The Two Sheds Review

Wednesday, September 26, 2007

UFC 76: Knockout on Bravo - TV Review

Following the review of Cage Rage 23, the mixed martial arts action continues as we step across the pond for the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s 76^th show, Knockout, headlined by a light-heavyweight fight between two warriors making their returns after heavy defeats - Chuck “The Iceman” Lidell and “The Dean of Mean” Keith Jardine, and shown on Bravo on a twenty-four hour delay. As usual, our hosts for the evening are Mike Goldberg and Joe Rogan, joined later on commentary by Heavyweight Champion Randy Couture.

Cage Rage 23: Unbelievable on Sky Sports - TV Review

It’s a packed weekend for British mixed martial arts fans this weekend. With UFC 76 coming up, first it was off to Wembley Arena in London, with Sky Sports’ live coverage of Cage Rage 23: Unbelievable, featuring the MMA debut of former British Heavyweight boxing champion Julius Francis, as he went up against Gary “Smiler” Turner. As usual, Cage Rage supremos Andy Geer and Dave O’Donnell were on hand to guide us through the night’s events, with Malcolm Martin, Rob Nutley and Stephen Quadros handling duties at the announcer’s table.

UFC 75: Champion v Champion on Setanta Sports - TV Review

So I had a problem. UFC 75: Champion v Champion at the 02 Arena in London was being shown live not on pay-per-view, but on Setanta Sports’ regular channel. So, after deciding that I didn’t want to subscribe to a channel I’d only watch every once in a while when the UFC over here. So I put out a plea on forum, and a kind gentleman from Scotland agreed to record a copy for me. So, a little later than planned, The Two Sheds Review takes a look at the historic champion v champion match between UFC Light-Heavyweight king Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, and his Pride counterpart Dan Henderson, as well as the return of Mirko Cro Cop. Our hosts for the show are Mike Goldberg and Joe Rogan.

WWE Unforgiven on Sky Sports - TV Review

A little later than planned due to other commitments, it’s that time of the month again when the three WWE brands and their announcers join forces for the latest pay-per-view instalment, the 2007 version of Unforgiven, featuring the return of the Undertaker, and John Cena renewing his rivalry with “The Legend Killer” Randy Orton, shown here in Britain on Sky Sports.

TNA No Surrender 2007 on Bravo 2 - TV Review

Kurt Angle is in for a busy night as he defends all three of his titles in one night in three gruelling matches. Yep, it’s TNA’s latest pay-per-view offering, No Surrender, shown on a three day delay here in Britain on Bravo 2. As usual, our hosts for the evening are Mike Tenay and Don West.

So how did a Jewish guy from New York get mistaken for an aspiring black wrestling star in the early 1990’s? Well, Marc Mero explained all when he sat down in front of the cameras for Ring of Honor for their “Straight Shootin’” series.

In this edition of The Two Sheds Review, we’re going to take a trip back in time to 1994, to take a look at one of the most important events in the history of professional wrestling. A few weeks ago I was browsing the merchandise section of www.wrestlingepicenter.com, and I came across a DVD that captured my attention immediately - the NWA World Title Tournament from 1994. Having seen, heard and read a great deal about this tournament, I knew that I just had to get a copy of this.

WWE Summerslam 2007 on Sky Box Office - TV Review

It’s that time of the month again where I break out the old opening line as the three WWE brands band together for their monthly pay-per-view, and this time it’s been labelled the biggest part of the summer. Yep, it’s time for the twentieth instalment of Summerslam, shown here in Britain on Sky Box Office, and hosted by Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler from Raw, Michael Cole and JBL from Smackdown, and Joey Styles and Tazz from ECW.

UFC 74: Respect on Bravo - TV Review

So could the old-man do it again? After dominating Tim Sylvia to regain the UFC World Heavyweight title, Hall of Famer Randy Couture now had to contend with the man who sent Cro Cop flying, Gabriel Gonzaga, and it’s this highly anticipated fight we’re looking forward to at Ultimate Fighting Championship 74: Respect. Our hosts for the evening are Mike Goldberg and Joe Rogan.

Infernal Affairs, The Prestige & A Scanner Darkly - Film Reviews

If you’re familiar with the Jack Nicholson film The Departed, which won four Oscars earlier this year, then by now you’ve already seen the Hong Kong film that inspired it, Infernal Affairs.

RQW Clacton March 2005 - DVD Review

This edition of The Two Sheds Review sees the debut of perhaps the most successful wrestling promotion in the UK at the moment, Real Quality Wrestling. Owned by Len Davies, RQW has quickly risen to the top of the tree thanks to sound business practices, good booking, and a weekly programme on TWC Fight which not only showcases their own shows, but matches from other promotions as well.

TNA Hard Justice 2007 on Bravo 2 - TV Review

When I heard that TNA had signed Pacman, and that he’d be appearing at Hard Justice, I had visions of follow-up signings that including Mario & Luigi and Sonic the Hedgehog. Sadly, it wasn’t to be, as Pacman is in fact an American footballer called Adam Jones, a guy who I’ve never heard of and has apparently been suspended from the forthcoming NFL season. So do I care? No. But before I go off on a tangent, it’s time to take a look at the 2007 version of Hard Justice, held in the Impact Zone in Orlando, Florida, and shown on a three day delay on Bravo 2 here in Britain. Our hosts for the evening are, as usual, Mike Tenay and Don West.

When the bods at MMA Universe asked me to review another instructional DVD, I have to admit that I was somewhat reticent about their request. After all, I’m never likely to become a fighter in any kind of sport, so why should I review these kind of DVDs? So it was with these thoughts going through my mind that I began to watch a fighting legend in action in Marco Ruas - Brazilian Vale Tudo.

Wrestlerock 5 - DVD Review

This edition of The Two Sheds Review sees us taking another trip down under as we make a return visit to Greystoke Entertainment and their latest DVD release, Wrestlerock 5: Survive of Die, as the Lebanese shoot fighter Carnish challenges Lazer for the Wrestlerock title in a Surrender Match.

K-1 Hero's 2006 Volume One: Domination - DVD Review

Following my recent review of the K-1 Hero’s 2005 Volume One on DVD, the good people at MMA Universe have asked me to review another Hero’s release. So this time we’re going forward a year to Hero’s 2006 Volume 1: Domination, a two disc release which features the likes of Jerome Le Banner, Heath Herring, Caol Uno and many others from the Budokan Arena in Japan. As with the previous review, the commentators are Howard Hughes and Pierre Guillet.

WWE The Great American Bash 2007 on Sky Sports - TV Review

It’s that time of the month again where the three World Wrestling Entertainment brands band together to put on a pay-per-view spectacular, and this month it’s the 2007 version of The Great American Bash, headlined by new World Champion, the Great Khali defending in a triple threat match against Kane and Batista, and WWE Champion John Cena facing the challenge of Bobby Lashley.

TNA Victory Road 2007 on Bravo 2 - TV Review

It’s time to take our monthly trip into TNA territory again, as they go back to the Impact Zone in Florida for their latest pay-per-view offering, Victory Road, shown on a three day delay here in Britain on Bravo 2, headlined by the Match of Champions, as Kurt Angle and Samoa Joe face Team 3-D. Our hosts for the evening are, as usual, Mike Tenay and Don West.

Cage Rage 22: Hard as Hell on Sky Sports - TV Review

While Amir Khan was breaking the jaw of Willie Limond to win the Commonwealth Lightweight boxing title at the former Millennium Dome in London, over the other side of town, the Cage Rage mixed martial arts promotion were presenting their twenty-second event, Hard as Hell, at Wembley Arena, shown live on Sky Sports here in Britain.

UFC 73: Stacked on Bravo - TV Review

Dana White has described this as being the best fight card not just in MMA history, but in the history of combat sports. Is he correct? That’s what we’re going to attempt to find out by looking at the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s Stacked, shown on twenty-four hour delay here in Britain on Bravo, and hosted by UFC regulars Mike Goldberg and Joe Rogan.

WWE Vengeance: Night of Champions on Sky Sports - TV Review

WWE Vengeance: Night of Champions was meant to be one of the stand-out events on the WWE calendar. A chance to see every title defended on one show. A chance to see all the champions under the same roof. But sadly, events that took place elsewhere will always overshadow this event. Nevertheless, as the old saying goes the show must go on, and here’s my review of the show.