Review: WWE Blood Bath: Wrestling’s Most Incredible Steel Cage Matches DVD

Brett Mix’s- “Blood Bath: Wrestling’s Most Incredible Steel Cage Matches” 2 Disc Review:

 

  
 I will beat you again Brother and then the whole family will jump on MY BANDWAGON! –Owen Hart

 

 

  
 

 

 

 

 

-I don’t review Clipped matches with a star rating and near half of these are clipped.
 
-Blood Bath: Wrestling’s Most Incredible Steel Cage Matches was put together in 2003 as a 2 Disc DVD set featuring both clipped and non-clipped Cage matches over the years.
 
-Is hosted by the Coach and is 115 minutes long.
 
 
-Since then they released a proper matches in full length DVD in the year 2011. First I will review this set.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
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Disc 1 Matches:
 
  
 

 

 

 

 

1) BRUNO SAMMARTINO vs IVAN KOLOFF – WWWF (1975)
 
 

 

Bruno Sammartino the living legend.
 

Ivan Koloff another long-time great.

Both men former Federation World Champion’s.
Ivan Koloff attacks Bruno right away and he irish-whipped Koloff from side to side.

Buno with uppercut to uppercut then sent Ivan Koloff dead center into the cage and the pace Bruno Sammartino is doing this at coud very well match the pace of today.

Unbelievable early work by Bruno Sammartino until Ivan kicks him in the mid-section tried to wear Bruno down but he took a shot to Ivan and he fell down like a ton of bricks says a young McMahon on commentary.

Koloff tries to go out of the Cage but Bruno Sammartino stops him and drops a knee to the back of Koloff. Bruno Sammartino irish-whipped Koloff to the corner and Ivan Koloff hung n with agilty and landed on Bruno Sammartino.

Ivan tried to go out the door but Bruno Sammartino got up and stopped his charge and worked over his forehead. Sammartino tried to prevent Koloff from escaping and as Ivan charged towards him he hit the steel cage as Bruno Sammartino moved out of the way just in time.

Bruno Sammartino measuring Ivan Koloff with an irishwhip to the turnbuckle over and over.

Koloff tried to climb to escape now but Bruno ran with him among the apron and hit him head-first on the buckle.

Bruno Sammartino chokes out Koloff at the bottom of the canvas with his boot.

What a Cage Match, I keep pinching myself to believe this is 1975!

This one must of truly set the bar for the others.

Koloff is bleedng now as Bruno Sammartino slammed him into the Cage.

Bruno Sammartino walks out of the door as Bruno Sammartino wins at 9:42.
 
This match is a 1970’s Classic.

What makes it amazing is its unbelievable pace for the time it took place
 
 

 
****
 
 
 
 

 

 

 

2) BOB BACKLUND (With Arnold Skaaland) vs STAN HANSEN (1981)
  
 

  

 

Stan Hansen, such a tough worker in the 80’s going against The Federation’s top guy in Backlund here.

 

Bob Backlund ready for Stan Hansen here and they repeat the only way to win is to escape the Cage back then s pinfalls never used to count.

Stan Hansen brutally attacks him from the get-go and now Stan Hansen is sent into the corner and now the side of the cage. Stan Hansen has his face grinded across the steel Cage match.
Stan Hansen kicks back at Backlund with a knee lift and then once again Bob Baclund head first into the steel and Stan Hansen then gets an elbow and then drops one on the head of Backlund as he presses hi into the Cage.

Backlund reverses a bunch of tosses and throws him into the cage. Backlund with a powerbomb to Stan Hansen!

Stan Hansen is cut a bit as his face continues to be grinded into the side of the Cage by Backlund. All of the sudden Stan the Man Hansen kicks back but that wont stop the blood as he continues to bleed badly.

Stan Hansen is bleeding and Backlund in complete frontrol with viciou blows. Stan Hansen stops Backund and he runs ino a reverse elbow then dodges one on the mat.

Backlund with all sorts of left’s and right’s to Stan Hansen, he fought back with a scoop slam. Stan Hansen tried to escape but Backlund held on by one leg. Backlund tries to keep Stan Hansen in the ring-any wy he can as both men climb to the top.

You could really feel this was the Climax.

At 8:44 Bob Backlund escaped the Cage and the fans roar as he had tough-man Stan Hansen down.
 
 

This match was more old school fun!

Pretty violent and once again a great pace.

 
  
 
*** 1/2
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
3) Edge Vs Kurt Angle Cage Match- 2002 WWE Smackdown!

 

 

 

Kurt Angle and Edge continued there enthralling series with a Cage match here on Smackdown!

An excellent addition to Edge’s set as well as the Cage match DVD as this was truly a gem and it’s still talked about for being a terrific Cage match, infact it ranks up there with the very best and it was on free TV making it feel that much more important.

Stu Hart is shown in attendance for this match.

These were the last two King of the Ring winners at the time of the match.

Kurt Angle was wearing his hair piece for this match.

Edge got set to lock up with Angle.

Kurt Angle locked up with Edge, Angle with a go-behind, Edge with an elbow, Angle tried to take a leg down out of Edge but Edge battled out of it. Angle with a side headlock in mid-ring, Edge from behind with a go-behind waistlock, then Angle reversed it into a hammerlock, Edge though was able to get out of it and powerslam Angle.

Edge with a nice drop toehold to Angl taking him down.

Good first minute.

Angle with shots Edge at the side ropes, irish-whips him and catches him with a reverse elbow shot. Angle then sent Edge face first into the Cage. Edge hit a big dropkick to Angle off the ropes in mid-ring, then Edge tossed Angle up to the top of the Cage and Kurt smacked the steel back first.

Edge went to spear Angle by the ropes into the Cage, Kurt Angle moved out of the way just in time and Edge spears the Steel, shoulder first.

Kurt Angle takes advantage of this and stomps on him before giving him a ton of right hands, and kicks in the corner, Kurt Angle then choked him out with his boot. Angle hit a nice gutwrench suplex, but Edge kicked out. “Angle Sucks” chants broke out, and Angle with his hair piece looked on at them frustrated.

Kurt Angle resorts to a front facelock in mid-ring on Edge to ground the quicker Canadian. Edge slowly rises to his feet and delivered a shot to the abdomen of Angle, Edge went for a clothesline Angle ducked and off the ropes Edge hits a textbook belly to belly suplex.

Edge then climbed the corner but Angle grabbed a boot, however Edge kicked him off, when Edge spotted Angle coming up to get him again, Edge dove off the top turnbuckle with a high crossbody to Angle and got a two count.

Angle busted out a German Suplex out of no where as usual, and then he hit a couple more to Edge slamming him hard to the mat to slow down Edge some more. Angle paced around the ring and headed for the door. Angle stomps on Edge and then sends him face first into the Steel, using the Cage as a weapon, Angle then tossed Edge head first into the opposite side of the Cage. And for the third time, Angle bounced Edge off the Steel as he tried to bust him open, the audience boo’s Angle.

Kurt Angle in control now beginning the assualt and he pounded away on Edge with hard body shots.

Edge had bladed and the blood was beginning to poor down on Edge. The fans booed as Angle pulled back on the hair of Edge.

Edge knocks Angle down out of no where and out of desperation he catapolted Kurt Angle to the Cage, Edge then faceplanted Angle off the ropes into the canvas, and a bloodied Edge got a two count. Edge with right hands to Angle and an irishwhip followed by a back bodydrop, and Edge with another clothesline, before a running bulldog and Angle wisely grabbed the bottom rope.

Awesome match, as called by Tazz here.

Edge had lost a lot of blood, and Angle ducks Edge off the ropes and Edge accidentally collided with the official. Angle with a back suplex to Edge who was busted open.

Angle began to climb to the top of the Cage but Edge fought back as he chased him up from the corner.

In an amazing spot, Edge hit a back suplex off the top rope, a superplex of sorts to Angle who flips over and lands on his back.

Edge then climbed to the top and got a boot over the Cage until Angle grabbed him from behind, Edge kicked back at Angle and kicked at him with a lowblow from the top of the Cage.

Angle then from the top hit an Angle Slam from the top rope on Edge taking him to the canvas, both men hit hard. Angle had been broken down, Edge has been bloodied for a ton of time.

Angle somehow manages to make it to his feet, Angle climbed to the top of the Cage and then as the audience booed Angle was making it over the Cage and he was going to the bottom and he made it there but the ref was down.

All of the sudden Hollywood Hulk Hogan came down to the ring and sent Angle into the Cage twice as the fans roared.

Hogan has had some experience in Cage matches in his time, in the 80?s, worked them wonderfully.

Fans chant Hogan as he opened up the Cage door and he sent Angle back in the Cage while the official was still down.

Angle had already won but the official was out. Hogan shuts the door, this was to set up the feud between the two for King of the Ring.

First commercial break comes 11 minutes, and four seconds into the match which was great.

Angle hit a suplex in mid-ring to Edge once back from the break, and they show during the commericial, Edge hit a spear in mid-ring and got just a two count.

Edge went for a spear, Angle moved but he sent him into the buckle and he hit a Angle Slam all bloodied, the fans thought it was three as Edge was frustrated.

This match was reaching Classic levels.

Angle locked on the Ankle lock now.

Edge countered with his power elevating Angle into the side of the Cage. Now Edge then with an Ankle lock to Kurt Angle himself! Angle kicked him off. Hogan kept watching from outside the Cage.

Edge still full of blood went for the door, but Angle tripped him down and stomped on Edge and choked him out with his boot. Angle kept giving Edge a boot to the head.

Angle climbed to the top and he was hanging from the top but Edge slammed Angle’s head into the top of the Cage and then Angle dropped onto the steel door, groin first hurting the Olympic Jewels as Tazz said.

Edge pulled Angle back into the Cage, still all full of blood to add drama. Edge elevated Angle back into the ring. Edge from the corner spotted Angle, Angle charged towards Edge like an idiot but caught a spear in mid-air.

In the end of this Great Cage match, Edge pinned Angle at 14:37 of TV Time (the match went longer with commercials, around 17-18 minutes)

A Classic for sure!

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**** 1/4

 

 

 

 

 

 

4) Magnum TA vs Tully Blanchard in a Steel Cage Match -NWA Starrcade 1985

 

 
Here we go, and here it is what many consider to be the Cage match of all Cage matches, I do.

The measuring stick to what all cage matches should be compared with. Sort of like what many say Shawn and Taker in the Cell or Shawn and Hall or maybe Benoit-Jericho should be with a Ladder.
Magnum TA was going to be one of the all time greats in the industry, no doubt about it until his unfortunate accident.

Here he takes on one of the Horsemen’s top guns in Tully Blanchard a talent so over because he got it done in the ring and on the mic.

Two excellent workers at the industry’s biggest show STARRCADE 85 in the same year Wrestlemania came out up North in the WWF.

This gimmck match worked wonders. Not terribly long but all quick, crisp and to the point.

 

Falls don’t count, blood doesen’t make any difference.

You had to say “I Quit”, that was a big thing for Wrestler’s to admit back then.

This match was a huge success at the time, it took the Cage match to new heights and still today remains one of the very best Cage matches of all time.

It would take the great and tragic Magnum T.A. to make Tully go.

Starrcade had only been two years old by this point.

Here we go, arguably the Greatest Cage Match of all time.

Magnum T.A. was as focued as he ever was. He shoved down Tully and the two lock up again.

Tully with a single leg-takedown but Magnum shoved him off. Magnum T.A. on the mat tried to gain pressure over tully but the two turned each other around inside the cage. Blanchard let an uppercut go.

Magnum T.A. fought back with the crowd roaring behind him and now he held Blanchard over the ropes holding his throat back and he dropped in elbow in the throat of Tully. Wisely Blanchard uses the ropes for agility and bounced off knocking Magnum T.A. in the head with an elbow drop.

Nice resourceful wrestling by Blanchard. Blanchard sent Magnum T.A. into the steel cage and then slapped on a Camel Clutch. Magnum T.A. broke the grip of Tully and sent throat first into the rope he went. Back up Magnum T.A. reverses an irishwhip and he hangs Tully throat first across the top rope clotheslining him back to the canvas. Everyone loved this.

Magnum T.A. met Tully with a hard righthand and he kicked back sending him to the corner. Back up Magnum T.A. dishes out harder chops and in a side headlock delivered an uppercut to Blanchard. Tully from a sitting position though countered by swinging Magnum T.A. by his tights into the Cage. Tully was like a pitbull all over Magnum T.A. his competition.

Tully Blanchard drops a high knee, Magnum T.A. is bloodied open.

Magnum T.A. was able to get Tully’s arm behind him and drive him head first into the Cage.

Magnum T.A. still with one arm tied back elevated Blanchard this time into the OTHER side of the cage.

Magnum had a bloodied Blanchard on the mat and the crowd roared in approval.

 

 

 

Magnum T.A. was back in control and Tully was in a lot of trouble here. Magnum T.A. continued with a neckgrip and then out of desperation Tully delivered a headbutt into the abdomen of Magnum T.A. sending him back down. All this after Magnum T.A. picked up a microphone asking if Tully would quit.

Magnum T.A. was still able to roll back onto Blanchard grinding the blood from his skull. Magnum T.A. and Tully on there backs engaged in a test of strength, both guys were full of blood.

This was beyond a brawl, it was an all out war full of hatred from the NWA in a Cage. Just greatness.

Still exchanging blows in this beatdown state, Blanchard with a high knee, Magnum T.A. all bloodided to his knees is on the recieving end of a mic shot once or twice to the busted head of Magnum T.A.. Tully asked Magnum T.A. to quit and he’d respond with “HELL NO”!

Blanchard dragged Magnum T.A. backwards into the Cage. Blanchard grabs the mic again seeing if the great Magnum T.A. would give in but still he elected not to.

Blanchard all bloodied and fatigued managed to drop an elbow to the head of Magnum T.A. also bloodied, he went for a second and Magnum T.A. moved as the crowd cheered. This bought Magnum T.A. an oppurtunity to fight back. A slugfest broke out in the center of the ring from both men who were wobbly. Magnum T.A. all over Tully and with the mic in his face he still said no.

You can see the old schoo brutality brought out full force.

The selling was incredible here, you really could feel the pain from both competitior’s like on this last case where Magnum T.A. put the mic in Tully’s face.
Both men raked each other’s bloody face and still neither would give. This is quite amazing.

Magnum T.A. was in control until Tully hit a knee from behind. He drove Magnum T.A. right into the cage. He knocked intot he official grabbed a chair and broke a wooden chair. Tully kicked the ref and went after Magnum T.A. with the chair but he held it off.

Amazing drama here.

Pure hatred this is tremendous.

Magnum T.A. holding the piece of the wooden chair Tully ripped off and was now trying to dig in his skull.

Fans on there feet as Magnum T.A. knees Tullly off of him. Magnum T.A. fought back and everyone loved it. This was desperation time. Magnum T.A. grabbed the wood and started to dig it into Blanchard’s face until he said yes.

In the end at 14:43 Magnum T.A won the “I Quit” Steel Cage Match as the fans went wild.

This Classic match is one to be remembered as one of the best, if not the very best in the history of Starrcade.

It is also arguably the greatest Cage match of all time.

 

 
  
 
**** 3/4

 

 

 

 

 

5)  “The Magnificent” Don Muraco (c) (W/Captain Lou Albano) vs Jimmy “Superfly” Snuka (With “Nature Boy” Buddy Rogers) for the WWF Intercontinental Championship in a Steel Cage Match -Madison Square Garden: October 1983

 
 
You’ve all heard the story. A young Mick Foley caught a ride to MSG for this one and was inspired to do the same one day and take it to new levels, an awesome story told many times but why not once more before this one?

Todd Grisham states (In the IC title DVD) that besides Foley getting thrown off the Cell, this might be the most overplayed footage in WWE history, Snuka’s famous splash off the Cage onto Don Muraco.

Monsoon is doing this match, not McMahon for the first time on this set.

They show a good HEEL promo by Don Muraco done backstage with Vince McMahon the day of the bout which was a nice touch to this DVD.

Don Muraco and Snuka both played there allignment perfectly which delivered a great blend for this clash.

The Steel Cage Match back then was billed as the most brutal match in wrestling and then it certainly was.

Snuka got the best of Muraco early with a couple of shoves and then the two tied up in the center until finally near the ropes where Superfly gave Muraco some shots and chops to the delight of the crowd. Muraco pulled the door open out of desperation but Snuka caught up to him and slammed his head into the top buckle before hitting more shots to Don Muraco.

Snuka kept on Muraco with more turnbuckle shots and a chop to the front ropes, but Muraco hit a knee to the gut of Snuka before a sling shot to the side of the cage of Snuka. Muraco pulled out all the stops in desperation to get back in this match and this busted open the Superfly. Jimmy Snuka`s bloodied face was grated across the cage by the Magnificent Muraco.

The Magnificent Don Muraco threw Snuka into the corner but Superfly was able to bring up a knee of his own to bring Muraco down. Snuka climbed to the top but Muraco got to his feet and stopped him. Muraco had Snuka up in a half fireman`s carry on the top rope. Muraco had Snuka up high. Snuka hit him with a hard forearm shot and Muraco layed down in the middle and Snuka had a chance to perhaps splash on him but he didn`t. Snuka at this point was bloodied and Don Muraco got back up and knocked him off the top. Muraco was in a position to get out and he couldn`t get out the door because Jimmy Snuka irishwhipped him into the corner turnbuckle head first.

Snuka sent Muraco into the side of the Cage and then leaped up and landed a hard shot to the head of Don Muraco. Muraco now busted open. Superfly with a powerslam to Don Muraco. Snuka went up to the top and instead of a headbutt (due to the blodloss) he hits a flying forearm from the top to Don Muraco. Snuka then with a hard right hand to Muraco`s bloodied head multiple times. Snuka then DOES hit a vicious headbutt despite the blood loss and this time he lands outside the CAGE to win the match!

No one can believe it! Both men bloodied and Snuka wasn`t going to take this. Muraco had won the match and Superfly hit a big suplex to knock a bloodied Champion down and out in the center of the ring.

 

Superfly Up………He does it!

FOLEY IS INSPIRED. “One day I’m gonna top that…Bang Bang!”

 

 

20,000 go bannana`s according to Monsoon in MSG!

Historical significance and a bout for its time bumps up the rating slightly.

 

 

 

** 3/4

 

 

 

 

 

6) Bret “Hitman” Hart (c) vs “The King of Harts” Owen Hart in a Steel Cage Match for the World Wrestling Federation Championship -WWF Summerslam 1994
Here we go!
I think the safe consensus is that the Wrestlemania X match between these two is five stars, it is for me and it is the best match of all time from where I stand from a pure wrestling stand-point.

This Cage match was rated 5 stars by Dave Meltzer. This match was rated five stars by WF member McQueen and others have this fifteen foot high steel cage match for the WWF title at 5 stars.

The knock on this match is that it feels like two brothers playing jungle gym for a half an hour and it is boring.

Well The Fink says before the match that there are only two ways to win this bout and that is to climb over the cage door or through the door.

So the two brothers rather then tried to kill each other simply obeyed that strategy and tried to one up the other by using that formula trying to ground the other man making sure they were beaten inside the ring to make sure one man could exit the cage safe and sound with the title.

You might seriously believe Owen Hart had a legit chance at the WWF title here, I did, after all this was his chance.

Bret got a great ovation as Champion and then got in the ring with Owen in the cage and the stage was set.

Owen hopped on The Hitman with the lights out after he gave his shades to a youngster outside the ring and The King of Harts wasted no time attacking Bret Hart and the bell rang.

Owen had just won the King of the Ring and was at his peak as a professional defeating Bret in the five star attraction at Mania.

Owen hit him with a number of blows then drove Bret’s face into the canvas, then the turnbuckle. Bret got hit with rights and lefts as Owen screams in his ears on the top of the turnbuckle.

Owen with a slap to Bret then he relentlessly kicked on him inside the squared circle wrapped with blue caging on the four sides. The Hitman turned the tide with an atomic drop and a clothesline as the fans cheer.

King points out he’d love to see the reactions of Stu and Helen after each move which is obvioussly typical hillarious Lawler when discussing the Harts.

Owen remained in control despite sustaining that clothesline and attempted to smash Bret’s head into the cage but Bret levelled him with a blow and then a DDT. She clapped when Bret hit a leg drop on Owen. Which was a good spot as the camera caught Helen Hart clapping on Bret. Bret tried to climb the cage but Owen caught him in the first attempt at escaping of the match, he then hit Bret with a spinning heel kick. Owen then climbed up the cage some more and Bret grabbed his leg just in time.

Bret Hart then picked up Owen who was on the top ropes and came off with a suplex back to the mat! Awesome suplex by the Hitman says McMahon! It was.

Great stuff thus far, setting the pace of the match, a little back and forth action and both men trying to escape.

Bret goes for the door but Owen Kicks at him and then irish whips him hard into the buckle. Bret kicks Owen in the mid-section as he comes near by then a running Bulldog. Bret then continued to crawl towards the cage door and then owen, smartly hopped overtop of him outside the cage door but both Brothers kept dragging the other as it looked pretty suspensful at times.

Both men to there feet again and and this time Bret goes to escape the cage on the side and he gets half way up when Owen grabs onto his ankle and then his pink tights and then flips Bret over by the hair and gets him down. Owen Hart the only guy up then climbs the turnbuckle and what made this Cage match great is the emotion of the crowd whenever one guy would climb the cage as they legitimately thought the match could end each time. Owen made it over the first side of the cage but Bret caught him by the head and dragged him over one side as the two exchanged blows. Owen then hit a drop kick to Bret Hart from the top turnbuckle, Owen flipped up and proceeded to climb the other side of the cage amazingly quick but Bret got up and pulled him over once more. Bret then from the top of the cage caught a series of right hands from Owen Hart. Owen had Bret at the top of the Cage and while Bret tried to hang on he kept recieving shots from his little brother Owen. The King pointed how it wasn’t fair because everyone was against Owen.

Owen Hart then back on the canvas with Bret tried to perform a pile driver but got a back body drop from The Hitman. The two ducked each others clothesline off the ropes then knocked into each other as both men went down as they cut to a shot of a worried Stu and Helen Hart. They they showed the Anvil stroaking his beard extremely curious and while Owen went to escape the cage door Bret grabbed him by the hair and dragged him to the middle where he gave him a big forearm shot. Then drove the elbow into the head of The Rocket, or the King of Harts. Bret climbed the top turnbuckle and put one leg over the side of the cage but Owen grabbed onto the remaining leg on the INSIDE of the cage and dragged him back in. Owen Hart with one leg pulled Bret in and he landed crotch first on the top rope and this looks to be a huge break for Owen. Hart as in Owen however, took his time sliding to the door and Bret caught him, dragged him back in and nailed him head first in the groin. Owen caught Bret once up to there feet with a headbutt and while Owen attempted escaping the cage over the top, Bret once again caught him by the hair and dragged him over one side, to the other where he landed on the top of the ropes and was flipped over head first onto the canvas. Owen then caught Bret with one leg and flipped him over upside down and into a Samoan Drop onto the canvas!

Great wrestling each time one brother tried to escape a side.

Bret rammed Owen head first into the side of the cage while they caught a glimpse of Bruce Hart on the outside cheering it on. Bret was looking to escape yet again as all the kids screamed in excitement but Owen caught him at the last moment in dramatic fashion from the outside and slammed him in the ring once more. Back in the ring Owen Hart hit Bret with a terrific looking Pile Driver!

Bret looked to be out after that out but Owen for some reason took his time getting to his feet, he was selling previous blows surely and Bret just caught up to him in time yet again. Owen and Bret battled it out at the top of the cage till The Hitman fell to the canvas but as falling he dragged Owen with him so he fell after. Both men exhausted on the canvas floor as Bret crawled towards the exit door and Owen just grabbed onto The Hitman`s pink tights in time. Bret then desperately tried to escape in excting spot but Owen wouldn`t let him. Therefore Bret went with the flow and back in the ring and hammered away on Owen`s head then tried to get out again but then Owen and Bret rolled on top of the other with right and left hands.

They turned over and over and over with each Hart brother on top for a different part of the match and they both went for the cage door about 6 or 7 times without being successful of course. King yells `WHAT A WAR`! Bret then sling shotted Owen into the side of the cage and Bret just catching his breath went for the door again but Owen pounced hard on the Hitman making sure he stayed in the ring. Owen then irish whipped The Hitman into the buckle hard. This is a very good war and by this time in the match both brothers Felt the effects of the Steel Cage match for sure. Bret back to his feet went for a scoop slam but Owen reversed it and sent Bret right into the cage and his knee struck the cage.

That same bad knee Bret sold earlier in the year came back into play in this match and Bret sold like a pro limping, and despite Owen down fro fatigue Bret slowly climbed the cage but Owen Hart JUUUUST made it to the top to make sure he couldn`t escape yet again! Amazing. Owen grabbed Bret by the hair and the back of his tights pulled him hard into the ring and then sent him for the ride and came off with a hard clothesline. Both men down as the crowd cheered on Bret but Owen got to his feet first this time. The King of Harts slowly started to climb the side of the cage as Owen when doing this seemed a lot more cautious then Bret however Owen when trying to escape the side door was a lot quicker. Bret of course caught up to his little brother and once again dragged him over by the Hair and the two standing on the ropes elbowed each other as well as exchanged blows with one another. Bret was starting to fall down but he made sure Owen caught a high knee to the face. Owen fell to the canvas but even still when
Bret began to climb the cage with one leg over Owen got to his feet in time to drag the Hitman back inside the ring. Owen hit a forearm to Bret. Owen then sent Bret for the ride and came off with a clothesline as both men fell to the canvas. King was sure at this point Owen would become the new WWF Champion.

Chicago chanted `Lets Go Bret` as Owen climbed over to the top turnbuckle and Davey Boy Smith was yelling from the outside.

This is a memorable spot.

Owen in the corner up high but Bret came off with an unbelievable vertical suplex from the top of the cage and Vince yells “UNBEEEELIEVABLE!“ as it most certainly was.

The Harts look on in disbelief and no move on this entire event got as much of a reaction as that one just did. Owen being afraid of heights decided to take that fall and Bret protected him well as that was his main concern obvioussly and The Hitman was a master at protecting his opponents and at the same time making it look real.

While Bret Hart took his time escaping the cage Owen grabbed onto the legs and locked on a sharpshooter! The King screamed as Bret reversed Owen`s Sharpshooter into a Sharpshooter of his own! Bret climbed one side of the cage and got both legs over this time but in the kick of time Owen leaped over and caught The Hitman by the hair. Owen and Bret once again both on the top rope and they both fell back to the canvas back first together as both men are down.

What a WAR!

Owen Hart then tried to make his way out on the side of the cage facing the family but Bret caught up to him on the top of the cage and Bret went out with him.

Good looking shot here as Bret and Owen were both on the outside and it was a matter of who was going to make it out first!

With Owen`s legs caught in the middle of the cage, Bret made it to the outside first.

Bret finally escaped the Cage and defeated his brother at 32:17 to retain the WWF Championship and Chicago went wild. Bret would put on an even better match at Wrestlemania 13 from this very city less then three years later.

The Anvil then jumped from the outside and attacked Bret after the match.

Owen and The Anvil went to work on Bret Hart as The Anvil locked the cage door. Owen took off one of his boots and hillariously hit Bret with it repeatedly. Davey Boy Smith then started to climb the cage but Owen hit him with that same boot! Hillarious. The King says the whole family is trying to climb in but the Anvil and Owen kept fighting them off! Awesome.

This kind of thing kept up for awhile and Jerry Lawler said this is the greatest thing he has ever seen.

The Bulldog and Owen then battled at the top of the cage and owen fell down and The Bulldog came in as Owen and The Anvil escaped the Cage area and Bret was beaten down but still the WWF Champion.

Well after that marathon of a match I am now convinced these guys did a much better job at making a CAGE match more believable given the object of the match.

This was story telling at its finest and the two did an absolute superb job. I don`t think there`s much wrong with the match and I am going to boost it up at least a half a star from my original rating of *** 3-4 as of right now.

Perhaps the most unique aspect of this match is how NATURAL The Hitman and The King of Harts made everything look inside that cage. It was like they had practiced a million times with how crisp that action was inside there and it was extremely compelling!

Amazing endurance and a Classic for sure.

 

 

 

**** 1/4

 

 

 

 

 
 

 

 

 

 

——————————————————————–

 

 

 
Disc 2 matches:

 

 
7) HHH (With Chyna) vs Mankind in a Steel Cage Match -WWF Summerslam 97

 

 

Summerslam kicks off in a unique way for the first time ever with a Cage match! This is the third Cage match in the history of Summerslam with the other two being the Rick Rude/Ultimate Warrior match from Summerslam 1990, and of course the memorable Hart Brother Cage match for the WWF Title at Summerslam 1994.

This was the 10th annual Summerslam so it made sense to make it special this way.

The Mankind/Helmsley feud got hot in the Summer of 1997 with battles and wars at In Your House Canadian Stampede as well as the brutal KOTR 1997 match where Hemsley destroyed Mick Foley. This Cage match would add fuel to the fire of an already HOT feud and it was fitting that this Cage match happened at Summerslam as this rivalry got heated in a big way and it was not over yet.

They’d continue to feud as Mankind developed into Cactus and had a great Raw match with Trips from the Garden on the night where Austin first stunnered McMahon in September of 1997.

Chyna was always coming to the aid of Hunter in his matches, especially Cage matches as she would continue to do for the next couple of years and we can see this here. Foley the great worker that took a lot of bumps in this environment matching up against the blue blood who was a mastered technician and a rich snob that would do anything to tear Mankind apart.

The match began when Helmsley tried to escape the blue cage a series of times when Mankind would stop him by pulled him off and slamming him to the mat. Mankind turned the action violent and he’d level Helmsley on a series of occasions with rights and lefts followed by a pile driver. Mankind says BANG BANG. Vince acknowledges Mankind as Foley and he slaps on the Mandible Claw but Chyna begins to climb the cage and pulls Mankind by the hair from the outside as she is HALF WAY UP THE CAGE! Nothing the ref can do about it since it’s NO DQ and Vince says that you’d think the cage would keep chyna away….., which must have been some motivation to create the Hell in a Cell a couple of months later. Mankind came off with a clothesline and then tried to escape the cage while the King said he was SCARED and he was running. CHYNA then climbed up and low blowed Mankind on the top. Hunter Hearst Helmsley then hit a vertical SUPLEX off the top of the cage straight to the canvas!

Awesome spot!

Great pace to this match. Helmsley then went to escape the match and once halfway out the door changed his mind to go back and attack Mankind some more. Helmsley then punished Foley some more and threw Mankind right into the side of the cage. Ross pointed out how Helmsley had a distinct advantage after that suplex from the top of the blue steel cage and Triple H threw Foley into the cage a few different times. Knowing Mick Foley he BUMPED Hard as well. Mankind was in a world of hurt here as Triple H raked the eyes of Mankind and gave him some hard blows to the head with his right hand after he had sustained head shots towards the cage. Triple H relentlessly kept slamming his face into the cage area. Jim Ross says Mankind is getting his brains scrambled in the Cage. Helmsley went to escape but Mankind went to drag him back inside the ring but Triple H kicked him off. Hunter then was over with one leg and then as Mankind caught up hung from one leg to the outside of the ring.

Mankind the irishwhipped Triple H into the turnbuckle and stomped on Hunter some more. The fans got in support of Mankind here as Foley pushed Hunter’s head onto the top of the rope’s but again Chyna interfered by grabbing his hair and pushing his head down. Helmsley gave Mankind an atomic drop but as he took his time recieved a clothesline by Mankind. After a bit of hesitation Triple H gave Foley a face buster from the knee. Helmsley then tried to suplex Mankind but Mankind reversed it and lifted up Helmsley and he hung from upside down INSIDE the cage in a very unique and VERY original spot. Mankind then ran off the ropes and knocked Hunter off so he fell to the ropes and then the canvas which got a great pop! Mankind built support from the crowd as he slammed Hunter into the cage a few times. Once Mankind took his time Hunter got right back into the match and back dropped Mankind into the Steel Cage and this was a very dangerous spot and that got a good ovation from the crowd. As Hunter Hearst Helmsley climbed up the front of the Cage Mankind joined him and the two brawled standing on top of the ropes until Helmsley fell and hit his crotch onto the top rope.
Helmsley then got his leg stuck in the ropes and Mankind saw an oppurtunity to escape the cage. Mankind crawled over to the side of the cage but Chyna smacked Mankind’s head with the CAGE door HARD. Very Violently and then she slammed the ref face first into the steel steps. Chyna then climbed up the cage with a chair and threw one in for Hunter to use. Helmsley then set the chair up in the center of the ring and went to hit a Pedigree on Mankind but he swung Triple H up and he hit Chyna who was in the center of the CAGE and she fell off and the crowd went insane! Mankind then hit a double armed DDT onto the steel chair. Mankind in control now! The fans going crazy as Mankind climbs to the steel cage and to the top.
Chyna then HILARIOUSLY forgot her spot and went to help Trips out but then left as she realized it wasn’t the time for that just yet. Mankind then at the top ripped his shirt to reveal a DUDE LOVE heart drawn on tattoo but it had worn off and hit a FLYING ELBOW drop from the top of the cage in shades of Snuka and Muraco! Mankind then climbed up the cage to the outside, to the floor as Chyna tried to pull Helmsley to the floor first but didn’t make it.
In the end it was Mankind who got the victory at 16:25 after he reached the floor first! Once Foley was on the ground his foot began to shake as Dude Love’s music played and the fans cheered and Mankind began to dance like Dude Love outside the ring.

They show girls in Austin 3:16 shirts dancing to Dude Love’s music playing over the speakers. What a fantastic opener at this event that is quite underrated as its never talked about as a good opener and is quite forgotten in Trips-Foley rivalry because of all the other great matches.

An absolute thrill ride!

 

 

 

****

 

 

 

 

 

8 ) Marty Jannetty vs Shawn Michaels (With Diesel) (C) for the WWF Intercontinental Championship 1993

 

 

Monsoon on commentary.

A Colliseum Video Exclusive from White Plains, New York.

Michaels tried to escape the Cage early but Marty Jannetty stopped him. Marty Jannetty hit a dropkick to HBK and then a clothesline.

No pinfalls as he forgot those didn’t ork and legitimately looked like he didn’t know.

Either way it seemed rather idiotic.

Michaels lands a high dropkick.

HBK with a back breaker, now catapolted by Marty Jannetty into the cage and this official does something funny, he counts and Marty Jannetty is saying well what about last time.

DO pinfalls can’t or not?

That’s what I want to know too….

Michaels charged at Marty Jannetty and got nobody and speared the ring post.
Diesel prevened Marty Jannetty from geing out of the cage and then choked him down on the canvas.

Marty Jannetty is sling-shotted from one side of the cage to the other.

Shaawn slitherng and tried to get out but Marty Jannetty stopped him.

Michaels goes off the ropes and HBK with a dropkick to Jannetty.

 

 
Marty Jannetty coming alive out of a sleeper that was locked on for the bette part of a minute there by Michaels.

Marty Jannetty gets one leg over and pushed back down.

HBK was over the top and Marty Jannetty with a hiplck over the top.

The crowd go absoluely crazy.

 
In the end at 13:04 escaped the Cage door while Diesel distracted Marty Jannetty on the other side making Michaels able to escape earlier.

 

This match was pretty standard but definitely good.

 

 
 
 
***

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
9) “The American Dream” Dusty Rhodes vs “Nature Boy” Ric Flair (C) for the NWA Championship in a Cage Match -NWA GAB 1986
  
 

 
Naitch had a history in ths North Carolina arena.

The American Dream wanted to win this title on the second part of the 86 GAB.

The first time he defeated Ricky Morton (Flair did) in that Cage match.

Could he do the same to the Amercican Dream here.

Both guys begin this match in a cautius way and now Dusty Rhodes with a wrist-lock on the same arm Naitch lets ut all those chops.

Good commentary saying that not only would Dusty Rhodes want to gain the title but maybe extrat some revenge on Flair and the Horsemen and get some revenege.

A standing switch off the ropes and hiplock.

Dusty Rhodes comes back with a chop and Flar falls.
Dusty Rhodes gets caught by Flair for a second until he runs into a sleeper from Dusty Rhodes.

 

A taste of his own medicine now from the American Dream.

 

Rhodes chopped away at Naitch.
Dusty Rhodes still drops an elbow on Flair while he’s down. A leap-frog and now Flair took the wind out of Dusty Rhodes in the mid-section beneath the rib-cage.

Rhodes FULL of bood now and Flair WOO’s and drops his knee on the American Dream. Flair grinds the head of Rhodes into the Cage.
Dusty Rhodes is busted open enough.

Flair drags Rhodes to the middle of the ring and drops his knee to Dusty Rhodes`s ankle the same one the Horsemen injured.

Open season on the ankle by Flair.

Flair then dropped all of his body-weight onto Dusty Rhodes who is down on the canvas.

Flair wth a figure four leglock on Dusty Rhodes. Dusty Rhodes just about had been had by Naitch and then he kicks at the knee weakening the knee of Dusty Rhodes and Flair continues to battle as Dusty Rhodes contnues to battle back.

Ric Flair with a big chop but a big lariat take-down by Dusty Rhodes well calculated on Naitch and takes him down.

A bloodied Rhodes has Flair high in air. Now it`s Dusty`s turn to ram Flair into the Cage and he does so, Flair blades and is busted open.

Now a bloody war from both sides.

Naitch tries to get out but Dusty Rhodes holds him on top and smacks Flair head-first into the top of the fence then a headbutt.

Instead of leaving the American Dream walked down wanting to punish Natich some more that could be a mistae as he grinds Flair into the Cage.
Flair now having his legs worked on and he finally reached the ropes. Flair all bloodied screaming on n pain.

Rhodes gave Flair all he could take and flops. Can Rhodes get hiim over forr the three and no Flair moves, Dusty Rhodes once again drops the elbow and we are almost at the twenty minute mark of this bout.

Flair off the top gets a crossbody and now 20 minutes has gone by. Dusty Rhodes sends Flair into the Cage and he got a small package.

Small package to Flair he did it!

Dusty Rhodes won the NWA title at 20:51!

Brilliant Old-School Cage match, everyone pops.

 

This match is just another tremendous bout to the Rhodes-Flair rivalry.

 

 

 
 
 
****

 

 

 

 

 

 
10) The Rock `N’ Roll Express (Gibson and Morton) (c) vs The Anderson’s (Arn and Ole) in a Tag Team Steel Cage Match for the Tag Team Championship -NWA Starrcade 86

 

 

By this point in Starrcade 86 Tully Blanchard one member of the Horsemen had won gold, the tv title over Dusty Rhodes so now Ole and Arn try and get more gold.
The bell rings early because the Express attacked the Anderson`s.

Ricky Morton, mullet and all went after Ole. Ole then with an elbow to the gut.

Now the Enforcer steps through the ropes, Double A.

Arn Anderson Ricky Morton in the ring, Arn attempts to slam Morton into the cage. Morton b attles out and now the two go one on one, tie-up.

Morton grabs the arm of Arn Anderson and then tags in Terry Gibson who charged into the corner to find Arn.

Arn moved and slammed his legs into the side of the Cage.

They try and cut off the ring now as Arn tags in Ole.

Ole drops his entire body-weight on Terry Gibson and now the Anderson trademark being worked to perfection isolating an opponent.

Arn tagged back in and with the good leg of Terry Gibson he sends him flying head-first but a tag to Ole was still simple.

Ole dragged Terry Gibson over to their corner he needed the hot tag into Ricky Morton bad but the ontinue to isolate Terry Gibson in their half of the ring inside the Cage.

Ole couldn`t get to a crawling Terry Gibson in time as the hot tg was made. WOW. I never thought a guy with hai like that would ever gain such a rection.

An over-head armbar untl Morton fights out with one arm and now both men collide into one another at the ten minute mark Ricky Morton is a pile of blood.
Arn tries to fight back but it looks like a bloodied Morton got the better of that exchange.

With Ole in Morton an inside cradle, a kck-out but then they dropped on the Anderson`s and got the three at just over 12 minute
This match is another tag team classic that happened at Starrcade. One of the many matches that were borderline classic that didn`t make the DVD cut.

 
 
****

 

 

 

 

 
—————————————————————
The following Matches were clipped therefore no rating in this review, I do however have some ratings for the matches below in other reviews but they’re just not listed here on this review:

 

Bob Backlund vs Pat Patterson 1979
Bruno Sammartino vs Larry Sybysko 1980
Bob Backlund vs Jimmy Snuka 1980
Hulk Hogan vs Paul Orndorff 1987
Ric Flair vs Ronnie Garvin 1987
Isaac Yankem vs Bret Hart 1995
HHH vs The Rock 1999
Stone Cold vs McMahon 1999
Edge & Christian vs Hardyz 2000
Angle vs Benoit 2001

 

 

 

 
 

—————————————————————-

 

Final Rating for “Blood Bath: Wrestling’s Most Incredible Steel Cage Matches” = 6/10
 
 

 

 

This set has a pretty good collection of matches but you can certainly see that this was released in 2003. Definitely not a must have but it`s certainly a fine pck-up if you find it cheap. Goes along with the proper New 3 Disc Cage match DVD fine. I still wish they owned Savage-Lawler from Memphis because if they owned that footage people would see one of the greatest Cage matches of all time. Ever. It surprises me Lawler rarely ever speaks about it but I’m sure on the Savage tribute from Raw three days after his death when he called Randy a Hall of Famer no matter what he thought back to that classic from the ealry 1980’s I rate in my top 50 matches ever at **** 3/4. Only Blanchard and T.A is better in my view.

 

 The New Cage match is obviously better and I’m off to review that now! It will be up on the 27th so most of you will be home from the holdays or done your family visit. 

As for this set it gets a passing grade, just barely. Clipped matches really get to me.