Review of WWE: Vengeance 2006

Introduction

This WWE pay-per-view release may have been labelled "Vengeance", but in reality, it was all about the D-X reunion. If it wasn`t obvious from their position at the top of the card against The Spirit Squad, then this DVD`s cover, with the DX logo spray-painted on the front, tells the story.

The original D-X (short for D-Generation X) was a controversial faction who broke all of wrestling`s prior rules about using bad language and sexual innuendo on television. In short, they are credited with taking wrestling from the often-cartoonish spectacle that could be family viewing, to the kind of product that if it were a movie, would be slapped with a "15" by the BBFC.

In 2006 - after a four year absence - founding D-X members Shawn Michaels and Triple-H reunited here, much to the chagrin of WWE owner Vince McMahon. Thus the 2 vs 5 main event handicap match.

Elsewhere on the card, John Cena faced Sabu in a no-rules match, where the ring was surrounded by allies of both men. Known as a Lumberjack match, this is to ensure that neither participant tries to walk away from the match.

WWE Vengeance 2006 was held on 25th June at the Charlotte Bobcats Arena in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Video

Video is presented in 4:3 fullscreen PAL, and is excellent for a DVD of this genre. Unlike the last WWE pay-per-view, ECW One Night Stand, all of the big effects that you expect from these supercard events are present here. And for a live-to-tape event, this couldn`t possibly look any better.

Audio

Audio is presented in Dolby Digital 2.0 and is very good for a DVD of this genre. Commentary is provided by Jim Ross and Jerry "The King" Lawler and is generally good, even if characteristically inane. All of the event`s sound effects are clear, from the aforementioned commentary, to entrance music, to the in-ring action.

There are three other 2.0 language tracks: German, Italian, and French. There are also subtitles in Portuguese and Dutch.

Features

Interestingly, this pay-per-view event has been released as a two-disc set, which would appear to be a one-off.

All of the extras are on Disc Two, and many of them are taken from the RAW TV show both prior to, and after Vengeance itself. Indeed there are seven segments taken from RAW, which is nice as a compliment to the main feature, but obviously nothing new. Almost all of these TV skits are based on the antics of DX, so if juvenile antics acted out by 40 year olds isn`t your thing, you are probably best avoiding these.

Away from the RAW segments, there is a music video for Eighteen Visions` "Victim" track, which was the theme to this event. There is also a backstage segment with Mick Foley and Melina, as well as a featurette on a Torrie Wilson photoshoot for the new WWE magazine.

Aside from a promo with Edge, and the DX entrance video, the remainder of the extras are matches from the RAW TV show. Rob Van Dam defended his title against John Cena from the 26th June show, in what was a very good TV match that was ruined by a poor finish. And from 12th June, Triple-H took on the entire Spirit Squad in a 1 vs 5 handicap match which, as you might have expected, wasn`t a match to take too seriously.

This is a nice set of extras complimenting the main feature, and fans of DX will enjoy them more than most.

Conclusion

The show began with a re-match from ECW One Night Stand, as Randy Orton looked to avenge his loss to Kurt Angle. This was a very good match - although both are capable of even more - highlighted by a stunning suplex display by Angle.

Next up was Umaga vs Eugene, who was accompanied by WWE legends (their term, not mine) "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan, Doink The Clown ("Brooklyn Brawler" Steve Lombardi donned the costume on this occasion), and Kamala. This was a real waste of pay-per-view time.

Mick Foley and Ric Flair then took to the ring in was an interesting match, not so much for what went on between the ropes, but for the intrigue of the story behind it. For several years, Foley and Flair conducted a very bitter public feud, which was the basis for this series of matches. Unfortunately, the bout failed to live up to any of the hype, and was notable only for Flair`s shocking blood-loss.

The Intercontinental championship match was somewhat better, as Shelton Benjamin faced Carlito and Johnny Nitro in a Triple Threat match. There were some great high-flying moves employed here, including an amazing sequence known in wrestling as The Tower of Doom. As soon as you see it, you`ll know why it was given that name.

In a match that was surprisingly held in the middle of the card, WWE champion Rob Van Dam then defended his title against Edge. This was the probable match of the night, ahead of Orton vs Angle, as both men took some tremendous risks in an attempt to claim victory.

In a match which was so bad that Vince McMahon personally cancelled their proposed feud, Kane faced the Imposter Kane, before John Cena faced the "homicidal, suicidal, genocidal" Sabu in a Lumberjack match. This was a much shorter match than I had anticipated, but was fought at a fast enough pace to keep it constantly entertaining.

The main event then saw DX take on The Spirit Squad in what was an entertaining match, but was only at the top of the card because of the reunion of Shawn Michaels and Triple-H as DX. To me, as someone who is not a fan of DX, this was undeserving of main event status.

Overall, Vengeance was an average event, highlighted by good matches in Orton vs Angle and RVD vs Edge, but dragged down by clangers in Umaga vs Eugene and Kane vs Imposter Kane.

Especially considering that the extras disc is dominated by them, if you are a fan of DX, you`ll want to have this in your DVD library.