- 04/22/2010 (9:46:14 pm)
- Press Release
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Broadcast Live & Worldwide On The Monday Night Mayhem Radio Network
Chris Hero/Monday Night Mayhem Interview (MNM Podcast On ITunes): http://www.mondaynightmayhemarchives.com/april10/041910.mp3
His feelings on putting back together "The Kings Of Wrestling" With Claudio Castagnoli & recapturing the Ring Of Honor World Tag Team Titles At ROH's "Big Bang" Internet Pay-Per-View in Charlotte, NC: I will say that it was just a matter of time. Both Claudio (Castagnoli) & myself have been around the horn together for a little over eight years now. We have gone through every dynamic you could imagine: from teacher to student, to roommate, to best friend, to roommate to no longer roommate, to no longer keeping in contact to the optimum of our careers, and it just made sense for us to get together. The sum of two parts is greater than both individuals, especially in this case, because I can't see any tag team in wrestling right now better than the two of us, and I really appreciate Ring Of Honor giving us the opportunity to show that to the world. Pro Wrestling NOAH put us on a pretty big platform in January in their Global Tag League, and we carried that momentum to the states, and we put on a helluva match with The Briscoes in Charlotte, probably our best tag match together Claudio & I."
The biggest thing that Chris took away from his year-long program with Lance Storm last year: "Lance is the consummate professional. He took almost two years off, and showed up in amazing ring shape, and put on a helluva match, which if you have seen anything he did in the few years of his career, he really wasn't given the platform to show his true ability. When someone takes that much time off, they could have all kinds of rust and just be out of touch with the way wrestling is these days. In many ways, it was a 'career match' for me, but I think in many ways, it was a career match for Lance as well. I think we both benefited greatly confidence-wise from that match: Lance proving to himself he can still go and still put on a match of the night. It was also very important for me to have that match & to have a successful match. I was very pleased with the end result, and it did wonders for my confidence."
Returning to his hometown of Dayton, Ohio this Friday night: "I got Petey Williams in Dayton. Dayton's my home, that's where I came up & where I started to train to wrestle. Dayton...I just can't lose. My last match there I wrestled Bryan Danielson in the main event, and I came away with the victory, and now I have Petey Williams. He is a great wrestler, and I have not wrestled him in a singles match in six years in Lafayette, IN. I'm looking forward to see how the two of us mesh in the ring, and it could be a bit of a sleeper match."
Possible repercussions of the Jim Cornette/TNA situation & if Chris fears that the wrestlers could be affected: "Personally, I would say that is nothing to worry about. Like anything else, if you sit & worry about it, one of two things happen: your worries come true & then you'll be annoyed the while time or they won't come true&d you would have worried for no reason. I don't really give much credence to those things. They happen, they happen. If not, fantastic. I think we are all focused on giving the fans the best show possible, the best matches as possible, & the most unique combinations possible...so if that happens, it sucks, but that's not something I'm gonna focus on."
More is contained in this exclusive interview with one-half of The Kings Of Wrestling/ROH World Tag Team Champions, including Chris' reaction to Ring Of Honor going back to Toronto for their next Internet Pay-Per-View, who has had the most positive impact on him in ROH, how he has been preparing for his potential ROH World Title Match vs. Tyler Black this Saturday in Chicago, what the fans should expect in New York City on May 8th against The Motor City Machine Guns (as himself & Claudio Castagnoli will defend the ROH tag team gold at The Manhattan Center), & and where he sees himself wrestling five years from now. Rumors have circulated that World Wrestling Entertainment has been interested in Chris for quite some time, so does Chris see himself joining CM Punk in the WWE in the immediate future? The only way to find out the answer to this question & so much more is by feeling The Mayhem experience & listening to Chris' first-ever appearance on "Your Home Of Wrestling Radio."
Check out the official Monday Night Mayhem Audio Vault, along with the official MNM Podcast on ITunes, and listen to select programming & audio content from the past five years of MNM. You can re-live interviews with some of your favorite stars & personalities in Ring of Honor today (ROH on HDNet Executive Producer Jim Cornette, ROH President Cary Silkin, ROH World Champion Tyler Black, Austin Aries, "The Fallen Angel" Christopher Daniels, Davey Richards, ROH World Tag Team Champion Claudio Castangoli, & Jerry Lynn), in addition to some of the hottest names in the worlds of sports, entertainment, & Hollywood (Ice-T & Coco, Dennis Rodman, Jim Kelly, Curtis Granderson, Theo Fleury, Michael Buffer, & many more). Hear these interviews & many more right now by logging onto www.MondayNightMayhem.com, and don't miss all-new episodes of "Your Home Of Wrestling Radio" every Monday evening live at 7PM ET/6PM CT along the airwaves of the Monday Night Mayhem Radio Network!
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Broadcast Live & Worldwide On The Monday Night Mayhem Radio Network
Monday Night Mayhem DVD Review: "Hart And Soul: The Hart Family Anthology"
Produced By World Wrestling Entertainment/WWE Home Video
Written By "Wild" Bill Brown
****
Content: 9.7
"Hart And Soul: The Hart Family Anthology" is a fantastic collection, with some of the greatest moments from one of the most famous families ever to compete in professional wrestling. This three-disc set covers a large amount of topics with plenty of Hart family members, from all of their beginnings right through the modern day. With deep family comments from recorded pastime interviews from those that are now deceased up through the many current family members sharing their insights regarding hundreds of topics, this is the most in-depth documentary & greatest collective work ever put out by World Wrestling Entertainment. This time though, they will talk for the first time about a variety of topics all pertaining to the legacy of their entire Hart Family dynasty. The WWE has outclassed themselves here with an unbelievable biography. Add to that a dozen exciting matches featuring some of the most talented family workers in the business, as well as many special features added in (covering a variety of areas), this DVD set is undoubtedly a "must-see."
****
Audio/Video: 9.5
Produced perfectly & amazingly clear, the state of the art WWE Productions once again does their very best. All older footage & classics from the past are edited to appear as best they could to satisfy the viewers, but besides that, these DVD's are flawlessly edited. Dolby Surround in two channels and produced in high-definition, the documentary is unbelievable, and the matches that follow look awesome, as is customary with any WWE Home Video.
What's On the DVD's:
Disc I
Over five decades of Hart lineage is covered on this disc, with a look at the patriarch of the Hart family, the famous father & leader: Stu Hart. See how Stu fell in love, got married to Helen, & started up in the wrestling business. Opening up Stampede Wrestling, Stu begins promoting in
Special Features:
- Stu The Athlete
- Helen's Car Accident
- Terrible Ted The Wrestling Bear
- A Letter From Dean
- Stu vs. The Tiger
- A Hart Family Thanksgiving 1987
- Helen Throws In The Towel
- Owen The Prankster
- Chris Jericho's Flight With Owen
- The Uninvited Guest
- Bret "The Hit Man" Hart Returns To The WWE
- Post-RAW Celebration (Monday Night RAW: January 4, 2010)
The Matches:
While some might complain a bit about the selection of matches, the fact remains that the WWE is devoting these bouts as it pertains to the title, which is "The Hart Family Anthology." Most of the matches selected feature teamwork or rivalries with Hart Family members, with a few rare bouts that are hard to find.
David Hart Smith, Tyson Kidd, & Natalia Niedhart on the second & third disc will run you through the following matches and show them to you in their entirety with their fellow Hart family members.
Disc II
- Introduction With The Hart Dynasty
Six-Man Tag Team Match: Keith Hart, Bruce Hart, & Bret Hart vs. The Kiwis & The Dynamite Kid
Stampede Wrestling May 1979: Rare & great to watch the brothers in the early days in the Stampede Territory. - Stampede Arrives In The WWE
WWE World Tag Team Title Match: The Hart Foundation vs. The British Bulldogs - An Unforgettable Match
WWE Intercontinental Championship Match: Bret "The Hit Man" Hart vs. "The British Bulldog" Davey Boy Smith
WWE SummerSlam -- August 29, 1992: 80,000 fans & a scientific classic in - The Hart Family In A WWE Ring
Family Feud Match: Bret "The Hit Man" Hart, Owen Hart, Bruce Hart, & Keith Hart vs. Shawn Michaels & His Knights
WWE Survivor Series -- November 24, 1993: Not a classic, but a family affair. - Brothers vs. Brothers
Bret "The Hit Man" Hart & Owen Hart vs. The Steiner Brothers
Florence, SC -- January 11, 1994: Very unique & never-before-seen all-out battle. - Ripped Apart At The Seams
WWE World Tag Team Title Match: Bret "The Hit Man" Hart & Owen Hart vs. The Quebecers
WWE Royal Rumble -- January 22, 1994: Owen turns on Bret, and The Hart Family is divided.
Disc III
- Sibling Rivalry
WWE Championship Steel Cage Match: Bret "The Hit Man" Hart vs. Owen Hart
WWE SummerSlam August 29, 1994: One of the best cage matches ever seen in a WWE ring. - The Hart Family Settles It In The Ring
Bret "The Hit Man" Hart & "The British Bulldog" Davey Boy Smith vs. Owen Hart & Jim "The Anvil" Neidhart
WWE Monday Night RAW -- November 7, 1994: The families take sides and battle it out. - Decorated In Gold
WWE European Championship Match: Owen Hart vs. "The British Bulldog" Davey Boy Smith
WWE Monday Night RAW -- March 3, 1997: Tag Team Champions now go after the WWE's newest belt. - Front And Center
Ten-Man Tag Team Match: Bret "The Hit Man" Hart, Owen Hart, "The British Bulldog" Davey Boy Smith, Jim "The Anvil" Neidhart, & Brian Pillman vs. "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, Ken Shamrock, Goldust, & The Legion Of Doom
WWE In Your House: Canadian Stampede -- July 6, 1997: Never will you see a country love their family heroes during the entire wrestling match like this one...Absolutely surreal. - Border Wars
Six-Man Tag Team Flag Match: Bret "The Hit Man" Hart, Owen Hart, & "The British Bulldog" Davey Boy Smith vs. "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, The Undertaker, & Dude Love
WWE Monday Night RAW -- July 21, 1997: It's - Passing The Torch
WWE Unified World Tag Team Title Match: The Hart Dynasty vs. D-Generation X
WWE SmackDown -- December 25, 2009: Third-generation Hart family members show their talents, and let you know the future may be theirs.
****
Overall Recommendation:
Buy this DVD. It is a solid project featuring an unbelievable legacy of wrestlers in their own words telling you, the viewer, all about their years with their family in their crazy world in which they lived. And if you are a Bret Hart fan and read his book a few years back, yeah some stories were brushed upon there, but this time you are getting some point of views from other members of the Hart family, while Bret's book was from his own account only. This is an extremely thorough presentation about the relationships that developed with all members of the Hart Dynasty from the various family members themselves. In the end, the man behind the family, Stu Hart is shown as one of the most incredibly generous individuals to ever work in & contribute to the wrestling business, and this DVD project involving his entire family will leave any viewer with much more appreciation & respect for their abilities. Lots of history & plenty of moments are shared, leaving any viewer at the end wanting so much more...because it was just that good!
****
Final Thoughts:
As a big fan of Owen Hart, combined with the fact that the WWE hasn't really come out much & focused on him in the past, this was a pleasant surprise, because he was prominently featured during most of this DVD. Many great matches, some funny stories, & plenty of top matches feature Owen doing what he did best. The only shocking part regarding the coverage of Owen is the fact that the WWE gave a very in-depth look to the final night of his life, with footage from the live Over The Edge Pay-Per-View when Owen tragically passed away. To say it was uneasy to relive Jim Ross tell us the news of what had just happened would be an understatement, but it is indeed given some time and covered here pretty well to the surprise of myself & probably many others. The WWE pulls no punches here on this, so be prepared.
Overall Rating: 9.6
****
