WWE Tagged Classics; Backlash 2001 and Judgment Day 2001

WWE have gone onto a winning formula with the release of these 'tagged classics'. Two PPVs for the price of one and that's something that can't be sniffed at. These PPVs come just before the atrocious 'Invasion' angle and so it's best to sit back and enjoy, before the stupidity makes the next couple of sets utterly unwatchable.

Backlash 2001

Pretty solid card from top to bottom.

Last Man Standing Match between Big Show and Shane McMahon is just insane and you really do wonder why he didn't try and go full-time as a wrestler, because I think only Mick Foley could beat him in terms of crazy moments. Hardcore title match between Raven and Rhyno and European match between Christian/Matt Hardy and Eddie Guerrero are good, but nothing worth shouting about and the matches between Chris Jericho and William Regal and Dudley Boyz and X-Pac and Justin Credible are fine in general, but these are not matches that you will be watching over and over again.

As much as I'd like to say the main event which pitted Undertaker and Kane vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin and Triple H in a winner take all World/Intercontinental/Tag title match was the best match, I can't do this. It is a good match and one that was great for the PPV, but it is not the match that you will remember from this PPV. What is undoubtedly match of the PPV is Kurt Angle and Chris Benoit in a Thirty Minute Ultimate Submission match. This is possibly one of the best technical matches I have ever witnessed. Those who want to dismiss Benoit because of his actions in 2007 need to watch this match and admit  that as a wrestler there was no one who could do this better.

Extras are plentiful, if a little odd. All the extras come from the Sunday Night Heat before the PPV. As that show was only about 44mins, you wonder why they didn't just include the whole thing. What is included is interviews with William Regal, The Dudleys and Chris Benoit which are all great to watch as precursors to the matches on the PPV. As a bonus we also get two matches: Light Heavyweight Championship between Crash Holly and Jerry Lyn which was ok and a match between Molly Holly and Lita that really could have been saved for the PPV.

Judgment Day 2001

This is once again a solid card and though some matches such as Rikishi vs. William Regal, Hardcore Championship between Rhyno, Test and Big Show aren't exactly Five Star classics, it does have more than enough to keep you entertained. The women's championship match between Chyna and Lita is not as great as the Molly Holly/Lita one that was an extra of the Backlash disk, but is still a good match as is the tag team turmoil match which really highlighted just how strong the WWF's tag division was in 2001. The three matches that this PPV will be remembered for are obviously the two out of three fall match between Kurt Angle and Chris Benoit and at this point I almost wish that WWE would release a Kurt Angle vs. Chris Benoit set, as I cannot think of one match of them together that isn't wonderful. The other two matches were sparked by the previous PPV with Kane vs. Triple H in a chain match for the Intercontinental belt and Stone Cold vs. The Undertaker in a No Holds-Barred match for the World title. Both are great hard matches with the match between Kane and Triple H almost outshining the main event.

Once again extras come from the Sunday Night Heat and this time include interviews with William Regal, Chris Jericho, Eddie Guerrero, Chris Benoit and Vince McMahon which are all fine. We also get Kurt Angle's Medal Ceremony from Raw which is not as funny or entertaining as it may sound, which is a shame.

Both PPVs could easily be sold on the two Benoit/Angle matches alone. Thankfully there are also a number of good matches in between these technical masterpieces which make this set even more of  a perfect set.