Battleground 2013 is set to be released on the 6th of January 2014 on DVD and Blu-Ray in the UK. WWE fans will be able to pick the DVD up at a price of £17.99, or for even more extra features you can pick up the Blu Ray at £19.99. My first comment in this review will be to recommend the Blu Ray - the picture quality really is perfect for enjoying WWE matches. In addition to this, the Blu Ray also boasts an excellent match between Alberto Del Rio and Dolph Ziggler from the October 4th Smackdown. I will review this release over the next few pages, looking at individual points why you should add this release to your wrestling library. The event itself was a controversial night. The main event finish was a disappointing "none finish" that overshadowed what was a decent undercard. Many fans were left fuming - but on revisiting the event you will remember the show had some strong performances and memorable spots. In first considering the DVD and Blu Ray, let's look at the card itself...
The Event
The event itself held a lot of promise: there was good creative build for the Rhodes family fighting the Shield for their jobs, and Daniel Bryan chasing WWE gold against Randy Orton was an exciting prospect. WWE ended up disappointing with the Bryan/Orton finish, but the rest of this card pretty much delivered. The opening World title match between Alberto Del Rio was a stunt filled hardcore match. Both men must have been hurting, with several impressive spots involving steel chairs and ladders. Watching this match back is a reminder of the value in having Van Dam on the roster. I look forward to his return in the Wrestlemania 30 build up. A strong opener from two talented wrestlers. Next up was Cesaro and Swagger vs Khali and Marella. Nothing special, but the Cesaro Swing on the Great Khali is nothing short of jaw dropping. Curtis Axel vs R Truth followed in a bout for the Inter Continental Title. This bout represents the dullest point of the DVD, Axel and Truth fail to engage and this was a boring effort in which fans decided to chant "JBL" instead of following the action. Entertainment picked up slightly with a decent showing from AJ Lee and Brie Bella. Personally, I enjoyed this Diva's Championship match. There was natural athleticism and both tried their very hardest to make it work. I am right with fans who complain about the state of womens wrestling, but credit to both women for trying to make the best out of the situation. I will cover the Rhodes vs Shield match on the next page. It was fantastic, and it deserves highlighting in its own right. Kofi Kingston battled Bray Wyatt in an ok match. The hard Wyatt cross body and Kofi's stunning over the top rope flip dive stood out in this one. CM Punk vs Ryback followed in what was a methodical match. Punk can't be happy with the way he was booked in the finish, winning with a low blow, another factor in fans having a dismal opinion of the show. The main event didn't redeem the poor finish in Punk's match - in an astoundingly bad main event we were given no result because Big Show emerged to knock everyone out. If you choose to add Battleground 2013 to your DVD collection, you will be adding the most controversial WWE event of the year. However, the Rhodes vs Shield match really was a classic. Read on for more...
