Review for The Greatest Cage Matches of All Time

In wrestling, the cage match used to be the match that ended all feuds. It was usually the result of the heel using underhand tactics, having a manager interfere or an ally run in, in the cage there are no disqualifications and the only way to win is to climb out of the cage (or in some cases a pinfall within the cage). These matches were usually brutal affairs and could end a career.

The problem is that as we now have Hell in a Cell, Elimination Chamber and various other brutal matches, the cage match does not have the same impact as it once had. However, this set does try and convey the power that this structure once had in the world of professional wrestling. It includes twenty four of the greatest matches spanning three decades. They feature the likes of Legends and Hall of Famers The Roadwarriors, Hulk Hogan, The Ultimate Warrior, Ric Flair, Randy Savage, Shawn Michaels and also current WWE Superstars Randy Orton, John Cena, Edge and CM Punk.

This is where my first problem comes. I do feel that I need to know how these matches were selected. Was it an online poll? Was a general consensus? A poll by the people in the company? Because the jumps in time area so erratic that I refuse to believe that there were no great cage matches between 1993 and 1997. The absence of Bret and Owen Hart's classic Five Star cage match from Summerslam 1994 almost voids the legitimacy of this list altogether.

That being said, there are amazing matches on this set, but for every great match there seems to be a match that makes me question why it is here at all other than because it features a Hall of Famer or Legend. Bruno Sammartino is featured in a match against Larry Zbyszko way past Sammartino's prime in 1980. Jimmy Snuka is often cited as the 'father of high flyers' with the story about him jumping off the cage against Don Muraco. Yet the match included is a rather subpar match against Bob Backlund. The match is fine in general, it just doesn't have the same effect as that infamous one did.

However, it does include a great match between Ric Flair and Kerry Von Erich from WCCW, Roadwarriors vs. Michael Hayes and Jimmy Garvin from AWA. And although the majority come from WWE, it is nice for them to use the archives available, but again the absence of many NWA/WCW classics such as Ric Flair against Harley Race from Starrcade 1983 or Flair vs Dusty Rhodes from The Great American Bash is absurd. And no Flair vs Luger from Capital Combat doesn't make up for it!

Although I do have issues with the absence of certain matches the set does have some great matches throughout. These include a rare Hulk Hogan vs. Andre the Giant which is great. Ultimate Warrior is featured twice against Rick Rude and Randy Savage, both are great matches with his match against Rude a classic of the era. Mankind vs. Triple H is a brutal match as is Abdullah the Butcher against Bruiser Brody. Both show just how brutal a cage match can be. Also included is the iconic Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. Vince McMahon match, which I believe is one of the best (if not THE BEST) cage matches that there has ever been in terms of action in and out of the ring with one of the craziest bumps ever.

The Greatest Cage Matches of All Time is a problematic set for me. I enjoyed watched the majority of what is on offer here and going through the matches, there are none that make me go 'Ok this match sucks and doesn't belong here'. But the problem I have is that if WWE are going to create a 'Greatest' set then they really need to give us the greatest. They need to stop including rare matches simply because they are rare. Andre vs. Hogan is a great match, but in a grand scheme of things, I've actually already forgotten it. That is not the mark of 'Greatest'.

This is the same with a lot of matches on this set, they are good, but very few of them are great and seem to have been picked simply because of either who is in them or because they just happen to be in a cage. The use of the archives and other companie's is fine, but the fact that of the twenty-four matches only six are included and nothing after 1990 is a little insulting to all the great cage matches WCW had and not including anything from ECW is a shocker.

If you are a wrestling fan who likes this type of match then this is the perfect disk. But if you are a fan of this type of match and already have your Top Ten written then this set might just be a huge disappointment.