over Tommy's head!! Naturally he misses his second rope senton though. Reverse 3D to Tommy! Sandman hits the Dudleys with a ladder. Dreamer drapes it on his shoulders for the Terry Funk/Benny Hill spot. Cheesegrater to Bubba! Sandman drop toeholds D-Von into a trash can. Dreamer hits Bubba with a baking tray only to get his balls driven into the barricade. Sandman drapes a ladder over D-Von and hits the Rolling Rock.

SICK chairshot to Sandman by Bubba. NYC: "Holy shit!" Sandman gets laid on the ladder and Bubba splashes him from the second rope for 2. Sandman avoids a cane double team and hits the White Russian Legsweep on D-Von. Tommy and Sandman hook simultaneous Figure Fours on The Dudleys! Joey: "I'll be damned, wrestling holds!" Credible and Storm are back out and Justin Tombstones Sandman on a barbed wire sphere! They hold Dreamer up and Francine kicks him in the balls. IT'S BEULAH! CAT FIGHT!!! She escapes a double team by the Impact Players and kicks Storm in the balls before Dreamer shitcans him. Beulah and Tommy hug then DDT the Dudleys, Bubba and Beulah mistiming theirs terribly. Joey: "I gotta teach my wife how to do that!"

Sandman and Tommy mock the "Wassup!!!" by whacking a chair into D-Von's ball with a road sign, before Bubba takes them out with cane shots and exclaims "Fuck this!" He're a table.  Double powerbomb on Sandman through the table! 1, 2... no! Dreamer in with cane shots, only to fall for the 3D! Bubba gets another table and out comes Little Spike Dudley. He's got lighter fluid! They douse the table in it and light it... POWERBOMB THROUGH THE FLAMING TABLE!!! 1, 2, 3!

Winners: The Dudley Boyz
Verdict: 6/10. Watchable garbage brawl with some fun cameos, although some of the spots with the cheesegrater were a bit grim.

* Post match the Dudleys try to attack Beulah but Sandman fights them off with his cane and pleads for a beer. What? A beer? What?

STONE COLD! STONE COLD! The crowd lose their shit. He says Sandman needs a whole case of beer, but he wants the ECW alumni to join too. The locker room comes out as the crusaders do not look amused. Before he serves the beer, he chastises the crusaders for running their mouths and challenges them to fight the ECW guys. The highlight of Austin cajoling them into a fight is him calling Angle a "gold medal son of a bitch". A threat to personally slap the piss out of them finally convinces them to come down. The ring is split in half, ECW one side, crusaders the other.

IT'S TAZ!! At some point JBL cheapshots the fuck out of the Blue Meanie and opens up his stitches from a match at a previous show. Taz and Angle pair off outside and everybody schmozes!  Angle gets Gored by Rhyno trying to rejoin the fight in ring and gets locked in the Tazmission! Snitsky somehow winds up through a table as ECW eventually clear the ring. Austin puts on JBL's cowboy hat haha. He spotted Bischoff snuck off to the commentary desk so he gets Foley to bring him to the ring. Sandman is still relentlessly gagging for a beer so Austin finally gives in.

3D to Bischoff! Headbutt from the top by Benoit. Austin: "Kill this sunnovabitch!" Oh jeez that's uncomfortable viewing. 619(BOOOO). Austin conducts a post match interview with Eric who defiantly yells "Fuck ECW!" So Austin has the Dudleys haul him up. Flip him the bird! Kick. Wham. Stunner. Good night. The Dudleys then haul Eric out of here and everyone toasts, Al Snow feeding Head some beer haha.

Final Thoughts: This was such a fun watch. Having never seen an ECW show at the time they were originally around I don't really hold much nostalgia for the company and this is basically a nostalgia show, but even without that this show stands up well and is really entertaining. The opener, the three way, Sabu vs Rhyno and Awesome vs Tanaka were all really good, the main event was fun with all the cameos and weapons. Guys like Sabu, Sandman and Super Crazy who I wasn't overly familiar with delivered, and WWE guys who'd soon be out of the door like Rhyno, the Dudleys and Tajiri were also great. The show was also littered with great verbal performances (Heyman excellent as always, RVD with a career high point promo, JBL trolling the fuck out of everyone).

TL,DR: Great talking, and fun wrestling from familiar and unfamiliar faces.

Final Verdict: STICK

Stick or Twist: The Rise And Fall of ECW

I've quickly run out of 2004 shows to cover, but one of my favourite releases from that back then wasn't a Pay Per View, it was this documentary on ECW. I got it pretty much when it came out because it was in some multibuy deal with No Mercy 2004 (I don't have it any more so that won't be coming up) at MVC(!). Unlike most DVDs from 2004, I still had this and there'll be more of ECW to come, so I thought it was worth running through the story here.

• When NWA Eastern Championship Wrestling owner Todd Gordon and booker Eddie Gilbert fell out, Paul Heyman came in to book their next big show in September 93. Paul sought to shake things up, starting with opening act The Public Enemy - two white hip hop lovers. It set the tone for for all Paul's early acts.

Early feuds - Sabu vs Funk vs Douglas & Dreamer vs Sandman

• Sabu mesmerised Paul - he looked like he'd fight you to the death. Terry Funk is put over huge as a legit tough veteran with the foresight to put young guys over. "There would not be an ECW without Terry Funk." Naturally Paul has a great Funk impression. The two feuded with "The Franchise" Shane Douglas. One match they had that was a 60 minute draw is particularly cited as special.

• Douglas put the match over in an intense promo: "Professional wrestling as it was meant to be - ass kicking, take no names, beat the hell out of whoever's in front of ya." Tommy Dreamer ties Douglas' hatred of WCW to Heyman's. "You were joining the Taliban if you went to WCW." Heyman: "I pretty much told them to go fuck themselves when they were treating people like shit... and if don't think they enjoyed that."

• Dreamer did well in a match vs Tazz and wound up staying. Unbelievably at first he was labelled a pretty boy, with AWFUL braces. The Sandman embodied ECW with his pre match antics. The two had a match where the loser got caned. Tommy lost. We see some of the caning and it looked insane. Tommy didn't stay down despite fans begging him to, earning respect. Heyman called the feud innovative. They "blinded" Sandman at one point and went backstage to show heels and faces reacting to the injury. Paul credits him for staying home to sell it.

New talent and the rise of a revolution

• Cactus Jack came from WCW due to a lawsuit settlement, firstly for a "dream match" vs Sabu. We see Cactus' promo after losing where he spat on his WCW Tag Title as his pride was hurt. He got a lot of heat for it but felt Sabu deserved to be put over as the top guy. Mikey Whipwreck's story is fascinating - a 19 year old working on the ring crew in exchange for playing around in it a bit, he drew such sympathy when he took a bump that Heyman decided to train him to wrestle and initially give him no offence. He got really over, winning the Tag Titles with Cactus in a big upset. "He likes it! Mikey really REALLY likes it!!!"

• The big moment to break from the old school was when Shane Douglas won the NWA World Title and threw it on the ground. "From the Harley Races, to the Barry Windhams to the... Ric Flairs [Nevermind that shit, here comes Mongo!] ...they can all... kiss... my... ASS!!!" This was the genesis of the ECW chants. They left the NWA, becoming Extreme Championship Wrestling.

• A beautiful exchange between Eddie Guerrero and Dean Malenko highlights the bevy of great technicians to arrive late 94/early 95 to expand the audience, so they had the best wrestling around on top of the ultra-violence. Eddie particularly was grateful for the time and opportunity.

Accentuate the positive, elim-ah-nate the negative

• Director Ron Buffone talks wanting a more reality based product. Paul says it was since they couldn't compete with WWF or WCW's production work, so "why go there? Accentuate the positives, hide the negatives." Buffone loved leaving in mistakes/fans booing, and being honest about injuries.

• The audience experience was vital. Dreamer recalls people bringing weapons and asking fans to hold up a chair to bash his opponents into. Dawn Marie and Chris Jericho praise the fans' knowledge, Stevie Richards their creativity and Paul their star making ability. "The audience was the story." Foley and Rob Van Dam mention their brutal streak with bad wrestling.

• Raven is profiled next. Both the character and performer inspired Paul. Tommy puts over their feud and the story of being unable to beat him. At one point he piledrove Raven's girlfriend Beulah McGillicutty, drawing "He's hardcore" chants and, finally, acceptance from the fans.

A void to fill

• The roster began to dwindle. Paul publicly fired Sabu for going to Japan when he was booked for an ECW show. Tommy on Paul: "He lied to the wrestlers, but never lied to the fans." Then Tazz took a botched piledriver, finished his match, walked to hospital and was told "Well sir, you have a broken neck." He was out for 9 months. Paul still paid him despite only having a handshake for a contract.

• Ah, we hear how WCW "raided" Chris Benoit, Eddie and Dean. Bischoff: "One man's raid is another man's acquisition." He compared it to Vince "raiding" the territories in the 80s, then trolls ECW: talent "probably weren't getting paid", "WCW was a much more secure platform." Heyman: "Eric Bischoff is full of shit." Oh boy, big "Make WWE look good" bit here: Vince said he put Paul on the payroll to compensate for taking his talent "unlike Eric who'd take his talent and gleefully not give him anything."

• Paul filled the void with Rey Mysterio, Psicosis and Juventud Guerrera. Lots of Joey Styles going "HOORICANRANAH!" and a clip of Rey jumping off a car to 'rana someone. Paul: "If my father wasn't a lawyer I could never have run ECW." Another new face - STEVE AUSTIN. Bischoff fired him from WCW over the phone and luckily Paul called right after. His Austin impression is fucking hilarious - "IMA SIT AT HOME N DRINK A BEEEER!" He wanted Steve as champion but Steve's idea was to lose and say how close he was and how much more he wants it, earning him massive credit.

Innovation and controversy

• Cactus' incredible "anti-hardcore" promos are quite rightly lauded as the most creative ever by Paul. Jesus there was an angle where Raven brainwashed Sandman's son. Raven's laugh is messed up. Even worse, Raven CRUCIFIED SANDMAN!! He had to publicly apologise. KURT ANGLE was at that show and left in disgust. He was amazed Paul said he had "no idea" it'd happen. "You're running the show, if you don't know what's going on then you're an idiot."

• Another infamous angle - Beulah's pregnancy. "It's Tommy's?!" Hilariously in one beat down, a fan threw a pie so Tommy bit into it and piledrove Raven onto it. It turned out Beulah was faking, and cheating on Tommy with another woman! This led to the infamous line "I'll take 'em both, I'm hardcore!"

The quest for Pay Per View

• Being on Pay Per View was vital for growth. Companies were wary at first as they looked "real" like UFC, and apparently they nearly got thrown off thanks to the "Mass Transit incident" - a substitute wrestler lied about their age and got terribly cut in a match that D-Von Dudley said was the scariest thing he'd seen. But they eventually got a date: April 18, 1997, 9pm. Paul: "I'd have taken a Wednesday night 3am slot in a parking lot in the South Bronx... if you let us on we'll give you something special."

• They did some co-promotion on WWF Raw for the PPV! Raw returned to the Manhattan Center and had ECW guys there. It's weird seeing them in the technicolor WWF ring. The fucking bWo were even there - a parody of a WCW act from ECW on WWF TV! Sabu "fell off the R" of the Raw set. Jerry Lawler hugely disagreed with crucial TV time going to another company and hated the ECW guys' attitude. He thought they looked small and Tazz gave him shit for saying "He looks a lot bigger on the Lucky Charms box."

• Finally their first PPV comes around - Barely Legal. Buffone gave Paul MAJOR credit for sticking with guys like him and Joey in the face of PPV company interference. RVD only wrestled in place of an injured Chris Candido and cut a good promo on his frustrations. Post neck injury Tazz had a shoot fighter gimmick that Paul tried to build a big fight atmosphere around. His match with Sabu here was important for establishing it. Tazz: "We made each other in that match". In another great Funk impression Stevie recalls confiding in Terry about his shock at being in the main event. Funk won the ECW Title in "the impossible dream". Paul put over how well deserved and emotional it was.

Moles, creativity and appropriation 

• Before Raven left for WCW Tommy FINALLY beat him. Raven's exit led to suspicions about Todd Gordon being a mole. Paul found a conversation on his phone with Terry Taylor and Bill Alfonso allegedly about having ECW invade WCW. Todd was fired. Fonzy nearly was too but he had a crazy match with Beulah that saved his job. He bled like a pig. Bubba Ray Dudley stepped up to help backstage. Lots of people did - Dreamer and D-Von drove merch to venues and mailed it out, Stevie dealt with tickets and the ECW Hotline, Tazz designed merch.

• Paul was big on creative freedom and being accessible. Tazz on directions he'd get: "Go out, talk about so and so and, you know... do it." He called the locker room "land of the misfit toys" - it was everybody let go by other promotions. Prime example: Al Snow. "The best thing for me about ECW was I found Head." *whit-woo*. He was talking to himself and it wasn't getting over, so he talked to a mannequin head instead. Paul always wanted to do a rave style entrance, so he capitalised by giving fans Styrofoam heads to use under strobe lights when Al came out. His excitement for this gimmick is palpable. "And people would be BOBBING with the heads!"

• There's talk of WCW and WWF ripping off ECW with the Uncensored PPVS and Attitude respectively. Foley thinks there's some truth to it - he got lots of ECW chants when he first came in but as the WWF style got more physical it got more associated with them. Some good points, but one that gets my goat is implying ECW led to the Hell in a Cell because they did Scaffold Matches - they were done loads in the NWA years before ECW. Vince says the WWF Attitude was more verbal than ECWs.

Tazz, The Dudleys and TNN

• Tazz really ascended to the top and gushes over his 98 feud with Bigelow, especially when they go through the ring causing in his first loss. This lead to Tazz's FTW (Fuck The World) vanity belt, central to him getting the ECW Title. The Dudleys are also cited as a crucial act, fearless antagonists people would pay money to see beaten. Great clips of Heat Wave 99: "We got a mom who taught her daughter how to suck dick".

• Paul knew when it became difficult to pay talent and veterans like Bigelow left that they needed national TV to get more sponsors/income. Cue talk of bounced checks: Lance Storm broke his verbal contract when he had three in a row. Dreamer went unpaid for SIX MONTHS at one point. "Our greatest asset was also our greatest detriment, and that was Paul."

• They still got on TV with TNN though! Hence they got T-Shirt, DVD and video game deals. Vince thought "good for Paul" but warned he needed to broaden his audience. RVD was relieved for fans because they wouldn't need to work hard to find the show like with syndication. However, soon after the WWF signed Tazz and The Dudleys. Note: at no point is it called a "raid". RVD thought it was an issue that individuals grew faster than the company.

• Vince calls Tazz "Suplex King, all that stuff". Tazz left because reaching the top of the card in ECW gave him a sense of "now what?" In classic ECW booking, he was the first eliminated in a three way dance to lose his title. The whole locker room came out to send him off. When WWF made The Dudleys an offer, they told Paul "they called", offering him a chance to convince them to stay. He could only say "I can't compete with them and I can't compete with their money". They go through their final night in ECW, shockingly winning the Tag Titles only to lose them to Dreamer and a returning Raven. D-Von calls it his most memorable ECW match.

The network, Van Dam and the sinking ship

• Buffone was mad that despite being TNN's top show they were just a lead in to "whatever that stupid rollerblading show was". They had a horrible deal - little commercial time or money, TNN sending back music videos, banning "hate" etc. Paul said they were guinea pigs for wrestling on TNN. He was pissed at the lack of promotion and even MORE pissed when they bought the rights to WWF Raw. "We're dead!"

• RVD was basically ECW's only major asset left. Paul said he was different because he didn't need hatred to make him an attraction. He was TV Champion for 23 months, making it match the ECW Title for prestige, but broke his leg and had to forfeit the title.

• In another blow, ECW Champion Mike Awesome broke his contract to join WCW. They had to get an injunction to stop him bringing the belt to Nitro to throw in the trash. Interestingly WWF sent Tazz to an ECW house show to beat Awesome for the belt - a WWF guy beat a WCW guy for the ECW Title. The next week Tazz was on Smackdown with the title and lost to WWF Champion Triple H. Vince said that didn't speak well when he was trying to help ECW. 

Dun-nuh-nuh nuh-nuh-nuh nuh-nuh-nuh nuh-nuh-neeeerh
IT'S TAZZ!

The fall

• More trolling from Bischoff - ECW was destined to be a small, "regional, in many ways" promotion. Under this shit TV deal they couldn't negotiate with new networks before TNN announced acquiring Raw. Dreamer said it was unlikely they'd be picked up when it looked like they were about to sink. RVD knew it was over when he was owed so much money he knew he'd never get it back. Bubba on the downfall: "The violence had a lot to do with it." He agrees with D-Von that Paul was a poor businessman. Paul insists if they'd have found a new network they'd have survived.

• Paul then recalls going to WWF: "Anybody who didn't make the next step would be in denial." Two things stuck out for him: JR assuring him he'll be fine, and saying a line when Trish Stratus stripped in the ring for Vince that made everyone at Gorilla GASP. "They got a sense of who they had and I got a sense of what ceiling I shouldn't be crashing through." Bubba and Vince agree that Paul working for someone else meant he didn't get what he wanted, but Vince praises his character for wanting to stay in the business despite bankruptcy.

"Hey Ma, I came to Washington D.C. and I'm about to see Bush!"

• Closing thoughts include Jericho's awe at people worldwide knowing about ECW and still chanting it, Dreamer calling it a great proving ground for success, and Stevie saying the company's success transcended any one moment. Paul says you can't fear failure if you want to succeed. He admits he's a failure but that's part of the fun as it makes you more dangerous next time round. We then fade to black with ECW chants echoing out.

Final Verdict: Overall this was a seminal documentary in terms of depth and breadth of material. We did get some typical "rewrite history in WWE's favour" - WWF sabotaged ECW getting on national TV by signing their World and Tag Champions and signed lots of their talent over the years, but ignore that, here's how WCW raided ECW's talent. 

But it was good to see people who weren't with WWE at the time like Sabu, Sandman, Raven, Douglas, Mikey and Funk still get profiled and put over. I learnt so much watching this, and enjoyed the hell out of it. Seriously, this documentary is so entertaining I've shown this to VERY casual fans in the past and we've had a great laugh at the impressions, stories and clips of infamous moments. 

Heyman is the MVP of this set, often hilarious and passionate, but others like Stevie and Tazz also offer lots of interest, and Dreamer is especially useful for a history lesson or two.

Go seek this out, especially if you aren't too familiar with ECW.

Ladies And Gentlemen, My Name Is Paul Heyman: Review

Well, I've been bargain hunting again. I rarely buy WWE's compilation and profile DVDs nowadays as my viewing habits have changed and the sets got shorter and weaker. However, I'm a big fan of Paul Heyman. He's one of the most creative people in the industry, so I was determined to get his set Ladies And Gentlemen, My Name Is Paul Heyman.
The man himself spoke recently about how WWE underestimated demand for it, so I was lucky to grab myself the Blu Ray edition for a mere £12 in CEX (a total shock, it was priced as £18).
The extras are plentiful, but I'll mostly go through the documentary then share my favourites.

The sheer volume of talking heads who appear is incredible - ECW's Joey Styles, Rob Van Dam, Mick Foley and Ron Buffone. Edge, Brock Lesnar, Jim Ross, Dusty Rhodes, Big Show. Most remarkable of which for me were Raven (considering his "independent contractors" dispute with WWE), wrestling journalist Bill Apter and CM PUNK (his interviews were before his acrimonious split from WWE). Just goes to show how much sway he has.

Early Life

• Paul describes himself as the schmuck son of an attorney father and Holocaust survivor mother (holy shit). He became a wrestling fan by stumbling upon Vince McMahon interviewing Superstar Billy Graham, who "resonated through the television screen". From then on he wanted to see the secrets of that magic.

• At 13 he spent his Bah Mitzvah money on photo and printing gear to run a wrestling fanzine. He discovers Vince McMahon Sr.'s regular haunts from a gossip column in a New York paper, and at 14 hustled a press pass for Madison Square Garden shows!

• Tonnes of footage and shots of a young Paul E at ringside and meeting wrestlers. Bill Apter called him a pain in the ass who'd ruin cover shots haha! Legendary managers Classy Freddie Blassie, Captain Lou Albano and the Grand Wizard all took a shine to him.

• He'd do well at Jim Crockett Promotions shows too. He once saw a production meeting notice and snuck in to learn from booker Dusty Rhodes. Dusty spotted him and Paul does an ace impression ("Yo'w the keed from New York"), asking why he's there. After saying he's there to learn, there's a prolonged silence before Dream quips "You're learnin' from the right person!"

Foot in the door

• Having somehow used Gorgeous Jimmy Garvin to get into a Studio 54 charity event, Heyman discovers their lead photographer had just been fired, and convinces them to hire him! When rival club the Palladium raided S54's talent ("kinda like the Monday Night War"), a spot opened up on Friday night, so he promoted "Wrestle Party '85", getting Ric Flair, Dusty and Magnum T.A. to appear and featuring Bam Bam Bigelow's debut. What a stacked event.

• Bam Bam would needle Paul E into becoming a manager. After seeing a poster of the film Johnny Dangerously he joked he'd call himself Paul E. Dangerously - the rest is history. He'd convince promoters to book his first tag team (the Motor City Mad Men) by offering to advertise their shows in his wrestling magazines in return. Pretty smart.

• He'd then move to Memphis (via Florida), where we see him talking of a guy called Giant Humongous, I shit you not! Jerry Lawler mentions he didn't get on with anyone, so he put him with their top heels Austin Idol and Tommy Rich. Clearly Lawler disliked Heyman too, but still put their feud over and said he knew Heyman had a future.

• We then see Paul in the AWA, so talk turns to the CELLPHONE! He saw Wall Street and thought it had foreign object potential, and also talks the exposure he got on AWA's TV shows, often doing two interviews on each episode of their DAILY ESPN show. 

JCP/WCW

• When Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard went to the WWF, a spot opened up in JCP's tag team ranks, so they bring Paul E in with the Original Midnight Express to feud with Jim Cornette's Midnight Express. Excellent clips here - "1989 is gonna be the year of livin' dangerously".

• Jim Ross took Paul on as a commentator to take him off creative's hands, calling him a bright, difficult student picking holes in the stories with his "I wanna slap you" presentation skills. Paul learned more about the performance from JR in the booth than from anywhere else and it made him a better manager. He winds up suspended as a commentator too.

• Rick Rude's arrival proved a saving grace, as they formed the ace Dangerous Alliance faction around him with Paul as manager, along with Larry Zybysko, Arn and Bobby Eaton. At Paul's behest, "Stunning" Steve Austin (yes THAT Steve Austin) was included too. Excellent promo of him introducing the group, "it's not a line up, or a stable, or a family". Paul calls it a "star making moment" that enhanced his reputation enough for him to start ECW. 

• He was fired eventually though. He sued and got lots of money dependent on both sides keeping hush so can't talk circumstances.

ECW

• Emotionally spent after WCW, Paul would have gone into radio but wound up in Eastern Championship Wrestling to help friend Eddie Gilbert with his young talent. ECW owner Todd Gordon only expected Heyman to be there for a few shows, but when he fired Gilbert he chose Paul to book the territory. Gordon praises Paul's eye for talent going through tapes, while ex-ECW writer Gabe Sapolsky points out how he transformed Taz and Tommy Dreamer.

• Ace promo from Paul about the state of wrestling at the time (and clips of WWF's crap gimmicks back then), denouncing people running to the circus with the clowns. This leads to ECW's rated R revolution: barbed wire, piledriving women, balcony dives, twisted camera angles and hip hop. Compared to the cartoon wrestling of the day, Gordon said "there was no question it was real".

• Really interesting section on WWF's support of ECW next (naturally, it's a WWE DVD). Director Ron Buffone knew Paul worked with the WWF because Vince would periodically call the office! JR basically admits they wanted ECW's talent, but in the long term, rather than just flat out sign everyone like WCW.

• Paul admits meeting Vince in 1996. Vince wanted to send Brakkus, Al Snow and Droz to ECW on the WWF payroll to get seasoned. In return he wanted Terry Gordy, Doug Furnas, Phil Lafon and 2 Cold Scorpio. Paul had an issue with Scorpio leaving as they were effectively sponsored by a record company to have him wrestle, so Vince paid what they'd lose in sponsorship as compensation. Paul is adamant the money went direct to ECW and he was NOT on WWF's payroll, saying he NEVER paid himself in ECW(!).

• More clips of mid-90s Paul ("if you want to stay, you stay") motivating talent. Gordon tells a funny story of Paul booking a show on the back of a napkin based off who he could see in the locker room. Ace! Dreamer and Buffone also SWEAR that when asleep in the editing room one time he WOKE UP when a mistake came up!

Money Trouble

• ECW's expansion was quick and costly. Paul: "We had no credit at all!". Dreamer calls ECW "a Ma & Pop's deli that became Subway". Initially Paul's stocks and WCW settlement kept him going, but eventually his parents invested in ECW. The likes the Dudleys and Taz had office duties. Rob Van Dam mentions how most of them flew on discounted bereavement fairs - "Paul got us to do so much for so little". Buffone even says Paul's mum used to work in merchandise but then he fired her - and hilariously realises how that sounds!!!

• Styles mentions how important Gordon was, because when Paul was in charge of money he spent them into a hole getting his angles over - although that creativity kept attendance and merchandise up. Their money issues were extraordinary. Dreamer would get paid with the merch money when his cheques bounced. He'd mention to Paul "there's like $22 grand here" so Paul would want some, but Tommy was like "but you owe me $65 grand!" - holy shit!

• Paul's pretty compelling defending himself - "you have to play with the cards you had, and sometimes when you've got no cards you have to bluff". It was all about keeping going day to day. He again stresses he wasn't getting paid either. "I have more to lose than you do. You can leave, I can't!" Dreamer also defends him saying it was people's prerogative to stay: "You probably weren't going to be much without him anyway" - right, not as if Mike Awesome, Lance Storm, Chris Candido, Rhyno, Raven and Spike Dudley went on to make more elsewhere or anything...

• In the dying days. Styles says Paul just wouldn't turn up and Dreamer would book the shows instead! Jesus! Ticket sales were hot and they had DVDs (first wrestling company doing them) and video games doing well but they couldn't get on TV after TNN ditched them for WWF Raw: USA only wanted the number one brand, Turner wanted out of wrestling completely, and Fox couldn't offer a financially viable slot. When the Pay Per View companies put them in a quagmire, making them commit to more shows without paying out for previous ones, the writing was on the wall.

WWF/E

• So Paul starts in WWF as colour commentator, but only signs a contract two months after debuting due to filing for ECW's bankruptcy. I loved how he came out with a modern cellphone on his lapel! Stephanie McMahon said he did everything Vince hated on commentary. JR more diplomatically calls him "challenging". Paul: "I needled JR... I intentionally made JR uncomfortable."

• Talk turns to BRRRROCK LESSSSNAAAAAAR. Tazz spotted him but told Paul he'd been given "the worst advice imaginable". So after Paul gave him some different advice and Vince liked the results he paired them up permanently. Brock says Heyman smartened him up and put him in the right direction.

• When Raw and Smackdown were split into different brands, the writing teams were split too and Paul became the lead writer of Smackdown. Paul calls it a tough gig and "the bitch show" (hilariously assuming that wouldn't make the edit), but he made a success of it, thrusting new guys into the main event (the Smackdown Six) without sacrificing the box office value of Undertaker, Brock or Hulk Hogan. We even see a graphic of Smackdown beating Raw in the ratings. Not many people liked that...

The infamous Smackdown Six: Benoit, Angle, Edge, Mysterio, Eddie & Chavo

• Big Show is hilarious mentioning Paul arguing with Vince, saying he was like an idiot poking a bear at the zoo ("This is fun!"). Paul says he wasn't corporately mature enough to deal with Smackdown's success, and Steph mentions how he'd beat ideas into the ground and suspended him without pay (a first on her watch). However, Paul had a five year contract, so they couldn't fire him...

• ...Instead he went to developmental territory Ohio Valley Wrestling. Dreamer thought they were putting him out to pasture, but Paul called it a great gift because he loves developing talent. Beth Phoenix and CM Punk praise his work with them. Paul on Punk: "I was learning from him before I was done teaching him". He was still rubbing people the wrong way though.

ECW's resurrection/WWECW

• Shane McMahon was a big proponent of both Paul and ECW (while everyone else hated him), and they wind up doing ECW tribute show One Night Stand in 2005, which was a great success. Heyman says if they'd have finished there it would have been awesome. He also reveals Shane legitimately tried to buy ECW in 2000.

• Back to 2005, Shane lobbies to bring ECW back as a web series tying together the original ECW and a developmental territory. But as the concept grew, they shopped the show out to TV stations, and once Sci Fi and Pay Per View companies became interested in the brand, the obvious occurred.

• Styles says WWE's ECW FLAT OUT SUCKED - it'd have been fine had it been called something else. Again, Show is really funny comparing Paul to the wounded guy in Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Dreamer compared it to a father seeing his child raised by a step-father, while Steph mentions near the end it was hard to trust Paul, getting in talent's ears etc. Paul bemoans having to "compete" with Vince when he owned the company, and recounts their falling out - if we could have seen it, we'd have NEVER expected him back...

Exile & Return

• When he left WWE, he tried to buy MMA promotion Strikeforce(!) because Brock was there. He also started the "Heyman Hustle" web series, which lead to him opening his production company "Looking 4 Larry". We see Paul enter the offices and ask the receptionist "Are we still in business today?" - classic! They even did the WWE 2K14 ad with the Ultimate Warrior! Appropriately enough, Paul praises his cellphones for helping him run the place on the road.

• He also raised his two kids, with everyone mentioning how they changed Paul for the better. Heyman calls them his salvation and says they'll be more extraordinary that he'll ever be.

• He still kept in touch with Brock, through his UFC days, retirement and return to WWE, but thought there was too much baggage for him to come back too... until he was asked to return and be with Brock! Punk, Dreamer and JR all mention his value. Paul says the five and a half year break improved him as a performer and he loves talking to the talent, with Natalya, Renee Young and (an out of character!) Bray Wyatt all speaking highly of him. We get clips of the awesome "volcano" promo he did on Raw. THE MOLTEN LAAAVA!!! How everyone kept a straight face through that I don't know.

• Heyman then has a choice quote talking about how he loves learning by teaching younger talent. EVERYONE in WWE creative should have this pinned to their desks:

"Experience is the greatest inhibitor of creativity... because you learn from experience what NOT to do. But it's the unbridled passion and fearlessness to just go into something with reckless abandon that allows you to create something from nothing."

• The documentary then closes with more praise from Foley ("he's ahead of the curve"), Styles ("the greatest manager of all time"), Buffone ("he was born for wrestling") and Apter ("he still has that glow for the business"). Paul finishes up by saying he's had the time of his life but that his children will be the measure of him.

Extras Highlights

• The Dangerous Alliance formation, "year of livin' dangerously" and the "Volcano" segments are included in full and are all highlights.

• Good stuff from his AWA days too, treating the interviewer like garbage and also his interview segment "The Danger Zone" with special guest "Ted E. Bear" who is literally a teddy bear! Only Paul could make stuff like that work.

• Naturally there aren't many matches, but there is a decent MNE vs Original MNE match. Also the handicap elimination match where Paul and Curtis Axel faced CM Punk is worth it just to see Paul's reaction when he realises Punk has him on his own.

• There's some really insightful stories that didn't make the documentary, including Paul talking of Freddie Blassie mistaking people's complaints about his driving for heat, Todd Gordon defending the phone call that resulted in his ECW exit, Steph and Paul recalling Paul listening in on Raw conference call (and getting busted), and some good Blu Ray exclusives too, like JR talking about riding with Paul and Joey Styles explaining how Paul NO SHOWED at his wedding even though he was Joey's GROOMSMAN!!!

• Also exclusive to Blu Ray is Heyman's post Wrestlemania XXX promo bragging about Brock breaking the Undertaker's streak, but for my money the best promo on here is the Smackdown before Survivor Series 2001, where he confronted Vince McMahon.

Verdict

Overall, this is an essential set for a hardcore fan. Even if you've seen excellent documentary The Rise And Fall Of ECW there's still tonnes of worthwhile stuff and facts that come up from this set (Paul going into more specifics about their financial relationship with WWF, Todd Gordon, Gabe Sapolsky and Raven as talking heads) and I was fascinated hearing Paul talk of his early life and where his gift of the gab took him. Far less revisionist history than most WWE docs nowadays too (although take some of what Styles, Dreamer and Paul say with a grain of salt when they are on the defence).
If you can find it for the right price like I did I'd definitely go for the Blu Ray version, as lots of the exclusive stories from from the talking heads are really worthwhile.
Must own.