Search - WWE: Hulk Hogan's Unreleased Collector's Series on DVD

WWE Opens The Vault For Some Rare Footage...BROTHER!

D.P. | California | 02/09/2010

(4 out of 5 stars)

"There are so many ways to describe & indenfity this man that I honestly can't even begin to try because what I can say wouldn't do him justice but the fact is that this man's impact on the sport is so strong that he's left his mark & an impact (positive or negative, another story for another time) on every single major promotion he's touched for the past 3 decades...and still doing it to this day. That man is Hulk Hogan & this is another DVD collection showcasing his past matches, feuds, promos, and matches. This DVD set is a very special one (one I hope to see in the future regarding other legends in the past) in that the title says it all, "Unreleased Collector's Series." That means that throughout this entire DVD collection, you relive so many things from Hogan's career that has never before been released onto any DVD set anywhere (no WWE PPV matches) so there are no repeats or anything you've seen anywhere else. It should be noted that Jim Ross & Jerry Lawler did commentary for some of the matches so you get insights from Lawler's past experiences in the ring with Hulk & his opposition along with Ross showcasing his vast knowledge of the sport.

vs. Harry Valdez - I believe this was his TV debut and it was just a showcase of Hogan's strength with him using the bear hug as a finisher at this time.
"Championship Wrestling" Nov. '79

vs. WWE Champion Bob Backlund - A few months in the company & he's already challenging for the World Championship. Hogan tried to play Backlund's game of using amature wrestling but Bob kept taking advantage of Hogan and always managed to stay one step ahead of him & matched his offense to the point where Hogan had to cheat to get an advantage. It should be noted that Hogan heavily relied on hop tosses throughout the match while Backlund was able to times to show freakish strength by being able to lift Hogan's entire body from acquard positions. They were close to a half hour here in a very impressive performance by both men.
April '80

vs. Steve King & Angelo Gomez - For those who may have not noticed but this is the second time that Angelo Gomez was put in a handicap match against Hogan that made it's way to DVD (Hulk Still Rules is the first one). This was a typical squash but the highlight here was the interview afterwards where "Classy" Freddie Blassie was making comments (almost comical) about Hogan doing a nude centerfold.
"All Star Wrestling" Sept. '80

w/special refree Gorilla Monsoon vs. Andre the Giant - This match occurred right after their famous Shea Stadium encounter and with that one getting so out of control for a normal sized referee to handle, Gorilla Monsoon was appointed as the referee here and he was able to get physically involved whenever needed like in the beginning trying to seperate the two. Hogan heavily focused on Andre's back with bearhugs, elbow drops, and even delivering his trademark legdrop onto his back. This was a good showcasing for Hogan against Andre eventhough he did something in this match that would go down as a highlight in wrestling history years later would work to his disadvantage in this match.
"MSG" Sept. '80

vs. Nick Bockwinkel & Bobby Heenan - Eventhough this is advertised as a handicap match, don't let the title fool as you this was more like "Hulk Hogan vs. Nick Bockwinkle featuring Bobby Heenan" as Heenan really only got involved to do his entertaining comedic spots & act like the "weasel" we all know him to be while Hogan & Bockwinkle had a good match.
"AWA" May '81

WWE Championship Match vs. Randy Savage - This was one of the matches during their first feud in WWE that usually gets overshadowed by their later "Mega Powers Explode" feud in '89. This was typical "heel Macho Man" as he attacked Hogan early in the bout with his championship along & kept beating on Hogan after catching him off guard to the point where even Elizabeth got on the apron asking him to stop. Savage would taunt Hogan by not even removing his sunglasses while beating him down before Hogan later gave Savage a taste of his own medicine while dominating with his power before giving Savage the big boot from an ususual position.
Apr. '86

w/Junkyard Dog vs. Big John Studd & King Kong Bundy - This was a good tag match that played to Hogan & Dog's strengths of being entertaining. It should be noted that it was during this time that Big John Studd & Bobby Heenan had the gimmick where they would pay money to the man who could slam Studd so pay attention after Hogan gave back to back slams on Studd & Bundy to hear Heenan is screaming on the announcers headset this reason to "weasel" out of the deal along with Heenan ending on the worse end of one of the most devistating finishing moves at that time.
May '86

WWE Championship Match vs. Kamala - This was just an average match with Kamala showing some good agility for a man who was around 300 pounds.
June '87

WWE Championship Match vs. Killer Khan - Just another average match here with the only thing of note being how Hogan was able to use a deadly weapon of Khan's against him in the match.
Sept. '87

WWE Championship Match vs. One Man Gang - This was another title defense that was an average performance from Hogan with the only noteworthy thing being how OMG focused & worked on Hogan's ribs throughout the match.
Dec. '87

WWE Championship Match vs. Rick Rude - This was a treat as I never knew these two faced off in a singles match. Before the match started, you had an unusual challenge made by Bobby Heenan for Hogan to face Rude in an arm wrestling contest. This was a good showcasing for Rick Rude early in this WWE career as he dominated most of the match here against Hogan while being able to remain the "heat magnet" that he was during during the rest of his WWE tenure.
Jan. '88

w/Bam Bam Bigelow vs. Ted DiBiase & Virgil - It should be noted that Andre The Giant was in the corner of Dibiase & Virgil for this match. It started out wild with all four men brawling in the ring before settling down in a good tag team match with the highlight being Bam Bam Bigelow showing why he's called one of the best big men ever in the business due to the amazing ability for his size.
Mar. '88

WWE Championship Match vs. King Haku - Since they were in Los Angeles (home of the USC Trojans), Hogan wore his own custom Trojan war helmet to the ring that you just have to see to believe. This was a different type of challenge for Hogan as Haku worked over Hogan with his karate style of trust, kicks, and nerve holds instead of the usual brawling he got from other competitors. Another good match.
Oct. '88

WWE Championship Match vs. Big Boss Man - Hogan was back in Los Angeles two months later against one of his big rivals (in more ways than one) in the Big Boss Man. This match was taken to the outside with Boss Man hitting each single poll while having a chair used. Boss Man matched Hogan's power by using impact moves of his own like the Boss Man Slam & even a piledriver while Slick was able to get his shots in as well before Hogan overcame the odds for a victory.
Dec. '88

WWE Championship Match vs. Randy Savage - This match happened after their famous WrestleMania V encounter as Savage took on the services of Sensational Sherri as his new manager. Shades of their earlier match on this set from years earlier, Savage attacked Hogan to get an early advantage but this time used his cape to blind Hogan and even used a foreign object as well. They went back & forth here with Savage actually outsmarting Hogan to get an unexpected result.
June '89

vs. Earthquake - Maybe it's just because I was never really a fan or cared for the late-John "Earthquake" Tenta but I didn't really care for this match as it was nothing special to me past Hogan's constant attempts to slam Earthquake throughout the match.
"MSG" Apr. '90

WWE Championship Match vs. Sgt. Slaughter - This happened during WWE's tour of London a short time after WrestleMania VII. Now for those who don't remember since it was never shown on the actual PPV broadcast, Slaughter attacked Hogan in his dressing room after the match by throwing a fireball in his face so Hogan was sporting a big bandage near his eye as a result of that burn. This was a nice contest between both men as it was mostly a brawl between both men with Hogan's burn being a heavy target for Slaughters.
Apr. '91

vs. Ric Flair - This was the rematch from their previous Madison Square Garden match from the previous month (which is available on "Greatest Wrestling Stars Of The 90's") with Mr. Perfect in Ric Flair's corner. Perfect & Flair tried to double team Hogan in the beginning to no avail only for Hogan & Flair to take the brawl all over the ringside area with Hogan dominating the first half of the match. Flair (as usual) targeted Hogan's leg, while Perfect for his shot in with a chair, to set up the figure four before Hogan was able to use the move against Flair on his way to victory. It should be noted that Bobby Heenan is on commentary during this match so his heavy bias towards Flair was almost funny in it's own right.
"MSG" Dec. '91

w/Randy Savage vs. Vader & Ric Flair - This was Ric Flair's first match back in WCW after losing the retirement match to Hogan the previous October and both teams had their respective cornermen in both Arn Anderson & Renegade. It should be noted that what distracted Hogan on his way to the ring & later on during the match was the first ever appearence of The Giant (aka Big Show). All four men showcased their strengths at various parts in the match as this turned out to a be a fun tag team match.
WCW Slamboree '95

WCW Championship/Steel Cage Match vs. Vader - This was the final encounter between Hogan & Vader with the steel cage being placed up to prevent the interference that ruined their previous matches against each other & for further ensure there was no interference, Dennis Rodman was infront of the cage door with a chair ready to nail anyone who tried to get in. This match had it's moments like Vader's "Iron Elephant" being used against him by Hulk along with both men using the cage as a weapon at times. While Hogan did win this cage match, it should be interesting to see how he did as due to the backstage politics between both men...this was the first time in WCW history that a cage match was won in that fashion.
WCW Bash At The Beach '95

vs. Sting - This was a very interesting matchup to say the least. This happened during Hogan's "dark side" period where he was wearing all black to fight the Dungeon Of Doom with Savage later joining on the "dark side" & wearing all black as well. Meanwhile, Lex Luger was a member of the Dungeon Of Doom but still had an alliance with Sting causing Hogan to question Sting's loyalities leading to his first ever meeting between both men...with Sting colored in Hogan's old colors of red & yellow. It should be interesting to note that this match heavily foreshadowed Hogan's future as the "Hollywood" character as the crowd was completely behind Sting & booing Hogan while Hogan did "heelish" acts during the match such as how he entered the ring. This was a good match for what it was but as expected during this time, the Dungeon Of Doom did get involved & you saw exactly where Sting's loyality lied.
"WCW Monday Nitro" Nov. '95

WCW Championship Match vs. The Giant - This was the main event of the first (and only) nWo PPV in Souled Out. Giant was the #1 contendor for the championship after winning the World War 3 Battle Royal & kicked out of the nWo a month earlier for asking for his title shot. The reception of this PPV was heavily negative & this match showcases exactly why as Hogan & Giant kept the same "slow-motion" speed throughout the entire match resulting in a dead crowd. The Giant dominated this encounter with Hogan getting some shots in here & there (along with the worst attempt at an inside cradle by Hogan I've ever seen) with the only major highlight being Giant attempting an elbow drop from the top rope. However the match ended the exact same way WCW Nitro ended every single week going into this match, Giant beating up Hogan before the entire nWo beat down Giant saving Hogan.
nWo Souled Out '97

vs. Bret Hart - Don't judge a book by it's cover here because eventhough this match is advertised as the first (and to my knowledge, ONLY) "Hogan vs. Hart" match, this was nothing more than a segment to help setup the Bret Hart/Sting match at Halloween Havoc the next month. A few minutes into the match, Hart heavily hurt his knee causing nWo Wolfpac to help him get medical help while Sting (who Bret had formed an alliance with weeks earlier) took his place in the match only for Hogan's nWo stable to attack the Wolfpack in the back leading to Hart turning on Sting & beating him down in the ring with the assistance of Hogan.
"WCW Monday Nitro" Sept. '98

WWE Undisputed Championship/No Disqualification Match vs. Ric Flair - During this time, Ric Flair had just turned heel & was the owner of the RAW brand so he booked himself in a title match against Hogan. This wasn't the calibur of their earlier series of matches in WCW & even WWE back in the '90s but it was a good match for TV with Flair targeting the knees & Hogan always fighting back to the point where he was able to get Flair's own figure four on him at one point. As expected with a No DQ match, there was intereference from those like X-Pac & Big Show of the nWo, Bradshaw but it was one man who made the "stunning" difference here in what is, to this date, the last time Hogan & Flair wrestled each other on television. As a side note, I really liked Hogan's entrance into this match eventhough he stole it for obivious reasons.
"RAW" May '02

vs. Triple H - This was the rematch from Backlash to determine who would face Undertaker for the WWE Championship at King Of The Ring. This was a good back & forth match between both men and that was a step below their Backlash match (with Triple H injuring his elbow early) but well done for television before Triple H took advantage of one mistake Hogan made.
"SmackDown" June '02

WWE Tag Team Championship Match w/Edge vs. vs. Billy & Chuck - Eventhough most people remember the time these two teams meet, Edge won the tag team championship with his childhood hero in Hogan but this was the forgotten rematch that happened a week later. This was a pretty simple match as Billy & Chuck cut the ring off in half and completely worked over Edge with even Rico getting involved on the outside building to the hot tag for Hogan who dominated the other team on their way to victory.
"SmackDown" July '02

vs. Kurt Angle - The setup to this match was similar to the Triple H one earlier in that this was a rematch from their previous PPV match (King Of The Ring where Hogan tapped out to Angle) with the winner getting a match against Brock Lesnar the next week. As usual when it comes to Kurt Angle, he brought out the best in Hogan at that this time as this was a very competitive match between both men with things getting a little out of hand in the end with Lesnar making an appearence & Kurt costing himself the match.
"SmackDown" Aug. '02

You'll also see throughout the presentation various promos from Hogan such as him going grocery shopping with Mr. T, appearing on Jake Roberts' "The Snake Pit", addressing the fans the night after WrestleMania X8, and interviews he gave leading up to his WrestleMania matches against Randy Savage & Ultimate Warrior & Sgt. Slaughter. DVD extras include more various Hogan promos including an interview with Gorilla Monsoon, a promo with Mr. T, interview with Lord Alfred Hayes, him with his Mega Maniacs partners Jimmy Hart & Brutus Beefcake, an interview with Dennis Rodman before his cage match with Vader, one that was done during his "dark side" days feuding against the Dungeon Of Doom in WCW, an nWo promo, and one he did with Mean Gene Okerland & Shawn Michaels before their tag match at Backlash.

In the end, I really liked the concept that I got rare matches that aren't easy to find & can't get anywhere else on DVD. However, there were clearly some fillers on here (Kamala, Killer Khan, One Man Gang) that could have easily been replaced for a better quality match like vs. someone like Curt Hennig, a battle royal, or more AWA matches (I know he fought more people than just Bockwinkle). I was also really disappointed with the matches selected WCW matches during his nWo period as they were really just bad quality (Giant) or storyline segments (Bret Hart) when other quality or important matches were again left alone like the Hogan vs. Savage showdown at Halloween Havoc, Rodman's first tag match against Luger & Giant, one of his title victories that still hasn't seen the light of day, or even the lost match between Hogan & Curt Hennig from WCW Thunder in '99 (look it up if you can, one of Hogan's best matches during that period)...hell, I'll even take the hardcore match he had against Billy Kidman. In the end, I was overall satified with a majority of this set & it appeals to those fans of Hogan who want to get their hands on the rarer "under the radar" matches of his career so under those circumstances, I recommend.
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